Saturday, July 9, 2016

Plexer of the Day as a Class Opener

Do you know what a "plexer" is?  Here is the one I always put up on the first day of school:

Do you get it?

Just in case, the answer to the plexer is "Welcome Back," since it's the word "welcome" spelled backwards.

A plexer, also known as a "rebus" is a "representation of words in the form of pictures or symbols, often presented as a puzzle" according to http://www.thefreedictionary.com.

I used to put a puzzle up on the board every day. Kids would run into my room in the morning to see if they could be the first to get it. Even students who no longer had me would come in to see if they could figure it out. Often, I would think they would be coming in to say hello, but their eyes would go right past me to the board in a fierce stare and in deep thought until they would shout the answer in glee. There would even be some students who would look through the windows on their way to the bathroom in the middle of their other classes!

But, last year I stopped (see "why I hate plexers," below) and instead did some as "brain breaks" in our new 90-minute block sessions. Here was the first brain break I gave:


Spoiler alert, here are the answers, clockwise.

Three degrees below 0
Long time, no c
Family ties
Adding insult to injury

WHY I LOVE PLEXERS:

  • Kids walk into class immediately thinking
  • Students are exposed to a new way of thinking
  • Students who can't get them at all in the beginning of the year tend to get much better by the end--growth mindset is really cool here!
  • Lots of smiles and often groans at the corny answers
  • Students learn some old phrases that they never heard of before (i.e., what does "adding insult to injury mean"?)
  • ESOL students that are in my class learn new phrases
  • There is a sheer and genuine excitement for them. It's almost like they are in lower school again. 
  • Some students write them down to share with their family - so cute!
WHY I HATE PLEXERS:
  • They take up time during class
  • Students who come in late or were in the bathroom at the beginning of class (or during the 5 minutes of passing before class) often distract the class by shouting out the answer as they walk in--this needs to be addressed early on
  • It's time-consuming to come up with the perfect plexers that everyone understands (not too old-fashioned) and that's hard but not too hard and easy but not too easy, haha
  • You have to remember to write it up every morning (oh they will harass you if you don't!) or every afternoon at the end of the day for the next day
  • Last year I was in two classrooms and I didn't want to write it twice
But after a year without them, I miss them. I'm going back to them. And trust me, they are super fun. But, as Sara Vanderwerf wrote about when she shared her awesome 5x5 game, if you teach at my school and never used them before, please don't start to use them now--because students come into my class already knowing the answers and it ruins the fun. 

There are SOOOO many resources out there. Google "plexers with answers" or click here for Pinterest links. I am home right now and have a ton at school that I wrote in a notebook so that I would be prepared every day, but here are some to get you through the year:
This was from myfunteacher.com but is no longer listed there.

From http://thoughtsbycakes.blogspot.com/2011/10/plexers_11.html
Here are some terrific links:

Some great printables from Akelascouncil.blogspot.com
One from Kandykreations.net

A fun assignment is to have students make some up. This is especially good in May when you run out!

In addition, I purchased the red and blue purchased books from Dale Seymour way before online purchasing (yikes), and here they are on Amazon for you to buy.


Plexers are also really fun to give on Back to School Night. Parents love them! Find the one below, by the heart.

Plexers are great class openers. If you are looking for something to do during the last 5 minutes of class when you have some time, I blogged about the Set Daily Puzzle about two years ago. Click on the link to see the fun! Many students love this game, too.







33 comments:

Kim.P said...

what is #15 of the first plexer board you posted???

customizable white label Cryptocurrency Exchange Developmet said...

you got the same way of thinking as me like I really use to believe this and also like PLEXERS
you are right that students to enter in the class with more passion for studying and start focusing on their studies and that's all a teacher want from their students.

Alina Florence said...

This is a nice tip, it would pump up their excitement and ultimately sets off their whole mood for the whole mood. I am a primary school teacher and along with that I give UK phd research proposal writing service, so I think I will look for innovative and easy words for my class then. Now I am kind of excited, I might give them the names of their favorite cartoon characters and games that way I can grab more of their attention. Thank you for sharing this!

academics writing service UK said...

This is a great article that can help us people the proper way to use such word. Keep it up. Assignment Help UK

Tristan said...

If you are Looking for a House Builder that will help you to build your house. Feel free to visit https://countrylivinghomes.com.au/ to know more our services.

Dissertation service uk said...

I have read it completely and got really impressed. Love to read more about similar types of articles. Thanks a lot!!

Samuel Badree said...

Mobile Prices Bangladesh amamzing web i love it

Michelkong said...

