Exploring and Playing
Exploring repetitive patterns
Maths Reception
This unit is part of
Reception Longer Maths Blocks Patterns and
Reception Maths Planning Shapes and Patterns (A)
Active Learning
Creating and Thinking Critically
Maths Out Loud
Counting
Show the 1-100 grid. We’re going to count all the way to 100 today! Point to each number as you do so, emphasise the numbers ending in 0 and 5, so that the children pick up on the pattern.
Do you notice any patterns in the 1-100 grid? e.g. the columns of numbers ending in the same digits.
This is an activity which needs regular repetition so that more and more children will join in saying the higher numbers.
Chants/Rhymes/Songs
Join in with the patterns with the song Banana, banana, meatball by Blazer Noodle on www.YouTube.com.
There was an old lady who swallowed a fly has a super rhythm and repetitive nature.
Story
Pattern fish by Trudy Harris.
You Will Need
Exploring and Playing
Prepared cut-out snakes; paint; brushes; water; table covering; or playground chalks and access to the outside; Lego or Duplo bricks and baseboards; multilink cubes; linking elephants or other pattern-making equipment, e.g. peg boards, Numicon; shapes, or natural materials such as leaves; plain wallpaper/wall lining paper; large crayons or paint and sponges for printing; art shirts.
Active Learning
Interconnecting cubes in different colours; 2 drums, 2 wood blocks, 2 triangles and beaters; flat shapes: triangles, squares and rectangles (optional).
Creating and Thinking Critically
Paint and shaped sponges or gummed shapes; strips of card to make headbands; different coloured and shaped beads; strings/laces; fruit, e.g. bananas, strawberries, apples, pineapple, grapes; skewers; kitchen roll; interconnecting cubes in different colours.