Puzzles build problem-solving skills.  Beginning last week, puzzles were used in two different ways.  First, through social studies, four books were read aloud:  Where Is My Continent?, Where Is My Country?, Where Is My State?, and Where Is My Town?. After reading each of these books students identified North America, The United States of America, Missouri, and Springfield on various maps.  Working is small groups they put together world and United States map puzzles.

The second way puzzles were used involved tangram puzzles in math.   Students discovered that tangram puzzles consists of seven geometric shapes: two small isosceles right triangles, a medium-sized isosceles right triangle, two large isosceles right triangles, a square, and a parallelogram.  Together these shapes form a perfect square.  Students were challenged to create shapes of people, animals, and other objects using all seven pieces.