Making Puzzles

I'm back!  This past week was a doozy.  My husband had pneumonia, my youngest son had bronchitis, and I had a math observation.  Fun times?  NOT!

For my observation I wanted to take our normal lesson on Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions and add my own spin to it.  We still did our Interactive Notebook, used the curriculum to do Problem of the Day, Quick Check, Workbook Examples, etc... but then for Quadrant D I had them create their own examples and make index card puzzles.  My admin. LOVED the lesson and said that she wished there was an "O" option (Outstanding) instead of just Satisfactory.  (Can I tell you how much I love my admin?  So encouraging!)

Anyhow, I know I've shown this idea before, but it bears repeating.  Basically I hand out index cards and the kids take 1 or 2 (depending on how many examples I want them to create).  With the index cards they cut them in half to double the amount of cards.  Then each square is cut down the middle in some kind of shape (zig zag, snake, etc).  The 2 sides of the puzzle must meet together perfectly to make a self checking puzzle.

Then on one side they write the Mixed Number, the other is the Improper Fraction.  The kids then take their pieces to a partner or group, mix up the pieces, and match them up again.  When they get done with those partners, they switch groups.  We've done this with story vocabulary - words vs. definitions, addition/subtraction/multiplication/division - problem on one side, answer on the other, equivalent fractions, etc.  The kids LOVE making their own puzzles.  

Do you have school today?  I'm off!  LOVE 3 day weekends.  

Have a great day!