UPDATED FOR 2025 Here’s a fun activity to welcome students back after the winter holiday break. I think our students can always use more geography, so like Oh the Places You May Go and The Grinch Who Stole the Christmas Star, this virtual scavenger hunt will take your students around the world via Google Earth … Read more
Falling between Halloween and Thanksgiving, Veterans Day doesn’t get as much attention. But if you can spare 15 minutes on November 11th, I think your students would benefit from this brief explanation of Veteran’s Day. It’s part of this lesson plan intended for secondary students, and I’ve included a logic puzzle to commemorate the day … Read more
Here is another math activity with constraints! Solving math riddles such as the one shown below requires some figuring, and creating this type of riddle can also be a sneaky way to reinforce number sense. If your students are not familiar with how to solve this type of riddle, you can find a good explanation … Read more
Like teachers, students love contributing to the world through what they are doing and creating. In my experience, when students contribute to the learning of others, they sense a greater purpose in what takes place in the classroom. No matter what is happening in your classroom, a connection can be made to the learning of … Read more
This is an activity you can do with students before they read or listen to a challenging chapter, poem, or text. If you know they will encounter some advanced words, this is an engaging and maybe a bit sneaky way to introduce the vocabulary. I call it “Playful Predictions” and it combines a fun prediction … Read more
Your students are being called “the Artemis generation.” The plans for NASA’s Artemis missions don’t include going to “infinity,” but they are bold and exciting and set the stage for missions to Mars. I’ve spent some time viewing videos and exploring NASA’s educational resources, and used a little of everything to create what I hope … Read more
Here are some ideas to keep in mind for future days when you and your students are in a bit of a slump and need to be energized! These activities will get your students out of their seats and thinking on their feet! All require very few materials and very little prep time (five minutes … Read more
The content here is a continuation of a series. You may be interested in Back to School ~ Thematic Introductions and Connections (3rd-5th) and Back to School ~ Icebreakers and Jitter Shakers ~ First-Day Activities to Create Community Last year, I shared some videos in which I explained how I introduced the universal themes in … Read more
If your students have never tried this type of puzzle, the Alph-Griddle, or Alpha-Box puzzle is a logic puzzle that incorporates cardinal directions and use of a compass rose. So, as students read the clues and use logical thinking, a basic skill is also being reinforced. HOW TO SOLVE Here is a tutorial for this … Read more
In celebration of the month of May, here is a virtual scavenger hunt that will take your students to unique destinations around the world. As they journey, students will collect what they need to solve a paired puzzle. The solution to the puzzle will provide them with a ticket number for their flight home. Like … Read more
