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For younger learners

  • Early Years Foundation Stage

Scissors, Paper, Rock Chinese Style

Age 5 to 18
  • Problem

A game for two players.

SCISSORS cut PAPER wraps ROCK blunts SCISSORS


For rock        make your hand into a fist

For paper     hold your hand flat

For scissors  put two fingers out

To play:

Count 1,2, 3 and then both make one of the rock, paper or scissors signs at the same time. 

You decide who wins because scissors beats paper, paper beats rock and rock beats scissors.

Variation:

Try a version of the game which is played in China. You may need a referee! You start the game facing each other with feet together. Each time the loser has to step sideways so that his or her feet are wider apart and gradually you will both be doing the splits.

Who can last longer before giving up or falling over?

If you make the same sign each time are you more likely to force your opponent to end up doing the splits?

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The NRICH Project aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice.

NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.

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