TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Sep 14, 2025
Here are this week's features. Clicking the tags in the description area of each listing will present a list of other resources with this topic. | Click here to return to the Featured Sites Archive
Teacher Self Care: Free Online Tools for When You Lack the Will to Teach - E2e's Teacher Self Care: Free Online Tools for When You Lack th
Grades
K to 12
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View different scenarios with tips to motivate teachers. Find web tool suggestions for various topics, including For When You're a Disorganized Mess, For When Your Classroom (or Your...more
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View different scenarios with tips to motivate teachers. Find web tool suggestions for various topics, including For When You're a Disorganized Mess, For When Your Classroom (or Your Mind) is a Circus, and For When You Need To Let Someone Else Do The Teaching.
tag(s): mental health (57), social and emotional learning (110)
In the Classroom
Try the different activities and web resources suggested on the website.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Educator Self Care Activities: Perfect for Staff PD - CounselingwithMrB
Grades
K to 12
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Educator Self Care Activities: Perfect for Staff PD from Counseling with Mr. B is a five-minute video featuring five low-maintenance/inexpensive activities to promote self-care...more
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Educator Self Care Activities: Perfect for Staff PD from Counseling with Mr. B is a five-minute video featuring five low-maintenance/inexpensive activities to promote self-care and wellness. Tips include a self-care activity with a cup, life wheel, gratitude bulletin board, holiday cheer, and affirmations.
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tag(s): mental health (57)
In the Classroom
Teachers can perform the activities Mr. B shares in his video. Teachers can begin to look deeper into their mental health and well-being and discuss ways to focus more on mental health for themselves and their students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Educator's Room Presents: The Teacher Self-Care Podcast - The Educator's Room Presents: The Teacher Self-Care Podcast
Grades
K to 12
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The Educator's Room Presents: The Teacher Self-Care Podcast enables teachers to learn about self-care, teachers' mental health, and how to change schools and policies. Episodes...more
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The Educator's Room Presents: The Teacher Self-Care Podcast enables teachers to learn about self-care, teachers' mental health, and how to change schools and policies. Episodes include wellness as liberation, how to self-advocate in a toxic school culture, the essence of anxiety, using your passion to fuel your care and more. Podcasts range in length from nineteen minutes to over fifty minutes. Apple Music is the podcast streaming service.
tag(s): mental health (57), professional development (272), Teacher Utilities (198)
In the Classroom
Teachers can begin to examine their mental health and well-being more deeply and discuss ways to focus more on mental health for themselves and their students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The A-Z of Self-Care for Teachers: 26 Tips to Use Today - Teacher Zone
Grades
K to 12
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Discover practical advice to help educators manage stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance. It covers key strategies including setting boundaries, practicing mindfulness, staying...more
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Discover practical advice to help educators manage stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance. It covers key strategies including setting boundaries, practicing mindfulness, staying physically active, and building a supportive community. The article encourages teachers to prioritize self-care through small, consistent habits that enhance mental and physical well-being. By implementing these strategies, educators can reduce burnout, increase resilience, and sustain their passion for teaching.
tag(s): mental health (57), professional development (272)
In the Classroom
Integrate short, energizing activities, such as stretching, desk yoga, or quick dance breaks, to keep both students and teachers refreshed and engaged. Create a gratitude wall or have students share something positive each day to foster a culture of appreciation and emotional well-being. Build a supportive classroom environment through team-building activities, peer check-ins, and collaborative learning promoting a sense of belonging and reducing stress. Set healthy boundaries by scheduling time for self-care and sharing the importance of balance with students, such as encouraging them to take breaks and manage their workload effectively.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Complete Guide to Self-Care for Educators - Purdue Global
Grades
K to 12
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Discover practical strategies for educators to manage stress, prevent burnout, and promote overall well-being. It covers essential self-care practices including mindfulness, work-life...more
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Discover practical strategies for educators to manage stress, prevent burnout, and promote overall well-being. It covers essential self-care practices including mindfulness, work-life balance, healthy habits, and emotional resilience. The guide also offers actionable tips tailored to the unique challenges educators face, including setting boundaries, seeking support, and prioritizing mental and physical health. This resource is valuable for teachers seeking to sustain their energy and passion while navigating the demands of the classroom.
tag(s): mental health (57), professional development (272), Teacher Utilities (198)
In the Classroom
Start or end the day with a brief mindfulness exercise, such as deep breathing, guided meditation, or a gratitude reflection, to help both you and your students reset and focus. Incorporate short physical activity breaks, such as stretching, chair yoga, or quick energizers, to boost mood and reduce stress for both you and your students. Create a classroom culture that values self-care by celebrating small wins, using positive affirmations, and fostering an atmosphere of kindness and support.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Resilient Teacher Podcast - Brittany Blackwell
Grades
K to 12
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"The Resilient Teacher Podcast," hosted by Brittany Blackwell, M.Ed., provides overwhelmed educators with support, tools, and mindsets to reduce burnout and promote sustainable teaching...more
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"The Resilient Teacher Podcast," hosted by Brittany Blackwell, M.Ed., provides overwhelmed educators with support, tools, and mindsets to reduce burnout and promote sustainable teaching practices. Each week, Brittany and her guests share inspiration and actionable steps to help teachers individualize self-care, prioritize well-being, and enhance their impact in classrooms and communities. Notable episodes include discussions on managing stress cycles, setting authentic boundaries, and achieving a better work-life balance.
tag(s): mental health (57), podcasts (137), professional development (272), Teacher Utilities (198)
In the Classroom
Implement strategies from the podcast to create a supportive and inclusive classroom, emphasizing growth mindset, positive affirmations, and student-led discussions on well-being. Set clear expectations for work-life balance by managing grading time, limiting after-hours emails, and modeling self-care practices for students. Create a PLC that listens to the podcast and holds discussions (such as a book club) regularly to support one another. Use podcast insights on managing stress cycles to help students recognize their emotions and develop effective coping strategies, such as journaling or taking movement breaks. Use reflection prompts from the podcast to assess teaching practices, set personal growth goals, and collaborate with colleagues on sustainable strategies to reduce burnout.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Self-Care Tips For Teachers That You've Never Heard Before - Everything AJA
Grades
K to 12
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This video highlights essential self-care tips for teachers to prevent burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance. It encourages setting a designated "late day" for planning and...more
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This video highlights essential self-care tips for teachers to prevent burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance. It encourages setting a designated "late day" for planning and establishing "no working days" to ensure personal time. Teachers are advised to play soft music to boost mood, create a joyful workspace, and schedule socialization with colleagues. Being proactive with lesson planning and student behavior management reduces daily stress, while arriving early helps set a positive tone for the day. Additionally, teachers can delegate tasks to students or supportive parents to lighten their workload. These strategies help educators protect their mental health while remaining effective in the classroom. If your district blocks YouTube, then the video may not be viewable.
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tag(s): mental health (57), podcasts (137), professional development (272), Teacher Utilities (198)
In the Classroom
Play soft instrumental music during independent work time to create a soothing environment that enhances focus and reduces stress for both students and teachers. Assign students responsibilities like passing out papers, organizing materials, or updating the classroom calendar to reduce your workload and build student ownership. Choose one day per week to stay late for grading, lesson planning, or preparing materials, so the rest of the week remains manageable without constant overtime. Arrive a little earlier to set up the day's materials, adjust the classroom environment, and mentally prepare, helping to reduce the feeling of being rushed.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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A Teacher's Pump-Up Playlist to Get You Through Your Day - Education World
Grades
K to 12
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Some days are just tough, and you need a source of energy to get through. This high-energy playlist includes motivational songs that are sure to boost your energy and keep ...more
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Some days are just tough, and you need a source of energy to get through. This high-energy playlist includes motivational songs that are sure to boost your energy and keep you going. Each song on the list includes a video link, or you can follow the included link to access the playlist on Spotify. Suggestions for times to play songs are included; for example, use "Don't Worry, Be Happy" to get you through that upcoming staff meeting!
