k12 Digest

JUNE 23, 2025

From a young age, I was captivated by a single question: “Can learning be more meaningful than memorization?” My journey has been one of constant evolution—from questioning the system to becoming someone who works to reimagine it. As a student, I found myself disengaged, even though I deeply valued the idea of learning.

Interdisciplinary 247

Interdisciplinary Learning Feedback Culture 247

eSchool News

JUNE 16, 2025

Exploratorium: Science Snacks The Exploratorium, a renowned museum of science, art, and human perception in San Francisco, offers Science Snacks–free, hands-on STEM activities designed for students in grades 3-12. Each lesson poses a big question–like “Why do stars twinkle?” or “Can a tree grow without seeds?”–and

STEM 220

STEM Learning Science Textbooks 220

eSchool News

JUNE 17, 2025

The team began with the open-ended question, “How might we pilot different practices related to cell phone/social media use to gauge the effectiveness or impact on student well-being, engagement and sense of belonging?” Include daily group check-ins for accountability and support. Run for two months, expanding hours based on usage patterns.

Schools 177

Schools Students Feedback Participation 177

Teachers Pay Teachers

JULY 22, 2025

Nurture creativity with the arts 7. 4th Grade Reading Comprehension Passages & Daily Questions: Fiction & Nonfiction By One Stop Teacher Shop Grades: 4th Standards: CCSS RL.4.1, All texts are professionally written and on-level, and all questions are editable, which makes it easy to customize them to fit your student’s needs.

Curriculum 98

Curriculum Social Studies Art Learning Styles 98

k12 Digest

MAY 28, 2025

Teachers regularly use technology, not just to teach, but to help students think deeper, ask better questions, and tell their own stories. Students explore big ideas through play, questions, and reflection. What makes this continuum so effective is how it blends critical thinking with character education.

Schools 212

Schools Culture Interdisciplinary Art 212

k12 Digest

JUNE 23, 2025

From a young age, I was captivated by a single question: “Can learning be more meaningful than memorization?” My journey has been one of constant evolution—from questioning the system to becoming someone who works to reimagine it. As a student, I found myself disengaged, even though I deeply valued the idea of learning.

Interdisciplinary 145

Interdisciplinary Learning Feedback Culture 145

Ask a Tech Teacher

APRIL 28, 2025

This shift raises critical questions about the future of education: How will teachers adapt their roles? This shift raises questions about the efficacy and long-term viability of conventional education methods. In this new paradigm, collaboration and critical thinking are essential.

Hybrid Learning 128

Hybrid Learning Learning Styles Study Critical Thinking 128

Teaching with a Mountain View

JUNE 12, 2025

Explore the author’s work and help your students prep thoughtful questions. Each visit kicks off with a game of 20 Questions where students try to guess the identity of their upcoming visitor based on yes/no questions and clues, if needed. In addition to written clues and yes/no questions, you could also share props.

Writing 52

Writing Questions Discussions Activities 52

eSchool News

JULY 20, 2017

Imagine if a teacher said, “Go write on it and see what you come up with,” after a student asked a question. Writing organizes and clarifies our thoughts,” writes William Zinsser in Writing to Learn: How to Write–And Think–Clearly about Any Subject at All. Writing is how we think our way into a subject and make it our own.

Writing 634

Writing STEM Learning Critical Thinking 634

Teaching with a Mountain View

JULY 10, 2025

Keep Supplies Accessible Also, take time to gather essentials– notebooks, pencils, a whiteboard, art supplies, etc. For example, you might decide to start your day with daily question slides or creative thinking journals. It’s perfect for building vocabulary skills while sparking curiosity and critical thinking every single day!

Teachers 52

Teachers Math Social Studies Languages 52

Teaching with a Mountain View

JULY 3, 2025

Students won’t know your routines yet, so transitions will likely take longer than you think, questions will pop up when you least expect, supplies will take longer to put away, etc. Keep all tasks accessible and engaging – think of tasks with a low floor and high ceiling here or consider some critical thinking tasks!

Teaching 52

Teaching Schools Math Activities 52

Teachers Pay Teachers

MAY 21, 2025

Fun Experiments for Kindergarten and 1st Grade Stir up some wiggles and wide-eyed wonder through inquiry-based learning where elementary students will marvel their way to big ideas and critical thinking. These playful science experiments spark curiosity about plant growth, motion, sound vibrations, and absorption.

