Mr. Biggs’ Classes Play Games…they create!

We just played this game in class with students the other day to help learn some new vocabulary. The
directions and how you create this game I have gotten from another Spanish teacher from Fort Defiance High
School. Sometimes I have students create the puzzle because it helps reinforce student learning but it takes
little bit more time. As a teacher, I will usually create 3 different puzzles and then have students cut out the
puzzle. It is a fast paced exercise, so after the first 5 to 6 people get the puzzle I usually move on.

The Learning Styles used are:

a) Visual
b) Kinesthetic

Engagement is through:
a) student interest
b) student readiness

As a teacher I use this as an informal assessment to gauge where students are in terms of learning desired
concepts.

CREATE YOUR OWN MEMORY PUZZLE INSTRUCTIONS

This square puzzle is designed as a review exercise for students to match the definition of a word to the word,
the word in a foreign language to the word in English, a math equation with its answer, and any other function
you may find for it.
To visualize what the puzzle is like, you may look at it first then follow these directions to input your review
material. (see attached puzzle sheet too)

1. Click on a side of a square and write a word.

2. Click on a side of the adjacent square touching the side of the information you entered and write the definition of the word.
3. Click on another side of the first square and do the same until all the sides have information in them.
4. You may add pictures in the center of the squares. This may be distracting to some students, but may also help them to see
which way the square faces.
5. If you are doing definition of terms and there is a lot of writing, you may reduce the size of the font. Make sure your whole
definition is visible.
6. To make it a lot more challenging, put information on the sides around the frame of the puzzle that will have no matches.
7. If you wish to add pictures, highlight the center squares and copy/paste the picture of your choice after resizing it, adjust it
once you paste it in position. Please note that adding pictures will make the puzzle use up a lot more of your computer
memory and it will also take a longer time to get it printed.
8. Make a puzzle for each of your students or pair them up to work the puzzle.
9. Give the puzzle to the students and have them cut each square, then have them put all the squares in individual envelope.
10. Use the puzzle for students to review.
11. You may also have every group start the puzzle at the same time and compete to see who finishes it first.

Created by Maria Bowen – Garinger High School, Charlotte, NC