To begin the lesson, write the chant, Five Little Monkeys, on a piece of chart paper for the students to read, and point to the words as the class chants the rhyme.
Complete the chant and ask the students to tell you the element that is repeated in the chant.
Note: The number of monkeys left on the bed decreases by one each time or the ending word of alternating lines is "bed" and "said."
Make notes on the Class Notes Teacher Resource Sheet regarding the students' understanding of patterns. This will give you a picture of the performance levels of the students in your class and enable you to plan for individual differences and needs.
Before beginning this lesson, prepare Label Cards for the songs, A Sailor Went to Sea and A Student Went to School.
These lyrics might also be posted on a chart for the students to read as they sing.
Sing the song, A Sailor Went to Sea, to help the students hear and sing a repeating pattern sequence.
Discuss with the students how they repeat words in the song.
Model how to use numbers to label the pattern of the repeat of the words "sea" and "see" in the song (one, two, three).
Remember that the focus of this lesson is on repeating patterns and that many children's songs, such as "The Farmer in the Dell," model growing patterns.
After the students learn the words and melody to the song, choose six students and give each one a single label card (See 1, See 2, See 3 and Sea 1, Sea 2, Sea 3).
Instruct the students holding the cards to stand and display their card at the appropriate time as the class sings the song again.
For instance, the student holding “See 2” should stand and display his or her card the second time the class sings “see.”
A second song, A Student Went to School, can be sung to the tune of “A Sailor Went to Sea.” It allows students to use the same tune and substitute new words for additional practice. A creative, reinforcing activity is to have the students create their own new words for the tune "A Sailor Went to Sea."
Write the lyrics that the students contribute on a chart for them to read as they sing. This allows practice with reading, as well as practice in creating patterns.
Once the students know the words to the song they wrote, create and distribute label cards for their repeating words (School 1, School 2, School 3 and Learn 1, Learn 2, Learn 3). Have each student stand and display his or her card at the time his or her word is repeated in the sequence.
To document the students' understanding of the patterns found in the songs suggested in this lesson, have them write the title or lyrics of a song on a piece of paper and record the words that are repeated in a special color, such as writing "see, see, see" in blue.
This exercise provides practice with recognizing and recording patterns and with writing simple, familiar words.
