9 Dots Puzzle
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Today I’m excited to share the 9 Dots Puzzle with you. I love puzzles. I also love finding a way to incorporate them into class.
Since the first week of school is rampant with schedule changes (especially this year since we don’t have a guidance counselor), I aim to engage my students in math-y activities that get their minds working but don’t necessarily tie into the curriculum.
I’ve decided to do daily warm-ups this year that students will keep in their interactive notebooks. School started on Monday, and we won’t be setting up our notebooks until tomorrow (Thursday). This means that my students needed a place to keep their warm-ups until notebooks were set up.
Introducing the Warm-Up Divider!
At first, I wasn’t sure what to put on this divider. Then, I realized I could put warm-ups ON the warm-up divider. Can’t believe it took me so long to think of that!
I did this for both my Algebra 1 classes and my Chemistry class. The divider pictured above is for Chemistry.
On Tuesday, I assigned them one of my favorite brain teasers: the nine dots puzzle.
Without lifting your pencil (or dry erase marker), draw four straight lines that pass through all nine of the points.
Since this one is a bit tricky, I decided to make them a dry erase template that would give them lots and lots of chances to try and solve the puzzle.
I figured if they had to draw and erase too many times that they would just give up.
Here’s what I came up with:
When I gave my chemistry students the option to use the dry erase template yesterday, almost every kid chose to use it!
I think only one student went without, but he came in late anyway. I’m assuming he just ended up copying off of the person sitting next to him…
Each table’s folder had templates inside. Kids just had to slide the template of the 9 dots puzzle into one of our dry erase pockets.
MATH = LOVE RECOMMENDS…
I cannot imagine teaching math without my dry erase pockets! They instantly make any activity more engaging and save me countless hours at the copy machine since I can use the same class sets of copies year after year.
Here are my current go-to recommendations:
If you don’t have a classroom set of dry erase pockets, you could also use heavy duty sheet protectors. But, I highly recommend investing in a classroom set of the pockets since they are so much more durable.
The kids really struggled with the 9 dots puzzle, so the dry erase template really paid off!
Want even more puzzles for your students? I have an entire page of printable puzzles.
Free Download of 9 Dots Puzzle Dry Erase Template
Looking at this puzzle around Halloween? I’ve got a Halloween version of this puzzle called 9 Pumpkins!
Click here to Download
Nine Dots Puzzle (PDF)
3822 downloads – 139.28 KB
Click here to Download
Nine Dots Puzzle (Editable Publisher File ZIP)
1921 downloads – 137.22 KB
Puzzle Solutions
Puzzle solutions are available on a password-protected solution page. I do not openly post the puzzle answer keys because one of my goals as a resource creator is to craft learning experiences for students that are non-google-able. I want teachers to be able to use these puzzles in their classrooms without the solutions being found easily on the Internet.
Please email me at sarah@mathequalslove.net for the password to the answer key database featuring all of my printable puzzles and math worksheets. I frequently have students emailing me for the answer key, so please specify in your email what school you teach at and what subjects you teach. If you do not provide these details, I will not be able to send you the password.
Not a teacher? Go ahead and send me an email as well. Just let me know what you are using the puzzles for. I am continually in awe of how many people are using these puzzles with scouting groups, with senior adults battling dementia, or as fun activities in their workplace. Just give me enough details so I know you are not a student looking for answers to the puzzle that was assigned as their homework!
Sarah, It is so cool that you are teaching 9th graders for most of your day this year. I am also teaching 9th graders for my entire day this year 🙂 I am also determined to get started blogging this year about my class instead of just enjoying the benefits of improving my teaching by everyone else's posts. Now that I finally finished my dissertation, and I am sort of settled in my new school, I will really want to make the time.
Best wishes for a wonderful year!
Love the idea of the warm-up section in the notebook. I do a spiral homework for the week and students do their warm-ups on the back of their homework paper. That way they are ready to go editing homework as soon as we go over the warm-up. I give bonus points on the homework for the warm-ups.
Thanks Diana!
These are fantastic! I love these brain teasers. They're tricky, but doable. I think the 9 dots puzzle is a great puzzle to do with geometry students when learning about collinear points. Is your husband also doing brain teasers this week?
He did about a day or two of brainteasers and then jumped straight into curriculum.