Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Eric Migliaccio
Managing Editor
Ina Massler Levin, M.A.
Illustrator
Mark Mason
Cover Artist
Brenda DiAntonis
Art Manager
Kevin Barnes
Imaging
James Edward Grace
Craig Gunnell
Rosa C. See
Publisher
Mary D. Smith, M.S. Ed.
Author
Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Language Arts
The Remarkable Rebus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Remarkable Rebus II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Remarkable Rebus III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Rhyming Riddles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Rhyming Riddles II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Rhyming Riddles III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Word Ladders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Word Ladders II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Word Ladders III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Amazing Anagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
More Anagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Name Anagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Incredible Idioms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Incredible Idioms II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Incredible Idioms III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
What Slang Would You Use? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
More Slang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Fun with Palindromes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
More Fun with Palindromes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Palindrome Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Chunked Greek Gods and Goddesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
More Than a Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Awesome Analogies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Career Analogies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Fun with Double Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
More Fun with Double Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Silly Synonyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Jumbles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
History
Famous Duos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Famous Trios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Double Letters Make History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Scrambled Presidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Chunked Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Chunked Historical Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Teachers Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Modes of Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Geography
Double Letters Make States. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Scrambled Geographical Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Working Your Way through the U.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Science
Animal Analogies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Scrambled Inventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Our Mysterious Bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
#3986 Mind Twisters Grade 6
Table of Contents
(cont.)
Science (cont.)
Gatherings of Birds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Gatherings of Animals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Critical Thinking
Mind-Twisting Riddle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Alternating Gumdrops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Forest Maze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Terrific Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Cool Communicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Marvelous Machines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Silly Phrases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Silly Phrases II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Silly Phrases III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Well-Known Trios. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Hidden Subjects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Sticker Trading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Communication Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Food Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Winning Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Career Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Hobby Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Family Plates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Worth a Thousand Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Which Cat Is the Fattest? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Skating on Thin Ice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Mathematics
Jonathans Menagerie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Brothers and Sisters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Mind-Twisting Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Watering in a Hurry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Hiking Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Adding up Animal Facts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Adding up Environmental Facts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Adding up Facts about Famous Authors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Number Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Connect the Dots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Number Square . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Fun with Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
More Fun with Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Physical Education
Feeling Sporty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Sports Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Bicycle Logic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
A Maze of Sports Around the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Introduction
Students learn well when they are engaged and entertained. Brain teasers such as those
found in Mind Twisters provide practice in valuable skills while keeping students interested in
puzzles, word and math problems, riddles, and mazes.
In Mind Twisters, exercises have been organized into the following categories to supplement
your regular educational curriculum:
Provide students with opportunities to study famous people and places. Geography
pages ask students to consider fascinating geographical features and facts about the
nations states.
Provide students with further practice in solving equations and working out answers to
word problems.
For easy reference, a comprehensive answer key to each exercise is provided at the back of
the book.
Your sixth-graders will delight in completing each activity in this book as they challenge
themselves to think critically and learn more about their world while having fun!
Language Arts
2.
3.
You
he
pawalkrk
deserve
today.
now re
___________________
___________________
today.
___________________
___________________
___________________
5.
4.
barbershop
6.
sitting
the world
barbershop
PENsword
barbershop
barbershop
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
8.
7.
9.
___________ range
head
heels
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
ba
nk
Language Arts
Remarkable Rebus II
A rebus is a picture representing a word or phrase. Study each rebus below and write down
the word or phrase it symbolizes.
1.
2.
BADwolf
3.
cof
noon
fee
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
5.
4.
6.
TOUKEEPCH
eggs eggs
easy
walk
H2O
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
8.
7.
9.
over
age beauty
SHAVE
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
Language Arts
c
o
2.
3.
o
u
heaven
pennies
n
t
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
5.
4.
6.
ecap
pace
feeling
the world
s e r ga
g ase r
r egas
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
8.
7.
yraropmet
9.
b
e
c
i
e
r
g
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
Language Arts
Rhyming Riddles
The following riddles can be answered with two words that rhyme. The first one has been
done for you.
1. an overweight feline:
fat cat
___________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Language Arts
Rhyming Riddles II
The following riddles can be answered with two words that rhyme.
1. an educational guideline: __________________________________________________
2. dessert made out of plastic: ________________________________________________
3. a depressed boy: ________________________________________________________
4. a happy pixie: ___________________________________________________________
5. a fight between two professional basketball players: _____________________________
6. a timid man: ____________________________________________________________
7. a silent disturbance: ______________________________________________________
8. tiny handwriting: _________________________________________________________
9. a deafening group of people: _______________________________________________
10. a formidable rose:
_______________________________________________________
Language Arts
________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
10
Language Arts
Word Ladders
more
lore
lose
loss
less
milk
Hint: another word
for grind
Hint: you can shop
here
Hint: way to send a
letter
pail
heat
fool
Hint: place to swim
Hint: goals
Hint: fades
name
sage
mice
Hint: a thief
Hint: to sing
11
Language Arts
Word Ladders II
Transform one word into another by changing a single letter in each step so that each link in
the chain is a valid word.
1. Turn clap into away.
clap
game
Hint: another word for
smack
Hint: trade something
ball
away
hand
ink
pen
ring
malt
Hint:
Hint:
Hint:
Hint:
Hint:
pies
12
not female
lacking in color
window glass
type of tree
puts the tail on
the donkey
Language Arts
oil
coins
Hint: painful bumps on
toes
Hint: apple discards
Hint: ice cream holders
Hint: name of an island
amusement park
Hint: nothing
Hint: a little bite
Hint: what you do when
youre tired
Hint: a small opening
gas
money
sleep
Hint: opposite of west
Hint: to fear
hard
dream
flour
Hint: what we walk on
Hint: difficult
Hint: rabbit
dark
13
Language Arts
Amazing Anagrams
The two blank spots in each sentence need to be replaced by words. The missing words are
anagrams. This means that one word can be formed by rearranging the letters of the other.
The blanks in each sentence indicate the number of letters in each word. Fill in the missing
words. The first one has been done for you.
l __i __
m __
e trees on a __
m __i __l __
e of their property.
1. They grew __
2. The man ran at a steady __ __ __ __ even though he was wearing a __ __ __ __.
3. Although she said it wasnt a big __ __ __ __, Gloria was thrilled to have the
__ __ __ __ in the theatrical production.
4. With the __ __ __ __ he stole from the safe, he bought a new __ __ __ __.
5. The dancer swinging the __ __ __ __ has a bad case of __ __ __ __ on her face.
6. Shakespeare was an English __ __ __ __ who most likely didnt wear __ __ __ __
clothing.
7. The fangs on the __ __ __ __ rattlesnake looked so __ __ __ __ that the fearful
man ran away.
8. The gift is so small that it __ __ __ __ in his __ __ __ __.
9. The chef composed a fruit salad of __ __ __ __ __ __, apples, and sweetened
__ __ __ __ __ __.
10. All her __ __ __ __, she wanted a fingernail __ __ __ __.
11. Will you __ __ __ __ over this book as you swing from this __ __ __ __?
12. She was eating a __ __ __ __ __ cookie when the __ __ __ __ __ approached
her stealthily.
14
Language Arts
More Anagrams
The two blank spots in each sentence need to be replaced by words. The missing words are
anagrams. This means that one word can be formed by rearranging the letters of the other.
The blanks in each sentence indicate the number of letters in each word. Fill in the missing
words.
1. She spilled a bite of her __ __ __ __ all over her new __ __ __ __.
2. He doesnt like to __ __ __; nevertheless, he talked with her for half an hour,
holding his __ __ __.
