Mission 26: The Cuck-cuck-cuck-oo-oo-oo bird Ideas • Look for patterns, around the home and when out and about. Hide a piece of the pattern and asking what might come next and then uncover it to find out - some wrapping paper is good for this. Try copying and extending the patterns.  • Make your own patterns using colours, toys, beads or bricks.  Make patterns as in the mission that ‘program’ actions – red red blue means, jump jump hop – or green yellow yellow means laugh laugh cry.  Or use sounds to make the patterns to follow - beep beep woo means smile smile frown. Take turns with your child making patterns for the other to follow. • Use the Counter Machine to make patterns – start with two counters, one red, one yellow –and see what patterns you can make. If your child makes a pattern that you weren’t expecting, don’t immediately give the impression that they are ‘wrong’ - instead, let them continue and ask them to tell you what pattern they are thinking of. For example, all of the following are patterns you could make starting one red, one yellow (can you see why?). There are no doubt many more! • Try the above using three and then four colours. Agents explore patterns and relate patterns to actions.  Focus: This mission focuses on patterns with actions, patterns with objects and the way the one can represent the other. As such it is an early introduction to algebra. Vocabulary: patterns, red, blue, left, right. .