Year 2

We know which numbers are odd and which are even.
We can talk about what is happening in a number sequence and add some more numbers to the sequence.

Year 2 Unit 8

What we are learning:

• Recognising odd and even numbers is important. Children need to develop their understanding of what odd and even mean. This links to sharing between two. If we share an even number of things between two then we will both have the same amount of whole ones without any left over. If we share an odd number of objects between two equally, then there will always be one left over.
• There are patterns in a sequence of odd and even numbers that you can talk about with your child. The simple one is that every odd number is followed by an even number when we count. Ask your child to explain why this happens. Another pattern is that odd numbers go up in twos (1,3,5,7 etc) and the same is true for even numbers (2,4,6,8). Ask your child to explain why this happens.
• When looking at sequences of numbers remember to look at sequences where the numbers get smaller as well as sequences where numbers get bigger.

ACTIVITY 1: EXPLORING ODD AND EVEN NUMBERS

ACTIVITY 2: IDENTIFYING ODD AND EVEN NUMBERS ON A NUMBER LINE

ACTIVITY 3: IDENTIFYING THE PATTERNS IN NUMBER SEQUENCES

Activities you can do at home:

Make patterns of the numbers so that children can see how odd numbers look different when laid out in pairs – try using counters, Cheerios, nails, oranges etc. – layout numbers in a pattern like this:

Ask, What do you notice? What’s the same? What’s different?
What would it look like of we laid out 13/16/27… oranges?

Ask, Are there an odd or even number of ladybirds? How do you know?
What would you need to do to make it an even number?

On a 1 to 30 number line highlight/colour the odd numbers – ask, What do you notice about the odd numbers? Look at the numbers from 30 to 40 and using what you have just noticed ask, Which of these numbers are odd? and How do you know? Make a collection of odd numbers.
Try to think of really big odd numbers.

Look at a sequence of numbers
8, 10, 12, 14, 16…
29, 27, 25, 23 …
1, 2, 4 …
80, 70, 60, 50 …
2, 7, 12, 17, 22 …
Ask, What could the next number be? Why do you think that?
Put the numbers onto a number line and ask What do you notice?

Good questions to ask:

Is this number odd or even – How do you know?
What is the next odd number after…..?
What is the even number before….?

If your child:

Confuses odd and even numbers
Use objects to demonstrate which is odd and which is even by lining them up in pairs – is there one left over?
Finds sequences easy to continue
Ask your child to make up sequences of their own to test you. Talk through your thinking out loud so they can see how you are solving their problem.