3. Her father had a crumb of __ __ __ __ __ stuck in the whiskers of his
__ __ __ __ __.
4. Mari ate a __ __ __ __ __, then went out to __ __ __ __ __.
5. Salvatore __ __ __ __ __ a movie by how many __ __ __ __ __ he sheds.
6. The sculptor pours hot, black __ __ __ on her __ __ __.
7. The polite boy addressed his friends __ __ __ __ as __ __ __ __.
8. The horse kicked up a dirt __ __ __ __ in the __ __ __ __ air of the morning.
9. The dog followed her __ __ __ __ __ __ down to the rushing __ __ __ __ __ __.
10. What do you like to __ __ __ with your cup of __ __ __?
11. Janice broke into a __ __ __ __ as she heard the familiar __ __ __ __ of the
telephone.
12. The tourists were hoping to see __ __ __ __ of the famous Italian city of
__ __ __ __.
Teacher Created Resources, Inc.
15
Language Arts
Name Anagrams
The two blank spots in each sentence need to be replaced by words. The missing words are
name anagrams; that is, one word can be formed by rearranging the letters of someones
name. The blanks in each sentence indicate the number of letters in each word or name. Fill
in the missing words and names. The first letter of each name has been provided for you.
10. Since he felt quite __ __ __ __, my brother __ __ __ __ challenged the ruling that
he was crazy.
11. Emerging from the water, my friend __ __ __ gulped in big breaths of __ __ __.
16
Language Arts
Incredible Idioms
Idioms are expressions used frequently within a language or culture. For instance, He has
both feet on the ground is one popular idiom. Study each picture below, and then write the
appropriate idiom in the space beside it.
1.
2.
3.
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
4.
6.
5.
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
7.
9.
8.
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
17
Language Arts
Incredible Idioms II
Idioms are expressions used frequently within a language or culture. For instance, Shes got
a good head on her shoulders is one popular idiom. Study each picture below, and then
write the appropriate idiom in the space beside it.
1.
2.
3.
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
4.
6.
5.
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
7.
9.
8.
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
18
Language Arts
2.
3.
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
4.
6.
5.
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
7.
9.
8.
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
19
Language Arts
Slang Bank
Its run of the mill.
Over my dead body!
You let the cat out of the bag!
Make it snappy!
#3986 Mind Twisters Grade 6
Language Arts
More Slang
Slang refers to casual speech often used in a playful manner. Match the phrases on the right
with the slang words on the left.
_____ 1. out of money
a. pit stop
b. I dig it!
c. cross my heart
d. rabbit food
_____ 5. insane
e. flat broke
_____ 6. brag
f. yall
_____ 7. I understand
g. good to go
h. hare-brained
_____ 9. I promise
i. Ta ta!
j. Whats up?
k. Okey-dokey.
21
Language Arts
ewe
1. What do you call a female sheep? ___________________________________________
2. What is another word for a practical joke?
____________________________________
3. What do you call a craft you can paddle across a lake? __________________________
4. What is a fast vehicle driven around a track? __________________________________
5. What is another word for theatrical dramas? ___________________________________
6. What is an object if its not crooked? _________________________________________
7. What article of clothing is particular to babies? _________________________________
8. What poetic word means the same thing as before?
___________________________
22
Language Arts
______________________________________________________
___________________________
_____________________________________
10. What is a good word for helping an elderly person across the street? _______________
23
Language Arts
Palindrome Names
A palindrome is a word that reads the same backwards or forwards. Names can be
palindromes, too. Use the clues provided to figure out each name palindrome below.
1. People who know Robert well call him this. ____________________________________
2. His name is shared by cars.
_______________________________________________
____________________________
________________________________________
24
Language Arts
25
Language Arts
___________________
26
Language Arts
Awesome Analogies
Finding the relationship between one pair of the analogy gives you the key to solving the
second pair. Complete the analogies below. The first one has been done for you.
1.
black
is to
Relationship:
white
day .
These are opposites.
____________________________________________________________
as
night
is to
27
Language Arts
Career Analogies
Finding the relationship between one pair of the analogy gives you the key to solving the
second pair. Complete the analogies below. The first one has been done for you.
28
Language Arts
wheels
________________________________________________
__________________________________
_______________________________
_______________________
29
Language Arts
_____________
cocoon
________________________
4. These are made of flour and water, rolled thin and cut into strips. __________________
5. This is a vegetable, a key ingredient in coleslaw. _______________________________
6. This is a board game with pegs and playing cards.
_____________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
30
Language Arts
Silly Synonyms
Each sentence below is a synonym for a well-known phrase. Decode the synonyms. The
first one has been done for you.
Cut it out!
1. Scissor something away from inside!__________________________________________
2. A sparrow in the palm is twice as valuable as a couple in the hedge.
_______________________________________________________________________
3. Seize your respiration.
_______________________________________________________________________
4. Quiet is gilded.
_______________________________________________________________________
5. Diversity is the pizzazz of being.
_______________________________________________________________________
6. Introduce petroleum to the burning flames.
_______________________________________________________________________
7. An opportune suture rescues nine.
_______________________________________________________________________
8. Wretchedness adores camaraderie.
_______________________________________________________________________
9. This is the final drinking tube.
_______________________________________________________________________
10. To be familiar with the cables.
_______________________________________________________________________
11. Meet the melody.
_______________________________________________________________________
12. Insert an affront to a grievance.
_______________________________________________________________________
13. Inquisitiveness exterminated the feline.
_______________________________________________________________________
14. Sleep reminiscent of a section of a tree.
_______________________________________________________________________
31
Language Arts
Jumbles
Unscramble the letters below to create words. Then unscramble the circled words to create a
phrase.
1. T B E T R I
__________________________________________________
2. E
__________________________________________________
3. G
T R A H
O T U R Y
4. Z U L
P E Z
5. T I N E
6. M E L
7. P E
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
U V O
__________________________________________________
R T A C
8. D A N
C L E
9. K R E A P S
10. R O N
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Bonus:
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
32
History
Famous Duos
See if you can name the missing partner in each of the famous pairs below. Many of these
partners are part of popular culture from books, television, and movies. Others are historical
figures.
1. Jack and _______________________________________________________________
2. Bert and ________________________________________________________________
3. Batman and _____________________________________________________________
4. Mickey Mouse and _______________________________________________________
5. Romeo and _____________________________________________________________
6. The Tortoise and _________________________________________________________
7. Dr. Jekyl and ____________________________________________________________
8. John Smith and __________________________________________________________
9. Beauty and _____________________________________________________________
10. Lewis and ______________________________________________________________
11. Lady and _______________________________________________________________
12. Hansel and _____________________________________________________________
13. Kermit the Frog and ______________________________________________________
14. Barnum and _____________________________________________________________
33
History
Famous Trios
Try to name these famous trios after studying the clues below. Some of these trios are part of
popular culture from books, television, and movies. Others are historical figures or objects.
1. They fought alongside each other with swords.
_______________________________________________________________________
2. They entertained television viewers with their comedy.
_______________________________________________________________________
3. They lost their tails to the farmers wife.
_______________________________________________________________________
4. Theyre Donalds nephews.
_______________________________________________________________________
5. They offered gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
_______________________________________________________________________
6. They built houses of straw, wood, and brick.
_______________________________________________________________________
7. They sang folk songs such as Puff the Magic Dragon.
_______________________________________________________________________
8. Their house was invaded by a little blond girl.
_______________________________________________________________________
9. They are musical chipmunks.
_______________________________________________________________________
10. These were boats that carried Columbus and his crew to America.
_______________________________________________________________________
34
History
Ross
1. The American flag was designed by Betsy _____________.
2. The United States president from 19932001 was named _____________ Clinton.
3. The U.S. National Anthem is called The Star Spangled _________________________.
4. The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution are the _____________ of Rights
5. The wife of Gerald Ford (the U.S. president from 19741977) was named
___________________________________.
6. _____________ Oakley was a legendary rodeo star and markswoman (shooter).
7. A social reformist who provided aid to the poor was named Jane __________________.
8. The oldest federal cultural institution is called the Library of ______________________.
9. This large tribe of Native Americans is called the ______________________________.
10. Two U.S. presidents who werent father and son but shared the same last name were
the ___________________________________.
