Beginning of Year- Build ABCD Bead Patterns

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Beginning of Year Activity

ABCD Bead Patterning Using Recycled Prescription Containers

I love to think of ways to reuse materials and recycling prescription bottles for containers is an easy way to hold small math manipulatives. If you don’t have those bottles, ask your friends, relatives, and fellow teachers to save for you. Since the pharmacy cannot reuse them, even if you thoroughly clean them, it seemed easy to use them for small items.

 

Prescription bottles as containers

If you do not wish to use recycled prescription bottles, another idea is to use small salad dressing containers from The Dollar Tree or 99¢ Store. In fact, all of the materials (pony beads and pipe cleaners) you need to purchase can be found at either of those stores.

Contents of containers

Materials you need to acquire for the bead patterning are: the containers, pipe cleaners, and small pony beads. The pattern cards, labels, numbers for lids and the blank cards are seen at the end of this blog. 

 Your students will like to use this hands-on game and it can be used with several developmental levels. I have introduced the activity and only some of the easiest pattern cards, as AB, ABC, AAB, etc., at the beginning of the year, then reintroduced the activity with the next level pattern cards, later in the year. There have also been years that I have needed both skill levels at the beginning of the year, so easy to then put out both pattern levels. Later in the year, add the hardest pattern cards.

Ideas to use

At the beginning of the year, I put a pattern card, ½ pipe cleaner, and beads into each container. If pipe cleaner becomes too bent, have them available next to the containers. When using 3 different sets, use 3 different colored number circles so students can find and clean up materials.

Place a different pattern of the easy pattern cards in the containers. It is better not to put the same AB pattern card in the same number in each set. This way, students can do the activity several times with varying results at a center. Much more use with same materials!

Use the number circles to glue and cover the pharmacy lids. On other games and uses, I have used happy face and other circle stickers to cover the lids. The Dollar Tree is a great source for these.

                               

The number of small pony beads needed will depend on how many containers you acquire. For each container, you need at least 4 different colors of beads and many of that color since you want students to make that pattern and extend it at least one time.

It is important to remove the label and thoroughly wash and clean the inside of the bottle and the lid since there must not be any residue left from any medication. Also, it is a good idea to cover the top of the lid since it says the name of pharmacy and you don’t want children seeing the label.

Tape or glue the label, ‘Build A Bead Pattern’, to the side of each container, put in the pony beads and ½ pipe cleaner. Glue a number to the top of the container lid. I have been able to collect enough containers that I can now have 2 sets. I color code each number set a different color so students don’t mix them if using at the math center.

If you are using this in a small group or independent math center, select the skill level of the pattern cards you wish to use. Once you explain the directions, this activity can be used as an assessment or in a teacher lead small group.

Each student or partner team gets a set of the containers, crayons and recording sheet. The student selects a numbered container, opens and takes out the AB pattern. Using the beads and pipe cleaner they make, repeat and record that pattern on the recording sheet.

Recording sheet

Have fun!!

Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I hope you can use some of the materials and ideas you have seen. Please visit my store at TPT for this product.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Make-Math-Magic

Everything you need for AB bead pattern fun!