ABSTRACT
The scientist’s job is to discover repeating patterns. This chapter focuses on what goes on in our mind with respect to pattern recognition, and how we can use this understanding to inform our teaching. Specifically, I discuss three basic theories on how we perceive patterns, and then see how these three theories can be applied within the context of scientific thinking. I use these ideas and the explicit-reflective-count framework to inform a practical “Thinking Task” worksheet that you can incorporate into any lesson where pattern recognition is used. I also show you several activities that involve pattern recognition and discuss how the thinking task can be easily built into the lessons.