11. The _____________ Dam is a massive dam built during the 1930s and located in
Arizona and Nevada.
12. The period in American history when jobs were scarce and people went hungry is called
The Great ___________________________________.
13. One woman who dedicated her life to freeing slaves was _____________ Tubman.
14. John F. Kennedy, 35th president of the United States, was born in the state of
___________________________________.
35
History
Scrambled Presidents
Unscramble the following words to reveal the names of former presidents of the United
States.
Scramble
Name
1. smeaJ dioMsan
2. aharbmA locniLn
3. valniC godloCie
4. deerhoTo evooRstel
5. laRdon gReana
6. limWali tinClon
7. mymiJ raCter
8. regGoe tishnongaW
9. drAwen sockJan
10. menjaBni raisHnor
11. Mtrain naV eBurn
12. sJeam kloP
13. dynnLo snhoJon
14. honJ amsAd
#3986 Mind Twisters Grade 6
36
History
Chunked Names
The names of these famous women have been split into two- and three-letter chunks. The
letters of the chunks are in order, but the chunks are scrambled. Put the letters together to
identify the famous women. Use the clues to help you.
1. SA RO RKS PA
______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
______________________________________________
________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
______________________________________________
________________________________________________
She was the co-founder of United Farm Workers and a labor activist.
9. LLY DO DI MA SON
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
37
History
_____________________________________________
__________________________________________
________________________________________
____________________________________________
This first lady became a United Nations spokesperson after her husbands death.
5. AW SA EA CAG
______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
She was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.
7. EZ AV CES CH AR
___________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
This former president won the Nobel Peace Prize for working hard to raise awareness
about the need for affordable housing.
9. LD IN LA LS URA WI GAL ER
___________________________________________
___________________________________________________
38
History
Teachers Day
Teachers Day is celebrated around the world on or near October 5 each year. Read the
clues below pertaining to teachers and write your answers in the blanks. Then, unscramble
the letters in the squares and use them to answer the bonus question below.
1. another name for the diagram a teacher uses to learn students names at the beginning
of the year: __ __ __
__ __ __
__ __ __ __ __
__ __
__ __ __
__
7. the document teachers use to evaluate your progress at the end of the year:
__ __ __
__ __
__ __ __ __
9. where teachers must go to get a teaching credential that allows them to teach:
__ __
__ __ __ __
__ __
Bonus:
What is the name of a famous teacher from ancient history? __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
Teacher Created Resources, Inc.
39
History
Modes of Transportation
Transportation has evolved a great deal in the last century. Read the clues below and write
answers in the blanks. Then, unscramble the letters in the square and use them to answer
the question.
1. This early invention paved the way for cross-country transportation. __ __ __
2. The Vikings used these to navigate their world. __ __
__
__ __
__
__ __ __ __
__
__ __
__ __ __
5. This machine linked the Pacific Coast with the Atlantic Coast without ever leaving the
ground.
__ __ __ __ __ __ __
__
__
__ __
7. Henry Ford built this in the early 1900s and changed transportation forever.
__ __ __
__
__
9. This form of public transportation moves people through their city inexpensively.
__ __
10. This flying machine can get you out of tight places quickly.
__
__ __ __ __ __ __ __
Bonus:
What can transportation do for you?
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
#3986 Mind Twisters Grade 6
40
__ __ __ __ __!
Teacher Created Resources, Inc.
Geography
41
Geography
cave
_______________________________________
2. racegil
_______________________________________
3. covloan
_______________________________________
4. nonamitu
_______________________________________
5. dilnas
_______________________________________
6. araftwell
_______________________________________
7. rested
_______________________________________
8. oncea
_______________________________________
9. verri
_______________________________________
10. nonyac
_______________________________________
11. ramset
_______________________________________
12. kale
_______________________________________
13. humsits
_______________________________________
14. nunelapis
_______________________________________
15. eutlapa
_______________________________________
16. yab
_______________________________________
17. etubt
_______________________________________
18. tooliflh
_______________________________________
19. pace
_______________________________________
20. buytartir
_______________________________________
42
Geography
START
FINISH
43
Science
Animal Analogies
Finding the relationship between one pair of the analogy gives you the key to solving the
second pair. Choose the word that best completes each analogy below. The first one has
been done for you.
mammal
1. frog is to amphibian as bear is to ______________________________
reptile
mammal
tiger
puppy
canine
Relationship: ____________________________________________________________
3. fish is to gills as tiger is to ______________________________
paws
lungs
tail
Relationship: ____________________________________________________________
4. elephant is to trunk as pig is to ______________________________
snout
tail
oink
Relationship: ____________________________________________________________
5. turtle is to unhurried as cheetah is to ______________________________
slow
quick
tired
Relationship: ____________________________________________________________
6. gaggle is to geese as herd is to ______________________________
chickens
cows
fish
Relationship: ____________________________________________________________
7. joey is to kangaroo as cub is to ______________________________
mother
shark
bear
Relationship: ____________________________________________________________
8. tree is to monkey as water is to ______________________________
cat
octopus
goose
Relationship: ____________________________________________________________
#3986 Mind Twisters Grade 6
44
Science
Scrambled Inventions
Some inventions make life much easier or more enjoyable. Unscramble the inventions below.
The first one has been done for you.
1. ricelect rixem
electric mixer
___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
7. speetcole
______________________________________________________________
8. anearlip ________________________________________________________________
9. hitlg lubb _______________________________________________________________
10. cawirevom
11. yicbelc
_____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
45
Science
________________________________________________________
This flexible material is located between bones, on the tip of your nose, and top of your
ear.
2. LO IS IG TT EP
_______________________________________________________
This flops down over your windpipe to keep you from choking on food.
3. NS TE NDO
_________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
This works with air from your lungs to let you talk and sing.
6. TIN RA KE
___________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
This muscle separates your lungs from your stomach and intestines.
9. BE CE UM RE LL
_____________________________________________________
RIA CTE BA
_________________________________________________________
46
Science
Gatherings of Birds
Did you know that a group of crows is called a murder and a group of owls is called a
parliament? Study the picture clues below to discover the names of other groups of birds.
1.
2.
of hawks
3.
4.
of turkeys a
5.
of pheasants
of nightingales
6.
of swallows
47
of jays
Science
Gatherings of Animals
Did you know that a group of rhinoceros is called a crash and a group of mosquitoes is
called a scourge? Study the picture clues below to discover the names of other groups of
animals.
1.
2.
of caterpillars
3.
a
5.
of clams
4.
of dolphins
of gnats
6.
of salmon a
48
of turtles
Critical Thinking
Mind-Twisting Riddle
See if you can solve this riddle!
Cathys mother, Mrs. Gutierrez, had exactly four children. The oldest, a girl, she named Left.
The second oldest, a boy, she named Right. The third child, also a girl, was named Up.
The youngest child was also a girl. What was her name?
Use the work area below to chart this problem. Record your answer at the bottom of the
page.
Work Area
1st Child
2nd Child
3rd Child
49
4th Child
Critical Thinking
Alternating Gumdrops
This mind twister can also be completed with stamps, coins, beads, etc.
Find four green gumdrops and four yellow gumdrops. Place them in a row like this:
g
Now, following the rules below, try and reformat them so that they look like this:
y
Rules
1. You may only make four moves.
2. You may move only pairs of neighboring gumdrops together as a set.
3. The gumdrops in any pair you move cant swap places.
4. Move pairs only to the end or to blank spots in the row.
5. You must finish with no blank spaces between gumdrops.
1st Move:
2nd Move:
3rd Move:
4th Move:
#3986 Mind Twisters Grade 6
50
Critical Thinking
Forest Maze
Forests are home to owls and hawks, deer and raccoons, squirrels and insects, and dozens
of other creatures! Help this hiker to navigate the maze in this tree below.
