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Activities: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - TeachersFirst
Grades
4 to 8
TeachersFirst offers a set of chapter-by-chapter response activities for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Use art, writing, and web research to answer questions or think about...more
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TeachersFirst offers a set of chapter-by-chapter response activities for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Use art, writing, and web research to answer questions or think about the issues in a particular chapter. Ideal for individual use, and many of these could serve as the basis for a group discussion on topics like loyalty and leadership. The ideas and activities ask you to respond, extend, discuss, create, and more. There is simply no better way to try new "After Reading strategies. Don't miss this great collection as a way to encourage anyone to get the most from reading and re-reading a new favorite. Find links to two other sets of Harry Potter book activities on the Intro page.
tag(s): harry potter (9), reading strategies (96)
In the Classroom
Share the link on your teacher web page or in a parent newsletter, if you don't have time to do all the activities at school. Ask students to design similar activities to accompany other Harry Potter (or other favorite) books.Jig Zone - jigzone.com
Grades
1 to 12Make this virtual jigsaw puzzle site available for those inevitable moments of "downtime" in the classroom. Choose a topic from the gallery (preferably one that relates to your curriculum),...more
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Make this virtual jigsaw puzzle site available for those inevitable moments of "downtime" in the classroom. Choose a topic from the gallery (preferably one that relates to your curriculum), select a level of difficulty (number of pieces), and start the challege. These puzzles are not only a lot of fun, but good exercises for developing spatial skills. The pop-ups are annoying but can be blocked by Windows XP. Allow time for the site to load. Check the Frequently Asked Questions link (at the bottom of the page)for troubleshooting if you are having difficulty making the puzzles work.
tag(s): puzzles (149)
In the Classroom
Combine a brain-warming activity with a bit of review, and create your own jig-saws for students to solve! First, access the section entitled "Turn your photos into puzzles," and select an image pertinent to a specific unit and upload it to the site. Once the jigsaw puzzle has been created, have students open the puzzle on individual computers and compete to see who can get the best time putting the image back together! The best images to use would be diagrams, or model images of a particular object. This site works amazingly well for science classes were students need to be familiar with specific images. An example would be have anatomy students re-construct skeletal images, etc. A clever way to get their minds thinking!Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Half - PBS Kids
Grades
2 to 4This interactive is more than just an interactive game about fractions - it's a true brainteaser. Students must apply logic and spatial reasoning to find the 13 ways to divide ...more
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This interactive is more than just an interactive game about fractions - it's a true brainteaser. Students must apply logic and spatial reasoning to find the 13 ways to divide an 8-piece square in half. This game also integrates lessons on rotation and flipping of shapes to challenge players to see all of the ways to create a half without repeating rotated or flipped squares.
tag(s): fractions (160), problem solving (233)
In the Classroom
Include this activity as part of a math computer learning center. This interactive serves as an excellent opportunity to introduce fractions in a holistic way before delivering lessons or a complete unit on fractions. After completing the activity, ask students to draw different ways to create a half using Google Drawings, reviewed here. Save students drawings and add them to a collaborative class book using Book Creator, reviewed here. In addition to student digital drawings, include audio of student explanations of how to create a half, videos, and images taken by students to demonstrate how to create a half of different items.Word Morph - WordPlays.com
Grades
6 to 12This challenging, interactive word game is more than a "just-for-fun" activity. Students must use strategy and vocabulary skills to make changes to a starting word - one letter at a...more
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This challenging, interactive word game is more than a "just-for-fun" activity. Students must use strategy and vocabulary skills to make changes to a starting word - one letter at a time - and form a new word. Each word morph can be solved in 10 moves or less, but must be completed within 5 minutes. A purposeful and competitive "filler" to add to a language arts class.
tag(s): thesaurus (22), vocabulary (238), word choice (14)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a learning station for students who may finish work early, and need something productive to do to avoid bothering other students. To make it competitive, keep a record board near the computer where students can log their high scores. Competing against each other may make students more interested to play for a new minutes at a time, and less likely to disturb others in testing situations.SAT Preparation Center - The College Board
Grades
7 to 12For students approaching that ever-important College Board test, this site is an invaluable resource. Features include a "question of the day," a series of practice questions that address...more
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For students approaching that ever-important College Board test, this site is an invaluable resource. Features include a "question of the day," a series of practice questions that address math, critical reading, and writing skills, a review of the dreaded essay question, and a full-length practice test that can be downloaded and printed after completing free registration.