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tag(s): classroom management (105), mental health (57), professional development (272), songs (47)
In the Classroom
Save this list or add the playlist to your Spotify account to boost your spirits and increase energy throughout the school year. Share ideas with other teachers and create a school playlist for educators. Include songs from the list as a class anthem; for example, play a motivational song as students enter the classroom to get the day off to a good start or play a favorite tune as students pack up to go home at the end of the day.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Purring Test - TED
Grades
3 to 12
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Looking for a quick, engaging brain break? TED's "The Purring Test" offers just that and more. Perfect for adding a playful twist to your classroom, TED's first game, The Purring ...more
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Looking for a quick, engaging brain break? TED's "The Purring Test" offers just that and more. Perfect for adding a playful twist to your classroom, TED's first game, The Purring Test, began with a curious question: "What would it be like to play Pictionary with an AI?" Intended to help understand different types of minds when challenged with quirky associations and unexpected twists, the outcome is usually hilarious and fun. This interactive game invites players to compete against friends and family with new puzzles daily, making it a playful addition to your classroom or a fun way to spark curiosity about AI and communication.
tag(s): artificial intelligence (208), 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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Drench - FlashByNight.com
Grades
K to 12
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Drench is a highly addicting, entertaining problem-solving game for players of any age. The concept is straightforward: use the buttons to change the colors in the square and drench...more
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Drench is a highly addicting, entertaining problem-solving game for players of any age. The concept is straightforward: use the buttons to change the colors in the square and drench the square with one color within the prescribed number of moves to complete the game. Each game begins with the square in the top left-hand side of the large square. Click on one of the colors in the circles next to the square that touches the starting piece. Continue expanding the block of colors to fill in the large square with one color. Upon successful completion, move to a different level that becomes more challenging by offering fewer opportunities to drench the square.
tag(s): brain (59), classroom management (105), game based learning (210), logic (158), problem solving (242), social and emotional learning (110)
In the Classroom
Add Drench to your resources to share with students for quick brain-break activities that encourage problem-solving through gameplay. Ask students to share their strategies for selecting colors as they work toward completing the game board. Curate and organize brain break activities into a single resource to share with students using Symbaloo, reviewed here or 3X3 Links, reviewed here. Find more ideas for brain break activities on TeachersFirst Special Topics Page: Brain Breaks for Students, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Gridlock Buster - Center for Transportation Studies University of Minnesota
Grades
4 to 12
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You control traffic and break up gridlock as part of Metro Traffic Control in this game designed to teach problem-solving and transportation design. Begin your task at a simple intersection...more
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You control traffic and break up gridlock as part of Metro Traffic Control in this game designed to teach problem-solving and transportation design. Begin your task at a simple intersection by changing traffic signals at the appropriate pace to keep scores down on the frustration meter. Work your way up through eight levels increasing in difficulty.
