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Ch 2: Skip Counting i.e. Counting in
Groups, Even & Odd Numbers
Students will be taught counting in groups using straws, ice-cream sticks etc. They will also
be imparted the knowledge of even and odd numbers. They will play games, site
examples, discuss among themselves and thus find an understanding of numbers.
Learning objectives
1. To learn tables
2. Identify group of objects and thus multiply in groups
3. Differentiate between even and odd quantities.
Teaching Plan of “Skip counting, Even & Odd Numbers”
Our number system has infinite numbers in it and the numbers can be broadly classified
as positive numbers (+), negative numbers (-) and zero (0).Any number that we encounter
in our daily life is merely a combination of 10 digits namely: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 0.
Any number can be formed by combining the above digits.
As we grow up we see that the numbers that we encounter in our daily life also increases
and counting process should therefore get faster in order to manage a lot of calculations
very easily and quickly.
In the first step to calculate quickly it’s important to learn and recall the tables from 1-10.
Thus start practising tables of 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10.
1x1=1 2x1=2 3x1=3
4x1=4
5x1=5
6x1=6
7x1=7
8x1=8
9x1=9
10x1=10
1x2=2 2x2=4 3x2=6
4x2=8
5x2=10 6x2=12 7x2=14 8x2=16 9x2=18 10x2=20
1x3=3 2x3=6 3x3=9
4x3=12 5x3=15 6x3=18 7x3=21 8x3=24 9x3=27 10x3=30
1x4=4 2x4=8 3x4=12 4x4=16 5x4=20 6x4=24 7x4=28 8x4=32 9x4=36 10x4=40
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Draw few set of objects on board and then call any 4 students( assign 1 set to each) and
ask them to count and write down the number of objects present in there set. Observe
their ways of counting i.e. are they counting one by one or in groups. For e.g.
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Set 1
Set 2
Set 3
Set 4
1st check whether their counting is correct or not by first counting one by one, then show
to them that if they can identify the objects in groups then they can count much faster.
Consider:
Set 1: We can form 3 groups each having 5 objects and then we can simply multiply 3 and
5. Thus find out 3x5=15.
Set 2: We can form 5 groups each having 3 objects and then we can simply multiply 5 and
3. Thus find out 5x3=15.
Set 3: We can form 8 groups each having 2 objects and then we can simply multiply 8 and
2. Thus find out 8x2=16.
Set 4: We can form 4 groups each having 4 objects and then we can simply multiply 4 and
4. Thus find out 4x4=16.
Practice few more such examples i.e. draw few more such objects:
=> 2x9=18
=> 3x3=9
=> 7x4=28………………etc
Thus show the kids that calculation becomes faster when we count in groups.
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Activity:
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Call 14 students at random and divide them in groups of 2, 3, 4 and 5
To each group give few number of straw, keep in mind that each member in a
group gets equal number of straws
Ask the students to hold the straws in front the class so that they can see it
properly
Ask the entire class to find out the number of straws each group is having by
counting in groups where each member of a group has equal number of straws.
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Each has say Each has say 8 Each has say 6 straws.
11 straws.
straws.
Total 6x4=24
Total
Total 8x3=24
11x2=22
Group 4
Each has say 5 straws.
Total 5x5=25
Let’s now move onto Even and Odd numbers………….
Ask few questions to the students such as:
 How many of you distribute chocolates in your birthdays??????
 How many share and have your tiffin????????
Let us first consider dividing things in 2 groups and thus finding out whether the things get
equally divided and nothing is left back or the things get equally divided and something is
left back.
Use few straws or drawing on board to demonstrate how to divide things in to equal parts
such as:
1 in each group
2 in each group
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1 in each group, 1 left back
2 in each group, 1 left back
When using straws the instructor shall be dividing the straws between 2 students to
practically demonstrate EVEN and ODD numbers and also ask few questions such as:
 How many straws do I have?
 After division how many each is having?
 Is any straw left with me? (if NO then EVEN number else ODD number)
 Conclude that:
i) Suppose we had 6 straws each get 3 and nothing is left
ii) Suppose we had 9 straws each get 4 and one is left back……..etc
Thus in cases where while dividing things in 2 parts:
 When the things get equally divided and nothing is left back are known as EVEN
numbers
 And when the things get equally divided and something is left back are known as
ODD numbers.
Use few drawings demonstrating few even and odd numbers and clarify to the students
the difference between EVEN and ODD numbers.
Also state that “any number ending in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 is an EVEN numbers and numbers
ending in 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 (i.e. other than 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8) are ODD numbers. Or in other words
it can be said that numbers are either EVEN or ODD. We can also say numbers apart from
EVEN numbers are ODD numbers.
Practice more problems.
Class schedule:
Total classes required: 4
Learning tables and understanding basics of skip counting: 1 class
Understanding skip counting with lots of practice along with activity: 1
class
Understanding basics of even and odd numbers using straws: 1 class
Understanding even and odd numbers with lots of practice: 1 class