413 mind-stretchers results | sort by:

Wonderopolis - National Center for Family Literacy
Grades
2 to 8tag(s): creativity (118), enrichment (12)
In the Classroom
These daily wonders are perfect to use while students are waiting for homeroom to begin. You could have them projected on a whiteboard for students to work on. Use these for an enrichment/curiosity center. They are perfect for the gifted student who finishes his work early. Use the provided vocabulary in your language arts or science curriculum. Place this link on your webpage for parents to use at home. In addition, this site would be a great place for students to go for science fair ideas or research project ideas. Please note that some videos are on You Tube so be sure to check to see if the videos might be blocked in your district. Consider adding a student-submitted "wonderopolis" page on your class wiki or a bulletin board for students to post their own thoughtful questions and build creativity. Make student questioning a part of your classroom life.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Study Jams Math - Scholastic
Grades
3 to 8tag(s): problem solving (294)
In the Classroom
Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector then have students explore this site independently or in small groups. Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Create a link to the site on your class website or blog for use at home. Mention the site in your class newsletters for parents to use when helping students at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Venn Diagram Shape Sorter - Shodor
Grades
3 to 8tag(s): logic (248), problem solving (294)
In the Classroom
Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students explore this site independently or in small groups. Ask students to create their own Venn Diagram and have other students guess the rule. Consider using a site such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (reviewed here). Use the site to demonstrate Venn Diagrams that might be used with different subjects: Science - use to sort animals by different characteristics, Social Studies - sort countries by different types of rule over a given time period. The possibilities are endless.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Comparison Estimator - Shodor
Grades
3 to 8tag(s): estimation (48), problem solving (294), test prep (98)
In the Classroom
Print the exploration questions found on the instructor tab for students to complete. Display activities on your interactive whiteboard or projector as a 5 minute time filler to practice estimation skills.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Clock Arithmetic - Shodor
Grades
4 to 8tag(s): time (141)
In the Classroom
Display on the interactive whiteboard or projector when introducing the concept of military time to show a 24 hour clock. Allow groups of students to work together to create different clocks and practice elapsed time on each.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Fuel the Brain
Grades
K to 5tag(s): fractions (228), money (185), numbers (197), preK (288), puzzles (203)
In the Classroom
The interactives are perfect to use on interactive whiteboards or projectors. Use activities as an introduction to new units such as making change, counting on the number line, or recognizing numbers shown with base 10 blocks. Save this on your desktop on all of your classroom computers. List this link on your classroom website or blog. This is excellent enrichment and/or advancement for gifted students. It could also be used for extra practice for struggling students. This site is definitely one to save and revisit often.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Word Games - FPS Networks Inc.
Grades
2 to 12Navigate carefully as this site has many advertisements! But the great interactives make it worth the hassle.
In the Classroom
Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector then have students explore this site independently or in small groups. Make a shortcut to this site on classroom computers and use it as a center. Provide a link to these activities on your class website.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Whole Number Cruncher - Shodor
Grades
3 to 8In the Classroom
Introduce the activity on your interactive whiteboard or projector, then provide students with the exploration questions to complete on their own or with a partner. Provide a link on your classroom website or blog for practice at home. Make a shortcut to this site on classroom computers and use it as a center. Have students create their own function machines to be solved by classmates.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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More or Less Estimator - Shodor
Grades
3 to 8tag(s): estimation (48), measurement (175)
In the Classroom
Introduce the activity on the interactive whiteboard or projector and model for students how to use estimation instead of actually counting the figures. Use the site as a springboard to discuss when estimation is appropriate and when measurement is needed. Use the site to begin discussions on what level of estimation is needed in different circumstances (close, really close and almost perfect).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Math Solutions - Math Solutions
Grades
K to 12tag(s): problem solving (294)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans; also search for plans in grades higher and lower that can be modified to meet your students' needs. Display student work included with the lesson plans on your interactive whiteboard or projector as conversation starters in your classroom - allow students to discuss other students' work to increase understanding of concepts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ice Ice Maybe - Manga High
Grades
2 to 6tag(s): estimation (48), logic (248), problem solving (294)
In the Classroom
Save as a shortcut on classroom computers to use as a center. Encourage students to problem solve to get the penguins further along the ice and achieve higher levels. Share this link on your class website so students can practice logic and estimation while at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Snappy Words-Free Visual Online Dictionary - Snappy Words.com
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): maps (298), parts of speech (66), speech (89), thesaurus (24)
