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Plotted - Plotted
Grades
6 to 12
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Plotted is a free interactive tool that helps readers visualize and share the journeys in their favorite books. By combining maps with literary analysis, the site allows you to track...more
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Plotted is a free interactive tool that helps readers visualize and share the journeys in their favorite books. By combining maps with literary analysis, the site allows you to track a character's path through either a real-world location or a custom-uploaded fantasy map. You can place interactive plots on the map, which serve as digital markers containing text descriptions, book quotes, or analyses of specific scenes. Create an account to create a new map by adding a title, choosing a fantasy or real-world option, adding a description, and optional book information. Click on the map to add and label locations. Each map project is shareable via a unique URL, enabling a community of readers to explore different geographic interpretations of the same story. The platform is highly accessible to any age group capable of reading and identifying locations, making it a versatile resource for upper elementary students mapping a picture-book journey or high schoolers analyzing complex global migrations in a novel.
tag(s): digital storytelling (179), maps (221)
In the Classroom
Transform a literature unit by having students create a visual geography of a protagonist's emotional and physical journey. For a middle school lesson on a novel like A Long Walk to Water, students can plot the specific coordinates of the character's travels across Africa and add reflections on how the character overcame obstacles at each location. After completing their interactive map, students can summarize the overarching themes by creating an engaging presentation with Gamma, reviewed here. To extend the project into a collaborative discussion, have students share their map links on a digital bulletin board using Lino, reviewed here, where peers can leave sticky note comments comparing different mapping choices. This approach moves beyond traditional book reports by requiring students to synthesize geographic data with narrative evidence to show a deeper understanding of the story's progression.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Puzzle Cutter - Figma
Grades
4 to 12
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The Puzzle Cutter plugin on Figma, reviewed here is a creative design tool that allows users to quickly divide images or frames into puzzle-like pieces...more
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The Puzzle Cutter plugin on Figma, reviewed here is a creative design tool that allows users to quickly divide images or frames into puzzle-like pieces within a Figma project. Use the puzzle cutter to transform visuals into interactive jigsaw-style layouts, making it useful for designing games, presentations, or engaging digital activities. As part of Figma's plugin ecosystem, it enhances the platform's collaborative design features by automating a time-consuming task, helping users focus on creativity and interactive learning experiences.
tag(s): game based learning (320), presentations (46), puzzles (172)
In the Classroom
Have students create a puzzle based on an important scene or a story summary. Classmates can solve the puzzle, then explain how the image connects to key themes, characters, or events. Have students create an image representing a vocabulary word or concept, then turn it into a puzzle. Peers can solve the puzzle and infer the word's meaning based on visual clues before checking the definition. In small groups, have students each design one section of a larger image (such as a map, diagram, or story sequence). After combining and cutting it into a puzzle, the groups can exchange with another team to solve and interpret the completed work.Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
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CokoGames - Cokogames Educational Games ONline
Grades
K to 6
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CokoGames is a free, browser-based website that offers a large collection of interactive educational games designed to help students build skills while having fun. The platform includes...more
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CokoGames is a free, browser-based website that offers a large collection of interactive educational games designed to help students build skills while having fun. The platform includes games focused on subjects such as math, language, typing, and problem-solving, as well as activities that strengthen memory, logic, and attention. Use the site as a quick practice tool, an enrichment option, or a brain break, since all games are accessible without downloads and easily shareable with students. Designed for a wide range of ages, CokoGames provides a safe, engaging environment where students can reinforce academic skills and develop critical thinking through play.
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tag(s): capitals (15), circuits (19), electricity (63), energy (143), enrichment (16), geometric shapes (153), integers (26), logic (170), map skills (64), multiplication (133), numbers (121), spanish (112), tangrams (10), time (94)
In the Classroom
Students can rotate through a skill-station setup, where each station features a different type of game (math, typing, logic), allowing them to practice targeted skills in a fun, game-based format. Students can work in pairs to play a selected game and collaborate by discussing strategies, predicting outcomes, and helping each other solve challenges. Set up a class challenge where students set goals for improvement in a specific skill area (such as typing speed or math accuracy) and celebrate growth rather than just high scores.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Sesame Street: Janelle Monae - Power of Yet - Sesame Street
Grades
K to 5
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This engaging video from Sesame Street features Janelle Monae singing about the power of yet, a key concept in developing a growth mindset. Through catchy music and child-friendly visuals,...more
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This engaging video from Sesame Street features Janelle Monae singing about the power of yet, a key concept in developing a growth mindset. Through catchy music and child-friendly visuals, the video teaches students that just because they can't do something now doesn't mean they won't be able to in the future, encouraging perseverance, resilience, and a positive attitude toward challenges. It is especially effective for elementary learners as an introduction to growth mindset language and social-emotional learning, reinforcing that mistakes are part of the learning process and that effort leads to improvement. If your district blocks YouTube, the video may not be viewable.
