△ Triangle Math Festivals

Activities

Activities are of two types, JRMF games and Math Maker activities.

JRMF activities

These games are based on activities developed by the Julia Robinson Math Festival. The web page link has activity guides with

Tags:

  • Target audience is

    • All ages
    • 3-12 grade
    • Beginner

    An activity which is suitable for all ages has a low floor and a high ceiling, so that it is both accessible to younger students with support or students who are less confident, but also provides challenges to advanced students who are familiar with problem solving strategies.

    An activity which has the beginner option has separate instructions and puzzles which make it accessible to pre-k through 2nd grade students.

  • Types of puzzle

    • Shape: this focus is on how shapes fit together.
    • Number: these puzzles focus on qualities of numbers.
    • Logic: these puzzles focus on problem solving and logical analysis.

  • Puzzles vs. Games

    • A puzzle can be solved individually or in a partnership. There is one goal.
    • A game is played with another person, each trying to win. However, the partners can work together to figure out strategies for the first or second player, and whether there is a winning strategy in general.

  • Online access

    • Some have an app available. This lets you play the full game or part of it. The rules are integrated into the programming. They are available at the web page link.

Apple Picking

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/apple-picking/
Categories: Beginner, All Ages, Game, Logic, App, Spanish
Setup Instructions: Up to 5 stations are available. Each station gets
Video Tutorial Link: [Insert video link here]
Clean-up Instructions: [Insert clean-up instructions here]

Block Battle

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/block-battle/
Categories: Beginner, 3-12 grade, Puzzle, Logic
Setup Instructions: [Insert setup instructions here]
Video Tutorial Link: [Insert video link here]
Clean-up Instructions: [Insert clean-up instructions here]

Bridges

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/bridges/
Categories: Beginner, All Ages, Beginner, Puzzle, Shape, Spanish
Setup Instructions: Each station needs a Blocks page, a set of tasks (with a binder ring, going from front to back), and a set of 7 soma cube pieces. There are 3 identical instruction sheets for the table.
Bridges setup
Questions to ask, hints:
Make sure that participants are putting the blocks in the squares and not going outside of the squares.

Sometimes they need to swap out one block for another, or move bricks around. “Could you have made a different choice?” is a great question.

The non-beginner version adds one more rule (bricks must touch face to face, not just edge to edge) and has more challenging footprints.
Video:
Clean-up Instructions: Put all the blocks into the plastic shoebox, put the instructions, tasks, and blocks pages into the document case.

Changing Colors

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/changing-colors/
Categories: All ages, Beginner, Puzzle, Shape, Spanish
Setup Instructions: Each station needs a set of silhouettes with a ring (the shapes go from easier to more difficult), access to the instructions, and a pile of pattern blocks. I suggest putting the pattern blocks on a paper plate to keep them contained. Participants might need to share the blocks.
Changing Colors setup
Questions to ask, hints: For a bigger challenge, try making the second shape without repeating any of the same types of tiles you used in the first shape. A good strategy is to try to use as few tile types as possible in the first shape, and then use all the rest in the second shape.

The small triangles are often the most flexible shapes. Some angles can’t be made with just the triangles, though.

Clean-up Instructions: Put the tiles into the half-height shoebox. Put the sheet protectors into the

Cover Up

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/cover-up/
Categories: All ages, Beginner, Puzzle, Logic, Number
Setup Instructions: Each station needs about 15 square tiles (you could put these on a plate), a set of tasks which are together in a ring, and access to the instructions.
Questions to ask, hints:
The tasks go from simplest to more difficult. The number of stars showing is listed above each diagram.

Asking about choices the student made is often useful: sometimes they don’t even realize that they made a choice.

For an extra challenge, there is a more advanced version of this task with different numbers for each row and column.
Clean-up Instructions: Put each set of tiles back into the plastic bag and put the plastic bags, along with the instructions and tasks, back into the document box.

Cup Stacking

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/cup-stacking/
Categories: 3-12 grade, Puzzle, Logic, Spanish, App
Setup Instructions: [Insert setup instructions here]
Video Tutorial Link: [Insert video link here]
Clean-up Instructions: [Insert clean-up instructions here]

Dice Bingo

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/dice-bingo/
Categories: Beginner, All Ages, Game, Number, Spanish
Setup Instructions: Each station needs at least two dice, one dry erase marker, a cloth eraser, two bingo boards, and the instructions. There are supposed to be small plastic chips to put on the numbers as they come up: Those need to be replaced. Use the markers to mark off squares that are covered, in the meantime.
Dice Bingo setup

Questions to ask, hints:
For young children, even figuring out what numbers can and can’t go in the squares is a challenge. Why is 15 not a good number? What about 1?

