Patterning Beads Lesson Plan 

Miss Laura 
 
Patterning - Junior and Senior  5-7 minute introduction, 10-12 minute 
Subtask:  Timeline: 
Kindergarten  activity 

Expectations Addressed: 

18.2: explore and extend patterns using a variety of materials (eg. beads, shapes, words in a poem, beat 
and rhythm in music, objects from the natural world)  
18.3: identify the smallest unit (the core) of a pattern (eg. ABBABBABBABB--the core is ABB) and describe 
why it is important (eg. it helps us to know what comes next, it helps us make generalizations) 
 

Learning Intention:  Success Criteria: 

The intention is for students to identify what the  I can… 

core of the pattern is, and continue it. As well,  1) Create a core in a pattern with two different 
the intention is for them to create their own  coloured beads 
pattern with different beads in AB patterns,  2) Extend the core by continuing the pattern three 
and have them explain what the core is.   times 

Assessment:  Opportunities for Descriptive Feedback: 

● Modelled  - Are the students able to  “I like your pattern!” 

● Shared  create a core with different   
● Guided  coloured beads?  “That’s right, the core pattern is AB!” 
● Independent  - Are the students able to   
Practice  expand the core to create  “Yes, your core is represented by (colour) 
● Other  a pattern?  and (colour)” 
- Are the students able to   
repeat the pattern three  “I like how you repeated it three times!” 
times? 

Resources:  Differentiation:  Accommodations/Modifications (ELL/IEP): 

  Instead of beads, they could use   

different coloured pom pom balls in 
order to complete the pattern.  
 
For more natural resources, we 
could use pinecones of different 
sizes. 
 
To enrich the students and the ones 
who have completed the task, we 
could give them a challenge by 
giving them an ABBA pattern and 
have them create and extend the 
pattern. 
 Beginning/Engageme Have the students settle down at circle time and sit for the lesson. 
nt:   
Ask the students if they remember what a “core pattern” is. Have the SK students 
answer. Once they have answered, pull out the demonstration materials for a 
visual. With you, have red and green pom pom balls in order for everyone to see. 
Place an ABAB pattern (either red-green-red or green-red-green) on the mat. 
Explain that this will be your core.  
 
Ask the students what the next colour in my pattern would be. Have students raise 
their hands, and pick an SK to answer the question. Place the correct one in 
place. Ask this again, and repeat this three times so they understand the 
concept. 
 
Explain to the students that we will be doing the same thing, but with beads and 
pipecleaners. Explain to the students that we will have to thread the pipecleaner 
through 2 different coloured beads and make a core, and then continue the 
pattern 3 times.  

Middle:  Set up the math centre by placing 6 short pipecleaners on the table, and bowls 
with 4-6 different colours of beads.  
 
Students will thread the pipecleaner through the beads to first create an AB 
pattern with two different coloured beads. Once they have done this, take a look 
at their core to make sure that they have used different colours. Once you have 
checked this, they can continue the pattern. Ensure to tell them that they will 
need to repeat this pattern three times.  

Wrap-Up:  Once they have finished, look at the final result and complement them on 
finishing it. Ask them to tell you about what the pattern is, and what the core is.  

Reflections: