TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Jan 4, 2026
Here are this week's features. Clicking the tags in the description area of each listing will present a list of other resources with this topic. | Click here to return to the Featured Sites Archive
Jigsaw Planet - Jigsaw Planet
Grades
4 to 12
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Jigsaw Planet is an online platform allowing players to create, share, and solve jigsaw puzzles using personal images. While the platform is accessible to participants of all ages,...more
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Jigsaw Planet is an online platform allowing players to create, share, and solve jigsaw puzzles using personal images. While the platform is accessible to participants of all ages, it's important to note participants must be 13 years or older to use certain features according to their Terms of Service. For younger students in grades 4-8, educators can guide them in creating puzzles using age-appropriate images, ensuring compliance with the platform's guidelines. This activity fosters creativity, enhances problem-solving skills, and provides an engaging learning experience.
tag(s): fathers day (17), holidays (233), mothers day (22), puzzles (150)
In the Classroom
Students upload their images or class photos to Jigsaw Planet and create custom jigsaw puzzles. They can choose meaningful images like family photos or classroom memories. Encourage students to create puzzles as personalized gifts for holidays like Mother's Day or Father's Day. They can print and present the puzzle pieces as thoughtful, interactive gifts. Teachers can create jigsaw puzzles using educational content, such as historical events, scientific concepts, or vocabulary words. Students can then solve the puzzle while learning about the topic. Create a trivia-based jigsaw puzzle where each piece corresponds to a question or fact about a specific topic (ex., animals, historical figures, or math concepts). Students solve the puzzle and answer questions as they go.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Escape Games - Crazy Games
Grades
4 to 12
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Crazy Games offers a variety of digital escape rooms that require players to use problem-solving skills to escape a situation, involving puzzles, riddles, and logical thinking before...more
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Crazy Games offers a variety of digital escape rooms that require players to use problem-solving skills to escape a situation, involving puzzles, riddles, and logical thinking before time runs out. A two-player option is available on some of the escape rooms. Some digital escape rooms featured are Nuclear Day, Strange Case, Daily Escape Room, and more. Note that the topics offered range in subject matter, and some may not be suitable for elementary or middle school students. We recommend previewing before you share.
tag(s): digital escapes (28), problem solving (240)
In the Classroom
Students can participate in the digital escape rooms that are featured on the site. Students can use Google Keep, reviewed here to write the answers. Students can use Dotstorming, reviewed here to rank their favorite digital escape room.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Online Escape Room Templates - Genially
Grades
3 to 12
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Genially's Escape Room Game Templates provide educators with interactive and customizable digital escape room experiences. These templates allow teachers to create engaging, gamified...more
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Genially's Escape Room Game Templates provide educators with interactive and customizable digital escape room experiences. These templates allow teachers to create engaging, gamified learning activities where students solve puzzles, answer questions, and unlock clues to progress. The platform supports multimedia elements such as images, animations, and clickable objects, making lessons more immersive. Teachers can use these escape rooms for review sessions, team-building exercises, or subject-specific challenges across various grade levels.
tag(s): digital escapes (28), game based learning (242), gamification (90), puzzles (150)
In the Classroom
Create an escape room where students solve riddles and match definitions to unlock clues. Use synonyms, antonyms, or context clues to reinforce vocabulary skills in a fun, interactive way. Design an escape room where students "travel" through different historical events, solving primary source analysis puzzles, decoding ciphers, and answering questions to unlock the next time period. Students must solve multi-step word problems or algebraic equations to advance through a mystery-themed escape room. Each correct answer reveals a key to "unlock" the final solution. Simulate a science experiment gone wrong! Students analyze data, interpret graphs, and solve scientific riddles to find the missing formula or save the lab before time runs out. After reading a novel or short story, students could navigate an escape room based on key events, themes, and character motivations. They solve puzzles related to symbolism, figurative language, or plot twists to escape.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Purring Test - TED
Grades
3 to 12
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Looking for a quick, engaging brain break? TED's "The Purring Test" offers just that and more. Perfect for adding a playful twist to your classroom, TED's first game, The Purring ...more
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Looking for a quick, engaging brain break? TED's "The Purring Test" offers just that and more. Perfect for adding a playful twist to your classroom, TED's first game, The Purring Test, began with a curious question: "What would it be like to play Pictionary with an AI?" Intended to help understand different types of minds when challenged with quirky associations and unexpected twists, the outcome is usually hilarious and fun. This interactive game invites players to compete against friends and family with new puzzles daily, making it a playful addition to your classroom or a fun way to spark curiosity about AI and communication.
tag(s): artificial intelligence (218), gifted (64), puzzles (150)
In the Classroom
Use this game as a brain break during those long lessons or indoor recess. Turn the daily puzzles into a friendly competition or debate and pair students to play a Pictionary-inspired game, mimicking how AI might interpret their drawings. After playing, lead a discussion on how AI "thinks" compared to humans.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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All the World's a Stage: Incorporating Dramatic Arts and Dance into the Classroom - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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All the World's a Stage is part of the TeachersFirst Help! I Lost My Library/Media Specialist series reviewed here sharing book lists and ideas for...more
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All the World's a Stage is part of the TeachersFirst Help! I Lost My Library/Media Specialist series reviewed here sharing book lists and ideas for incorporating dramatic arts and dance into the classroom. The Background Knowledge section shares information on easing into the dramatic arts beginning with Reader's Theater activities, then extending into additional arts activities such as drama circles and dance. In addition to recommended books about the dramatic arts and artists, numerous classroom activities are available for students. Extension activities are also provided to encourage students to create art that represents various curriculum areas. Information includes correlation to ISTE and AASL standards.
tag(s): book lists (154), dance (29), readers theater (11)
In the Classroom
Include the books and activities this article suggests to engage students through movement and the arts. Have students create and share Reader's Theater productions to demonstrate learning of any content. Use Storyboard That, reviewed here to create storyboards as they plan their productions. After recording your students' Reader's Theater presentations, use Clipchamp, reviewed here to edit and transform your presentations into professional-looking productions.
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Logic Games - Crazy Games
Grades
4 to 12
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Solving problems using logic is an excellent way to improve brain function and cognition; this compilation of logic games provides you with many different activities. In addition, each...more
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Solving problems using logic is an excellent way to improve brain function and cognition; this compilation of logic games provides you with many different activities. In addition, each of the activities features different methods for engagement. For example, Gold Train FRVR (use the search bar to find) requires players to build train tracks to avoid obstacles as they work toward the final destination. Other games include progressively more complex challenges. Hover over the thumbnail for each game to view the title and select to play.
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tag(s): game based learning (242), logic (153), problem solving (240), puzzles (150)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this game site as a resource for logic and puzzle games to share with your students. Consider adding a puzzle of the week to your computer center activities or as an engaging at-home learning activity. Puzzles are an excellent way to strengthen math conversations in any classroom. After spending time with logic puzzles, ask students to share their thought and learning processes as they play each game. Ask students to create a screen recording demonstrating how to play the game and discussing the process. Use your device's screen recording features or an online tool such as Free Online Screen Recorder, reviewed here, to create and share recordings. Use a simple curation tool such as 3X3 Links, reviewed here, to share students' recordings and/or discussions in one easy-to-find location.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Made to Sew - Aneka Truman
Grades
5 to 12
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Made to Sew's YouTube channel offers clear, well-structured sewing tutorials suitable for beginners as well as more experienced sewists. Topics range from basic sewing machine skills...more
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Made to Sew's YouTube channel offers clear, well-structured sewing tutorials suitable for beginners as well as more experienced sewists. Topics range from basic sewing machine skills and beginner techniques to more advanced lessons such as alterations, buttonholes, and pattern matching. The channel's playlists make it easy to find videos tailored to specific skills or project needs. Most tutorials are short and approachable, typically around ten minutes, while more detailed lessons may run closer to thirty minutes. All content is hosted on YouTube, so availability may vary depending on district filtering settings.
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site for use in Consumer Science Education classes to teach basic sewing skills; look for videos labeled "for beginners." This site is also helpful for sharing with students interested in sewing or fashion design to learn more about sewing methods. Made to Sew offers several playlists with tutorials for holiday projects; use these ideas as inspiration for classroom projects. Ask a parent with basic sewing knowledge to volunteer to help when working on holiday projects. Have students create tutorials for sewing projects using Google Slides, reviewed here, which includes photos and directions for each step of the process to complete the project.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Resources related to the Visual Arts - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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The visual arts include the arts that are primarily visual creative works. These can include painting, drawing, ceramics, photography, video, sculpture, design, crafts, and other art...more
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The visual arts include the arts that are primarily visual creative works. These can include painting, drawing, ceramics, photography, video, sculpture, design, crafts, and other art forms. You may want to use this collection as you prepare for YAM (Youth Art Month) or anytime throughout the year. Remember, our "In the Classroom" suggestions give you ideas about using these tools in your classroom.
