Lesson 115: Patterns in nature

🧮 MATH (40 Lessons) • 🟠 E. Problem Solving & Projects

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Objective

I can find simple patterns in nature, like stripes, spots, and repeating shapes. I can say what comes next in a pattern and draw my own nature pattern using shapes and colours.

Materials

Mini-lesson — Finding patterns in nature

A pattern is something that repeats again and again. In nature, we see patterns in shapes, colours, and lines.

Repeating shapes and colours

  • Some flowers have petals that go around in a circle.
  • Some leaves have points that repeat along the edge.
  • Some animals have repeating stripes or spots.

What comes next?

  • Look at a pattern like: leaf, stone, leaf, stone, leaf, ___.
  • The pattern repeats, so the next one is another stone.
  • We say the pattern is leaf, stone, leaf, stone (repeating).

Nature patterns you might see

  • Leaves growing along a stem in a repeating way.
  • Shells with lines that curve around and around.
  • Pine cones with scales in neat rows.

Making your own nature pattern

  • You can draw a pattern like circle, leaf, circle, leaf.
  • You can use colours: red, blue, red, blue.
  • You can mix both shapes and colours if you like.

In this lesson, you will look closely at pictures and objects, say the pattern out loud, and then draw your own nature pattern.

Picture strip: Nature pattern examples.

Leaf line pattern

Stripes and spots

Guided Practice — Nature pattern hunt and tracing

In this activity, you will look for patterns in pictures or in real objects around you. Then you will use the tracing pad to write and draw your favourite nature pattern.

  1. Look closely: Choose a picture or real object (a leaf, shell, flower, or rock). Look carefully for repeating shapes or repeating colours.
  2. Say the pattern: Say your pattern out loud, like "stripe, stripe, stripe" or "spot, spot, spot", or "green, yellow, green, yellow".
  3. Draw it on paper: On your paper or notebook, draw a short row of the pattern you see. Try to keep the same order again and again.
  4. Choose pattern words: Think of small words that match your pattern, like stripe, spots, zigzag, or repeat.
  5. Use the tracing pad: Pick two pattern words that fit your drawing and trace them on the tracing pad.
  6. Add a tiny picture: Next to each traced word, draw a tiny pattern picture, such as a mini row of stripes or a little line of spots.
Tracing Pad
Tracing snapshot for print
Tip: After you trace a word like pattern or zigzag, draw a short row of that pattern right under the word.

Practice 1 — Spot the patterns

[PLACEHOLDER PRACTICE 1]

Practice 2 — What comes next?

[PLACEHOLDER PRACTICE 2]

Practice 3 — Make a nature pattern

[PLACEHOLDER PRACTICE 3]

Quick Check — Patterns in nature

Answer each question about patterns you see in nature. Think about repeating shapes, colours, and what comes next. You may look back at the mini-lesson.

1) What is a pattern?

A pattern has a part that repeats again and again.

2) Which is a pattern?

red, blue repeats again and again.

3) You see this pattern on a shell: line, dot, line, dot, line, ___. What comes next?

The pattern is line, dot, so after a line comes a dot.

4) Which animal coat shows a stripe pattern?

A zebra has repeating black and white stripes.

5) Which animal coat shows a spot pattern?

Leopards have a pattern of spots on their fur.

6) You make a pattern with leaves and stones: leaf, stone, leaf, stone, leaf, ___. What comes next?

The pattern repeats leaf, stone, so after a leaf comes a stone.

7) Which row shows a pattern that matches this rule: circle, square, circle, square?

Only circle, square, circle, square matches the rule exactly.

8) You draw a flower pattern: red petal, yellow petal, red petal, yellow petal. What comes next?

The pattern is red, yellow, so after yellow comes red again.

9) Which picture could show a zigzag pattern?

A zigzag line goes up and down again and again.

10) You make a pattern with shapes: triangle, triangle, circle, triangle, triangle, circle. What shape comes next?

The pattern is triangle, triangle, circle, so the next part begins with triangle.

11) Where might you see a pattern in nature?

Many flowers have repeating shapes and colours on their petals.

12) Which pattern uses both shape and colour?

This pattern repeats both a shape and a colour rule.

13) Why do we look for patterns in nature?

Patterns help us see order and use careful thinking, just like in math.

14) You line up stones like this: big, small, big, small, big, small. Which rule matches your pattern?

The pattern rule is big, small repeating.

15) When you make your own nature pattern, what should you do?

A pattern has a rule that repeats again and again.

Assessment (parent/teacher)

Exit ticket (student)

Next time I will practise…

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