Issue 4: Brain-Based Puzzles
Did you know?
Research shows persons who enjoy and play brain teasers score higher on problem-solving tests.* Brain-based puzzles also have the additional benefit of arousing high student interest and involvement.**
Performance Learning PLUS is a monthly e-newsletter by Performance Learning Systems (PLS), a comprehensive educational services company that has provided a full spectrum of programs, products, and consulting services for educators and business professionals since 1971.
The focus of this issue is BRAIN-BASED PUZZLES.
Tips
Brain teasers you can use include tangrams, palindromes, anagrams, analogies, flowcharts, word-play activities, and math and logic puzzles. Following are three sample brain teasers you can use in your classroom.
Brain Teaser #1: "Hinky-Pinky" (a word-play activity)
Directions: Think of two words that rhyme. Indicate how many syllables your words have by calling the pair a "hink-pink" (for two rhyming one-syllable words), a "hinky-pinky" (for two rhyming two-syllable words), a "hinkety-pinkety" (for two rhyming three-syllable words), and so on. Then give other players a brief definition or a clue for each of the two words you came up with. For example, you can say, "I have a hink-pink for you. One is something you do a lot at school, and the other is something you do a lot in bright sunlight." Have other players guess until someone guesses the correct answer ("think" and "blink"). Whoever guessed correctly comes up with the next "hinky-pinky" challenge for the group to solve. Sample "Hinky-Pinky": One is a type of story, and the other is a punctuation mark.
Sample "Hinkety-Pinkety": One is a subject in school, and the other is a puzzle. (See the Answer Key at the end of this e-newsletter for the answers.)
Brain Teaser #2: "Equal Time" (a math puzzle)
Directions: In each of the three problems below, replace the number symbols (#) with an actual number from the problem, and place the math signs - plus (+), minus (--), and multiplication (x) symbols) in between the numbers. When the numbers and math signs are correctly placed, an equation will be formed in each row. Use each number and sign shown.
Example: 1 2 3 5 x + # # = # #
Answer: 1 + 5 = 2 x 3
Problem One: 2 4 6 12 -- + # # = # #
Problem Two: 3 4 5 19 -- x # # = # #
Problem Three 2 6 7 9 11 -- + x # # # = # #
See the Answer Key at the end of this e-newsletter for the answers.
Brain Teaser #3: Bonus Challenge
Directions: In the following line of letters, cross out six letters so that the remaining letters — without altering their sequence — spell a familiar English word.
B S A I N X L E A T N T E A R S
Hint: If you're have difficulty, go back and read the directions very carefully. For the solution, see the Answer Key at the end of this e-newsletter.
Answer Key (for Brain Teasers above)
"Hinky-Pinky" Answers:
Sample "Hinky-Pinky"
Answer: "drama" and "comma."
Sample "Hinkety-Pinkety"
Answer: "history" and "mystery."
"Equal Time" Answers:
Problem One Answer: 6 + 2 = 12 -- 4
Problem Two Answer: 3 x 5 = 19 -- 4
Problem Three Answer: 11 + 9 -- 6 = 2 x 7
"Bonus Challenge" Answer:
Cross out the letters that spell "SIX LETTERS" and the remaining letters spell the familiar English word "BANANA."
References:
*P.J. Howard (1994). The Owner's Manual for the Brain. Charlotte, NC: Leornian Press.
**R.A. Finke et al (1992). Creative cognition: Theory, research, and applications. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
**P.S. Fry (1992). Fostering children's cognitive competence through mediated learning experiences: Frontiers and futures. Springfield, IL: Thomas.
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