For students, The Puzzler is a weekly challenging, critical thinking skills question that should keep you on your toes and thinking. They are thought provoking and based on either real-life situations I, or others, have come across, or they come from puzzler-type books or web pages collected over the years. So, don’t be surprised if you find these or similar problems elsewhere, in a book or another website.
Since mathematics is the language of science, some Puzzlers will have a mathematics slant, however all will involve problem solving and the ability to think critically, the very attributes we expect of scientists.
My own students would have about a week to struggle with the question, to talk with their parents and other folks, research as necessary then to write-up the answer in the proper Puzzler format. The write-up cannot just be a rehash of what someone else has told them or what they found elsewhere; it must display their understanding of the concepts involved, as well as both the problem and solution.
Their write-ups would then be assessed using Criterion B (Communication) and Criterion C (Scientific Knowledge and Understanding). Check the task-specific rubrics for details.
A sample Puzzler and write up has been included in this blog.
Term 1 Puzzlers
Term 2 Puzzlers
- The Chicken Truck
- The Brick and The Dinghy
- The Pendulum
- Winter Puzzler
- Don’t Lick That Tray
- Bottle and Coin
- From Fermi to the Frying Pan
Term 3 Puzzlers
- Hole in Tea Pot
- Accident in Space
- A Touch of Chill
- Space Travel
- Woof, It’s Cold
- Frozen Over
- Falling Elevator
Enjoy!
