Play Plan : Odd or Even

General Information

  • Numeracy concept: Odd or Even
  • Material: A bowl full of Marbles/Seeds/Beads/Buttons
  • Prerequisites: Counting, addition
  • Number of players: 2

Game Overview and Basic Rules for Play

The objective of the game is to collect all the marbles/seeds. This game involves only two players. Either Facilitator/Teacher/Player themselves will equally distribute the marbles. They have to pick some number of marbles in their fist and ask the opposite player to guess whether he/she has an empty or odd or even number of marbles. If the guess is correct then the player who is playing has to return those marbles to the opposite player, if guess is wrong then the opposite player has to give that many numbers of marbles to the player and if it is empty and the guess is correct no exchange but guess is wrong they will have the pre decided number say “5 marbles (which is decided in the beginning of the play starts)” then the opposite player has to give 5 marbles to the player. Both of them will get an alternative turn to play. At the end, whoever has all or the maximum number of marbles will be the winner.

Play Session Plans:

Session 1:

  • Before the session begins, ask the players to decide and keep a number.
  • Children are grouped into pairs. Ask one of the players in the group to equally distribute the marbles. For example: If there are 50 marbles, each of the players has to get 25 marbles.
  • Now Player 1 has to pick marbles in their hand with a closed fist and ask player 2 has to guess whether player 1 has an empty or odd or even number of marbles.
  • If the guess is correct then the player who is playing has to return those marbles to the opposite player, if guess is wrong then the opposite player has to give that many numbers of marbles to the player and if it is empty and the guess is correct no exchange but guess is wrong they will have the pre decided number say “5 marbles (which is decided in the beginning of the play starts)” then the opposite player has to give 5 marbles to the player.
  • Both of them will get an alternative turn to play.
  • At the end, whoever has all or the maximum number of marbles will be the winner.

Session 2: (KLI – SA3.2A, SA3.2B)

  • Make a group of 2 children. Hand over pebbles to each group.
  • In a group, player 1 will tell the number of groups (multiplier) and player 2 will tell the number of pebbles that each group should (multiplicand) have. That is each group should have the same number of pebbles. Then both of them should tell the total number of pebbles. 
  • Continue for 4 to 5 rounds and build a discussion among them and see are there any other methods other than doing repeated addition to multiply the numbers.
  • Then the children should tell whether the obtained product is even or odd.   

Session 3: (KLI – SA3.2B, SA3.2C, SA3.3B)

Make a group of 2 children and keep 20 pebbles in the middle of the group.
Provide 2 bowls or paper cups to all the groups and ask them to distribute or divide all the pebbles equally to both the cups such that there should not be any remaining.
If there is remaining, ask them the reason why they were not able to distribute.
Whoever was able to distribute and give reason will remain in the game.
Increase the number of cups one at a time and repeat dividing the pebbles.
And when it is 5 cups and whichever group was able to divide equal number of pebbles in all the cups will be the winner.
This activity can be extended by increasing the number of pebbles as well as number of cups depending on the grade and capacity of children.

Session 4: (KLI – SA3.3B, SA3.3D, SA3.3E)

  • Make a group of 2 children and keep 30 pebbles in the middle of the group.
  • Ask one of the children to roll a dice. Then whatever number they get on dice those many groups they have to do and should distribute the given number of pebbles equally.
  • Ask them the number of pebbles in each group after they equally divide the pebbles.
  • Build a discussion among children that the number they get on dice is a divisor and number of pebbles is a dividend, number of pebbles in each group is quotient and the remaining will be remainder. Hence, discuss whoever is able to divide equally what will be the remainder of their number also whoever was not able to divide.
  • Similarly, play for 4 to 5 rounds by increasing or decreasing the pile of pebbles depending on the grade and capacity of students.
Back to the Computational Thinking Card Games Main page