Our first mathematics unit has been so much fun so far. We have been talking about, learning about, and making our own patterns. It started with our names, where we created patterns using the letters of our names repeated in a 4 X 8 grid. We coloured in the same letters with the same colours and created works of art!
The grade 1s have been looking at patterns in nature and the grade 2s have been making patterns using connecting blocks and polygons based on shape, colour and more! Soon, grade 2s will be looking at growing and shrinking patterns using numbers, and grade 1s will be challenged to think about 2 and 3 attribute patterns.
What you can do...
Please talk about patterns with your child, and help your child to notice and point out patterns when you or he/she sees them. How are they incorporated into everyday life, art, math, nature and so on? These are enriching discussions to have with your child and it will help him/her to understand the value in learning patterns (even our ABC's and 123's are patterns!).
Have your child play the following math game to have fun learning about patterns:
Flower Frenzy (available through the Virtual Library as well)
Also, here are some other ideas for you to try with your child:
- Here's a great musical patterning idea for you! You can play this little game with as many kids as you'd like. Stand in a circle, and choose someone to go first. Ask each child to put together a three-step musical pattern (such as clap, snap, clap). Once the child has shown the rest of the group his/her pattern, everyone does the same. Continue with all the kids until everyone has had an opportunity to make his/her own musical pattern, and then try to put them all together!
- Art and patterning go hand in hand. Find yourself enough large-squared graph paper for you and your kids. Make sure you have lots of crayons or markers near by. Silently, each person decides on a specific pattern (not too long) and colours it on the graph paper (such as blue, red, yellow, yellow, red, blue). Once everyone has made their initial pattern, trade papers to the right, and the next person has to follow the same pattern. Continue along until the entire page has been filled.
- Patterning in everyday life! You can do this activity while you're driving in the car or walking through the neighbourhood! You will need a pencil, pencil crayons, and something to write on like a notebook (blank or lined, it doesn't really matter). On your trip or walk, have your kids record everything they see with a pattern! For example, if you see a building with lots of windows, your child would write the word "building with windows" and then would draw the pattern next to it (e.g., four windows followed by a beam, then four windows then another beam). Share your findings.
