TeachersFirst Taking Responsible Risks (Habit of the Mind) Resources

It takes a special kind of bravery to step outside the "safe" zone and embrace the unknown, but that is exactly where the most profound learning happens! The Habit of Mind—Taking Responsible Risks—is about moving beyond the fear of being wrong and asking students to venture into the unknown. Growth happens at the edge of comfort, and our students need safe spaces to encounter uncertainty, make mistakes, and discover that they are more capable than they ever imagined. Crucially, this habit isn't about being reckless or impulsive; it’s about learning to "count the cost." Students must develop the discernment to weigh potential outcomes and evaluate the risks before they leap. It’s about building the courage to try something new, to raise a hand when only 70% sure, to share a vulnerable rough draft, or to tackle a problem never seen before—all while understanding the boundaries of safety and ethics. The resources in this collection—including Growth Mindset videos, low-stakes gaming platforms, anonymous polling tools, and stories of young entrepreneurs—are designed to help students practice this balance. From coding sandboxes and digital portfolios to collaborative mind-mapping and gamified escape rooms, these tools allow students to experiment and reflect on their results. Let’s use these resources to create a classroom culture where "having a go" is celebrated just as much as getting it right, and where "counting the cost" becomes a vital part of every bold new adventure!

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From idea to startup: Real stories of student entrepreneurs - Teen Life

Grades
9 to 12
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From idea to startup: Real stories of student entrepreneurs is an article that features 12 young individuals who took their dreams to the next level. Some of the entrepreneurs include:...more
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From idea to startup: Real stories of student entrepreneurs is an article that features 12 young individuals who took their dreams to the next level. Some of the entrepreneurs include: Moziah "Mo" Bridges, who created the Perfect Bow Tie; Riya Karumanchi, who created a cane for the visually impaired that incorporates technology; and Mikaila Ulmer, who created a company selling lemonade made with honey after experiencing multiple bee stings.

tag(s): business (51), financial literacy (92), problem solving (282)

In the Classroom

Students can use Turbo Timeline Generator, reviewed here to create a timeline for implementation of their idea and use Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel to create a spreadsheet for costs and profits. After designing a business plan, extend learning by asking students to use ScreenPal, reviewed here to create an advertisement for their product.

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Are You Ready to Take the Risk - Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City

Grades
7 to 12
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Are You Ready to Take the Risk is a lesson plan featuring a self-assessment survey for students in grades 7-12 about their entrepreneurial potential. During the lesson, students will...more
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Are You Ready to Take the Risk is a lesson plan featuring a self-assessment survey for students in grades 7-12 about their entrepreneurial potential. During the lesson, students will learn about Gallup's 10 talents of successful entrepreneurs and how to apply this knowledge to solve a business problem in a given scenario. Additionally, students will be able to define risk, risk-averse, risk tolerance, and entrepreneurship. The lesson is 60 minutes in length and includes Materials, Preparation, Procedure, Closure, and Assessment.

tag(s): business (51), Problem Based Learning (14), thinking routines (59)

In the Classroom

Students can use Mentimeter, reviewed here to define one word about a characteristic for a successful entrepreneur and build a word cloud for class discussion. Students can use Visme AI Presentation Creator, reviewed here to summarize the 10 talents of successful entrepreneurs. Extend learning by asking students to build a digital escape using Genially, reviewed here with business scenarios.

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Habits of Mind Animation Playlist - ASCD

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K to 5
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The Habits of Mind Animation Playlist features 34 videos under three minutes that explore the Habits of Mind and include book reviews. Habits of Mind Animation videos include: Persisting,...more
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The Habits of Mind Animation Playlist features 34 videos under three minutes that explore the Habits of Mind and include book reviews. Habits of Mind Animation videos include: Persisting, Managing Impulsivity, Listening with Understanding and Empathy, Thinking Flexibly, Thinking About Your Thinking, Striving for Accuracy, Questioning and Problem Posing, Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations, Thinking & Communicating with Clarity & Precision, Responding with Wonderment and Awe, Taking Responsible Risks, Finding Humor, and Thinking Independently. Maria's reviews include book reviews on Diary of a Worm, The Dot, The Mitten, Tops and Bottoms, and More. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
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tag(s): critical thinking (189), empathy (71), problem solving (282), social and emotional learning (205), thinking routines (59), thinking skills (136)

In the Classroom

Students can use Book Creator, reviewed here to create their own Habits of Mind book explaining each of the habits with a picture. Students can use Gimkit, reviewed here to create a Habits of Mind game. After watching Maria Reviews, have students create their own reviews using Free Online Screen Recorder, reviewed here.

