American... logic?

Chris Donner

A simple but surprisingly unfamiliar kind of puzzle that my students enjoyed. Requires a brief explanation to your JTE.

One of my JTEs had difficulty with the nature of logic puzzles. "But I think that more than one person can like sushi," he said about the Favorite Foods puzzle. We agreed to try it, and the students caught on. Afterwards he said, "I wasn't sure if this puzzle was a good idea, but now I understand it. I think it was a very good listening exercise for the boys." Yatta!

LOGIC PUZZLES

If you are using a handout, pass it out. Otherwise, have the students take out a sheet of looseleaf and copy what goes on the board.

Introduction

Write "Logic Puzzles" on the board. Check the meaning. Everyone knows "puzzle"; no one knows "logic." Have the JTE explain "logic" (ろんり / 論理) or use an example - "The student sitting in front of Peter is a girl. Who sits in front of Peter, Sally or Jim?" (The answer is Sally, except in Malta.)

Puzzle 1

Draw Favorite Foods puzzle grid on the board. (Students copy)

FAVORITE FOODS

Overkill the English - it should be 100% familiar. We "read and repeat" the title, all 4 names, all 4 foods. This first puzzle uses familiar words to build confidence.

Explain the nature of the puzzle:

For example, if Bill likes Sushi...

(draw a circle in the Bill/sushi box)

then he doesn't like steak, fried chicken, or fish fry

(draw x's in Bill's other 3 boxes)

And... no one else can like sushi

(draw x's in everyone else's sushi boxes)

With familiar words and an easy explanation, students get confident. When I say "Okay?" they're all like "Hai," "Yes," "Okay!" I want this.

Do this first puzzle together

Read the clues and they say where to put x's and o's. Students mark their own papers too.

Important

Make sure they get all the x's and o's on each clue before moving to the next one. For example, take the clue: "Bill's favorite food is not fish." They get "fish fry" right away but it takes longer for them to get "sushi." (I know that there is non-fish sushi too, but everyone seems to hear sushi and think "raw fish") Prompt them if necessary. It's very difficult to explain mistakes and go back in the puzzle.

After the 3 clues, we have the answers. I tried reading sentences here ("Bill's favorite food is sushi...") but in the end I prefer to keep moving.

Puzzle 2: Now they have to do a puzzle alone

Put it on the board:

OCCUPATIONS

This one has words they don't know

But now they know what they have to do, so they just have to listen and think. Again, overkill. Explain and "read and repeat" the puzzle title and all 8 elements. Also check that they recognize the genders implied by the unfamiliar names. One class had a good laugh when, after all guessing that Nicole was a boy, I told them that in America I had a girlfriend named Nicole.

Do the puzzle

Don't make any marks on the board until it's finished.

Check the puzzle together

First I ask "Okay, who's the dentist...?" and they answer. Next re-read the clues and put the x's and o's on the board. Finally, now we can read complete sentences. You can use both puzzles if you want. Don't write them - make the students create/listen.

Homework

I have a slightly longer puzzle that I sometimes give them to try at home. (If you want it, email me and I'll send it to you) However, I found that none of the students bothered with the homework.

Logic Puzzles: Clues and Answers

Favorite Foods

1. Bill's favorite food is not fish.
2. The boys don't like raw food.
3. Steve's favorite food comes from a cow.

answers: Bill, fried chicken; Steve, steak; Sally, sushi; Tom, fish fry

Occupations

1. Hugh works outside
2. The girls do not work with books.*
3. People call Nicole "Doctor."

answers: Hugh, truck; Beth, bank clerk; Nicole, dentist; Kevin, librarian