Ingredients
- A task that you need the kids to complete, the one that can be divided into parts, for example a grammar revision page that consists of exercises, a reading comprehension task or, as was in our case, a set of addition of two digit numbers with carry over which my kids love but which is still a bit of a challenge. I wanted something to motivate them and to reward them for their hard work.
- A colouring picture, a copy for each child, cut up into pieces, one piece part for each part of the task.
- A pencil, a glue stick, a paper where the puzzles will be glued in the end and perhaps markers for colouring.
- A set of envelopes, one per each piece of the puzzle, labelled in the same way as the parts of the task and magnets to put them up on the board.
Procedures
- Depending on the task, you need to prepare the kids for it. In our case, we revised the numbers and number bonds with the wordwall cards and we also watched a short video on adding two-digit numbers.
- I showed the kids the handout and the letters and the corresponding envelopes on the board, each of which contained one piece of the puzzle picture. I demonstrated how after they have completed one part of the task, they are allowed to come up to the board and to take the corresponding envelope and one piece of the puzzle from it. Because of the nature of the task, we had obvious answers and I wrote them inside, too, for the kids to have something to check their answers.
- We ran a quick session of instruction check questions such as: Can we run? (No!), Can we take the envelope to our desk? (No!), Can we take two pieces from the envelope? (No!). I accompanied these with gestures, too.
- The we got down to work and I focused on monitoring and helping out when necessary.
- As soon as someone was ready with all eight pieces, I started to give out the gluesticks for them to glue their pictures in the notebooks.
Why we like it
- It was a perfect way of spicing up a very serious and complicated Maths task and of rewarding the kids for completing it.
- The kids were very curious about the picture and it helped us make it seasonal and special. To be honest, a lot of our Maths in October has been given them Halloween label. We have counted many pumpkins, lollipops, candy, spiders, witch’s hats, cobwebs and cats. This was one more lesson in the series. Plus, it is also how we are preparing for the actual holiday next week and how are practising the vocabulary.
- The task can be easily adapted to different tasks or subjects and, naturally, the theme of the colouring picture, can also be easily changed to match the topic of the lesson.
- We had 8 pieces of the puzzle but this number can be extended or limited, depending on the kids and their age.
- The task is also very good for developing fine motor skills (re-organising the puzzle pieces) and cognitive skills (putting the pieces together).
- It was also a great activity to give the kids work individually on the same task, with turn taking, respecting the other participants, not revealing the answer and playing by the rules of the game. They could almost do it and the most challenging part turned out to be the fact that all the kids went through the task in the same order so the evelope A was in high demand, then the envelope B etc. This is something to think about in the future. I am also considering putting up different envelopes (or stations) around the classroom, on different tables or shelves.
- The kids got really involved and they really liked the task. Some of them already asked if we are going to do it again. And yes, we will. Either in Maths or in one of the other subjects.
Happy teaching!