Thinking Machine 4 - Martin Wattenberg
Grades
8 to 12Experience an unforgettable game of chess with this interactive site that pits visitors against an artificial intelligence program. After moving your chess piece, watch your opponent's...more
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Experience an unforgettable game of chess with this interactive site that pits visitors against an artificial intelligence program. After moving your chess piece, watch your opponent's thought processes evolve as a visible network on the board. This is an awesome activity for students that truly enjoy a challenge.
Tangram Game - PBS
Grades
2 to 6This is a tradition tangram activity with a technological twist. Read the introductory instructions carefully then turn your students loose to recreate a displayed image using seven...more
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This is a tradition tangram activity with a technological twist. Read the introductory instructions carefully then turn your students loose to recreate a displayed image using seven geometric shapes. This is an excellent activity for improving visual-spatial skills.
tag(s): geometric shapes (134), logic (161), problem solving (233), tangrams (8)
In the Classroom
Tangrams are perfect for practicing shapes, problem-solving, and spatial reasoning skills. Share this activity on student computers for use as a math center, or share a link with parents for students to play at home. Include this tangram activity and others within a blended learning lesson created using Curipod, reviewed here. Include videos, interactives such as this game, quizzes, and other learning activities in one shareable link.Computer Generated Mazes - Discovery
Grades
1 to 5Design custom-made mazes for your students with this easy-to-use resource. Choose the desired shape, grid size, and complexity, and then let the site create the maze for you. Mazes...more
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Design custom-made mazes for your students with this easy-to-use resource. Choose the desired shape, grid size, and complexity, and then let the site create the maze for you. Mazes can be printed out or even displayed on your class Web site, provided credit is given to Discovery School.
tag(s): puzzles (149)
Hangman
Grades
4 to 12Whether your students are learning how to spell the fifty states, reviewing chemistry terms, or trying out their foreign language skills, this collection of thematic hang-man games...more
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Whether your students are learning how to spell the fifty states, reviewing chemistry terms, or trying out their foreign language skills, this collection of thematic hang-man games can provide a fun way to practice! Select a topic (most are curriculum-related, a few are just for fun) and try the interactive games, or print out the blank hang-man worksheets and create your own.
tag(s): grammar review (31)
Nrich - Cambridge University
Grades
1 to 12This collection of games, and articles is designed to challenge students to use their problem solving skills. Activities are organized according to UK education system levels, but click...more
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This collection of games, and articles is designed to challenge students to use their problem solving skills. Activities are organized according to UK education system levels, but click on Help for an easy conversion guide. Each problem includes a question, related pictures or diagrams, a form for students to submit their solution, and helpful hints and notes for parents and teachers. A weekly challenge is also offered. Complete the free registration to participate in a discussion forum, pose questions online, or post messages.
tag(s): problem solving (233)
Cool Math for Kids
Grades
4 to 8Students can practice and review skills related to basic geometry, fractions, logic, and problem solving with these fun and interactive activities. Highlights include a virtual lemonade...more
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Students can practice and review skills related to basic geometry, fractions, logic, and problem solving with these fun and interactive activities. Highlights include a virtual lemonade stand game (manage your own business to make a profit!), a collection of thought-provoking "Brain Benders," and "ArithmATTACK" - a computer driven game that challenges kids to see how many arithmetic problems they can answer in one minute.
Brain Explorer
Grades
3 to 7If you're looking for meaningful enrichment activities in the form of challenging, yet entertaining games and puzzles, this may be just what you need. The riddles, illusions, and other...more
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If you're looking for meaningful enrichment activities in the form of challenging, yet entertaining games and puzzles, this may be just what you need. The riddles, illusions, and other mental adventures are taken from the Brain Explorer, a book written for children from age 9 to 12. Brain-bending games include Memory Solitaire, Welcome to the Third Dimension, and Jumping to Conclusions. Some are entirely "on-line interactive," while others require some effort with paper and pencil. One f the six erequires Shockwave. Created by the Exploratorium.
Cryptography - Historical Ciphers - Trinity College, Hartford
Grades
6 to 12This presentation by students and faculty at Trinity College, Hartford includes discussions of some of history's more famous cipher and encryption machines, including the infamous German...more
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This presentation by students and faculty at Trinity College, Hartford includes discussions of some of history's more famous cipher and encryption machines, including the infamous German enigma machines. Along the way, there's a presentation on some of the basics of encryption.
