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Guess My Rule
ZOOMsci Index | your results | list of activities
Sent in by:
Katie G. of Storrs, CT
Common characteristics rule in this guessing game.
- 10-20 different objects (like shoes, pencils, pens, rocks, coins, paper clips, small toys, etc.)
- a friend
1. First, group together a few objects that have something in common, like size or color. (You don't need to use all the objects.)
2. Then have your friend guess the "rule" you used to group the objects. (For example, they are short. Or, they are red.)
3. To help your friend figure out the rule, he or she can think of an object that is not in the group and ask if it belongs. You can only answer "yes" or "no".
4. Switch roles. Let your friend make a group of objects, and then you try to guess the rule.
5. When you notice how objects are similar or different, you're thinking like a scientist. Scientists put things into groups by looking at how they are alike or different. This is called classification. For example, one way scientists classify trees is by their leaves: Trees that drop their leaves each year are called deciduous; trees that don't drop their leaves are called evergreen. When scientists find a new type of tree to classify, they ask "yes" or "no" questions to decide which group it belongs in. If they ask, "Does this tree drop its leaves each year?" and the answer is "yes", then the tree is deciduous.
Now it's time for you to experiment. Try making up different rules for the same collection of objects. Or use the same rule for a different collection of objects. What happens if you use only two objects? Can someone still guess your rule? Send your best rule to ZOOM and tell us what objects fit into the group.
You can also send us your pictures or video of this ZOOMsci:
ZOOMsci
ZOOM
Box 350
Boston, MA 02134
Brittany, age 10 of Lansing, MI wrote:
My class and I did one and hade to guess that they were wearing shorts and I guessed right, I'm reaporting on guess my rule.
Veena, age 11 of Traverse City, MI wrote:
Me and the class played guess my rule last year and one of the rule was wearing earings ad I got it right. It is fun to play and I think other people should play it.
Cinthya, age 9 of Brooklyn, NY wrote:
When I tride this, I thout that it was a game because it saunded like a game & it looked like a game. It was fun!
Janice, age 15 of Hemmynsville, MB wrote:
That group thing with a rule was fun! I did that at home with my 5th grade brother. I used a challenging rule! How they feel. Rough, smoth, and soft.
Christian, age 10 of Wymore, NE wrote:
It was cool because none of my friends guessed it right.
Ashley, age 9 of OH wrote:
I won the game and it was so fun.
Chantria, age 11 of TX wrote:
I can never figure it out.
Rachel, age 8 of OH wrote:
Nobody guessed my rule. But it was a lot of FUN!
Christina, age 9 of NJ wrote:
All the things I had were round.
Kristen, age 10 of TX wrote:
My best friend never guessed my rule.
Kristen, age 10 of TX wrote:
My biggest pile was things that are solid shapes like a ball and a can of tomatoes.
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