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Fibonacci Fun for Primary Pupils

The document describes a classroom activity to teach students about Fibonacci numbers using chocolate blocks. Students are divided into groups and each group is given chocolate blocks to arrange in different patterns based on the number of blocks. They count the number of patterns for blocks of length 1 through 5 and record their results. This allows students to discover the Fibonacci sequence of pattern counts themselves. The group that finishes first is named the winner. At the end, the teacher explains how the pattern of counts relates to Fibonacci numbers.

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Mohd Asri Salleh
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59 views5 pages

Fibonacci Fun for Primary Pupils

The document describes a classroom activity to teach students about Fibonacci numbers using chocolate blocks. Students are divided into groups and each group is given chocolate blocks to arrange in different patterns based on the number of blocks. They count the number of patterns for blocks of length 1 through 5 and record their results. This allows students to discover the Fibonacci sequence of pattern counts themselves. The group that finishes first is named the winner. At the end, the teacher explains how the pattern of counts relates to Fibonacci numbers.

Uploaded by

Mohd Asri Salleh
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Fibonacci numbers activity (brick wall pattern)

If we want to build a brick wall out of the usual size of brick which has a length twice as
long as its height, and if our wall is to be two units tall, we can make our wall in a
number of patterns, depending on how long we want it:

There's just one wall pattern which is 1 unit wide - made by putting the brick on its end.

There are 2 patterns for a wall of length 2: two side-ways bricks lay on top of each other
and two bricks long-ways up put next to each other.

There are three patterns for walls of length 3.

How many patterns can you find for a wall of length 4?


How many different patterns are there for a wall of length 5?
Look at the number of patterns you have found for a wall of length 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Does anything seem familiar?
Can you find a reason for this?

Activity for primary school pupils:

Instead of using brick as medium for the activity, teacher can use small chocolate block.
This can attract pupils’ attention and make them more interested in the lesson.
For the activity, pupils will be divided into several groups.

A group contains at least 2 pupils and at most 4 pupils will be most suitable to this
activity. One pupil will be in charged for arranging the chocolate block, and another one
will have to fill in the worksheet. The other two will be the counter and the leader of the
group. So, a cooperative group should not have problem to do this activity successfully.

Then teacher explains the activity to the pupils.

What pupils need to do is paying their attention to what teacher explains. Teacher
demonstrates what pupils need to do in the activity. Then, teacher distributes a
worksheet and a box of chocolate to each group. Each group will have to count the
number of different pattern that can be form from a number of chocolate blocks starting
with 1 chocolate block. If the number of chocolate block is one, pupils should find the
number of pattern that can form the same height of the chocolate block.

There's just one block pattern which is 1 unit wide - made by putting the chocolate block
on its end.

There are 2 patterns for a block of length 2: two side-ways chocolate blocks lay on top
of each other and two block long-ways up put next to each other.
There are three patterns for walls of length 3.

Then the number will increase until 5 chocolate blocks. A pupil will arrange the
chocolate blocks while another pupil will count one by one and the other member will
write the number of pattern and draw the patterns in the form.

Who is the winner?

The first group that completed the task (arranges the patterns, write the number and
draw the pattern in the form) will be the winner of the game (activity).

Conclusion:

Teacher shows the pattern of number of pattern that can be form from the chocolate
blocks. Example: 1,2,3,5,8,…

From the solution that they got, teacher explains about the Fibonacci numbers.

Caution:

If there is not enough time, teacher can stop the activity at 4 chocolate blocks.

Example of worksheet:
Number of chocolate Pattern Number of pattern
block.

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