Building Change Patterns

Overview

Students explore additive patterns that increase or decrease by a constant amount. They recognise the pattern rule, describe it using words and numbers, and create/fill missing elements using objects, shapes and a number pattern.

Learning intentions

• Students will recognise additive patterns that increase or decrease by the same amount each step.
• Students will describe the rule of the pattern using the constant change (e.g., “add 3” or “subtract 2”).
• Students will create an increasing or decreasing pattern using materials, shapes or number sequences.
• Students will identify missing terms in an additive pattern and explain how they know.

Success criteria

• I can say what change happens each step in the pattern.
• I can continue an additive pattern correctly.
• I can find the missing term in a pattern using the constant amount.
• I can explain my thinking using numbers or objects.

Curriculum links

• Algebra — Year 2: additive patterns that increase or decrease by a constant amount; create and describe sequences; identify missing elements.
• Students use and explain repeating structure in number and patterns through constant addition/subtraction.
• Students order and represent number sequences and use number lines/materials to support thinking where needed.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Hook and model. Teacher displays a sequence of picture cards (e.g., a row of counters with “add 3 each time”), with one blank spot in the middle. Students do a quick think-pair-share: “What is changing each step? What might the missing picture be?”

2. 8–18 min · Direct teaching (rule spotting). Teacher shows two patterns side by side on the board: one increasing (e.g., add 2) and one decreasing (e.g., subtract 2), using the same starting point for comparison. Students help label the rule using sentence starters: “Each time, we ____ (add/subtract) ____.”

3. 18–28 min · Guided practice (objects to numbers). In small groups, students receive a tray with base-ten blocks or counters and a pattern strip (e.g., shape → shape → blank → shape). Teacher circulates and prompts: “How can we check the constant change?” Students build the next term with materials, then write the next number in the sequence on their mini whiteboards.

4. 28–40 min · Missing term challenge (explain thinking). Teacher gives a whole-class interactive slide or board version with three missing terms in an additive pattern. Students work independently first, then share strategies: doubling up counts, skip-counting, or using the constant amount to jump. Students record a short explanation on paper: “I added/subtracted ____, so the missing number is ____.”

5. 40–52 min · Create your own pattern (shapes or number). Students choose one of two tasks:

• Create an increasing pattern using shapes (e.g., triangle-square-triangle-square...) where the count of shapes increases by a constant amount each step.
• Create a decreasing number pattern starting from a given number, decreasing by a constant amount each step. Students must include at least 6 terms and include one missing term for a partner to solve. Teacher reminds them to state the rule clearly.

6. 52–58 min · Gallery share and quick feedback. Groups swap patterns. Each partner solves the missing term and checks whether the rule matches the sequence (increasing/decreasing by the same amount).

7. 58–60 min · Exit ticket (individual check). Students complete one short task: “In this pattern, we add/subtract ____ each time. The missing term is ____.” Teacher collects for next lesson planning.

Resources

• Pattern cards (increasing and decreasing) with one or more blanks
• Shape and picture sequence strips (triangles/squares/circles icons)
• Counters or base-ten blocks for pattern building
• Mini whiteboards, markers and erasers
• Student recording sheets with sentence starters and “rule” lines
• Group pattern template (6–8 terms with one blank)
• Exit ticket slips
• Projector/interactive board for teacher modelling

Assessment

• Formative: teacher listens during hook and guided practice for correct identification of constant change and correct continuation.
• Formative: review mini whiteboards to check accurate next terms and appropriate add/subtract language.
• Exit ticket: confirm students can name the constant amount and find a missing term with a brief justification.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters (“Each step, we add/subtract…”, “The rule is…”) and a partially completed pattern where students only fill the blank.
• Support: use number lines or structured counters (groups of the constant amount) for students who need concrete counting strategies.
• Extension: ask students to create two different patterns that share the same constant amount but move in opposite directions (one increasing, one decreasing) and compare them.
• EAL/SEN: allow responses using drawings, counters, or number sentences as well as words; provide a word bank with “add”, “subtract”, “increase”, “decrease”, “each time”.