Every student should be familiar with the hundred square. There may be one hanging up in the classroom. There are many revealing patterns to be found in it.
Give each student a hundred square and a supply of counters.
- Ask students to count by fives (5, 10, 15…) placing a counter on each number in turn. What pattern do these counters make? Why? Focus on the ones or units digit.
- Ask students to predict the pattern they would get if they counted by tens. Confirm the pattern and explain it, focussing on the tens digit.
- Repeat, counting by twos and perhaps by threes, fours or nines.
- Extend the above tasks by starting at an arbitrary number (e.g. start at 6 and count by 10).
Through these tasks, students will strengthen their knowledge of place value and their addition skills. To assess their understanding, repeat the tasks using a blank hundred square.
Advanced students could be challenged to find similar patterns in a calendar.
