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Celebrate the Winter Solstice with a STEM Challenge - Vivify System

Grades
3 to 6
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Celebrate the Winter Solstice with a STEM Challenge that provides a general overview of the event, including a YouTube video. Students can then participate in the STEM Challenge of...more
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Celebrate the Winter Solstice with a STEM Challenge that provides a general overview of the event, including a YouTube video. Students can then participate in the STEM Challenge of creating a light source. The site includes a YouTube video, directions, materials, and real-world connections.

tag(s): seasonal (35), seasons (55), STEM (331), sun (83)

In the Classroom

Students can participate in the STEM Challenge, and when complete, post one fact that they learned on Padlet, reviewed here. Students can watch one of the videos featured on the site to compare and contrast summer and winter using the Venn Diagram Creator by Canva, reviewed here. Finally, students can research more about the winter solstice using Kidrex, reviewed here.

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15 Winter Solstice Activities For Kids - Little Bins for Little Hands

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K to 5
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15 Winter Solstice Activities For Kids shares the history and symbols of the winter solstice along with activities. Some topics include: Build a Replica of Stonehenge, Burn a Yule Log,...more
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15 Winter Solstice Activities For Kids shares the history and symbols of the winter solstice along with activities. Some topics include: Build a Replica of Stonehenge, Burn a Yule Log, Make Ice Lanterns, and Create Decorations and Crafts. After scrolling through the activities, the website features information on the winter solstice, how it works, why people celebrate it, and more. There are many advertisements on the site; therefore, be careful what and where you click.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): seasonal (35)

In the Classroom

Once students create the bird seed ornaments, they can use Seesaw, reviewed here to create a bird watching book to which birds visit. Students can listen to the book mentioned by having a Symbaloo, reviewed here of Winter Solstice books. Finally, students can use Figma, reviewed here to compare and contrast Winter Solstice celebrations around the world.

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Restorative Justice - Centre for Justice & Reconciliation

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5 to 8
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The Restorative Justice website offers a variety of free resources that help educators introduce restorative practices in the classroom. Teachers can access downloadable guides, such...more
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The Restorative Justice website offers a variety of free resources that help educators introduce restorative practices in the classroom. Teachers can access downloadable guides, such as the Restorative Justice Principles and Practice Handbook, along with materials for children and youth that explain core ideas such as encounter, repair, and transformation. These resources support activities such as community-building circles, peer dialogue, and structured conversations to help students repair harm and strengthen relationships. The collection provides practical tools that can be adapted for classroom management, conflict resolution, and creating a positive, inclusive learning environment.

tag(s): classroom management (106), collaboration (80), conflict resolution (10)

In the Classroom

Invite students to participate in a weekly circle where they respond to prompts on teamwork, empathy, or conflict resolution. Use circle guidelines from the website to help students practice respectful listening and speaking. Extend the practice of gratitude by having students anonymously post notes recognizing acts of kindness or helpful peer behavior. Present a classroom-appropriate scenario involving a disagreement. Have students work in small groups to role-play a restorative dialogue that focuses on acknowledging harm, expressing needs, and finding a collaborative solution.
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Responsive Classroom - Center for Responsive Schools

Grades
K to 8
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Discover a rich collection of free tools to support a strong classroom community and effective social-emotional learning practices. Teachers can access printable resources, including...more
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Discover a rich collection of free tools to support a strong classroom community and effective social-emotional learning practices. Teachers can access printable resources, including morning meeting templates, goal-setting forms, behavior reflection sheets, and planning guides, all ready to use. The site also provides a large library of articles with practical strategies for positive teacher language, classroom routines, and student engagement, along with free videos and webinar recordings that model best practices and offer professional learning support. These free materials make it easy for teachers to incorporate Responsive Classroom principles into daily instruction.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): classroom management (106), social and emotional learning (114), Teacher Utilities (194)

In the Classroom

Begin class with a simple greeting circle where each student greets the person next to them by name. Follow with a one-sentence share prompt such as "One thing I'm proud of from this week..." or "A curiosity I have today...." This builds community, warms up communication skills, and sets a positive tone for learning. Offer students two or three options for showing their understanding of a concept (for example: create a poster, write a paragraph, or build a model). Have students choose, plan, and complete their preferred task, then reflect on why they chose it, and use interactive modeling to teach it clearly. Students observe, practice, and reflect on what successful behavior looks and sounds like. This deepens understanding of expectations and reduces behavior disruptions. Choose a routine, like turning in assignments, transitioning to small groups, or using classroom materials, and use interactive modeling to teach it clearly. Have students observe, practice, and reflect on what successful behavior looks and sounds like. This deepens understanding of expectations and reduces behavior disruptions.

