Math Bafflers

Marilynn L. Rapp Buxton currently teaches the 4th-6th grade talented and gifted program at Waverly-Shell Rock Community Schools in Waverly and Shell Rock, IA. She also teaches a self-designed curriculum of creative and critical thinking skills in classrooms, is editor of two elementary yearbooks, and coaches Future Problem Solving teams. She received a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University and has taken numerous graduate courses through Drake University, University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa, Marycrest College, and Viterbo University toward her K-12 gifted endorsement and educational certifications. Buxton received the prestigious Distinguished Service Award at the Iowa Talented and Gifted conference in Fall 2008 for outstanding achievement and service to gifted students in Iowa. Her curriculum ideas and student projects have been published as a "Teacher Feature" in Iowa Talented and Gifted Magazine. She authored Math Logic Mysteries and More Math Logic Mysteries, published by Prufrock Press. She is currently writing several other activity books for publication. She also authored Itsy Bitsies, four leaflets of counted cross-stitch designs and was featured in Cross Stitcher Magazine. She has presented at the Iowa Talented and Gifted Conference, Wisconsin Talented and Gifted Conference, Midwest Regional Middle Level Conference, area gifted and talented forums, and local staff in-services. She enjoys spending time with family, swimming, singing in Sweet Adelines International, Harmony Rox a cappella quartet and church choir, doing Sudoku and matrix logic puzzles, going for walks, and playing 500.

Math Bafflers offers elementary school mathematics teachers the opportunity to integrate critical thinking, reading comprehension, mathematics concepts/skills, and problem-solving strategies all into one activity. Using specific clues for each of the thirty-eight puzzles, students have the chance to solve challenging, realistic situations. The level of difficulty varies; some puzzles are clearly more demanding than others, which allows for differentiation as well as for using many of the puzzles beyond grades 3-5. All the puzzles are laid out on reproducible pages, making it convenient for teachers and students to use.,Larry Cook, Providence Elementary School, Fairfax, VA,Teaching Children Mathematics, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics,1/1/14

• Note to Teachers How to Solve the Math Bafflers Puzzles The Dog Days of Summer (sequencing, time) Halloween Haul (operations) Show Me the Talent! (sequencing) I Can “Ad” Fractions (fractions) New Kids on the Block (age, time) Breakfast Buddies (fractions) Let’s Party (inequalities) Easter Eggscursion (inequalities) What’s for Lunch? (inequalities) Natasha Knows Her Numbers (algebra) It’s a “Fun” Raiser (sequencing) B F F (numbers) I’m on Cloud Nine (inequalities, multiples) Who Will Bee the Winner? (inequalities, logic) Test Out This Hat (inequalities, sequencing) Tourney Trophy Time (ordering) The Pumpkin Patches (weight measurement) Let’s Hang Out (operations) Birthday in Buffalo (money) Five Clubs (money) Swing Sewing (distance measurement) Time for Lunch (operations) Waterford’s Water Days (fractions) Lucky Sevven (inequalities) The Fine Art of Scheduling (time) 5K for Kendra (money, time) Yummy, Yummy, Yummy, I Got Food in My Tummy (money) Pick and Peck a Pie (fractions) It’s Quite the Quad-Athlon (time) Let’s Go to Quick Treats (money, weight measurement) It’s Not Pay Day, It’s Field Day! (converting distances) Holiday Vacation (sequencing) Cross Country Craze (inequalities) Greetings at the Meetings (sequencing) Berry, Berry, Quite Culinary (fractions, volume measurement) Kick, Pass, and Run (distance measurement) Sisters Gone Shopping (money) Fetch, Fido (distance measurement) Solutions About the Author Common Core State Standards Alignment