I think what makes teaching odd and even numbers to kids so fun is helping them discover patterns within our number system. Our brains love patterns. Patterns help us make connections and help us remember things. So when we help students use patterns to learn even and odd numbers, it helps them master this math topic quickly and effectively.

 

 

So I thought it would be helpful to share how I help students discover the patterns of even and odd numbers. This way of teaching even and odd numbers is so much more beneficial to students then just having them memorize the odd and even numbers to 20.

 

Odd and Even Numbers

 

I’m going to focus on my even and odd numbers lesson plan I use in my 2nd grade classroom. I based my lesson on the 2nd grade Common Core State Standard 2.OA.C.3 that says, “Determine whether a group of objects (up to 20) has an odd or even number of members, by pairing objects or counting them by 2s, write an equation to express an even number as a sum of two equal addends.”

 

So we are going to focus on odd and even numbers to 20. We are also going to help students share how they know that number is even or odd. Can they pair objects? Maybe they can count by 2s to figure it out? Or maybe they can show that number with a doubles fact to show that it is even?

 

Even and Odd Numbers Lesson Plan

I start by showing my students all the numbers to 20 by using linking cubes. You could place out actual linking cubes, but I find all my students can see best when I just clip art of linking cubes. I use what I call display pages to show these and to guide me in my direct instruction. Think of these like slides.

 

 

I display the page with all the different numbers. These are organized in columns. One column for odd numbers and one column for even numbers. I display this up and then I ask students what they notice about even and odd numbers. 

 

Students may come up with lots of things. Maybe they notice that there’s an every other pattern. Or they notice that if you count by 2s, the numbers are even. That the numbers you don’t say when you count by 2s are the odd numbers. 

 

After this class discussion, I show our next display page. This one still has the numbers shown with linking cubes, but now there is an equation frame by each one. We want students to write the equation the linking blocks are making.

 

This will help students make the connection that even numbers can be shown as a doubles fact. They will see that odd numbers can be shown by a near doubles fact.

 

Students know all about doubles and near doubles facts because I taught them during our math fact strategies unit. Learn more about how to teach doubles facts in this blog post here. Find my free workbook on math fact strategies here.

 

Just by showing these 2 slides and having a class discussion, students have already discovered the pattern of even and odd numbers. 

 

I like to solidify these patterns by asking students how they can know if a number is even. From student’s responses, I make an odd and even numbers poster with them.

 

Odd and Even Numbers Poster

 

For this poster or anchor chart, I split it into 4 sections. In the center I write “How to Know If a Number is Even.” We can know by doubles facts so I list those in one of the sections.

 

 

In another one of the sections I write all the numbers like I am counting by 2s.

 

We can also know that a number is even when we can make an equation for the number with 2 even numbers or 2 odd numbers.

 

And we can know a number is even if we draw that many objects and each one can be partnered up. I call these buddies. Then I write all these different ways on our even and odd numbers poster.

 

I like to display this even and odd numbers poster up for our lesson. Students can refer to it when needed.

 

After making this chart with students, it’s time to get them their own practice with odd and even numbers. I do this with even and odd numbers worksheets and other games and activities.

 

Odd and Even Numbers Worksheet

Before I let students do a worksheet, we do a few practice problems together using our display pages. These match the format of the worksheets. That way when students go to do their worksheet, they know what to do.

 

 

I have worksheets that show the number with linking cubes and students have to see whether the number is even or odd.

 

Another worksheet shows an equation with one of the addends missing. Students have to say if the sum is even or odd. This gets students using the equation to know if the number is even or odd.

 

The next even and odd numbers worksheet shows the number lined up with blocks. Students have to write the equation for what the blocks show and then tell whether the number is even or odd. 

 

Another worksheet shows blocks all spread out. Students have to count up how many blocks there are and whether the amount is even or odd. Then they write an equation to show if it is even or odd.

 

My final odd and even worksheet lists out a bunch of equations. Students have to find all the equations that make even numbers.

 

I don’t have my students do all of these worksheets at once. I have them do a couple worksheets and then I save the rest for extra practice opportunities for our math centers.

 

Find all the odd and even numbers worksheets I use with my students here.

After that I want to get students up and moving so I have them complete a scoot activity with a partner.

 

 

For this activity, I tape task cards around the classroom. These task cards show scattered squares, equations, or linking cubes. Students take a recording sheet around to the different cards. They look at the numbers and pictures and write down “odd” if an odd number is shown or “even” if an even number is shown.

 

Once students are finished, I have them correct their own work with an answer key I have set out.

 

Then I want students to get even more practice with an odd even numbers game.

 

Odd Even Numbers Game

This is a fun sorting activity. I like students to still work with a partner. They lay out the headers of “Odd” and “Even” then they sort the cards based on whether it shows an odd or even number. Some of the cards just have numbers. Others have linking cubes. There are also some with scattered squares.

 

 

Students work together to sort the cards. Then they raise their hands and I do a quick look over their work. I help them fix any mistakes and I clear up any misconceptions. Then students mix up the cards and stack them up. Then they are ready for the next set of students.

 

Find this Odd and Even Numbers Game here.

 

As a final part of my even and odd numbers lesson plan, I have students complete an exit ticket. They rate themselves on how they feel they understood the lesson. Then they solve a couple odd and even numbers problems. I look at these later and take note which students could use more practice during math centers.

 

And that is how I teach even and odd numbers. It comes down to helping students discover the patterns with even and odd numbers. Then they can use those patterns to solve different odd and even numbers problems. I like to give students lots of practice with worksheets, activities, and games.