START
FINISH
51
Critical Thinking
Terrific Transportation
Decide which transportation method or gear would work best for you in the following situations
and write them in the spaces below:
1. You want to swim through the coral reefs and photograph tropical fish.
_______________________________________________________________________
2. Youd like to see Earth from outer space.
_______________________________________________________________________
3. You want to see many small towns in the United States without having to drive.
_______________________________________________________________________
4. You need to get from New York to London quickly.
_______________________________________________________________________
5. Youd like to get an up-close look at whales and dolphins.
_______________________________________________________________________
6. You need to go down to the corner store for milk.
_______________________________________________________________________
7. Youve got to get 10 miles across town, but your car is in the shop.
_______________________________________________________________________
8. You need to rescue someone trapped on a steep mountainside.
_______________________________________________________________________
9. You want to head downhill on a snowy mountainside.
_______________________________________________________________________
10. You want to see your house clearly from the sky.
_______________________________________________________________________
52
Critical Thinking
Cool Communicators
Decide which communication devices would work best for you in the following situations and
write them in the spaces below:
1. You want to talk to someone long distance, but your sister is on the telephone.
_______________________________________________________________________
2. You need to get a message to the person sitting beside you, but youre not allowed to
talk.
_______________________________________________________________________
3. You want people around the world to watch you being interviewed about your new
movie.
_______________________________________________________________________
4. You need to have a conversation with a deaf individual.
_______________________________________________________________________
5. You want people all over your city to listen to your new song.
_______________________________________________________________________
6. You want to tell your neighbor that her cat is outside, but youre in your robe and
slippers.
_______________________________________________________________________
7. You want to post information about your school report on the computer so people all over
the world can read it.
_______________________________________________________________________
8. You want everyone in the school auditorium to hear your voice.
_______________________________________________________________________
9. You want to send a thank-you note on paper youve made by hand.
_______________________________________________________________________
10. Youre stranded on a desert island without batteries or electricity and you need help.
_______________________________________________________________________
53
Critical Thinking
Marvelous Machines
Decide which machine would work best for you in each of the following situations. Write your
answers in the spaces below:
1. You have a kitchen full of dishes after a huge party.
_______________________________________________________________________
2. You have to add up a long column of numbers to figure out income from babysitting.
_______________________________________________________________________
3. You need to type a book report for English class.
_______________________________________________________________________
4. You want to find out how fast you can run a mile.
_______________________________________________________________________
5. You want to preserve a memory of your 12th birthday party set to music.
_______________________________________________________________________
6. You need to make sure you wake up at 6:15 in the morning.
_______________________________________________________________________
7. You want to tell your friend some news, even though he/she isnt home.
_______________________________________________________________________
8. You need to clean your muddy jeans before school tomorrow.
_______________________________________________________________________
9. You want your electric guitar to sound even louder.
_______________________________________________________________________
10. You want to listen to phone messages without picking up the telephone.
_______________________________________________________________________
54
Critical Thinking
Silly Phrases
Each of the clues below contains a number and some letters that symbolize commonly
recognized phrases. Figure out each phrase, paying particular attention to the number in
each one. The first one has been done for you.
1. 4 P on a C
2. 12 N on a C
_______________________________________________________________________
3. 26 L in the A
_______________________________________________________________________
4. 9 P in the SS
_______________________________________________________________________
5. a P is W 1000 W
_______________________________________________________________________
6. 1 W on a U
_______________________________________________________________________
7. 4 Q in a G
_______________________________________________________________________
8. 7 W of the W
_______________________________________________________________________
9. a S in T S 9
_______________________________________________________________________
10. 5 T on a F
_______________________________________________________________________
11. 7 D in S W
_______________________________________________________________________
12. 7 D of the W
_______________________________________________________________________
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55
Critical Thinking
Silly Phrases II
Each of the clues below contains a number and some letters that symbolize commonly
recognized phrases. Figure out each phrase, paying particular attention to the number in
each phrase. The first one has been done for you.
1. 7 D of the W
_______________________________________
seven days of the week
2. 32 T at which W F
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
3. 13 S on the A F
_______________________________________________________________________
4. 3 S and Y O
_______________________________________________________________________
5. 3 B M
_______________________________________________________________________
6. 8 S on a S S
_______________________________________________________________________
7. 9 L of a C
_______________________________________________________________________
8. 8 L on a S
_______________________________________________________________________
9. 14 D in a F
_______________________________________________________________________
10. 2 E in your H
_______________________________________________________________________
11. 21 G in a S
_______________________________________________________________________
12. 15 M of F
_______________________________________________________________________
56
Critical Thinking
57
Critical Thinking
Well-Known Trios
Fill in the blanks to complete these well-known trios.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
58
Critical Thinking
Hidden Subjects
Think about what subjects in school help you to understand various ideas. Answer the
questions below, then unscramble the circled letters to spell out a message at the bottom of
the page.
1. What subject would you study if you wanted to learn more about rocks?
__ __ __ __ __ __ __
2. What subject would you study if you wanted to learn more about chemical reactions?
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
3. What subject would you study if you wanted to know more about past events of the
Earth? __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __
4. What subject would you study if you wanted to learn about the poet Emily Dickinson?
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
5. What subject would you study if you wanted to find out about genes and D.N.A.?
__ __ __ __ __ __ __
6. What subject would you study if you wanted to learn to divide fractions?
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
7. What subject would you study if you wanted to be able to communicate with people in
France? __ __ __ __ __ __
8. What subject would you study if you wanted to learn about what goes on in the White
House? __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
9. What subject would you study if you wanted to learn how to throw a baseball?
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
Bonus:
__ __ __ __
__ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __
__ __ __ __.
Epictetus
Teacher Created Resources, Inc.
59
Critical Thinking
Sticker Trading
Lyndsay, Juliana, Jon, Steve, and Morgan collect and trade stickers. When they began
trading this morning, each student had five stickers of the same pattern. Each students
stickers were different from everyone elses stickers. Any student who received a sticker in
trade got to keep that sticker. All students end up with five stickers each.
That morning . . .
Jon began with five dog stickers and traded stickers with Steve, Lyndsay, and Juliana.
Morgan began with five balloon stickers. She traded one balloon sticker with each other
girl, and one with Steve.
Lyndsay had five cat stickers. She traded one with Jon and one with Morgan.
Steve traded one of his planet stickers for a sticker in the shape of an owl.
What combination of stickers does each person have at the end of the day? Use the space
below to chart the sticker trading and record your answer.
Lyndsay
Juliana
Jon
Steve
Morgan
#3986 Mind Twisters Grade 6
60
Critical Thinking
Communication Categories
Read the clues about popular forms of communication and fill in the category. The first one
has been done for you.
1. receiver, ringer, numbers
telephone
Category: ______________________________________________________________
2. keyboard, monitor, hard drive
Category: ______________________________________________________________
3. paper, pen, stamp
Category: ______________________________________________________________
4. tongue, lips, vocal chords
Category: ______________________________________________________________
5. fingers, symbols, facial expressions
Category: ______________________________________________________________
6. signal, speakers, antennae
Category: ______________________________________________________________
7. screen, volume knob, satellite
Category: ______________________________________________________________
8. server, screen name, password
Category: ______________________________________________________________
9. projector, speakers, screen
Category: ______________________________________________________________
10. paper, ink, photos
Category: ______________________________________________________________
61
Critical Thinking
Food Categories
Read the clues about foods and fill in the category. The first one has been done for you.
1. tortilla shell, meat, lettuce
taco
Category: ______________________________________________________________
2. cheese, crust, tomato sauce
Category: ______________________________________________________________
3. chicken, noodles, broth
Category: ______________________________________________________________
4. pasta, cheese, milk
Category: ______________________________________________________________
5. ice cream, fudge, nuts
Category: ______________________________________________________________
6. rice, vegetables, soy sauce
Category: ______________________________________________________________
7. oats, brown sugar, milk
Category: ______________________________________________________________
8. pasta, tomato sauce, ground meat or tofu
Category: ______________________________________________________________
9. lettuce, tomatoes, dressing
Category: ______________________________________________________________
10. bread slices, vegetables, meat
Category: ______________________________________________________________
62
Critical Thinking
Winning Photos
Ms. Martin, the biology teacher at school, held a nature-photo contest. The five winning
students were Martha, Seymour, Carlos, Jack, and Marissa. The subjects they photographed
were snakes, daisies, caterpillars, autumn leaves, and spiderwebs.