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Games and Challenges - Genially

Grades
3 to 12
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Genially's escape room templates are designed to be adaptable for a wide range of grade levels. The platform offers a variety of themes and levels of complexity, allowing educators...more
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Genially's escape room templates are designed to be adaptable for a wide range of grade levels. The platform offers a variety of themes and levels of complexity, allowing educators to tailor the content to their students' ages and learning objectives. For example, simpler games like Candyland or Children's Game templates are well-suited for younger students, while more intricate scenarios, such as the Artificial Intelligence Escape Room or Time Machine Escape, are ideal for older students seeking a challenge. Educators can customize these templates to align with their curriculum, making them versatile tools for engaging students across different educational stages.

tag(s): collaboration (137), digital escapes (29), game based learning (319), Teacher Utilities (224)

In the Classroom

Customize a Genially escape room (like Education Escape Room or Mystery Breakout) with questions and puzzles that review key concepts from your current unit--perfect as a fun pre-test or review session. Divide students into small groups and assign each group a different puzzle or task within the escape game. This activity encourages teamwork, communication, and shared problem-solving as they work toward a common goal. Challenge students to create their digital escape rooms using Genially's templates. They must design puzzles, write clues, and embed subject content, transforming them from game players into game designers. Use a breakout template to reinforce vocabulary. Each "lock" can be opened only by correctly defining or using academic terms in context, making it ideal for ELA, science, or history.

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Habits of Mind Explorer - Habits of Mind Insitute

Grades
K to 12
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Explore a collection of free resources designed to help students of all ages develop 16 essential thinking dispositions, such as persisting, managing impulsivity, and thinking flexibly....more
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Explore a collection of free resources designed to help students of all ages develop 16 essential thinking dispositions, such as persisting, managing impulsivity, and thinking flexibly. This site offers clear definitions and practical strategies for each habit, making it easy to weave social-emotional learning into any subject area. You can access a variety of free materials, including classroom posters, blog posts tailored for adolescents, and crowd-sourced assessment tools like rubrics and self-assessment checklists for grades PreK-12. The platform also features learning paths and instructional animations that introduce the habits through relatable scenarios.

tag(s): critical thinking (189), preK (328), problem solving (282), social and emotional learning (205), thinking routines (59), thinking skills (136)

In the Classroom

Include this resource as part of a project-based learning unit by having students choose one habit to focus on as they work through a complex challenge. For a social studies project exploring historical figures, students can analyze which habits, like Taking Responsible Risks or Striving for Accuracy, were most critical to their subject's success. After conducting research, students can organize their insights and provide examples of these habits in action by creating a collaborative digital board with Lino, reviewed here. To take the reflection deeper, ask students to map out their own growth in that specific habit by creating a visual journey or mind map using MindMup, reviewed here shifting focus from just learning facts to understanding the mental behaviors that drive achievement, helping students become more self-aware and intentional learners.
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Habits of the Mind: Persistance - Mineola Creative Content

Grades
3 to 8
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Habits of Mind: Persistence is a short educational YouTube video that introduces students to the thinking skill of persistence, one of the 16 Habits of Mind that support effective problem...more
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Habits of Mind: Persistence is a short educational YouTube video that introduces students to the thinking skill of persistence, one of the 16 Habits of Mind that support effective problem solving and learning. The video explains what persistence looks like in real-world and classroom settings, emphasizing the importance of sticking with challenges, managing frustration, and continuing to work toward goals. It provides clear, relatable examples that help students understand how perseverance can lead to success, making it a valuable resource for classroom discussions about the growth mindset and resilient learning. If your district blocks YouTube, then the video may not be viewable.
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tag(s): social and emotional learning (205), thinking routines (59), thinking skills (136)

In the Classroom

Have students read short challenge scenarios and discuss or role-play how persistence can help solve the problem. Have students identify characters from books or stories who show persistence. They can cite textual evidence and explain how perseverance helped the character succeed. Have a class complete a complex puzzle, STEM task, or writing challenge, and reflect on how persistence helped them overcome obstacles.

