In November and December each year I make classroom presentations for elementary schools. One of my presentations is on Problem Solving. I am a big believer that puzzles are a great way to introduce and improve problem solving skills. I use my original Number Circuit puzzles. I have developed a complete Lesson Plan and Teacher’s Guide to complement my presentation. I essentially break problem solving down into five steps:
1. Read The Problem
2. What Do I Know? (a question all problem solvers should ask)
3. What Am I Looking For? (another question that must be answered)
4. What Can I Conclude? (This is the tough one!)
5. Solve The Problem
Too often I see children jump right to step 5 and try to solve the puzzle (or problem) without doing all or even any of the preliminary steps. Although skipping steps is sometimes faster, it is all too often unsuccessful. Go Fast Slowly is what I tell them. Take your time. Speed is not important. However, getting the correct answer and improving are both REALLY important! Please take a look at the supporting materials and give the puzzles a try. Remember it’s about having fun and getting better at the same time!
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click here for an Interactive Lesson Plan using Number Circuit Puzzles
Below is a collection of six interactive Number Circuit puzzles for you to try!
I hope you enjoy these puzzles. If you find these interesting, Click Here to view our complete collection of puzzle books. Good Luck and pass the puzzles onto others who may enjoy them!
Tags: number puzzles