Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Play interesting word, math, and other activities with this free site. Membership is not required though members receive additional benefits. Find an interesting challenge to try. On its page, click to play the game, read the directions for play, bookmark the specific game, or generate a link for embedding in a website, wiki, or blog. Printable game worksheets that can be customized can also be found on this site. Some of the specific topics include magic squares, attributions, hangman, strategy games, and more. Note: Ads appear along the side and students should be cautioned in clicking on these ads. This site requires Flash and Adobe Acrobat. Get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox.
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tag(s): problem solving (233)

This traditional "Tower of Hanoi" challenges secondary (and possibly gifted elementary) students to move all of the interactive discs from the left peg to the right peg. The goal is to move the discs using the lowest number of moves.

tag(s): brain (56), logic (161), puzzles (149)

Do you sometimes just want to compare two things and not need a lengthy explanation of either? Diffen offers the simple goal of entering two terms and instantly receiving the similarities and differences in a table format. View simple definitions under the information table. Need more information? Wikipedia style entries of information area also available on the page. There is a Top 5 list. At the time of this review, the Top 5 included "Gross vs. Net," "Affected vs. Effected," "Meiosis vs. Mitosis," "DNA vs. RNA," and "Fruit vs. Vegetable. While not ALL topics are included, the variety is impressive. You can add your own comparison of terms to the list. You may want to discuss with your class the fact that the information here is only as reliable as the people who submitted it, and ask them whether they agree with the comparisons you find here. NOTE: If you explore some of the ready-mades or requested topics, there are some topics "compared" that are not school oriented, such as comparisons of popular television characters. Preview before turning students loose or simply direct them to a specific "diffen."

tag(s): vocabulary (238)

The KENKEN craze is spreading quickly across the world! Created in 2004 by Japanese Math Teacher, Tetsuya Miyamoto, these puzzles are fun, educational, and addictive. At first, these puzzles appear very similar to Sudoku puzzles. They have a few added components (more math and logic required). There are various levels of difficulties (3x3 puzzles through 9x9 puzzles). For 3x3 puzzles, you use only numbers 1-3, for 4x4 puzzles you use only numbers 1-4, and so on. At the time of our review of this brand-new puzzle, the 3x3 puzzles had not been created. But they add new puzzles daily, so check back! The rules are simple: each number can only be used once in any row or column. There are also "cages" which are represented by heavily outlined sets of squares. The goal is to produce the target number (in the corner of the cage). Numbers can be repeated within one cage, just so the number is not already in the row or column. Want to learn more? View the How to Play link that includes written instructions and a tutorial video. Puzzles are also PRINTABLE. Don't miss the link for teachers. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

tag(s): addition (129), division (98), logic (161), multiplication (122), puzzles (149), subtraction (110), sudoku (10), vision (44)

This site features engaging movie scenes that involve Math problems. Beside each clip and title is an explanation of the Math concept in the clip. Most are secondary level, but a few are for lower grades. If you click on the TITLE of the movie, you will be lead to a site to purchase, rate, and/or view the movie in its entirety. To avoid this confusion, be sure to click on the link below the description.

tag(s): logic (161), movies (54), patterns (61)

Do you see the gorilla? Use the basketball mind stretcher to find out! This site offers some traditional and not so traditional mind stretchers. The general topic areas include How Your Brain Works, Attention, Memory, Pattern Recognition and Planning, Visual Workouts, Visual Illusions, Language and Logic, and others. Some of the activities are quick (less than a minute) while others require more time. The activities could be used in many subject areas; there are language activities, math, general logic, and even some for physical education.

Be aware: each mind stretcher activity includes a blog. Some of the blog comments may not be appropriate, so be sure to READ any blogs that you plan to share. You may want to make these activities a group challenge, rather than individual exploration. Many are interactive and require Flash or Java. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

tag(s): brain (56), logic (161), puzzles (149), stress (7)

This site offers some fabulous (and addicting) mind stretchers. There are both visual and verbal puzzles. There is also a puzzle archive featuring a variety of puzzles for various grade levels. Some of the puzzles are interactive and you complete them online, while others are printable.

tag(s): logic (161), puzzles (149)

Although we don't usually highlight a site that is simply a list, this list is worth mentioning. There are literally hundreds of math activities at this site (all Java applets). The activities are divided up into the following categories: Arithmetic, Math Games & Puzzles, Logic, Fractals & Chaos, Fallacies, Calculus, Combinatorial Games, Algebra, Visual Illusions, Computer Math Magic, Combinatorics, Geometry, Eye Opener Series, Social Science, Mathematical Droodles, and Analog Devices. Each category has numerous interactive activities included. The site is frequently updated. There are some small advertisements at the site. This site is simple to use and offers a wealth of options for many grade levels. The activities are not time-consuming and offer simple explanations with the applets.

tag(s): angles (52), logic (161), money (113), puzzles (149)

This simple, "hands-on" website offers PDF files of numerous paper models of Polyhedra. The files are ready to print and share with your students. The various geometric solids include platonic solids, Archimedean solids, Kepler-Poinsot Polyhedra, and numerous others. The files are available in PDF format and require Adobe. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox.

