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Managing Impulsivity (Habit of the Mind) - TeachersFirst

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K to 12
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Welcome to our collection of resources on the Habit of Mind of Managing Impulsivity--the practice of taking your time, thinking before acting, and remaining calm and deliberative even...more
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Welcome to our collection of resources on the Habit of Mind of Managing Impulsivity--the practice of taking your time, thinking before acting, and remaining calm and deliberative even in the heat of the moment. In a world that often demands quick reactions, we've gathered a variety of tools to help you foster calm, thoughtful, and deliberate decision-making in your classroom. In this collection, you'll find mindfulness videos and breathing exercises that help students develop self-awareness, interactive scenarios and decision-making simulations that practice the "pause and think" approach, printable stop-and-think cards and visual cue posters for classroom use, lesson plans for teaching students to pause and reflect, interactive scenarios where students can practice weighing consequences, and resources for helping them become more aware of their own thoughts and feelings, and self-monitoring checklists that encourage students to track their progress. You'll also discover timer tools and web resources that build in intentional waiting periods, as well as discussion guides to help students recognize their thoughts and feelings before reacting. These resources will provide concrete strategies and examples to help your students learn to consider multiple options, fully understand directions before starting a task, and respond to situations with intention rather than impulse.

tag(s): thinking skills (57)

In the Classroom

Discover new tools to try in your classroom that manage students' impulsivity. 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.

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Brain Games for Stop and Think Power: A Set of SEL Kernels Practices - Greater Good Science Center

Grades
K to 6
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This resource introduces quick, fun games that help students build what the site calls "Stop and Think Power," which means learning to control impulses and pause before acting. The...more
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This resource introduces quick, fun games that help students build what the site calls "Stop and Think Power," which means learning to control impulses and pause before acting. The games are designed for Pre-K through middle school and take 15 minutes or less, making them easy to use during morning meetings, transitions, or SEL blocks. Through activities like Simon Says, Freeze Feelings, and Wait for It, students practice self-control, impulse management, careful listening, and thoughtful decision-making. The goal is to strengthen executive function skills, including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. The site also provides tips for introducing the concept, adapting activities for various ages, and guiding reflection, making it a practical SEL tool for any classroom.

tag(s): classroom management (107), game based learning (218), social and emotional learning (126), thinking skills (57)

In the Classroom

Play a short version of the "Freeze Feelings" where students freeze like a statue when the music stops, then have them name the feeling they imagine their statue is showing. Play a version of Simon Says with a twist. Before starting, tell students they must silently say "pause, think, act" in their heads before each movement. After a brain game, have students draw a quick brain snapshot using Google Drawings, reviewed here showing what helped them stop and think. They can sketch a stop sign, brain gears, or a strategy they used. Then have them share with a partner.

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Pause & Think Online - Common Sense Education

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K to 2
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Pause and Think Online is a lesson designed to teach young students how to use the internet safely, responsibly, and respectfully. It uses a catchy song and engaging visuals featuring...more
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Pause and Think Online is a lesson designed to teach young students how to use the internet safely, responsibly, and respectfully. It uses a catchy song and engaging visuals featuring the Digital Citizens characters to help children understand and remember key principles of digital citizenship, such as thinking before reacting, protecting privacy, recognizing trustworthy content, being kind online, and managing device time. The lesson includes interactive activities, discussion prompts, handouts, and take-home resources to help students reflect on their use of technology. Use this lesson as a short 15 to 25-minute session or extend it into a whole-class session, depending on your schedule. If your district blocks YouTube, then the video may not be viewable.
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tag(s): digital citizenship (86), internet safety (110)

In the Classroom

Teach students a simple hand-motion routine that matches the song's ideas (pause, think, protect, be kind). Use it as a warm-up before any digital activity to reinforce safe choices. Show a sample webpage or classroom-safe site, and model pausing and thinking before clicking. Students can then practice in partners, explaining their choices aloud. Give students picture cards of the Digital Citizens characters and brief online scenarios. Have them match each scenario to the character who would give the best advice, just like in the lesson.

