211 mind-stretchers results | sort by:

XKCD - XKCD
Grades
8 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): comics and cartoons (50), humor (16)
In the Classroom
Add humor to your science, math, language, and current events classes to lighten the mood! Spice up professional presentations with humor, and keep your audience involved. Share the direct URL to any comic that relates to your curriculum or specific topics. Encourage students to create comics with your current content. Have students use one of the tools and ideas included in this collection. Keep your class website humorous with a few comics from XKCD.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Math Puzzles - Transum
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): crosswords (18), logic (162), problem solving (220)
In the Classroom
Share the math puzzles on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Use as a math center or when you have an extra 5-10 minutes of time. Create a link to the puzzles on classroom computers or your class website. This is a great find for use with gifted students to practice logic and problem-solving skills. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs to explain their problem solving process and understanding using Webnode, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Nautilus - Nautilus
Grades
9 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): careers (135), expository writing (31), scientists (62), writing prompts (53)
In the Classroom
Share these articles as part of a broad discussion of the role of science in our world, such as during a unit on scientists or careers. Share Nautilus with your gifted or science-focused students to spark interests in scientific fields that are new to them. Assign gifted students to select an article and research it further when they have tested out of regular curriculum. They can share their discoveries as a multimedia presentation or write a blog post about them. Use articles from the magazine as fodder for class debates in English class or pull excerpts to use as writing prompts for informational or expository writing. The reading levels are high school and up, so be sure to partner weaker readers with a more capable reader if using this for class assignments. Check specific reading levels of an article by pasting its url into the Juicy Studio Readability Test, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Inspirograph - Nathan Friend
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): angles (50), critical thinking (108), gifted (62), problem solving (220)
In the Classroom
Use Inspirograph to create fascinating art and to explore math concepts. Have students experiment with different gear sizes (both fixed and rotating) and explain changes. Design a table for students to map out findings such as number of points made when using different gear sizes. Find patterns between the fixed circle sizes and the number of points generated. Work collaboratively with other groups of students to create and answer questions about spirograph designs. Identify the various shapes created.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Annenberg Learner - The Annenberg Foundation
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): art history (82), butterflies (12), conversions (36), critical thinking (108), dna (45), earth (178), environment (233), geometric shapes (130), immigrants (31), medieval (31), native americans (87), patterns (61), periodic table (42), renaissance (31), rocks (35), russia (33), south africa (11), spelling (94), statistics (114), volcanoes (55), weather (160)
In the Classroom
In your classroom, explore the interactives available to enhance your lessons. Use the lesson plan library to add a new twist to your subject matter. Organize a professional study of your area of concentration for your department or grade level.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Corbettmaths - Mr. Corbett
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): addition (126), angles (50), charts and graphs (166), coordinates (13), decimals (85), division (97), equations (116), estimation (34), fractions (160), geometric shapes (130), inequalities (22), mean (20), measurement (125), median (16), mode (13), multiplication (120), probability (96), problem solving (220), pythagorean theorem (19), quadratics (26), sequences (12), square roots (15), subtraction (108), time (92), transformations (12), volume (33)
In the Classroom
Use printables and worksheets from Corbettmath for homework, review, and reinforcement of any math concept. View videos together and have students complete practice questions. Create a link to YouTube videos on your class website or blog for students to view at home. Use this site to differentiate for students of all levels. Share this site as a way to review before tests.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Wall Street Survivor - Greg Isenberg and Rory Olson
Grades
8 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): business (48), financial literacy (93), money (118)
In the Classroom
Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Share articles on personal finance, investing, and more. Challenge students (or groups) to create their own Stock Market Leagues to learn about investing and trading. Use Wall Street Survivor as an after-school program for students to learn about finances and investing. Share this link on your class website for students to explore on their own. Your math-savvy gifted students and finance aficionados will love this one.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Free Dictionary - Farlex, Inc
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): dictionaries (47), quotations (20), thesaurus (21), vocabulary development (91), word choice (14)
In the Classroom
Set this site as the home page on classroom computers for students to read and find interesting articles and games. Create an account to customize the page to display information to suit class needs. Use information found on this site for quotes, interesting trivia, and much more. Display on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) and discuss articles and information with your class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Progressions Documents for the Common Core Math Standards - The Arizona Board of Regents
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): commoncore (74)
In the Classroom
Strengthen your teaching of Common Core mathematics. Having an understanding of the knowledge students enter with or without, leads to better preparation for where the students will explore later. Use this as an individual study or even as a professional learning group study with your grade level and department.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Visual Patterns - visualpatterns.org
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): equations (116), geometric shapes (130), patterns (61), problem solving (220)
In the Classroom
Introduce the concept of visual patterns on an interactive whiteboard or projector with the whole group. Give the practice problem and discover ways to solve while using pictures, words, and equations. Break into small groups and give a challenge. Assign individually for challenges. Have students create their own visual pattern while describing the geometrical terms the pattern employs. Add to students' math portfolios.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Estimation 180 - CC-BY-NC-SA
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): estimation (34), number sense (70), problem solving (220)
In the Classroom
In your classroom begin developing students' number sense immediately. Share on an interactive whiteboard or projector and show how to solve. Assign for homework the day before or even at the beginning of each class. Have students track their errors and see how it improves. Be sure to reflect and measure growth. Join the blog and add comments, questions, or suggestions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mathigon - The Mathematics Education Project
