Cadillac or Chevrolet?

Ordering a set of 15 cards with images of cars — from very old models to the newest — can be a fun and surprisingly challenging task for students (and even for adults!). Students receive the cards and try to arrange them in chronological order. After checking the correct sequence, the class reflects on how to score their arrangements (scoring is the main topic of the lesson!), compares group performance, and examines how a computer tackles the same task.

Despite common stereotypes, cars proved just as exciting for girls as they were for boys.

Other images — like inventions, books, or items sortable by a property (e.g., towns by distance) — can be used, making the activity adaptable across subjects. Alternatively, items can be ordered based on a chosen property (for example, towns in a certain country by distance from the school).