Checkered Ornament Christmas Puzzle
This blog post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
Get in this holiday spirit with this checkered ornament Christmas puzzle which involves arranging six pieces to create an ornament with a checkered design.
Warning – it’s trickier than it looks!
Instructions
Arrange the six given pieces to decorate the ornament with a checkered pattern. Pieces may be rotated, but they may not overlap one another.
I have a new original puzzle to share with you today.
Puzzle Source
This puzzle is my original creation.
There is just something about the holiday season that gets me in the puzzle creation mood. Previously, I have created and shared the Decorate the Tree Puzzle.
Adapting the Puzzle for Younger Students
If I was teaching younger grades, I would print the ornament template on green or red cardstock. Then, I would print the checkered pieces on regular paper.
After students solved the checkered ornament puzzle, I would have them glue their pieces on the ornament and then cut out the ornament (leaving a bit of the colored border around the edges.
Then, we would punch holes in the top of the ornaments and add ribbon that would allow us to hang our ornaments on our classroom tree.
If I was printing off sets of this puzzle for my classroom with no intentions of using this as decoration later on, I think I might print the checkered pieces on colored paper. This would make it easier to see which parts of the ornament are not yet covered.
Looking for another checkered puzzle? Check out the 4 x 4 checkered square puzzle.
I’m excited to see what everyone does with this Christmas puzzle. I hope it brings your students much joy. I love seeing the pictures of your students enjoying the puzzles I have shared.
CHRISTMAS MATH RESOURCES
Looking for more free printable Christmas resources? This activity is featured in my collection of Christmas Math Activities and Puzzles. You’ll find 30+ more creative ideas for incorporating Christmas into your classroom!
Puzzle Solutions
I intentionally do not make answers to the printable puzzles and math activities I share on my blog available online because I strive to provide learning experiences for my students that are non-google-able. I would like other teachers to be able to use these puzzles in their classrooms as well without the solutions being easily found on the Internet.
However, I do recognize that us teachers are busy people and sometimes need to quickly reference an answer key to see if a student has solved a puzzle correctly or to see if they have interpreted the instructions properly.
If you are a teacher who is using these puzzles in your classroom, please send me an email at sarah@mathequalslove.net with information about what you teach and where you teach. I will be happy to forward an answer key to you.
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, as fun activities in their workplace, or as a birthday party escape room.
Thank You! I am going to send this as a family math project to my virtual elementary students.
Is the checkered ornament a pattern throughout the ornament? Do you have an answer key?
The checkered pattern goes across the ornament. I try not to post answers online since my students know the power of google. Sorry!
Hi Sarah, my 6th graders enjoyed working on this challenge today, but none of us (including myself) were successful after about 20 minutes of work. Thanks for all of your puzzles (: