Grade 1 Patterning (repeating core)
1.PR.1
Demonstrate an 1. Describe a repeating pattern containing two to four
understanding of repeating elements in its core.
patterns (two to four 2. Identify errors in a repeating pattern.
elements) by: 3. Identify the missing element(s) in a repeating pattern.
4. Create and describe a repeating pattern using a variety
of manipulatives, musical instruments, and actions.
• describing 5. Reproduce and extend a given repeating pattern using
• reproducing manipulatives, diagrams, sounds, and actions.
• extending 6. Identify and describe, using everyday language, a
• creating patterns repeating pattern in the environment (e.g., classroom,
using manipulatives, outdoors).
diagrams, sounds and 7. Identify repeating events (e.g., days of the week,
actions. birthdays, seasons).
1.PR.2
Translate repeating patterns 8. Represent a repeating pattern using another mode (e.g.,
from one representation to actions to sound, colour to shape, ABC ABC to blue
another. yellow green blue yellow green).
9. Describe a repeating pattern using a letter code (e.g.,
ABC ABC…).
Clarification of the outcome:
✦ It makes good sense to combine the two outcomes because there are significant linkages
between them.
✦ A repeating core pattern involves a chunk of stuff repeating over and over again. For
example, in abbd, abbd, abbd, . . ., the repeating core is ‘abbd’. This core could be
represented by letters (as is the case here), by sounds, by colours, and so on.
✦ Patterning is one way the human mind works. It is not a mathematics topic per se. For
detail on this refer to: Patterns - myths and not myths
Required close-to-at-hand prior knowledge:
✤ Real counting to at least 10.
✤ Have experience with things that repeat.
SET SCENE stage
The problem task to present to students:
Play different kinds of music and have students do rhythmic clapping to it.
Comments:
Observe if students clap in a repeating manner that reflects the music. If not, help them do so.
DEVELOP stage
Activity 1: Revisits SET SCENE and addresses achievement indicators 1, 4, 5, and 8.
✦ Revisit one of the types of music and have students do rhythmic clapping to it. Discuss
what stays the same as they clap. Introduce the word ‘pattern’ in the discussion (e. g.
Your clapping has a pattern to it.).
✦ Ask students to make sounds that have a pattern. Ask them to describe what repeats. Ask
them to continue the pattern. Use the term ‘pattern’ in response to their descriptions.
✦ Ask students to make movements that have a pattern. Ask them to describe what repeats.
Ask them to continue the pattern. Use the term ‘pattern’ in response to their descriptions.
Activity 2: Addresses achievement indicators 1, 6, and 7.
✦ Ask students to look for things in their environment that repeat. Discuss the results.
✦ Present pictures for them to look at. Ask them to describe what repeats. Use the term
‘pattern’ in response to their descriptions.
✦ Discuss repeating events with students such as birthdays, days of the week, and seasons.
Ask them to describe other repeating events.
Activity 3: Addresses achievement indicators 1 and 5.
✦ Provide students with examples of repeating core patterns that have from two to four
elements in the repeating core (e. g. red blue red blue, red blue, . . .; clap clap swish,
clap, clap, swish, . . ., etc.). Have them describe what repeats. Use the term ‘pattern’ in
response to their descriptions.
Note:
For patterning examples that involve something written/drawn on paper or concrete materials,
indicate the repeating core in a visual way. For example, suppose the patterning example
consists of the following shapes that have been drawn on a piece of paper: circle, circle,
triangle, circle, circle, triangle, circle, circle, triangle, . . . You could visually indicate the
repeating chunk by drawing a line under or circling 'circle, circle, triangle' the core.
Activity 4: Addresses achievement indicators 1, 4, 5, and practice.
✦ Organize students into groups. Each group invents one repeating core pattern that has
from two to four elements in the core, where the core repeats at least three times. They
write/draw their invention on paper. The groups exchange papers. Each group extends
the pattern by one core and describes what repeats.
Activity 5: Addresses achievement indicators 1, 2, 3, 5, and practice.
✦ Provide students with drawings/writings of repeating core patterns where there are
missing cores in between and after. [See the example below.] Have students write/draw
in the missing cores. Discuss results.
✦
✦ Provide students with drawings/writings of repeating core patterns where there are
errors. [See the example below.] Have students identify the errors and write/draw in the
correct cores. Discuss results.
Activity 6: Addresses achievement indicators 1, 4, and practice.
✦ Have students make borders for artwork using different decorative stamps or stencils
(e.g. for animal shapes, letters, etc.) and different colours. Ask them to make borders of
repeating core patterns. Observe if students consistently make repeating core patterns. If
they do not, find out why. One reason may concern boredom with making repeating core
patterns.
✦ Ask students to show the borders and explain the patterns they made for the artwork
activity. When you see two patterns of the same type (e.g. AB type) but involving
different modes (animals, colour, etc.), ask students if the two patterns are the same and
why it might be useful to know if the two patterns are the same. If other patterns in the
artwork are the same but involve different modes, these also need to be discussed as to
same pattern and why.
Activity 7: Addresses achievement indicators 1, 6, 8, and 9.
✦ Provide additional examples of patterns to show that are the same but that involve
different modes (e. g. sound, words, colour, physical movement, etc.). Ask students to
identify and discuss patterns that are the same. Discuss the repeating core in terms of
AB, ABC, etc. patterns.
✦ Ask students to look around the room (or you first provide pictures of a variety of
patterns) and identify patterns. Ask them to if any of the patterns are the same but
involve different kinds of things. Discuss their responses. Discuss the repeating cores in
terms of AB, ABC, etc. patterns.
✦ Provide examples of repeating core patterns involving a particular mode (e. g. colour)
and ask students to translate the patterns using another mode (e. g. sound). Ask them to
describe the pattern type: AB, ABC, etc. Repeat about three times, using different modes.
Activity 8: Addresses achievement indicators 1, 6, 8, and 9.
✦ Return to the SET SCENE activity. Ask students to identify the clapping rhythm (the
repeating core) and to represent it by a movement other than clapping.
✦ Ask students to represent the rhythm in terms of AB, ABC, etc. patterns.
Activity 9: Assessment of teaching (part 1)
✦ Provide a brief worksheet that has repeating core patterns on it that require extension and
filling in missing parts. Here is an example.
Activity 9: Assessment of teaching (part 2)
✦ Demonstrate a repeating chunk pattern (e. g. rhythmic clapping). Ask students to indicate
the pattern by drawing shapes or by drawing colours on a piece of paper.
If all is well with the assessment of teaching, engage students in PRACTICE (the conclusion
to the lesson plan).
An example of a well-designed worksheet follows.
More questions of each type are needed for a well-designed worksheet.
The MAINTAIN stage follows the sample worksheets.
Question 1.
Circle the core.
Question 2.
Draw what comes next.
Question 3.
Fill in the missing part.
Question 4.
Something is not repeating correctly. Circle it.
MAINTAIN stage
Mini-task example
At calendar time, present a repeating core pattern and ask students to describe it and extend it.
Rich-task example (integrates Shape & Space)
This activity requires more than 10 minutes. It is an example of maintaining knowledge
through projects (a project definitely is a rich learning task). Have students design and make a
quilt (on a large paper grid of squares) having repeating chunk patterns in it. After the quilts
are made, have students explain the patterns in their quilts and have them identify patterns that
are of the same type but that involve different modes. Have students indicate the pattern type
(AB, ABC, etc.).
