One skill that seems to be rooted in every standard of elementary is creating patterns. While this might seem like a simple skill for students to master, it can be quite the process if students have never worked with patterning before. I like to break down this process when I teach patterning in elementary. By doing so, you’ll be able to see where students struggle the most.
Review Attributes
Before I even begin to teach anything related to patterning, I go back a step and review attributes. When we review attributes, we talk about the different traits a person or an object can have. For example, we might look at the color or size or something. We might also look at the overall position of something on a page if that is an attribute to consider. Typically, I will break out math junk to help review this concept with older students.
Once the math junk is out, you’ll want to give students to simply “play” with the objects. This is a chance to get the wiggles out. After only a few moments of this, you can have students sort their math junk by color. Then ask them to sort it by size. You will repeat these directives until you feel your students have a good grasp on attributes.
Make Simple Patterns
Once your students have attributes down, you’ll want to start looking at simple patterns. Start by asking your students to make a pattern of their own. If they seem stuck, tell them to make an a/b/a/b pattern by color or by size. If they run out of a certain color or size, ask them to start a new pattern with what they have left over.
I would do this until students are starting to run out of pieces. Then I tell students to get into Ready Position. What is the Ready Position? You can learn more about it here! Once students are in position, you can have them start again. Always challenge them to use different patterns if they are already excelling. If they are still having a hard time, you can walk around the room and help them out.
Get Student Examples
After having students work with the math junk for a few rotations, I will ask for volunteers to come and show their patterns! Whenever you teach patterning in elementary, it’s great to get kids up to show their work. This gives other students an opportunity to learn from their peers. Plus, you can see the different patterns students have created.
At this point, when I feel like my students have a good grasp on how to use the math junk, I”ll get into specific patterning lessons.
Start to Teach Patterning in Elementary with Repeating Patterns
Whenever I start to teach patterning, I always start with repeating patterns. These patterns I typically use math junk for. To begin, I will introduce the concept of repeating patterns with math junk. Then, the following day, I will introduce another material to the whole class and we will work with it for half the period. Then, we will go back to the math junk to review what we have learned from the previous day.
Other things I like to use when I teach patterning in elementary include:
- Unfix cubes
- Body patterns like stand/sit/stand/sit or boy/girl/boy/girl or clap/pat/clap/pat
- Pattern blocks
- Color tiles
Teach Growing Patterns
Once my students have a foundation of repeating patterns, I will start to teach them growing patterns. I like to start by using food when I teach growing patterns. What you do is give the kids a chance to explore some food with a magnifying glass. For example, you can slice up a red cabbage and the kids can see the repeating pattern in the slice. You can also cut up an orange and do the same thing. If you can’t use food, you can use leaves from outside or a simple lettuce leaf that most students wouldn’t want to eat plain.
After exploring patterns with food, I like to teach patterning in elementary with clothing. I take pictures of clothing with patterns and bring them to school to show students. This is an easy way to integrate patterns from indigenous people as many First Nations people have patterns in everyday things like bowls, boxes, and clothing. I personally have a beaded coat that I bring to show kids. After students have spent some time exploring growing patterns, they can start to create their own.
Create Growing Patterns
When you want students to start creating growing patterns, you want to use materials they are already familiar with. This will help students stay focused and make it so you don’t have to spend time letting them get familiar with different materials. When I teach patterning in elementary, I always like to use the following:
- Math junk
- Color tiles
- Geoboards
- Attribute blocks
- Cut up squares of paper
If you need help getting started with patterning, I have a wonderful resource in my TPT store that includes recording sheets and vocabulary lessons to help you document the learning. Just click on the image below for more information.
Whenever you are starting a new skill, you want to start off slow. By slowly introducing patterns and relating it back to prior knowledge, like attributes, you are giving your students an opportunity to connect their learning. This not only helps students make connections, but it helps put ideas into their long term memory too.
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