Trending Resource: Free Halloween Math Activities & Puzzles
The T Puzzle features four pieces that must be combined to form a symmetric capital T. The pieces may not overlap one another in the final configuration. This is a deceivingly simple puzzle. After all, how hard could it be to arrange just four pieces to form a symmetric capital T? When Martin Gardner wrote…
My students have really been enjoying the sequence puzzles I have been posting lately, so I thought I would challenge them with the O, T, T, F, F, S, S, … sequence. This sequence puzzle asks: What is the next letter in the sequence? Like I did with the M Heart 8 Sequence, I put…
While looking through a textbook, I ran across this fun set of measurement puzzlers. They strongly rely on a knowledge of metric prefixes and a love of puns. I think they could be a fun addition to a math or science class! Quite a few people joined in the fun when I shared a photo…
Earlier this week, I led a session called “Notable Numbers” for the Central Oklahoma Math Teachers’ Circle. I’ve been a member of the Tulsa Math Teachers’ Circle for over five years now. Sadly, due to COVID, we haven’t met for the past year. The Central OK Math Teachers’ Circle is currently meeting virtually via Webex,…
This M Puzzle is trickier than it may first appear. Arrange the four given pieces to form a symmetric letter M. The pieces may not overlap one another in the final configuration. One might wonder just how hard it would be to assemble four pieces to make the letter M. If this is you, you…
In this Make Six Puzzle, you are given eight equations. You must insert mathematical symbols (no digits) to make each equation equal six. If you are wondering what mathematical symbols you are allowed to use, that is up to you!
Have you heard of Proof!? Proof! is the brainchild of Master Theorem Games and promises to be “the fast-paced game of mental math magic.” My husband and I received a copy of Proof! for Christmas, and we set down several weeks ago to give it a play. I knew instantly that it needed to make…
I am really excited about this shape grid puzzle from Erich Friedman. The goal of the puzzle is to divide the grid into geometric shapes. Any lines you draw must follow either the grid lines or the diagonals of the grid squares. Each shape that you draw must contain exactly one shape icon inside. This…
I’ve got a new sequence puzzle to share with my students when we get back from Spring Break. This puzzle asks “What is the next number in the sequence?” This puzzle is commonly known as the “See and Say Sequence,” “Look and Say Sequence,” or “Count and Say Sequence.” I intentionally made my question poster…
This week, my students are tackling a puzzle that asks “What Symbol Comes Next?” Often this is referred to as the M Heart 8 puzzle since the first three symbols are similar to those shapes. My first experience with this puzzle happened years ago when a blog reader asked for my school’s mailing address so…
Today I’m sharing the Sum to Twenty-One Puzzle with you. Previously, I have shared similar puzzles called Sum to Twenty and Sum to Thirty. These puzzles are the creation of Marcy Cook. They were shared in THINK ABOUT IT! Mathematics Problems of the Day which was published by Creative Publications in 1982. The book is…
It’s Monday once again which means it is time for a new volume of Monday Must Reads. If you’re new around here, Monday Must Reads is my weekly-ish attempt at capturing the amazing ideas of (mostly) math teachers on twitter. My goal is that you will find at least one idea that inspires you in…
The 9-10-11-12 Challenge is actually four puzzles in one. Can you arrange the numbers 1 through 6 in the spaces of the triangular shape below so that each side sums to 9? Repeat the challenge for sums of 10, 11, and 12. I learned of this challenge from a collection of brainteasers that is no…
Everyone knows how to play tic-tac-toe. But can you solve the tic tac toe challenge puzzle? This fun brain teaser is simple to explain, but it can be hard to solve!
Can you solve the 145 Doors Puzzle to help a prisoner break out of a medieval dungeon with 145 doors? The 145 Doors Puzzle is one of my favorite puzzles from The Moscow Puzzles: 359 Mathematical Recreations by Boris A. Kordemsky. You can also find the 145 doors puzzle online at NCTM Illuminations. Here’s the text…
How is it already Monday once again? I feel like the weekend just flew by. I hope you’ll join me today for Volume 75 of Monday Must Reads, my weekly-ish attempt at capturing the amazing ideas of (mostly) math teachers on twitter. My goal is that you will find at least one idea that inspires…
Several summers ago, I created a DIY Instant Insanity Puzzle as part of my summer quest to create as many puzzles as possible using a bag of 1 inch wooden cubes. That summer, I created and blogged about SOMA Block Challenges, Genius Blocks, and the Three Immovable Pentablocks Puzzle. I never got around to blogging…
Happy Monday everyone! I’m back at it today on the blog with a new volume of Monday Must Reads, my weekly-ish attempt at capturing the amazing ideas of (mostly) math teachers on twitter. I hope you find at least one idea that inspires you in this week’s round-up. Decorating Plexiglass for the Holidays Have plexiglass…
It’s Monday yet again which means it’s time for Monday Must Reads! It’s the final Monday of the semester for me. This is the first time I’ve ever ended the semester midway through January instead of right before Christmas Break. It is weird. I should get to see students face-to-face tomorrow. Given that new COVID…
I recently ran across this Eight Checkered L’s Puzzle from Peter Grabarchuk and I knew I had to make a laminated version for my classroom. I typed this puzzle up before Christmas, but I only finally got around to laminating it today and cutting out the pieces during my Google Meet Office Hours. Sadly, no…
This equation puzzle has been sitting in folder of puzzles to print/share since 2018. I’ve decided to make “FINISH” my 2021 word of the year. It may still be 2020, but I’m determined to get a jumpstart on finishing off this list of things I’ve meant to blog about for ages. In this equation puzzle,…
I’ve been doing lots of blog reorganization lately which also happens to coincide with organizing some files on my computer and in my classroom. This has led me to discover a pile of puzzles that I created several years ago but have never got around to using with students or sharing here on my blog….
Get in this holiday spirit with this checkered ornament Christmas puzzle which involves arranging six pieces to create an ornament with a checkered design.
I’m back today with a fun, new puzzle called The Splice is Right Puzzle. This puzzle is from the book Test Your Math IQ by Steve Ryan. I was able to borrow the book for free from the Internet Archive’s online lending library. I highly recommend this site for checking out various books before you…
I’m back today with a free download of a new puzzle called Up to Specs. The Up to Specs Puzzle is found in Test Your Math IQ by Steve Ryan. I was able to borrow the book for free from the Internet Archive’s online lending library. I highly recommend this site for checking out various…
This Equation Rotation Puzzle post has been in the works for quite a long time. I ran across this puzzle several years ago in Puzzle Box Volume 2, one of three amazing volumes of puzzles put together by the Grabarchuk family. I can’t say enough good things about these books. If you take a look…
I want to share with you a Pair Ups Puzzle today. I recently ran across an excellent book of puzzles called Test Your Math IQ by Steve Ryan. It’s out of print, but I was able to borrow it through the Internet Archive’s free online library which is my favorite way to find and look…