Even human beings are odd!

The lesson will broaden students' knowledge of even and odd numbers through interesting activities and by relating that knowledge through real-life experiences.

A lesson plan for grade 2 Mathematics

By Jackie Barrett

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• recite and memorize an even and odd cheer.
• generate a list of numbers in the environment.
• brainstorm various even-lettered words and odd-lettered words.
• design a page of a class book on examples of even and odd things in the environment.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 hour

Materials/resources

• large poster-size copy of even and odd cheer
• notebook paper
• plain white construction paper/art supplies

Even and odd cheer

0, 2, 4, 6, 8
Are even numbers, aren’t they great?!
1, 3, 5, 7, 9
Yes, they’re odd, but that’s just fine!

Pre-activities

Optional: a class walk through the neighborhood to find examples of numbers in the environment.

Activities

1. Introduce class to even and odd cheer with enthusiasm when you start discussing this topic. Cheerleading pom-poms add a nice touch and lend to the excitement. Recite cheer yourself while pointing to the words and emphasize the places in the cheer where students should speed up or slow down.
2. Have the students recite just the words with you the second time. On the third recital, add a rhythmic clap to add to the “cheer” effect. Finally, have students say the cheer to you and cheer with the pom-poms afterward to encourage them. (Variation: have a student lead the class in the cheer.)
3. Teach students that the ones place is the determining factor for being an even number or an odd number.
4. Students should generate a list of numbers from the environment and determine whether they are even or odd. Examples of these might be numbers on a clock, calendar, speed limit signs, number of swings on playground, number of parking spaces at library, etc. Have students look in the ones place and apply cheer to determine if numbers are even or odd. Give students a time limit of about 10-15 minutes.
5. Ask students how many letters are in their names and determine if their names are even-lettered or odd-lettered. Students find it humorous that the words “human being” are odd-lettered. Have students think of other even and odd-lettered words.
6. Give students white construction paper and art supplies and illustrate an even- or odd-lettered word. The teacher can give each student a letter of the alphabet and illustrate an even or odd-lettered picture. Collect and bind and title the book Even and Odd ABC.

Assessment

Assess by observation and list of even and odd numbers in the environment.