During our first week of class, we talked a lot about patterns. I decided to look into the different types of patterns that exist. When I looked up "different types of patterns" on the internet, I found an entire glossary of definitions for patterns of all sorts. But I decided then to focus on patterns that I would want to teach about in the classroom, and I started making a lesson plan of sorts. I haven't made many of these, so I have no idea if this lesson would be stretched over multiple days or just a single lesson.
Two easy patterns to focus on are repeating patterns and growing patterns.
Pattern — a set of recurring events or objects
Repeating pattern — a type of pattern in which elements repeat in a simple manner (ex. boy, girl, boy, girl, boy, girl)
Growing pattern — a type of pattern in which successive elements grow according to a rule
(ex. 1, 2, 4, 7, 11, 16…)
1. Finding Patterns
I'd begin the lesson by having the students pick out patterns in the room—floor or ceiling tiles,
wallpaper, or clothing, for example. I'd then ask students:
...explain what a pattern is and what it is not.
...what other patterns are always present in our lives? [days in a week, months in a year, the seasons]
2. Making Patterns
Then we'd jump into the next section... making patterns! I'd ask a few students to come up to the front, line up in a row, and have the whole class try to make patterns with the students standing in the line. They might pick out physical characteristics (long hair, short hair, long hair, short hair; boy, girl, boy, girl) or movement (standing, sitting, standing, sitting). Then the students would be split up into groups and asked to create a simple pattern on their own with the people in their group. Each group would be given an area of the room to work with in order to generate their own creative “people patterns.” These would be presented in front of the class after the groups have time to make the patterns.
3. Color and Shape Patterns
The real meat and potatoes starts here...this is where we get the students really thinking critically about patterns. I would draw two patterns on the board or put them up on an overhead screen, and have the students try to predict what would come next in the pattern. The patterns might look something like this...
Two easy patterns to focus on are repeating patterns and growing patterns.
Pattern — a set of recurring events or objects
Repeating pattern — a type of pattern in which elements repeat in a simple manner (ex. boy, girl, boy, girl, boy, girl)
Growing pattern — a type of pattern in which successive elements grow according to a rule
(ex. 1, 2, 4, 7, 11, 16…)
1. Finding Patterns
I'd begin the lesson by having the students pick out patterns in the room—floor or ceiling tiles,
wallpaper, or clothing, for example. I'd then ask students:
...explain what a pattern is and what it is not.
...what other patterns are always present in our lives? [days in a week, months in a year, the seasons]
2. Making Patterns
Then we'd jump into the next section... making patterns! I'd ask a few students to come up to the front, line up in a row, and have the whole class try to make patterns with the students standing in the line. They might pick out physical characteristics (long hair, short hair, long hair, short hair; boy, girl, boy, girl) or movement (standing, sitting, standing, sitting). Then the students would be split up into groups and asked to create a simple pattern on their own with the people in their group. Each group would be given an area of the room to work with in order to generate their own creative “people patterns.” These would be presented in front of the class after the groups have time to make the patterns.
3. Color and Shape Patterns
The real meat and potatoes starts here...this is where we get the students really thinking critically about patterns. I would draw two patterns on the board or put them up on an overhead screen, and have the students try to predict what would come next in the pattern. The patterns might look something like this...
Then I would show them a growing pattern, like this.
I'd explain that the first two color patterns they saw, and (probably) all of the people patterns they made are called repeating patterns. Pattern #3 is a new type of pattern, called a growing pattern.
4. Number Patterns
Next I would introduce number patterns. Instead of using colored dots, I would exchange those for numbers and have them see those as patterns.
For example, here are some repeating number patterns:
1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2...
1, 3, 3, 1, 3, 3, 1, 3, 3, 1…
And some growing number patterns:
1, 2, 4, 7, 11 ,16, 22…
1, 1, 2, 6, 24, 120, 720…
Students can create their own growing patterns and switch with a partner to figure out what
numbers come next.
Reflection:
I think that this lesson would work well, and starting off with a way to make patterns that uses their bodies would help to make the lesson fun. What I am not so sure about is how long each of these things would take. I would love to do them all in a row, because they progress, but it seems after going through that it would be more of one lesson per day progression. It might not work as is because of time constraints. I think that this would be a good way to ease students into finding patterns with numbers as well.
4. Number Patterns
Next I would introduce number patterns. Instead of using colored dots, I would exchange those for numbers and have them see those as patterns.
For example, here are some repeating number patterns:
1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2...
1, 3, 3, 1, 3, 3, 1, 3, 3, 1…
And some growing number patterns:
1, 2, 4, 7, 11 ,16, 22…
1, 1, 2, 6, 24, 120, 720…
Students can create their own growing patterns and switch with a partner to figure out what
numbers come next.
Reflection:
I think that this lesson would work well, and starting off with a way to make patterns that uses their bodies would help to make the lesson fun. What I am not so sure about is how long each of these things would take. I would love to do them all in a row, because they progress, but it seems after going through that it would be more of one lesson per day progression. It might not work as is because of time constraints. I think that this would be a good way to ease students into finding patterns with numbers as well.
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