Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Create a Flappy Bird game using drag and drop code, then save it to your phone to play over and over! Follow the 10 step directions to add code to your workspace as you make your bird fly toward a target, give directions for the end of game results, and edit actions and speed of the game. When finished, share games via URL or social networking links. The intro video resides on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the video may not be viewable.

tag(s): coding (87), computational thinking (41), computers (109), critical thinking (137), game based learning (206), gamification (86), logic (160)

Novel Engineering offers an integrated approach to teaching engineering with literacy. Learn about it through the short video on the home page. To find ideas, select the "BOOKS" link at the top of the page. Choose from several well-known books to find the engineering problem(s) in the book and possible solutions from students.

tag(s): engineering (137), problem solving (234), STEM (312)

Create personalized crossword puzzles to embed on your blog or website with this easy puzzle creator. View the help for the directions and examples. It is as simple as typing a question on each line followed by an asterisk, then the correct answer. When complete, submit to view your puzzle online and choose from different options for sharing. Also, you can download puzzles as PDF documents.

tag(s): crosswords (19), puzzles (149)

Solvemall offers a large variety of online crossword puzzles. Choose from a new daily starter puzzle each day or scroll down to find popular sets. In addition to the daily puzzle, most days also have a special topic puzzle such as inventors or musicians. Simply fill in each space on the puzzles with your responses and check when finished to view results. Solve blocked puzzles and collect points by creating a free account.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): crosswords (19), problem solving (234), puzzles (149)

Visit the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to help kids of all ages learn about trademarks and patents, and the importance of intellectual property creation and protection. USPTO features "collectible" cards of inventor profiles, activities at different levels - including videos about the paticulars of patents, trademarks, and more. In another video section are videos with age appropriate appeal, and titles like Driverless Cars, Bionic Limbs, Biofuels, Electronic Tattoos, and more. The invention and design focus of most of the activities makes for perfect STEM and "maker space" lessons. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.

tag(s): crafts (76), digital citizenship (93), inventors and inventions (81), sound (71), sports (85), STEM (312), video (267)

Join Plum, an alien video game designer from another planet, and explore the natural world through interactive games, videos, adventures, and real life activities. Live videos feature kids exploring different biomes and recording data for Plum. Before each game, learn about the environmental focus that will help you win the game. Ideas for exploring and investigating outside bring environmental concepts to your own community. Post images, thoughts, and ideas to share with Plum in the gallery. A parent section offers activities to do online and outside. The educator section provides curriculum for Afterschool programs, Clubs, or Camps. Lesson plans designed for after school enrichment, clubs, and camps give curriculum topics, standards, video links, conversation starters, and related activities.

tag(s): conservation (101), earth (182), earth day (60), environment (251), game based learning (206)

Technovation Families: Curiosity Machine connects scientists and engineers with young people to help design and create projects together. Create an account to begin using features on the site. Discover challenges to build on your own, including categories such as aerospace, robotics, engineering, and more.See the menu on the left to see them all. Find inspiration by watching videos of scientists and engineers sharing their inventions. Share your finished projects as inspiration for other aspiring engineers and scientists.

tag(s): aeronautics (12), computers (109), design (80), engineering (137), gifted (66), inventors and inventions (81), makerspace (40), oceans (149), problem solving (234), robotics (26), STEM (312)

Bill's Games offers a variety of free online activities and puzzles. Although this site is "plain vanilla," there are classic activities that offer challenges for all ages. Scroll through the home page to find puzzles, board games, mazes, and word games. Each activity includes directions for play and many offer options for difficulty levels.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): game based learning (206), logic (160), problem solving (234), puzzles (149)

Tux Math Scrabble takes the traditional Scrabble game and replaces letter tiles with numbers and mathematical symbols. Drag tiles anywhere on the Scrabble board to form equations while earning as many points as possible from the value of the tiles. Use links on the menu to the left to change the background, adjust grid size, see a demo, and change skill levels.

tag(s): addition (127), division (96), equations (119), galileo (6), game based learning (206), multiplication (120), problem solving (234), subtraction (108)

The 4 Numbers Game is a classic math game. Use the four numbers provided and basic math (+, -, x, /) to arrive at an answer of 24 as quickly as you can. Play alone or with multi-players. Play with a time limit (or without). Choose the kids game to play without division or multiplication. Be sure to view the How to Play link for complete rules and suggestions. Find new puzzles on the site daily, or follow 4 Numbers via X (formerly Twitter) to receive notifications of the puzzle of the day. This site is also available as an app for both iOs and Android devices.

