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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Input Output Activities — Bingo
Play input output activities like this Bingo game in your maths lessons for maximum engagement.
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Input Output Game — ‘Under the Sea’ Board Game
Play this ‘Under the Sea’ input output game to engage your students as they learn about algebraic patterns.
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Input and Output Poster
Hang this input and output poster in your classroom to serve as a quick reference during a unit on number patterns.
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Input and Output Activities — Additive and Multiplicitive Patterns Match - Up
Use input and output activities like this additive and multiplicative patterns match-up game to give your students practice thinking algebraically.
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Number Grid Interactive Activity
Share this number grid interactive activity with your students to give them practice adding and subtracting ten and one from a given number.
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Divisible by 2 - Task Cards
Help your students practice determining if a number is divisible by 2 with this set of task cards.
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Divisible by 2 Sorting Activity
Explore numbers divisible by 2 with this fun snowboard-themed sorting activity.
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Odd and Even Patterns in Multiplication Task Cards
Help your students discover patterns in odd and even numbers in multiplication sums with this set of task cards.
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Odd and Even Properties Board Game
Help children practise identifying odd and even results of sums with this fun board game.
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Odd and Even Interactive Activity (Double Digit Sums)
Engage students in odd and even numbers within double digit sums with this interactive activity.
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Halloween Tracing Numbers Worksheets
Trace and write numbers to twenty with a set of spooky Halloween tracing numbers worksheets.
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Odd or Even Sorting Game (Coins)
Help your students reinforce their knowledge of odd and even numbers with this fun coin sorting activity.
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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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Odd and Even Monsters Sorting Activity
Sort odd and even numbers in this fun monster-themed sorting activity.
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Skip Counting Exit Tickets
Assess student understanding of skip counting within 1000 by 5s 10s and 100s.
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Counting by 1s Picture Puzzles
Use this fun sorting activity for your students to practice ordering numbers in sequential order, and improve their skip counting skills!
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10 More, 10 Less Colouring Worksheets (Differentiated)
Use this ten more, ten less worksheet set to engage your students while they practise computing 10 more or 10 less than a number within 120.
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Writing Equations – Interactive Mystery Picture Reveal
Practise representing written statements as a single-variable equation with this self-checking interactive activity.
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Input-Output Tables and Graphing Task Cards
Practise reading input-output tables and plotting points in the first quadrant with this set of task cards.
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Christmas Skip Counting - Printable Puzzles
Grab a set of 10 printable Christmas puzzles to help students skip count in the classroom.
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Writing Equations – Task Cards
Practise writing an equation to represent a situation with this set of 24 task cards.
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Repeating Patterns Spinner
Have fun using this spinner to reinforce understanding of patterning!
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Complex Dot-to-dot – Skip Counting by Threes (Castle) – Worksheet
A complex dot-to-dot where students demonstrate skip counting by threes.
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Skip Counting Desk Number Line – Fours
An educational desk number line showing skip counting by fours.
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Number Talks - Number Pairs Task Cards
Build number sense skills with this set of 26 task cards.
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Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 3 - Kite
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
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Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 1 - Caterpillar
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
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Ten Add Bowling Active Learning
A whole class active game that encourages learning through a physical setting.
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Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 1 - Arrow
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
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Number Charts and Number Finder
Number charts up to 1000 with a number finder template.
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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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Pattern Worksheet - Rectangles
A worksheet creating a pattern using rectangles.
- Number Patterns Worksheets
- Number Patterns Games
- Number Patterns Posters
- Number Patterns Templates
- 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