The Missing Cone

The teacher sets out rows of colored cones in a pattern and leaves a gap; children run to the basket, choose the missing cone and put it in place. It builds figuring out a pattern's rule and deciding what comes next while running.

How to play

1. Sitting in front of a row of cones (yellow, green, yellow, green…), we say the pattern out loud like a song (1 min).
2. The teacher removes a cone and asks, "What's missing here?"; a child brings it from the basket and puts it in (2 min).
3. Now there are four rows with gaps around the playground; we run to the basket, grab a cone and take it to the right gap (4 min).
4. When a row is complete, we weave through it in a zigzag (3 min).
5. The teacher leaves the end of each row empty, and children continue the pattern up to the chalk line (3 min).
6. We put the cones away by color, each color in its own basket (2 min).

Rules

• One cone at a time.
• Before putting the cone down, say the pattern out loud.
• Run with your eyes open so you don't bump into the rows.

Variations

Adaptations

• Child with limited mobility: baskets are placed close to the rows, or a buddy brings cones and the child decides which is missing.
• Color-blind or low-vision child: use cones of different sizes or shapes as well as colors.
• Autistic child: always works on the same row, with the pattern drawn on a card beside them.

Learning goals

• Figure out a pattern's rule.
• Complete and continue color patterns.
• Run with a goal and make quick decisions.

Equipment for a class of 25

• conos: 40
• cestas: 4

Teacher tip

Keep the rows well apart from the baskets so there's running, but no crossing paths. The usual mistake is dropping any cone: ask them to say the pattern aloud before letting go.

More main activities for Elementary