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Resisting the Marshmallow and the Success of Self-Control - PBS NewsHour

Grades
2 to 8
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This video explains the well-known "marshmallow test," where children choose between eating one marshmallow right away or waiting to earn two. It shows how this experiment helps researchers...more
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This video explains the well-known "marshmallow test," where children choose between eating one marshmallow right away or waiting to earn two. It shows how this experiment helps researchers understand self-control and long-term decision-making. It highlights that self-regulation is not an innate trait but a skill that they can strengthen through teaching and practice. The video also shares examples of how educators help children learn strategies to manage impulses, build patience, and make thoughtful choices that support success both in and out of the classroom. If your district blocks YouTube, then the video may not be viewable.
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tag(s): classroom management (107), social and emotional learning (126), teaching strategies (57), thinking skills (57)

In the Classroom

Present quick scenarios such as "Do you play now or finish your homework first?" Have students vote using ClassQuestion, reviewed here, discuss their choices, and share what factors influenced them. Set up short, fun tasks like waiting 30 seconds before touching a card or completing a puzzle without talking. Have students reflect on what strategies helped them resist impulses. In pairs, have students create a safe, classroom-appropriate "challenge" (such as waiting to open a mystery envelope). They can predict which strategies would help someone succeed and then test and record the results.

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Impulse Control - TPT

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K to 8
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View these free resources focused on impulse control and self-regulation, including scenario cards, task cards, posters, journal pages, and worksheets that help students recognize impulses,...more
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View these free resources focused on impulse control and self-regulation, including scenario cards, task cards, posters, journal pages, and worksheets that help students recognize impulses, pause and think, and make better choices. Many materials are designed for elementary grades and fit naturally into social-emotional learning or classroom management routines. These resources are easy to integrate into transitions, small-group lessons, morning meetings, or individual student support, and they provide low-prep, engaging tools to help students build practical impulse-control skills in everyday classroom situations.
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tag(s): behavior (33), social and emotional learning (126), thinking skills (57)

In the Classroom

Each day, post a new impulse challenge inspired by tasks often found on TPT (wait your turn patiently, follow directions the first time, use kind words when frustrated). Have students track in Book Creator, reviewed here when they successfully meet the challenge and reflect on which strategies helped. Or use Book Creator to have them complete a reflection page where students write or draw a moment when they felt an impulse, what they wanted to do, and what they chose to do instead. Introduce a set of calming strategies such as deep breathing, counting to ten, or chair yoga. Have students create a small foldable or card that lists three strategies they can use when they feel impulsive.

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10 Games to Build Stop-and-Think Skills and Regulation - Grow and Thrive Therapy

Grades
K to 5
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Discover games that students can play both at home and in the classroom. The ten games featured are: Red Light Green Light, Simon Says, Freeze Dance, Jenga, Mirror Game, Pencil ...more
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Discover games that students can play both at home and in the classroom. The ten games featured are: Red Light Green Light, Simon Says, Freeze Dance, Jenga, Mirror Game, Pencil Balancing Game, ABC Game, I'm Going on a Picnic, Don't Break the Ice, and Back to Back Drawing. Each game has a short description of how to play and the skill it fosters.

tag(s): classroom management (107), emotions (55), game based learning (218), social and emotional learning (126)

In the Classroom

Students can play the various games mentioned in the site. Students can share on Padlet, reviewed here which was their favorite game to play. Finally, students can create their own game using Blooket, reviewed here to review the rules of each of the games.

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Stop Think Act Impulse Control Free Printables and Song - Your Therapy Source

Grades
K to 4
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Support students in managing their impulses with printables and songs. This article covers impulse control, how to teach children to stop-think-act, how to practice stop-think-act,...more
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Support students in managing their impulses with printables and songs. This article covers impulse control, how to teach children to stop-think-act, how to practice stop-think-act, and a YouTube video featuring the top-think-act song. The printables and song are downloaded as a PDF.
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tag(s): emotions (55), mental health (56), social and emotional learning (126)

In the Classroom

Students can create their own scenarios on practicing stop-think-act and record themselves using ScreenPal, reviewed here. Students can share times when they have lost their ability to control their emotions. Finally, students can use Magic School, reviewed here to create their own song.
 This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.

