Top tips: Odd One Out activities

Take a look at three carefully selected images, talk about what pupils can see and look for the similarities and differences between each image. Finally, ask each child to explain which is the odd one out for them. There are no right or wrong answers!

How to run Odd One Out activities

1. This activity is great for promoting observation and discussion skills, what will your class notice about these three images?

Ask everyone to look or move around the classroom and point out two things that are similar, then two things that are different. Ask a few pupils to share their ideas, emphasising there are no wrong answers. (If the class are familiar with Odd One Out skip this step).

Explain that today you would like pupils to use these skills to help you work out what might be the odd one out between three different images.

2. Show the three images up on the screen. Ask everyone to come up with as many similarities and differences between the three images as they can. If they get stuck, prompt them to think about:

• appearance
• what they do
• where they might be found

3. Capture all the ideas, you might try one of these methods:

• whiteboard notes of the class' suggestions
• ask your class to pair up and write down their answers

4. Explain that now everyone needs to decide which one they think is the odd one out and why. Give them a short time to think or discuss in partners or small groups before sharing their odd one out. Remind them that they must clearly explain their reasons.

5. Discuss as a class. Explore the pupils' answers, one image at a time, showing how each picture could be the odd one out. What did they think about there being no wrong answer?

Image credits:

Pixabay via Pexels CC0,

Marcel Langthim (Pixel-mixer) via Pixabay CC0

Natalia_Kollegova via Pixabay CC0