What colour?

  a long number strip for you to print and tape together with spaces below each number to put a counter or draw a shape

Printable Master - Double number strips

Put a sequence of counters in the spaces above the line. For example, you might put red, red, green, blue, white counters in a repeating sequence.

Ask students what colour would be above some other numbers if you continued this pattern. For example, what colour would be above 10, 9, 20, 24, 100 etc?

Ask them to explain how they worked this out. Draw out the use of multiplicative strategies to work out the answers.

Note: Starting with a repeating pattern of 5 is a good way to begin because most students at this level should be familiar with their five times facts and/or skip counting in fives.

Progress to patterns with 3, 4 and other repeating sequences of counters.

Patterns all around us (Getting started 9)

Making patterns

Give students some toothpicks, counters or multi cubes so they can make the patterns in the activity.

This displays a to some growing patterns in real life.

Ask students to discuss the patterns in these.