From the information given below, determine the subject of each students photograph, as well
as the order in which the five students placed in the contest. Use scratch paper for your
work, and then write the name of each winner and his/her photo subject on the medals below.
1. The photo of spiderwebs received a higher prize than Carloss photo but a lower prize
than those of both girls
2. A girl took the photo of the autumn leaves.
3. The boy whose photo won 1st place is not named Seymour
4. Jack did not enter a photo of either a daisies or caterpillars.
5. Marissas photo received a lower prize than the photo of caterpillars.
3rd
Place
1st
Place
Name Subject
2nd
Place
Name Subject
Name Subject
4th
Place
5th
Place
Name Subject
Name Subject
63
Critical Thinking
Career Plates
A car license plate can tell something about its owner. Decode these plates to reveal clues
about the owners career.
The first one has been done for you.
1.
2.
DRTOOTH
_____________
dentist
3.
_____________
4.
IFXPETS
6.
LUV2SNG
_____________
7.
8.
STAR4ME
10.
WWW4YO
HSE4SLE
_____________
12.
GOFIRES
_____________
FLYGIRL
_____________
_____________
11.
SEWWHA
_____________
_____________
9.
FOTOIDO
_____________
_____________
5.
LVS2TCH
RNNRBOY
_____________
64
Critical Thinking
Hobby Plates
A car license plate can tell something about its owner. Decode these plates to reveal clues
about the owners favorite hobby. The first one has been done for you.
1.
2.
LVS2SHP
_____________
shopping
3.
_____________
4.
IPNTPIX
_____________
5.
6.
MYCYCLE
8.
PUMPIRN
10.
COOKS4U
TRVLBUG
_____________
12.
FILMBUF
_____________
ONSTAGE
_____________
_____________
11.
SEWAMI!
_____________
_____________
9.
IAMGAME
_____________
_____________
7.
FOTONUT
TOONLVR
_____________
65
Critical Thinking
Family Plates
A car license plate can tell something about its owner. Which driver is a mother? Which is a
grandfather? Decode the license plates below to find out. The first one has been done for
you.
1.
2.
SUPERM
_____________
mother
3.
_____________
4.
DADSGRL
6.
IMGRAND
_____________
7.
8.
MOMZBO
10.
SAYUNCL
ANTNCAR
_____________
12.
LVMYMO
CUZ2YOU
_____________
_____________
#3986 Mind Twisters Grade 6
GRANNY
_____________
_____________
11.
POPISME
_____________
_____________
9.
LIL*SIS
_____________
_____________
5.
HER*BRO
66
Critical Thinking
1.
2.
+
+ er =
&
__________________________________
__________________________________
4.
3.
+
long +
__________________________________
5.
+ ing =
__________________________________
6.
new +
+ gled =
__________________________________
7.
+ ism =
__________________________________
8.
+
__________________________________
__________________________________
9.
10.
+
__________________________________
Teacher Created Resources, Inc.
__________________________________
67
Critical Thinking
Lightest cat
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Heaviest cat
#3986 Mind Twisters Grade 6
68
Critical Thinking
Marisol
Older sister
Younger sister
Earmuffs
Scarf
Mittens
Purple skates
Pink skates
Blue skates
Hot chocolate
Cider
Ice cream
69
Mathematics
Jonathans Menagerie
Jonathan loves animals, reptiles, and fish. In his bedroom, he always has a cat, a dog, or a
rabbit. In his terrarium, he always has a frog or a snake. In his aquarium, he always has
sunfish, goldfish, or angelfish.
How many possible combinations of his animals, reptiles, and fish are there? Chart the
problem and record your answer below. The answer key contains a hint to how to figure out
this problem.
70
Mathematics
Work Area
Answer: ________________________________________________
2. Now suppose Jerry has two siblings, and the older one is a boy. What are the odds that
Jerry has two brothers?
Work Area
Answer: ________________________________________________
Teacher Created Resources, Inc.
71
Mathematics
Mind-Twisting Math
Follow the instructions below to work out this astonishing math equation. Be sure to complete
the instructions in order. You may need a piece of scratch paper in order to work some
equations.
1. Write down the number of the month you were born. (For instance,
if you were born in March, write down 3.
2. Multiply the number above by 4.
3. Add 13 to the number above.
4. Multiply the number above by 25.
5. Subtract 200 from the number above.
6. Add the day of the month on which you were born to the number
above.
7. Multiply the number above by 2.
8. Subtract 40 from the number above.
9. Multiply the number above by 50.
10. Add the last two digits of the year of your birth to the number
above.
11. Subtract 10,500 from the number above.
What is significant about your answer? ______________________
______________________________________________________
72
Mathematics
Watering in a Hurry
Answer : _____________________
73
Mathematics
Hiking Equations
A group of eight hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail sets off with enough food for a 15-day hike.
But out in the forest, they come across two hikers whose backpacks have washed
downstream with all their food. The two hikers join the larger group, and everyone agrees to
share their food but eat the same amount as originally planned. Therefore, they have to cut
their trip short because the food will run out sooner.
For how many more days do the 10 hikers have food? Chart the problem and record your
answer in the space below.
74
Mathematics
60 5 = ____
6 x 5 = ____
100 5 = _____ X
121 11 = ____ E
21 7 = ____
7 x 9 = ____
40 5 = ______ O
6 x 7 = ____
12 3 = ____
180 3 = ____
60 10 = _____ K
8 x 8 = ____
4 x 9 = ____
4 x 8 = ____
45 5 = ______ S
14 2 = ____
20 x 4 = ____
30 3 = ____
8 x 7 = ______
30 x 4 = ____
3 x 6 = ____
8 x 3 = ____
25 5 = ____
___ ___
5
10
___ ___
42
8
___ ___
7
4
___ ___
11 24
2. These mammals have a thumb and four fingers, just like humans.
___ ___ ___
18
5
10
___
9
___
36
4. This animal has large paws that act like snowshoes in deep snow.
___ ___ ___
120 36
4
___
20
___ ___
56
7
___ ___
56 11
___ ___
24
8
___ ___
12
9
6. These animals have a complex form of communication, and pods are led by females.
___ ___ ___ ___ ___
6
56 120 120 11
___
7
___
3
___ ___
18 11
75
___ ___
5
7
#3986 Mind Twisters Grade 6
Mathematics
11 x 9 = ____
9 x 6 = ____
100 5 = ____
16 x 3 = ____
35 7 = ____
24 4 = ____
21 7 = ___
40 5 = ____
6 x 12 = ____
68 2 = ____
150 15 = ____ W
12 x 7 = ____
7 x 4 = ____
7 x 9 = ____
3 x 5 = ____
56 8 = ____
95 5 = ____
8 x 4 = ____
54 3 = ____
36 9 = ____
4 x 4 = ____
121 11 = ____ T
120 60 = ____ Z
___ ___
32 11
___ ___
72
8
___ ___
48
6
___
7
___ ___
12 11
3. Recycling a soda can saves enough energy to run this for three hours.
___ ___ ___
11
7
19
___ ___
7
3
___ ___
6
54
___ ___
63 11
___ ___
34 34
___
4
___ ___
7
11
___ ___
32 34
___
63
___ ___
32 32
76
Mathematics
Discover some facts about recycling by solving the code below. First, answer each problem.
Then, complete the puzzle below.
