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Numbers - odd or even?

Description

An introduction to odd and even numbers. Even numbers are divisible by two whereas odd numbers are not. At ‘Number School’, numbers are separated into two lines - odd and even. The teacher checks whether or not the numbers are in the correct line.

Classroom Ideas

Having a method to model numbers that clearly shows the difference between odds and evens is crucial. Even numbers can be made into two-row arrays, but odd numbers cannot - there always being one item left over. The making of two rows highlights the fact that even numbers are always divisible by two. This could be highlighted by using pairs (ie socks, chairs in two rows, or getting the children to put counters and coins in rows to see if any are left over). A consolidation activity could be to give pupils a bag of two and three-digit numbers, asking them to sort them out into odds and evens, then challenging them to identify the pattern, eg odd numbers always end in 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9.