What I am?

Skills: questioning, deduction, shapes, communication
Resources: cards, pencil, paper
Activity: This activity will have children develop their questioning and deduction skills as they communicate their understanding of 2D and 3D shapes. Players will try to guess the shapes they have picked without looking at them and asking yes/no questions. How many questions will you use to guess the mystery shape?
  1. Print the cards that will be used to play the game or recreate them at home using paper and pencils.
  2. Shuffle the cards.
  3. Each player will randomly pick a card and stick it to their forehead without looking at its contents.
  4. Player 1 will begin the game by asking a yes/no question, such as “does the shape have 4 sides?”
  5. If player 2 answers yes, then player 1 gets to ask another question. If player 2 answers no, then the questioning moves to the next player.
  6. Record the number of questions each player asks using a tally
Variation for younger children (2nd class): you can limit the game to the 2D shapes: triangle, square, circle, rectangle, kite. Have the children draw the shapes and write the name underneath.

Sample questions:

  • Does it have a right angle?
  • Are opposite sides parallel?
  • Are two sides equal in length?
  • Is it symmetrical?

Check before playing:

  • Do children understand a good range of shape names and properties?
  • Do they recognize the properties of rectangles?
  • Do the recognise parallel and perpendicular lines?
  • Can they recognise a symmetrical shape?
Download cards