You can repeat numbers in your board, but each time it comes up you only put a chip on one of the numbers. So you could fill your board with 7’s, and each time 7 comes up you would put a chip on one of your squares.

Keeping records of what strategies work might be a good idea.
Clean-up Instructions: Erase each of the bingo boards and put them, the dice and erasers back in the document box.

Domino Dissection

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/domino-dissection/
Categories: Beginner, All Ages, Puzzle, Logic, App, Spanish
Setup Instructions: Each station needs a binder-ringed set of tasks, a collection of 10 dominoes, and the instruction sheet. You may also include a reference page to verify that all 10 dominoes are present.
Domino Dissection setup
Questions to ask, hints:
The bigger puzzles can present a real challenge due to the sheer number of options. A helpful strategy is placing any tile you are certain about first, and tracking attempted configurations.

The directions are fairly clear and simple to follow.
Clean-up Instructions: Place all the dominoes inside their small pouch, then return the pouch, instruction materials, and sheet protectors to the document case.
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Doodles

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/doodles/
Categories: 3-12 grade, Puzzle,Shape, Spanish
Setup Instructions: Each station requires a single-page instruction sheet for Doodles, a selection of dry-erase markers, a cloth wiper, and the collection of Doodle activity sheets placed inside protective dry-erase sleeves.

Doodles setup

Questions and Hints:
Help students make notes about their progress and where they start. Remembering what you’ve just done is often difficult!

Can you predict which ones are impossible before starting?
Clean-up Instructions: Erase the activity sheets and put them into the plastic bag, along with the dry erase markers, erasers and instructions.

Jumping Julia

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/jumping-julia/
Categories: All ages, Puzzle, Logic, App, Spanish
Setup Instructions: Arrange the foam blocks into the two 4x4 formations on the paper in the box. Nearby have the sheets from the document box along with the cubes: these are copies and variations of the same puzzles, so more people can play. The pages in the document box have instructions on how to finish the maze.
Jumping Julia setup
Questions to ask, hints:
Students often want to go diagonally, or make a turn, or stop before they’ve gone the entire distance indicated on the tile they are standing on.

Some tiles are dead ends or lead to circuits that you can’t escape.

“What’s the last tile you land on before you win?” is a great strategy: thinking backwards can help students find somewhere to aim at.

“What choices can you make here?” is another great question: sometimes the solution is to go backwards along a path. Sometimes students aren’t aware of the choices they have.
Clean-up Instructions: Disassemble the foam tiles and put in box. Put the papers and small cubes into the document case.

Konigsberg

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/konigsberg/
Categories: All ages, Puzzle, Shape, Spanish, App
Setup Instructions: [Insert setup instructions here]
Video Tutorial Link: [Insert video link here]
Clean-up Instructions: [Insert clean-up instructions here]

Ladybugs

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/ladybugs/
Categories: 3-12 grade, Puzzle, Number, App, Spanish
Setup Instructions: [Insert setup instructions here]
Video Tutorial Link: [Insert video link here]
Clean-up Instructions: [Insert clean-up instructions here]

Magic Flowers

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/magic-flowers/
Categories: 3-12 grade, Puzzle, Number, Spanish, App
Setup Instructions: [Insert setup instructions here]
Video Tutorial Link: [Insert video link here]
Clean-up Instructions: [Insert clean-up instructions here]

Mosaics

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/mosaics/
Categories: All ages, Beginner, Puzzle, Logic, Spanish
Setup Instructions: Each station needs a set of blue, yellow and green tiles (possibly on a paper plate), a set of tasks, and access to the instructions. The one below is for the advanced version.
Mosaics setup
Questions to ask, hints: The rules make some arrangements possible and some impossible. You might want to work through one together to start, and then let them try on their own. Check together whether it’s right, let the student make the decisions about whether any rules were broken.

There is a more difficult puzzle available which does the mosaics in two dimensions instead of just one.
Clean-up Instructions: Put the tiles back into the bags and everything back into the document box.

