Number Patterns Teaching Resources
Explore number patterns in your math classes this school year with fun worksheets, number sequence games and more teacher resources created to help your students understand how numbers in a sequence relate to one another.
Aligned with both TEKS and Common Core math standards, the printable and digital activities in this collection were created by the math 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 students' algebraic reasoning skills. They help students 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 math 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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1–5 Matchup Cards - Transportation
A matchup activity to use in the classroom when working with numbers 1–5.
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Ten in the Bed - Counting Activity
A fun, hands-on number rhyme activity to help students sequence numbers and count forward and backward from 1–10.
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Counting to 30 Activity
Use this number activity to consolidate your students' knowledge of numbers 1-30.
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Counting to 20 Activity
Use this number activity to consolidate your students’ knowledge of numbers 1-20.
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Alien Number Sequencing Cards - 1 to 20
A hands-on activity to practice number sequencing from 1 to 20.
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Number Pattern Worksheets - 1 to 20
A professor-themed place value worksheet to use in the classroom when completing number patterns.
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Number Sequencing 1–20 - Worksheet
A worksheet to use when practicing counting from any given number from 0-20.
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Identifying Odd Numbers - Worksheet
A worksheet for students to practice identifying odd numbers.
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Identifying Even Numbers - Worksheet
Practice identifying even numbers with this fun maze activity.
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Black and White Number Board - 1-120
A black and white number board with numbers 1-120 that can be used for a variety of activities.
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Skip Counting by 9s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when learning to skip count by 9.
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Skip Counting by 8s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when learning to skip count by 8s.
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Skip Counting by 7s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when learning to skip count by 7s.
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Skip Counting by 6s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when learning to skip count by 6.
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Skip Counting by 5s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when learning to skip counting by 5s.
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Skip Counting by 4s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when learning to skip count by 4.
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Skip Counting by 3s - Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when learning to skip count by 3s.
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Skip Counting by 2s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when skip counting by 2s from 0 to 100.
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Multiplying by 1,000 Worksheet
A worksheet for students to complete when learning how to multiply by 1,000.
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Multiplying and Dividing By 1,000 Poster
A set of posters to display in the classroom when learning to multiply and divide by 1,000.
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Number Talks Teaching Resource Pack - Grade 3
A collection of number talks teaching resources that support meaningful and highly engaging conversations in the mathematics classroom.
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Interactive Hundreds Chart
Explore an interactive hundreds chart with multiple color options, automated skip-counting and more!
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Multiplying and Dividing by Powers of 10
A 60-minute lesson in which students will multiply and divide decimals by powers of 10.
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Number Patterns
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify number patterns to 20.
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Identifying Missing Numbers
A 60 minute lesson in which students will sequence the numbers from 1 to 20 and identify missing numbers.
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Sequencing Numbers
A 60 minute lesson in which students will sequence the numbers from 1 to 10.
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More and Less - 10; 100; 1,000
A 60-minute lesson in which students will mentally add or subtract 10; 100; or 1,000 from a 4-digit number.
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Number Pattern Rules
A 60-minute lesson in which students will understand that number patterns have rules.
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Number Patterns
A 60-minute lesson in which students will identify patterns in number sequences.
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Skip Counting by 10s
A 60-minute lesson in which students will explore skip counting by 10s.
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Skip Counting by 5s
A 60-minute lesson in which students will explore skip counting by 5s.
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Skip Counting by 2s
A 60-minute lesson in which students will explore skip counting by 2s.