Introduce pattern recognition with our Repeating Patterns Thumbs Up Thumbs Down PowerPoint. This interactive activity helps students identify whether or not a pattern is repeating – building foundational skills in sequencing, early algebra and visual reasoning.

Each slide presents a pattern using colours, shapes or objects. Students decide whether the pattern is a repeating one, then show a thumbs up if it is, or a thumbs down if it isn’t. The next slide reveals the correct answer in a fun, interactive way, making this a perfect resource for whole-class engagement and discussion.

Repeating Patterns Thumbs Up Thumbs Down PowerPoint covers a variety of pattern types including AB, AAB, ABB, AABB, ABC and ABCD, supporting students as they learn to identify, describe and classify different types of repeating patterns.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Identify whether a pattern is repeating or not
• ✅ Recognise and describe AB, AAB, ABB, AABB, ABC and ABCD patterns
• ✅ Develop reasoning and pattern language in an interactive setting

What’s Included:

• Interactive PowerPoint with visual patterns on each slide
• Students respond with thumbs up or thumbs down based on their reasoning
• Click to reveal the correct answer and pattern explanation

Materials Needed:

• Interactive whiteboard or display screen capable of running PowerPoint
• Optional: thumbs up/down cards or hand signals for student responses

How to Use:

1. Open the PowerPoint and display the pattern on your interactive whiteboard.
2. Ask students to observe the pattern carefully and determine if it is repeating.
3. Students show a thumbs up (yes) or thumbs down (no).
4. Click to reveal the correct answer and discuss the pattern structure.
5. Continue through the slides to reinforce and practise pattern recognition.

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use as a quick warm-up during your maths lesson or pattern unit
• 💡 Pair students to discuss and justify their thumbs up/down choice
• 💡 Add to rotations for a simple, no-prep interactive centre
• 💡 Extend by asking students to describe or draw what comes next in the pattern
• 💡 Challenge students to create their own repeating or non-repeating patterns for the class to guess

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Reinforce the concept of a “pattern unit” and how it repeats
• 💛 Model how to describe patterns using colour or object names for clarity
• 💛 Use real classroom materials to recreate examples from the slides for hands-on exploration

Repeating Patterns Thumbs Up Thumbs Down PowerPoint is a fun, fast-paced way to develop early pattern awareness – making it easy to build confidence with repetition, prediction and mathematical reasoning.