I think the first step is to define what a pattern is. Using the Smartick website, I learned about various ways to teach patterns and how to create a lesson plan all about patterns and series. Smartick discussed that talking about patterns is basically talking about regularities. Regularities are everywhere and it’s a special skill to be able to recognize them. Regularities exist in natural and social phenomena, and the search for regularities is the base of science. Just by observing your surroundings, you can find groups of elements that have been set in a certain way that follow a rule. In this way, you can find patterns everywhere!
One way to teach students about patterns is to discuss repeating patterns. A pattern is a succession of elements that is formed by following a rule. My preschoolers make patterns with their legos by following a color pattern - for example, one blue lego, followed by one yellow lego, followed by a blue lego, and so on.
Below are a series of patterns and the different repetition patterns used in a first grade classroom:
Great Post Prianka, I definitely agree with you that through observing our own surroundings (or in this case our students) we can find ways to understand patterns. During one of my observations the teacher used different methods to explain patterns to her Pre-K class, for example she used the color of the students clothes to form a pattern. She also used physical activity, such as two claps and 1 stomp and after she demonstrated she asked the students to identify the pattern. Once she felt they were mastering the lesson, she asked the students to think of a pattern to demonstrate (something of choice) to the rest of the class and they then called out the pattern. Nice post and suggestion to use our surroundings as a way to teach a unit! What better way to make sure students are able to apply in classroom teachings to the real world.
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