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Character Lab - Character Lab

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K to 12
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Character Lab is a research-based nonprofit dedicated to helping educators and families build students' character strengths, such as self-control, gratitude, curiosity, kindness, growth...more
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Character Lab is a research-based nonprofit dedicated to helping educators and families build students' character strengths, such as self-control, gratitude, curiosity, kindness, growth mindset, and creativity. On this site, you'll find a set of free "Playbooks" (ready-to-use guides for classroom practice) and "Tips" (short, evidence-based articles) designed for easy integration into real classrooms.

tag(s): social and emotional learning (114)

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.

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Learn About the Winter Solstice - Sierra Club BC

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3 to 6
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If you want to deepen students' understanding of the winter solstice through nature, story, and science, the Educational Curriculum: Winter Solstice from Sierra Club BC offers...more
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If you want to deepen students' understanding of the winter solstice through nature, story, and science, the Educational Curriculum: Winter Solstice from Sierra Club BC offers a rich and thoughtful collection of lessons. This resource includes four interconnected modules that explore the solstice through physical science, cultural traditions, ecological rhythms, and sustainability-focused celebration. Each lesson encourages students to observe seasonal patterns, connect with the land, learn from Indigenous knowledge, and reflect on how humans and nature respond to winter. It is a meaningful way to blend science, social studies, storytelling, and environmental awareness in the classroom.

tag(s): cultures (248), earth (190), seasonal (35), seasons (55), 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.
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December Solstice - PBS LearningMedia

Grades
2 to 6
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This PBS LearningMedia resource features a winter solstice-themed video that helps students understand why the solstice occurs, how the Earth's tilt affects daylight, and what seasonal...more
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This PBS LearningMedia resource features a winter solstice-themed video that helps students understand why the solstice occurs, how the Earth's tilt affects daylight, and what seasonal changes people notice during the darkest time of the year. The short, engaging video is paired with easy-to-use lesson plans and extension activities that support visual, auditory, and hands-on learning. Although it is designed for the Northeastern United States, the concepts are applicable anywhere and can be adapted for use in classrooms in other regions. Teachers can use the video as a hook to introduce a science or social studies lesson on seasonal patterns, guide students in observing local daylight changes, or incorporate art and writing activities to explore winter traditions and the natural world.

tag(s): cultures (248), earth (190), seasonal (35), seasons (55), 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.

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Hour of Code - Code.org

Grades
K to 12
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Hour of Code provides teachers, students, and parents with resources and activities to support computer science education and their new initiative, Hour of AI. Visit the "Learn" portion...more
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Hour of Code provides teachers, students, and parents with resources and activities to support computer science education and their new initiative, Hour of AI. Visit the "Learn" portion of the site to find videos, tutorials, and programming activities for all ages and ability levels. The "Teach" area features downloadable curricula for all grade levels, including instruction on coding and AI. Visit the link for parents to take advantage of activities that teach the fundamentals of coding through Hour of Code activities and self-paced computer science courses. If your district blocks YouTube, then the video may not be viewable.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (216), coding (89), critical thinking (140), logic (158), problem solving (243), STEM (331)

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.
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Minecraft Education Hour of Code: AI for Good - Minecraft Education

Grades
3 to 8
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Step into a world where coding meets creativity with Minecraft: Education Edition's "Hour of Code: AI for Good." In this interactive lesson, students become digital problem-solvers...more
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Step into a world where coding meets creativity with Minecraft: Education Edition's "Hour of Code: AI for Good." In this interactive lesson, students become digital problem-solvers as they guide their Minecraft Agent to analyze forest fires, collect data, and protect a virtual village using the power of artificial intelligence. Designed to introduce coding and AI in an engaging, game-based environment, this activity shows how technology can be harnessed for environmental good while fostering collaboration, critical thinking, and real-world problem-solving skills.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (216), coding (89), critical thinking (140), data (152), game based learning (215), problem solving (243)

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.

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Two Truths & AI Game - Common Sense Education

Grades
5 to 12
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Common Sense Education offers "Two Truths and AI," an activity that invites students and educators to explore how artificial intelligence can blur the line between truth and fiction....more
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Common Sense Education offers "Two Truths and AI," an activity that invites students and educators to explore how artificial intelligence can blur the line between truth and fiction. The interactive encourages learners to examine short statements generated or influenced by AI, decide which are true or false, and reflect on how AI is creating convincing but potentially misleading content. In doing so, it promotes critical digital literacy by helping students understand how AI works, how it can shape information, and how to make thoughtful judgments about what they read or see online.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (216), digital literacy (22), game based learning (215)

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.

