Shape Patterns Play

Grade Level

Kindergarten

Duration

60 minutes

Class Size

25 students

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Unit Overview

Unit Title: Shapes in My World – 2D Shapes
Unit: 10 lessons, K.GSR.8, K.PAR.6 Standards focus on identifying, sorting, describing, creating, and extending patterns and shapes.

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Lesson Overview

Lesson 5 of 10
Lesson Title: Shape Patterns Play
Essential Question: What patterns can we create with shapes?
Standards:

• Georgia K.GSR.8.2: Describe the relative location of an object using positional words.
• Georgia K.PAR.6.1: Create, extend, and describe repeating patterns with numbers and shapes, and explain the rationale for the pattern.
  Objective:
  By the end of the lesson, the student will be able to create and identify repeating patterns using 2-D shapes, describing their patterns using positional and mathematical language.

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Common Core State Standards Alignment

• K.G.A.2: Correctly name shapes regardless of orientation or size.
• K.G.B.4: Analyze and compare two- and three-dimensional shapes.
• K.OA.A.1: Represent addition and subtraction with objects, fingers, mental images, drawings, sounds, or acting out situations (relates to counting pattern units).
• K.MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively (using repeating shapes in patterns).
• K.MP.4: Model with mathematics (creating and describing shape patterns).

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Materials

• Sets of large colorful 2-D shape manipulatives (circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, hexagons)
• Pattern strips printed on cardstock for guided practice
• Whiteboard or chart paper and markers
• “Shape Pattern” song audio or video (kinesthetic engagement)
• Sticky notes or shape stickers
• Individual student whiteboards and markers

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

Objective: Activate prior knowledge and engage students with pattern examples.

• Begin with a colorful, visual display of a simple repeating pattern using shapes (e.g., circle, square, circle, square).
• Use think-pair-share: Ask students “What shape comes next in this pattern? Why?”
• Recite or play a “Shape Pattern” song, encouraging movement/clapping in time with the pattern to engage auditory and kinesthetic learners.
• Language Focus: Introduce and reinforce positional words (“next to,” “after,” “before”) and pattern vocabulary (“repeat,” “unit,” “sequence”).

Differentiation: For ELL students, pair visuals with simple gestures and repeat vocabulary frequently. Use sentence starters (e.g., “I see a ___ after a ___.”)

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2. Guided Practice: Pattern Creation (20 minutes)

Objective: Students will create repeating patterns using 2-D shape manipulatives.

• Divide the class into small groups of 5.
• Each group receives sets of shapes and a pattern strip with a missing shape in the sequence.
• Task: Complete the pattern carefully to replicate the strip and create a second unique pattern of their own.
• Teacher circulates, prompting with questions: “What shape comes after this? How many shapes make one pattern unit?”
• Encourage mathematical language describing the pattern and the shapes.
• Use positional words to guide: “Can you put the triangle next to the circle?”

Support: For students struggling, reduce the complexity to AB patterns (two shapes). For advanced learners, challenge them to create ABC or ABB patterns.

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3. Independent Practice: Pattern Drawing (15 minutes)

Objective: Students will draw their own repeating shape patterns on individual whiteboards.

• Provide students with whiteboards and markers.
• Prompt: “Draw a pattern using two or more different shapes. Then explain your pattern to a partner.”
• Encourage sentence frames for explanation: “My pattern is ____. It repeats ____ shapes.”
• Use peer sharing for verbal reinforcement and confidence building.

ELL support: Provide shape flashcards and word banks to help with naming and describing shapes.

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4. Formative Assessment & Closure (15 minutes)

Assessment: Informal observation during activities to check for:

• Ability to identify and replicate repeating patterns.

• Use of positional words and shape names.

• Ability to describe patterns verbally.

• Select 3-5 students to share their patterns and describe why the pattern repeats.

• Whole class review: “How do we know a pattern is repeating?”

• Summarize lesson by answering the essential question: “What patterns can we create with shapes?”

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Differentiation Strategies

• Visual: Use brightly colored shapes, pattern strips, and diagrams.
• Auditory: Incorporate songs and verbal pattern explanations.
• Kinesthetic: Use manipulatives and clapping/movement with patterns.
• ELL Support: Gestures, sentence frames, and bilingual shape vocabulary cards.
• Advanced Learners: Extend to creating multi-unit patterns (e.g., ABCD), teach symmetry within patterns, or explore increasing/decreasing patterns.
• Students with IEPs: Provide 1:1 support or peer buddy system during group activities, simplify tasks where necessary.

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Extension Activities

• Encourage take-home activity: Find and photograph repeating shape patterns in the environment (carpet design, tiles, wallpaper).
• Digital shape pattern games on classroom tablets to reinforce concepts using interactive technology.

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Resources (No hyperlinks included as requested)

• Teacher-created shape pattern cards and strips (laminated)
• “Shape Patterns” children’s music video or song on authorized educational platforms
• Digital pattern recognition games and apps for early learners (consult publisher or school-approved digital resources for access)
• Picture books about patterns and shapes (e.g., "Pattern Bugs" by Trudy Harris)

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Alignment to Mathematical Practices (K.MP)

• K.MP.1: Students make sense of problems by identifying pattern structure.
• K.MP.2: Reason abstractly as they mentally represent and describe patterns.
• K.MP.4: Model with mathematics by physically creating and visualizing patterns.
• K.MP.6: Attend to precision in describing patterns and shapes clearly.

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By the end of this engaging and interactive lesson, students will confidently create, recognize, and describe shape patterns while applying positional language and mathematical vocabulary appropriate to kindergarten standards, setting a solid foundation for future pattern recognition and spatial reasoning skills.