Place a square block on the workspace. If the length of the side of the square block is 1 unit, what is the perimeter (distance around the outside) of the block?
Add one of each of the other blocks to the workspace.
Make a list of perimeters for each of the six pieces.
Connect two pattern blocks together. What is the perimeter of the new shape?
How many combinations of two blocks result in a perimeter of 4 units, 5 units, 6 units, or 7 units?
What is the largest perimeter you can have when you join two pattern blocks?
Compare perimeters of two block combinations with perimeters of single blocks. Is there a pattern?
Surrounding
Place a pattern block on the workspace.
Surround each side with more of the same type of pattern block.
Colour the surrounding blocks a different colour to the first block. How many blocks did it take to surround the first block?
Using the same type of block, surround the sides of the second layer. How many blocks are needed to make a third layer?
Can you predict how many blocks are needed to surround the 9th layer?
Copyright
Reproduced courtesy of National Library of Virtual Manipulatives