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Help Students Learn to Take Exams with Exam Wrappers - Center for Innovative Teaching & Learning

Grades
K to 12
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Help Students Learn to Take Exams with Exam Wrappers is a fantastic article that explains what exam wrappers are and why they're a game-changer in the classroom. An exam wrapper...more
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Help Students Learn to Take Exams with Exam Wrappers is a fantastic article that explains what exam wrappers are and why they're a game-changer in the classroom. An exam wrapper is a simple reflection tool you give students right after they receive a graded exam. Instead of just glancing at their score and moving on, students take time to think about what worked, what didn't, and how they can improve next time. However, exam wrappers aren't just for after the test! You can also use them before an exam to help students prepare more strategically. They'll learn to tackle questions at different levels of Bloom's Taxonomy and develop a concrete plan for doing even better on their next assessment. It's a win-win: students become more self-aware learners, and you get to see real growth in their test-taking skills!

tag(s): thinking skills (136)

In the Classroom

Students can create their own exam wrapper using Canva for Education, reviewed here. Students can use Lino, reviewed here to reflect after using an exam wrapper. Students can use the Infographics Presentation Templates, reviewed here to create a top five list as to why and how to use exam wrappers.

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Project Zero Thinking Routines - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
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Project Zero Thinking Routines are research-based instructional tools designed to cultivate students' thinking dispositions and make their cognitive processes visible in powerful, accessible...more
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Project Zero Thinking Routines are research-based instructional tools designed to cultivate students' thinking dispositions and make their cognitive processes visible in powerful, accessible ways. Developed by researchers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, these simple, repeatable mini-strategies are the building blocks of an authentic thinking culture in your classroom. These routines have been refined over decades of classroom implementation and represent some of the most effective strategies for developing critical and creative thinking skills. What makes Project Zero routines so impactful is their elegant simplicity--structured prompts like "Think, Pair, Share," "See, Think, Wonder," and "Circle of Viewpoints" can be learned quickly but used deeply, helping students develop habits of mind such as reasoning with evidence, considering different perspectives, and making careful observations. These aren't just classroom activities; they're cognitive frameworks that students internalize and carry with them, becoming tools they naturally reach for when encountering new ideas or complex problems. Discover resources in this collection, including templates, anchor charts, videos, lesson plan examples utilizing Thinking Routines, collaborative whiteboards, debate tools, collaborative sharing platforms, virtual bulletin boards, video and audio tools, and more. The resources help you understand the research behind these routines, learn how to implement them effectively across grade levels and content areas, and discover how they can transform your classroom into a culture where thinking is valued, shared, and continuously developed.

tag(s): thinking routines (59), thinking skills (136)

In the Classroom

Explore this collection to learn more about Thinking Routines and how to implement them in your lessons. Begin by selecting a routine that aligns with your learning objective--such as "See, Think, Wonder" for developing observation skills or "Think, Pair, Share" for collaborative processing--then model it explicitly before having students practice it regularly. As routines become familiar through repeated use, students internalize these cognitive frameworks and begin applying them independently, transforming your classroom into a culture where thoughtful inquiry and reflection become natural habits.

