10 Creative Ways to Use Which One Doesn’t Belong Pictures in the Math Classroom
Which One Doesn’t Belong (WODB) picture prompts are an engaging way to strengthen students’ math skills. They are also a great way to build critical thinking skills, collaboration, and confidence.
Unlike many math questions, WODB prompts have multiple correct answers. Students just need to be able to explain and justify their reasoning. This makes these activities accessible and inviting for all learners. Whether you’re looking to enhance number sense, encourage math discussions, build math vocabulary or strengthen critical thinking skills, WODB prompts offer a tool that can be used in many ways to enhance your teaching.
In this post, we’ll look at 10 creative ways to use Which One Doesn’t Belong prompts in your classroom, helping you integrate them into various activities and routines.
1. Morning Work
Starting the day with a Which One Doesn’t Belong image is a great way to engage students’ minds as they settle into the classroom. Display a prompt on the board or provide a printed version for students to solve individually. This low-pressure activity allows students to ease into the day while stimulating their critical thinking skills.
Using WODB prompts in your morning work encourages focus and sets a positive tone for the day. Rotate topics to review concepts like place value, fractions, decimals, or geometry throughout the year.
2. Math Warm-Ups
Use Which One Doesn’t Belong pictures as a math warm-up before diving into your main lesson. These quick, thought-provoking questions activate prior knowledge and prepare students to tackle more complex math concepts.
Because there can be multiple correct answers, this activity is accessible to students at all levels, creating an engaging transition to focused learning.
3. Exit Tickets
End your math block with a WODB prompt as an exit ticket. Ask students to identify which one doesn’t belong, justify their reasoning, and write their responses. This activity serves as a formative assessment and helps reinforce the day’s learning. You could even challenge them to come up with two different possible responses.
Exit tickets can give you insight into students’ thinking. Collect student responses to guide your future instruction and address any misconceptions.
4. Small Group Discussions
In small groups, students can work collaboratively to solve a WODB prompt, discussing their reasoning and debating different answers. This approach promotes teamwork and helps students build confidence in sharing their ideas.
Collaborative problem-solving strengthens communication skills, builds math vocabulary, and fosters a sense of community.
5. Math Journals
Incorporate WODB prompts into math journals for written reflection. Students can write about their reasoning, draw pictures or diagrams, or list multiple answers with explanations. Journaling allows for deeper engagement and encourages students to organize their thoughts.
Writing about math helps solidify understanding and provides students with another avenue to express their thinking in math class.
Use WODB journal entries as a way to track individual student growth over time.
6. Informal Assessments
WODB prompts are excellent for informal or formative assessments. Use them to check students’ understanding of specific topics, such as comparing decimals, identifying patterns, place value, or understanding fractional relationships.
Informal assessments with WODB prompts provide valuable feedback without the pressure of a formal test.
7. Math Centers or Stations
Set up a math center dedicated to Which One Doesn’t Belong activities. Students can work independently or with partners to analyze the prompts and record their answers.
Print and display one image in the math center, or print out a couple options for students to choose from. Providing choice often builds engagement and interest.
8. Intervention Groups
For students who need additional support, Which One Doesn’t Belong activites provide a non-intimidating way to practice foundational skills. Use them in small intervention groups to target specific concepts and build confidence.
The open-ended nature of WODB prompts encourages participation and reduces math anxiety.
Select prompts aligned to the skills your intervention group is focusing on. To further support student success, provide them with a short list of vocabulary words or sentence frames to guide their thinking.
9. Substitute Plans
WODB prompts are perfect for substitute plans. Their clear instructions and open-ended nature make them easy for a substitute to facilitate while keeping students engaged.
Prompts provide meaningful and structured activities that don’t require extensive preparation.
Include printed or digital prompts along with answer key suggestions and possible vocabulary to look for to guide substitutes in leading discussions.
10. Whole-Class Debates
Turn WODB prompts into a class-wide activity by hosting a debate. Display a prompt on the board and invite students to share their answers and justifications. Encourage respectful discussion and multiple perspectives.
Whole-class debates promote critical thinking, active listening, and collaboration.
Use prompts that connect to real-world scenarios or current lessons to make discussions even more relevant.
Conclusion
Which One Doesn’t Belong prompts are an incredibly versatile resource that can be used in countless ways to engage students, build math vocabulary, expand critical thinking, and strengthen math skills.
Whether you use them for morning work, small group discussions, or exit tickets, these prompts create opportunities for meaningful learning and collaboration.
All of the images in this blog post come from either my 4th Grade Which One Doesn’t Belong resource or my 5th Grade Which One Doesn’t Belong resource. Each resource features 60 printable and digital prompts.
With multiple topics and flexible formats, these resources are perfect for building student confidence and fostering math discussions.
Try one of these creative ideas today and watch your students thrive with Which One Doesn’t Belong prompts!
