Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

You control traffic and break up gridlock as part of Metro Traffic Control in this game designed to teach problem-solving and transportation design. Begin your task at a simple intersection by changing traffic signals at the appropriate pace to keep scores down on the frustration meter. Work your way up through eight levels increasing in difficulty.

tag(s): problem solving (232), transportation (31)

Telegra.ph is a simple to use web publishing tool for even the most novice creators. Click and type to fill in the title, your name, and add content. After starting your writing, you can choose the camera icon to upload images from your computer or select the brackets to paste a YouTube, Vimeo, or X (formerly Twitter) link. When finished, click on the publish button. That is it! Your work is now online. Just copy the URL to share. Add or delete content at any time using the link to edit.

tag(s): blogs (65), communication (129), writing (325)

Which One Doesn't Belong provides stimulating and challenging math puzzles. Select a category to find puzzles related to numbers, shapes, graphs, expressions, photos, incomplete sets, and miscellaneous. The site does not provide a "correct" answer. Each puzzle has multiple (possible) answers providing opportunities for all to choose and justify their response.

tag(s): critical thinking (125), logic (161), problem solving (232), puzzles (149)

Oh nO is a unique logic puzzle game that is available on your web browser or as an app (on any device). Use the blue dots with numbers to decide where to place red or blue dots on the grid. The numbers on the blue dots indicate how many other blue dots surround each. Click once to make the circle blue and twice to make the circle red. Select different size grids and use the timer to increase difficulty. Follow the introduction on the site to learn more details about this mind challenge!

tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (147), logic (161), problem solving (232), puzzles (149)

Oh h1 is an addicting and challenging interactive for problem solving and logic. Choose from four different grid sizes to play. Click on squares to make them red or blue. The goal is to never have more than 2 squares of the same color in a row, and to have equal numbers of colors in all rows and columns. The rules are explained as you play. Increase difficulty by increasing the number of grids and completing in the shortest elapsed time.

tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (147), game based learning (201), logic (161), problem solving (232), puzzles (149)

Give yourself a brain break using the interactive classroom resources at GoNoodle. These activities promote health, fitness, and mindfulness and are based on cutting edge research. These engaging games and activities provide short bursts of movement leading to improved focus and energy within the classroom. Sign-up using your Google account, or create an account with your email. Signing-up with Google, allows you to sign-in with your Google Classroom account. If you have multiple groups of students (or classes) start by naming your class(es), since each class will show progression on this tool. Choose from Topics, Activities and Routines, Channels, Skills and Knowledge, or New on GoNoodle (directions for registering and other features). Each title has multiple sub-categories. Some options are for paid memberships only. None of the games takes longer than five minutes. While most of these are physical tasks, a few are mental/logic activities. Time required for the activity is shown with each option. Registration does require an email address. If your district blocks YouTube, some activities may not be viewable.

tag(s): classroom management (120), fitness (39), logic (161), preK (269)

Cut the Rope is an action puzzle physics game. The goal in each level is to drop a piece of candy--suspended by a series of ropes--into the mouth of a cuddly little monster named Om Nom that is located somewhere on the screen. To do that, you have to cut the ropes in a way that makes the candy swing, jump, or fall into the little guy's mouth. Along the way, you also have to try to pick up all the star items in each level. But this is a puzzle game, so you have to put on your thinking cap to figure out which ropes to cut and in what order. To make things more complicated, you also encounter movable pegs; spikes; electricity; bubbles that make the candy float; and whoopee cushions, which send puffs of air that can blow the candy in different direction

tag(s): inquiry (24), logic (161), problem solving (232)

Blog your way into the latest social technology using edublogs. Use the free service to set up a blog as a student, teacher, or campus. This education friendly tool avoids some of the "public interaction" that can offer inappropriate content. Upgrade to more advanced features, to include more options. The additional information on blogging makes this site very valuable even if you already have a blogging platform. Find a plethora of advice, tutorials, PDFs, and lesson plans for blogging. This site is a great reference site for all who are beginning to use blogs, or even look for more varied and effective ways to blog with students, or even other classes. Compare this tool to other free blogging tools mentioned in TeachersFirst's Blog Basics for the Classroom . This is a device-agnostic tool, available on the web but also available for free as both an Android and iOS app. Use it from any device or move between several devices and still access your work. App and web versions vary slightly.
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tag(s): blogs (65), communication (129), writing (325)