A pattern is a line of things that repeats. Star, heart, star, heart is a pattern.
corecore
The core
The part that repeats is called the core. In star, heart, star, heart, the core is star, heart.
1sun
2sun
3cloud
4sun
5sun
6cloud
A core with 3 things
Some cores have 3 things. Sun, sun, cloud, sun, sun, cloud. The core is sun, sun, cloud. It is not just sun, cloud.
1apple
2kite
3sun
4fish
Not a pattern
Apple, kite, sun, fish never repeats. There is no core. So it is not a pattern.
move right
move down
move right
move down
move right
move down
Robot patterns
Robot programs have patterns too. Look at the blocks. Move right, then move down. That core shows 3 times. Press Run and watch the stairs.
For parents
Goal: Your child learns that a pattern repeats, and finds its core, the part that repeats.
Read patterns out loud with a beat. The core is where it starts to sound the same again.
Ask: how many things are in the core? How many times does it show?
After the cards come 3 short labs. Your child fills gaps in bead patterns, then moves a robot down a staircase pattern.
Away from the screen: Make patterns with things at home, like spoon, fork, spoon, fork, or toy cars by color. Your child finds the core and draws a circle around it with a finger.