Patterns with Shapes and Colors
Find, describe, and continue repeating patterns
Patterns with Shapes and Colors
Find, describe, and continue repeating patterns
Math - Grade 2-3
- 1
Look at the pattern: red circle, blue square, red circle, blue square, red circle. What comes next?
Find the two items that repeat again and again.
The next item is a blue square because the pattern repeats red circle, then blue square. - 2
Look at the pattern: triangle, triangle, star, triangle, triangle, star. What are the next three shapes?
The next three shapes are triangle, triangle, star because that group repeats. - 3
Look at the color pattern: green, yellow, yellow, green, yellow, yellow. What color comes next?
Group the colors into equal repeating parts.
The next color is green because the repeating pattern is green, yellow, yellow. - 4
Maya makes this pattern with blocks: small red square, large red square, small red square, large red square. What is the rule?
The rule is to repeat a small red square and then a large red square. - 5
Continue the pattern by writing the next four items: blue circle, blue circle, orange triangle, blue circle, blue circle, orange triangle.
Circle one full repeating unit first.
The next four items are blue circle, blue circle, orange triangle, blue circle because the pattern repeats blue circle, blue circle, orange triangle. - 6
Look at the pattern: red heart, yellow star, green heart, red heart, yellow star, green heart. What is the repeating unit?
The repeating unit is red heart, yellow star, green heart because those three items repeat in order. - 7
A pattern starts with square, circle, circle, square, circle, circle. Which shape is in the 9th place?
Write the pattern until you reach the 9th place.
The shape in the 9th place is a circle. The pattern repeats square, circle, circle, so places 7, 8, and 9 are square, circle, circle. - 8
Find the missing item: purple triangle, purple square, purple triangle, blank, purple triangle, purple square.
The missing item is a purple square because the pattern repeats purple triangle, then purple square. - 9
Look at the pattern: red, blue, green, red, blue, green, red. What are the next two colors?
After red comes blue, and after blue comes green.
The next two colors are blue and green because the pattern repeats red, blue, green. - 10
Sam draws this shape pattern: circle, square, triangle, circle, square, triangle. If he keeps going, what shape will be in the 10th place?
The shape in the 10th place is a circle. The first 9 shapes make three full groups of circle, square, triangle, so the 10th shape starts the next group. - 11
Choose the pattern that follows the rule 'red circle, then two blue squares': A: red circle, blue square, blue square, red circle, blue square, blue square. B: red circle, blue square, red circle, blue square, blue square, red circle.
Check whether each group has one red circle followed by two blue squares.
Pattern A follows the rule because it repeats red circle, blue square, blue square in the correct order. - 12
Look at the growing pattern: 1 star, 2 stars, 3 stars, 4 stars. How many stars should be in the next group?
The next group should have 5 stars because the pattern grows by adding 1 star each time. - 13
A bracelet has beads in this order: pink, white, pink, white, pink, white. If the 7th bead is added, what color should it be?
Odd-numbered beads are pink in this pattern.
The 7th bead should be pink because the colors alternate pink and white, and a new pair starts with pink. - 14
Look at the pattern: yellow hexagon, green hexagon, green hexagon, yellow hexagon, green hexagon, green hexagon. What comes after the next yellow hexagon?
After the next yellow hexagon, the next item is a green hexagon because the pattern repeats yellow hexagon, green hexagon, green hexagon. - 15
Create your own repeating pattern using two shapes and two colors. Write at least six items and explain the rule.
Make sure the same group repeats at least three times.
One possible answer is red circle, blue square, red circle, blue square, red circle, blue square. The rule is to repeat red circle and then blue square.