Teaching sequence

Step 1.

Begin the lesson by asking children the following questions:

What is a pattern?
What sorts of patterns can you think of?

Invite children to demonstrate patterns that they know, reminding children that patterns can be visual, auditory, movement-based, etc.

Children can act or sound out any auditory or movement-based patterns, or draw patterns that they know on the board or in the dirt/sand with a stick.

Using movement helps children build new neural pathways.

Step 2.

Engage children in ‘The Pattern Dance.’ Recite the rhyme below to a steady beat and engage in movement, encouraging the class to follow your movements. You could then encourage children to create their own pattern movement for the class to follow.

Step 3.

If you aren't already outside, take the class to your outdoor learning space. Review outdoor learning rules and the benefits of outdoor learning with children, including potential hazards and actions to take in the event of hazards.

Step 4.

Explain that patterns can be found in nature. However, sometimes these patterns aren’t exact or perfect. Show children some examples in the environment around you.

Step 5.

Walk around the outdoor learning space with your class. Ask children to point out any natural patterns they observe. They might find visual patterns such as flower petals, markings on insects, or symmetry of leaves, tree branches and some succulents.

Using movements and actions can help engage children and increase the retention of information they have learnt.

Step 6.

Explain that numbers can be used to make patterns. Engage children in the ‘Ten Leaves’ finger rhyme. Children hold up 10 fingers, placing one finger down at a time.

Possible lines of development

Ask children what pattern they noticed in the song. Children may observe that they counted down by ones, put down one finger at a time, subtracted by ones, etc.
Demonstrate a visual pattern with the class by arranging several children in front of the class boy-girl-boy-girl, or standing-sitting-standing-sitting. Ask the class to identify the pattern created.
Explain to children that they are going to use fallen natural objects from the outdoor learning space to create a visual pattern. Emphasise the need to care for the environment by not picking flowers from plants, or pulling leaves and branches from trees.
Why is it important not to pull things off trees and plants for this activity?
Learners must consider how many different types of materials they will use in their pattern: Will the pattern use two different types of natural objects? Three different types of natural objects? Which objects or materials they will choose?
Ask children to form pairs, decide which materials they will use and collect their materials, forming their pattern on the ground. Children then stand together beside their pattern to indicate they have finished.
Visit pairs once they have finished and ask them to verbally explain their pattern. Then, take a photo of the pattern. You may wish to ask children to sit/lay on the grass next to their pattern so they can be in the observation photo.

Reflection

Engage children in the ‘I used to think … but now I think’ thinking exercise. This activity requires children to reflect on their learning and how their thinking has changed. It can be useful when consolidating new learning.
For example, I used to think patterns were only something you could see, but now I think you can make patterns with sound and movement.

Differentiated learning

Extension: What patterns can be made using numbers? Is counting ‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5’ a pattern? Why/why not? Can you smell a pattern? What kind of pattern could you taste?

Provisional Learning Support: Some children may require additional scaffolding in order to create their own visual pattern. You may like to demonstrate by creating a visual pattern using natural fallen objects to support children in their ability to create their own pattern.

Take Action

Children can take action by designing and implementing a conservation project at their school. By spending time outdoors participating in activities that help conserve nature, children are more likely to care for and conserve nature as adults.

The actions your children participate in can be incorporated into a calendar event - such as Planet Ark’s Schools Tree Day or Enviroweek - or designed according to the specific conditions and requirements of your school.

Actions could include:

You can use the following Project Planning Tool to help you design and plan the project: Project Planning - Our Tips for Success.

Nature - Patterns

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