I'm making a hundred or so iterations of a word puzzle type for my class and crave contributions.
I love the format known as
Bongard problems. All six items on the left share a property or rule. None of the six on the right have that property or obey the rule. In the example on the linked page, all six shapes on the left have three sides, none of the six shapes on the right has three sides.
I'd love to do the same for spelling and let my 4th/5th graders work through them. I think they're a great way of inducing kids to pick up patterns on their own. I need them in a range from elementary to tricky.
A very basic example:
aisle
even
outer
inside
edible
underwear
--
water
husk
couch
mountain
tricycle
glide
The first six begin with vowels, the last don't.
A few guidelines:
-- The pattern relates to spelling only,
not meaning. If the first six are all fruits and the last six aren't, that's off track. Inflections -- pluralization, tenses, prefixes/suffixes -- split the difference and are probably okay. Think of the elements of spelling, such as vowel, consonants, vowel sounds, syllables, letter order, repetitions, etc.
-- These kids are 9 and 10 years old. Stretching them is fine, but contrasting words with latinate vs. germanic roots is a bit much. On the other hand, tricky but accessible patterns are most welcome.
Posting the rule you have in mind is optional. I don't mind the challenge of solving them!
This would take me a week on my own. Thanks so much!
Subscribe
wow
level
civic
kayak
tenet
- - - - -
laser
bird
steps
city
boat
street
posted by necessitas at 11:41 AM on November 25, 2006