Lego Education Activities are designed to be rich, fun-filled, creative learning experiences. They offer educators a means to use LEGO sets as essential tools that engage students while challenging their creativity and enhancing their knowledge and comprehension. As a thinking teacher, you only need to look on the Teachersfirst Editor’s Blog here to realize what a hot topic teaching creativity is and how it fits into the classroom. From role-playing and meeting the needs of early childhood development to theme-based sets for older students, LEGO Activities offer a multi-disciplinary approach to teaching. There are also specific sets designed to cover specific subject areas, including technology curriculum. As you browse the activities, you will find obvious connections to curriculum in simple machines and other science topics, as well. Stay current and find a lot more stimulating ideas by checking out the LEGO Education and LEGO Smart Blogs available from theLego Education Activities page.
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This fast paced, highly interactive activity will keep students interested while developing vocabulary and thinking skills. Sixteen words are presented on a board, the goal is to sort them into four groups of four related words in three minutes and then name the word that connects all of them together. Patience and thinking outside the box are needed to be successful. There is no need to register to play for fun, and there are choices of many walls. Tournament play is also included; however, registration is required. Only Connect walls can be created for any subject or topic discussed in the classroom.
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The mission of MathSlice is to provide interactives and worksheets for elementary aged children; however this site contains much more. Basic math worksheets are available in many different areas of math concepts beginning with addition going up through scientific notation and percentages. In addition, there are links to ipad games that teach math skills. Many other interactives are available on the site including math millionaire, scrabble, connect 4 and dozens more. In addition to Math, there are activities for Geography, science, music, early literacy, and Spanish.
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Brain Den offers a variety of brainteasers to test logic skills. Brainteasers, games, and puzzles range from geometry to algebra to paradoxes to optical illusions. Although most of this site isn’t highly interactive, it does offer a wide variety of brainteasers for nearly all ages. This is a great site for gifted students. *Advise students to ignore the advertisements.
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Brain Games is a site that allows you to train your brain in fun and easy ways. In as little as 10 minutes a day you can train your brain to improve memory and attention. What a great life skill tool to share with students! Some examples of activities include attention games to help with focus, memory games to help with recall, problem solving games to help with logical reasoning, flexibility games to help with verbal fluency, and numerous others.
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Students will enjoy comparing their knowledge with students around the country and the world through the interactive quizzes on this site. Six subject categories are offered (math, civics, history, geography, science, and economics)at 3 different grade levels (4th, 8th, and 12th). You can also choose 5, 10, 15, or 20 questions. Upon completion of quizzes, scores are shown along with all correct answers. Questions are provided from Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Civic Education Study (CivEd) and National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) - all are institutes which are involved in assessing student achievement and performance. The questions are higher level, and many include diagrams and other visual aids.
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This website has a comprehensive collection of printable math games for all grade levels. Some require common items such as dice and playing cards. Activities are organized by grade level and skills. A wide variety of math skills include: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals and percents, algebra and long division, measurement, graphing and exponents, problem solving, geometry, probability, logic and reasoning, numeration, counting and patterns.
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Tie math and reading into a neat little package in this convenient lesson plan page from the New York Times. With the daunting task of trying to have students see the connection between algebra techniques and the real world, this tool is a must-have in the math teacher's arsenal. The site provides clear lesson plans that only require a quick read before implementing, along with links to different Times content.
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"When will we ever use this?" Answer this question using Math Apprentice. Users choose a character and then begin their journey. Walk (or skateboard) to different work sites, buildings, or businesses. Learn how many is used every day in these work places: architecture, bike and toy makers, cafes, and more! Listen to a brief introduction of the concept. Solve problems or free play to identify math concepts in real life. No account or login is required. Some concepts are advanced but it can take the teaching of standards one step further and create better understanding. This site is a terrific example of STEM integrated learning.
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This intriguing site has the user choose an “answer,” and then the computer asks 20 questions trying to determine what your answer is. The answers to the 20 questions aren’t just YES or NO; they also include SOMETIMES, PROBABLY, IRRELEVANT, and others.

When you arrive at the site, click your language (there are MANY languages to choose from). Enter your gender, age, and location (optional). Then choose the “game” you wish to try. Some are more commercial (Disney, The Simpsons, or Star Trek). Others have educational value (Harry Potter, Earth, or Classic, Famous people). This is a fun and challenging activity. There are disclaimers that the "game gets smarter" the more you play because the game compiles facts over time. It is involving and fun to play. The site does include some advertisements.
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Play interesting word, math, and other games with this free site. Specific topics include “Strategy Games and Quests,” “Problems and Brainteasers,” “Zero Gravity,” “Entrapment,” “Junior Edition Games,” and several others.

