Playing

with
Patterns
Preschool Math 50 minutes

by Alexandra Parlamas August 31, 2015

Through play and a project, students will learn how to create and extend patterns by using
various objects.

Learning Objectives
Students will be able to produce and extend a pattern using different objects.

Materials and Preparation

Patterns on the Farm by Education.com
Linking cubes of different colors (enough for each student to have 20)
Various colors of tempera paint
Plastic cups (2 per student)
Large white paper (1 per student)
Light Up The Party worksheet (1 per student)
Crayons

Key Terms: Attachments
pattern
PDF

Light Up The
Party!

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Lesson
Introduction (5 minutes)
Line students up in a boy-girl pattern.
Then, begin pointing to each student and say "boy, girl, boy, girl, boy, girl...".
Tell students that this is a pattern, or a repeated way in which something happens.

Explicit Instruction/Teacher Modeling (15 minutes)

Have students play the game Patterns on the Farm as a class.
Call on students sitting quietly to come up to participate.

Guided Practice/Interactive Modeling (10 minutes)

Sit students down and give each student two different colors of linking cubes. These can be
substituted for colored blocks or other items that can be patterned.
Ask students to create a pattern using the manipulatives.
Walk around the classroom to see how the students are doing. Remind them that
sometimes saying the colors out loud helps!

Independent Working Time (10 minutes)

Now tell students that they will be completing a project.
Give each student a large piece of white paper, two different colors of tempera paint, and
two cups.
Have students dip the top of one plastic cup (the part you drink from) into one color of the
paint and put it on the paper. Then, have them do the same with the other color of paint and
cup. Tell them to create a pattern using the two different colors of paint!
Walk around the room to assess students.

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Extend
Differentiation
Enrichment: Have students who are doing well with AB patterning to complete an ABC
pattern using three colors instead of two.
Support: Allow students to create a pattern using colored blocks before using the paint to
gain additional practice.

Related Books and/or Media

BOOK: Pattern Bugs by Trudy Harris
BOOK: A-B-A-B-A A Book of Pattern Play by Brian P. Cleary
BOOK: Pattern Fish by Trudy Harris

Review
Assessment
Assessment should be based on how the students do while completing the patterning
project.

Review and Closing (10 minutes)

As a review, give students a copy of Light Up The Party! and have them try to correctly color
the lanterns to finish the patterns. If students are struggling, pair them with a partner.

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