TeachersFirst Thinking Flexibly (Habit of the Mind) Resources
Learn about Thinking Flexibly, a Habit of Mind—the ability to change perspectives, generate alternatives, and look at situations from multiple angles to discover new possibilities. In an ever-changing world, we've gathered a variety of tools to help you foster creativity, adaptability, and the ability to generate alternatives in your classroom. This creative habit empowers students to find various approaches to solve problems, adapt their strategies when circumstances change, and consider different viewpoints during discussions and debates. In this collection, you'll find interactive simulations and virtual labs that require students to adapt their strategies to succeed, as well as digital platforms for brainstorming and mind mapping that encourage diverse solutions. You will also discover brain teaser puzzles (and digital escapes) that require multiple solution pathways, interactive activities that challenge students to explore alternative perspectives, printable and virtual graphic organizers for comparing different approaches and options, lesson plans featuring open-ended problems with no single "right" answer, and debate protocols that encourage respectful consideration of opposing views. By deliberately incorporating these resources into your daily routines and creating a classroom culture that celebrates diverse thinking, you'll help students develop the mental agility and adaptability essential for navigating our ever-changing world.
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Flexible Thinking Activities - Life Skills Advocate, LLC
Grades
3 to 12
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The Life Skills Advocate blog provides a warm and practical collection of quick-hit strategies and activities designed to promote flexible thinking in students. It explores what flexible...more
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The Life Skills Advocate blog provides a warm and practical collection of quick-hit strategies and activities designed to promote flexible thinking in students. It explores what flexible thinking really means, why it matters for learning and life, and provides easy-to-use prompts, such as changing routines, trying different perspectives, or playing brain-teaser games, to foster adaptability and problem-solving. This resource is invaluable if you're looking for ways to build student resilience, creativity, and executive-functioning skills in the classroom.
tag(s): flexibility (5), perspective (24), problem solving (243), thinking skills (33)
In the Classroom
Give students a puzzle or game that has more than one solution and challenge them to find at least two ways to solve it. Then, have them share how they chose those methods. After reading a poem or short story, have students write what a different character or stakeholder might think or do. Then discuss how shifting their viewpoint changed their understanding of the text. Have students identify a classroom or school routine or space (for example, recess line-up, library checkout, transitions) and redesign it using flexible thinking. Then have the students map out at least two alternative versions, predict outcomes, and present their designs and reasoning to the class.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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OER Commons- Thinking Flexibly - OER Commons
Grades
1 to 12
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The OER Commons website offers a helpful collection of free lessons and activities focused on the habit of thinking flexibly. Teachers can find ready-to-use resources such as lesson...more
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The OER Commons website offers a helpful collection of free lessons and activities focused on the habit of thinking flexibly. Teachers can find ready-to-use resources such as lesson plans, checklists, and discussion prompts that help students learn how to adjust their thinking, see new perspectives, and try different strategies when solving problems. These materials cover a range of grade levels and subjects and can be easily adapted to fit your classroom needs, making it a great place to support creative and critical thinking.
tag(s): critical thinking (140), flexibility (5), perspective (24), problem solving (243), thinking skills (33)
In the Classroom
Start class with puzzles or riddles that can be solved in more than one way, encouraging students to explore different strategies and perspectives. In small groups, have students tackle an open-ended task, such as designing a classroom improvement plan or inventing a tool for everyday life, using creative and logical thinking to propose multiple solutions. Use an OER Commons lesson in science or math that asks students to approach a problem from more than one angle, emphasizing that flexibility strengthens understanding in all subjects.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Thinking Flexible Lesson Plan - scribd
Grades
4 to 12
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This lesson plan, titled "Thinking Flexibly," focuses on helping students understand what flexible thinking looks like, how it differs from rigid thinking, and how they can develop...more
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This lesson plan, titled "Thinking Flexibly," focuses on helping students understand what flexible thinking looks like, how it differs from rigid thinking, and how they can develop it as a habit of mind. The objectives include explaining what "thinking flexibly" means, identifying examples and non-examples, transforming rigid-thinking scenarios into flexible ones, and applying the skill in the classroom, home, and real-world contexts. The plan includes definition, examples, group practice, and reflection to help students internalize the mindset shift.