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Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations (Habit of the Mind) - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
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This collection of resources is designed to help you and your students cultivate the Habit of Mind of Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations--the strategic practice of accessing...more
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This collection of resources is designed to help you and your students cultivate the Habit of Mind of Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations--the strategic practice of accessing prior knowledge and transferring what you've learned beyond the original context to tackle fresh challenges. This connective habit helps students use math concepts to solve real-world problems, apply research skills from one project to another, and draw on previous experiences to navigate unfamiliar territory with confidence. We've all seen students who ace a test but can't apply the same knowledge to a real-world problem. We've gathered a variety of tools to help you bridge that gap, empowering students to "use what they learn" and access prior knowledge in novel contexts. In this collection, you'll find video examples showing how skills transfer across disciplines and contexts, interactive analogy activities and pattern-recognition challenges that strengthen connection-making, KWL charts that help students link new learning to past experiences, lesson plans featuring real-world application projects and cross-curricular problem-solving tasks, and transfer journals where students document how they've repurposed their knowledge. These resources are packed with practical strategies and real examples to help your students tap into what they already know and make those "aha!" connections across everything they're learning and doing.

tag(s): thinking skills (57)

In the Classroom

Share these resources with your students to learn more about applying past knowledge to new situations. Share a link to this collection on your school web page. Find resources to incorporate into your lessons.

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Thinking about Thinking (Metacognition) - Habit of the Mind - TeachersFirst

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K to 12
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This collection of resources is designed to help you and your students cultivate the Habit of Mind of Metacognition, or "Thinking about Thinking." This crucial skill is all about "knowing...more
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This collection of resources is designed to help you and your students cultivate the Habit of Mind of Metacognition, or "Thinking about Thinking." This crucial skill is all about "knowing your knowing"--the powerful practice of being aware of your own thoughts, strategies, feelings, and actions, and understanding how your thinking shapes your outcomes. This foundational habit helps students reflect on their learning processes, recognize their personal strengths and weaknesses, and monitor their understanding as they work through tasks like reading comprehension or problem-solving. In this collection, you'll find video tutorials explaining metacognitive strategies and self-monitoring techniques, interactive think-aloud activities that make thinking processes visible, reflection journals and self-assessment checklists for tracking learning progress, lesson plans, digital journals and self-assessment checklists for tracking learning progress, and comprehension monitoring tools like reading trackers and confusion cards. Resources such as digital journals and reflection prompts encourage students to reflect on their learning processes, as well as online diagnostic tools that help them identify their own strengths and weaknesses. By utilizing these resources, you can equip your students with the tools to pause and reflect on their own thinking. In no time, you'll be equipping them with the self-awareness and skills they need to become confident, independent problem solvers.

tag(s): thinking skills (57)

In the Classroom

Help your students learn and practice metacognition. This list includes resources for all grades. Read each resource's Classroom Use section to learn ways to incorporate the information in your lessons

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Thinking Flexibly (Habit of the Mind) - TeachersFirst

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K to 12
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Learn about Thinking Flexibly, a Habit of Mind--the ability to change perspectives, generate alternatives, and look at situations from multiple angles to discover new possibilities....more
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Learn about Thinking Flexibly, a Habit of Mind--the ability to change perspectives, generate alternatives, and look at situations from multiple angles to discover new possibilities. In an ever-changing world, we've gathered a variety of tools to help you foster creativity, adaptability, and the ability to generate alternatives in your classroom. This creative habit empowers students to find multiple approaches to solving problems, adapt their strategies when circumstances change, and consider different viewpoints in discussions and debates. In this collection, you'll find interactive simulations and virtual labs that require students to adapt their strategies to succeed, as well as digital platforms for brainstorming and mind mapping that encourage diverse solutions. You will also discover brain teaser puzzles (and digital escapes) that require multiple solution pathways, interactive activities that challenge students to explore alternative perspectives, printable and virtual graphic organizers for comparing different approaches and options, lesson plans featuring open-ended problems with no single "right" answer, and debate protocols that encourage respectful consideration of opposing views. By deliberately incorporating these resources into your daily routines and creating a classroom culture that celebrates diverse thinking, you'll help students develop the mental agility and adaptability essential for navigating our ever-changing world.

tag(s): flexibility (5), thinking skills (57)

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.