Elementary School 75

Elementary School Elementary School Science Schools 75

k12 Digest

MAY 28, 2025

These meetings are a space for collaboration, where parents can share their insights, ask questions, and work with educators to create a tailored approach to support their childs growth. For students who need additional support, AEF goes a step further with individualized intervention plans.

Skills 137

Skills Schools Learning Students 137

Teachers Pay Teachers

JUNE 2, 2025

Psychology “Do Now” Writing Prompts & Slides By Loosli Learning Grades: 9th-12th Subjects: Psychology Ideal for psychology classes or any subject focused on critical thinking, these do now writing prompts are an intriguing way to start the day. Should students be required to take a music or art class?

High School 52

High School High School Writing Essay 52

Teachers Pay Teachers

JUNE 11, 2025

Sharpen critical thinking by comparing and contrasting Expository writing prompts do more than just walk students through a step-by-step process or ask about their favorite things. They encourage students to examine similarities and differences and explain their thinking.

Writing 52

Writing Grades Essay Middle School 52

Teachers Pay Teachers

JUNE 30, 2025

intriguing questions before the period even begins. Students can answer the riddle in a daily journal or chat with a partner before you start the day’s lesson, letting them settle in and practice using important critical thinking skills. Add a riddle as an extra credit question to a test or weekly quiz.

High School 52

High School High School Schools Math 52

Ask a Tech Teacher

NOVEMBER 16, 2017

Essential Question. Draw a Stickman is a web-based tool or app that turns a simple drawing into a story by asking questions of the creator. Students draw an image; the site animates it and then asks questions as the figure moves, requiring students to add detail to the Stickman’s adventure. Third Grade — Pixel Art.

Grades 221

Grades Activities Art Writing 221

Ask a Tech Teacher

NOVEMBER 27, 2017

Alt codes are those symbols that are created by holding down the Alt key and pushing a series of numbers, like these for copyright and the Spanish question mark: Alt + 0169 = ©. Coding with Pixel Art. Pixel Art is the blocky drawing that looks both amateurish and sophisticated. Grade level: 4-12. Alt+0191 = ¿. limited colors.

Art 173

Art Grades Activities Science 173

eSchool News

MARCH 15, 2024

In many situations, students will work on these projects for weeks or months at a time, which helps them develop deeper content knowledge when attempting to answer complex questions and resolve real-world problems. It’s important to teach students the art of effective collaboration when using the PBL approach.

Critical Thinking 315

Critical Thinking Teaching Methods Communication Skills 315

eSchool News

JANUARY 23, 2025

Key points: Asking the right questions is more than just a skill–its a mindset We are all digital immigrants now 25 AI predictions for 2025 For more news on AI in education, visit eSN’s Digital Learning hub Several years ago, during a flight from Houston to Paris, I had a conversation with the CEO of a prominent Houston-based company.

Questions 300

Questions Critical Thinking History Essay 300

eSchool News

JUNE 9, 2023

The company has launched Gale In Context: Literature, a new resource for literature instruction and learning that helps high schoolers engage and thrive in English language arts (ELA). Essential Questions: over 300 question prompts designed to engage student curiosity and provide a starting point for literature research.

Critical Thinking 247

Critical Thinking Learning Outcomes High School High School 247

Edsurge

JUNE 17, 2021

We try a new combination of words, changing our search from a question, cutting it down to just an essential few words, hoping the results will give us information to a burning question. The Brainstorm After modeling for students, have them develop their own burning questions.

Critical Thinking 218

Critical Thinking Activities Teaching Questions 218

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 30, 2017

These app essentials will help keep high school students engaged while learning language arts, and teach them how to form the arguments and enhance learning comprehension. The idea is the main component in argument forming, and actively learn teaches students how to communicate by asking and answering questions. Forming the Arguments.

Art 224

Art Languages Language Plagiarism 224

Ask a Tech Teacher

AUGUST 24, 2023

Teaching Critical Thinking Through Essay Examples: Unlocking Minds We’re exploring a fun classroom adventure where teachers teach us to think carefully and write good essays using examples. We’ll see how these great teachers turn simple essays into smart thinking tools. Critical thinking isn’t a skill.