tag(s): problem solving (242), transportation (31)
In the Classroom
Share this game with students on classroom computers and challenge them to move up through the different levels. Challenge students to create their own traffic-based game using Scratch, reviewed here. Challenge older students to find a local intersection that needs adjustments and offer suggestions for improvement. Ask them to share their ideas using Sway, reviewed here. Encourage students to include video, photos, and graphs as part of their Sway presentation.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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0h h1 - Martin Kool
Grades
3 to 12
9 Favorites
2 Comments
Oh h1 is an addicting and challenging interactive for problem solving and logic. Choose from four different grid sizes to play. Click on squares to make them red or blue. ...more
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Oh h1 is an addicting and challenging interactive for problem solving and logic. Choose from four different grid sizes to play. Click on squares to make them red or blue. The goal is to never have more than 2 squares of the same color in a row, and to have equal numbers of colors in all rows and columns. The rules are explained as you play. Increase difficulty by increasing the number of grids and completing in the shortest elapsed time.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (124), game based learning (210), logic (158), problem solving (242), puzzles (147)
In the Classroom
Oh h1 is perfect for use on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Use this site as a computer learning center or on individual computers. Challenge students to increase difficulty levels and elapsed time. Share this engaging site with your gifted students for some mind stretching fun! Be sure to include a link on your class website or blog (parents may want to try this one too). Have students challenge their parents to see who can complete puzzles the quickest!Comments
Great for logic practice.Melissa, , Grades: 0 - 5
Fun logic game-kids won't realize they are learning.Tammy, OR, Grades: 0 - 9
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GoNoodle - Abby Pecoriello, John Herbold, Scott McQuigg
Grades
K to 5
5 Favorites
2 Comments
Give yourself a brain break using the interactive classroom resources at GoNoodle. These activities promote health, fitness, and mindfulness and are based on cutting edge research....more
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Give yourself a brain break using the interactive classroom resources at GoNoodle. These activities promote health, fitness, and mindfulness and are based on cutting edge research. These engaging games and activities provide short bursts of movement leading to improved focus and energy within the classroom. Sign-up using your Google account, or create an account with your email. Signing-up with Google, allows you to sign-in with your Google Classroom account. If you have multiple groups of students (or classes) start by naming your class(es), since each class will show progression on this tool. Choose from Channels, Activity and Movement, Curriculum and Learning, or Holidays & Routines on GoNoodle (directions for registering and other features). Each title has multiple sub-categories. Some options are for paid memberships only. None of the games takes longer than five minutes. While most of these are physical tasks, a few are mental/logic activities. Time required for the activity is shown with each option. Registration does require an email address. If your district blocks YouTube, some activities may not be viewable.
tag(s): classroom management (105), fitness (38), logic (158), preK (288)
In the Classroom
Share these short activities on your projector or interactive whiteboard for your entire class to view together. Bookmark and save GoNoodle as a before class (or before the bell) activity, perfect for those long winter days inside. These would be great activities as you head into high stakes tests. When your class needs to refocus, use GoNoodle as a short brain break. Use GoNoodle to motivate and reward class accomplishments. Share with learning support teachers (or emotional or autistic support) for use in motivating and reinforcing behaviors with their students.Comments
My students and I love using GoNoodle for brain breaks. GoNoodle tracks your minutes for you and your mascot "grows" as you use the site.Paula, LA, Grades: 3 - 5
Paula, LA, Grades: 3 - 5
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edublogs - edublogs.org
Grades
K to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Blog your way into the latest social technology using edublogs. Use the free service to set up a blog as a student, teacher, or campus. This education friendly tool avoids ...more
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Blog your way into the latest social technology using edublogs. Use the free service to set up a blog as a student, teacher, or campus. This education friendly tool avoids some of the "public interaction" that can offer inappropriate content. Upgrade to more advanced features, to include more options. The additional information on blogging makes this site very valuable even if you already have a blogging platform. Find a plethora of advice, tutorials, PDFs, and lesson plans for blogging. This site is a great reference site for all who are beginning to use blogs, or even look for more varied and effective ways to blog with students, or even other classes. Compare this tool to other free blogging tools mentioned in TeachersFirst's Blog Basics for the Classroom . This is a device-agnostic tool, available on the web but also available for free as both an Android and iOS app. Use it from any device or move between several devices and still access your work. App and web versions vary slightly.
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tag(s): blogs (71), communication (113), writing (311)
In the Classroom
Save this site as a favorite for all of your blogging needs. Find very informative instructions on blogging, and follow the student blogging challenge lesson plans. Use this tool easily in your Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) classroom since all students will be able to access it for free, no matter what device they have. Peruse through the various subjects and discover how other teachers use blogging in their classrooms. Using the given PDFs on blogging start up, parent guidelines, incorporating into subject areas, and adapt to make them suitable for you. Look at a variety of examples to help devise your own unique style to meet your students' needs.Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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