344 mind-stretchers results | sort by:
Thinking Flexibly (Habit of the Mind) - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): flexibility (5), thinking skills (32)
In the Classroom
Discover new tools to try in your classroom that foster flexible thinking. Also, explore the professional resources (for you). Each review includes classroom use ideas. Read the details of each tool and find the ones that will work for you and your students.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Women's History Month - Van Andel Institute for Education
Grades
K to 8tag(s): STEM (331), women (178), womenchangemaker (67)
In the Classroom
Students can research additional women using Kiddle reviewed here and create their very own "Guess Who Changed the World" game. Students can use Canva Edu reviewed here to generate an image for their stamp from the "Putting her Stamp on History" activity. Students can use Seesaw reviewed here to post their findings each day after participating in the "Women's History Month daily activities."Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Valentine's Day STEAM - Van Andel Institute for Education
Grades
K to 8tag(s): holidays (228), STEM (331), valentines day (11)
In the Classroom
Have students design and build a Valentine's candy box that can protect its contents when dropped from a height of three feet. Provide basic materials, such as cardboard, cotton balls, tape, and paper, to encourage creative thinking and collaboration. Challenge students to design a heart-shaped parachute that will slow the fall of a candy box. Use tissue paper, string, and tape to explore drag, air resistance, and basic physics concepts. Before building, have students use a digital design tool like Google Drawings reviewed here to visualize and plan their candy box. This allows them to apply tech skills and practice design thinking.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Maker's 50 Download - Van Andel Institute for Education
Grades
K to 12tag(s): makerspace (39), STEM (331)
In the Classroom
Makerspace can be used in the classroom to engage students in hands-on learning. While completing these activities, students can use Seesaw reviewed here to journal their learning. Students can use Padlet reviewed here to post questions. Students can use Kiddle reviewed here to research information. These tools are versatile: display the poster near a donation bin to invite contributions, use the checklist to ensure you've covered all key materials, and label storage areas to keep everything organized. Ideal for STEM, arts, or cross-disciplinary projects, the Maker's 50 offers both structure and flexibility to empower student-driven creativity.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Project Based Learning Project ideas - Van Andel Institute for Education
Grades
K to 12tag(s): Project Based Learning (24)
In the Classroom
Students can use Google Drawings reviewed here to create a cause and effect diagram while researching for the "Save the Turtles" PBL card. Students can use Acast reviewed here to make a public service announcement of the importance of composting while using the PBL card titled "Why Does My Teacher Have Worms?"Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Happier Holidays - Van Andel Institute for Education
Grades
K to 8In the Classroom
Students can use Seesaw reviewed here to post all the information that they learn while researching holiday traditions around the world. Have students create heartfelt cards for individuals in hospitals, nursing homes, or the military during the holiday season. Connect students with senior citizens to learn about their life stories and holiday memories.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thinksgiving - Van Andel Institute for Education
Grades
K to 8tag(s): holidays (228), STEM (331), thanksgiving (25)
In the Classroom
Students can use Figma, reviewed here to compare and contrast Thanksgiving from long ago to now. Students can use Book Creator, reviewed here to create a class book after completing the perfect Thanksgiving meal. Finally, students can post what they are thankful for on Padlet, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Games and Activities - Van Andel Institute for Education
Grades
K to 8tag(s): artificial intelligence (210), engineering (141), social and emotional learning (111)
In the Classroom
Students can engage in the activities that are available on the site. Students can use Seesaw reviewed here to answer the reflection questions. Students can use post answers to questions associated with the different activities using Padlet reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Moon Illusion: Why Does the Moon Look So Big Sometimes? - NASA
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): moon (72), solar system (111)
In the Classroom
After reading the article, students can use Google Keep, reviewed here to track the size of the moon. Before beginning the lesson (or reading the article), students can answer the question "Does the moon look big sometimes?" and post their responses on Padlet, reviewed here. Finally, students can create a presentation with facts about the size of the moon using Google Slides, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Room Escape Resources - Room Escape Resources
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): digital escapes (25), mysteries (27)
In the Classroom
Teachers can create their own digital escape rooms using the tools offered by the site. Students can rate the tools used in the digital escape room using Dotstorming, reviewed here. Finally, students can create their own digital escape rooms for their fellow students to solve using at least one resource per featured section.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Christmas Escape Room - Genially
Grades
K to 7This site includes advertising.
