# 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

- Pictures of leaves, shells, flowers, or animal coats (printed or on screen)
- Paper or a notebook for drawing patterns
- Coloured pencils, crayons, or markers
- Optional: real leaves, pebbles, or small objects to line up in patterns

## 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
Lines
Trace
Pen

## 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 picture with only one shape Something that repeats again and again A random mix of shapes
A pattern has a part that repeats again and again.

2) Which is a pattern?

red, blue, red, blue red, red, red, red red, blue, green, yellow (no repeat)
red, blue repeats again and again.

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

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

4) Which animal coat shows a stripe pattern?

A spotted ladybug A zebra A frog with smooth green skin
A zebra has repeating black and white stripes.

5) Which animal coat shows a spot pattern?

A leopard A plain grey elephant A worm
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?

leaf leaf, leaf stone
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?

circle, circle, square, square circle, square, circle, square square, circle, 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?

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

9) Which picture could show a zigzag pattern?

A plain circle A smooth straight line A line that goes up and down like little mountains
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?

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

11) Where might you see a pattern in nature?

On the petals of a flower In a plain white wall In a single dot of paint
Many flowers have repeating shapes and colours on their petals.

12) Which pattern uses both shape and colour?

circle, circle, circle red, red, red red circle, blue square, red circle, blue square
This pattern repeats both a shape and a colour rule.

13) Why do we look for patterns in nature?

To make things random To notice order and to help us think carefully To count how many animals there are
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?

big, small repeat only big stones only small stones
The pattern rule is big, small repeating.

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

Change the rule every time Draw only one shape Choose a rule and repeat it again and again
A pattern has a rule that repeats again and again.

## Assessment (parent/teacher)

Student can explain that a pattern is something that repeats. Student can find simple patterns in pictures or nature objects (stripes, spots, zigzags, or repeating shapes). Student can tell what comes next in a simple pattern. Student can draw a short pattern and keep the same rule repeating. Student can use words like pattern, repeat, stripe, and spots when talking about patterns.

## Exit ticket (student)

😀 I can find patterns in nature and say what comes next. 🙂 I can find some patterns but still need more practice. 😅 Patterns in nature still feel tricky for me.

#### Next time I will practise…

Finding patterns in leaves, shells, or animal pictures Saying a pattern rule out loud Drawing my own nature pattern with shapes or colours
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