The Pattern Pass.

Included in both the TEKS (TX standards!) and the Common Core are standards about patterning. 

Identifying, creating, and extending patterns is something that our kids need to be able to do, 

so why not make learning about patterns engaging?!

When exploring patterning, I LOVE to use manipulatives. 

I think they are such a necessary part of helping our students build conceptual understanding!

My favorite pattern-making manipulatives/resources are:

pattern blocks

beads

noodles

buttons

froot loops

stamps

fingerprints

and many many more

:)

I want to share with you one of my favorite patterning activities that we just love.

All that you need is a variety of manipulatives (or a lot of one kind) to place on each table.

My kiddos worked in small groups--but pairs would work, as well!

I'm going to name this activity "Pattern Pass" because I'm not sure it has a real name--

so Pattern Pass it shall be!

The littles would create the core piece of a repeating pattern

(in an ABABAB sequence, the core is "AB" because it is the piece that repeats over and over again) 

using whatever manipulatives were available to them/whatever I had put on their tables. 

After creating the core, they repeat it once.

Example:

The little wants to create a repeating pattern with "AB" as the core.

Using manipulatives, the student illustrates the AB pattern and then repeats is once. 

So with manipulatives, the student would build ABAB.

Then, my kiddos would rotate clockwise around their learning club (table). 

The little rovers would then identify the core of the repeating pattern, 

and extend the repeating pattern of their friend!

My kids loved to try and stump their neighbors by making a tricky pattern, 

and they stayed engaged the whole time.

I love when that happens.

:)

For a little something extra, 

give each little a dry erase marker and have them label the pattern 

using numbers, letters, or shapes!

The dry erase marker will wipe right off their desk (unless it's an unusual table--haha)!

It's a really simple activity that keeps the kids engaged and can easily be differentiated--

no matter the needs of your learners!

I love that is allows the kiddos freedom to create and challenges them to really think!

If you get a chance to use the idea, have fun pattern passing!

A Presidential Patterning FREEBIE

Stopping in real quick to share a patterning freebie with you--

just in time for President's Day!

Click on the picture to download your freebie from my TpT store!

And don't forget about my little owl valentine's while you're there.

:)

As an extension or for differentiation, 

have your kiddos label the patterns using letters or shapes.

For example:

ABBABBA

ABCABCA

AABAABA

ABABABA

I'll be back soon to share my favorite patterning activity and a couple of other ideas!

Until then, 

happy teaching, friends!

Math Stations and a Freebie.

I love math. I love love love it.

:)

Last year (grad school now!), we rotated through math stations everyday--and it was FUN! Teaching blogs and TeachersPayTeachers were my BEST FRIENDS.

Seriously, so many of my fun stations were because of you.

THANK YOU!

We had a total of five math stations in the classroom.

Our five math stations were based on the NCTM's content strands:

Measurement

Data + Probability

Algebra

Geometry

Numbers + Operations

I loved using the five strands to plan math stations!! The variety of content kept my kids engaged, plus they were able to review and extend their learning. Score.

So here is how it worked: Each station had its own plastic tub and all materials were kept inside. This made organizing and clean up quite easy--though we still had our messy moments. Ha!

You can sort of see the blue geometry tub here in the middle while the kiddos are finishing up their recording sheets. 

We had 40 minutes for stations each day, so we rotated through two stations--sometimes three. Friday's were a "you're responsible for turning in your station work and I'm really going to look at it and I trust you to finish each station" kind of day!

Math time looked a lot like this each day:

   

I Spy Clocks from Rachelle and Natalie.

Number Ordering from Kerri Bordelon.

Greater Than/Less Than Candy Jars from Cara Carroll.

Again, SO THANKFUL for this community!!

Something like this would probably appear in my geometry tub about this time of year, so I thought I'd share it with you!

Your kiddos will use the pictures at the bottom to finish the patterns.

Just click on the picture to download your patterning freebie!

Well, that's how I've done it. How do you work math stations/centers??

I would love to hear what is working (or hasn't worked!) in your classroom!

Thanks for stopping by--I treasure your time!