In this activity, children race to divide even and odd numbers. Divide children into pairs and provide each pair with a sheet of paper and a pencil. On the board, write a collection of even and odd numbers. On your mark, instruct pairs to work together to separate the even and odd numbers. The first pair to successfully complete the activity earns a point. Provide new sets of numbers for each round of the game and the pair that earns the most points wins. This activity is appropriate for children in upper elementary and middle school.
Dividing groups of items will help to teach children the difference between even and odd numbers. Provide children with amounts of small items; candies, toys and craft poms-poms, for example. Instruct students to count the total number of items and then divide the items into pairs. Explain to the students that if they are able to divide the items into pairs, then the total number is an even number and if they are not able to divide all of the items into pairs, then the number is an odd number. Discuss how even numbers can be divided into equal pairs. This activity is appropriate for middle and upper elementary students.
Teach children even and odd numbers with a hundreds chart. Distribute hundreds charts and provide each child with two different colored markers; red and blue, for example. Instruct students to color in every other number on the chart, starting with the No. 1 blue and then have them color in the remaining numbers red. Explain to them that the blue numbers are odd and the red numbers are even. This activity will provide children with a colorful graphic representation of even and odd numbers and will allow children to see the pattern that the numbers form. Use this activity to teach lower elementary students about even and odd numbers.
Get kids active while teaching them even and odd numbers. Use sidewalk chalk to write a series of even and odd numbers on the ground; you can write the numbers in sequential order, starting from one, or you can use double digit number, or write the numbers in a jumbled up order, depending on how familiar children are with the numbers. Invite kids to jump on the numbers and as they do, they must shout "even" or "odd," depending on which type of number they've landed on. For instance, if you've written the number 2,5,7,10 and 12, kids should shout "even, odd, odd, even, even." This activity can be used with children throughout the elementary grades.