Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

Session 1

This session explores simple 2-element patterns around the theme of a daisy.

1. Read the nursery rhyme "Mary, Mary Quite Contrary".
2. Talk about what might be in Mary’s garden. Name some flowers and talk about them. If possible show the students a daisy – note the petals.
3. Using the cut petals and a centre circle the teacher partially constructs a "daisy" with a regular 2-element pattern using coloured petals. The pattern could be yellow, white, yellow, white, …
4. Can you read my pattern?
   What will the next petal be?
   How do you know?
5. Students explore and create their own "daisies".
6. Students share and describe their daisy pattern with the class.

Session 2

Using the same nursery rhyme theme again, explore patterns with flowers.

1. Reread the nursery rhyme.
2. Mary likes to keep her garden neat and tidy. She plants flowers in patterns.
   Model this idea using magnetic backed coloured flowers on a magnetic board.
3. Can anyone continue my pattern?
4. Select a student to complete the pattern of coloured flowers.
5. Invite two or three students to create a flower pattern in front of the class using the magnetic flowers.
6. What is the pattern here?
   Can we read this pattern?
   What will come next?
   How do you know?
7. Students construct their own garden flower patterns using the flower cut outs. Move around the students and discuss what they are doing.
   Tell me your pattern.
   What will come next?
   How do you know?"

Session 3

Simple patterns are again explored but this time using a card game. Cut out the flower card

Use the copy master to make a set of cards. Now create baseboards with ten squares.  Attach two flower cards to the first two square to form the beginning of a pattern.

1. Students work in pairs. They each select a baseboard that has the outline of a pattern.
2. The students take it in turns to take a card from the pile. If it is part of their pattern they place it in the correct place on the baseboard. If not needed the card is put at the bottom of the pile of cards.
3. Repeat with the same baseboard and with different baseboards.
4. Move around the students and discuss what they are doing.
   Tell me your pattern.
   What will come next?
   How do you know?"

Session 4

Instead of using flowers we now use vegetables to make 2-element and even 3-element patterns.

1. Tell the following story:
   Mary, Mary likes to grow vegetables. In her garden she grows carrots, tomatoes, pumpkins and mushrooms. She grows her vegetables in patterns.
2. Model a 2-element vegetable pattern for the class. Carrot, carrot, tomato, carrot, carrot, tomato, …, say.
3. The class reads and predicts the pattern.
4. Explain how gardeners sometimes use cloches (mini glasshouses) to protect plants as they are growing. 
   Mary often uses these in her vegetable garden.
5. The teacher covers part of her pattern with a "cloche".
6. Can you tell me what is hidden inside the cloche?
   How do you know?"
7. Students construct vegetable gardens and cover part of their "garden" with a cloche. Working with a partner they try to predict which vegetables are hidden.
8. More able students can move to constructing a vegetable garden using 3 different vegetables.

Session 5

The students guess the missing members of a vegetable pattern where more than 1 vegetable has been "eaten".

1. Make a vegetable pattern like the ones in the last session. But this time some vegetables are missing from the row. Tell the students that rabbits have got into Mary’s garden and eaten some of the vegetables. Start with just one eaten vegetable and gradually increase the number eaten to 3.
2. The students have to decide which vegetables have been eaten and place these in the correct places.
3. Are the vegetables in the right place? How do you know?
4. In pairs the students play the same game with their partner. They take turns forming the pattern and removing some of the vegetables.