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Teaching With Habits of the Mind - The Institute for the Arts Integration and STEAM

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K to 12
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Created by The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM, this webpage introduces teachers to the Habits of Mind, a set of purposeful thinking behaviors that help students become more...more
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Created by The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM, this webpage introduces teachers to the Habits of Mind, a set of purposeful thinking behaviors that help students become more resilient and thoughtful learners. This page explains how these habits apply across grade levels and content areas and encourages teachers to weave them into everyday routines so students can practice them regularly. It also provides practical tools, such as mini-lessons, discussion prompts, and printable habit cards, to facilitate easy classroom integration.
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tag(s): professional development (273), social and emotional learning (126), teaching strategies (57), thinking skills (57)

In the Classroom

Have students create a habit of mind character sketch with Google Drawings, reviewed here. They can choose a character from a book and identify which habits the character uses or lacks. They can write a short explanation and illustrate the character demonstrating the habit in a key scene. Assign students to design a toolkit for a habit of mind. In small groups using Canva for Education, reviewed here, they create posters, bookmark reminders, or short scripts for morning announcements that teach their classmates how to use a specific habit. These tools are shared with the grade level or displayed in the classroom as ongoing reminders. Choose one habit of mind, such as persisting, and give students a quick challenge, such as building a tower from index cards and tape. Pause halfway through and ask students to reflect on how they are using the habit in real time, this helps them experience the habit through action.

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Analogy Worksheets - Englishlinx

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K to 12
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Englishlinx has a helpful section on Analogy Worksheets where students can explore word relationships through comparisons that strengthen vocabulary and reasoning. It offers free downloadable...more
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Englishlinx has a helpful section on Analogy Worksheets where students can explore word relationships through comparisons that strengthen vocabulary and reasoning. It offers free downloadable PDF worksheets for a wide range of grade levels. It provides many formats, such as choosing, circling, combining, and matching activities, making it a ready-to-use resource for reinforcing vocabulary skills and building analytical thinking in the classroom or for at-home practice.
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tag(s): vocabulary (240), vocabulary development (96), worksheets (71)

In the Classroom

Ask students to build an analogy puzzle game. They can write analogy pairs on separate cards, mix them up, and challenge classmates to match the correct pairs while explaining the relationship in each one. The activities can also be used as a station activity or shared with younger grades. Have students complete an Analogy Scavenger Hunt around the classroom. Post analogy cards on the walls, each missing the final word. Students can move in pairs to solve each analogy and discuss why their answers make sense. Assign students to create their own analogy "mini posters" using Google Drawings, reviewed here based on characters, settings, or themes from a book they are reading. They can illustrate both sides of the analogy to clarify the relationship.

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PBL Resources - PBLWorks

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3 to 5
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The Resources Overview section of the PBLWorks website offers a rich collection of tools, guides, and supports designed to help teachers plan and implement high-quality project-based...more
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The Resources Overview section of the PBLWorks website offers a rich collection of tools, guides, and supports designed to help teachers plan and implement high-quality project-based learning. It includes a library of standards-aligned project units, rubrics, strategy guides, webinars, and student handouts, searchable by grade level and subject area. Whether you are just beginning with PBL or looking to deepen your practice, these resources provide explicit scaffolding and practical ideas to promote student agency, collaboration, and inquiry in the classroom.

tag(s): Project Based Learning (26), rubrics (38), teaching strategies (57), thinking skills (57)

In the Classroom

Show a short video connected to an upcoming unit, then build a "Wonder Wall" where students post questions. This model shows how PBL begins with curiosity and student-generated inquiry. Teach students to write interview questions and rehearse asking them. Then invite a school staff member (nurse, custodian, counselor) as a guest expert. Have students research their classmates' needs, design a small improvement (e.g., a class jobs system, a reading nook layout, noise-level agreements), and present their ideas. Use the PBLWorks rubrics to guide collaboration and presentation skills.

