Soma
Cubes
(Get Your Students
Thinking & Solving Problems)
The
First Puzzle to be Solved - How to assemble the pieces to form a cube.
Task - To build a Soma Cube Puzzle and then solve it.
The
Puzzle Pieces
Materials:
- 27 wooden cubes (3cm x 3cm x 3cm is a good size)
- strong
wood glue
- paint or wood stain
Method:
1.
Glue the cubes together to form the puzzle pieces as shown being sure to wipe
away any excess glue.
2. Wait for the pieces to dry.
3. Paint each of the
sets of pieces a different colour.
Tips and Tricks:
- For a neater puzzle buy the little cubes
precut.
- Use a drop saw for a quicker production of the pieces if you don't
buy them precut.
- Have your class build their own puzzles.
- Paint each
puzzle a different colour. This helps when you find a piece on the classroom floor.
-
Share your newly made puzzles around other classes to get a bit more problem solving
happening in the school.
- For a more professional looking puzzle colour it
with wood stain but you will have to be careful at the gluing stage as the stain
will not work through glue smudges.
- Store each puzzle in a plastic container.
The ones that take away food come in are good.
-Please don't just use this
as an activity for the 'early finishers'. Make the time for everyone to experience
the 'A-ha' feeling.
Puzzles I know the children find challenging:
The
Bed
|
A
Castle |
Tower
1
|
 Tower
2
|
|
|
Teachable
Moments:
- How can we record your solution so I can be sure you have solved
the problem?
- Have the students use the Internet to find other possible soma
cube problems to solve.