tag(s): addition (127), DAT device agnostic tool (146), division (96), equations (119), mental math (19), multiplication (120), problem solving (234), subtraction (108)

The Griddle offers a small selection of math and logic puzzles. Choose from puzzles for younger students including Sudoku and Number Soup. For older students check out a Sudoku or Conflict Graphing puzzle. Click the name of each puzzle to go to the link for the PDF download. Other downloads are multiplication charts in black and white or color with options for including numbers or using blank charts. The Arithmetic Worksheet Generator provides a large number for creating customized worksheets, be sure to read the instructions at the bottom of the page on how to change the type of problems and locations on the worksheet.

tag(s): logic (160), problem solving (234), sudoku (10), worksheets (71)

Which One Doesn't Belong provides stimulating and challenging math puzzles. Select a category to find puzzles related to numbers, shapes, graphs, expressions, photos, incomplete sets, and miscellaneous. The site does not provide a "correct" answer. Each puzzle has multiple (possible) answers providing opportunities for all to choose and justify their response.

tag(s): critical thinking (137), logic (160), problem solving (234), puzzles (149)

The Problems of the Month offer problems (divided into 5 difficulty levels) to be used school-wide as part of a problem-solving theme. View videos to learn more about the program and get started in your school. Expand the Getting Started link to find scoring guidelines, sample letters for teachers and parents, and more. Video examples demonstrate the use of different levels within each of the problems. Click on the "download problems of the month" link on the left side of the page to access problems by grade level.

tag(s): critical thinking (137), problem solving (234)

Get Hott Notes to create sticky notes, lists, or scribbles, to keep on your home screen. Never again have your sticky notes get buried on your desk or lose their stick and fall off the wall! If you have a Windows machine, download the program, and find the hot notes icon on the task bar. Easily create a note, list, or scribble at no cost. Add an alarm feature to a note or change colors of notes. Lists have a check off feature to help keep track of each item completed. Done with a note? Click it away. Never buy or lose your important sticky notes again. See the download section for directions about how to take your computer desktop stickies with you everywhere!

tag(s): note taking (36)

Skyenimals is a website just for kids to learn about real and make-believe animals. Skyenimals are mixed up and imaginary animals created by kids. Explore and choose different animals to find related pictures, games, puzzles, and more. Choose the activities link to find coloring pages as well as online and printable activities.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): animals (293), creativity (87)

Find a collection of resources for teaching and learning shapes and measures. This site works well on any web enabled device. Teaching resources include: angle measurer, grids for measuring areas of virtual shapes, coordinate practice, isometric grid for 3D shapes, perimeter practice, rotation, symmetry creator, rotational symmetry of shapes, translations, and a virtual mirror. Each of these tools allows demonstration and some practice. Shapes and Measures will bring your geometry class alive!
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): geometric shapes (133), measurement (123)

Find interesting discussion topics for high school math classes at Math Arguments 180. This blog offers 180 days of ideas for discussion in math class. In fact, it has gone beyond 180 and is still counting. Scroll through by date to view topics or search the archives for past posts. Try clicking on the categories to find specific content such as geometry or probability. Find the most popular posts by viewing links on the right side of the home page.

tag(s): logic (160), probability (99), problem solving (234)

Need practice worksheets or new teaching techniques? Go to Dads! Find printable flashcards, fact family math with timed tests, place value, decimals, fractions, patterns, negative numbers, word problems, order of operations, geometry, time, measurement, rounding, and metrics. Find several versions for multiple opportunities for practice. Included is an online timer. Join the newsletter to view the latest new additions.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): addition (127), fractions (159), measurement (123), order of operations (29), subtraction (108), worksheets (71)

Welcome to your math reference website, Allmath! Find resources for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division practice either timed or untimed. Challenge your students further with Magic Squares. Find information regarding metric conversions and how to do the metric conversions. A math glossary answers all of your math vocabulary questions. Biographies of Math show many famous mathematicians.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): addition (127), division (96), multiplication (120), periodic table (43), subtraction (108), vocabulary (241)

Oh nO is a unique logic puzzle game that is available on your web browser or as an app (on any device). Use the blue dots with numbers to decide where to place red or blue dots on the grid. The numbers on the blue dots indicate how many other blue dots surround each. Click once to make the circle blue and twice to make the circle red. Select different size grids and use the timer to increase difficulty. Follow the introduction on the site to learn more details about this mind challenge!

tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (146), logic (160), problem solving (234), puzzles (149)