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tag(s): emotions (73), social and emotional learning (204), thinking skills (136)
In the Classroom
Students can design a comic strip with Free Comic Maker by Adobe, reviewed here illustrating a character who overcomes a challenge by using perseverance and the power of yet, connecting to ELA storytelling skills. Students can engage in a goal-setting activity by choosing one academic or personal goal, breaking it into steps, and tracking their progress over time while using yet language to reflect on growth. Students can write a short personal reflection or journal entry describing a time they struggled with something and how they could apply the yet mindset to improve or keep trying.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Reading Treks: Uprising - TeachersFirst
Grades
5 to 8
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Uprising tells the powerful, interwoven stories of Bella, Yetta, and Jane--three young women from vastly different backgrounds living in New York City in 1911. This Reading Trek includes...more
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Uprising tells the powerful, interwoven stories of Bella, Yetta, and Jane--three young women from vastly different backgrounds living in New York City in 1911. This Reading Trek includes interactive maps--available as both a Google My Maps link and a downloadable Google Earth (KMZ) file--that trace key locations from the story. There is also a downloadable teacher guide (PDF) to support classroom instruction and provide activities and extensions.
tag(s): 1910s (29), fire (25), Reading Treks (56)
In the Classroom
Use the interactive Google My Maps or Google Earth file to trace Bella, Yetta, and Jane's paths through 1911 New York City, helping students visualize the neighborhoods, factories, and social divides that shaped their different lives. As students explore each location, they can research its historical significance, including the real Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, around which the novel is built. Pair this map exploration with the teacher guide's activities and extensions.
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Reading Treks: Prairie Lotus - TeachersFirst
Grades
5 to 8
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Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park is a historical fiction novel set in the Dakota Territory in the 1880s. It follows Hanna, a half-Chinese, half-white girl who moves with her ...more
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Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park is a historical fiction novel set in the Dakota Territory in the 1880s. It follows Hanna, a half-Chinese, half-white girl who moves with her father to a small frontier town after her mother's death. Hanna dreams of becoming a dressmaker and finishing school, but she faces discrimination and exclusion because of her Asian heritage. Despite the racism and prejudice around her, Hanna remains determined to honor her mother's legacy and find acceptance in the community. Through resilience, courage, and kindness, she begins to carve out a place for herself on the American prairie. This Reading Trek includes interactive maps (available as both a Google My Maps link and a downloadable Google Earth (KMZ) file). The maps trace key locations from the story. There is also a teacher guide (PDF) with classroom activities and extension activities.
tag(s): 1800s (90), racism (82), Reading Treks (56), westward expansion (42)
In the Classroom
Use the interactive maps to have students trace Hanna's journey to the Dakota Territory, visualizing the frontier landscape and the distances families traveled during Westward Expansion. As students explore each stop, they can research the historical context of the 1880s frontier, including the experiences of mixed-race and immigrant families during this era. Pair this map exploration with the teacher guide's activities to examine themes of identity, prejudice, resilience, and belonging.
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Reading Treks: Paper Towns - TeachersFirst
Grades
8 to 12
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Paper Towns, by John Green, explores the themes of identity, perception, and the complexities of growing up. The story follows Quentin "Q" Jacobsen, a high school senior in Orlando,...more
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Paper Towns, by John Green, explores the themes of identity, perception, and the complexities of growing up. The story follows Quentin "Q" Jacobsen, a high school senior in Orlando, Florida, who is infatuated with his mysterious neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman. After a night of adventurous revenge pranks, Margo disappears, leaving behind clues that Q and his friends try to decipher. As they trace her steps through paper towns--fake cities on maps and symbolic places in life--they question what it means to truly know someone. Included with this Trek are a downloadable Teacher Guide and two maps (a Google My Maps file and a downloadable Google Earth file).
tag(s): identity (42), mysteries (27), Reading Treks (56)
In the Classroom
Use the interactive Google My Maps or Google Earth file to have students trace Q's road trip and Margo's clues, mapping real Orlando-area locations alongside the mysterious "paper towns" referenced in the novel. This visual journey works well for small-group stations where students research the significance of each stop, from abandoned buildings to the fictional pseudo-visions on maps. Pair the exploration with the teacher guide's discussion questions and activities, ideal for literature circles or whole-class discussion. Use this book to dig into themes of identity, the danger of idealizing others, and the difference between perception and reality.