Fortune Jackets care for your fashion Get Half Black Half White Leather Jacket In Just $99.99 Grab it fast.

Descendants 2 Carlos Leather Jacket

jerry said...

There is no issue buying essays online for your academics you just ask for help to boost
your grades, so buy essay from assignment editors pro that provides the best consultancy to students and academic professionals.

Anonymous said...

Get a help from phdassistance for your systematic review research work We assure you to provide a high quality systematic review work within your deadline and before your curfew

jerry said...

What is Omi Crohn's virus? Omi Cron is a variant of the Covid 19 variant that causes the Covid 19 virus. This type was first reported to the World Health Organization from South Africa on November 24, 2021. Why should Covid 19 booster be vaccinated? Read this complete news at Urdu Khabar.

Jungkook Euphoria Jacket said...

turned in vogue and the disco culture influenced the fashion situation. canada leather jackets

Maeve Wiley Jacket said...

This article is quite interesting and I am looking forward to reading more of your posts. Thanks for sharing this article with us.

Samuel Badree said...

This article is quite interesting and I am looking forward to reading more of your posts
colourist logo

Safi said...

Awesome Work Jazz net offer

Rock John said...

Fill in the blanks on a plexer, vocabulary answer, analogy, or other word problem. Word plexers are word-based puzzles in which you must describe a word or phrase without spelling it out. Wacky wordies and rebuses are two terms used to describe these puzzles, however, the latter is usually a picture-based challenge.
Source: cheap content writing services

Kelvin said...

Thanks for sharing.I found a lot of interesting information here. A really good post, very thankful and hopeful that you will write many more posts like this one.
professional branding services

Leah Norris said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
complete dental care in dubai said...

Complete Dental Care in dubai

Wordpress web design service in australia said...


Reading horoscopes is something I enjoy doing. To me, it's more of a pastime. In the morning, I read my horoscope for the day before commencing work for the Professional Wordpress web design service in australia . It simply relaxes me greatly. And there are still a lot of individuals in the world who don't believe in horoscopes - I'll never understand why!!

Alina Micheal said...

Articlesplanets.com is one of the most popular & trusted articles hub for Tech professionals. we provide a single source of technology, information and Emergency Locksmith Service.
Articlesplanets brings you latest Gadgets, Mobiles, Tips and tricks, Software’s, Tech news related topics.

Web Design Gator said...

We provide Custom PHP Development in a variety of formats, including core PHP programming, Laravel and CodeIgniter framework development, and LAMP stack development. We can efficiently satisfy customer expectations for all sorts of php projects because to our broad variety of skills.

Bradley Howell said...

Thanks for the blog very nice keep going.
home mobile phone repairs

Lio Morgan said...

I appreciate your sharing. This website has a lot of useful information. Thank you for this excellent post, and I sincerely hope you will continue to do so.
logo design service

Uk Dissertation Help said...

There are a few things that always need to be kept in mind when writing your UK dissertation help. First and foremost, you should always be aware of the style that you want to use. You should also make sure to keep your focus on the research that you are performing. Additionally, you should always keep in mind the deadlines that have been set for your project. If everything goes according to plan, then you will likely be able to submit your dissertation by the due date that has been set. However, there is no guarantee that everything will go as planned and it is always important to be prepared for anything that may happen. Always consult with a professional who can help guide you through this process so that you can get the best results possible.

David said...

We've facilitated a number of small and medium-sized business with compelling platinium logo design
to enhance their digital branding. View some of our masterpieces below

Carla Kyoya said...

There are so many things that can make a good start to a class. As an elementary teacher, I've come up with my favorite class opener, which is called "PXD." It stands for "Pleasure to Learn." I like to use this as a class opener because it is a fun, easy way to get the students up and moving, and it can be modified to fit the subject matter. As a class, I will ask each student to raise their hand and say their name. You can also get help with my assignment if you visit us and get our services.

localdirectory said...

Thanks for publishing such a useful site, this Pump blue print was quite helpful to me in my Mechanical Engineering Dissertation Topics.
Local Business Directory USA

Kadine Alves said...

I loved reading the article it has such an amazing content to read. I can recommend it to everyone. Take my teas exam

Anonymous said...

who can assist them in resolving their entire academic load. As a result, we're here to help all stressed-out students by offering our custom academic writing services help

Anonymous said...

Nowadays, when creating a research paper, there are certain rules that should be considered. Learn how to apa cite news article professional writing help

Richard said...

Thanks for your support a lotfirst reckless driving ticket virginia

Anonymous said...

Seeking clarity and balance in your academic journey? Look no further! While you decode those numbers, don't forget to explore top-notch UK dissertation writing services