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Project Zero Videos - Harvard Graduate School of Education

Grades
K to 12
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The Project Zero YouTube channel at Harvard Graduate School of Education offers a rich library of short and long videos designed for educators and students. On this channel, you will...more
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The Project Zero YouTube channel at Harvard Graduate School of Education offers a rich library of short and long videos designed for educators and students. On this channel, you will find classroom demonstrations of thinking routines, researcher interviews, student reflections, and professional learning sessions that show how students across grade levels engage deeply with ideas. The videos provide concrete examples of bringing inquiry, visible thinking, and dialogue into your teaching practice, making it easy to find inspiration and adapt strategies for your own classroom. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable at school.
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tag(s): thinking routines (59), thinking skills (136)

In the Classroom

Begin a lesson with a short Project Zero classroom video. Students can write what they see, what they think is happening, and what they wonder. Make the KWL chart digital using Infographics Presentation Templates, reviewed here. After reading a story or completing a poetry unit, have students watch a video that highlights deeper thinking routines, then reflect on how their understanding of a character, theme, or literary device has changed throughout the unit. Assign students to write a short headline that captures a major idea from a chapter or poem, and explain how the headline connects to the story. They can compare their headlines to ideas shown in Project Zero videos to deepen comprehension.

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Room Escape Resources - Room Escape Resources

Grades
4 to 12
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Discover resources to create a digital escape room. Resources include encryption tools, fake generators, simulators, digital imaging and mapping tools, puzzle creators, timers, tutorials,...more
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Discover resources to create a digital escape room. Resources include encryption tools, fake generators, simulators, digital imaging and mapping tools, puzzle creators, timers, tutorials, and premade escape rooms. Some encryption tools featured include a QR code creator, Morse code, an Alphabet Generator, and an Anagrams Generator. Examples for fake generators are Receipt Maker, Eye Chart Maker, Facebook Post, Newspaper Clippings, and more.

tag(s): digital escapes (29), 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.

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Free Online Digital Escape Rooms - Ditch that Textbook Digital

Grades
K to 12
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Ditch that Textbook Digital Escape Rooms offers free digital escape rooms. The escape rooms offered include: Mission School Blackout and Junior, Candy Crush, Monster Mash, Harry Potter,...more
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Ditch that Textbook Digital Escape Rooms offers free digital escape rooms. The escape rooms offered include: Mission School Blackout and Junior, Candy Crush, Monster Mash, Harry Potter, Olympics, Animal Adventures, and many more. Some escape rooms are offered using only Google or Microsoft tools. Click on the Escape room you want and add it to your cart, then fill in your name and email address. Once you get the email follow the directions by downloading the PDF.
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tag(s): digital escapes (29)

In the Classroom

Students can participate in the digital escape rooms that are featured on the site. Students can use Google Keep, reviewed here to write the answers. Students can use Seesaw, reviewed here as a journal to figure out the answers to the questions.

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OK2Ask: Engage & Inspire with Code.org - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
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Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from May 2025. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey,...more
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Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from May 2025. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.

Discover how Code.org's comprehensive platform can energize learning across all subjects and grade levels. Through hands-on exploration, you'll learn how to use students' intuitive programming tools to strengthen problem-solving skills and bring computational thinking into your curriculum. Whether you teach elementary science or high school literature, you'll leave with practical strategies that will engage students in coding while meeting your content area objectives. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Understand the fundamentals of Code.org resources and their applications across different grade levels and subject areas. 2. Learn strategies for scaffolding coding activities to meet diverse student needs and abilities. 3. Develop a plan to incorporate Code.org activities into their specific content area and grade level. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): coding (110), computational thinking (45), OK2Askarchive (51), professional development (296)

In the Classroom

The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Once registered, find additional reference materials, tutorials, and how-to information to help you review or extend your knowledge from the session in the handout posted on the session landing page. Resources may include additional ideas and examples on integrating the tools and strategies shared in classroom instruction. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.

