Just saw a maths lesson on number patterns. After using an IWB activity where students made number patterns on a 100 chart, they were split into three prearranged groups.
One group was making patterns with shapes with the teacher,
One group was colouring patterns on a 100 chart,
One group (with whom I was working) was playing a computer game: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/maths/number/number_patterns/play.shtml
This was by far the most popular rotation. However, it includes negative numbers (which most of the students said they were not familiar with). Also, many students figured out that they could solve both rounds more quickly by trial and error than by working out the correct number pattern.
The older BBC game has naff graphics, but has some advantages over the current game:
It only occasionally uses negative numbers;
it isn't against the clock, so they have more time to figure it out; and
there are more choices which makes trial and error less enticing:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/teachers/ks2_activities/maths/number_patterns.shtml
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