tag(s): crafts (88), drawing (58), painting (50), photography (124)
In the Classroom
Find new tools to try when planning your visual art lessons. Each review includes technology integration ideas. Read the details of each tool and find the ones that will make your lessons more creative.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Brain Teasers and Puzzles - Brain Easer
Grades
2 to 12
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Improve critical thinking and problem-solving skills through the use of brain teasers, puzzles, and riddles found on this clever site. Select from fifteen categories of teasers divided...more
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Improve critical thinking and problem-solving skills through the use of brain teasers, puzzles, and riddles found on this clever site. Select from fifteen categories of teasers divided into three categories - math & logic, language & visual, and other. Brain teasers are also sorted by difficulty level, beginning with very easy and proceeding up to very difficult. Each puzzle includes the solution to explain the logic behind the answer.
tag(s): critical thinking (146), geometric shapes (128), patterns (64), Problem Based Learning (11), problem solving (240)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this brain teaser site to use throughout the school year. Share a problem of the week with your students to complete as homework or during a work center. Provide teasers of different levels of difficulty to differentiate and challenge your students. Enhance student learning by asking them to explain their success in solving challenges and sharing their process to find the correct solution. Use Padlet, reviewed here, to share your weekly teasers, then have students create and share a video response. This is a link to Padlet's Help section for posting video or an image. Extend learning further by creating a class book using Imagine Forest, reviewed here. Use Imagine Forest to make and share a digital book of brain teasers. Use the interactive elements to add links to audio suggestions for tackling problems or link to video solutions on the final pages of your book.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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My Crossword Maker - Crossword Hobbyist Inc.
Grades
K to 12
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Create crossword puzzles or word searches, or browse through the variety of free options available on My Crossword Maker. Complete the crosswords online or use the provided links to...more
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Create crossword puzzles or word searches, or browse through the variety of free options available on My Crossword Maker. Complete the crosswords online or use the provided links to print or save as a PDF. Browse to find crosswords by grade level, subject, holidays, and more.
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tag(s): addition (117), african american (117), american revolution (84), civil war (142), cold war (38), colonial america (96), colonization (21), crosswords (21), cultures (245), darwin (15), division (94), fractions (157), french (67), grammar (137), holidays (233), latin (21), literature (207), martin luther king (42), multiplication (116), musical instruments (53), poetry (189), presidents (150), puzzles (150), religions (121), shakespeare (96), spanish (104), spelling (94), sports (84), states (127), subtraction (104), vocabulary (243), world war 1 (84), world war 2 (166), writing (302)
In the Classroom
Create a link to puzzles on classroom computers for students to use for vocabulary review. Have students create and share their own crossword puzzles with classmates. Include student-created crossword puzzles into multimedia presentations of research projects. Encourage students to use vocabulary terms in writing and speaking projects.
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Puzzle Prime - Puzzle Prime
Grades
6 to 12
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Puzzle Prime is an excellent collection of some of the best puzzles, games, and illusions on the Internet. Run by a small group of mathematicians, content is carefully selected to ...more
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Puzzle Prime is an excellent collection of some of the best puzzles, games, and illusions on the Internet. Run by a small group of mathematicians, content is carefully selected to meet their high standards. Select a puzzle by type, skill level, or topic. When ready, click the solution to find puzzle answers.
