Summative Task: Design a Tukutuku Panel
Use your algebra skills to design a beautiful and meaningful pattern.
The Project
Your mission is to design a tukutuku panel for our school's virtual wharenui. Your design must be based on a growing pattern that can be described by an algebraic rule.
Part 1: The Poutama (Stairway to Heaven) Pattern
The Poutama pattern represents genealogies and the various levels of learning and intellectual achievement. We will use a simplified version for our project.
Your task is to create a rule for a Poutama pattern.
- Choose a rule: Create an algebraic rule for a growing pattern (e.g., 4n + 2). It must be your own rule.
- Show the first 3 stages: On graph paper, draw the first three stages of your pattern.
- Create a table: Make a table showing the stage number (n) and the number of squares for the first 5 stages.
- Explain your rule: Write a sentence explaining how your pattern grows and what your algebraic rule is.
Part 2: Your Design
On a new piece of graph paper, design a section of a tukutuku panel that incorporates your Poutama pattern. Your design should be colourful and show at least 5 stages of your pattern's growth.
Assessment Rubric
| Criteria | Achieved | Merit | Excellence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algebraic Rule | Correctly writes a one-step algebraic rule. | Correctly writes a two-step algebraic rule. | Creates a complex and original multi-step rule. |
| Pattern Representation | Draws the pattern and completes the table with some accuracy. | Accurately draws the pattern and completes the table, showing clear growth. | Flawlessly represents the pattern, table, and rule, showing a deep understanding of the connection. |
| Tukutuku Design | Design is clear and uses the pattern. | Design is creative, well-presented, and clearly shows the pattern's growth. | Design is outstanding, incorporating cultural meaning and demonstrating a sophisticated use of the algebraic pattern. |
Curriculum alignment
- Algebra ā Practices: - Identifying and plotting points in the four quadrants of the coordinate plane, using ordered pairs and values from a table - Using tables, graphs in the coordinate plane, anā¦
š Teacher Planning Snapshot
NgÄ WhÄinga Ako ā Learning Intentions
Students will develop algebraic thinking and pattern recognition (tÄtai tauira) through te ao MÄori contexts, connecting mathematical reasoning to cultural and real-world problem-solving in Aotearoa.
NgÄ Paearu AngitÅ« ā Success Criteria
- ā Students can identify, describe, and extend patterns using algebraic notation.
- ā Students can explain their mathematical reasoning and connect it to real-world contexts.
Differentiation & Inclusion
Scaffold support: Provide concrete materials and visual representations before moving to abstract notation. Offer entry-level tasks using number patterns, and extension challenges involving proof or generalisation for capable learners.
ELL / ESOL: Pre-teach key mathematical vocabulary (variable, expression, equation, pattern). Allow diagrams and tables as alternate representations. Bilingual glossaries recommended.
Inclusion: Neurodiverse learners benefit from structured step-by-step templates and multiple representations (visual, numeric, algebraic). Avoid time pressure on procedural tasks.
TÄtai (to reckon, count, calculate) reflects the deep mathematical tradition within te ao MÄori ā from whakapapa genealogy structures to wharenui proportional geometry, navigation, and seasonal calendars. MÄtauranga MÄori holds rich pattern-based thinking: tukutuku panel sequences, kÅwhaiwhai scroll patterns, and fishing seasonal cycles all encode algebraic relationships. Algebra taught through these lenses makes abstract thinking visible and culturally grounded.