Repeating patterns: Year 1 Maths topic guide

What students learn in AC9M1A02

This unit helps students build a clear, usable understanding of Repeating patterns. The goal is not to memorise one answer pattern. Students should be able to explain the idea, recognise it in a new example and apply it in a short practice or worksheet task.

• Start with the main idea: recognise, continue and create repeating patterns with numbers, symbols, shapes and objects, identifying the repeating unit.
• Use concrete examples, pictures, oral explanation and short written responses before moving to independent practice.
• interpreting a repeating pattern sequence created by someone else, noticing and describing the repeating part of the pattern and explaining how they know what comes next in the sequence generalising a repeating pattern by identifying the unit of repeat and representing the elements using numbers, letters or symbols; for example, representing the repeating pattern of stamp, stamp, clap, stamp clap, stamp, stamp, clap, stamp, clap as SSCSC SSCSC SSCSC... recognising the elements that are repeating, describing the unit of repeat as SSCSC and continuing the pattern
• Finish with mixed questions so students must choose the correct strategy rather than copy the last example.

Curriculum coverage and elaborations

The content description and elaborations below show the curriculum ideas taught in this unit. Items marked as teaching context support lesson planning but may not appear in the initial eight-question activity.

• Content description: recognise, continue and create repeating patterns with numbers, symbols, shapes and objects, identifying the repeating unit
• E1: interpreting a repeating pattern sequence created by someone else, noticing and describing the repeating part of the pattern and explaining how they know what comes next in the sequence
• E2: generalising a repeating pattern by identifying the unit of repeat and representing the elements using numbers, letters or symbols; for example, representing the repeating pattern of stamp, stamp, clap, stamp clap, stamp, stamp, clap, stamp, clap as SSCSC SSCSC SSCSC... recognising the elements that are repeating, describing the unit of repeat as SSCSC and continuing the pattern
• E3: recognising within the sequencing of natural numbers that 0 - 9 digits are repeated both in and between the decades and using this pattern to continue the sequence and name two-digit numbers beyond 20
• E4: collaboratively creating a repeating geometric pattern using dynamic geometric software or a generative artificial intelligence tool, discussing as a class what instructions they would need to input to produce a repeating pattern
• E5: identifying the repeating patterns in First Nations Australians’ systems of counting, exploring different ways of representing numbers including oral and gestural language (teaching context)
• E6: considering how the making of shell or seed necklaces by First Nations Australians’ includes practices such as sorting shells and beads based on colour, size and shape, and creating a repeating pattern sequence (teaching context)

How to use this unit

Read the topic guide, use the teacher slide for instruction, then complete the Worksheet, Practice and Test. These three activities use the same eight-question unit bank.

Common mistakes to watch for

• Rushing to a rule before checking the concrete model, drawing or number sentence.
• Using the correct answer once but not being able to explain why it works.
• Mixing up similar vocabulary such as more/less, before/after, longer/shorter or equal groups/sharing.

International curriculum mapping

This table gives closest-topic mapping for search and planning. The Australian Curriculum code is exact; overseas entries are broad equivalents because each jurisdiction structures outcomes differently.

Related Year 1 Maths topics

• AC9M1N01: Numbers to 120
• AC9M1N02: Partitioning tens and ones
• AC9M1N03: Skip counting and equal groups
• AC9M1N04: Addition and subtraction within 20
• AC9M1N05: Additive problem solving and money
• AC9M1N06: Equal sharing and grouping
• AC9M1A01: Skip-counting pattern sequences
• AC9M1M01: Comparing length, mass, capacity and duration

Official curriculum references

• Australian Curriculum Version 9.0
• Victorian Curriculum F-10
• NSW Curriculum
• Common Core State Standards
• Next Generation Science Standards
• England National Curriculum
• New Zealand Curriculum
• NCERT textbooks