Critical Thinking 148

Critical Thinking Essay Teaching Exams 148

Edsurge

MAY 21, 2019

But at its core, computational thinking is simply a way to process information using higher-order or critical thinking, says Julie Oltman, who also teaches at Lehigh and is collaborating with Hammond on a related social studies curriculum. If I was in literature or English language arts, I might come up with a different framing.”

Critical Thinking 168

Critical Thinking Social Studies English Art 168

Catlin Tucker

AUGUST 5, 2023

See, Think, Wonder Thinking Routine “I see, I think, I wonder” is a simple yet versatile thinking routine that can be used in elementary and secondary classrooms. Next, students progress to the stage of “thinking.” The final stage of this thinking routine is “wondering.”

Metacognitive Skills 327

Metacognitive Skills Ethics Critical Thinking Art 327

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 15, 2017

I want them to play sports, get lost in great books, collect bugs in our backyard, and engage with one another creating art projects, choreographing dance numbers, and playing good old fashioned board games. In the context of education, it’s crucial that we question why we are using technology. I want them to be kids.

Critical Thinking 418

Critical Thinking Writing Attention Art 418

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 22, 2024

This “cookbook recipe” teaching style not only stifles creativity, but it can also hinder critical thinking skill development. And while the curriculum was structured in a logical manner, it also includes engaging design elements and leaves plenty of room for students to ask questions, solve problems, and troubleshoot.

Science 315

Science Critical Thinking STEM Textbooks 315

eSchool News

JULY 30, 2024

Putting the ‘E’ in integrative STEM instruction For more news on STEAM, visit eSN’s STEM & STEAM hub According to the National Math and Science Initiative , STEM education helps students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, fosters communication, and bolsters teamwork.

STEM 330

STEM Education Critical Thinking Students 330

eSchool News

DECEMBER 2, 2024

This process reinforces scientific inquiry and builds critical thinking skills as students see, touch, and analyze real results from their experiments. STEM storytelling combines language arts with STEM, enhancing students’ understanding of scientific impact through a historical or personal lens.

Middle School 328

Middle School Middle School STEM Interdisciplinary 328

Edsurge

NOVEMBER 13, 2018

The number of students choosing liberal arts majors is dipping. Bachelors of arts degrees in the humanities decreased from 36 percent in 1970 to 23 percent in 2016, according to data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. It gives us a different mindset of the challenges that are ahead.”

Art 167

Art STEM Ethics Students 167

Catlin Tucker

SEPTEMBER 7, 2023

Part V: Thinking About Thinking Series This is part five of a five-part series focused on using thinking routines to drive metacognitive skill building. Click here to revisit my last blog in this series on using the “Claim-Evidence-Question” routine.

Metacognitive Skills 360

Metacognitive Skills Discussions Art History 360

Ask a Tech Teacher

DECEMBER 26, 2023

Critical Thinking Development in Middle School Education Fostеring critical thinking skills in middlе school еducation is paramount to equipping studеnts with thе intеllеctual tools necessary for succеss. Sеvеral kеy componеnts constitutе critical thinking.

Critical Thinking 88

Critical Thinking Middle School Middle School Education 88

Catlin Tucker

AUGUST 22, 2023

This promotes critical thinking and historical empathy. Artistic Interpretation: In an art class, the teacher could ask students to reflect on how their perception of a particular art style or genre has changed after studying different artists and techniques.

Ethics 331

Ethics Metacognitive Skills Culture Critical Thinking 331

Catlin Tucker

AUGUST 15, 2023

This routine fosters critical thinking and enhances the meaningful integration of new learning into an individual’s cognitive framework. Challenge: Encourage them to think about a question they have about this object or creature.

Metacognitive Skills 334

Metacognitive Skills Discussions Art Math 334

eSchool News

DECEMBER 3, 2024

With education hanging in the balance, the question looms: Could AI be the answer? AI offers the potential for virtual tutoring, a helper that can answer students’ questions, guide them through assignments, and provide targeted feedback without requiring the teacher’s constant input.

Teachers 310

Teachers Technology Ethics Classroom Management 310

eSchool News

AUGUST 20, 2024

Teachers ask questions to encourage students to dig deeper, and then provide the variety of texts they need to conduct their research most effectively. During a math lesson, they answered questions such as, “How much would a golden egg sell for today?”

Reading 319

Reading Assignments Math English 319