By Talia Nochumson
Imagine stepping into a classroom where students are bursting with curiosity, collaborating to uncover a mystery that lies thousands of miles away. Welcome to the Mystery Location game, an interactive activity designed to spark curiosity, develop teamwork, and enhance critical thinking skills.
How it works: two classrooms, often from different parts of the world, connect through a video app such as Zoom or Google Meet (or, back in the day, Skype!).
The objective: To guess the other class’s location by asking yes/no geographic questions. Before beginning, the students play a quick game of rock-paper-scissors to determine which group asks the first question—setting the tone for a fun and friendly competition.
The game encourages students to work as a team. Some teachers assign students different roles such as greeter, researcher, and responder. Another student may use a whiteboard to keep track of questions asked and responses. Students considering geographical clues like climate, landmarks, and cultural hints. For instance:
- “Are you located in the Northern Hemisphere?”
- “Is your country bordered by an ocean?”
- “Does your city have a famous landmark?”
My students always suggest trying to play the game with accents, and I must say, they can be pretty good!
As the game progresses, students discuss which questions to ask while consulting their maps. I teach my students to use ScribbleMaps, an interactive website to keep track of the information. Students narrow down the possible locations by crossing off regions on their maps. Before guessing the other students’ locations, I advise them to be 99.9% certain about their guess. Are there any remaining questions to be asked?
Once one team successfully identifies the other’s location, the game ends. It’s always a win for all the students since they put forth the effort to uncover each others’ locations. Afterward, depending on time, students share details about their schools, communities, and cultures. This exchange is one of the highlights for students. Sometimes, they even exchange Snaps to keep in touch with their new friends.
Recently, I learned that Microsoft is discontinuing Skype as an independent app and solely using Teams. While this makes sense, I will never forget how #MysterySkype opened up the world for my students and me. I am always trying to find teachers to connect with on X. Please reach out if you’re interested in connecting with us!
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