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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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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Counting Forwards and Backwards Within 100 - Cut and Paste Worksheet
Practicing counting forwards and backward from a given number within 100 with this cut and paste worksheet.
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5th Grade Algebraic Relationships Assessment
Assess student understanding of prime and composite numbers, numerical expressions, graphing numerical patterns, and more with this math assessment.
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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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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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Skip Counting by 2, 5, & 10 – Worksheet
Practice counting by 2, 5, and 10 with this skip counting worksheet.
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Complex Dot-to-dot – Skip Counting by Fives (Turtle) – Worksheet
A complex dot-to-dot where students demonstrate skip counting by fives.
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Complex Dot-to-dot – Prime Numbers (Gymnast) – Worksheet
A complex dot-to-dot where students demonstrate their knowledge of prime numbers.
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Complex Dot-to-dot – Skip Counting by Twos (Seahorses) – Worksheet
A complex dot-to-dot where students demonstrate skip counting by twos.
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Skipping Through 120 - Worksheet
A worksheet to practice skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s.
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Ten More, Ten Less Dominoes
Practice adding ten more or subtracting ten from a particular number with a set of 27 dominoes.
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Operations of Four Math Machine Worksheet
A worksheet to use when practicing addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
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What's Missing? - Ten More, Ten Less Task Cards
Find numbers ten more or ten less than a given two- or three-digit number with this set of 20 task cards.
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Patterns Math Investigation - Bands of Friendship
A mathematics investigation involving patterns, embedded in a real-world context.
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Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Counting by 1 - Elephant
A dot-to-dot worksheet to practice counting to 100.
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Skip Counting Worksheet
A worksheet focusing on skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s.
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The Number Pattern Robot
A fun hands-on activity to help students identify addition and subtraction number patterns and their rules.
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Five Speckled Frogs Worksheet
A worksheet to use in the classroom when learning to count to 5.
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Skip Counting by 10s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when learning to skip count by 10.
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Missing Values Number Chart - 1–120
A black and white chart representing numbers 1-120.
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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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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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Thanksgiving Dot to Dot Worksheets
Practice counting up to 40 and create beautiful Thanksgiving art using a set of printable Thanksgiving Connect the Dots Printables.
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Odd and Even Cut-and-Paste Worksheet
Engage students in practicing their knowledge of odd and even numbers with these simple cut-and-paste worksheets.
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Odd and Even Word Problems
Extend students with these odd or even number word problems and worksheets.
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Odd and Even Numbers Work Mat
Explore odd and even numbers with your students using this set of strategy mats.
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3rd Grade Divisible by 2 Sorting Activity
Explore numbers divisible by 2 with this fun snowboard-themed sorting activity.
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Divisible by 2 Interactive Activity
Explore the divisibility rule of 2 with your students using this fun ocean-themed interactive activity.
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Patterns in Multiplication Cut and Paste
Teach your students about odd and even products in multiplication with this cut-and-paste worksheet.
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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 Fishing Odd or Even Numbers Worksheets
Go fishing for odd and even numbers with your students using this set of three worksheets.
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Odd and Even Properties Sorting Activity
Explore the properties of odd and even numbers when added, subtracted, divided and multiplied with this fun sorting activity
- 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