Dear Parents,
We have had a great first full week in grade one. We have continued to develop our understanding of routines and expectations in grade 1.
Reminders:
-Please return your child's messenger bag the next day every time it is sent home.
-Library book exchange is on Wednesday. This week, students chose one book and kept it at school. Next week, they will take two books. One to bring home and one to keep at school.
Math
This week, students have been sorting objects, building our understanding of patterns, where we see patterns, and we began building our own patterns with different materials. Take a look below at some of the learning we have been doing.
Learning Intentions
-I can sort objects into groups that make sense based on a single attribute
-I can figure out shape patterns and make my own shape patterns.
Below is a summary of key ideas your child is learning in math. You can use this summary to better support your child's learning and as a background of the concepts we are covering.
What Is a Repeating Shape Pattern?
A repeating shape pattern is a sequence of 2-D shapes or 3-D shapes where a first set of shapes repeats over and over.
The smallest set of items that repeats is called the core of the pattern.
Since repeating patterns always involve some sort of repetition, knowing the core of a pattern is important. It helps you predict how the pattern will continue.
For example, the core of this pattern is triangle, circle, square.
So, the pattern will continue like this:
What Types of Repeating Shape Patterns Are There?
Each shape in a pattern can be shown with a different letter. The number of letters that repeat tells how many items are in the core. There are many types of repeating patterns.
A pattern with two different items that repeat is called an AB pattern.
A pattern with three different items that repeat is called an ABC pattern.
A pattern with a core made up of one item followed by two identical copies of another item is called an ABB pattern.
A pattern with a core made up of two identical items followed by a different item is called an AAB pattern.
While it can be helpful to name a pattern with letters, it is not critical.
There are many other types of patterns, but in this lesson, we will focus on the four types shown above.
Continuing a Pattern in Different Ways
A pattern rule tells you how a pattern continues. For example:
Rule: Repeat a cube, a cube, and a cone over and over again.
An important idea for students to understand is that you cannot be sure how a pattern continues unless the person who created the pattern tells you what the core is.
For example, if a pattern begins with a triangle and a circle, it could continue in several ways. For example:
How We Show a Pattern Continues
We can never show a whole pattern, just the start of it. To show that a pattern continues, people write “…” at the end.
For example,
Helping Your Child
At home, you can help your child make different types of patterns based on shape, colour, orientation, and sounds.
In terms of shape patterns, you might use various shapes around the house. For example, invite your child to show you the patterns he or she can create using different types of blocks, toys, or stickers. You can also practise making shape patterns on a computer or tablet. You might also have your child observe everyday patterns at home.
For example, you might see these patterns around a table:
• | fork, knife, fork, knife, fork, knife, … |
• | a design repeated around the edge of a plate
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