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Reading Treks: A Long Walk to Water - TeachersFirst
Grades
5 to 8
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A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park is based on a true story and alternates between the stories of two characters living in Sudan at different times. One ...more
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A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park is based on a true story and alternates between the stories of two characters living in Sudan at different times. One narrative follows Salva Dut, an eleven-year-old boy forced to flee his village during the Second Sudanese Civil War in 1985, facing danger, hunger, and exhaustion as he becomes one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. The second story follows Nya, a young girl in 2008 who spends hours each day walking to fetch water for her family. Their stories ultimately intersect as Salva helps bring clean water to villages like Nya's through his real-life organization Water for South Sudan, revealing the power of perseverance, hope, and community.
This Reading Trek includes interactive maps-available as both a Google My Maps link and a downloadable Google Earth (KMZ) file- that trace the characters' journeys and key locations from the story. There is also a downloadable teacher guide (PDF) to support classroom instruction and discussion.
This Reading Trek includes interactive maps-available as both a Google My Maps link and a downloadable Google Earth (KMZ) file- that trace the characters' journeys and key locations from the story. There is also a downloadable teacher guide (PDF) to support classroom instruction and discussion.
tag(s): africa (162), Reading Treks (56), water (106)
In the Classroom
Bring the story to life by having students trace Salva and Nya's journeys using the interactive Google My Maps or Google Earth file to help them visualize the vast distances traveled and Sudan's geography. As they explore each location, students can pause to research the historical and cultural context -- connecting the novel's dual timelines to the actual Sudanese Civil War and ongoing water access issues. The teacher guide's discussion questions and activities pair well with this map exploration, whether used for whole-class discussion, literature circles, or independent research projects on themes of resilience, survival, and access to clean water.
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Reading Treks: Black Was The Ink - TeachersFirst
Grades
7 to 9
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Black Was the Ink is a literary journey based on Michelle Coles's novel, following Malcolm, a modern-day African-American teen confronting personal struggles and systemic injustice....more
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Black Was the Ink is a literary journey based on Michelle Coles's novel, following Malcolm, a modern-day African-American teen confronting personal struggles and systemic injustice. This Reading Trek includes interactive maps (Google My Map and Google Earth Map) that trace locations tied to the story, along with a downloadable teacher guide (PDF) to support classroom use, making it easy to bring the book's settings and themes to life for students. The teacher guide includes many activity ideas related to the book and the maps.
tag(s): civil war (145), diversity (56), identity (42), Reading Treks (56)
In the Classroom
Pair the interactive maps with the teacher guide to turn Black Was the Ink into an immersive, cross-curricular experience. As students follow Malcolm's journey on the map, they can research the real-world significance of each location, connecting the novel's settings to historical and social context. The teacher guide offers discussion questions, activities, and extension ideas that pair naturally with the map--perfect for small-group stations, independent research projects, or whole-class discussions that deepen comprehension of the book's themes around identity, justice, and resilience.
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Canva GIF Maker - Canva
Grades
3 to 12
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Canva's GIF Maker offers a step-by-step guide to making a GIF. All you need is an image or video, and then apply transitions, animations, filters, and frames to bring your ...more
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Canva's GIF Maker offers a step-by-step guide to making a GIF. All you need is an image or video, and then apply transitions, animations, filters, and frames to bring your GIF to life. Although creating an account allows you to edit your GIF, you do not need to have a Canva account to create one. Canva's GIF possibilities are endless!
