Product One: Puzzlemaker

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REFLECTION

This activity provided us an opportunity to experiment with an online website designed to help teachers and students construct puzzles and games online. This website can be found at  http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com. It is part of a portal site called www.discoveryschool.com that is part of the Discovery Channel. This website also contains many other activities and information.

On our assignment, we used vocabulary that was associated with the computer lab on campus. Which makes it difficult to say what grade level this would be appropriate for. On Puzzlemaker, the teacher has a choice in what words and questions to use, so the teacher can definitely customize the games and puzzles to the students needs, levels, and subject area.  In addition, the teacher can also decorate their puzzles by putting clip art or graphics on the pages.

I am glad that I was able to learn about this website because now I know where I can go to create puzzles that suit my needs and my students needs. Another thing I learned about this website is that they have a section where you can get vocabulary word lists associated with different subjects and stories.

I know I will definitely use Puzzlemaker in the future. I have so many ideas now. I know I will put it in the newsletter I hope to have when I start teaching. I also think it would be good to use to introduce new vocabulary. Not only will it make the students familiar with the words but, it will also help them learn to spell. It's a simple and fun activity for the students. My favorite part of this project was that I did not find it difficult to use. Once, I became comfortable with Puzzlemaker I was able to whip up a few puzzles in a matter of minutes.