You will learn
- Read a colour pattern.
- Find the core of a colour pattern.
- Continue a colour pattern.
- Make a colour pattern of two or three colours.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- A colour pattern repeats colours in order.
- Find the core, then continue.
- An AB pattern has two parts that repeat.
- An ABC pattern has three.
Words to know
A pattern made with colours.
The part that repeats.
Keep going.
A pattern with two parts that repeat: A, B, A, B.
1. Discover: bead necklace
A bead necklace has beads: blue, yellow, blue, yellow. If you keep threading, what colours come next?
2. Understand: colour patterns
A colour pattern repeats colours in order. Blue, yellow, blue, yellow is an AB pattern. Red, red, blue, red, red, blue is an AAB pattern.
To continue a pattern, find the core and repeat it.
Idea 1: Read the colours
A colour pattern is made with colours that repeat. Red, blue, red, blue is an AB pattern.
Idea 2: Find the core
Green, green, yellow, green, green, yellow has the core green, green, yellow. Say the core again to continue.
Idea 3: ABC patterns
Red, blue, green, red, blue, green is an ABC pattern. The 8th colour is blue because 7th is red and 8th is blue.
Why? The core has 3 colours, so we count in threes.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): AB pattern
Blue, yellow, blue, yellow, __. Next?
- The core is blue, yellow.
Answer: Blue
Example 2 (We do it together): Longer core
Red, red, blue, red, red, __. Next?
- The core is red, red, blue.
Answer: Blue
Example 3 (You try): 8th colour
Red, blue, green, red, blue, green. What colour is the 8th?
Show the steps and answer
- 7th is red.
- 8th is blue.
Answer: Blue
Did you know?
Traffic lights follow a colour pattern: red, then green, then yellow.
Why this matters
Colour patterns are easy to see. They help us learn how patterns work.
4. Explore: bead patterns
You need coloured counters, beads, crayons or leaves.
- Make a pattern with two colours: red, blue, red, blue.
- Continue it for 4 more.
- Make an AAB pattern.
- Swap with a partner and continue theirs.
Think about it: what did you notice?
AB: red, blue, red, blue. AAB: red, red, blue, red, red, blue.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- My core is ___.
- Next comes ___.
- This is an ___ pattern.
- The ___th colour is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Blue, yellow, blue, yellow. Next?
blue.
Question 2. Red, red, blue, red, red. Next?
blue.
Question 3. What is the core of green, red, green, red?
green, red.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Continue: red, blue, red, blue, __, __
- Continue: green, green, yellow, green, green, __
- Make your own pattern with 2 colours.
- What is the core of red, red, blue?
- Make an ABC pattern: red, blue, green, __.
Level 2: Grow
- Continue: blue, yellow, blue, yellow, __, __.
- What is the core of yellow, green, yellow, green?
- Make an AB pattern with 6 colours.
Level 3: Stretch
- Red, red, blue repeats. What colour is the 7th?
- Ben writes red, blue, green, red, blue, blue. Where is the mistake?
- An ABC pattern has 9 colours. How many times does the core repeat?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: everyday mathematics
A seller threads beads: yellow, black, yellow, black. How many yellow beads in 8 beads?
Show a sample answer
4 yellow beads.
Another one. You string beads: red, blue, red, blue. What colour is the 9th bead?
Show a sample answer
red
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Keep the core in the same order every time.
Fix: Say every colour in the core in order.
Fix: Number the colours 1, 2, 3…
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can read a colour pattern.
- I can find the core.
- I can continue a colour pattern.
- I can make a pattern with two or three colours.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Find the colour core.
- Continue by repeating the core.
- AB and AAB patterns.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Shape patterns. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What is the core of red, blue, red, blue? [1 mark]
- Green, yellow, green, yellow, __. What is next? [1 mark]
- Red, red, blue, red, red, blue, __, __. Write the next two colours. [2 marks]
- Make a colour pattern of 3 colours with 6 items. [2 marks]
- Ali says the 4th colour in red, blue, green repeating is blue. Is he right? Explain. [3 marks]
Total: 9 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Red, blue [1]
- Green [1]
- Red [1]; red [1]
- Core of 3 colours [1]; repeated [1]
- No [1]. The 4th starts the core again [1]. It is red [1].
