Periodic Table Word Maze#11

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Periodic Table Word Maze#11

Here is an academic chemistry puzzle for the periodic table of elements. The word maze puzzle activates students' critical thinking skills. List of 20 periodic elements' word paths create an intricate maze like structure within the grid. Letters in the word clues travel in all directions: vertically, horizontally, diagonally! And, the word paths will cross each other.

Solve the puzzle:
1. Locate circled letter (in this case, the letter |O|).
2. TRACE the letter path of the first word, oxygen, watching for its letter path traveling in all 8 directions!
3. REMEMBER: letter paths track continuously from the first element to the last element.
4. Students need to ENGAGE critical thinking skills and problem solving strategies to determine the next word, based on letter clues.
5. TRACK progress by checking off the word clues as they are found

Lesson plan activity ideas:
1. FOSTER independent, self-directed student learning: encourage students to CREATE unique word search puzzles to share with others to solve. Use the list of words and any of a number of blank word search grids located here: blank word search grid templates.
2. CHALLENGE students to create other puzzles using this list of words. For example: puzzles could include cryptolists, crossword puzzles, freeform/crosspatch puzzles; have them create statements about an element and then create a cryptogram with either a letter for letter substitution or an alphanumeric substitution.
3. ACTIVATE students' problem solving strategies and get them to ORGANIZE list of elements by: a) stability or instability of elemental isotopes, b) toxicity levels (ordered from least to most, or most to least), c) atomic number/weight/mass, d) period, e) group, f) ancient/modern, g) any other category you can think of.


Benefits of solving puzzles:
1. activates problem solving strategies
2. engages critical thinking skills
3. engages the brain