Periodic Table Word Maze#06

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Periodic Table Word Maze#06

Are you an educator looking for lesson plan activities and resource ideas for academic chemistry? Periodic table of elements word maze puzzle engages students with a list of 20 periodic elements that, when solved, creates a maze within the grid. Word search answers included in the file download.

To solve the puzzle:
-FIRST, to start the maze locate the circled letter (first letter of the first hidden word)
-NEXT, trace the letter path of the first word, watching for letter paths traveling up, down, forwards, and backwards; paths do not cross, nor do they travel diagonally
-REMEMBER that the letter paths for all word clues are continuous
-THEN, engage critical thinking skills and problem solving strategies to determine next word, based on letter clues
-FINALLY, track progress by checking off the word clues as they are found
-NOTE that once the puzzle is solved, the letter paths create a maze like effect within the grid

Lesson plan activities:
1. to FOSTER self-directed learning have students CREATE unique word search puzzles - use the list of words and any of a number of blank word search grids located here: blank word search template grids
2. CHALLENGE students' critical thinking skills - IDENTIFY and ORGANIZE the list of elements by: a) stability/instability of elemental isotopes, b) toxicity levels (least to most/most to least), c) atomic number/weight/mass, d) period, e) group, f) ancient/modern
3. facilitate INNOVATIVE thinking - students combine the elements from this list, with other known elements, to create compounds (e.g. Carbon + Oxygen = CO2)

Solving puzzles confers benefits:
1. activates problem solving strategies
2. engages critical thinking skills
3. engages the brain