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Connecting Across Disciplines in PBL - Edutopia

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3 to 5
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In the article Connecting Across Disciplines in PBL: Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning, teachers are invited to rethink how students learn by exploring big questions that...more
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In the article Connecting Across Disciplines in PBL: Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning, teachers are invited to rethink how students learn by exploring big questions that cross traditional subject boundaries. The piece explains how interdisciplinary project-based learning helps students make meaningful, real-world connections, deepen their thinking, and stay more engaged. It describes a continuum of ways teachers can blend subjects and shows how projects become stronger when students use skills from science, social studies, literacy, and more to solve authentic problems. The article encourages educators to move beyond isolated lessons and design learning experiences in which students investigate, collaborate, and apply knowledge across multiple disciplines.

tag(s): professional development (273), Project Based Learning (26), teaching strategies (57)

In the Classroom

Have students investigate a simple real-world problem in your school, such as noisy hallways or wasted food in the cafeteria. Let them gather data in math, write observations in ELA, and brainstorm causes in science. Create a mini interdisciplinary inquiry in which students read a nonfiction text in ELA about a science or social studies topic, then design a hands-on model or diagram that explains the problem from another subject's perspective. Launch a small PBL challenge in which students create a proposal to improve something at the school or in the community. They may research in social studies, write persuasive pieces in ELA, measure materials in math, and present solutions digitally using Microsoft PowerPoint Online, reviewed here.

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Applying Prior Knowledge to New Situations - University of Vermont Extension Institute

Grades
4 to 12
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The page titled "University of Vermont Extension Institute (UVEI) Wiki: Applying Prior Knowledge to New Situations" explains how this Habit of Mind supports students in using what they...more
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The page titled "University of Vermont Extension Institute (UVEI) Wiki: Applying Prior Knowledge to New Situations" explains how this Habit of Mind supports students in using what they already know to approach new and unfamiliar problems. It describes how learners sometimes treat each task as entirely separate, and emphasizes the importance of prompting them to recall previous experiences and make valuable connections. The website places this habit within a broader set of thinking skills and instructional practices, showing teachers how encouraging students to transfer learning can strengthen understanding and problem-solving.

tag(s): professional development (273), thinking skills (57)

In the Classroom

Have students list anything they already know about a new topic or skill. Give students a challenging problem, then ask them to create a simpler version based on what they already know and solve both. Have students write or draw analogies showing how a new concept is like something they have learned before.

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16 Habits of Mind: Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations - WonderGrove Kids

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3 to 5
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Use this video to introduce students to this Habit of Mind by showing how what they already know can help them solve new and more complex problems. The narrator explains ...more
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Use this video to introduce students to this Habit of Mind by showing how what they already know can help them solve new and more complex problems. The narrator explains that prior knowledge is a powerful resource, especially when students feel stuck or believe a task is too difficult. By reminding children to recall simpler problems they've solved or experiences they've had, the video models how to transfer learning and build confidence. It also emphasizes that using past knowledge is a creative act, helping learners form analogies and apply familiar ideas to unfamiliar situations in meaningful ways. If your district blocks YouTube, then the video may not be viewable.
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tag(s): problem solving (240), thinking skills (57)

In the Classroom

Present a new math or reading problem and ask students to identify one strategy they used yesterday that might help them today. Have students create an analogy that connects a new concept (like theme, fractions, force, or government roles) to something they've learned earlier in the year. Students can take a problem they solved earlier in the year (ELA, math, or science) and "remix" it into a harder version, showing how their past knowledge helps them solve the new version.

