Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Whether your students are learning how to spell the fifty states, reviewing chemistry terms, or trying out their foreign language skills, this collection of thematic hang-man games can provide a fun way to practice! Select a topic (most are curriculum-related, a few are just for fun) and try the interactive games, or print out the blank hang-man worksheets and create your own.

tag(s): grammar review (31)

This collection of games, and articles is designed to challenge students to use their problem solving skills. Activities are organized according to UK education system levels, but click on Help for an easy conversion guide. Each problem includes a question, related pictures or diagrams, a form for students to submit their solution, and helpful hints and notes for parents and teachers. A weekly challenge is also offered. Complete the free registration to participate in a discussion forum, pose questions online, or post messages.

tag(s): problem solving (233)

Students can practice and review skills related to basic geometry, fractions, logic, and problem solving with these fun and interactive activities. Highlights include a virtual lemonade stand game (manage your own business to make a profit!), a collection of thought-provoking "Brain Benders," and "ArithmATTACK" - a computer driven game that challenges kids to see how many arithmetic problems they can answer in one minute.

tag(s): fractions (160), logic (161)

If you're looking for meaningful enrichment activities in the form of challenging, yet entertaining games and puzzles, this may be just what you need. The riddles, illusions, and other mental adventures are taken from the Brain Explorer, a book written for children from age 9 to 12. Brain-bending games include Memory Solitaire, Welcome to the Third Dimension, and Jumping to Conclusions. Some are entirely "on-line interactive," while others require some effort with paper and pencil. One f the six erequires Shockwave. Created by the Exploratorium.

tag(s): puzzles (149), riddles (15)

This is an online STEAM do-it-yourself that lets you experiment with lines, fills, and color to create your own kaleidoscope. There are lots of possible imaging, color, and mathematical connections that one might draw from this one. It's also just plain fun to try. Meets Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):

tag(s): animation (64)

Subtitled "it's FUN to be smart," this site offers a collection of games, puzzles and activities designed to challenge active minds. There are also original articles, a 2-minute quiz, and a post card feature.

tag(s): logic (161), quiz (67)

Set is a challenging logic game that is often used in building reasoning skills in students. The premise is simple enough for elementary students to understand, but the applications can be a real challenge even for older students. This online version offers a daily sample to challenge students.

tag(s): logic (161)

A creative collection of puzzles and brainteasers to challenge gifted students. This large collection is maintained by Hoagies and sometimes has a few dead links, but the collection is still worth visiting for the MANY good sites they share.

tag(s): gifted (66)

This site promotes chess, school chess clubs, and chess competitions. It offers free templates and other materials which can simplify running a chess club. There are instructional sections as well with a new curriculum aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS), but the focus is on getting students involved with the game.

tag(s): chess (2)

This is the website for the annual Odyssey of the Mind competition, an interscholastic competion in which teams compete in an attempt to solve one of five categories of problems.

tag(s): gifted (66)

Are you new to makerspaces or looking for fresh ideas? Makerspace Lesson Plans is a blog by an elementary school Lead Makerspace Teacher including a variety of lesson plans. Criteria for inclusion of lesson plans includes activities suitable for beginners, divergent outcomes, and use of low-cost items. Select lessons from different categories to download the complete activity in a PDF form. The colorful images clearly demonstrate how to perform the shared activities with students.

tag(s): blogs (65), coding (85), engineering (129), makerspace (40), STEM (297)

Internet4classrooms is a free web portal designed to assist anyone who wants to find high quality, free Internet resources to use in classroom instruction, developing project ideas, reinforcing specific subject matter areas both in the class and at home. Information is organized by grade level, or subject area. Web 2.0 tutorials include links for information on: apps for iPod, iTouch, blogs, audio/pod casting, collaboration, graphic organizers, file converters, html editors, open source, organization tools, PLN tools, presentation tools, social bookmarking, survey makers, web browsers, video/photo, Wiki, and Word Cloud Generators. Links for Assessment Assistance give extra ways to assess in a fun technological twist. A daily dose section offers quotes, brain teasers, question of the day, and intersecting trivia. Join an RSS feed to get the latest updated information. Up to date, active links are reviewed continually. At the time of this review the Interactive Test Resource for 7th grade assessment had several broken links.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): graphic organizers (48), polls and surveys (49), professional development (385), social networking (61)

This site provides practice with patterns, relations, and functions through the tale of the the Tortoise and the Hare. The amount of the tortoise's head-start can be changed, then take the racers through the various stages to find out who wins! Students will enjoy predicting the winner while watching the race unfold. The instructor's section provides detailed information on standards addressed, classroom questions, and links to similar resources. There is also a link to downloadable exploration questions that can be used in conjunction with the site.

tag(s): estimation (33), functions (52), measurement (122), patterns (61)

Compare fractions within squares, circles, and the number line with this activity. Create fractions that are provided and construct your own original fractions. Two shapes are provided to create the given fractions, once they are correctly made a third box appears to create an additional fraction that sits between the original amounts on the number line. Be sure to check out the instructor tab for an explorations worksheet, links to standards, classroom suggestions, and additional similar resources.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): area (53), fractions (160), test prep (69)