Kindergarten · Algebra & Patterning
Repeating Patterns
A pattern is not just something pretty — it is a mathematical structure. When students identify a repeating pattern, they are extracting a rule from a sequence. That rule-extraction skill is the seed of algebraic thinking. The core of a pattern (the smallest unit that repeats) is the key idea: once you find the core, you can continue the pattern forever. First Peoples art — beadwork, basket weaving, woven textiles — is full of repeating patterns, offering rich cross-cultural connections.
LESSON VIDEO
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Lesson video
A short walkthrough to play in class or assign for flipped/at-home viewing.
WHAT STUDENTS WILL LEARN
✓Identify and describe a repeating pattern using the terms core and unit
✓Sort and classify a set of objects using a single attribute before creating patterns
✓Extend a given repeating pattern with 2 or 3 elements
✓Create an original repeating pattern and explain the core
✓Represent patterns in multiple ways: sound, movement, objects, drawings
✓Identify repeating patterns in First Peoples art: beadwork, textiles, frieze borders