tag(s): paper folding (3), visual thinking (8)

This website is truly a rare find - combining math and reading skills. Although the main page is aesthetically plain, the activities are very challenging. Most are set-up as word problems that require reading, comprehension, math skills, and more. The "outline math problems" provide students with 3-5 choices. You simply click on the blank and the choices for the answers are provided. There are activities for primary grades (such as basic addition practice) as well as advanced activities for secondary grades (such as geometry concepts). Many of the activities require JAVA. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

tag(s): angles (52), logic (161), multiples (15)

This site offers a monthly math brain teaser problem to test your math/statistical knowledge. Solutions to the questions are hidden behind a clickable bar so you can share the question on a projector without revealing the answer. Previous math teasers and solutions can be found in the archives.

tag(s): brain (56), statistics (121)

Students dream about becoming an inventor. This site shows that even the smallest item in life, such as the paper clip, was once invented by 'someone.' You can promote creativity and encourage 'thinking outside the box' through this site. Play the 'Which Came First' game at this site to see if you can guess which invention came first, especially in conjunction with a social studies class on the inventors and industrial revolution. (Warning: It's harder than you think!) Or you may opt to play the 'Invention Connection' game, a challenging activity that builds higher level thinking through attribute listing and looking for common characteristics of diverse inventions. For pure information and inspiration, click on the five featured inventors to find video footage and other information about their lives and inventions.

tag(s): inventors and inventions (80)

This all-inclusive math website contains activities for all grades (K-12). The website also features countless lesson plans, math problems, math games, and a math dictionary. There are links for students, teachers, and parents. This resource provides excellent introduction lesson plans and highly creative games and activities. Be warned - this website does have some advertisements, but the content is wonderful. If you are looking for a way to review, re-teach, or introduce a math concept, take a few minutes to visit this website.

tag(s): addition (129), decimals (85), logic (161), puzzles (149)

Exercise your gray matter by solving one of the 12,000 'braingles' at this site. It purports to be the largest collection of puzzles, riddles, mind games, etc, on the Internet. Once you explore the site, you trust their word. The site is mobile phone and wii-friendly. Don't miss the section with SAT vocab (in Mentalrobics). There are articles on study skills and strategies such as clearing your mind before studying, "chunking" when reading, or various strategies to memorize material. Engage students into math and reading exercises through the endless riddles and puzzles at this site. They won't even be aware they are 'reading' or 'solving math.'

tag(s): brain (56), puzzles (149), riddles (15), vocabulary (238)

If you are teaching a new math concept or want to review an already-introduced math skill, you must visit this website. The site provides free PowerPoint presentations on numerous math topics. There are presentations for grades K-5 and 6-12. There are over 100 math topics available. Use these free resources to help simplify the complexities of mathematics in your classroom. You may need PowerPoint software on your computer to view these files, depending upon how the site creators saved them. Roll your mouse over the words slowly to see which shows can be played directly from the site and which you must download to your computer to run from there. This site has heavy advertising at the top of the landing page. Scroll down to find the presentations.
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tag(s): addition (129), air (101), division (98), logic (161), multiplication (122), subtraction (110), vision (44)

This website provides substitutes with practical advice on surviving in a classroom. Most of the tips, websites and lesson ideas are more suitable for elementary or middle school, but many of the tips are practical in any classroom, any grade and any subject matter. New teachers and those headed into student teaching would be wise to read it, as well.

tag(s): substitutes (25)

Use this website to "clear out the cobwebs" in your students' minds. The site offers several interactive logic activities. Many require no reading. A few examples include Tetris, Rubik's Cube, Sliders, Towers and more.

tag(s): gifted (66), logic (161), problem solving (233), puzzles (149), substitutes (25)

Build higher level thinking skills, especially flexibility in how students visualize and interpret a brief story. This challenging and interactive website has Lateral puzzles, both "active" and "solved." Registration is required if you guess an answer to one of the "active" puzzles. Registration is not necessary for reading the puzzles and clues. This site gives a lateral puzzle, and then the readers can ask questions to the original poster. Some of the "solved" puzzles could be used with younger students. However, the site is geared towards middle school and high school aged students.

Not sure what a Lateral Puzzle is? Read the FAQ section!

tag(s): gifted (66), puzzles (149), thinking skills (17)

Find a problem of the week for elementary, middle and high school (algebra) as well as archived past problems on this simple site. You can submit your correct answer and get your name listed as a winner for that week. New problems appear on Mondays.

This very simple site, created by an anonymous puzzle-lover, is a treasury for logic problems and lateral thinking puzzles to use in your classroom or beyond. Click on the puzzle type you want. Use them as brain warm-ups in a math or science class before venturing into problem-solving or inquiry process or simply to engage the brains before starting any activity. There are different levels of logic and different types of lateral thinking puzzles, each with a hint before revealing the complete answer. These puzzles would also be useful for gifted enrichment.

tag(s): gifted (66), logic (161), puzzles (149)