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Listening with Understanding and Empathy (Habit of the Mind) - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
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Discover our collection of resources on the Habit of Mind of Listening with Understanding and Empathy--the practice of devoting genuine mental energy to another person's thoughts and...more
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Discover our collection of resources on the Habit of Mind of Listening with Understanding and Empathy--the practice of devoting genuine mental energy to another person's thoughts and ideas while making a sincere effort to perceive their point of view and emotions. This vital habit helps students move beyond simply hearing words to truly understanding others by asking clarifying questions, considering perspectives different from their own, and giving their full attention during conversations. In a world of constant communication, we've gathered a variety of tools to help you teach students to listen beyond the words and to make an effort to perceive another person's perspective. In this collection, you'll find things like video examples demonstrating active listening skills and empathetic responses, role-playing activities and conversation scenarios that practice perspective-taking, printable question stems and sentence starters to guide meaningful dialogue, lesson plans featuring partner interviews and collaborative discussion protocols, and reflection journals where students can explore different viewpoints, as well as digital platforms for structured discussions and collaborative storytelling. As you weave these resources into your daily routines, you'll create a classroom where students practice understanding one another, which helps foster a culture of respect and genuine connection.

tag(s): empathy (39), listening (97)

In 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.

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Questioning and Posing Problems (Habit of the Mind) - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
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Investigate our collection of resources on the Habit of Mind of Questioning and Posing Problems--the curious practice of asking yourself "How can I find out?", developing powerful questioning...more
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Investigate our collection of resources on the Habit of Mind of Questioning and Posing Problems--the curious practice of asking yourself "How can I find out?", developing powerful questioning strategies, and actively seeking problems to solve with a commitment to excellence and a relentless pursuit of precision. This inquiry-driven habit empowers students to ask meaningful "why" and "what if" questions, identify gaps in their understanding, and formulate questions that deepen learning and spark new discoveries. In this collection, you'll find video examples of scientists, innovators, and students modeling effective questioning techniques, interactive inquiry activities and problem-finding challenges that stimulate curiosity, interactive checklists and digital rubrics that help students verify their work against clear criteria, question stems and wondering journals to capture emerging thoughts, lesson plans featuring Socratic seminars and question formulation techniques, and mystery scenarios that require students to generate their own investigative questions. With these resources, your students will gain practical strategies and examples to help them double-check their work, verify information, and strive for the highest level of quality in all their endeavors.

tag(s): questioning (34), thinking skills (33)

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 lessons

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Thinking Flexibly (Habit of the Mind) - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
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Learn about Thinking Flexibly, a Habit of Mind--the ability to change perspectives, generate alternatives, and look at situations from multiple angles to discover new possibilities....more
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Learn about Thinking Flexibly, a Habit of Mind--the ability to change perspectives, generate alternatives, and look at situations from multiple angles to discover new possibilities. In an ever-changing world, we've gathered a variety of tools to help you foster creativity, adaptability, and the ability to generate alternatives in your classroom. This creative habit empowers students to find various approaches to solve problems, adapt their strategies when circumstances change, and consider different viewpoints during discussions and debates. In this collection, you'll find interactive simulations and virtual labs that require students to adapt their strategies to succeed, as well as digital platforms for brainstorming and mind mapping that encourage diverse solutions. You will also discover brain teaser puzzles (and digital escapes) that require multiple solution pathways, interactive activities that challenge students to explore alternative perspectives, printable and virtual graphic organizers for comparing different approaches and options, lesson plans featuring open-ended problems with no single "right" answer, and debate protocols that encourage respectful consideration of opposing views. By deliberately incorporating these resources into your daily routines and creating a classroom culture that celebrates diverse thinking, you'll help students develop the mental agility and adaptability essential for navigating our ever-changing world.

tag(s): flexibility (5), thinking skills (33)

In the Classroom

Discover new tools to try in your classroom that foster flexible thinking. Also, explore the professional resources (for you). Each review includes classroom use ideas. Read the details of each tool and find the ones that will work for you and your students.

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Project Zero Thinking Routines - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
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Project Zero Thinking Routines are research-based instructional tools designed to cultivate students' thinking dispositions and make their cognitive processes visible in powerful, accessible...more
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Project Zero Thinking Routines are research-based instructional tools designed to cultivate students' thinking dispositions and make their cognitive processes visible in powerful, accessible ways. Developed by researchers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, these simple, repeatable mini-strategies are the building blocks of an authentic thinking culture in your classroom. These routines have been refined over decades of classroom implementation and represent some of the most effective strategies for developing critical and creative thinking skills. What makes Project Zero routines so impactful is their elegant simplicity--structured prompts like "Think, Pair, Share," "See, Think, Wonder," and "Circle of Viewpoints" can be learned quickly but used deeply, helping students develop habits of mind such as reasoning with evidence, considering different perspectives, and making careful observations. These aren't just classroom activities; they're cognitive frameworks that students internalize and carry with them, becoming tools they naturally reach for when encountering new ideas or complex problems. Discover resources in this collection, including templates, anchor charts, videos, lesson plan examples utilizing Thinking Routines, collaborative whiteboards, debate tools, collaborative sharing platforms, virtual bulletin boards, video and audio tools, and more. The resources help you understand the research behind these routines, learn how to implement them effectively across grade levels and content areas, and discover how they can transform your classroom into a culture where thinking is valued, shared, and continuously developed.

tag(s): thinking skills (33)

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.

