CLASSROOM MATERIALS

Creative Team-Building Activities

Start the first month back to school off with these 5 creative team-building activities that incorporate creative-thinking and problem-solving skills while also allowing your students to have fun! These team-building activities will engage even your most reluctant students. The best part is that each activity comes with a hand-drawn video that introduces the activities to hook students in! Watch the preview video above to get a sneak peek of the videos included and download the preview to get a closer look at the activity handouts, organizers, puzzles, stations, and projects.

Creative Thinking Video Prompts for the First Week of School

This creative approach to writing instruction will engage even your most reluctant writers. This bundle includes everything you need to implement five outside-the-box writing assignments that your students will love. The best part is that each assignment comes with a hand-drawn video that introduces the assignments to hook them in! Watch the preview video above to get a sneak peek of the videos included and download the preview to get a closer look at the writing assignments included.

These assignments work great during back to school as they each offer a unique opportunity to get to know your students!

Divergent Thinking Challenge

Divergent thinking is one of the most critical skills that students will need for a creative life. In a world of automation and artificial intelligence, divergent thinking will be a vital soft skill that sets students apart. In this FREE divergent thinking challenge, you’ll receive a slideshow, video, and lesson plan you can use in any class to spark divergent thinking. Just click below and it’ll take you to a page where you can download the entire resource for free. Enjoy!

10 Pack Low-Tech Maker Projects

Engage your students with these week-long design thinking maker challenges.  Each design challenge includes a video challenge which outlines the activity in a fun and easy to understand way. It also has a slideshow presentation (PPT) allows the teacher to facilitate the pacing throughout the project. The teacher lesson plans include CCSS standards alignment, and step-by-step directions on what the teacher and students should be doing along the way. Each lesson is written using the LAUNCH design thinking process. Students are going to be brainstorming with their peers and reflecting on failures and opportunities. At the end of each project, we’ve asked the students to share their ideas with the world. While there is an optional tech component, this is largely a low-tech approach.

Create a Sport Design Thinking Challenge

Curious about design thinking? Get started with this hands-on design thinking challenge. This week-long curriculum contains a 21st-century problem includes a video challenge which outlines the activity in a fun and easy to understand way. It also has a slideshow presentation (PPT) allows the teacher to facilitate the pacing throughout the project. The teacher lesson plans include CCSS standards alignment, and step-by-step directions on what the teacher and students should be doing along the way. Students are going to be brainstorming with their peers and reflecting on failures and opportunities. At the end of each project, we’ve asked the students to share their ideas with the world.

Creative Alternatives to Book Reports (Six Project Pack)

These 6 creative alternatives to the traditional book report can be used with any novel or short story and will engage even your most reluctant students. This bundle includes everything you need to implement five outside-the-box projects that your students will love. The best part is that each assignment comes with a hand-drawn video that introduces the assignments to hook them in! Watch the preview video above to get a sneak peek of the videos included and download the preview to get a closer look at the projects included. You can also buy each project separately.

100+ Writing Prompts

One of the best aspects of being a teacher is watching students go from saying, “I hate writing,” to being so passionate about writing that they refuse to stop when the bell rings. In these moments, it can feel like magic. While there are many ways to spark the love of writing, one of my favorite strategies is a video or visual writing prompt. For over a decade, I have been creating authentic, teacher-tested writing prompts to spark the love of writing with even the most reluctant writer.

Right now, you can download a set of 100+ writing prompts (plus 30 video prompts) for free. Simply add your email address and click “submit” and I’ll send you a PowerPoint, Keynote, and PDF with the prompts.

15-Pack of Video Writing Prompts

One of the best aspects of being a teacher is watching students go from saying, “I hate writing,” to being so passionate about writing that they refuse to stop when the bell rings. In these moments, it can feel like magic. While there are many ways to spark the love of writing, one of my favorite strategies is a video or visual writing prompt. For over a decade, I have been creating authentic, teacher-tested writing prompts to spark the love of writing with even the most reluctant writer. Right now, you can download a set of 15 video prompts for free.

