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Character Lab - Character Lab
Grades
K to 12tag(s): social and emotional learning (134)
In the Classroom
Choose any topic you're teaching and have students generate three "wonder questions." Invite them to share one with a partner, then select a few to guide class discussion. Give students small index cards and have them write or draw one thing they are grateful for that day. They should say something specific, not general (for example, "My friend helped me understand fractions" instead of "my friends"). Collect the cards and create a class gratitude wall. Set up three short challenge stations (puzzles, STEM building tasks, brainteasers). Have students rotate through each one and practice using perseverance strategies, such as breaking a task into smaller steps or trying a new approach. Afterward, they can reflect on which strategy helped them the most and how they can apply it in academic tasks.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Learn About the Winter Solstice - Sierra Club BC
Grades
3 to 6tag(s): cultures (259), earth (189), seasonal (35), seasons (56), sun (83), sustainability (54)
In the Classroom
Read a winter-themed story that reflects cultural or seasonal traditions, then have students share a short reflection about a tradition or memory from winter in their own lives. After learning about seasonal cycles, have students design a simple "celebration of light" activity, such as creating lanterns from recycled materials or writing hopes for the coming season. Take students outside to observe signs of winter in plants, animals, and weather. They can record observations in a nature journal and write a few sentences about how living things adapt during this season, echoing the "Rhythms and Patterns" module.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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December Solstice - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
2 to 6tag(s): cultures (259), earth (189), seasonal (35), seasons (56), sun (83)
In the Classroom
Have students track sunrise and sunset times for a week before and after the winter solstice, then graph the changes using LiveGap Charts reviewed here to visualize how daylight shifts over time. Using a stick or pencil placed upright outside, students can measure the length and direction of shadows at different times of day. They can compare results to understand why shadows are longest near the solstice. After watching the video, have students research how different cultures recognize or celebrate the winter solstice. They can create a simple poster, mini-presentation, or journal page in Canva for Education, reviewed here about a tradition they find interesting.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Hour of Code - Code.org
Grades
K to 12tag(s): artificial intelligence (231), coding (96), critical thinking (154), logic (156), problem solving (247), STEM (333)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site to use during annual Hour of AI or Code activities and throughout the year as part of computer science instruction. Integrate coding activities into cross-curricular lessons, for example, by incorporating coding exercises that enable students to explore geometry and patterns within their math lessons. Integrate with science lessons to explore the scientific method or use coding activities to create interactive stories that bring student writing projects to life. Extend student learning by including activities and lessons from Hour of AI, reviewed here as part of your computer science curriculum. Share student projects on your class website or on a site such as Milanote, reviewed here to curate and share information.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Minecraft Education Hour of Code: AI for Good - Minecraft Education
Grades
3 to 8tag(s): artificial intelligence (231), coding (96), critical thinking (154), data (178), game based learning (263), problem solving (247)
In the Classroom
Have students complete the AI for Good Minecraft challenge, guiding their Agent to detect fires and protect the forest. Have them record observations about how coding decisions impact the environment and outcomes in the game using Book Creator, reviewed here. Ask students to design their own "AI for Good" scenario in Minecraft or on paper. They can use AI to clean oceans, track endangered animals, or reduce pollution, and write a short reflection explaining their idea. Have students create a class infographic or poster titled "How AI Helps Our Planet." These can be made on paper or digitally using DesignCap Poster Creator, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Two Truths & AI Game - Common Sense Education
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): artificial intelligence (231), digital literacy (28), game based learning (263)
In the Classroom
Share this game during the Hour of AI. Begin class with a "Two Truths and a Lie" icebreaker using everyday facts, then introduce the AI version from the website. Have students guess which statements might have been created by AI to start a discussion about how machines mimic human communication. Guide students to research examples of AI-generated content, such as news articles, art, or social media posts. In small groups, they can analyze clues that reveal when something might not be human-made and share their reasoning with the class. Challenge older students to write their own "Two Truths and an AI" statements using a classroom AI tool or generator such as Claude, reviewed here or ChatGPT, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Listening with Understanding and Empathy (Habit of the Mind) - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Share these resources with your students to learn more about listening with understanding and empathy. Share a link to this collection on your school web page and in your school newsletter (or email). Find resources to incorporate into your lessons.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Questioning and Posing Problems (Habit of the Mind) - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): questioning (34), thinking skills (72)
In the Classroom
Help your students learn and practice questioning and posing questions. This list includes resources for all grades. Read each resource's Classroom Use section to learn ways to incorporate the information in your lessonsAdd your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Project Zero Thinking Routines - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): thinking routines (26), thinking skills (72)
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.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Flexible Thinking Activities - Life Skills Advocate, LLC
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): flexibility (5), perspective (24), problem solving (247), thinking skills (72)
In the Classroom
Give students a puzzle or game that has more than one solution and challenge them to find at least two ways to solve it. Then, have them share how they chose those methods. After reading a poem or short story, have students write what a different character or stakeholder might think or do. Then discuss how shifting their viewpoint changed their understanding of the text. Have students identify a classroom or school routine or space (for example, recess line-up, library checkout, transitions) and redesign it using flexible thinking. Then have the students map out at least two alternative versions, predict outcomes, and present their designs and reasoning to the class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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OER Commons- Thinking Flexibly - OER Commons
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): critical thinking (154), flexibility (5), perspective (24), problem solving (247), thinking skills (72)
In the Classroom
Start class with puzzles or riddles that can be solved in more than one way, encouraging students to explore different strategies and perspectives. In small groups, have students tackle an open-ended task, such as designing a classroom improvement plan or inventing a tool for everyday life, using creative and logical thinking to propose multiple solutions. Use an OER Commons lesson in science or math that asks students to approach a problem from more than one angle, emphasizing that flexibility strengthens understanding in all subjects.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thinking Flexible Lesson Plan - scribd
