I have two words for you: Square Puzzles

What are square puzzles? Well, they’re pretty much just square puzzle pieces with text or images on the edges that students match up. It’s the puzzle element that makes it tricky.

An easy way to differentiate for gifted students is to turn the content you already have into a square puzzle (aka a critical thinking puzzle). These puzzles are challenging, engaging, and require a lot of critical thinking.

Makes anything Engaging, Hands-On, Meaningful, and Challenging

• Take the content of a worksheet and turn it into a critical thinking puzzle.
• Make a test more engaging by using the test questions and answers to create a puzzle.
• Use critical thinking puzzles to practice vocabulary words & their definitions.
• Turn math facts or math problems into a puzzle!

You can turn just about anything into one of these puzzles, for any subject area and grade level!

Be sure to read to the end to grab a FREE puzzle template so that you can start using these in your classroom right away!

Where Can I Find These?

If you are looking for pre-made puzzles, you’re in luck! Right now, I have two critical thinking puzzles in my TPT store. They both have students identify different types of figurative language, each using quotes from a different novel. You can find them here. A quick search will also bring up puzzles like this for all grade levels and subjects!

Ready to make your own? Subscribe below and you’ll instantly get access to a PowerPoint template with directions. All you have to do is fill in the text boxes, print, and cut!

Subscribe below to get my square critical thinking puzzle template for free!

Now you can start making your own puzzles that will increase rigor and engagement in your classroom!