Next Lesson PBL Bundles

I am partnering with Next Lesson, a curriculum company that has developed some great PBL resources. These bundles are available for K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. The Projects within this bundle are delivered in PDF format and include additional resources such as links, videos, rubrics, Rank & Reason exercises, handouts, etc. I partnered with NextLesson Projects because their PBL Experiences are focused around 8 Key Components: authenticity, inquiry, student-driven, driving question, final product, critique, and reflection. I love the fact that these folks have done a massive equity audit to focus on how to address ahead of time issues of bias.

Tiny House Project

This is hands-on design thinking challenge that incorporates volume, surface area, and proportional reasoning. This week-long curriculum contains a 21st-century problem includes a video challenge which outlines the activity in a fun and easy to understand way. It also has a slideshow presentation (PPT) allows the teacher to facilitate the pacing throughout the project. The teacher lesson plans include CCSS standards alignment, and step-by-step directions on what the teacher and students should be doing along the way. Students are going to be brainstorming with their peers and reflecting on failures and opportunities. At the end of each project, we’ve asked the students to share their ideas with the world.

STEM Challenge Bundle #1- Twelve Integrate Challenges

Engage your students with these week-long STEM challenges. The STEM bundle comes with 12 student-led STEM activities. Each STEM challenge contains a 21st-century problem includes a video challenge which outlines the activity in a fun and easy to understand way. It also has a slideshow presentation (PPT) allows the teacher to facilitate the pacing throughout the project. The teacher lesson plans include TEKS and NGSS standards alignment, and step-by-step directions on what the teacher and students should be doing along the way. Each lesson is written using the LAUNCH design thinking process. Students are going to be brainstorming with their peers and reflecting on failures and opportunities. At the end of each project, we’ve asked the students to share their ideas with the world.

STEM Challenge Bundle #2 – Earth Science / Space

Engage your students with these week-long STEM Earth Science and Space challenges. The STEM bundle comes with 12 student-led STEM activities. Each STEM challenge contains a 21st-century problem includes a video challenge which outlines the activity in a fun and easy to understand way. It also has a slideshow presentation (PPT) allows the teacher to facilitate the pacing throughout the project. The teacher lesson plans include TEKS and NGSS standards alignment, and step-by-step directions on what the teacher and students should be doing along the way. Each lesson is written using the LAUNCH design thinking process. Students are going to be brainstorming with their peers and reflecting on failures and opportunities. At the end of each project, we’ve asked the students to share their ideas with the world.

STEM Challenge Bundle #3 – Life Science

Engage your students with these week-long STEM Life Science challenges. The STEM bundle comes with 12 student-led STEM activities.

Each STEM challenge contains a 21st-century problem includes a video challenge which outlines the activity in a fun and easy to understand way. It also has a slideshow presentation (PPT) allows the teacher to facilitate the pacing throughout the project. The teacher lesson plans include TEKS and NGSS standards alignment, and step-by-step directions on what the teacher and students should be doing along the way. Each lesson is written using the LAUNCH design thinking process. Students are going to be brainstorming with their peers and reflecting on failures and opportunities. At the end of each project, we’ve asked the students to share their ideas with the world.

STEM Challenge Bundle #4 – Physical Science

Engage your students with these week-long STEM Physical Science challenges. The STEM bundle comes with 11 student-led STEM activities.

Each STEM challenge contains a 21st-century problem includes a video challenge which outlines the activity in a fun and easy to understand way. It also has aslideshow presentation (PPT) allows the teacher to facilitate the pacing throughout the project. The teacher lesson plans include TEKS and NGSS standards alignment, and step-by-step directions on what the teacher and students should be doing along the way. Each lesson is written using the LAUNCH design thinking process. Students are going to be brainstorming with their peers and reflecting on failures and opportunities. At the end of each project, we’ve asked the students to share their ideas with the world.