Number Patterns Teaching Resources
Explore number patterns in your maths classes this school year with fun worksheets, games and more teacher resources created to help your students understand how numbers in a sequence relate to one another.
Aligned with the Australian Version 9.0 maths standards, the printable and digital activities in this collection were created by the maths teachers on the Teach Starter team to help you save time on your lesson plans.
Whether this is your first year teaching about number patterns or you're just looking for a little extra help, we've got you covered. Read on for a primer from our teacher team! We explain what number patterns are so you can share with your class, plus we explore three common patterns.
What Are Number Patterns? A Kid-Friendly Definition
A number pattern is a series of numbers that each follow the same rule. These patterns or sequences can help us find missing numbers or identify what number will come next in a series.
For example, let's say you are given the following list of numbers:
- 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24
This is an example of a number pattern in which the next number in the series is 4 more than the previous number. Once you can identify the pattern in a series of numbers like this one, you can then use that pattern to determine what number comes next or even what numbers could have come before the list began.
This is one of the many reasons number patterns are an important part of building our students' algebraic reasoning skills. They help kids understand how numbers can be related to one another and apply what they know about those relationships to solve problems.
3 Common Types of Number Patterns
We can't talk about number patterns without breaking down the different types your students are going to encounter in their maths journey!
Linear Patterns
Linear patterns are number patterns in which the numbers increase or decrease by the same amount each time.
The example used above — in which each number in the series increased by a quantity of 4 — is a simple example of a linear pattern.
Geometric Number Patterns
Another type of pattern students may have to contend with is the geometric number pattern. This type involves numbers that are multiplied or divided by a constant factor.
The multiplication table is an example of a geometric number pattern.
Recursive Patterns
Students will have to make full use of their understanding of the four whole number operations to work with recursive patterns. That's because this pattern involves finding each successive number in the sequence by performing a specific operation on the previous number(s).
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Evaluate Expressions (One Variable) – Mystery Picture Worksheet
Substitute values for variables and use your understanding of the order of operations to solve expressions with this worksheet.
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Missing Numbers in a Sequence – Task Cards
A set of 12 task cards to consolidate students' understanding of counting forwards and backwards by 1s.
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Complex Dot-to-dot – Skip Counting by Sevens (Wolf) – Worksheet
A complex dot-to-dot where students demonstrate skip counting by sevens.
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Guided Maths Groups – National Numeracy Learning Progression – Task Cards
A set of 32 task cards with activities for tracking student progress along the numeracy learning progression.
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Python Patterns – Match-Up Activity
An activity for students to consolidate copying and creating patterns.
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Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 2 - Dinosaur
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
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Prime and Composite Number Worksheet
A worksheet to consolidate your students' understanding of prime and composite numbers.
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Hundreds Board – Blank
A blank black and white hundreds chart that can be used for a variety of activities.
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Skip Counting by 5s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when skip counting by 5s.
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Basic Algebra Symbols Poster
A poster with eight basic mathematics algebra symbols to display in your classroom.
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Odd and Even Properties Slides and Ladders
Practise determining odd and even results of sums with this fun Slides and Ladders Game.
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Groups of Objects Odd or Even Worksheets
Practise determining if a group of objects (up to 20) is an odd or even number of members.
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Odd and Even Maze Worksheets
Explore odd and even numbers with your students with these fun maze activities.
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Even and Odd Numbers Task Cards - Word Problems
Identify odd and even numbers within word problems with a set of task cards.
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100 More , 100 Less Matching Game (Three-Digit Numbers)
Match 3-digit number cards to find pairs that are 100 more or 100 less of each other.
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Number Neighbourhood - Number Line Sequencing Cards
Print a set of colourful numbered houses to use for skip counting, ordering, and comparing numbers.
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Algebraic Expressions – Task Cards
Read, write and solve algebraic expressions with this set of 24 task cards.
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Maths Mazes (Number Sequencing)
Skip count your way through these mazes that focus on number sequencing.
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Three Bears Patterning Worksheet
A patterning worksheet using images of the bears from Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
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Complex Dot-to-dot – Skip Counting by Twos (Seahorses) – Worksheet
A complex dot-to-dot where students demonstrate skip counting by twos.
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Guided Maths Groups – National Numeracy Learning Progression – Student Tracker
An individual student tracker for sub-elements of the National Numeracy Learning Progression.
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Cinderella's Shoes - Skip Counting Worksheet
Count Cinderella's shoes using skip counting by 2s.
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1 to 20 Number Puzzle
A 20 piece puzzle for students to identify and sequence the numbers from 1 to 20.
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1 to 9 Number Sequencing Sausage Dog Activity and Template
A fun sausage dog themed place value activity to use in the classroom when sequencing numbers from 1 to 9.
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Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 5 - Helicopter
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
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Prime Numbers - Assorted Backgrounds
Prime numbers displayed on a hundreds board.
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Moving Mathematics Activity - Skip Counting By Twos
A fun and active way to develop confidence with number sequences.
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Odd or Even Number Popcorn Sorting Activity
Sort popcorn shaped numbers into either the odd popcorn bucket or the even popcorn bucket.
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Counting Odd and Even Numbers Worksheet Pack
Identify odd and even numbers in a variety of activities in these odd and even worksheets.
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Charts of Odd and Even Numbers Up to 500
Encourage your students to identify odd and even numbers with this set of number charts up to 500.
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10 More, 10 Less, 100 More, 100 Less — I Have, Who Has Game
Find the number ten more than, ten less than, one hundred more than, and one hundred less than the given number in this fun whole-class game!
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Skip Counting by 10s I Have, Who Has Game
Use this fast-paced whole class game to help your students practise skip counting by tens.
- Number Patterns Worksheets
- Number Patterns Games
- Number Patterns Posters
- Number Patterns for Preschool/Kindergarten
- Number Patterns for Foundation Year
- Number Patterns for Year 1
- Number Patterns for Year 2
- Number Patterns for Year 3
- Number Patterns for Year 4
- Number Patterns for Year 5
- Number Patterns for Year 6
- Number Patterns for Year 7