Starter (10 mins)
What's Next?
Show students a simple sequence of numbers (e.g., 2, 4, 6, 8, __) and shapes (e.g., triangle, square, pentagon, __). In pairs, students discuss what comes next and what the "rule" is. Share ideas as a class.
Main Activity (25 mins)
Pattern Detective Agency
Hand out the "Pattern Detectives" worksheet. Students work in small groups (their "agencies") to solve the pattern mysteries. Each case presents a different type of pattern (arithmetic, geometric, repeating, etc.).
Differentiation: The "Extra Challenge" case involves a two-step rule for gifted learners. Provide number lines or blocks for students needing more support.
View HandoutPlenary (15 mins)
Connecting to Our World
Discuss: Where do we see patterns in the real world? (e.g., seasons, tides, music, art). Introduce the concept of tukutuku panels and how they are built on repeating patterns. Show examples and discuss the mathematical rules they might follow.
Connection to Te Ao Māori: This links mathematical patterns to cultural design and storytelling, showing that algebra is a way of describing the world around us.
Media Anchor (8-10 mins)
Video anchor: Recognising arithmetic and geometric patterns
Use this clip to model how to spot the growth rule before students tackle pattern cases.
Pause and discuss: Which cue in the sequence tells us whether the rule is additive or multiplicative?
Transfer task: Students capture one method from the video and apply it to the first question in the next activity.
Resources Needed
- "Pattern Detectives" Handout
- Whiteboard or projector
- Counters or blocks (for support)
- Images of tukutuku panels
📋 Teacher Planning Snapshot
Ngā Whāinga Ako — Learning Intentions
Ākonga learn to find the rule inside a pattern and say it in their own words — before any letters are used. The lesson works with number sequences, shape sequences and the repeating structure of tukutuku.
Ngā Paearu Angitū — Success Criteria
- ✅ I can continue a number or shape pattern and say what comes next.
- ✅ I can describe a pattern’s rule in my own words ("it goes up by 3 each time").
- ✅ I can find a repeating pattern in the world around me — tukutuku, tiling, music — and say what it is that repeats.
Differentiation & Inclusion
The starter works for everyone because the rule can be given in words. Keep counters or blocks on the table for ākonga who need to see a sequence before they can describe it. The Extra Challenge case on the handout is a genuine stretch — treat it as optional, not as the finish line. For ELL ākonga, "sequence", "term" and "rule" are the three words to pre-teach.