Mathematics

Activity 1: Chance words

In this activity students will discuss the use and meaning of words associated with fairness, luck and chance events such as games involving dice and spinners. Students discuss the meanings of these words and put them into groups having similar meanings.

Task 1: Chance words

1. Ask students to nominate words they associate with games of chance; for example, when discussing their chance of winning a board game or swimming race, or whether a game or decision is fair or unfair.
2. Provide students, or small groups of students, with sets of words using language of chance. You may wish to create sets of words in a variety of colours so students can't mix the sets.
3. Language of chance provides a collection of word labels to do with chance, some of which students may already be familiar with. Include blank spaces for additional words students suggest.

Task 2: Word meanings

1. In small groups, discuss the meanings of the words and group those with a similar meaning.
2. Some groups that could be used are:
• those that suggest never
• those that suggest always
• those that mean something in-between.
  
3. Ask students to look at the words they have grouped as 'in-between' words. See if they can make some distinctions between the meanings of each word and create further sub-groupings.
4. Discuss the criteria they used to support their decisions.

Activity 2: Being lucky

In some countries and cultures large numbers of people consider certain numbers and symbols to be lucky or unlucky. Some of these beliefs have existed for hundreds of years. These beliefs might take the form of superstitions, some of which may be very strongly believed by older family members.

Prior to starting this activity, arrange for your students to ask their parents if they have lucky numbers or symbols or if they are aware of superstitions related to the country they were born in. Explain that they will be using this information to complete a table of beliefs and superstitions.

Task 1: I'm lucky

1. Arrange the students in pairs and ask them to share their answers to the questions listed in the clouds.
2. Bring the class back together as a group and share some of the answers given.
3. Develop a shared definition for the term 'lucky'.

Task 2: Superstitions

1. Show student the list of Superstitions and ask them to add their personal lucky or unlucky numbers and symbols.
2. Discuss with the students what we mean by a superstition. Provide some examples such as:
   • Some people believe that walking under a ladder brings bad luck.
   • Some people believe that 7 is a lucky number and 13 is an unlucky number.
   • In China, the number 8 and the colour red are widely regarded as bringing good luck. The date of the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing was deliberately chosen to be 8 August 2008 (8–8–2008). The ceremony commenced at 8 minutes past 8 o'clock in the evening.
3. Discuss whether these are rational claims.
4. Ask students to add any superstitions and beliefs held by members of their households.
5. Ask students to use an internet search to investigate superstitions in cultures in the Asia region. Ask them to write the superstition and the culture it comes from on blank Superstition cards.

Task 3: Acting out

1. Collect the superstition cards and discuss what each may mean.
2. Ask students to select a card and illustrate the superstition or belief and its consequence. Suggest that the illustrations should include some reference to the culture of origin; for example, the name of the country or the country's flag. Make a classroom display of the illustrations.
3. Allow small groups of students to select a superstition and 'act out' the superstition for the rest of the class.

Task 4: More or less likely?

1. Create a set of cards with paired events such those shown below. Ask students to discuss the events on the cards and suggest, for each pair, which event is more likely to happen or whether the two events have the same chance of occurring.
2. Discuss some of the paired events. Ask students to suggest some additional paired events and add them to blank More likely/Less likely cards. How likely is that? provides a mat with three statements:
3. Ask students to work in pairs and explain that they will be looking at each pair of events and discussing the likelihood of them occurring.
4. When they have completed their discussion ask them to place the events next to the most appropriate statement.
5. Once they have placed all the events on the mat, discuss their selections and ask them to justify their answers.

Activity 3: Legend of the crane

In this activity, students will discuss what it means to be 'lucky'. Students suggest and discuss their personal lucky numbers, colours and symbols, and compare them with those from other cultures.

Task: The story of the crane

In Japan, cranes are regarded as a symbol of good luck. Japanese people make paper (origami) cranes as gifts of good fortune and long life. Howard Reeves retells the Japanese story, The legend of the crane. The story explains the origins of the crane becoming a Japanese symbol of good health and prosperity. Cranes are also regarded as a symbol of peace.

1. Read the story to the class and discuss what is meant by the term legend.
2. Ask students to answer the following questions:
   • Why do the Japanese consider cranes to be lucky?
   • What might have happened if the old man didn't help the crane?

Activity 4: Jan-ken-pon

In this activity, students will play the Japanese version of rock-paper-scissors,  jan-ken-pon. There are many additional versions in cultures throughout the world.

Task 1: Practising jan-ken-pon

Students select a partner, face each other and chant jan-ken-pon while making rhythmical up and down movements with their arms. On 'pon' each student makes one of three hand gestures:

• A clenched fist represents a stone.
• A flat hand represents a sheet of paper.
• A V-shape formed by the index finger and second finger represents a pair of scissors.

There are four possible outcomes:

1. Rock beats scissors because rock can blunt scissors.
2. Paper beats rock because paper can wrap around rock.
3. Scissors beat paper because scissors can cut paper.
4. The fourth possible outcome is when you make the same gesture. You must then chant 'aikodesho' and begin again. If the students make the same gesture a second time, they chant 'sho – sho – sho and this is the chant they use until one player wins.

Task 2: Other games to play with jan-ken-pon

Divide into two teams and stand facing each other:

1. Opposing pairs play jan-ken-pon. The winner in each pair raises a hand and scores a point for his/her team. The team with the most points wins.
2. The teams stand facing each other, with a chair behind each student. The first student in each team moves forward and this pair plays jan-ken-pon until there is a winner. The loser sits down and the next opponent from the losing team moves forward and plays. The loser always sits down; the winner keeps on playing until one of the teams has no more players standing.
3. Each student in a pair starts with five counters. They play jan-ken-pon with the losers handing over a counter after each game. The winner is the player finishing with ten counters.