Math Pattern Lessons: Teaching About Patterns

Lesson Objective

The lesson is aligned to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics – 4.OA.5 Operations and Algebraic Thinking - Generate a number of shape patterns that follow a given rule. Identify apparent features of the pattern that were not explicit in the rule itself.

Materials Required

Calculator

Generating Patterns

Part A

1. Look at the pattern below.

What are the next two shapes?

2. Look at the pattern below.

What are the next three shapes?

3. Look at the pattern below.

What are the next two shapes?

Part B

Example: Look at the pattern below.

1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16…

The pattern starts with 1. The rule is add 3.

What are the next 2 numbers in the pattern? 19, 22

Notice that 19 is an odd number and 22 is an even number.

Notice that a feature of this pattern is an odd number and then an even number.

1. Look at the pattern below.

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11…

The pattern starts with 1. The rule is add 2.

What are the next 2 numbers in the pattern? 13, 15

What is a feature of this pattern? All numbers are odd.

2. Look at the pattern below.

2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12…

The pattern starts with 2. The rule is add 2.

What are the next 2 numbers in the pattern? 14, 16

What is a feature of this pattern? All numbers are even.

Answers

Part A

Part B

1. 13, 15 All numbers are odd.
2. 14, 16 All numbers are even.

Individual or Group Work

1. Look at the pattern below. What are the next two shapes?

2. Look at the pattern below. The pattern starts with 2. The rule is add 3. What are the next two numbers? What is the feature of this rule?

2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17

3. Look at the pattern below. The pattern starts with 1. The rule is add 4. What are the next two numbers? What is the feature of this rule?

1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21

4. Look at the pattern below. The pattern starts with 5. The rule is add 5. What are the next two numbers? What is the feature of this rule?

5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30

5. Generate the first six numbers for a pattern that starts with 5 and has the rule add 3. What is the feature of this pattern?

Answers

2. 20, 23

The feature of the pattern is even number and then odd number.

3. 25, 29

The feature of the pattern is all numbers are odd numbers.

4. 35, 40

The feature of the pattern is all numbers multiples of 5. Another feature is the number ends with a 5 and the next number ends with a 0.

5. 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20

The feature of the pattern is odd number and then even number.

This post is part of the series: Mathematics Lesson Plan

This lesson plan covers Common Core math lessons for multiplicative comparisons, mutlistep word problems, factors, multiples and patterns.

1. Multiplicative Comparisons
2. Word Problems Involving Multiplicative Comparisons
3. Multistep Word Problems
4. Factors and Multiples
5. Teaching About Patterns
6. Assessment on Math Series