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Simulation Games- Math Games - Coolmath.com

Grades
4 to 10
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Coolmath Games-Simulation Games offers interactive, strategy-based games that challenge students to think critically, solve problems, and make decisions in real-world scenarios. These...more
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Coolmath Games-Simulation Games offers interactive, strategy-based games that challenge students to think critically, solve problems, and make decisions in real-world scenarios. These games cover topics like resource management, logic, and planning, making them a great tool for reinforcing math, economics, and problem-solving skills in an engaging way. Teachers can use these games as a fun classroom activity, a reward for early finishers, or a way to develop strategic thinking through play.

tag(s): game based learning (319), logic (170), problem solving (282), simulations (46)

In the Classroom

Have your students select a simulation game and compete to develop the best strategy. After playing, they can write a reflection explaining their approach, challenges faced, and adjustments they made to improve their performance. Use business or city-building simulation games to teach budgeting and resource allocation. Students can track their decisions and explain how they manage money, supplies, or time effectively. They can compare different strategies and discuss real-world applications. After playing a few simulation games, students can brainstorm and design their own simulation concept. They can create rules, objectives, and potential challenges. Have students play a simulation game and keep a journal documenting their choices, the outcomes, and any patterns they notice. At the end of the activity, they can analyze their decision-making process and propose improvements, reinforcing logical reasoning. They can work on a digital journal using Book Creator, reviewed here.

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MirrorTalk - Swivl

Grades
K to 12
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MirrorTalk is an AI-powered reflection platform designed to help students develop metacognitive, social-emotional, and critical-thinking skills through guided conversations. After creating...more
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MirrorTalk is an AI-powered reflection platform designed to help students develop metacognitive, social-emotional, and critical-thinking skills through guided conversations. After creating an account, educators can set up classes and create reflection activities aligned with learning objectives, mindset goals, problem-solving skills, or other areas of student growth. The platform generates personalized prompts that encourage students to think deeply about their learning experiences, challenges, and successes. Students typically respond using video or audio recordings, allowing them to express their thinking in a more natural and reflective way. Teachers can share activities through links or classroom groups and monitor student participation through a dashboard that provides summaries, trends, and AI-generated insights. These tools help educators identify strengths, areas for growth, and opportunities for targeted support. MirrorTalk can be used as both a reflection tool and a formative assessment resource to promote student voice, self-awareness, and continuous learning. A free plan is available, while paid plans provide expanded access to additional features and usage options.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (342), assessment (141), DAT device agnostic tool (133), Formative Assessment (43), preK (328), social and emotional learning (205), Teacher Utilities (224), teaching strategies (81), thinking skills (136)

In the Classroom

MirrorTalk can be used in many ways to support student learning and reflection. Begin the school year with a prompt that encourages students to reflect on the previous school year and set goals for the new year. Create prompts as exit tickets for students to reflect on the day's lesson and as a formative assessment for you to modify upcoming lessons as needed. Use this tool as part of a retrieval practice strategy to encourage students to recall facts about new concepts learned in class. Learn more about retrieval practice by visiting this blog post, Using Retrieval Practice to Boost Student Learning, found here.

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Adobe Express Video Maker - Adobe Spark

Grades
K to 12
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Create and share professional-looking videos with Adobe Express Video Maker. Scroll down the page to read the easy step-by-step directions. Then click the Create button. Follow the...more
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Create and share professional-looking videos with Adobe Express Video Maker. Scroll down the page to read the easy step-by-step directions. Then click the Create button. Follow the prompts to begin your creation using a story template or start from scratch. Add videos, text, music, and more to your video. Easily rearrange, change themes, and add components until satisfied. When finished, publish your video to share or download it to your computer.

tag(s): blended learning (28), communication (126), digital storytelling (177), multimedia (66)

In the Classroom

Consider using videos in your classroom in various ways. Upload your slide presentations and add audio to create flipped and blended learning experiences for your students. Engage students and enhance their learning by asking students to create videos as an alternative to book reports or written presentations. Share videos on your class website for students to access when away from the classroom. As your students create videos, use a bookmarking site such as Padlet, reviewed here, to share and organize information for students to use when researching. Include Adobe Express Videos as part of a larger presentation using Book Creator, reviewed here. Embed your video along with images, text, drawings, and other media into your digital book creation.