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): charts and graphs (166), fractions (160), geometric shapes (130), origami (14), probability (96), problem solving (220), tangrams (7)
In the Classroom
If you are a math teacher at any level, this is a MUST-SEE (and share) site. Take the time to explore it for specific sections connected to your curriculum concepts. Students in a BYOD classroom can explore interactives on this mobile-friendly site. Mathigon is perfect for use on interactive whiteboards, projector, and classroom computers. Use Mathigon activities to excite and motivate math students. Some activities require reading so you may need to partner your weaker readers with a buddy. Create a link to games and activities on your class website or blog for students to explore at home. Use Mathigon with gifted learners to extend your current math curriculum.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Oppia - Oppia.org
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): coding (85), computational thinking (39), cooking (30), electricity (60), equations (116), fractions (160), homonyms (8), homophones (7), india (25), latin (21), light (52), logic (162), politics (111), puzzles (143), quadratics (26), ratios (48), statistics (114), STEM (245), Teacher Utilities (137)
In the Classroom
Assign Oppia explorations to gifted students as part of your differentiated learning lessons. Use Oppia explorations as part of your flipped classroom. Have students complete explorations and then discuss in class. Add links to (or embed) Oppia explorations on your class website or blog for students to explore at home as a review tool or as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson. Join the Oppia Users Group to collaborate with others to create your own Oppia explorations.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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NCES Kids' Zone - NCES
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): charts and graphs (166), probability (96)
In the Classroom
Strike an interest in your school and community by finding out where you rank. Investigate college choices. After short quizzes, have a daily comparison of your students to see how they compare in civics, economics, geography, history, mathematics, and science at multiple grade levels. Inspire students to collect data and make their own graphs about school wide topics. Have students create an online graph using ChartGizmo, reviewed here. Dig into probability problems to discover the odds.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Math Dude: Quick and Dirty Tips - Jason Marshall, PhD
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): measurement (125), operations (74), podcasts (65), problem solving (220)
In the Classroom
Check ahead of time to be sure this site is not blocked at school. If it is blocked, consider subscribing to the blog via iTunes to avoid all the ads. External speakers connected to the computer will help broadcast the sound throughout your classroom. Help students follow along by opening the podcast article (transcript) ad-free using the Readability Test Tool, reviewed here. Project the ad-free article as you play the podcast. Share the link on your class web page or select specific episodes links to offer support for concepts you are studying, such as absolute value or sine/cosine. Extend the concept of The Math Dude by having students write and produce their own math tip podcasts or English tip podcasts to explain the grammar demons that haunt their writing. Use a site such as Spreaker, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Here is Today - Whitevinyl
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): 20th century (56), calendars (40), cells (79), earth (178), geologic time (10), timelines (46)
In the Classroom
View on your interactive whiteboard or projector to help students visualize and gain perspective of events over time. Here is Today would be great to use when studying dinosaurs, in biology class, in Earth science or geology units, or just as part of a philosophical discussion on the world today. This is a great tool to share with students where "our time" fits into the continuum of the earth's 'life." This site could be used with younger students as well. Share the easier concepts (day, month, year) visually during your calendar math lessons. Extend the concept of proportionality by having older math students create simple visual timelines to scale showing their own life vs the life of the United States and other major, longer periods.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teaching NGSS Engineering Design Through Media - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
K to 12tag(s): architecture (63), energy (130), engineering (116), problem solving (220), robotics (22), STEM (245), structures (18)
In the Classroom
Use this site on a projector or interactive whiteboard to discuss and informally assess prior knowledge as you start your study of many different STEM-based topics. Use this site for enrichment or to help non-readers understanding concepts through video. Include it on your class web page for students to access both in and out of class. Enhance learning and have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here. To extend learning have students create a multimedia infographic sharing their findings using Canva Infographic Maker, 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 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): logic (162), problem solving (220), puzzles (143)
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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Futility Closet - Greg Ross
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): logic (162), poetry (182), puzzles (143), trivia (18)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save Futility Closet as a resource for thought provoking trivia throughout the year. Share one item on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) at the beginning of each class for class discussion. Allow your gifted students to explore this site independently, and perhaps even start their own blog collections. Allow students to explore the site and find interesting items to research and explore further. Use the search tool on Futility Closet to search for trivia on current lessons such as Shakespeare, angles, or any keyword - you will be surprised at your findings! Some of the "curiosities" would be great writing prompts for students to take a position and research/support with evidence. Have students share one item they find interesting and create a project using a tool such as Padlet, (reviewed here). Subscribe to Futility Closet using your RSS Feed Reader. Teacher-librarians would love to use these as research prompts. Include one during your school newscast or PTO newsletter (with proper credit to the source, of course).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ChiliMath - ChiliMath
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): division (97), equations (116), exponents (35), factoring (25), fractions (160), functions (53), geometric shapes (130), inequalities (22), integers (21), mean (20), median (16), mode (13), multiples (16), multiplication (120), number lines (32), prime numbers (25), problem solving (220), quadratics (26)
In the Classroom
ChiliMath is an excellent resource whether you are teaching kindergarten/first grade or 8th grade. You might want to set up a class computer with links for concepts your class is working on at the time, or for review. Try using a program like Symbaloo reviewed here to display links to several activities at one time. Practice Algebra concepts by sharing lessons on your interactive whiteboard when introducing or reviewing. Provide a link to particular lessons on your class websites for students to use for review at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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