🔢 MathLevel 1Lesson 35
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Patterns in Nature

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Learning Objectives

  • 1Find repeating and growing patterns in nature
  • 2Name the pattern unit in a repeating pattern
  • 3State the rule for a growing pattern and extend it
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Mini Lesson

Look closely at a flower, a leaf, or a butterfly — nature is full of patterns! A pattern is anything that repeats or grows in a predictable way. Mathematicians love patterns because they help us predict what comes next!

Repeating patterns

  • A repeating pattern has a group of elements that repeat over and over.
  • That group is called the pattern unit (or core).
  • Nature example: petals on a flower often alternate — big, small, big, small… The pattern unit is big, small.
  • To extend: just repeat the unit again. Big, small, big, small, big, small.

Growing patterns

  • A growing pattern gets bigger by the same amount each time.
  • Nature example: rings on a tree trunk — 1 ring, 2 rings, 3 rings… each year adds one more.
  • Another example: a snail shell spiral grows wider at each turn.
  • To extend: find the rule (what is added each time) and apply it.

How to describe a pattern

  • Name the type: repeating or growing.
  • State the unit or rule: "The unit is leaf, flower, leaf, flower." or "Each step adds 2 more."
  • Predict the next element and explain why.
Repeating pattern in nature: leaf flower leaf flower leaf flower with the pattern unit boxedSix shapes in a row alternating between a green leaf and a yellow flower. A dashed box surrounds the first leaf and flower pair, labeled Pattern unit.Repeating PatternPattern unitleafflowerleafflowerleafflowerType: RepeatingUnit: leaf → flowerNext: leaf, flower, leaf, flower…The unit repeats forever.
A repeating leaf-flower pattern with the pattern unit boxed — the unit repeats identically each time.
Growing pattern: tree trunk cross-sections showing 1 ring, 2 rings, 3 rings, 4 ringsFour tree trunk cross-sections in a row. The first has 1 ring, the second 2 rings, the third 3 rings, and the fourth 4 rings. Each step adds one more ring.Growing Pattern — Tree Rings1ring+12rings+13rings+14ringsType: Growing | Rule: +1 ring each yearNext step: 5 rings. Each year adds one more ring.1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6…
A growing pattern of tree trunk cross-sections — each year adds one ring.
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Ask yourself: Does this pattern repeat the same unit, or does it grow? What comes next and how do I know?

Vocabulary
Pattern
Something that repeats or grows in a predictable waye.g. leaf, flower, leaf, flower…
Repeating pattern
A pattern where the same unit repeats over and overe.g. red, blue, red, blue, red, blue
Pattern unit
The smallest group that repeats in a repeating patterne.g. In leaf-flower-leaf-flower, the unit is leaf, flower
Growing pattern
A pattern that gets bigger by the same amount each stepe.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5… (+1 each time)
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