In the Classroom
Teachers and students on all grade levels will love usingSnappy Words for all subjects. Demonstrate it on your classroom whiteboard or projector, bookmark it in your favorites, and make it directly available to students from your class webpage. Elementary students will enjoy defining their spelling words or content area vocabulary. They can categorize their words by parts of speech or create a list of synonyms. Students can then create their own word "maps" for new vocabulary words using drawing tools or online graphic organizers like bubbl.us, reviewed here. Middle school, high school and adult learners can use it as a valuable tool for vocabulary specific to a literary work or subject area, preparing for a standardized test, or while reading assigned material or a book, poem, or article of choice. Whether you are writing content for an article, a blog, a letter, or any assignment, minimize this website and play with words to avoid repetition, choose precise meanings and kick your vocabulary up a notch! Share this one on your class web page, for sure.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Houghton Mifflin's Math Expressions - Houghton Mifflin
Grades
K to 5tag(s): decimals (125), fractions (228), manipulatives (36), money (185)
In the Classroom
If using this series, check your grade level for additional ideas to help struggling students or ones who need an extra challenge. List this link on your class website for parents and students to access both in and out of class. Even if you don't use this series, you will find a plethora of math interactives by clicking on the link for Students. Make a shortcut on your computers to the student activities for your grade level. Share some of the activities (and how to USE them) on your interactive whiteboard or projector before assigning students to work independently.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Math-a-rama - Houghton-Mifflin
Grades
K to 6tag(s): fractions (228), integers (40), manipulatives (36), money (185), probability (141), test prep (98)
In the Classroom
Share the virtual manipulatives on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Be sure to list this link on your class website for students to access both at home and in the classroom. If you are going to use this site as a math learning center, put direct shortcuts to activities on your computers. Have older students create their own brain teasers and share them on your class wiki. Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries - check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mathematics from Houghton Mifflin - Houghton Mifflin
Grades
1 to 6In the Classroom
This site would be especially useful for teachers using the textbook, but the activities have general applicability as well. If you use this series, be sure to share this link on your class website for students to use at home for additional practice. All activities could be used in any elementary math class. Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to share a daily brainteaser appropriate for your grade level. Have students work with a partner to solve the brainteasers and create their own.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Maths is Fun - Rod Pierce
Grades
3 to 9tag(s): logic (248), measurement (175), problem solving (294)
In the Classroom
Use the teacher's page on the interactive whiteboard or projector to demonstrate math concepts such as symmetry, tessellations, and basic algebra concepts. Assign activities and games to students and let them become the expert in one topic. Use the illustrated math dictionary provided on the site as an example and create a class math dictionary of concepts learned. Have students share their new math term on the class wiki. Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries - check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through. This may also be a site that you want to include on your class website for students to use both in and out of the classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Puzzle Playground - Smart Kit
Grades
1 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): logic (248), problem solving (294), puzzles (203)
In the Classroom
This site is ideal to use on classroom computers as a center. Students will think they are playing games; however, they are really expanding their logic and problem solving skills through the interactive activities. This is a great site to list on your class webpage, for students to access both in and out of the classroom. For a bonus/extra credit challenge, ask students to FIND connections between a game and topics/concepts they have been studying and to explain the connections while demonstrating the game on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Hint: start with the Physics challenge.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Tangram House - Andrey Orlov
Grades
2 to 8tag(s): tangrams (13)
In the Classroom
Introduce on your interactive whiteboard or projector when beginning a geometry unit on shapes and vocabulary such as turn, flip and rotation. Challenge students to discuss how shapes are moved to form tangrams. Provide this link on your class website for students to use at home. This site is great for younger gifted students!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Algebra Meltdown - Manga High
Grades
3 to 8In the Classroom
Have a team competition on the interactive whiteboard or projector and challenge students to move on to higher levels. Students who aren't playing will still be learning as they try to solve problems along with the players. Use the activity as an introduction to algebra skills included in the interactive, such as multiplying and dividing with negatives. Challenge students to come up with the formulas for multiplying and dividing negatives based on correct responses in the activity.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Plastelina Logic Games
Grades
3 to 8In the Classroom
Have a team competition as students use the site on an interactive whiteboard or projector and try to see who can solve the puzzles first. Use the puzzles as a quick time filler and revisit on occasion until the puzzle is solved.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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