The ability to interpret mathematical symbols and understand how they capture contextual relationships is a critical element of algebraic thinking. More often than not, students see algebra as merely a list of rules for manipulating abstract symbols, with limited to no meaning. Instead, for students to see algebra as a powerful tool and rich way of thinking, they must be given opportunities to interpret algebraic expressions as connected to real life and use them to represent contextual relationships they themselves come to understand. This article's instructional sequence provides a framework to support students in identifying quantitative relationships within figural patterns and embedding this understanding into algebraic expressions.