Mathematics · Senior Infants

Active learning ideas

Patterns and Repeating Sequences

Active learning works for patterns because young children develop mathematical reasoning through movement and hands-on materials. Manipulatives like blocks and beads provide concrete examples that help children see, touch, and predict repeating units in ways that paper-and-pencil tasks cannot.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Junior Cycle - Algebra - A.1
• NCCA: Junior Cycle - Algebra - A.2

• 15–30 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 20 min · Pairs

Block Building: Repeating Chains

Pairs receive colored linking blocks in a starting pattern like two red, one blue. They copy it, add three more units by predicting, then explain the repeating part to their partner. Switch patterns for variety.

What comes next in this pattern , red, blue, red, blue, __?

Facilitation Tip

During Block Building: Repeating Chains, ask guiding questions such as 'Which block comes next?' and 'What part repeats?' to focus children on the repeating unit.

What to look for

Present students with a sequence of 5-7 objects (e.g., colored blocks, shape cutouts) with a clear repeating unit. Ask: 'What comes next?' and 'What is the part that keeps repeating?' Observe their responses and ability to correctly identify the next element and the repeating unit.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Stations Rotation
• 30 min · Small Groups

Bead Necklaces: Color Sequences

Small groups thread beads following a card pattern such as yellow, green, yellow, green. They extend the necklace independently, then share and critique each other's repeating units with the group.

Can you make your own repeating pattern with these blocks?

Facilitation Tip

For Bead Necklaces: Color Sequences, model threading the first three beads slowly while verbalizing the repeating unit.

What to look for

Give each student a small bag of 3-4 different manipulatives (e.g., buttons, small toys). Ask them to create a pattern with at least two repetitions of a repeating unit and draw it on a provided worksheet. Collect the drawings to assess their ability to generate a pattern.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Stations Rotation
• 15 min · Whole Class

Human Patterns: Class Line-Up

Whole class forms a line, each child adding to a pattern by holding a colored card or striking a pose like clap-jump. Predict the next child's action before they join, discussing the core repeat afterward.

What is the part that keeps repeating in this pattern?

Facilitation Tip

In Human Patterns: Class Line-Up, pause the line after each child and ask the group to predict who comes next based on the established rule.

What to look for

Show a picture of a tiled floor or a patterned wallpaper. Ask: 'Can you find a part that repeats over and over again?' 'How do you know it's a pattern?' Facilitate a brief class discussion, encouraging students to point out the repeating unit and explain their reasoning.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Stations Rotation
• 25 min · Individual

Clap and Draw: Sound Patterns

Individually, children listen to a teacher-clapped rhythm like clap-clap-stomp, draw symbols for it, then continue the sequence on paper. Pairs compare drawings and test extensions by clapping.

What comes next in this pattern , red, blue, red, blue, __?

Facilitation Tip

During Clap and Draw: Sound Patterns, repeat the pattern twice before asking children to join in, ensuring they hear the full repeating unit.

What to look for

Present students with a sequence of 5-7 objects (e.g., colored blocks, shape cutouts) with a clear repeating unit. Ask: 'What comes next?' and 'What is the part that keeps repeating?' Observe their responses and ability to correctly identify the next element and the repeating unit.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teaching patterns requires teachers to model clear language and structure. Avoid rushing through examples; instead, pause to emphasize the repeating unit. Research shows that children benefit from multiple modalities, so combining visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities strengthens understanding. Keep whole-group discussions brief to maintain engagement, and use small-group or partner work for deeper exploration.

Successful learning looks like children confidently identifying the repeating unit in a sequence and predicting what comes next. They should also create their own patterns using materials and explain their reasoning to peers or the teacher.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Block Building: Repeating Chains, watch for children who only focus on counting the blocks rather than identifying the repeating unit of colors or shapes.

  Direct the child’s attention to the sequence of colors or shapes by asking, 'Which colors keep coming back in the same order?' and physically point to the repeating section.

• During Bead Necklaces: Color Sequences, watch for children who repeat single beads without establishing a clear repeating unit.

  Model threading three beads of the same color first, then ask the child to add two more in the same sequence, verbalizing, 'Red, red, blue keeps repeating.'

• During Human Patterns: Class Line-Up, watch for children who assume the pattern starts with the first child in line rather than the established rule.

  Pause the line and rebuild it with the children, starting from a different child while keeping the rule consistent, and ask, 'Does the repeating part change if we start here?'

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Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation