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Puzzles in Education /
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The Puzzles in My Program
I'll start by discussing the basic
puzzles that I would have a teacher begin with if they had no other
puzzles in their classroom. These are basically the puzzles that I had
started with when I began using puzzles frequently. I'll add that there
are many puzzles that were passed down to the lower elementary as I got
more made and thought that they were appropriate for the lower
elementary. It also happened that my own children were in those classes,
and we just made extras that could be used in the classrooms. As a staff
we had also agreed that we would try to introduce Tangrams and their
puzzle shapes at the second and third grade level. At the fourth grade
we had introduced Pentominoes as well as continuing to use Tangrams. We
also had several sets of 3D Pentominoes that students in fourth grade
used as a step up from the flat 2D Pentominoes. |
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Included in this first picture are some beginning puzzles that I would
consider
"Basic or
Beginner" puzzles for a classroom. The boxed puzzle is the
Diabolical Cube,
behind it is the
Tower of
Brahma, in the middle of the picture is a Marble Maze, a Two-Piece
Burr and also a Six Piece Burr with a solid key piece. On the right is a
basic Post Puzzle; in
the front is what I call a "Wrecktangle," and to its left is the Wit's
End. To the right of the Wit's End is a two piece Tetrahedron. The back
left of the picture has the Checkered Soma, a Diagonal Burr and a puzzle
that I call Stickball. In this group of puzzles there are some basic
packing, some easy ring and string puzzles (topological) to develop
patterns for more difficult topology puzzles, and some basic put-together
puzzles. I like to include the diagonal burr because the center of the
puzzle and the separation of the two halves leads into so many of the
other Stewart Coffin puzzles. |
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Next would be some more basic puzzles. The
letter dissections
are not my first choice for basic wood puzzles because these could be
made out of cardboard or tagboard and still be utilized effectively. The
letter dissections could be moved down to lower grades, possible third
or fourth. I have the elephant puzzle in several different woods. I also
have a dog and a camel that I am currently enlarging. The kids love
these puzzles. I got to the point where a student drew the pieces for
the kangaroo from a catalog I had but I haven't had time to make it yet.
Also the two piece and three piece burrs are basic puzzles that the
students quickly master. Most of these puzzles come from Wyatt's books. |
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The picture at right includes some of the
ring and string puzzles
that I have in my classroom. Once the students have learned the basics,
they begin to tackle more difficult puzzles. I have included ring and
string puzzles because of the variety that they offer. Usually there
will be some students that can look at the string and see right away the
open path or how to solve the puzzle. There are also some students that
have difficulty tying their shoes and are almost allergic to ring and
string puzzles.
Another type of puzzle that has developed quite a fan club has been the
burr puzzles. From basic to complex many students enjoy burrs because of
the concrete objects that they make. There is a definite shape that
should be made. |
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There is an unusual type of puzzle that I use
called
"Impossible Object"
puzzles. To solve these puzzles, you simply have to figure out how they
were created. The main benefit of these is as a thinking exercise. I
would bring in a new object about every two weeks and ask the students
to journal about how they thought that the object was made. I had
assured them that I had made all of the puzzles myself and I gave them
time over the week to examine the puzzles. When they had turned in the
papers I would read them over and generally answer them. I would tell
the class that "no I didn't have a candle or burning object that sucked
the object into the jar." Because many of them have had this experience
with an egg being sucked into the jar because of a candle and the
increased suction due to the lack of oxygen I can see the application of
prior experiences. After the first journal if they want to continue the
dialog they may keep writing to me and I'll continue to respond. One of
the big reasons for this is to get students to expand their thoughts, to
become comfortable with not knowing everything, and finally the
development of how to ask a question. Many kids will just say "I don't
get it" or "I can't do it." I want them to know that there is a way to
sort through what they do know and what they need to find out and that
by asking the right questions or by asking questions correctly it
develops the problem solving process. I also try to have a variety of
materials like the cards and the lock, which would not survive fire
(cards) or may have an odd shape (lock). |
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The next puzzles are of
Medium Challenge.
These include Convolution, the Six Piece Pinned Burr and a serial
interlocking four piece cube (all by Coffin). The Gaby Puzzle is
pictured in the back as well as a wooden Instant Insanity, a Dice
puzzle, a pseudo diagonal burr and Nob's Spinning X Puzzle. Two of these
puzzles have a spinning or centrifugal motion to solving them and
sometimes that has thrown students off. Several of the other puzzles
require some dexterity to put together while the Convolution and other
serial puzzles (one order to take apart together and put together)
require attention to how the pieces are taken apart. Usually students
are not real observant the first time around. |
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Next are the
Difficult Puzzles.
Some of these are pictured in both the medium picture and the difficult
because for some students they may be medium difficulty. For most they
are very difficult.
The cage in the back has four solid key pieces but all other pieces are
different. Each burr in each corner is different. To the left of that is
the Half Hour Cube, it could be called the Half Day Cube. Also included
are the Dirty Dozen (sliding puzzle), Instant Insanity and Coffin's
Unhappy Childhood.
I know there are more Difficult Puzzles but what I have tried to do is
to make puzzles that my students could do and then some... a bit ahead
of where they are to challenge just a touch. My choices of wood and
selection of puzzles to make have also changed as the equipment that I
have to work with has changed over the years. Time would be my major
fault right now. I think that in the spare time between teaching
elementary school and teaching part-time at the University and working
with computers that I have been able to make a nice selection to use in
my classroom/school. I could have purchased the puzzles but I have
classroom sets of some things I have made. My Dad used to say "he had
more time than money" and I think that applied to me as a teacher.
Resources were limited but when I made them myself, it was limited by my
time and desire. I also made a tree to hang metal puzzles on and had a
variety of those. Usually when my wife would travel she would bring me
back a metal puzzle and these ended up at school for the students to use
also.
I hope that this provides some thoughts and ideas about how I use
puzzles in the classroom. I would make a new puzzle and take several
into school and place them in several different grade levels and check
with the teachers at the end of the week. If the puzzle was well
received then we would leave it for their collection. If not we would
try to adjust, a simpler puzzle or a different variety.
I will mention that I make all of my own puzzles. There is a cabinet
maker in town that saves his scrap hardwood for me (usually oak, birch,
hickory and maple) so I have plenty of material to work with and plenty
of puzzles that I want to make but never (never) enough time. Students
will bring in puzzles and I'll make a version for our classroom and I'll
give them an extra from my collection. I can't believe the number of
puzzles that I am starting to accumulate. Even greater is the direction
that I would like to go with them. Maybe someday... |
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Last Updated: February 7, 2005 |
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