5 x 58 = ____
.353 x .5 = ____
6 x 58 = ____
5 2 = ____
3 17 + 4 67 = __
3 12 + 6 612 = __
6 4 = ____
9 14 + 8 34 = __
3 + 63 =____
15 13 =____
8 + 48 =____
7 07 = ____
.290 x .8 =____
10 + 210 =____
.172 x .8 = ____ M
5 + 15 = ____
8 + 48 = ____
6 + 46 = ____
2 12 =____
3 03 = ____
2 x 58 = ____
3 x 315 = ____
1. You can visit Orchard House in Massachusetts, where Louisa May Alcott wrote this novel.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
.232
10
.232
.1376
.1765
2. She wrote her first best-selling novel at a tiny caf in between her infant daughters naps.
_____ _____
24
12
15
13
.232
10
.1765
15
3. This author of The Call of the Wild sailed on a sealing ship and began high school at
age19.
_____ _____ _____ _____
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
24
15
.232
12
.1765
.1765
4. Roald Dahl, author of James and the Giant Peach, kept this a secret from the time he
was eight years old.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____
2
10
13
5. The author of Hatchet, Gary Paulsen, ran away from home at age 14 and joined this.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
1
13
.1765
10
10
.232
6. This person asked Laura Ingalls Wilder to write down her stories so children could enjoy
them.
_____ _____ _____
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
8
13
48
77
15
13
Mathematics
Number Problems
Solve these number problems using addition, subtraction, multiplication or division, as
needed.
1. A rabbit wants to cross a road that is 16 feet wide in order to get to a field. On his
first jump, he jumps halfway across, eight feet. But now he is tired, and with each
jump he can cover only half the distance left between him and the edge of the road.
How many jumps does it take for him to get to the field on the other side of the
road?
Your answer: ________________________________________________________
2. A gardener has problems with snails eating her lettuce. She knows that five ducks
can eat five snails in five minutes. How many ducks does she need to eat 100
snails in 100 minutes?
Your answer: ________________________________________________________
3. How much is 1 times 2 times 3 times 4 times 5 times 6 times 7 times 8 times 9
times 0?
Your answer: ________________________________________________________
4. An emperor wanted to reward a servant for his work and he asked the servant what
he would like. Just some rice, said the servant. Now, this servant enjoyed playing
checkers. He suggested that the emperor place two grains of rice on the first
square of the checkerboard, two times two grains (4 grains) on the second square,
four times four (16 grains) on the third square, and so on, each time multiplying the
product of grains on the previous square by itself. Of course! the emperor agreed,
but after a few minutes, he regretted his decision. Why?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
78
Mathematics
79
Mathematics
Number Square
Arrange the numbers 1 to 9 in the blocks, placing one number in each block, so that when
you add the numbers in any column, horizontally or vertically, the sum must equal 15.
80
Mathematics
81
Mathematics
82
Physical Education
Feeling Sporty
There are many interesting sports in the world. Using the clues below, fill in the blanks. Then
unscramble the letters in the squares to complete the phrase below.
__ __
__ __
__
2. You play this game with a mallet, metal arches, and a heavy ball. __ __ __ __ __
__
__ __ __ __ __
3. In this game, you might make a hookshot or a jumpshot. __ __
__ __ __ __
4. In this game, youre allowed to steal. __ __ __
__ __
5. Although its square, players of this sport call it a ring. __ __ __
6. You play this sport astride a horse, using a mallet. __ __ __
1. This game is played with two rackets, a birdie, and a net. __ __ __
__ __
__ __
__
9. This sport has been around for centuries and involves a saber. __ __ __ __ __
__
__ __
__ __
__
__ __
11. You just need a pair of sturdy shoes for this sport.
_h___ __
_ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _!
Teacher Created Resources, Inc.
83
Physical Education
Sports Categories
Read the clues about sports and fill in the category. The first one has been done for you.
1. paddle, oar, motor
84
Physical Education
Bicycle Logic
Five bicyclists race across the countryside one afternoon. Cathy placed third, and Eugene
placed second. From the information below, can you tell how Betsy, Don, and Armando
placed in the race?
1. Armando didnt come in last.
2. Armando came in sometime after Eugene.
3. Don did not come in first.
Chart the problem and your answer in the space below.
Work Area
1st Place
2nd Place
3rd Place
85
4th Place
5th Place
Physical Education
A Maze of Sports
Around the World
People play various sports around the world. Help this tourist navigate the maze in this globe.
86
Answer Key
Page 5
10. calm mom
2. a walk in the park
11. blue goo
3. He came out of nowhere.
12. cold mold
4. The pen is mightier than
Page 9
the sword.
1. school rule
5. barbershop quartet
2. fake cake
6. sitting on top of the world
3. sad lad
7. break the bank
4. merry fairy
8. point-blank range
5. tall brawl
9. head over heels
6. shy guy
Page 6
7. quiet riot
1. big bad wolf
8. small scrawl
2. coffee break
9. loud crowd
3. high noon
10. flower power
4. keep in touch
11. red bed
5. two eggs over easy
12. groovy movie
6. walk on water
Page 10
7. age before beauty
1. hip chip
8. over the hill
2. glad dad
9. close shave
3. funny bunny
Page 7
4. frog jog
1. Cross-country
5. crabby tabby
2. Pennies from heaven
6. tan man
3. Growing pains
7. house mouse
4. pace back and forth
8. gator skater
5. feeling on top of the
9. cook look
world
10. bug hug
6. shifting gears
11. ink drink
7. temporary setback
12. wee tree
8. sidesplitting laughter
Page 11
9. tip of the iceberg
1. milk, mill, mall, mail, pail
Page 8
2. fire, hire, here, herd, head,
2. book crook
heat
3. diaper swiper
3. fool, pool, poll, pole, pale,
4. grape ape
page, sage
4. army, arms, aims, dims,
5. clock doc
dams, dame, name
6. glum plum
5. mice, mite, mate, mats,
7. fruit suit
rats
8. weird beard
6. clock, crock, crook, croon,
9. big wig
crown, clown
Teacher Created Resources, Inc.
87
Page 12
1. clap, slap, swap, sway, away
2. game, same, sale, bale, ball
3. ink, inn, ion, ton, ten, pen
4. hand, band, bond, fond,
food, foot
5. ring, rind, bind, band, hand
6. malt, male, pale, pane, pine,
pins, pies
Page 13
1. oil, nil, nip, nap, gap, gas
2. coins, corns, cores, cones,
Coney, money
3. easy, east, cast, cart, card,
hard
4. sleep, bleep, bleed, breed,
bread, dread, dream
5. flour, floor, flood, blood,
brood, broad, bread
6. card, hard, hare, bare, bark,
dark
Page 14
2. pace, cape
3. deal, lead
4. loot, tool
5. cane, acne
6. bard, drab
7. live, vile
8. fits, fist
9. melons, lemons
10. life, file
11. pore, rope
12. carob, cobra
Page 15
1. taco, coat
2. gab, bag
3. bread, beard
4. steak, skate
5. rates, tears
6. tar, art
#3986 Mind Twisters Grade 6
Answer Key
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
mama, maam
clod, cold
master, stream
eat, tea
grin, ring
more, Rome
Page 16
1. Brad, drab
2. Ruth, hurt
3. Cathy, yacht
4. Eric, rice
5. Tessa, asset
6. Darren, errand
7. Rose, sore
8. Annie, inane
9. Sue, use
10. sane, Sean
11. Ira, air
12. Alex, axle
Page 17
1. She let the cat out of the
bag.
2. He has his head in the
clouds.
3. She put in her two cents.
4. Hes showing her the ropes.
5. Keep your eye on the ball.
6. Bite your tongue!
7. He gave her the cold
shoulder.
8. She gets the picture.
9. Its raining cats and dogs.
Page 18
1. He takes his hat off to her.
2. Shes burning her bridges.
3. He made his hair stand on
end.
4. She can read the writing on
the wall.
5. Hes in a lot of hot water.
#3986 Mind Twisters Grade 6
(cont.)