tag(s): flexibility (5), thinking skills (33)
In the Classroom
Present students with everyday classroom situations (for example, "You forgot your homework" or "Your partner disagrees with your idea"). Have them sort these into rigid or flexible thinking responses and discuss what makes each one different. Have students reflect weekly on moments when they practiced flexibility in school or at home, describing how adapting their thinking helped them succeed. In science or math, challenge students to find two different methods to reach the same result, showing that flexible thinking leads to problem-solving success.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PBS KIDS Graphic Organizers - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
K to 3
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PBS KIDS "Graphic Organizers" collection provides educators with various printable tools designed to enhance young learners' comprehension and organizational skills. These graphic organizers...more
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PBS KIDS "Graphic Organizers" collection provides educators with various printable tools designed to enhance young learners' comprehension and organizational skills. These graphic organizers are tailored to accompany popular PBS KIDS programs, facilitating connections between content and critical thinking exercises. Notably, the collection includes resources available in Spanish, such as the Wild Kratts and Animal Alphabet graphic organizers, supporting bilingual instruction and catering to diverse classroom needs. The resources are also presented in Spanish.
tag(s): critical thinking (140), graphic organizers (51), organizational skills (83), preK (287), reading comprehension (143), spanish (107)
In the Classroom
After watching an episode of Wild Kratts or Arthur, have students complete a character web to describe a main character's traits, actions, and relationships. Spanish-speaking students can use the corresponding organizer in Spanish to support bilingual learning. Use the sequencing graphic organizer to help students retell an episode in order (beginning, middle, end). Have students draw pictures or write simple sentences, depending on their level. Students can also use a blank story map to plan their own short story using PBS characters or original ideas. Encourage them to share their story with peers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Jigsaw Planet - Jigsaw Planet
Grades
4 to 12
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Jigsaw Planet is an online platform allowing players to create, share, and solve jigsaw puzzles using personal images. While the platform is accessible to participants of all ages,...more
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Jigsaw Planet is an online platform allowing players to create, share, and solve jigsaw puzzles using personal images. While the platform is accessible to participants of all ages, it's important to note participants must be 13 years or older to use certain features according to their Terms of Service. For younger students in grades 4-8, educators can guide them in creating puzzles using age-appropriate images, ensuring compliance with the platform's guidelines. This activity fosters creativity, enhances problem-solving skills, and provides an engaging learning experience.
tag(s): fathers day (17), holidays (228), mothers day (22), puzzles (148)
In the Classroom
Students upload their images or class photos to Jigsaw Planet and create custom jigsaw puzzles. They can choose meaningful images like family photos or classroom memories. Encourage students to create puzzles as personalized gifts for holidays like Mother's Day or Father's Day. They can print and present the puzzle pieces as thoughtful, interactive gifts. Teachers can create jigsaw puzzles using educational content, such as historical events, scientific concepts, or vocabulary words. Students can then solve the puzzle while learning about the topic. Create a trivia-based jigsaw puzzle where each piece corresponds to a question or fact about a specific topic (ex., animals, historical figures, or math concepts). Students solve the puzzle and answer questions as they go.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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MLA Digital Escape Room - John S. Bailey Library
Grades
9 to 12
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The MLA Digital Escape Room, developed by the John S. Bailey Library at The American College of Greece, is an interactive online tool designed to help students master MLA citation...more
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The MLA Digital Escape Room, developed by the John S. Bailey Library at The American College of Greece, is an interactive online tool designed to help students master MLA citation style in an engaging and fun manner. Through a series of challenges, participants learn to navigate the MLA Citation Guide, distinguish between various in-text and works cited citations, and identify the components of an MLA-formatted paper. Upon completing the escape room, students receive a score and a downloadable certificate, making it an effective resource for reinforcing citation skills in the classroom.
