Periodic Scrambled Maze#03

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Periodic Scrambled Maze#03

Are you looking for teacher activities/resources to challenge students while learning at the same time? Here is a periodic table of elements scrambled letters word maze puzzle to activate students' critical thinking skills, problem solving strategies while learning by having fun!. The list of 20 periodic elements' letter paths create a maze like structure within the grid. Letters in the word clues travel: up, down, forwards, backwards. But first, the word clues need to be unscrambled! Letter paths do not travel diagonally.

Solve the puzzle:
1. REARRANGE the letters to reveal words hidden in the grid. Record the correct spelling to support ease of solving the puzzle.
2. LOCATE the circled letter (in this case, the letter |G|); this is where the maze starts.
2. TRACE the letter path of the first word.
3. Word paths track continuously from the beginning of the first element to the end of the last element. Paths do not cross.
4. Students ENGAGE critical thinking skills to determine the next word, based on letter clues and the number of words starting with the same letter!
5. TRACK progress by checking off the word clues as they are found

Classroom Activity Ideas:
1. ENCOURAGE independent, self-directed learners: provide students with blank word search grids, located here: blank word search grids, to CREATE unique word search puzzles. students use this list of 20 words, or they can create their own unique list of periodic elements.
2. CHALLENGE students to create other puzzle types: cryptolists, all forms of crossword puzzles; cryptograms with either: 1) a letter for letter substitution, or 2) an alphanumeric substitution.
3. ACTIVATE students' critical thinking skills: get them to ORGANIZE list of elements by: 1) stability or instability of elemental isotopes, 2) toxicity levels (ordered from least to most, or most to least), 3) atomic number/weight/mass, 4) period, 5) group, 6) ancient/modern, 7) 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