What students learn in AC9M2A01
This unit helps students build a clear, usable understanding of Recognise, describe and create additive patterns that increase or decrease.... 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, describe and create additive patterns that increase or decrease by a constant amount, using numbers, shapes and objects, and identify missing elements in the pattern.
- Use concrete examples, pictures, oral explanation and short written responses before moving to independent practice.
- creating a pattern sequence with materials, writing the associated number sequence, and then describing the sequence so someone else can replicate it with different materials; for example, using matchsticks or toothpicks to create a growing pattern of triangles using 3 for one triangle, 5 for 2 triangles, 7 for 3 triangles and describing the pattern as “Start with 3 and add 2 each time” recognising patterns in the built environment to locate additive pattern sequences; for example, “How many windows in one train carriage, 2 train carriages, 3 train carriages …?” or “How many wheels on one car, 2 cars, 3 cars…?” and recording the results in a diagram or table
- 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, describe and create additive patterns that increase or decrease by a constant amount, using numbers, shapes and objects, and identify missing elements in the pattern
- E1: creating a pattern sequence with materials, writing the associated number sequence, and then describing the sequence so someone else can replicate it with different materials; for example, using matchsticks or toothpicks to create a growing pattern of triangles using 3 for one triangle, 5 for 2 triangles, 7 for 3 triangles and describing the pattern as “Start with 3 and add 2 each time”
- E2: recognising patterns in the built environment to locate additive pattern sequences; for example, “How many windows in one train carriage, 2 train carriages, 3 train carriages …?” or “How many wheels on one car, 2 cars, 3 cars…?” and recording the results in a diagram or table
- E3: recognising the constant term being added or subtracted in an additive pattern and using it to identify missing elements in the sequence
- E4: using dynamic geometric software or a generative artificial intelligence tool to create patterns that increase or decrease by a constant amount; for example, creating a geometric pattern using shapes, that adds the same number of elements to the pattern as the pattern increases, and discussing what instructions they input to achieve the output
- E5: recognising additive patterns in the environment on Country/Place and in First Nations Australians’ material culture; representing them using drawings, coloured counters and numbers (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.
Teacher resource
AC9M2A01 teacher slide
Use this one-page PDF to introduce the key idea, vocabulary and teaching sequence before students begin the activities.
Open teacher slide (PDF)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.
| Region | Curriculum | Closest mapping |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Australian Curriculum v9.0 | AC9M2A01 — recognise, describe and create additive patterns that increase or decrease by a constant amount, using numbers, shapes and objects, and identify missing elements in the pattern |
| Victoria | Victorian Curriculum F-10 | Year 2 Maths: closest match in Algebra. Use this page as a VIC-aligned practice and worksheet reference. |
| NSW | NSW Curriculum | Stage 1 Maths: closest content focus for Recognise, describe and create additive patterns that increase or decrease... and related outcomes. |
| United States | Common Core / NGSS | Grade 2 Common Core Mathematics/ELA closest topic match for Recognise, describe and create additive patterns that increase or decrease.... |
| England / UK | National Curriculum | Key Stage 1 / Year 2: closest programme-of-study match for Recognise, describe and create additive patterns that increase or decrease.... |
| Canada | Provincial and territory curricula | Grade 2 closest topic match. Canada varies by province, so use this as a broad Ontario/BC-style learning outcome reference. |
| New Zealand | New Zealand Curriculum | Level 1 Maths: closest achievement-objective topic for Recognise, describe and create additive patterns that increase or decrease.... |
| India | NCERT / CBSE | Class 2 closest NCERT/CBSE topic match for Recognise, describe and create additive patterns that increase or decrease.... |