Reception Maths: Copy and continue a pattern
Part of the Reception Maths patterns chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Copy and continue a pattern
Ravi makes a line of beads. First a red one, then a blue one. Then red, and blue again.
This is a pattern. It keeps repeating: red, blue, red, blue. To carry on the pattern, look at what repeats, then say what comes next.
Key ideas
- A pattern repeats the same things again and again.
- Find the part that repeats.
- Check the pattern by reading it again.
Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.
Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.
- Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.red, blue, red, blue
- Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.red, blue, red, blue, red
- Write the answer. red
Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓
Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.
Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.
Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.
- Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.red square, blue square, red square
- Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.red square, blue square, red square, blue square
- Write the answer. blue square
Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓
Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.
Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.
Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.
- Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.green, yellow, green
- Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.green, yellow, green, yellow
- Write the answer. yellow
Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓
Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.
Watch out
Watch out: a pattern can look like it has changed. Look at the start again and check it repeats.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Make a bead or button line with two colours. Ask your child to carry on the pattern, then point to the one that comes next.
Exercise 8A Carry on the pattern
Non-calculatorKey words. A pattern is something that repeats.
Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.
- Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.red, blue, red
- Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.red, blue, red, blue
- Write the answer. blue
Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓
Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.
Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.
Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.
- Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.blue, red, blue
- Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.blue, red, blue, red
- Write the answer. red
Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓
Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.
Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.
Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.
- Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.yellow, green, yellow, green
- Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.yellow, green, yellow, green, yellow
- Write the answer. yellow
Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓
Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.
Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.
Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.
- Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.red, yellow, red
- Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.red, yellow, red, yellow
- Write the answer. yellow
Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓
Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.
Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.
Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.
- Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.green, blue, green, blue
- Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.green, blue, green, blue, green
- Write the answer. green
Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓
Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.
Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.
Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.
- Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.red square, blue square, red square
- Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.red square, blue square, red square, blue square
- Write the answer. blue square
Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓
Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.
Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.
Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.
- Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.red, red, red
- Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.red, red, red, red
- Write the answer. red
Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓
Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.
Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.
Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.
- Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.blue, yellow, blue, yellow
- Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.blue, yellow, blue, yellow, blue
- Write the answer. blue
Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓
Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.
Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.
Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.
- Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.green, red
- Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.green, red, green
- Write the answer. green
Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓
Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.
Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.
Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.
- Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.red, blue, red, blue
- Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.red, blue, red, blue, red
- Write the answer. red
Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓
Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.
Method. Carry on the pattern: yellow, then green, and then again.
- Look at the pattern. It is yellow, green.yellow, green
- Carry on. The pattern repeats, so the next two are yellow and green.yellow, green, yellow, green
- Write the answer. yellow, green
Check. Read the pattern: it repeats yellow then green. ✓
Watch out. Start the pattern again after the last colour.
Method. Read the pattern and find the next colour.
- Look at the last colour. The last colour is blue.blue
- Look at the pattern. After blue comes red.red
- Write the answer. No. Red comes next, because the pattern goes red, blue, red, blue, red.
Check. Read the pattern: red, blue, red, blue, red. ✓
Watch out. Look at what came before the last colour.
Method. Choose two colours, repeat them, then find the next one.
- Choose two colours. For example red and blue.red, blue
- Repeat them. Put them in the same order again.red, blue, red, blue
- Write the answer. Accept any AB pattern with the next colour correct.
Check. Read your pattern: does it repeat? ✓
Watch out. The pattern must repeat the same two things.