In this activity, students play a magic-themed game to transform into different creatures.
Observation and paying close attention to the results of actions are key in scientific research... and in competing in this active game.
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Magician’s Rock, Paper, Scissors!
Objectives
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Explain the importance of observation when doing science.
Materials
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Per Class:
students
large open space
What To Do
Levels:
- 1 – A magician’s hat (hold hands in a triangle above the head)
- 2 – A magician’s bunny (hop around like a bunny holding fingers up like ears)
- 3 – A magician’s dove (flapping wings)
How to Play:
- Students begin at level 2. They move as the magician’s bunny.
- When two students meet they play rock paper scissors.
- The winner goes up a level (and makes the appropriate sign). The loser goes down a level.
Variations:
- Continuous play — For continuous play with no winner, set the rules so that students can continue to play, even if they lose when they are at level one.
- Play with an ending — For play with an end-point and a winner, have students sit down if they lose while at level one. The last student standing is the winner!
- Conga-line — When a level one student loses, they stand behind their winning partner with hands on the winner’s shoulders. They move as one unit, the winners gathering a line of students behind them. Eventually, the class will become two long lines with two magicians facing off!