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Slido - Slido.com

Grades
5 to 12
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Slido is an instant question/answer and an interactive polling application. Create an account to begin using Slido. The free version allows you to crowdsource questions, share three...more
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Slido is an instant question/answer and an interactive polling application. Create an account to begin using Slido. The free version allows you to crowdsource questions, share three polls per event, and brainstorm ideas. After creating your session and questions, provide participants with the code to access your event. Other features include a word cloud option created from audience responses and the ability to crowdsource questions and upvote favorites, so they move to the top of the list.

tag(s): Formative Assessment (43), polls and surveys (43), quizzes (89)

In the Classroom

Use Slido to engage students and for use as a formative assessment tool. When introducing a new unit, use Slido as a pre-assessment to determine student knowledge and guide instruction. Use the anonymous feature to make it easy for students to ask questions in real-time without raising their hand and identifying themselves. Share Slido with students to use during presentations to interact with peers.

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Clipchamp - Alexander Dreiling, Dave Hewitt, Tobi Raub, and Soeren Balko

Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites 0  Comments
  
Clipchamp provides a variety of free tools for creating and editing video. The free services include a video editor, video conversion, and webcam recorder. Create your account to begin...more
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Clipchamp provides a variety of free tools for creating and editing video. The free services include a video editor, video conversion, and webcam recorder. Create your account to begin a project. Follow the prompts to upload your media files. Use tools within Clipchamp Create to clip videos, change backgrounds, and edit your video. Choose Clipchamp Utilities to upload and convert videos to several different formats for social media use, edit or compress files. Clipchamp Utilities also provides resources for recording directly from your webcam.

tag(s): conversions (34), images (273), movies (51)

In the Classroom

Use Clipchamp to create and edit videos for any multimedia projects. Upload images from student projects or field trips to create a video to share on your webpage. Convert your videos into different formats to share easily on social media sites. Ask students to use Clipchamp to create explainer videos in any subject. Include student-created videos in online presentations using a tool like Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here.

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bulb - Bulb, Inc.

Grades
2 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
 
Use bulb as a portfolio tool to showcase your work, share ideas, and ask for feedback. Sign up with your Google, Microsoft, or Clever account or enter your email. With ...more
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Use bulb as a portfolio tool to showcase your work, share ideas, and ask for feedback. Sign up with your Google, Microsoft, or Clever account or enter your email. With a free account you get all of the standard features, and can choose to publish ten portfolio pages and upload up to 2GB of content. After creating your account, click to take a tour, then in 140 characters tell members who you are, create a cover image (optional), and then choose to create a page or a collection (multiple pages). You can also create groups (with or without Google), and lots more. Click symbols at the top right of your name to get help, search, create pages or collections, and more. On the home page in the top menu bar, look at projects students and teachers have created. bulb is easy to use due to its drag and drop interface. Besides creating text, you can embed images and videos, and integrate with your Google Drive. bulb offers educators a special account that integrates your LMS, has a teacher dashboard, and dedicated manager and tech support for a very minimal fee per year.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): multimedia (66), portfolios (20), writing (310)

In the Classroom

Use bulb for student portfolios in any subject. Set up an account with your teacher name, email, password, and some basic information. Once you and your students' accounts are set up, share how to get around bulb on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector to get students started. When you (or your students) create group pages, anyone you invite can publish to the group. However, students will also have their own account and can keep pages private. Science teachers could have students write up their lab reports in a portfolio, and history teachers could set up portfolios for student report writing. Have teens and older students upload work throughout the year to create their own "me-portfolios." Create portfolios (with permission) to share younger students' work with parents and students during conferences. Use this tool to show finished projects or to show changes in a project from start to finish. Make a work prototype site and upload examples of exemplary work to share with students to set expectations for completed products before beginning a project. Create a link to this tool on your class website for students to share projects and information. (Get parent permission before posting students' work!) Have students take ownership of their own portfolios to show progress and products across several years. Have older students build portfolios to share as part of career and college preparation. Art teachers will want to share this as a portfolio option for their students.

