Math lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 minutes
Number patterns
Algebra
CCSS 3.OA.D.9England: Y3 Number and place valueEngland: Y4 Number and place value
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Number patterns.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Skip count by 2s, 5s, 10s and 100s; Add and subtract within 1000
Leads to: Function machines and input–output tables; Linear sequences: the nth term; Find the rule of a number pattern
Materials: Balance scales or a balance drawing, Algebra tiles, Function machine cards, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Skip count by 2s, 5s, 10s and 100s; Add and subtract within 1000). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Count by 10s. What is missing? 100, 110, 120, __, 140 → 130Prompt: How much does the count go up each time?
- What is 10 less than 627? → 617Prompt: Which digit changes when you subtract 10?
- Count back by 10s: 70, 60, 50, 40, __ → 30Prompt: Each number is less than the one before. By how much?
Hook · 5 min
- Show a "think of a number" puzzle and ask the class to work out the starting number.
- Share the objective: Number patterns. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: What comes next? 20, 23, 26, 29, __
- Step 1: The rule is add 3.
- Step 2: 29 + 3 = 32
- Answer: 32
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- What comes next? 14, 18, 22, 26, __ → 30Prompt: How much does the pattern go up each time?
- Find the missing number: 62, 51, 40, __, 18 → 29Prompt: Is the pattern going up or down? By how much?
You do: independent practice · 10 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- What is the rule for this pattern? 2, 4, 8, 16 (Double / Add 3 / Subtract 2 / Add 2) → DoublePrompt: Look at how you get from each number to the next.
- Find the missing number: 90, 81, 72, __, 54 → 63Prompt: Is the pattern going up or down? By how much?
Watch out for
- Doing an operation to one side of an equation but not the other.
- Reading 3x as 3 + x, or thinking x always stands for one particular number.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Skip count by 2s, 5s, 10s and 100s.
- Use concrete materials: balance scales or a balance drawing.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Function machines and input–output tables; Linear sequences: the nth term; Find the rule of a number pattern.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-3.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder