Higher and Lower

This is a simple digit card game to help children become accustomed to thinking about likelihood and probability.

The game uses only 10 digit cards (numbered from 1 to 10), and a handful of counters (to keep score).

Two players work together, they shuffle the cards and then deal them face down across the table. The first card is turned face up:

Now, the first player predicts whether the next card will be higher or lower than the first card they can both see. When the second card is turned over the prediction is checked, if the first player guessed right they receive a counter. The children continue, taking it in turns to predict the next care, until all of the cards have been turned face up. Clearly, as each card is turned over the subsequent predictions will become easier - the final prediction being easiest of all! But do the children notice this?

Let them play the game four times (alternating who goes first), and then ask them to explain the game, and what they've learnt to the rest of the class.

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