tag(s): animation (71), creativity (93)
In the Classroom
Students can create GIFs regarding historical events and post them to Padlet reviewed here. Have students create a GIF to show a character's emotions. Use GIFs for creative writing projects.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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NotebookLM Prompt Generator - Kee Man
Grades
K to 12
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NotebookLM, reviewed here is an amazing resource for curating information and creating study materials; however, making the most of its incredible...more
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NotebookLM, reviewed here is an amazing resource for curating information and creating study materials; however, making the most of its incredible features requires an understanding of how to create the proper prompt to create materials that work best for individual users. This is where NotebookLM Prompt Generator comes to the rescue. NotebookLM Prompt Generator lets users select features such as style preferences, content scope, and other tools to personalize and create a custom prompt for infographics and slide decks. When finished, copy your prompt to your clipboard and paste it into the NotebookLM Studio design prompt of your choosing.
tag(s): artificial intelligence (346), infographics (73), presentations (46), slides (39)
In the Classroom
Use this resource to improve the materials you create with NotebookLM. For student use, share this generator to help students understand the importance of prompt engineering when using AI tools to generate content that matches their desired output. Have students take a screenshot of the completed page, then add that image to a document that includes the generated image or slide deck, and analyze the output. Have students compare and contrast their completed images or slide decks to deepen their understanding of how NotebookLM uses prompts to create different appearances in their work. Because each student's prompt choices will differ, the resulting outputs will vary even when starting from the same source material. This comparison highlights how small changes in phrasing, detail, or intent can significantly shape what AI generates, making prompt engineering feel concrete and consequential rather than abstract.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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10 Fun Alternatives to Think-Pair-Share - We Are Teachers
Grades
3 to 12
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This article from We Are Teachers offers a collection of creative alternatives to the traditional think-pair-share strategy, providing teachers with engaging ways to increase student...more
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This article from We Are Teachers offers a collection of creative alternatives to the traditional think-pair-share strategy, providing teachers with engaging ways to increase student participation and deepen classroom discussions. It explains that while think-pair-share is effective, structured variations such as movement-based activities, collaborative brainstorming, and role-based discussions can help keep students focused, energized, and actively involved in learning. The site emphasizes that these strategies promote stronger communication skills, encourage all students to contribute, and support deeper understanding by exposing learners to multiple perspectives and repeated opportunities to refine their thinking.
tag(s): collaboration (137), perspective (33), thinking routines (59)
In the Classroom
Have groups create a final answer or slide show using Aha Slides, reviewed here that combines everyone's ideas. They must justify their thinking using evidence, pushing students toward deeper reasoning and synthesis. Assign roles such as explainer and questioner. Have one student explain their thinking while the other asks probing questions to deepen understanding, then they switch roles. After pairing, the two pairs join together to form a group of four and compare ideas. This collaborative discussion helps students refine their thinking by hearing multiple perspectives.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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50 Activities For Developing Critical Thinking Skills - Kapable
Grades
4 to 12
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This article from Kapable provides a comprehensive collection of 50 practical activities designed to help develop and strengthen critical thinking skills through hands-on practice and...more
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This article from Kapable provides a comprehensive collection of 50 practical activities designed to help develop and strengthen critical thinking skills through hands-on practice and collaboration. It explains that critical thinking involves analyzing information, questioning assumptions, and considering multiple perspectives to make well-reasoned decisions. It emphasizes that activities such as debates, role-playing, puzzles, and problem-solving scenarios help learners build these skills in meaningful ways. The site highlights how these activities promote creativity, improve decision-making, and encourage adaptability by exposing learners to real-world challenges and diverse viewpoints, making it a useful resource for teachers looking to incorporate structured, interactive strategies to build students' analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
tag(s): collaboration (137), critical thinking (189), thinking routines (59)
In the Classroom
Set up stations with different types of challenges (logic puzzles, real-world scenarios, ethical dilemmas). Have students rotate through stations, collaborate, and explain their thinking process at each station. Have students identify a real-world problem (at the school, community, or global level) and create a solution plan. They must research, evaluate options, and present their reasoning using CER (claim, evidence, reasoning). Give students a topic connected to your ELA or social studies unit. In small groups, students can take different perspectives and support their claims with evidence.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Toby - Arthur Camara, Benny Giang, and Guile Lindquist
Grades
8 to 12
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Toby is a browser-based tab and workspace organizer that helps you keep frequently used websites, resources, and projects neatly organized in customizable collections. Instead of leaving...more
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Toby is a browser-based tab and workspace organizer that helps you keep frequently used websites, resources, and projects neatly organized in customizable collections. Instead of leaving dozens of tabs open, you can save them with a single click, organize them into folders, and quickly reopen an entire collection whenever you need it. Toby also supports shared workspaces, making it easy for teachers, students, or colleagues to collaborate by organizing and sharing groups of websites for lessons, research projects, or team planning. Toby is available as a browser extension for Chromium-based browsers, and its free plan includes unlimited collections, shared workspaces, and core organization features for managing everyday browsing tasks.
