The pattern machine
Print four circle-and-star pairs, but only one finishing flag. Where should the flag instruction go?
Spark · Year 2Repetition and repeat counts
The instructions
Repeat 1 timePrint a circle ●Print a star ★Print a flag ⚑
Then print one flag ⚑
Your printed strip
Four pairs. One finishing flag.
The first print repeats once. Change the instructions and print again.
A small pattern-printing simulation. Every shape comes from the instructions you choose. A curriculum practice example, not student work.
What the child
is learning.
Explore the learning journeyYear 2 · Repetition and repeat counts
A repeat runs every instruction inside it more than once. Moving the flag outside the repeat makes it happen just once, after the whole pattern.
Now try this…
Print six pairs and one flag. Then move the flag inside the repeat. Predict the number of flags before printing.