Patterns in Nature
2 Minutes
Patterns for kids: learn what repeating elements are, play shape pattern games, and spot patterns in nature. A short maths lesson in English.
- What a pattern and an element are
- Repeating shapes like squares, circles, and stars in games
- Beehive hexagons, sunflower seeds, and jackfruit spikes in nature
What this lesson teaches
A pattern is formed when the same thing keeps repeating in a unified and orderly way. The individual item or single shape that repeats to build that pattern is called an element.
How patterns and elements work
A pattern exists whenever an identical thing repeats again and again to create a visible sense of unity and beauty. The single part that repeats throughout the sequence is known as an element. Once an element or a set of elements begins repeating, that sequence can be continued for as long as needed, even stretching out to infinity. Anyone can predict what comes next simply by observing which elements repeat and what order they follow.
Shape patterns and sequences
- A basic shape pattern can be made using two elements, such as a square followed by a circle, repeating as square, circle, square, and circle.
- A more advanced pattern can combine three distinct elements, such as a star, a triangle, and a circle, in a repeating cycle.
- When shapes repeat in a predictable order, you can determine the missing or next element in the sequence without difficulty.
- These repeating shape sequences can continue without ending, going on as far as infinity if a person keeps adding the elements.
- Drawing these repeating shapes over and over inside a notebook allows a person to build up a large, beautiful design.
Patterns found in nature
- Honeybees build their homes using a repeating pattern of hexagon shapes that connect with one another.
- Sunflowers arrange their seeds in a regular, orderly formation where the seeds follow a distinct repeating path.
- Jackfruits have an outer surface covered entirely in spikes that follow their own repeating pattern.
- Paying close attention to plants, animals, and the natural world reveals that repeating patterns appear in many everyday places.
Making designs from repeating elements
Creating patterns starts by choosing one or more elements and repeating them across a surface. Practicing with different shapes in a notebook shows how simple units combine to form complex and attractive artwork. Observing patterns in shapes also trains the eyes to spot similar repeating structures in plants and animals outdoors.