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Metacognition: An Important Skill for Modern Times - Brendan Conway-Smith

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4 to 12
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The talk "Metacognition: An Important Skill for Modern Times" by Brendan Conway-Smith explains the idea of metacognition, which means thinking about your own thinking, and shows why...more
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The talk "Metacognition: An Important Skill for Modern Times" by Brendan Conway-Smith explains the idea of metacognition, which means thinking about your own thinking, and shows why it is an important skill in today's busy, technology-filled world. Conway-Smith describes how constant distractions and information overload make it hard for our brains to stay focused, and he explains how greater awareness of our thoughts, attention, and emotions can help us learn better and stay in control. This talk is helpful for teachers because it highlights how guiding students to notice their thinking can build independence, stronger focus, and deeper learning.
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tag(s): brain (55), professional development (273), social and emotional learning (126), thinking skills (57)

In the Classroom

Give students a simple puzzle (a word scramble, a math riddle, or a pattern). Before solving, ask them to write or say, "How do I plan to solve this?" Afterward, they reflect on what worked and what didn't. Set up a short activity, such as a reading passage or drawing task, and pause halfway to let students check in with themselves. They can answer quick prompts like "Is my mind wandering?" and "What can I do to refocus?" Students will begin to see how awareness affects performance. Have students create a set of colorful cards that teach strategies such as "Take a brain break," "Ask yourself questions," "Notice your emotions," and "Check your work." They can decorate, explain, and practice each strategy, then use their cards during class for future learning tasks.

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Habits of Mind - Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick

Grades
5 to 12
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The Habits of Mind: A Curriculum for Community High School of Vermont Students is a structured program designed to help learners develop essential thinking and problem-solving skills....more
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The Habits of Mind: A Curriculum for Community High School of Vermont Students is a structured program designed to help learners develop essential thinking and problem-solving skills. The curriculum includes lessons and activities focused on persistence, flexible thinking, managing impulsivity, and reflective learning. Each module provides clear objectives, guided discussions, and reflection prompts that encourage students to apply these habits in academic and real-life situations. Although designed for older students, users can adapt the content for upper-elementary and middle-school classrooms to build a strong foundation for social-emotional growth and metacognitive awareness.

tag(s): critical thinking (141), problem solving (240), thinking skills (57)

In the Classroom

Introduce one habit, such as Thinking Flexibly, and give students a quick scenario in which they choose among different ways to solve a problem. Have them vote and explain their choices. Give students cards with prompts like "A time I persisted today..." or "A moment I listened with understanding..." to build awareness of habits in real time. Set up stations tied to different habits, such as puzzles for persisting partner tasks for listening with understanding or creative challenges for thinking flexibly. Have students rotate and practice each habit as part of your ongoing classroom routines.
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Metacognitive Strategies - CUNY Academic Commons

Grades
6 to 12
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The Metacognition Strategies toolkit from the CUNY Academic Commons provides a comprehensive guide for educators looking to help students take control of their own learning. This free...more
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The Metacognition Strategies toolkit from the CUNY Academic Commons provides a comprehensive guide for educators looking to help students take control of their own learning. This free resource offers a practical bank of strategies, ranging from goal-setting and self-reflection to peer instruction and scaffolded learning. Each category includes clear explanations of how these techniques work to enhance a student's ability to monitor and regulate their cognitive processes. While the site is hosted by a college faculty center, the strategies--such as "think-alouds," "predict-observe-explain," and "concept mapping"--are easily adaptable for learners from upper elementary through higher education. The site functions as a straightforward pedagogical menu, allowing you to quickly browse subject-specific applications for math, science, language arts, and social studies without a subscription or account.

tag(s): thinking skills (57)

In the Classroom

When debating during a Social Studies lesson, students can use Tricider, reviewed here. Students can use Snorkl, reviewed here to get feedback on an activity. Students can use the Interactive 2 Circle Venn Diagram by ReadWriteThink, reviewed here to create maps for science while making predictions and observations during an experiment.

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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 (57)

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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