tag(s): logic (153), problem solving (240), puzzles (150)
In the Classroom
Share a link to Puzzle Prime on classroom computers and your class website for students to access on any device. Consider having a "puzzle of the week" activity for students to complete on their own or in groups using activities on this site. Ask students to demonstrate their thinking process in completing puzzles by demonstrating on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector. Take this a step further and ask student to create a video explanation using a tool like Screencastify, reviewed here, and share them on a site such as TeacherTube reviewed here. Use these puzzles as examples and encourage students to create their puzzles for others to solve. Have cooperative learning groups create podcasts sharing problem and puzzle solving tips; for this, use a site such as podomatic, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Virtual Musical Instruments - Virtual Musical Instruments
Grades
K to 12
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Bring the world of music and instruments into your classroom. With Virtual Musical Instruments, you can explore the guitar, piano, pan flute, drums, bongos, and several others. Select...more
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Bring the world of music and instruments into your classroom. With Virtual Musical Instruments, you can explore the guitar, piano, pan flute, drums, bongos, and several others. Select the instrument, and follow the directions for using the keyboard to play the different notes. Create different melodies using different notes or rhythms. Use the guitar tuner to be sure you are in tune. There is no record option on this tool. If you want to record your beat, there are many alternative options (such as using a cell phone or an old-fashioned recorder). You can hear notes on your computer, but a touchscreen device would enhance the experience by letting you tap multiple keys/strings at once. There is an instructional YouTube video, so if your district blocks YouTube, you may not be able to view it.
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tag(s): makerspace (38), music theory (47), musical instruments (53)
In the Classroom
Virtual Musical Instruments opens up the world of music to many other subjects. In music class, discover the different instruments, sounds, and rhythms the virtual instruments can produce. Allow your students to make their own compositions. Challenge them to determine a way to give the directions for their composition to another person so that they can repeat the original piece. In language arts class, discuss mood in literature. Determine the instruments used, the rhythms, and the sounds needed to make that effect. During Readers' Theater, add a musical score to heighten excitement and engagement while further analyzing the text. Have students create a musical composition that tells a story. Now, play that musical story for the class, and turn it into a writing prompt. Use musical sounds and beats to illustrate literary concepts and the use of plot. Determine a melody for each character. Write to explain why each character has that musical composition. Math class covers the study of fractions using note types: whole note, half note, quarter note, and eighth note. Let students create a musical sentence that represents them and write an explanation for why they chose it. Use whatever recording option is most practical in your classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Climate Wisconsin - PBS Wisconsin Education
Grades
6 to 12
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Climate Wisconsin shares powerful stories about how climate change is affecting life in a northern state. Students can explore short videos on familiar activities, such as fly fishing,...more
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Climate Wisconsin shares powerful stories about how climate change is affecting life in a northern state. Students can explore short videos on familiar activities, such as fly fishing, as well as topics like extreme heat, changing ice cover, and shifting ecosystems. The site also includes both narrative-based resources and interactive features, all accessible through the menu at the bottom of the page. These materials help learners understand real-world climate impacts through personal stories and engaging visual tools.
tag(s): adaptations (15), climate (87), climate change (101), ecosystems (89), water cycle (25)
In the Classroom
Use these resources as a pre-unit activity on ecology or climate change. Brainstorm the issues presented as a class. Ask students what they already know about these problems. After exploring Wisconsin examples, students can research how a similar climate issue (heat, flooding, ice cover, species shifts) appears in their own region. Have them present findings in a short slide or infographic using Canva for Education, reviewed here. Assign students two different stories or interactives from the site. In pairs, they compare how climate change affects different groups, activities, or environments in Wisconsin and have them create a simple chart showing similarities and differences.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kids Gardening - National Gardening Association
Grades
3 to 8
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Kids Gardening offers a wide range of ideas and resources to help educators and caregivers bring gardening into their classrooms and communities. The home page provides a helpful overview...more
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Kids Gardening offers a wide range of ideas and resources to help educators and caregivers bring gardening into their classrooms and communities. The home page provides a helpful overview of at-home activities, projects, and educator supports. The top menu makes it easy to explore topics such as What's New, where you can browse recent posts, garden stories, and updates. The Learning Tools section includes Getting Started guides for educators and caregivers, as well as resources, lessons, and hands-on activities focused on play, learning, and growing a garden. Whether you are looking for step-by-step how-to guides, inspiration for indoor or outdoor garden projects, or practical ways to create meaningful "gardening moments," this site offers a rich collection of ideas to support youth gardening in any setting.
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In the Classroom
If you aren't lucky enough to have outdoor gardening space, take advantage of ideas offered for indoor gardens, such as terrariums and container gardening. Check out the extensive lesson library to search by theme, standards, season, and more. You will also find lessons and activities appropriate for science and math. Use the Growing Poems, found here to enhance your classroom poetry unit. Whatever activities you choose, have students record the growth in their garden or container by taking photos. As a summation for your gardening project use Photo Joiner Collage Maker, reviewed here to create a collage of your garden photos with special effects, text, frames, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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