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"My Humorous and Helpful Thoughts About Teaching / Educational Resources for Your Classroom / Music and Random Fun"

Monday, November 11, 2019

Logic Puzzles & Music

Are you looking for a fun way to make your kids think? I've found that my students always loved logic puzzles. What makes logic even better is that kids have a sense of accomplishment when they finally find the solution. Furthermore, logic puzzles come in all types from the little students to adults. I've even bought a few logic puzzle magazines in the drug store for a fun break!

To get started with these, I introduce my students to the basic puzzle just to get the feel of what I want them to do.


gifted and talented, bright kids

I'll treat the rows of the grid as ownership. For example, Aundrea owns all of the boxes next to her name; however, ownership is shared with the colors. Blue owns all of the boxes in the column below the word.


teaching logic, education

Next, I'll point to different boxes and ask, "Who owns this one?" Once the kids understand how the grid works, we move on to the symbols.

I will ask a child, "When you make a mistake on a paper, how does your teacher let you know something is wrong?" I am looking for the idea of an /X/ to show incorrect. Once that is understood, I introduce /O/ to show that something is right.

We will then work a puzzle together.

logic problem, puzzles
If your student is an older child, you'll need to challenge him or her with a multi-grid puzzle. These work just as the basic grids, except students are solving three puzzles at once. Also, kids will need to look at the other grids to solve the one they are working on. I call this feeding off of the grid.

matrix logic grid


Sometimes, I will use side notes to help organize my thoughts, too.


logic instruction, how to logic


Once your kids get the hang of it, logic puzzles make for great centers, work for early finishers, or just a fun and challenging reward for the students. Logic puzzles involve higher level or critical thinking skills and may be worked independently or in cooperative groups. Also, we all know the boy or girl in class who is brilliant, finishes everything early, and constantly needs something to do, so here you go!

If you'd like some free puzzles to try out your students skills, I have a lot at my store. Click HERE to check these out!

I also have a lot of logic bundles: Click HERE for logic bundles!

I once had a friend refer to me as the logic queen. LOL!

Since it is Monday, it's time for a musical selection. Our theme is Native American music.

First up is Cher with "Half Breed." If the kids were against Cher when growing up, they shouldn't be now!




Since we're talking about Cherokees, here is another favorite of mine from Paul Revere and the Raiders, "Cherokee People."






7 comments:

Binky said...

They should teach more logic in schools.

Lydia C. Lee said...

I'm beginning to think I misread the theme??

Cathy Keisha said...

You can't go wrong with those 2 songs. Thanks for joining in with the theme.

XmasDolly said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Cathy Kennedy said...

Joyce,

Logic was something I learned over time in my adult years. I certainly didn't have a lot of it as a kid. lol

Thanks for joining the 4M crew on the dance floor for Native America Heritage week. You picked two classic oldies that are perfect to get into the groove. Have a boogietastic week, my friend!

messymimi said...

Once logic puzzles get to more than 3 sets, i get lost too easily.

Those songs are long time favorites.

bookworm said...

One thing I found, when researching this theme, was that Paul Revere and the Raider's "Indian Reservation" song was actually a cover, and that there are various versions of the song with different lyrics (some of the variations using terminology which would be considered offensive in modern times by Native Americans). That in itself was an education. Both enjoyable songs from my young adulthood. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com