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ClassDojo Big Ideas, Big Conversations - Class Dojo

Grades
K to 8
1 Favorites 0  Comments
 
Looking for a simple way to spark meaningful conversations and build a positive classroom culture? The ClassDojo Ideas website offers a collection of engaging, ready-to-use activities...more
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Looking for a simple way to spark meaningful conversations and build a positive classroom culture? The ClassDojo Ideas website offers a collection of engaging, ready-to-use activities and lessons designed to support social-emotional learning, classroom community building, and student well-being. Organized into categories such as mindfulness, empathy, growth mindset, and gratitude, the content features short videos, discussion prompts, and reflection exercises that can be easily integrated into daily classroom routines. Ideal for elementary teachers, these resources encourage students to develop positive behaviors and emotional intelligence in a fun and interactive way.

tag(s): brain (59), emotions (73), empathy (71), learning styles (23), social and emotional learning (205), social skills (23)

In the Classroom

You may want to start your school year by sharing the three-part Empathy video series. Each video is five minutes and has a discussion guide. As a follow-up, use the Ripples of Kindness activity in small groups. Share younger students' observations on a whiteboard or poster. Older students can share their observations using a tool like Stickies.io, reviewed here. Stickies.io allows participants to add comments. Share other videos with a projector or on an interactive whiteboard to introduce a video each week and explore the discussion questions together. These videos could be very useful when preparing and motivating students for upcoming standardized testing or at the beginning of a school year to set a tone that everyone can learn. Include a link to videos on your class web page for parents to discuss at home with their student, and be sure to send home the take-home questions with topics to talk about.
 This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.

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Seesaw - Charles Lin, Carl Sjogreen , Adrian Graham

Grades
K to 10
8 Favorites 1  Comments
 
Seesaw is a digital portfolio that is totally free for all devices and on the web. Students can showcase their work, videos, text, drawings, and images, and get feedback from ...more
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Seesaw is a digital portfolio that is totally free for all devices and on the web. Students can showcase their work, videos, text, drawings, and images, and get feedback from teachers and parents. Create a class blog in your Seesaw for students to write blog posts. Teachers create an account with email and then start creating as many classes as needed. There is no limit on the number of students a class can have. Once students have parental permission, give students a "join" code for their class, and they sign up from there, choosing to access their account through a Seesaw generated QR code or their email. Teachers can enable or disable student likes, comments, and editing. Blog posts and comments must have teacher approval before becoming public. Students will be able to reflect on their work with a voice recording or text, and can share artifacts from their portfolio by clicking the red button at the bottom of the screen and then either print or get the item QR code. Once you have an account, click Help & Teacher Resources to find Getting Started Tips, Tutorial Videos, FAQs, and Activity Ideas grouped by grade level. If your district blocks YouTube, the tutorials may not be viewable. Please be aware that Seesaw falls under the FERPA laws for "directory information" and "educational records." Any school getting funds from the Department of Education (public schools) is required to disclose to parents and get written consent to use Seesaw with their child.

tag(s): blogs (82), communication (126), DAT device agnostic tool (133), digital storytelling (177), Learning Management Systems (20), portfolios (20), Teacher Utilities (224)

In the Classroom

Sign up for Seesaw, and after students have parental permission, generate a join code for the class from the menu at the upper right corner or by clicking your name or initials in the left corner to get a drop down menu. The join code expires in 15 minutes, so it is best to do this in your classroom or computer lab. Teachers can add photos, drawings, links, notes, and upload a file from this same menu by clicking the + symbol. You can even add a co-teacher! See Seesaw's FAQs for ways for parents to sign up and letters to send home. Use Seesaw portfolios for any subject or grade level. Once your account is set up, create a simple project or borrow one from the Activities on the Help and Teacher Resources page. Share the project on your interactive whiteboard or projector to get your students started. The teacher portal allows you to access and comment on student work. View the work of an individual or the entire class. The ability to import work from many creation apps to Seesaw makes this a perfect portfolio tool. Don't forget to watch the video about setting up blogs for your students. Remember, this is all free! Science teachers could have students write up their lab reports, take photos of their labs and label them in a portfolio. History teachers could set up portfolios for student report writing or digital storytelling projects. Seesaw is the perfect tool to use during parent conferences.

Comments

I love using Seesaw with my elementary school students. It's great that parents can comment also. Katy, , Grades: 0 - 12

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