Solve the Puzzle to See the Bigger Picture
Gisela Lascaris and Junko Kawakami
Chikura Junior High School, Minamiboso
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JHS—Reading, speaking, listening
Grade Level: Third Grade
Number of students: 30
Materials: puzzle pieces containing questions and answers
Objectives:

Students should be able to read questions and sentences.

Students should be able to match answers to the most appropriate questions.

Students should be able to name and answer simple questions about their completed picture.
Summary
This activity was used as a review exercise. Comparative and superlative words were being reviewed.
The use of question words was also being practiced and reviewed also. (This activity can be modified to
be used in any grade; with any number of students and to teach a variety of topics.)
Procedure
Preparations
1. You need a list of 10 questions and their corresponding answers.
2. Completed puzzles will reveal pictures of different animals. You decide what the completed puzzle
will reveal or whether everyone has the same or different pictures when their puzzles are
completed.
3. The paper with the printed picture will be cut into four quarters. Each quarter will be cut into five
pieces. The first and third quarters will contain the questions (10 pieces). The second and fourth
quarters will contain the answers (10 pieces). Each piece of paper is a puzzle piece. (Twenty puzzle
pieces)
4. Put the pieces together so that you can see the revealed picture. All questions and answers must be
written at the back of the puzzle pieces. Then beginning with the top right hand side puzzle piece,
write your questions from 1-5. Jump to the third quarter and write questions from 6-10 beginning
with the right hand side puzzle piece. Make sure that the questions are numbered.
5. Answers for question 1-5 will be written on the second quarter. Beginning with the right hand side
puzzle piece. Answer 6-10 will be on the last quarter and again beginning on the right hand side.
In class activity
6. Working in groups of four, one student in the group will ask the questions and the remaining
students will discuss and search for the correct answers to each question. Students will be told that
that this activity is in the form of a puzzle. After they’ve answered all the questions and the pieces
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are arranged. They will turn all the puzzle pieces over to reveal a picture.
7. The student with the question will ask Question 1 to the other students in the group. Then he/she
will place the puzzle piece with the question asked on the desk with the writing facing upwards. The
other students will look for the correct answer among the puzzle pieces and read it out. This puzzle
piece will be placed under the one with the question. Again answer must be facing up. The same
pattern will be followed for each question and answer.
8. After all questions have been asked and answers found, students will turn the puzzle pieces over to
reveal their picture.
9. Student will be asked simple questions about their picture.
Front
Back
1.Question
2. What is the
3. Question
4. Question
5. Question
Answer
Answer
Answer
largest animal
living on land?
Answer
An Elephant.
6. Question
7. Question
8. Question
9. Question
10. Question
Answer
Answer
Answer
Answer
Answer