Pattern Stations

Before conferences, and after our very intense self-portraits in Kindergarten... we used a day for pattern stations.  Let me tell you.  Kindergarteners LOVE, LOVE, LOVE stations.  I'm so glad I brought them into my classroom.  I had been dinging a bell to ask students to rotate, but now they are used to the routine.  After giving an explanation of the stations, I let them choose.  It has been a success.

Station #1:  Above is a mini egg sort.  I had a bunch of small, foam, GLITTERY eggs in a basket and some containers around it. Students were asked to sort the eggs using tweezers and chopsticks.

Station # 2: Students had paper punches available to them and strips of paper.  I had placed contact paper on the window and after punching their shapes, they were asked to create a pattern on the contact paper.

Station # 3: Kids created patterns using pattern chains.  They were totally impressed with they put the chain to the mirror and it 'doubled their pattern'.  Simple fun!

Station #4:  The kids freaked out when they found out that they got to make a bracelet... AND KEEP IT!! Patterns were created with beads and pipe cleaners.  

Station #5: I used small letter stamps from JoAnne Fabric and placed them in an egg.  Students were asked to look at the pattern and repeat it on their paper.  After the first class when all my 'secret patterns' were lost and all that remained was the two stamps in each egg... I asked the students to make up their own patter using the two stamps they found in the egg.  This was a slightly better way to do this station anyway.

Station #6: OK kids, I'm going to get out an antique... its called an over-head projector.  Ohhhhh, Ahhhh, the kids say in unison. This brilliant idea was shamelessly stolen from Rina Einwohner Vinetz.  She has some of the coolest ideas.  I love watching her brain work by following her on FB.  Anyway, I asked the kids to create a shape with blocks and the other students were asked to copy the shape with their blocks.  This changed as the classes played.  Some students created a pattern on the overhead, others just played mutually to see what they could make.  What a great way to use this tool that was collecting dust in our school.