Activity: Students play a guessing game called “Build a Bear.” They discuss what curiosity is and why it’s important to learn how to ask questions and make good guesses.
Materials needed: A white board, markers
Directions: Introduce the activity: “Today we’re going to play a guessing game. I will think of something - a person, place, or thing - and give you one or two clues. Then I will draw lines to indicate how many letters are in my “thing.” It could be someone’s name, a place with which you’re familiar (you’ve heard about it or visited there), an object, a book or movie title, or a kind of animal. I will give you a clue or two. You will take turns guessing the letters, and I will draw the alphabet on the whiteboard and cross off a letter each time you make a guess. If you guess a letter correctly I will fill in the appropriate blank. Whenever there’s an incorrect guess, I will add something to the bear, starting with its legs. If you can stop me from building the whole bear by guessing what it is before I complete Mr. Bear, you win!” After playing the game a few times, ask students if they enjoyed making guesses - was it more exciting as you got closer and closer to the answer? Guide students in a discussion about curiosity, emphasizing how important it is to be curious. Let students know that it’s human nature to want to learn and understand, and because of our curiosity, we’ve been able to do some amazing things, like go to the moon, explore the depths of the ocean, invent computers and cell phones, and learn about the history of our planet!
Wrap it up: Explain: “Be thankful for your curiosity and sense of wonder! Perhaps someday you will discover something no one else knows about, or invent a cure for cancer and other diseases. That can happen because of a person’s ability to ask questions and wonder how something works. This was just a game, but I wanted you to learn how much fun it can be to ask questions, look for answers, and find solutions!”
Activity: Students play a guessing game called “Build a Bear.” They discuss what curiosity is and why it’s important to learn how to ask questions and make good guesses.
Materials needed: A white board, markers
Directions: Introduce the activity: “Today we’re going to play a guessing game. I will think of something - a person, place, or thing - and give you one or two clues. Then I will draw lines to indicate how many letters are in my “thing.” It could be someone’s name, a place with which you’re familiar (you’ve heard about it or visited there), an object, a book or movie title, or a kind of animal. I will give you a clue or two. You will take turns guessing the letters, and I will draw the alphabet on the whiteboard and cross off a letter each time you make a guess. If you guess a letter correctly I will fill in the appropriate blank. Whenever there’s an incorrect guess, I will add something to the bear, starting with its legs. If you can stop me from building the whole bear by guessing what it is before I complete Mr. Bear, you win!” After playing the game a few times, ask students if they enjoyed making guesses - was it more exciting as you got closer and closer to the answer? Guide students in a discussion about curiosity, emphasizing how important it is to be curious. Let students know that it’s human nature to want to learn and understand, and because of our curiosity, we’ve been able to do some amazing things, like go to the moon, explore the depths of the ocean, invent computers and cell phones, and learn about the history of our planet!
Wrap it up: Explain: “Be thankful for your curiosity and sense of wonder! Perhaps someday you will discover something no one else knows about, or invent a cure for cancer and other diseases. That can happen because of a person’s ability to ask questions and wonder how something works. This was just a game, but I wanted you to learn how much fun it can be to ask questions, look for answers, and find solutions!”
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