88
Page 21
1. e
2. g
3. j
4. a
5. h
6. l
7. b
8. d
9. c
10. k
11. i
12. f
page 22
2. gag
3. kayak
4. race car
5. sagas
6. level
7. bib
8. ere
9. pep
10. tot
Page 23
1. eye
2. noon
3. civic
4. madam
5. redder
6. solos
7. wow
8. repaper
9. nun
10. deed
Answer Key
Page 24
1. Bob
2. Otto
3. Nan
4. Mom or Mum
5. Anna
6. Pop
7. Hannah
8. Tut
9. Pip
10. Sis
Page 25
1. Athena
2. Poseidon
3. Aphrodite
4. Apollo
5. Artemis
6. Hephaestus
7. Hermes
8. Demeter
9. Hestia
10. Dionysus
Page 26
1. Frank
2. Amber
3. Harry
4. Joy
5. Will
6. Rusty
7. Art
8. Heather
9. Homer
10. Victor
11. Sandy
12. Carol
13. Warren
14. Bob
Page 27
2. calf: These are baby
animals.
3. skin: These are protective
coverings.
4. petals: These pieces make
up a larger object.
5. diagnose/heal: These are
workers and the services
they provide.
6. hoop: These are objects
that pass through other
objects.
7. baseball player: These are
athletes necessary in these
events.
8. instrument: This is what is
produced by these objects.
9. pieces: These are smaller
objects which make up a
larger object.
10. surfboard/boat/jet ski:
These objects help to
traverse terrain.
Page 28
2. Veterinarian: animals
Relationship: what these
careers depend on
3. Astronaut: space
Relationship: locations of
these careers
4. Dietician: Health
Relationship: Classes/training needed for these careers
5. Chef: diners/patrons
Relationship: whom these
people serve
89
(cont.)
6. scientist: intelligence
Relationship: what these
professionals need for success
7. orchestra conductor: baton
Relationship: tools of the
trade
8. rock star: song
Relationship: tangible
product of these careers
9. zookeeper: animals
Relationship: what these
careers depend on
10. doctor: remedies
Relationship: what these
professionals seek
Page 29
2. toffee
3. bubble or balloon
4. ballroom
5. summer
6. committee
7. button
8. umbrella
9. terrified
10. oppose
11. letter
12. spoon
Page 30
2. pillars
3. riddle
4. noodles
5. cabbage
6. cribbage
7. pepper
8. mellow
9. teenagers
10. succulents
11. middle
12. batter
#3986 Mind Twisters Grade 6
Answer Key
Page 31
2. A bird in the hand is worth
two in the bush.
3. Catch your breath.
4. Silence in golden.
5. Variety is the spice of life.
6. Add fuel to the fire.
7. A stitch in time saves nine.
8. Misery loves company.
9. This is the last straw.
10. Know the ropes.
11. Face the music.
12. Add insult to injury.
13. Curiosity killed the cat.
14. Sleep like a log.
Page 32
1. bitter
2. heart
3. yogurt
4. puzzle
5. invite
6. volume
7. carpet
8. candle
9. speaker
10. snore
Bonus: Silence is golden.
Page 33
1. Jill
2. Ernie
3. Robin
4. Minnie
5. Juliet
6. The Hare
7. Mr. Hyde
8. Pocahontas
9. The Beast
10. Clark
11. The Tramp
#3986 Mind Twisters Grade 6
(cont.)
12. Gretel
13. Miss Piggy
14. Bailey
Page 34
1. The Three Musketeers
2. The Three Stooges
3. The Three Blind Mice
4. Huey, Dewey, and Louie
5. The Three Wise Men
6. The Three Little Pigs
7. Peter, Paul, and Mary
8. The Three Bears
9. Alvin, Simon, and
Theodore
10. the Nina, the Pinta, and
the Santa Maria
Page 35
1. Ross
2. William (or Bill)
3. Banner
4. Bill
5. Betty
6. Annie
7. Addams
8. Congress
9. Cherokee
10. Roosevelt
11. Hoover
12. Depression
13. Harriet
14. Massachusetts
90
Page 36
1. James Madison
2. Abraham Lincoln
3. Calvin Coolidge
4. Theodore Roosevelt
5. Ronald Reagan
6. William Clinton
7. Jimmy Carter
8. George Washington
9. Andrew Jackson
10. Benjamin Harrison
11. Martin Van Buren
12. James Polk
13. Lyndon Johnson
14. John Adams
Page 37
1. Rosa Parks
2. Emily Dickinson
3. Maria Montessori
4. Harriet Tubman
5. Jane Goodall
6. Emily Post
7. Mary Harris Jones
8. Dolores Huerta
9. Dolly Madison
10. Maya Lin
Page 38
1. Thomas Jefferson
2. Martin Luther King, Jr.
3. Harriet Beecher Stowe
4. Eleanor Roosevelt
5. Sacagawea
6. Amelia Earhart
7. Cesar Chavez
8. Jimmy Carter
9. Laura Ingalls Wilder
10. Chuck Yeager
Answer Key
Page 39
1. seating chart
2. homework
3. chalkboard
4. detention
5. learn
6. apple
7. report card
8. books
9. college
10. summer vacation
Bonus: Aristotle
Page 40
1. wheel
2. ships
3. covered wagon
4. canoes
5. locomotive
6. Wright
7. Model T
8. jet
9. bus
10. helicopter
Bonus: Travel changes lives!
Page 41
1. Tennessee
2. Pennsylvania
3. Illinois
4. Hawaii
5. Connecticut
6. Minnesota
7. Missouri
8. Massachusetts
9. Mississippi
Page 42
2. glacier
3. volcano
4. mountain
5. island
6. waterfall
7. desert
8. ocean
9. river
10. canyon
11. stream
12. lake
13. isthmus
14. peninsula
15. plateau
16. bay
17. butte
18. foothill
19. cape
20. tributary
Page 43
Page 44
2. canine
Relationship: This is a
type of animal.
3. lungs
Relationship: These are
parts of the body used to
breathe.
4. snout
Relationship: These are
animals noses.
91
(cont.)
5. quick
Relationship: This is the
way these animals move.
6. cows
Relationship: This is a
group of these animals.
7. bear
Relationship: These are
baby animals.
8. octopus
Relationship: This is where
these creatures live.
Page 45
2. washing machine
3. computer
4. vacuum cleaner
5. microscope
6. calculator
7. telescope
8. airplane
9. light bulb
10. microwave
11. bicycle
12. zipper
13. aqualung
14. paper clip
15. fireworks
16. refrigerator
17. thermometer
18. battery
19. bubble gum
20. escalator
Answer Key
Page 46
1. cartilage
2. epiglottis
3. tendons
4. retina
5. larynx
6. keratin
7. epidermis
8. diaphragm
9. cerebellum
10. bacteria
Page 47
1. knot
2. bouquet
3. raft
4. watch
5. flight
6. party
Page 50
Hints: For the first two moves,
each pair is made up of
similarly colored gumdrops.
For the second two moves, each
pair is made up of different colored gumdrops.
1. The first move:
g g y y y y g g
2. The second move:
g y y g y y g g
3. The third move:
g y y g y g y g
4. The fourth move:
y g y g y g y g
Page 51
Page 48
1. nest
2. bed
3. school
4. cloud
5. run
6. bale
Page 49
The youngest daughters
name is Cathy!
Page 52
1. scuba diving gear, or
snorkeling gear
2. rocket, space shuttle
3. train or bus
4. jet or airplane
5. boat
6. walk or bicycle
7. bus, subway, bike
8. helicopter
9. ski, snowboard, snowshoe
10. hot-air balloon, small craft
airplane, blimp
92
(cont.)
