Patterns with Beads

Curriculum Goal

Recognize, explore, describe, and compare patterns, and extend, translate, and create them, using the core of a pattern and predicting what comes next (#18).

Explain to students that while they are sitting in groups, they will be making their own patterns with the beads.
Bring to students’ attention that patterns can go in any direction (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally).
Give each student a hundreds chart.
Have children create a pattern on the hundreds chart in any direction.
After students have finished their first pattern, have them describe and explain their pattern to their group.
Ask students to keep their first pattern on the chart and add to it by making a second pattern.
Repeat the steps above and have children make as many patterns as they can.
Take a picture of the patterns they made for documentation.

How complex are children’s patterns? Are they based on colour, shape, size, or a combination?
How often do children create patterns in different directions? What happens when they intersect?

Students participate in an activity exploring patterns with an emphasis on the pattern core.

An introductory activity to patterning with an emphasis on predicting what comes next.