Number Wall

Break that wall! But only remove one type of bricks.

We don’t want odd numbers in this wall. How many can you remove, leaving all the even numbers?

Goals

To classify numbers by category: odd or even.
To understand and follow rules.

The adult prepares

1 number-sign brick
20 number bricks
1 baseplate
1 bowl

Build a 4-storey wall made out of 20 number-bricks on the baseplate.

The children play

Tell player 1 to find an odd number at the top of the wall and to remove it.

Player 2 takes their turn.
Both players continue to play until there are no more odd number bricks along the top of the wall.

Here is a wall that I’ve made.
So we are going to play,
you will be player one and then I will play.
You can only take off one brick at a time.
And only odd numbers.
So let’s take this one.
Is it an odd or even number?
This brick. -An odd number.
Yeah.
So you can take the brick off.
Oh, okay.
Okay. Continuing.
Oh, I have a nine, so I can take it.
That’s an odd number.
Your turn.
Oh, that’s definitely an odd number.
Okay, I continue…
Oh, one!
That’s an odd number, I can take it.
Your turn.
I think that’s even. No.
Only even numbers.
So we cannot play anymore because we don’t have any bricks to remove.
So that’s the end of the game! Right.

Facilitation tips

Ask the children to help you find different criteria for choosing the bricks to remove: only bricks with 2 studs, only even numbers, multiples of 2 or 3 etc.
Add other bricks to the wall, for example letters or symbols.