Page 53
1. e-mail or instant
messaging
2. a note
3. television
4. sign language
5. radio
6. telephone
7. Internet Web site
8. microphone and/or
amplifier
9. letter
10. message in a bottle or smoke
signals
Page 54
1. dishwasher
2. calculator
3. computer or electric
typewriter
4. sports watch or stopwatch
5. video or audio recorder
6. alarm clock
7. answering machine
8. washing machine
9. amplifier
10. answering machine or voice
mail
Page 55
2. 12 numbers on the clock
3. 26 letters in the alphabet
4. 9 planets in the solar system
5. A picture is worth 1,000
words.
6. 1 wheel on a unicycle
7. 4 quarts in a gallon
8. 7 wonders of the world
9. a stitch in time saves 9
10. 5 toes on a foot
11. 7 dwarves in Snow White
12. 7 days of the week
Teacher Created Resources, Inc.
Answer Key
Page 56
2. 32 temperature at which water
freezes
3. 13 stripes on the American
flag
4. 3 strikes and youre out
5. 3 blind mice
6. 8 sides on a stop sign
7. 9 lives of a cat
8. 8 legs on a spider
9. 14 days in a fortnight
10. 2 eyes in your head
11. 21 guns in a salute
12. 15 minutes of fame
Page 57
1. 8 legs on a spider
2. 5 and dime store
3. 4 corners of the world
4. tea for two
5. 12 days of Christmas
6. youre the 1 for me
7. 4 bases on a baseball diamond
8. playing 20 questions
9. 101 Dalmatians
10. 76 trombones in the big
parade
11. Shes sweet 16
12. Lincoln is on a 5 dollar bill
Page 58
1. spoon
2. water (or clothing)
3. look
4. present, future
5. arithmetic
6. willing
7. sinker
8. brawn
9. skip, jump
10. stock
11. drop
12. planes, automobiles (or cars)
Teacher Created Resources, Inc.
(cont.)
Page 59
1. Geology
2. Chemistry
3. History
4. Literature
5. Biology
6. Mathematics
7. Economics
8. Government
9. Physical Education
Bonus: Only the educated are
free.
Page 60
Lyndsaythree cat stickers, one
balloon, one dog
Julianaone dog, one balloon,
one planet, two owls
Jontwo dogs, one cat, one
planet, one owl
Steveone dog, one balloon,
one owl, two planets
Morganone cat, two balloons,
one owl, one planet
Page 61
2. word processing
3. letter
4. speaking
5. sign language
6. radio
7. television
8. e-mail
9. film
10. magazine or newspaper
Page 62
2. pizza
3. chicken noodle soup
4. macaroni and cheese
5. hot fudge sundae
6. stir fried rice
7. oatmeal
8. spaghetti and meatballs
93
9. salad
10. sandwich
Page 63
First place: Jacksnakes
Second place: Martha
caterpillars
Third place: Marissaautumn
leaves
Fourth place: Seymour
spiderwebs
Fifth place: Carlosdaisies
Page 64
2. teacher
3. veterinarian
4. photographer
5. singer
6. seamstress/tailor
7. astronomer
8. pilot
9. website designer
10. realtor
11. firefighter
12. professional runner/athlete
Page 65
2. photography
3. painting
4. playing video or board
games
5. bicycling
6. sewing
7. lifting weights
8. acting
9. cooking
10. traveling
11. watching movies
12. listening to, or playing,
music; alternatively,
watching cartoons
Answer Key
Page 66
2. brother
3. daughter
4. younger sister
5. grandmother or grandfather
6. father
7. son
8. grandmother
9. uncle
10. aunt
11. son or daughter
12. cousin
Page 67
1. hairdresser
2. duck and cover
3. mantelpiece
4. longstanding
5. newfangled
6. photojournalism
7. soap opera
8. sugarcoat
9. room service
10. organize
Page 68
The lightest cat is Boots, then
Jazz, then Cody, then Smoke,
with Molly as the fattest cat.
Page 69
Marisol wore mittens and pink
skates and drank cider.
Her older sister wore earmuffs
and blue skates and drank hot
chocolate.
Her younger sister wore a scarf
and purple skates and ate ice
cream.
Page 70
Hint: Make a chart and list each
set of possible combinations.
Answer: There are 18 possible
combinations.
#3986 Mind Twisters Grade 6
(cont.)
Page 71
1. The probability that both
are girls is 1/3. There are
four possibilities when
figuring out the gender of
two siblings: girl-girl, girlboy, boy-girl, and boy-boy.
Given that Jerry has one
sister, the boy-boy
combination is impossible.
So, there are three possible
combinations, and only one
with both girls.
2. In the second case, the
probability of having two
brothers is 12. (The odds are
even - 1 to 1.) The same
four possibilities for gender
must be considered. Girlgirl is not possible from the
given information. The
statement the older one is a
boy also eliminates the
girl-boy option. This leaves
only two choices.
Page 72
Answers will vary. The final
answer should be the month, day,
and year of the students birthday.
Page 73
The small hose fills 1/45 of the
trough per minute. The large
hose fills 1/30 of the trough per
minute. To add the two speeds,
find a common denominator. In
this case, 1/45 = 2/90 and 1/30 =
3/90. Now, add the two speeds:
2/90 + 3/90 = 5/90 = 1/18. Since
both hoses can fill 1/18 of the
trough every minute, it will take
18 minutes. Using both hoses
will save Krista at least 12
minutes.
94
Page 74
Hint: How many daily shares
of food do they start with?
Answer: The food will last
for 12 days. There are 8 x 15,
or 120 shares of food for 10
people, and each person has
12 days worth of food now.
Page 75
A= 5
E = 11
H = 42
M = 64
R=7
L = 120
G = 12
W= 3
N=4
Y = 36
P = 80
B = 18
C = 30
Z = 63
F = 60
J = 32
T = 10
D = 24
X = 20
O=8
K=6
S=9
I = 56
1. great-horned owl
2. bats
3. gray wolf
4. lynx
5. prairie dogs
6. killer whales
7. grizzly bear
Answer Key
Page 76
Page 77
A = 12
A = 5/8
B = 48
C=1
(cont.)
G = 2/15
Page 78
1. The rabbit never makes it.
Although the distance gets
smaller, the rabbit always has
half as much to go.
2. 5 ducks
3. 0
4. On the fourth square, the total is
256 grains, on the fifth 65,536,
and on the sixth 4,294,967,296.
H=5
H = 3/8
Page 79
I = 72
I = 3/10
K = 28
J = 5/24
L = 19
K = 2/15
M = 16
L = .2320
N = 54
M = .1376
C=8
D = 84
E=7
F=4
G = 99
O=6
P = 34
R = 63
S = 32
T = 11
D = 1/2
E = 1/3
F = 5/48
N = .1765
Page 80
There are a few ways to solve this
problem. Here is one example:
O=8
P = 18
618
753
294
R = 13/8
U = 20
S = 9/10
V= 3
T = 2/5
W = 10
U = 5/48
X = 15
V = 10
Y = 18
W= 4
Z=2
1. plastic bottle
2. potatoes
3. television
4. shorter
5. dripping faucet
6. newspaper
7. glass
Y = 2/7
1. Little Women
2. J.K. Rowling
3. Jack London
4. diary
5. carnival
6. her daughter
Page 81
95
Page 82
5 4
7 1 8 2
3 6
#3986 Mind Twisters Grade 6
Answer Key
Page 83
1. badminton
2. croquet
3. basketball
4. baseball
5. boxing
6. polo
7. dogsledding
8. cycling
9. fencing
10. rowing
11. track
Bonus: There is no I in team
(cont.)
Page 85
Page 84
2. all parts of a bicycle
3. all are objects that are hit
4. all are places in which to
compete
5. all are protective gear for
athletes
6. all are parts of tennis or
badminton
7. all are ridden as part of a
sport
8. all are locations for
practicing a sport
9. all are athletic footwear
10. all are part of track and
field competitions
Page 85
First PlaceBetsy
Second PlaceEugene
Third PlaceCathy
Fourth PlaceArmando
Fifth PlaceDon
96