tag(s): citations (30), digital escapes (25)
In the Classroom
Before students complete the MLA Digital Escape Room, give them a scavenger hunt worksheet with different citation challenges (such as find the correct MLA format for a book, article, or website). Prepare incorrect MLA citations and display them on the board. Students must identify errors and correct them before the teacher does. After completing the digital escape room, students could work in small groups to design their own MLA-themed escape room using Genially, reviewed here or Google Forms, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Online Escape Room Templates - Genially
Grades
3 to 12
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Genially's Escape Room Game Templates provide educators with interactive and customizable digital escape room experiences. These templates allow teachers to create engaging, gamified...more
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Genially's Escape Room Game Templates provide educators with interactive and customizable digital escape room experiences. These templates allow teachers to create engaging, gamified learning activities where students solve puzzles, answer questions, and unlock clues to progress. The platform supports multimedia elements such as images, animations, and clickable objects, making lessons more immersive. Teachers can use these escape rooms for review sessions, team-building exercises, or subject-specific challenges across various grade levels.
tag(s): digital escapes (25), game based learning (215), gamification (75), puzzles (148)
In the Classroom
Create an escape room where students solve riddles and match definitions to unlock clues. Use synonyms, antonyms, or context clues to reinforce vocabulary skills in a fun, interactive way. Design an escape room where students "travel" through different historical events, solving primary source analysis puzzles, decoding ciphers, and answering questions to unlock the next time period. Students must solve multi-step word problems or algebraic equations to advance through a mystery-themed escape room. Each correct answer reveals a key to "unlock" the final solution. Simulate a science experiment gone wrong! Students analyze data, interpret graphs, and solve scientific riddles to find the missing formula or save the lab before time runs out. After reading a novel or short story, students could navigate an escape room based on key events, themes, and character motivations. They solve puzzles related to symbolism, figurative language, or plot twists to escape.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Save the Planet Breakout - Genially
Grades
5 to 12
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Can your students save the planet and break free from this escape room? Use this template to create an engaging and interactive activity that takes students through four missions to...more
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Can your students save the planet and break free from this escape room? Use this template to create an engaging and interactive activity that takes students through four missions to learn about sustainability using windmills, forests, animals, and pole fusion. Each slide includes a text box with information to guide you through personalizing the content. Share this escape room with students as a presentation on your interactive whiteboard, or turn over the controls to students by inviting them to participate on their devices.
tag(s): conservation (104), digital escapes (25), game based learning (215), gamification (75), sustainability (54)
In the Classroom
Customize this escape room to match your curriculum requirements, then share it with students as an in-class activity, homework assignment, or flipped learning activity to review content. Find resources for your escape room by visiting TeachersFirst Special Topics Page: Escape Room Resources, reviewed here. Include your completed breakout room as an option on a choice board.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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History Breakout Template - Genially
Grades
6 to 12
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Unlock the keys to history with gamified activities and escape rooms that you can personalize using Genially, reviewed here. Customizable content...more
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Unlock the keys to history with gamified activities and escape rooms that you can personalize using Genially, reviewed here. Customizable content includes options to add audio, video, multimedia, text, and interactive images. Begin by choosing the "Use this template" link to add the thirty-two-slide template to your Genially dashboard. Add information to each slide following the information provided to guide students through four missions. Invite students to join a live presentation using their devices or work together as a class using a live presentation on your whiteboard.
tag(s): digital escapes (25), game based learning (215), gamification (75), mysteries (26)
In the Classroom
Create interactive escape rooms to introduce history lessons, review for upcoming quizzes and tests, or as an engaging homework activity. As you create your history breakout, use Genially's AI features to generate questions, remove image backgrounds, and create images. Find free images to use with your breakout activity by browsing through resources available on TeachersFirst Special Topics Page for Free Image Resources, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Rebus Generator - festisite
Grades
2 to 8
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The Festisite Rebus Generator is an online tool that enables educators to transform text into engaging rebus puzzles, where words or phrases are represented through images and letters....more
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The Festisite Rebus Generator is an online tool that enables educators to transform text into engaging rebus puzzles, where words or phrases are represented through images and letters. This interactive resource supports multiple languages, including English, German, Danish, and Dutch, allowing diverse classroom applications. Teachers can input text, and the generator instantly creates a rebus puzzle, which can be customized further by using emoji characters or adding hints. Print the generated puzzles or share digitally, making them versatile for various educational activities, including digital escape rooms. Incorporating rebus puzzles into lessons can enhance students' problem-solving skills, reinforce vocabulary, and add fun to language learning.