tag(s): curation (27), organizational skills (91)
In the Classroom
Organize your documents and links using Toby. Create collections for different subject areas (math, science, social studies, and more). Collaborate as a group within collections with others having access to add resources.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thinking Interdependently - VHS Resource Toolkit
Grades
6 to 12
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This page from the Vista High School Resource Toolkit explains the Habit of Mind: Thinking Interdependently, which focuses on helping students learn to work effectively with others...more
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This page from the Vista High School Resource Toolkit explains the Habit of Mind: Thinking Interdependently, which focuses on helping students learn to work effectively with others to solve problems and make decisions. The site describes thinking interdependently as the ability to communicate ideas, accept feedback, test solutions with others, and build understanding through collaboration. It also includes strategies and activities teachers can use to help students recognize when teamwork is needed and how sharing perspectives leads to stronger learning. Suggested classroom ideas include analyzing examples of collaboration, defining the characteristics of good teamwork, and using cooperative structures, such as jigsaw activities, to help students practice working together. This resource is useful for teachers looking to build social-emotional skills, collaboration, and Habits of Mind through group learning experiences.
tag(s): collaboration (137), perspective (33), social and emotional learning (204), thinking routines (59)
In the Classroom
Divide a lesson into sections and assign each student in a group a different part to become an expert on. Have students teach their section to their group members. Provide complex tasks (STEM challenges, reading discussions, or real-world problems) that require multiple perspectives. Assign roles (facilitator, recorder, reporter) so each student contributes and the group relies on everyone's input. Have students share writing, projects, or ideas with peers for feedback. Teach them how to offer constructive suggestions and ask clarifying questions, reinforcing that improvement often happens through collaboration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thinking Interdependently as a Mental Health Skill for Grades 4-6 - Habits of Minds Kids
Grades
4 to 6
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This page from the Habits of Mind Kids website explains how educators can teach the habit of Thinking Interdependently as a mental health skill for elementary students. The article...more
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This page from the Habits of Mind Kids website explains how educators can teach the habit of Thinking Interdependently as a mental health skill for elementary students. The article describes how learning to work cooperatively with others helps children develop empathy, communication skills, emotional regulation, and a sense of belonging within a group. It connects teamwork, perspective-taking, and collaborative problem-solving to overall well-being, showing that students who learn to value others' ideas and work together are better able to handle challenges, build relationships, and feel supported in social situations. The site is designed for upper-elementary students and provides background information that teachers can use when teaching social-emotional learning, Habits of Mind, or classroom community skills.
tag(s): collaboration (137), communication (125), emotions (73), empathy (71), problem solving (283), social and emotional learning (204), thinking routines (59)
In the Classroom
Give small groups a challenge that requires more than one person to complete, such as building the tallest structure with limited materials, solving a logic puzzle, or completing a scavenger hunt. Afterward, students can discuss how they relied on one another, how they shared ideas, and what made the group successful. Present a social or academic problem (for example, a conflict between friends or a difficult math task). Have students work in pairs or small groups to develop solutions together. Each group should explain how listening, cooperation, and respecting ideas helped them reach an answer.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Habits of Mind Animations: Thinking Interdependently - ASCD
Grades
2 to 8
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This short animated YouTube video, "Habits of Mind Animations: Thinking Interdependently," uses a simple and engaging story to show how working together can lead to better ideas and...more
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This short animated YouTube video, "Habits of Mind Animations: Thinking Interdependently," uses a simple and engaging story to show how working together can lead to better ideas and stronger problem-solving. The animation explains that thinking interdependently means listening to others, sharing ideas, and cooperating to reach solutions that would be harder to achieve alone. This video is useful for introducing collaboration skills, setting expectations for group work, and reinforcing social-emotional learning as students practice respectful discussion, teamwork, and helping one another succeed. If your district blocks YouTube, the video may not be viewable.
