Strand A: Foundations of Language and Mathematics · Patterns, Shapes, Measuring and SortingThe Core: Making and Changing PatternsA7.2 A7.3 A7.4About 20 minutesLearning goalsI can find the part of a pattern that repeats. It is called the core.I can make my own pattern.I can show the same pattern in a new way, with sounds, actions or other things.Words to knowcoreThe smallest part of a pattern that repeats. In 🍎🍌🍎🍌, the core is 🍎🍌.createTo make something new, like your own pattern.same pattern, new wayShowing a pattern with different things. Red, blue, red, blue can become clap, stomp, clap, stomp.All aboard the pattern train!Grown-up, read this out loud.A train has an engine and lots of cars. Every car on our train carries the same load: circle, circle, square.The part in each car is called the core. The core is the part that repeats.corecorecoreEach train car holds one core: circle, circle, square. The core repeats 3 times.To find the core, say the pattern out loud. Stop when you hear it start over.🍓🍓🍋🍓🍓🍋🍓🍓🍋"Strawberry, strawberry, lemon ... strawberry, strawberry, lemon ..."It starts over after the lemon. So the core is 🍓🍓🍋.Strawberry, strawberry, lemon ... it starts over! Can you find the core three times in this row? AI-generated imagePut your hand in the gapAfter you find the core, put your hand or a pencil between each core. Then you can see the core repeat like train cars.Worked exampleLet's find the core⭐⭐🌙⭐⭐🌙⭐⭐🌙What is the core?Point and say: "star, star, moon, star, star, moon ..."Where does it start over? After the moon.So the part that repeats is: star, star, moon.Count how many times it repeats: 1, 2, 3.The core is ⭐⭐🌙 (star, star, moon). It repeats 3 times.Same pattern, new wayA pattern can be shown with colours, sounds, actions or letters. It is still the same pattern when the core has the same shape.Show it with ...The patterncolours🔴🔵🔴🔵🔴🔵soundsclap, stomp, clap, stomp, clap, stompactionssit, stand, sit, stand, sit, standlettersA B A B A BThese are all the same pattern. The core has 2 different things that take turns.Worked exampleLet's change a pattern into sounds🐶🐶🐱🐶🐶🐱Show this pattern with sounds.Find the core: dog, dog, cat.Pick a sound for the dog: clap. Pick a sound for the cat: stomp.Now play it: clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp.Clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp. Two the same, then one different, just like dog, dog, cat.corecorepicturessoundslettersclapAclapAstompBclapAclapAstompBDog, dog, cat turns into clap, clap, stomp and A, A, B. Each dashed box is one core: two the same, then one different.Hands-on activityMake a pattern necklaceYou need: a piece of string, yarn or a pipe cleaner, and two or three kinds of things to thread, like round cereal and pasta tubes (or use beads or blocks in a row).Your child picks a core, like cereal, cereal, pasta.Thread the core. Then thread it again, and again. Make the core at least 3 times.Ask: "What is your core? How many times did it repeat?"Now turn the necklace into a sound pattern: one sound for cereal, another for pasta. Play it together!Watch small pieces with young children.Just for funKnock, knock! Who's there? Banana. Banana who? (Say that part 3 times. It's a pattern!)Knock, knock! Who's there? Orange. Orange who? Orange you glad I broke the pattern and didn't say banana? 