Understand the idea.
Continue from the stopping place
Find the unit, then see where the last shown item fits inside it. A pattern can stop partway through a unit. Continue with the next item in that same unit; do not jump back to its beginning too soon.
Make your own pattern
To make a pattern, choose a unit and repeat it in the same order. Show at least two complete units so someone else can see the rule. Point to one unit at a time and check that every group matches.
See the method in action.
Continue a partly started unit
Repeat the unit circle, square, triangle. The pattern starts circle, square, triangle, circle. Add two shapes.
Worked solution
- 1
Mark the complete first unit.
Circle, square, triangle uses the first three shapes.
- 2
Locate the final circle.
It is the first shape of a second circle, square, triangle unit.
- 3
Finish that second unit.
Square follows circle and triangle follows square, so add square, triangle.
Square, triangle.
Build three units
Make three repeats of square, circle.
Worked solution
- 1
Make the first unit.
Place square, circle in that order.
- 2
Add the second and third units.
Place square, circle twice more, keeping each pair the same.
- 3
Read all three units.
The pattern is square, circle, square, circle, square, circle: three complete pairs, or six shapes.
Square, circle, square, circle, square, circle.
Try it yourself.
Check your understanding
Repeat clap, stamp. What comes after clap, stamp, clap?
Show answer & reasoning
Stamp.
Stamp comes next. The first clap, stamp unit is complete; the last clap begins a second unit, which needs its stamp.
Keep practising
6 worksheet questions
Read the questions online
- Repeat circle, square. Add the next two shapes: circle, square, circle, square.
- Repeat triangle, circle, circle. Add two shapes after triangle, circle, circle, triangle.
- Draw two repeats of square, triangle.
- Make three repeats of clap, clap, stamp. How many actions are there?
- Choose your own two-shape unit and draw three repeats.
- Tia repeats square, circle. She writes square, circle, square, square. Change one shape to fix it.
Read the worked solutions
- Repeat circle, square. Add the next two shapes: circle, square, circle, square.
Start the next complete pair.
Circle, square. - Repeat triangle, circle, circle. Add two shapes after triangle, circle, circle, triangle.
Finish the second three-item unit.
Circle, circle. - Draw two repeats of square, triangle.
Use the same order both times.
Square, triangle, square, triangle. - Make three repeats of clap, clap, stamp. How many actions are there?
There are three actions in each of three complete units.
9 actions. - Choose your own two-shape unit and draw three repeats.
Accept any two-shape unit repeated three times in the same order.
For example, circle, triangle, circle, triangle, circle, triangle. - Tia repeats square, circle. She writes square, circle, square, square. Change one shape to fix it.
The fourth item must finish the second square, circle pair.
Change the last square to circle.
Curriculum reference & lesson scope
Australian Curriculum v9 and SA Curriculum Mathematics
Year 1 repeating patterns, their units and missing elements.
Official curriculum source ↗