tag(s): digital escapes (25), game based learning (215), puzzles (148)
In the Classroom
Have students create rebus puzzles for their weekly vocabulary words or spelling lists using the generator. They swap puzzles with classmates to solve, reinforcing word meanings in a fun way. Students write a short story or paragraph and replace keywords with rebus puzzles. Classmates decode the rebus to reconstruct the whole story. Use rebus puzzles as hidden clues in a classroom escape room or scavenger hunt. Students must solve them to unlock the next challenge, incorporating problem-solving and critical thinking.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mind Map Generator - mymap.ai
Grades
6 to 12
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The Mind Map Generator quickly creates mindmaps from your prompt using artificial intelligence (AI) without requiring registration. Describe an idea or topic in the chat box, then click...more
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The Mind Map Generator quickly creates mindmaps from your prompt using artificial intelligence (AI) without requiring registration. Describe an idea or topic in the chat box, then click the arrow to continue. Information is produced in a flow chart that includes colored labels. The chart offers options to edit your mind map's style and content and look by clicking each card containing information. Additional features allow you to "ask AI" to add supplemental content such as maps and images. When finished, use the provided links to export your mind map to the web as a PNG file, generate a link for others to access and edit the information, and publish it as a web page.
tag(s): artificial intelligence (216), mind map (28)
In the Classroom
Although the interface for this mind map tool appears to be very simple, it offers many opportunities to create and share complex results. Begin by making simple mind maps such as themes found in novels your class reads or features of a state you study. After creating a mind map, ask this tool to build a visual story, for example, of the events leading up to the Civil War, then use the presentation feature to share and view with your students. As you become more familiar with the available features, modify the mind maps created to produce a personalized visual representation that fits your needs and includes links to additional information. Use the chat feature to make images and maps to supplement students' learning. Share mind maps you create as you begin a new unit as a helpful visual tool for students to understand the different components to recognize in your studies. Extend learning by developing a simple mind map of your topic and sharing it with students. Ask students to contribute information to the mind map that correlates to the information already included. Because this tool contains many features, it might be helpful to ask tech-savvy students to create video tutorials sharing how to use and modify the mind maps created. For example, make videos using the AI chat feature to produce images and maps or share a tutorial on adding links to portions of your mind map.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Brain Teasers and Puzzles - Brain Easer
Grades
2 to 12
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Improve critical thinking and problem-solving skills through the use of brain teasers, puzzles, and riddles found on this clever site. Select from fifteen categories of teasers divided...more
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Improve critical thinking and problem-solving skills through the use of brain teasers, puzzles, and riddles found on this clever site. Select from fifteen categories of teasers divided into three categories - math & logic, language & visual, and other. Brain teasers are also sorted by difficulty level, beginning with very easy and proceeding up to very difficult. Each puzzle includes the solution to explain the logic behind the answer.
tag(s): critical thinking (140), geometric shapes (136), patterns (64), Problem Based Learning (11), problem solving (243)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this brain teaser site to use throughout the school year. Share a problem of the week with your students to complete as homework or during a work center. Provide teasers of different levels of difficulty to differentiate and challenge your students. Enhance student learning by asking them to explain their success in solving challenges and sharing their process to find the correct solution. Use Padlet, reviewed here, to share your weekly teasers, then have students create and share a video response. This is a link to Padlet's Help section for posting video or an image. Extend learning further by creating a class book using Imagine Forest, reviewed here. Use Imagine Forest to make and share a digital book of brain teasers. Use the interactive elements to add links to audio suggestions for tackling problems or link to video solutions on the final pages of your book.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thinkalong - Conneticut Public
Grades
6 to 12
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Improve and build students' critical thinking skills, debate skills, and media literacy using Thinkalong. Present students with provocative questions such as "Are Self-Driving Cars...more
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Improve and build students' critical thinking skills, debate skills, and media literacy using Thinkalong. Present students with provocative questions such as "Are Self-Driving Cars Safe? Should performance-enhancing drugs be allowed in professional sports? Should schools provide a laptop and internet for every student? Should social media companies be allowed to sell your data?" to name a few of the many topics. Topics focus on science, social studies, and current events. After clicking a topic, find three main categories: Teachers (a teacher's guide), Investigate (usually a graphic organizer), and Contemplate (question the authorship, format, audience purpose, etc.). However, that's not all! Under those categories, you'll find even move resources listed as Watch, Listen, Think Deep, and Contemplate (deeper thinking questions about the message); after all this, students have the opportunity to test their opinions through a structured debate in class or online with another class. Although the resource states it's for middle school students, these lessons could easily be adapted for high school.
