Number of Green Apples In One Tray

The picture has a 5,4,5,4 alternating row pattern. Therefore, one end (long side as seen) of the tray must be 5 while the other end (long side as seen) is 4. In this way, when the trays are stacked up in facing order, one on top of the other, the pattern of 5,4,5,4 will appear. In order to have one long end 5 and the other 4, the tray should take 4 rows of apples, thus giving 5+4+5+4 = 18. I rule out adding a further 5+4 as it will give a total of 27. 18 seems more likely as it is one and a half dozens. A common unit of measurement for quantity of groceries.

The content areas required include patterning, addition, shapes, area and estimation. To help children arrive at a solution, I will try the following:

1) divide the children to form groups of 3

2) provide each group with the picture

3) tell them that their task is to guess and find out how many apples are 

    there on one tray.

4) tell them to write down and/or draw any pattern your group can see.

5) materials like cardboard, crashed paper balls, writing materials, blu-

    tack, tapes and counters will be available should the groups want to

    explore the problem using concrete objects.

6) while the groups are working out the solution, I will circulate to observe and

     prompt appropriately.