Patterns

Some of Our Pattern Wonderings in Grade 1 and 2

1. WHAT is a pattern? How do you know it’s a pattern? Students shared – things that repeat themselves, grow or change in a special way, they must repeat three times.

2. HOW do patterns work? Students shared – they repeat themselves, they grow longer and longer (or get smaller); a shape or a color or an object that repeats or grows up, sometimes it can even shrink.

3. What patterns do you know in REAL LIFE? Students shared– animals, clothes, music, language (rhyming words-we loved reading various stories by Rose Bonne’s for example: The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly), weather, art, furniture etc. *They also pointed to their own clothes, furniture in the room, our rugs (with line patterns) etc.

4. WHY is it important to understand patterns? Students shared– lots of answers (e.g. animals- to camouflage, music – to make songs etc.)

CLASSROOM EXPLORING:

Students used patterns blocks, coloured tiles, popsicle sticks and gems to demonstrate their prior knowledge and understanding of patterns.

Digging deeper as we Inquire about Patterns:

How many pattern blocks in all were needed for your pattern?
Can you show me a pattern with your body? What would you do first? Second
What happens over and over again with these blocks?
How would you read this pattern?
What would happen to the pattern if I changed ______?
What can you tell me about the arrangement of your blocks?
Can a friend extend your pattern?
What attributes have you used?
Can you name another way to show your pattern?
How many different kinds of gems did you use?
Can you point to the smallest part of your pattern? Can you tell what it’s called?

BUILDING OUR COMMUNITY PATTERNS:

We took a walk around the school and neighbouring community to notice patterns around us, students were also invited to wonder about patterns they may see at home, and describe them with the class during morning circle.

Students represented a pattern fence, in a collaborative patterning activity in class. Students communicated their ideas, planned what type of pattern they wanted to design to represent a fence for their home, many students also incorporated other patterns elements into their designs (I.e, flowers, windows, rainbow, etc.)

Patterns designs continued…

Students worked in partners to create a sound pattern, we called this “Pattern Theatre” students had 7 minutes to create an action (jump, jump, clap; jump, jump, clap) or sound pattern and share it with the class, whereby we named the pattern (AB, ABAB, ABC, etc) and extended the pattern together. Students were very creative, and used some of their inspiration from FortNite. It was very enjoyable!

Pattern Theatre grew from our discussions of the patterns that are all around us: Children tuned into repeating patterns of sounds (loud, loud, soft; loud, loud, soft) – like the sound of windshield wipers or other sequential rhythms and simply noticing patterns in songs, for example, “Baby Shark.”