Lesson 3.4 Sorting and Patterns

Steps

1. Warm-up

   Do this: Ask these out loud. Your child answers out loud; no paper needed.

   • Ask: “What number comes just after 7?” Listen for: 8
   • Ask: “What number comes just before 7?” Listen for: 6
   • Ask: “What number comes just after 5?” Listen for: 6
   • Ask: “What number comes just after 8?” Listen for: 9
   • Ask: “What number comes just before 9?” Listen for: 8
2. Teach the new idea

   Say this: “Sort by one rule at a time: by color, by shape, or by size. Then count each group.”

   Say this: “A pattern repeats in the same order: red, blue, red, blue. Find the part that repeats, then say what comes next.”

   Say this: “Sort: put things that are alike together.”

   Say this: “Pattern: something that repeats in the same order.”

3. Show how

   Show: Sort these buttons into two piles, round and square: square, square, round, round, round, square, square, round. How many are in the round pile?

   Say this: “Make two piles, round and square.”

   Say this: “Count the round buttons: 4.”

   Say this: “4 + 4 = 8”

   Answer: 4

   Show: What comes next? hen, hen, duck, hen, hen, duck, hen, ___

   Say this: “The part that repeats is: hen, hen, duck.”

   Say this: “Next comes hen.”

   Answer: hen

4. Practice together

   Do this: Your child does these with you. Let them try first; help only after a real try.

   Ask: Which one does not belong? square, rectangle, triangle, circle

   Listen for: circle

   If stuck: Three of them are each a shape with corners.

   Ask: Which one does not belong? goat, cow, spoon, hen

   Listen for: spoon

   If stuck: Three of them are each a farm animal.

   Ask: Which one does not belong? circle, square, triangle, rectangle

   Listen for: circle

   If stuck: Three of them are each a shape with corners.

   7 more practice items on the lesson page, and on Worksheet A and Worksheet B.

5. Watch for
   • Changing the sorting rule halfway through. Say the rule aloud before you start.
6. Game: I Spy Shapes

   Say “I spy something shaped like a circle.” Your child hunts for it. Then your child gives the clue and you hunt.

7. Narration

   Say this: “Tell me what you learned today. Show me with your hands or the counters if you like.”

   Listen for: Sort objects by one property and count each group.; Find the one that does not belong.; Continue a pattern.

8. Daily habit

   Go on a shape hunt around the house and yard: find a circle, a square, a triangle and a rectangle each day.

Spread over the week

5 sessions of 15–20 minutes. Stop while it is still going well.

1. Session 1. Warm-up, then teach the new idea (steps 1 and 2).
2. Session 2. Warm-up again, then show how with the examples.
3. Session 3. Practice together, then play the game.
4. Session 4. More practice on the worksheet, and the daily habit.
5. Session 5. Quick check: narration and a few practice items. Move on when it is mostly right.