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Flexible Thinking Activities - Life Skills Advocate, LLC

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3 to 12
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The Life Skills Advocate blog provides a warm and practical collection of quick-hit strategies and activities designed to promote flexible thinking in students. It explores what flexible...more
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The Life Skills Advocate blog provides a warm and practical collection of quick-hit strategies and activities designed to promote flexible thinking in students. It explores what flexible thinking really means, why it matters for learning and life, and provides easy-to-use prompts, such as changing routines, trying different perspectives, or playing brain-teaser games, to foster adaptability and problem-solving. This resource is invaluable if you're looking for ways to build student resilience, creativity, and executive-functioning skills in the classroom.

tag(s): flexibility (5), perspective (24), problem solving (243), thinking skills (33)

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.

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OER Commons- Thinking Flexibly - OER Commons

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1 to 12
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The OER Commons website offers a helpful collection of free lessons and activities focused on the habit of thinking flexibly. Teachers can find ready-to-use resources such as lesson...more
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The OER Commons website offers a helpful collection of free lessons and activities focused on the habit of thinking flexibly. Teachers can find ready-to-use resources such as lesson plans, checklists, and discussion prompts that help students learn how to adjust their thinking, see new perspectives, and try different strategies when solving problems. These materials cover a range of grade levels and subjects and can be easily adapted to fit your classroom needs, making it a great place to support creative and critical thinking.

tag(s): critical thinking (140), flexibility (5), perspective (24), problem solving (243), thinking skills (33)

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.
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Thinking Flexible Lesson Plan - scribd

Grades
4 to 12
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This lesson plan, titled "Thinking Flexibly," focuses on helping students understand what flexible thinking looks like, how it differs from rigid thinking, and how they can develop...more
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This lesson plan, titled "Thinking Flexibly," focuses on helping students understand what flexible thinking looks like, how it differs from rigid thinking, and how they can develop it as a habit of mind. The objectives include explaining what "thinking flexibly" means, identifying examples and non-examples, transforming rigid-thinking scenarios into flexible ones, and applying the skill in the classroom, home, and real-world contexts. The plan includes definition, examples, group practice, and reflection to help students internalize the mindset shift.

tag(s): flexibility (5), thinking skills (33)

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.

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The Good Project Resource Center - Harvard Graduate School of Education

Grades
4 to 12
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The Good Project is a research-based initiative from Harvard Graduate School of Education that focuses on what it means to do good work that is excellent, ethical, and engaging. It...more
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The Good Project is a research-based initiative from Harvard Graduate School of Education that focuses on what it means to do good work that is excellent, ethical, and engaging. It provides teachers with free lesson plans, dilemmas, activities, videos, and digital tools that help students reflect on real-world challenges, make responsible decisions, and develop strong moral and civic character. This resource supports meaningful classroom discussions about values, purpose, and the impact of our actions, making it a valuable tool for lessons that connect literacy skills with character development. If your district blocks YouTube, then the videos may not be viewable.

tag(s): thinking skills (33)

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.

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Thinking Resources for Teachers - Known Atom

Grades
K to 12
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KnowAtom's Thinking Routines Resources for Teachers section provides a collection of free anchor charts and graphic organizers designed to help students develop deeper thinking skills...more
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KnowAtom's Thinking Routines Resources for Teachers section provides a collection of free anchor charts and graphic organizers designed to help students develop deeper thinking skills and make their thinking visible. The resources include routines such as See, Think, Wonder - Claim, Support, Question, Color, Symbol, Image, and more, which can be applied across grade levels and subject areas. These tools help foster habits of mind, such as reasoning with evidence, asking questions, making connections, and exploring complexity, making them a practical addition for any teacher looking to shift their classroom toward inquiry and visible thinking.

tag(s): thinking skills (33)

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.
 This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.

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See Think Wonder - SchoolAI

Grades
K to 12
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SchoolAI Spaces provides an AI-powered interactive workspace where students work alongside an intelligent assistant named "Dot," which adapts to their learning style and pace. Teachers...more
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SchoolAI Spaces provides an AI-powered interactive workspace where students work alongside an intelligent assistant named "Dot," which adapts to their learning style and pace. Teachers can launch or build custom "Spaces," set learning standards, include documents and activities, monitor student progress in real-time, and engage students through personalized, interactive tasks. The platform aims to free up teacher time by providing instant data on who is understanding content and who needs support while enabling deeper, individualized engagement for students.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (216), data (152), learning styles (19)

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.

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