tag(s): critical thinking (140), debate (40), inquiry (28), media literacy (105), news (223), persuasive writing (53), Research (78)
In the Classroom
Whether teaching in a classroom or online, scan the included PDF or Word documents into Google Classroom or your school student/teacher platform to share and assign to students. Enhance student learning by asking students to use highlighting and note-taking tools within their word document to provide documentation for their responses. To prepare students for Common Core Assessments on evidence and arguments, have them choose a popular topic, research it (with the materials provided) so they can provide evidence for their stance when writing about their opinion or to refute another's. The debate section is the perfect opportunity to teach students about countering an opposing opinion, deciding which is the strongest point, and then teach them how to address concerns of others in their writing or debate. For example, they can concede it is a valid point and then counter with another strong argument. Consider sharing the activities found on this site with your peers as a model for redesigning lessons you already use in your classroom (for online learning during absences and crises?). Use Padlet, reviewed here, to collaborate and share ideas, activities, and resources as you work toward incorporating inquiry lessons into your classrooms.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kialo Edu - Kialo, Inc
Grades
2 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Kialo offers a platform for focused online discussions, this version is dedicated to educational users. Use Kialo to create and map out debates onto an interactive tree featuring arguments...more
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Kialo offers a platform for focused online discussions, this version is dedicated to educational users. Use Kialo to create and map out debates onto an interactive tree featuring arguments both pro and con. Create your own forum or participate in the questions posed by other site members. Choose to make your question private or public then invite others to contribute. Throughout the debate use the site's tools to rate the impact of arguments and switch perspectives to view opinions from the other side. Be sure to watch Kialo's introductory video for an overview of all of the site's features and check out the sample classroom activities and assignments.
tag(s): collaboration (80), debate (40), perspective (24), point of view (7), Teacher Utilities (194)
In the Classroom
Kialo is a great resource to find debate topics to use with your students; be sure to bookmark it. Explore the topics available on the public portion of the site and share the discussions with your students. Use the information to teach students how to include relevant information when debating any topic and point out the importance of viewing information through different perspectives. When ready, create your own topic for classroom debate using the private option. For example, have students debate the importance of the use of propaganda during World War 2 or the ethics of using animals when testing products. As students research your topic, have them use Wakelet, reviewed here, to bookmark and save their research. When complete, transform learning by asking students to use an infographic creation tool like Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, to create an infographic based on their topic.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Puzzle Prime - Puzzle Prime
Grades
6 to 12
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Puzzle Prime is an excellent collection of some of the best puzzles, games, and illusions on the Internet. Run by a small group of mathematicians, content is carefully selected to ...more
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Puzzle Prime is an excellent collection of some of the best puzzles, games, and illusions on the Internet. Run by a small group of mathematicians, content is carefully selected to meet their high standards. Select a puzzle by type, skill level, or topic. When ready, click the solution to find puzzle answers.
tag(s): logic (158), problem solving (243), puzzles (148)
In the Classroom
Share a link to Puzzle Prime on classroom computers and your class website for students to access on any device. Consider having a "puzzle of the week" activity for students to complete on their own or in groups using activities on this site. Ask students to demonstrate their thinking process in completing puzzles by demonstrating on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector. Take this a step further and ask student to create a video explanation using a tool like Screencastify, reviewed here, and share them on a site such as TeacherTube reviewed here. Use these puzzles as examples and encourage students to create their puzzles for others to solve. Have cooperative learning groups create podcasts sharing problem and puzzle solving tips; for this, use a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Critical Thinking Puzzles - Eldhose Baby
Grades
8 to 12
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Explore this large collection of problem solving puzzles and activities, posted blog-style. Although the site is rather simple, there is much here to challenge your mind! Some puzzles...more
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Explore this large collection of problem solving puzzles and activities, posted blog-style. Although the site is rather simple, there is much here to challenge your mind! Some puzzles are geared towards mathematics skills while others involve the English language or even logic. This site only contains the problems. No hints or correct answers are included. You may post your thoughts and view comments of others; all comments are moderated. You must sign up using email to leave comments. Find previous puzzles in the Blog Archives. Please note that though comments are moderated, some may still may not be appropriate for your age group. So please preview before you share with students.