tag(s): christmas (38), digital escapes (25), gamification (75), hanukkah (21), holidays (228), kwanzaa (23)
In the Classroom
Edit and personalize the questions in this escape room to create an engaging activity for students to complete during holiday parties. Include other December holidays, such as Kwanzaa and Hannukah, to create a multicultural holiday escape room. Visit TeachersFirst Special Topics Pages Kwanzaa, reviewed here, Christmas Resources, reviewed here, and Hannukah Resources, reviewed here to find resources to include with a multicultural holiday escape room.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Let's Learn - Thirteen PBS
Grades
K to 2In the Classroom
Students can compare and contrast picture books featured on the site using Google Drawing reviewed here. Students can use Seesaw reviewed here to complete a Show What You Know after watching a video. Finally, students can complete one of the Show What You Know activities featured on the website.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mind and Movement - Let's Learn
Grades
K to 3tag(s): emotions (53), social and emotional learning (111)
In the Classroom
Students can use Book Creator reviewed here to create a book about their feelings. Students can use Aha Slides, reviewed here to create word clouds to generate synonyms for feeling words.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Horror Escape Room - Genially
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): digital escapes (25), gamification (75), halloween (46), holidays (228)
In the Classroom
Share this escape room with students as designed, or modify the template to match the interests and ages of your students. For example, change the questions for younger students to include Disney villains, scary Halloween costumes, or Halloween candy. For older students, use questions from age-appropriate movies and books or take students on a virtual journey to "scary" places such as Transylvania. Find ideas to include in your escape room at The Halloween Collection reviewed here. Include this escape room as an activity for students to participate in during your Halloween or Fall parties.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Musical Escape Room - Genially
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): digital escapes (25), gamification (75), jazz (17), music theory (47), musical instruments (53), musical notation (34), rhythm (22)
In the Classroom
Share this template with your school's music teacher to use in many different ways, such as exploring music genres, musicians, and instruments. Incorporate a music sound room into math lessons by asking students to solve problems using musical notation (e.g., a quarter note is ''?, a half note is ''?) or as a social studies activity to match songs to different periods, like the Roaring Twenties or the Civil Rights movement. As an extension activity, share Blob Opera, reviewed here with students to enjoy experimenting with pitch through interactions with traditional, classic songs.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Online Escape Room Templates - Genially
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): digital escapes (25), game based learning (211), gamification (75), puzzles (147)
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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How to Make a Digital Escape Room for the Classroom - Nearpod
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): collaboration (79), digital escapes (25), game based learning (211), problem solving (244), puzzles (147)
In the Classroom
Start the lesson with a quick digital escape puzzle related to the topic. For example, students solve an equation in a math class to reveal a clue, or in an ELA class, they decode a sentence to find a hidden theme. After experiencing a digital escape room, have students design their own using Nearpod or Google Forms, reviewed here and Nearpod, reviewed here. They can create puzzles based on a novel they read, a historical event, or a math concept, reinforcing learning through creation. Combine multiple subjects into one escape room experience. For example, students solve a math puzzle to get a clue, analyze a poem for another, and answer a science question to unlock the final key--blending critical thinking across subjects. Design a digital escape room focused on real-world skills (ex., financial literacy, digital citizenship, or environmental science). Students must apply knowledge to solve practical challenges and unlock the final "escape."Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Maths Escape Room - Twinkl Educational Publishing
Grades
2 to 8tag(s): angles (52), collaboration (79), counting (61), critical thinking (139), digital escapes (25), equations (119), fractions (160), game based learning (211), negative numbers (13), numbers (116), order of operations (29), problem solving (244), puzzles (147), pythagorean theorem (20), ratios (47)
In the Classroom
Start the class with a mini escape puzzle where students solve a quick math problem to "unlock" the day's lesson. Divide the class into small teams and use a Twinkl math escape room challenge. Teams work through math puzzles, decoding clues to "escape" first. After completing a Twinkl escape room, have students design a math-based escape puzzles for their classmates, reinforcing math concepts through creative problem-solving. Connect escape room puzzles to real-world math applications, such as budgeting for a trip, measuring distances, or calculating time zones, to show students the practical use of math skills.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Rebus Generator - festisite
Grades
2 to 8tag(s): digital escapes (25), game based learning (211), puzzles (147)
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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The Purring Test - TED
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): artificial intelligence (210), gifted (64), puzzles (147)
In the Classroom
Use this game as a brain break during those long lessons or indoor recess. Turn the daily puzzles into a friendly competition or debate and pair students to play a Pictionary-inspired game, mimicking how AI might interpret their drawings. After playing, lead a discussion on how AI "thinks" compared to humans.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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