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tag(s): collaboration (137), listening (119), problem solving (283), social and emotional learning (204), teaching strategies (81), thinking routines (59), thinking skills (136)
In the Classroom
Give students brief situations that require teamwork (for example, building something together, solving a problem, or working on a group project). Have students discuss with a partner how thinking interdependently would help in that situation. Have students sit in a circle and give a compliment to the person next to them about something they do well when working with others. Students can create a poster that shows what interdependent thinking looks, sounds, and feels like in the classroom. Posters can include examples such as listening, taking turns, helping others, and sharing ideas.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Peer-to-Peer Education: What It Is, Benefits & How It Works - 21K School
Grades
K to 12
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This article from 21K School, "Peer-to-Peer Education: A Collaborative Learning Approach," explains how students can learn more effectively by teaching and collaborating rather than...more
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This article from 21K School, "Peer-to-Peer Education: A Collaborative Learning Approach," explains how students can learn more effectively by teaching and collaborating rather than relying solely on teacher-led instruction. The post describes peer-to-peer education as a collaborative learning method where students share ideas, discuss topics, and help one another understand concepts through activities such as debates, group discussions, feedback, and teamwork. The article highlights benefits such as improved confidence, stronger communication skills, better social interaction, and a deeper understanding, and offers suggestions on how teachers can create a positive classroom environment that encourages cooperation and shared learning.
tag(s): classroom management (143), collaboration (137), communication (125), feedback (17), listening (119), teaching strategies (81), thinking routines (59)
In the Classroom
After a mini-lesson, have students turn to a partner and explain the concept in their own words. Each partner listens and adds anything their partner missed. Set up stations where students work in pairs or small groups to practice skills such as reading, math problems, vocabulary, or science concepts. Have students take turns being the teacher and the learner. Give each group a task that requires teamwork, such as solving a complex question, completing a research activity, or creating a project. Students should discuss ideas and agree on a solution together, strengthening collaboration and critical thinking.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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16 Variations on Think-Pair-Share to Keep Students Engaged - Edutopia
Grades
K to 12
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This Edutopia article, "16 Variations on Think-Pair-Share to Keep Students Engaged," shares creative ways to update the classic Think-Pair-Share strategy to keep students engaged and...more
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This Edutopia article, "16 Variations on Think-Pair-Share to Keep Students Engaged," shares creative ways to update the classic Think-Pair-Share strategy to keep students engaged and actively involved in learning. The article explains how educators can expand the simple routine of thinking individually, discussing with a partner, and sharing with the class by incorporating variations such as drawing, rotating partners, collaborative writing, and small-group sharing. These strategies help increase participation, strengthen communication skills, deepen understanding, and give all students a chance to express their ideas across subject areas and grade levels.
tag(s): collaboration (137), communication (125), teaching strategies (81), thinking routines (59)
In the Classroom
Ask students a question about the lesson and have them first draw their idea rather than write it. Students can then explain their drawing to a partner before sharing with the class. Have students stand up, find a partner, and discuss a question or problem. After sharing, they find a new partner for the next question. Have students first talk with a partner, then join another pair to form a group of four, and finally share with the whole class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Big and Small Strategies to Harness the Power of Peer-to-Peer Teaching - Edutopia
Grades
3 to 12
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This Edutopia article, "Big and Small Strategies to Harness the Power of Peer-to-Peer Teaching," explains how students can improve their understanding and retention by teaching one...more
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This Edutopia article, "Big and Small Strategies to Harness the Power of Peer-to-Peer Teaching," explains how students can improve their understanding and retention by teaching one another. The article describes simple and structured strategies such as Think-Pair-Share, jigsaw groups, and peer tutoring, all based on the idea that students learn more deeply when they explain ideas to classmates. It offers practical classroom ideas for use in any subject and grade level to increase participation, collaboration, and confidence while building a supportive learning community.
tag(s): collaboration (137), professional development (296), teaching strategies (81), thinking routines (59)
In the Classroom
Ask a question about the current lesson, have students think quietly, discuss with a partner, and finally share with the class. After a short mini-lesson, have students turn to a partner and explain the concept in their own words. The partner listens and then adds anything missed. Divide a topic into sections and assign each group one part to learn. Students become experts on their section and then teach it to a new group.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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