šŸ“š Unit Plans ā†’ šŸŒ Year 9 Algebra ā€” Te Tātai Tauira ā†’ šŸ“„ Handout: Pattern Detectives
Years 9ā€“10 Pāngarau / Mathematics

Handout: Pattern Detective Agency

Your mission is to crack the code behind these patterns!

Case #1: The Growing Shapes

ā–² ā–²ā–² ā–²ā–²ā–²

1. Draw the next two shapes in the pattern.

2. How many triangles will be in the 6th shape? _________

3. What is the rule for this pattern? _________________________

Case #2: The Skipping Numbers

3, 7, 11, 15, ___, ___

1. What are the next two numbers in the sequence?

2. What is the rule for this pattern? _________________________

Case #3: The Mirrored Pattern

1, 2, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 2, 1, ___

1. What are the next three numbers in this sequence?

2. Describe the pattern in your own words. _________________________

Extra Challenge: The Two-Step

2, 5, 11, 23, ___

Can you figure out the two-step rule and find the next number?

Rule: _________________________

šŸ“‹ Teacher Planning Snapshot

Ngā Whāinga Ako ā€” Learning Intentions

Students will develop algebraic thinking and pattern recognition (tātai tauira) through te ao Māori contexts, connecting mathematical reasoning to cultural and real-world problem-solving in Aotearoa.

Ngā Paearu AngitÅ« ā€” Success Criteria

  • āœ… Students can identify, describe, and extend patterns using algebraic notation.
  • āœ… Students can explain their mathematical reasoning and connect it to real-world contexts.

Differentiation & Inclusion

Scaffold support: Provide concrete materials and visual representations before moving to abstract notation. Offer entry-level tasks using number patterns, and extension challenges involving proof or generalisation for capable learners.

ELL / ESOL: Pre-teach key mathematical vocabulary (variable, expression, equation, pattern). Allow diagrams and tables as alternate representations. Bilingual glossaries recommended.

Inclusion: Neurodiverse learners benefit from structured step-by-step templates and multiple representations (visual, numeric, algebraic). Avoid time pressure on procedural tasks.

šŸŒæ Mātauranga Māori Lens

Tātai (to reckon, count, calculate) reflects the deep mathematical tradition within te ao Māori ā€” from whakapapa genealogy structures to wharenui proportional geometry, navigation, and seasonal calendars. Mātauranga Māori holds rich pattern-based thinking: tukutuku panel sequences, kōwhaiwhai scroll patterns, and fishing seasonal cycles all encode algebraic relationships. Algebra taught through these lenses makes abstract thinking visible and culturally grounded.

Hononga Marautanga Ā· Curriculum Alignment

Curriculum alignment for this handout has not yet been verified against the live curriculum statements. A generated placeholder that stood here was removed on 2026-08-29 because it matched no real statement.