Pentominoes

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/pentominoes/
Categories: All ages, Beginner, Puzzle, Shape, Spanish
Setup Instructions: Each station has a set of 12 pentomino pieces laid out on a mat. They also have tasks and access to the instructions. Put the plastic bags for the pentominoes in the document box during the festivals so you can find them when you are putting things away.
Pentominoes setup
Questions to ask, hints: Sometimes they will have to undo the work they started with. You can also ask if there is another way to complete the puzzle.

Starting with puzzle 6 in the advanced package, the puzzles get really difficult. If you know the solution, you can help by putting one pentomino in the correct spot.
Clean-up Instructions: Put each set of 12 pentominoes in its plastic bag, put the bags in the smaller box.

Poly Puzzles

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/poly-puzzles/
Categories: 3-12 grade, Puzzle, Shape, Spanish
Setup Instructions: [Insert setup instructions here]
Video Tutorial Link: [Insert video link here]
Clean-up Instructions: [Insert clean-up instructions here]

Rainbow City

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/rainbow-city/
Categories: 3-12 grade, Puzzle, Logic
Setup Instructions: Each station needs access to some meeples (possibly on a paper plate), the tasks (bound by a ring) and the instructions.
Questions to ask, hints: The stations might need to share colors of meeples. Sometimes backtracking makes the choices easier.

The tasks start easy and get harder.

Clean-up Instructions: Put the meeples in the half height box, and put the printouts in the document box.

River Crossings

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/river-crossings/
Categories: All ages, Puzzle, Logic, App
Setup Instructions: [Insert setup instructions here]
Video Tutorial Link: [Insert video link here]
Clean-up Instructions: [Insert clean-up instructions here]

Rook’s Move

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/rooks-move/
Categories: 3-12 grade, Game, Logic, App, Spanish
Setup Instructions: [Insert setup instructions here]
Video Tutorial Link: [Insert video link here]
Clean-up Instructions: [Insert clean-up instructions here]

Shape Mazes

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/shape-mazes/
Categories: 3-12 grade, Puzzle, Logic
Setup Instructions: [Insert setup instructions here]
Video Tutorial Link: [Insert video link here]
Clean-up Instructions: [Insert clean-up instructions here]

Skyscrapers

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/skyscrapers/
Categories: 3-12 grade, Puzzle, Logic, Spanish, App
Setup Instructions: [Insert setup instructions here]
Video Tutorial Link: [Insert video link here]
Clean-up Instructions: [Insert clean-up instructions here]

Tile with Style

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/tile-with-style/
Categories: 3-12 grade, Puzzle, Shape, Spanish
Setup Instructions: [Insert setup instructions here]
Video Tutorial Link: [Insert video link here]
Clean-up Instructions: [Insert clean-up instructions here]

Wolves and Sheep

Web Page Link: https://jrmf.org/puzzle/wolves-and-sheep/
Categories: 3-12 grade, Puzzle, Logic, App, Spanish
Setup Instructions: [Insert setup instructions here]
Video Tutorial Link: [Insert video link here]
Clean-up Instructions: [Insert clean-up instructions here]

Math Maker activities

  • Graph Coloring
    • Web Page Link: [Insert link here]
    • Target Audience: [Grade K-3 / Grade 3 and up / Everyone]
    • Game Type: [Shape / Logic / Number / 2 Player Game]
    • Setup Instructions: [Insert setup instructions here]
    • Video Tutorial Link: [Insert video link here]
    • Clean-up Instructions: [Insert clean-up instructions here]
  • Mobius Loops
    • Web Page Link: [Insert link here]
    • Target Audience: [Grade K-3 / Grade 3 and up / Everyone]
    • Game Type: [Shape / Logic / Number / 2 Player Game]
    • Setup Instructions: [Insert setup instructions here]
    • Video Tutorial Link: [Insert video link here]
    • Clean-up Instructions: [Insert clean-up instructions here]
  • Quilts
    • Web Page Link: [Insert link here]
    • Target Audience: [Grade K-3 / Grade 3 and up / Everyone]
    • Game Type: [Shape / Logic / Number / 2 Player Game]
    • Setup Instructions: [Insert setup instructions here]
    • Video Tutorial Link: [Insert video link here]
    • Clean-up Instructions: [Insert clean-up instructions here]
  • Mirror books
  • Snowflakes
  • Action origami