What Is a Pattern? Who Needs Support?
The beginning of our pattern unit asks students to name patterns they see in the
classroom and in the neighborhood, and then to draw a picture of a pattern they ob-
served. This informal assessment gives me a quick check on which students already
know what a pattern is and which students need my attention. If students are strug-
gling with identifying and constructing patterns from the beginning, it is important
that I give them immediate support to help them understand what a pattern is.
To help those who are unable to name or draw patterns, I point out the fea-
tures of the patterns that other students have drawn. For example I might say,
“What do you see in this picture that keeps repeating? What part is the pattern?
Why is that a pattern?”
We also do body movement patterns early in the unit so that students who
learn best kinesthetically can involve their whole body in noticing patterns.
When we do body movement patterns, I might say to the students, “We call this
apatternbecause it repeats over and over again. We could go on forever, without
stopping, and it would always be shoulders, head, shoulders, head.” Sometimes it
is difficult during this activity to tell which students understand the idea of a pat-
tern because motor skill development can inhibit some students from being suc-
cessful. That is why naming each movement as we do it helps students “hear”
what the pattern is. These body movement patterns work well at the beginning
of subsequent pattern lessons because using their bodies helps some students who
are having difficulty make connections to other pattern contexts. They are able
to refer back to the earlier work with body movements to recognize other pat-
terns. For example, we use the body movement words to connect with the snap
cubes patterns. If the pattern is, “clap, clap, snap,” we snap together a green,
green, red cube pattern to match.
I also ask students questions as we go along to help them focus on each ele-
ment of the pattern and on the repetition.
- How did you know what to do next (for body movement patterns)?
- How did you know what comes next?
- How would you tell someone else what the pattern is?
Identifying What Comes Next in a Pattern
When students began working with partners to make patterns with tiles and
connecting cubes, I circulated, focusing on children who had been having difficulty
with the concepts during the whole-group sessions. I have found that I need to work
with them as soon as possible so they practice naming the parts of the pattern, in-
stead of floundering on their own or depending on a partner to set them straight.
What Comes Next?