Membership is not required though members receive additional benefits. Find an interesting activity to try. On its page, click to play the game, read the directions for play, bookmark the specific game, or generate a link for embedding in a website, wiki, or blog. Printable game worksheets that can be customized can also be found on this site. Note: Ads appear along the side and students should be cautioned in clicking on these ads. Teachers should decide whether you are willing tolerate the extensive ads in light of the high-value site content.
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Looking for simple ways to showcase simple math and science concepts? No money for classroom materials? Look no further. Use these simple instructions for making educational toys using everyday materials. Each toy easily demonstrates concepts that are basic for understanding processes of science. View an unbelievable amount of toys under the following categories: "Amazing Astronomy," "Pumps from the Dump," "Math Magic," "Paper Fun," Tipping Toppling Toys," Motor and Generator," "Electricity and Magnetism," "Newton Unplugged," "Fun with Pressure," "Fun with Light," "Toys from Trash," "Simple Sounds," "Strong Structures," "Flying Toys," "Force Fun," "Spinning Toys," and others. View annotated photos of the construction process or download detailed instructions. This site requires adobe Acrobat. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
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Looking for interactive math resources and their use in everyday life? Math Interactives provide a variety of topics with interactive options for each. View "Use it" to access guided practice for students or "Explore it" for activities that can be used as a teacher demo or practice activities. Additional quicktime videos about the topic and support materials are included. Example topics in the "Number" category include Fractions, Integers, and Exponents. Other categories include "Patterns and Relations," "Shape and Space," and "Statistics and Probability."
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Play interesting word, math, and other activities with this free site. Membership is not required though members receive additional benefits. Find an interesting challenge to try. On its page, click to play the game, read the directions for play, bookmark the specific game, or generate a link for embedding in a website, wiki, or blog. Printable game worksheets that can be customized can also be found on this site. Some of the specific topics include magic squares, attributions, hangman, strategy games, and more.

Note: Ads appear along the side and students should be cautioned in clicking on these ads. This site requires Flash and Adobe Acrobat. Get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
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This site offers practice in recognizing dihedral symmetry. Students also practice reflections in figures and symmetry. Simply click on the red squares to alter and rotate the figures. There is also a lesson plan available (click on "Recognizing Transformations").
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This traditional "Tower of Hanoi" challenges secondary (and possibly gifted elementary) students to move all of the interactive discs from the left peg to the right peg. The goal is to move the discs using the lowest number of moves. This site requires Java. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
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This collection of editors' choices from TeachersFirst will spark summer excitement for parents and kids alike. Whether your want to create something, ignite new learning, or hold on to what you already know, you will savor these safe, reviewer-recommended resources. Be sure to share with your friends, neighbors, and family. Teachers will want to share this page with students departing for summer break. Summer will never be "boring" again!
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The KENKEN craze is spreading quickly across the world! Created in 2004 by Japanese Math Teacher, Tetsuya Miyamoto, these puzzles are fun, educational, and addictive. At first, these puzzles appear very similar to Sudoku puzzles. They have a few added components (more math and logic required). There are various levels of difficulties (3x3 puzzles through 9x9 puzzles). For 3x3 puzzles, you use only numbers 1-3, for 4x4 puzzles you use only numbers 1-4, and so on. At the time of our review of this brand-new puzzle, the 3x3 puzzles had not been created. But they add new puzzles daily, so check back! The rules are simple: each number can only be used once in any row or column. There are also "cages" which are represented by heavily outlined sets of squares. The goal is to produce the target number (in the corner of the cage). Numbers can be repeated within one cage, just so the number is not already in the row or column. Want to learn more? View the How to Play link that includes written instructions and a tutorial video. Puzzles are also PRINTABLE. Don't miss the link for teachers. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
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This site features engaging movie scenes (in Quicktime and Flash formats) that involve Math problems. Beside each clip and title is an explanation of the Math concept in the clip. Most are secondary level, but a few are for lower grades. If you click on the TITLE of the movie, you will be lead to a site to purchase, rate, and/or view the movie in its entirety. To avoid this confusion, be sure to click on the “Play the Flash Version or QuickTime” links. These links lead directly to the “math clip.” Links at the bottom lead to other movie collections websites. This site requires Flash or Quicktime. Get either here
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Do you see the gorilla? Use the basketball mind stretcher to find out! This site offers some traditional and not so traditional mind stretchers. The general topic areas include How Your Brain Works, Attention, Memory, Pattern Recognition and Planning, Visual Workouts, Visual Illusions, Language and Logic, and others. Some of the activities are quick (less than a minute) while others require more time. The activities could be used in many subject areas; there are language activities, math, general logic, and even some for physical education.

Be aware: each mind stretcher activity includes a blog. Some of the blog comments may not be appropriate, so be sure to READ any blogs that you plan to share. You may want to make these activities a group challenge, rather than individual exploration. Many are interactive and require Flash or Java. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
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