Age Group: PreK-5
# of Students: Min- 10, Max- the more the merrier!
Overview
Students will practice their observation skills to see who is missing from their group.
Materials
Open space, one blindfold (optional)
Duration
10+ minutes
Instructions
1. Gather students in an open space in one straight line, shoulder to shoulder on one side of the room.
2. Choose one student to start as the “guesser.” Ask the guesser to turn around (and/or blindfold them if needed.)
3. Choose one student from the group to leave the room, quietly and secretly.
4. Once the ‘missing’ student has left the group, the guesser will turn around and/or take blindfold off to try and guess who is missing.
5. Explain the game.
Instructor: “We are going to practice our observation skills. One student will be the guesser and they will not be able to see, and one student will leave the room to be ‘missing.’ Once away, the guesser will try and guess who is missing from their group. Whoever can guess the fastest, wins. I will help keep track of times. Once the missing student is guessed, they will come back in the room and become the guesser. Then someone else will go missing, and the game will continue on.”
6. Questions?
7. Begin game
Variation #1
Split the students into two teams. One team member from one team will go missing. The opposite team has to guess who is missing.
Variation #2
Ask each student to find a partner. Both students will turn around from each other and change something about their appearance (hat on or off, hair flipped over to another side, earring off, shoelace untied, badge on other side of your shirt, necklace off, hair tie out or added, etc.) Then the students will have to guess what is different about their partner.
Reflection Questions:
1. What were you thinking when it was your turn to guess who was missing?
2. What would have made guessing who was missing easier? Why?
3. Why do you think having observational skills is important? How did they help you in the game?