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): flexibility (5), thinking skills (72)
In the Classroom
Present students with everyday classroom situations (for example, "You forgot your homework" or "Your partner disagrees with your idea"). Have them sort these into rigid or flexible thinking responses and discuss what makes each one different. Have students reflect weekly on moments when they practiced flexibility in school or at home, describing how adapting their thinking helped them succeed. In science or math, challenge students to find two different methods to reach the same result, showing that flexible thinking leads to problem-solving success.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Good Project Resource Center - Harvard Graduate School of Education
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): thinking routines (26), thinking skills (72)
In the Classroom
Present a short ethical or classroom-based dilemma (for example, including others during group work). Have students move to the corners of the room labeled with different choices and briefly explain why they chose that response. After reading a story, have students create a collage on paper or using Photo Collage, reviewed here that highlights a character's values and choices. They then compare whether the character's actions were responsible or harmful. In small groups, students can act out both sides of a conflict or dilemma from a book. They focus on empathy by discussing how each person feels and why they feel that way.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thinking Resources for Teachers - Known Atom
Grades
K to 12tag(s): thinking routines (26), thinking skills (72)
In the Classroom
Have students make a claim about a character's motivation or a theme in the story, provide text evidence as support, and then generate a meaningful question that deepens discussion. They can share and respond in small groups. Have students identify one idea from the text they connect to, one new idea that extends their thinking, and one question that challenges their understanding. This routine deepens comprehension and encourages perspective-taking. Ask students to write a short headline that captures the main idea or most important moment in a poem or chapter, then justify their headline with specific text evidence. These can be shared or posted as an exit ticket on Padlet, reviewed here or a Collaboration Board on Nearpod, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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See Think Wonder - SchoolAI
Grades
K to 12tag(s): artificial intelligence (231), data (178), learning styles (18), thinking routines (26)
In the Classroom
Have students enter a Space where Dot takes on the role of a character from a novel or short story. Students can ask the character questions to make predictions, explore motivation, or infer traits. This grabs attention and activates background knowledge before reading. Students can work through a Space that adapts writing tasks based on strengths and needs. For example, Dot may provide feedback on topic sentences, evidence, and transitions. Higher-achieving students can receive optional extension prompts or style challenges. Students can complete a digital mission where Dot introduces story vocabulary in context, asks students to choose the most accurate meaning, and then challenges them to use the words in a sentence connected to the text.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Project Zero Videos - Harvard Graduate School of Education
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): thinking routines (26), thinking skills (72)
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.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Project Zero - Harvard Graduate School of Education
Grades
K to 12tag(s): thinking routines (26), thinking skills (72)
In the Classroom
After finishing a story or unit, have students write how their perspective changed as they learned more about characters, themes, or issues. Post meaningful quotes or claims from a text around the room. Students can respond silently in writing and build on peers' thinking by circling, questioning, and connecting ideas. Using a character from a novel, have students choose a color that represents the character's traits, a symbol connected to the character, and an image that illustrates their journey or motivation. Then, have them share their choices with the class to reveal a deeper understanding.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Word Girl - PBS Kids
Grades
K to 4tag(s): antonyms (12), audbk (25), audint (13), audio books (41), audtxt (19), sentences (21), spelling (94), synonyms (15), verbs (25), vocabulary (248)
In the Classroom
After watching a short WordGirl episode, have students identify the villain and the key vocabulary used in the episode. Have them work in small groups to sort the vocabulary into categories such as actions, descriptions, or feelings, then share how the words helped solve the problem. Students can select one challenging word from the episode and create a four-panel comic using Comic Strip Templates by Canva, reviewed here that uses pictures, speech bubbles, and clues to help others figure out the definition. Comics can be displayed as a "Wall of Words" gallery. Assign students to design their own superhero or villain based on a powerful word, such as "The Determinator" or "Captain Curiosity." They should write a character profile, including their powers, weaknesses, theme vocabulary, and a short scene or script where they use their word skills to save the day.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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OK2Ask: Tech Made Easy with Animoto - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12Amplify student engagement through video storytelling! This workshop will explore Animoto, a user-friendly video creation platform that makes professional-quality videos accessible to teachers and students alike. Whether you teach elementary math or high school history, you'll discover how student-created videos can serve as powerful formative assessments that deepen content understanding. You'll learn to navigate Animoto's free features, explore instructional applications, and develop practical implementation strategies that boost student engagement. We'll also weave in essential media literacy skills to help students become critical consumers and creators of digital content. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Create instructional videos using Animoto's free features. 2. Design video-based formative assessments for student learning. 3. Integrate media literacy into video creation activities. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
tag(s): OK2Askarchive (80), professional development (288)
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.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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OK2Ask: AI Templates That Work: Quick & Easy Prompting Solutions - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12Explore AI prompt templates that make artificial intelligence accessible and practical for every K-12 classroom. In this interactive workshop, you'll discover how structured prompting frameworks can transform complex AI interactions into straightforward, reliable tools for creating engaging learning experiences. We'll focus on free AI platforms that can help you turn these prompt templates into differentiated materials, assessment ideas, and creative learning activities--all while maintaining pedagogical best practices. Whether you're completely new to AI or looking to streamline your prompting process, this session will equip you with simple, effective templates you can use immediately to enhance your instruction. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Apply AI prompt templates to create instructional materials for their specific classroom needs. 2. Use structured AI prompts to generate differentiated learning activities that serve diverse student populations. 3. Refine AI-generated content to ensure pedagogical effectiveness and alignment with learning objectives. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
tag(s): artificial intelligence (231), OK2Askarchive (80), professional development (288)
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.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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