A playful math activity got kids thinking and talking as they took part in “Which One Doesn’t Belong?” — an exercise that invited close observation and creative reasoning. When shown a group of related images, students were asked to pick the one that seemed different, and more importantly, explain why.

This task gave students a chance to practice sharing their thinking using mathematical words, while also learning to listen to each other. Whether comparing leaves, bananas or canoes, they focused on details like colour, shape or condition to support their reasoning. As they talked through their observations, they discovered that each item could be seen as the one that doesn’t belong, depending on how you look at it. They also noticed that similarities and differences often overlap.

Building on this discovery, the class created their own “Which One Doesn’t Belong?” using everyday classroom materials. The experience encouraged questions, welcomed different views and highlighted the value of thoughtful math talk.