Making Text Interesting
Traditional text media can be made interesting in the classroom by using games and puzzles commonly associated with text.
I. Crossword Puzzles
Crossword puzzles are ideal for vocabulary or definition exercises. Crosswords provide the definitions for several key words, and students must fill in boxes with the correct letters in vertical or horizontal orientations.
Check out this Crossword Puzzle Generator.
Check out this Crossword Puzzle Generator.
II. Word Hunt
Simple exercises for teaching key words and spelling. A list of words is given, and students have to find them in an array of randomly selected letters.
Check out this Word Hunt Generator.
Check out this Word Hunt Generator.
III. Anagrams
They are a fun way of jumbling up the letters of a word to spell another word. Teachers can give students a topic or main idea, and a list of anagrams they have to re-arrange into words or phrases that are related to the main idea. If the anagram is actually a phrase or compound word, the teacher can give students hints.
Check out this Anagram Solver.
Check out this Anagram Solver.
IV. Hangman
Students take turns trying to guess the spelling of an unknown word. They have limited tries before the word is revealed, and they win the round if they can figure out the word before the number of tries is depleted.
V. Code Breaking
It is often a paragraph or more of text where the letters of the alphabet are switched. It may be time consuming, so it is often given as a take-home exercise rather than a classroom exercise.
VI. Cipher/Cryptography
Sentences, phrases, or short paragraphs can be
written in code, and students are given the cryptographic key to solve it. The
first persons or groups to decrypt the message can be given a reward.
Check out this Cipher and Cryptography Site.
And try out this fun Tic-Tac-Toe Cipher.
Check out this Cipher and Cryptography Site.
And try out this fun Tic-Tac-Toe Cipher.