Students interested in math or computer security will find this one an interesting introduction to a hugely complex topic.
tag(s): cryptography (5)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a quick lesson during a history or statistics class, in an attempt to teach students about how some ciphers were solved and how it affected history. Peruse a few of the ciphers as a class on the interactive whiteboard, as a challenge have students try to make or solve one on their own! Students can present their ciphers on the interactive whiteboard, and try to stump their peers!Anyday
Grades
6 to 12This one is tough to categorize. Enter a day of the year, and this site will tell you about important events, births, and deaths that have happened on that day. ...more
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This one is tough to categorize. Enter a day of the year, and this site will tell you about important events, births, and deaths that have happened on that day. Try using this one to create a list of important events - covering a variety of subject areas - for an entire week.
tag(s): quiz (67)
In the Classroom
This site would make for a great creative writing project for students in a high school english class. Have students search for their birth date, and find one person on that list that they can focus their paper on. Have students research their historical person, eventually writing a analytical paper about the similarities and differences between their own life and that of their selected person. Teachers can focus more on similarities to make it more difficult and interesting - but it is a great way to get students thinking about comparing and contrasting.Engineering Brain Ticklers -Tau Beta Pi - Tau Beta Pi
Grades
9 to 12Find yourself some serious puzzlers before heading off to solve the problems on this site maintained by an engineering honor society. While several of the problems at least appear to...more
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Find yourself some serious puzzlers before heading off to solve the problems on this site maintained by an engineering honor society. While several of the problems at least appear to be solvable by mere mortals, others are clearly targeted to the pros. We offer these for secondary teachers who may be working with students interested in advanced math, logic, and physics. The site is drawn from a print publication, and answers are posted quarterly.
tag(s): puzzles (149)
Archimedes' Laboratory Puzzles
Grades
6 to 12With puzzles to make, puzzles to solve, and optical illusions to observe, this interactive site puts brains and eyes to the test. The site also has a maze maker, math ...more
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With puzzles to make, puzzles to solve, and optical illusions to observe, this interactive site puts brains and eyes to the test. The site also has a maze maker, math games, word games, and tricks to perform. The "Puzzles to make" section has detailed directions and printable instructions for using these puzzles in the classroom.
tag(s): puzzles (149)
Buggy and Buddy - Make Your Own Kaleidoscope - Buggy and Buddy - Science for Kids
Grades
2 to 8This is an online STEAM do-it-yourself that lets you experiment with lines, fills, and color to create your own kaleidoscope. There are lots of possible imaging, color, and mathematical...more
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This is an online STEAM do-it-yourself that lets you experiment with lines, fills, and color to create your own kaleidoscope. There are lots of possible imaging, color, and mathematical connections that one might draw from this one. It's also just plain fun to try. Meets Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):
tag(s): animation (64)
In the Classroom
This would be a good center activity to have with a parent or older buddy helping out.MathsChallenge
Grades
6 to 12Here's a British site offering a steady diet of math problems for several different age groups. There are also regular "code" puzzles that challenge students to decrypt a message or...more
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Here's a British site offering a steady diet of math problems for several different age groups. There are also regular "code" puzzles that challenge students to decrypt a message or hidden phrase.
tag(s): cryptography (5)
In the Classroom
These problems could be used in class as extra challenges or online rewards for completed assignments.History of Recording Technology
Grades
6 to 12The design of this privately developed site shows its age, but users will find abundant content and visuals here. It just takes a little work. The site covers the evolution ...more
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The design of this privately developed site shows its age, but users will find abundant content and visuals here. It just takes a little work. The site covers the evolution of technologies ranging from the earliest wax recordings to today's DVDs. Along the way, users can learn about the people and processes that have helped sound and video recording develop.
tag(s): inventors and inventions (80)
In the Classroom
Teachers may want to guide their students' use of this site. This site is a little text-heavy, but would be a great way to show the progression of the music industry over the modern era. Share this site on an interactive whiteboard or projector as an introduction to this unit or as review.Moon Illusion - Sandlot Science
Grades
6 to 12Why does that Harvest Moon appear so huge? This page from the Sandlot Science site offers an explanation that middle and high school students should find interesting. There's an interactive...more
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Why does that Harvest Moon appear so huge? This page from the Sandlot Science site offers an explanation that middle and high school students should find interesting. There's an interactive applet that illustrates how the phenomenon actually works. Try this one if you're studying astronomy, the solar system, or puzzles and illusions.
tag(s): moon (73), solar system (110)