🍊Your turn1🐸🦆🐸🦆🐸🦆What is the core?Show answer🐸🦆 (frog, duck). It repeats 3 times.2🍓🍓🍋🍓🍓🍋What is the core?Show answer🍓🍓🍋 (strawberry, strawberry, lemon).3🔺🟦🟡🔺🟦🟡What is the core?Show answer🔺🟦🟡 (triangle, square, circle). The core has 3 different things.4🐝🌼🐝🌼🐝🌼How many times does the core repeat?Show answer3 times. The core is 🐝🌼. Count: bee-flower 1, bee-flower 2, bee-flower 3.5Turn 🔴🔵🔴🔵 into a clap and stomp pattern.Show answerClap, stomp, clap, stomp. (Stomp, clap, stomp, clap is also right.) Red and blue take turns, so clap and stomp take turns.6Make your own pattern with 2 kinds of toys. Make the core 3 times.Show answerAnswers will vary. Example: car, block, car, block, car, block. Look for: the same core, in the same order, 3 times.More practice: warm-up1🌞🌙🌞🌙What is the core?Show answer🌞🌙 (sun, moon).2Clap, pat, clap, patWhat is the core?Show answerClap, pat.3🍪🥛🍪🥛🍪🥛What is the core?Show answer🍪🥛 (cookie, milk).4🔴🔵🔴🔵How many things are in the core?Show answer2 (red, blue).5⛄⛄🌲⛄⛄🌲What is the core?Show answer⛄⛄🌲 (snowman, snowman, tree).More practice: on your own1⭐❤️⭐❤️⭐❤️Show this pattern with the letters A and B.Show answerA B A B A B. Star is A, heart is B. The core is A B.2🐶🐶🐱🐶🐶🐱Show this pattern with actions: jump and sit.Show answerJump, jump, sit, jump, jump, sit. Two the same, then one different, just like dog, dog, cat.3🍎🍎🍌🍎 ? 🍌What is missing?Show answer🍎 Apple. The core is apple, apple, banana, so the second core needs two apples.4Make a pattern with spoons and forks where the core is: spoon, spoon, fork.Show answerSpoon, spoon, fork, spoon, spoon, fork, spoon, spoon, fork. Look for: the core is the same each time.5Do these two patterns match?🔴🔵🔴🔵 and 🐱🐶🐱🐶Show answerYes. In both, 2 different things take turns. Both are A B A B patterns.Challenge1Do these two patterns match?🍎🍎🍌🍎🍎🍌 and 👏🦶🦶👏🦶🦶Show answerNo. The fruit is two the same, then one different (A A B). The sounds are one, then two the same (A B B). The cores are not the same shape.2? 🟦🔺🟦🔺 ?What goes at the start and at the end?Show answer🔺 at the start, 🟦 at the end. Square and triangle take turns. Before a square comes a triangle. After a triangle comes a square.3Make a pattern with 3 different things in the core. Say the core.Show answerAnswers will vary. Example: spoon, cup, fork, spoon, cup, fork. The core is spoon, cup, fork (A B C). Look for: the 3 things stay in the same order each time.Check your understandingQuiz1. 🐸🦆🐸🦆🐸🦆What is the core?🐸🦆🐸🐸🦆🐸2. ⭐⭐🌙⭐⭐🌙What is the core?⭐🌙⭐⭐🌙⭐⭐3. Which one is the same pattern as 🔴🔵🔴🔵?clap, stomp, clap, stompclap, clap, stomp, clapstomp, stomp, stomp, stomp4. 🍓🍋🍌🍓🍋🍌What is the core?🍓🍋🍓🍋🍌🍌🍓Mark lesson completeFor parents and teachersWhat this is about: The core is the smallest part of a pattern that repeats. Knowing the core helps children predict what comes next. Children also learn that the same pattern can be shown in different ways (colours, sounds, actions, letters). This is called translating a pattern.How to help at home:Ask "What is the core?" and have your child put a finger between each core.Turn patterns into sounds and movements. Children love clap-stomp versions of colour patterns.Ask your child to make the core at least three times, so it is clearly a pattern.Common difficulties:Saying the whole row is the core. Ask, "Where does it start over?"Thinking that 🔴🔵🔴🔵 and 🐱🐶🐱🐶 are different patterns because the things are different. Help them see the structure is the same.Mixing up A A B and A B B patterns. Say them aloud slowly.PreviousPatterns All Around UsNextSorting Things into Groups