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tag(s): logic (158), problem solving (243), puzzles (148)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and use Critical Thinking Puzzles in your classroom throughout the year for problem solving and logic activities. Have students or groups collect ideas and findings using Padlet, reviewed here. The Padlet application creates free online bulletin boards. If your students (or you) have trouble figuring out a solution, post the problem on your classroom bulletin board and revisit throughout the year. View the comments privately, to see if you can give your students "a clue." Why not post a "question of the week" on your class website, using a link to this page! Challenge your gifted students to create their own critical thinking puzzles to share with the class. Create an online book of puzzles using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. (Have them include the solutions in the back of the online book.)Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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MindMup - Gojko Adzic, Damjan Vujnovic, David de Florinier
Grades
K to 12
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MindMup is an easy to use mind mapping tool. Click to create a new map. Double click the starter bubble to add your title. Use the tool box (top menu) ...more
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MindMup is an easy to use mind mapping tool. Click to create a new map. Double click the starter bubble to add your title. Use the tool box (top menu) to add or edit ideas. Use the mouse to drag and drop nodes. The mouse can also be used to scroll the map (drag the central node, or anywhere outside the map). As soon as you change a map, the Save button appears in the toolbar. Click it and your new map gets a unique URL. Every time you save, the map gets a new URL. Just copy and share the URL with colleagues and friends. Anyone can edit the map, but won't change your original copy. The best part of this simple/easy site: no registration required!
tag(s): concept mapping (15), graphic organizers (51), mind map (28), organizational skills (83)
In the Classroom
This free organizational tool can be used in classrooms at every level. Use this tool to help organize learning units and share the organization on screen so students see how pieces fit together. Share the unit map with other teachers, students, or parents. Highlight goals, objectives, learning tasks, assessments, and resources. Share before your unit, and expectations become very clear. Use as a yearly overview for parents at the beginning of the year at Open House. Let parents see the multiple ways their child will be assessed through the year. Have students use this tool for direction in problem based learning situations. Use this tool in science for collecting data, experiments, or science fair outlines. Use the tool in writing class to make writing guides for narrative or expository writing. In reading use for predictions, sequencing of stories, inferences, or organizing genres of books each student has read. Have students map multiple ways to solve a single problem in math class. Have students keep daily requirements or schedules with readily available resources as links. Let students enjoy taking notes from content based classes. Have a student scribe create the notes each day and share with the class. Have student groups map the current unit before the test as a review activity. Or use an ongoing map as a whole class visual diagram of concepts learned, adding new knowledge throughout a unit. Don't miss the chance to color code to "sort" ideas and concepts!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ProCon - Procon.org
Grades
7 to 12
7 Favorites
2 Comments
Procon presents controversial issues in a non-partisan manner. Find current issues with balanced information to promote critical thinking without bias. Categories include Education,...more
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Procon presents controversial issues in a non-partisan manner. Find current issues with balanced information to promote critical thinking without bias. Categories include Education, Entertainment & Sports, Elections & Presidents, Science & Technology, and New Topics among others. Issues can include Abortion, Euthanasia, Climate Change, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Health Care Reform, Obesity, and the Death Penalty, just to name a few. Read the information on each issue in a Pro and Con format along with background information, and discussion questions. Some included video clips. Some topics are controversial, so adults using this site with young people may want to go directly to a single issue rather than having them browse openly.
