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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Counting Mixed Coins Differentiated Worksheets
Download differentiated printable worksheets and use skip counting and addition skills to determine the value of each coin collection.
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Thanksgiving Crafts – ABC and 123 Turkeys
A Thanksgiving activity for students to practice counting, skip counting, and the letters of the alphabet.
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Odd or Even Cut and Paste Worksheets
Review odd and even numbers with this set of two cut and paste worksheets.
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Writing Equations From Word Problems – Differentiated Digital & Printable Worksheets
Practice writing equations from word problems with this set of differentiated worksheets.
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Prime and Composite Number Sort
Identify prime and composite numbers by sorting 30 number cards into their proper category.
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Equation Match-Up!
Match word problems, equations, and visual models with this match-up activity.
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Number Pattern Task Cards – Addition and Subtraction
Practice identifying the rules of patterns, determining missing numbers, and interpreting word problems with this set of 36 task cards.
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Fall Math Center - Odd and Even Number Sort
Identify and sort 2- and 3-digit numbers into odd and even categories with a Fall math activity.
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Number Sequencing to 100 - Worksheet
A raindrop themed place value worksheet to use when sequencing numbers to 100.
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Prime & Composite Numbers – Task Cards
Demonstrate an understanding of prime and composite numbers with this set of 24 task cards.
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Ada Lovelace - Cut and Paste Shapes and Patterns Activity
Explore shapes and patterns with the female programmer, Ada Lovelace, with this cut-and-paste activity for young students.
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Multiplicative & Additive Patterns – Match-Up
Practice identifying equations and finding unknown values in input-output tables with this match-up activity.
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Identifying Number Patterns and their Rules - PowerPoint
A 14-slide editable PowerPoint to use in the classroom when introducing number patterns and rules.
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Blank Hundreds Chart Template
A blank black and white hundreds board that can be used for a variety of activities.
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One More, One Less - Thanksgiving Math Worksheet
Help your students practice finding one more and one less than a number with a printable Thanksgiving One More, One Less worksheet.
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Roll to 100 Odd and Even Game
Create a fun math station with this roll to 100 game where students show their knowledge of odd and even numbers up to 100.
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Differentiated Number Pattern Worksheets
Practice completing number patterns and determining their rules with this set of differentiated worksheets.
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Counting by 5's Maze
Get to the party by skip counting to 100 with our counting by 5’s worksheet.
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More or Less Worksheet
Practice adding and subtracting 10 and 100 to a three-digit number.
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What's Next? - Counting Task Cards
Practice counting forward and backward from numbers within 100 with this set of 16 task cards.
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Number Ordering Puzzles - Cut and Paste
Help students order numbers up to 20 with a set of 8 cut-and-paste number ordering puzzles.
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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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Odd and Even Patterns in Multiplication Task Cards
Help your students discover patterns in odd and even numbers in multiplication products with this set of task cards.
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2nd Grade Odd and Even Task Cards
Help your students practice their knowledge of odd and even numbers with this set of task cards.
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Odd and Even Numbers Poster Set
Display these classroom posters with odd and even numbers to help students memorize these math rules!
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Odd and Even Numbers Sorting Activity
Identify and sort 2- and 3-digit numbers into odd and even categories.
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I Have Who Has: Skip Counting by 2,3,4,5, & 10
Teaching skip counting? Introduce your students to our I Have Who Has - style whole class games with this fun and interactive card activity!
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Christmas Math Mats - Pattern Block Picture Cards
Print a set of Christmas pattern block picture cards to help children develop shape recognition and fine motor skills.
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5th Grade Math Review – Test Prep Packet
Encourage your students to work through 8 pages of 5th-grade math problems while charting their progress to measure their success.
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Additive & Multiplicative Patterns – Worksheet
Recognize the difference between additive and multiplicative numerical patterns given in a table or graph with this worksheet.
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Skip Counting by 2, 5, & 10 – Worksheet
Practice counting by 2, 5, and 10 with this skip counting worksheet.
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Rolling to 100 Board Game
Practice counting to 100 by 1's with this interactive hundreds chart board game for multiple players.
- Number Patterns Worksheets
- Number Patterns Games
- Number Patterns Posters
- Number Patterns Templates
- Number Patterns for Pre-K
- Number Patterns for Kindergarten
- Number Patterns for 1st Grade
- Number Patterns for 2nd Grade
- Number Patterns for 3rd Grade
- Number Patterns for 4th Grade
- Number Patterns for 5th Grade
- Number Patterns for 6th Grade