Score guide: 8 to 9 = secure. 6 to 7 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Next: red, blue, red, blue, __
- Next: green, green, blue, green, green, __
- Core of blue, red, red?
- Make an AB pattern (write letters).
- Is red, red, red a pattern? (yes/no)
- Blue, red, blue, red, __.
- Core of green, green, red, green, green, red?
- What colour is the 6th in red, blue, red, blue?
- Make an AB pattern with 4 colours.
- How many colours are in an ABC pattern?
Homework
Make a colour pattern at home with leaves, spoons or buttons. Ask a family member to continue it.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Next: red, blue, red, blue, __ | red | 2 |
| Next: green, green, blue, green, green, __ | blue | 2 |
| Core of blue, red, red? | blue, red, red | 2 |
| Make an AB pattern (write letters). | A, B, A, B | 2 |
| Is red, red, red a pattern? (yes/no) | yes | 2 |
| Total | 10 |
Practice answers: Worksheet: 1 red; 2 blue; 3 blue, red, red; 4 A, B, A, B; 5 yes.
Quiz answers: 1 A, 2 B, 3 C, 4 A, 5 B, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 C, Challenge 2 C.
Extra worksheet answers (items 6 onward): 6 blue; 7 green, green, red; 8 blue; 9 For example red, blue, red, blue; 10 3.
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 red, blue; 2 yellow; 3 your own two-colour pattern; 4 red, red, blue; 5 red (then blue, green). Level 2: 1 blue, yellow; 2 yellow, green; 3 For example red, blue, red, blue, red, blue. Level 3: 1 red; 2 The last colour should be green; 3 3.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Read a colour pattern | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Find the core of a colour pattern | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Continue a colour pattern | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Make a colour pattern of two or three colours | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Changing the order of the core. Keep the core in the same order every time.
- Explain another way: use real objects first, then pictures.
- Show a simpler example: Make AB patterns only, then AAB.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child reads and makes colour patterns. You do not need to be good at mathematics to help.
- Make colour patterns with crayons or beads.
- Spot colour patterns on clothes.
- Ask: what comes next? What is the 8th colour?
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: read a colour pattern; find the core of a colour pattern; continue a colour pattern; make a colour pattern of two or three colours.
Prerequisite knowledge. Lesson 1: recognising patterns.
Materials. Counters (stones, seeds or bottle tops), paper, pencils, board or chalkboard. Low-resource options: use stones, seeds, sticks, bottle tops or drawings in the sand or on the board instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Gather the counters and draw the example pictures on the board before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Start with the Discover situation and let learners suggest ideas before you teach.
Explanation (10 min). Teach the Understand section with real objects first, then pictures, then symbols and words.
Guided activity (10 min). You need coloured counters, beads, crayons or leaves. Learners follow the Explore steps in pairs.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners complete the independent practice and the worksheet.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What is the core? What colour comes next? How do you know?
Teacher explanation notes. Use the concrete, pictorial, abstract order: real objects first, then pictures, then symbols and words. Return to real objects whenever a learner needs support.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and work with a partner; say each step aloud together. Extension. Ask learners to make up their own example and explain it to a partner.
Formative assessment. Listen to learner explanations, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Changing the order of the core. Keep the core in the same order every time.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz and worksheet on this page. The 9-mark exam practice scheme, the 10-mark scheme and all answers are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer and the marking scheme before publication.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Make AB patterns only, then AAB. Enrichment. Invite learners to find or create three more examples at home or in the classroom and explain them. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which concepts learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points named in the Courseversity standard: Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (official site): Grade 1 » Operations & Algebraic Thinking. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core K.OA and 1.OA patterns; Cambridge Primary Mathematics Stage 1 (patterns). These sources informed the lesson.