tag(s): climate change (100), critical thinking (140), debate (40), difficult conversations (53), persuasive writing (53), politics (120)
In the Classroom
Using controversial topics that have more than one side is a great way to develop critical thinking and problem solving. Find issues on this site that relate to your curriculum and use them as an entry point for a new unit. Use the teaching resources found on the top menu under the Teacher's Corner. Use this site to teach how to distinguish facts from opinions, using information to write essays or create speeches, or hold a class debate. You may want to facilitate student persuasive writing by using an outline such as Persuasion Map, reviewed here, to help them organize their thinking. Help students develop flexibility in their thinking by having them take part in a difficult conversation and argue a side they do NOT agree with. This will also help students think about how to refute a point the opposition will make. Focus on critical thinking with your students to develop skills needed for life. Use as a whole class activity or for individual students to find an issue of interest to them. Gifted students often think deeply on such issues at an early age and will find these topics of great interest. Use this site to guide a deliberate discussion or debate.Comments
I also love this site, but I don't see any advertising on there at all. The site is free. Not sure how they stay afloat but I'm glad they do. For me, it is better than Opposing Viewpoints database for its depth, ease of use, and lack of registration/passwords. I use it for student debates on current events, and my wife (an English teacher) uses it for persuasive essays and role play debates.ProCon, , Grades: 0 - 12
I've used this and it's great! Balanced, has good resources. Helps students see both sides of an issue.Frances, CT, Grades: 6 - 8
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Tricider - tricider.com
Grades
3 to 12
6 Favorites
0 Comments
Tricider is an exciting tool to help people brainstorm and make decisions. You put a question in the appropriate box and then select who is eligible to comment and vote. ...more
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Tricider is an exciting tool to help people brainstorm and make decisions. You put a question in the appropriate box and then select who is eligible to comment and vote. Invite people to join in making decisions via Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or email. Options include setting a time limit, or closing down the question or discussion. There is no registration required, and the site is completely free.
tag(s): brainstorming (19), conflict resolution (10), debate (40), persuasive writing (53), polls and surveys (42), questioning (34)
In the Classroom
Introduce Tricider on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Use this site to develop arguments sides for an upcoming debate or persuasive writing assignment. Promote higher level thinking by asking students to brainstorm options and set criteria to choose. Build mental flexibility as they see alternate points of view on an issue. Encourage your students to use this tool for projects, decision making, and organization.If you have students create book ads in your class, or projects, your students can vote on which book they want to read next or which project they would like to investigate further, etc. Teachers can also use Tricider to survey students about what resources on your website are the best, what further explanation they may need about a unit in math or science, which project students would like to do as a summative assessment, or ways to encourage "green" practices in your community. Be sure to have your students use a code or number instead of an actual name.
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Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram - ReadWriteThink
Grades
2 to 6
3 Favorites
0 Comments
This online tool allows students to generate clear and easy to use "2 circle" Venn Diagrams. The opening page asks you to name the project and then label the two ...more
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This online tool allows students to generate clear and easy to use "2 circle" Venn Diagrams. The opening page asks you to name the project and then label the two circles in the Venn Diagram. When you click NEXT a professional looking Venn Diagram will be created based on your project and labels. The interactive Venn Diagram allows you to generate concepts (type words) and place them in circle 1 or circle 2 by clicking and dragging the word. You are able to place the word in either circle, or the overlapping area. When inputting a concept word a text box is provided to type in a detailed description. There is also a demonstration video that shows how to type concept words and descriptions and how to drag and place the concepts onto the Venn Diagram. The program allows you to edit and print (but not SAVE!) the finished Venn Diagrams.
tag(s): graphic organizers (51), summarizing (23), venn diagrams (15)
In the Classroom
Use this handy tool to guide your students through the process of organizing information in Venn diagram form. View the demonstration video together on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Complete a Venn Diagram as a class activity. Then have students work on individual computers to create their own Venn Diagrams to correlate with a language arts, social studies, or interdisciplinary lesson. Have students print out their Venn Diagrams and share them with the class. Once they have mastered this skill and underlying concepts, allow them to create even more colorful Venn diagrams using colorful Autoshapes circles, clip art, and text boxes on PowerPoint slides or using Inspiration software. Show them how to use color as a way to communicate meaning by color-coding, as well.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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