Minds On

Flower patterns

What is a pattern? A pattern is something that repeats over and over again in a regular way.

Extend the pattern

Consider the following flower pattern that has yellow sunflowers and red gerber flowers.

A pattern of yellow sunflowers and red gerber flowers. The pattern is: gerber flower, sunflower, gerber flower, sunflower, gerber flower.

How can you continue to extend the pattern?

Let’s explore a Ten Frame! Use the two flower stickers to extend the pattern. Try using it yourself and ask for help if you need it!

What comes after the red flower? How do you know?

Record your thoughts. If possible, share with a partner.

As you work through this learning activity, you can record your ideas in many ways.

Access the following audio recording to learn more about how to record your ideas.

How to Record Your Ideas

Action

Hunting for patterns

Materials Needed

Materials needed

The materials needed for this activity are:

  • clipboard
  • paper
  • crayons
  • various repeating materials for pattern making (forks, spoons, colourful blocks, pom-poms)

Let’s go on a scavenger hunt to search for patterns in your learning environment.

Bring a clipboard, paper, and some crayons to record a pattern that you discover on your hunt.

You could also record what you find through audio or by taking pictures.

If possible, share your findings with a partner and explain some of the patterns you recorded.

Extending patterns

Let’s practise extending a pattern.

A pattern is extended by adding the correct object in the correct order.

Examine each of the following patterns. Start at the beginning of the pattern. What is the name of each object in the pattern?

When you get to the end of the pattern, share what objects would come next.

Record your thoughts. If possible, share with a partner.

The pattern is red car, beach ball, red car, beach ball, red car, beach ball, and a blank space. The blank space is to extend the pattern.

Examine this pattern with dogs and cats.

Extend the pattern! What comes next?

Pattern is dog, dog, grey cat, dog, dog, blank space, and blank space.

Examine this pattern with rainbows, snowflakes, and a sun. Extend the pattern! What comes next? Pattern with 4 blank spaces to extend the pattern. The pattern is: a rainbow, a snowflake, a sun, a rainbow, a snowflake, a sun, blank space, blank space, blank space, blank space.

Consolidation

Show your patterns

Collect materials in your learning space that you can use to create patterns.

You can use any repeating objects you have so you can make a repeating pattern. For example, you could use forks, spoons, colourful blocks, pom-poms, and toys.

Repeating pattern of fork, spoon, fork, spoon, fork, spoon.

Can you create four patterns?

Record your patterns.

If possible, explain your pattern to a partner or try to extend a partner’s pattern.

Reflection

How do you feel about what you have learned in this activity? Press the button next to the sentence that matches how you feel.

I feel…