Blended learning is a teaching approach that combines both traditional in-class instruction with digital technologies for lessons, assessments, feedback and more. In other words, face-to-face teaching is supplemented and supported by online lessons and content.

The advantages of blended learning include flexibility, student engagement, and the ability to personalize lessons.

The following blended learning sites, many of which are fully free, provide a variety of features through which educators can implement their blended learning approach.

Best Sites for Blended Learning

FREEMIUM

Newsela
A multiple award-winning platform, Newsela includes ELA, social studies, and STEM topics, and is particularly strong for differentiated reading and current events. A 45-day free trial of premium Newsela is provided to educators with no credit card required. The free version, Newsela Lite, provides a new leveled article each week, standards-aligned skill-building activities, and access to the Binder to review student work.

Pear Deck Learning
From its beginning as a Google Slides add-on, Pear Deck has expanded to now offer three additional services: Pear Start, Pear Practice, and Pear Assessment. Pear Start offers more than 40 AI tools to save teachers time, while Pear Practice allows teachers to build, share, and assign practice sets for individuals or groups, and Pear Assessment enables formative and summative assessments and automatic grading. The original Pear Deck’s free educator plan offers generous features such as lesson creation, differentiated learning, Immersive Reader, and student participation controls. Each program provides a free account for educators and premium accounts for schools and districts. Well worth checking out.

Parlay
Parlay, a powerful platform for discussion and debate in classrooms, makes it easy for educators to sign up and explore its features. Create a new discussion (written or verbal), browse more than 7,000 discussion prompts, and select grades. Topics can be entered directly as text, or though a link or PDF. The output will feature everything needed for a productive classroom discussion, including learning goals, questions, and peer feedback instructions. Students can be invited via code, roster, link, or Google Classroom. Basic Parley Free for teachers includes up to six roundtables with 50 students per roundtable.

Kahoot
One of the oldest and best-known quiz game platforms, Kahoot offers millions of ready-made gamified quizzes as well as the ability to create your own. Kahoot offers four paid plans ranging from $36 to $228 per year. Kahoot’s free basic account for educators and others allows creating and hosting a limited number of games, as well as joining games and exploring public kahoots.

PREMIUM

Canvas LMS
A complete learning management system providing tools for course creation, grading, collaboration, and mobile learning. Canvas integrates with multiple other platforms, including Microsoft Teams, Nearpod, Google Assignments, Discovery Education, Skyward SIS, and Slate. Unfortunately, the popular Free-for-Teacher accounts are currently unavailable, as Canvas rebuilds the backend, aiming for a fall 2026 launch.

Starfall
Starfall’s easy-to-navigate site and modest membership cost makes it ideal for both home and education, while its gamified interface will engage young users. Aimed at preK-5 students, Starfall’s games are research-based, standards-aligned, and cover reading and math topics from rhyming to factor pairs. While they don’t offer a free trial, each topic provides one or two free games for interested users to try. Education accounts are modestly priced at $70-$355 annually for individual teacher, classroom, or school accounts, and include student access on campus and at home.

IXL
Offering a comprehensive, skills-based K-12 curriculum, the award-winning IXL platform also includes diagnostic, assessment, and analytics tools for language arts, math, science, and social studies. Unlike many other such sites, IXL permits generous exploration of skills and lessons without joining. A full, free 30-day trial is offered for educators.

WeVideo Classroom
Designed for education, the video-editing platform WeVideo Classroom includes a wide range of built-in tools for video editing and export, and the ability to upload and integrate text, audio, image, and other files. Teachers can create classes, add multimedia assignments and projects, and provide feedback. Webcam, screen recording, templates, interactive videos, storyboarding and podcasts, and more are all part of the WeVideo ecosystem. Free seven-day trial with no credit card required.

FREE

Khan Academy Kids
This educational app for kids aged 2-8 has earned a five-star rating from the independent nonprofit Common Sense Media. Friendly animal characters and the gamified interface create a welcoming and engaging atmosphere for kids to learn early literacy and math skills, as well as to explore the natural world. Teachers can assign lessons and track progress in the app, which is 100% cost- and ad-free.

CK-12
A robust education nonprofit that started by providing open source digital textbooks in 2008, CK-12 has steadily added digital teaching resources for the past 10 years. Their products include new AI teaching tools and agents, customizable, interactive digital textbooks and science simulations, PLIX (Play-Learn-Interact-Explore) interactives, and much more. A wide range of subjects and grades are covered, from K-5 science to college algebra to adult education. Integrates with Google Classroom, Canvas, and Schoology.

OpenStax
From Rice University, OpenStax claims to be the world's largest publisher of free, peer-reviewed digital textbooks. Although I can’t confirm that claim, I can attest to the diversity of K-12 subjects for which digital textbooks are provided. OpenStax’s textbooks are written by experts in their fields, peer-reviewed, and standards-aligned. Digital books can be viewed online or downloaded as PDFs. A free educator account with your school email is required for full access. Available in English, Spanish, and Polish.

TEDEd
Not only does TedEd offer a wide range of educational videos, it also offers lessons built around these videos. Even better, educators can customize video lessons according to their teaching goals or upload their own video as a lesson foundation. Each lesson includes questions as well as a discussion forum.

Nowcomment
A free collaboration platform that allows for the discussion and annotation of online documents, Nowcomment offers an easy signup process and a fairly intuitive site. Teachers can upload documents, create private groups of students, and invite them to add comments. Files accepted for upload include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, image, video, copy-and-paste from HTML, and text entry. For security and privacy, only invited users can comment on documents and private groups are not searchable by search engines.

iCivics Education
Top-notch collection of K-12 civic and social studies games, lesson plans, simulations, mystery-themed curriculum units, and more, iCivics Education allows educators to assign games, monitor student progress, and manage classes in one place. Integrates with Google, Clever, and other single sign-on solutions.

Khan Academy
A free learning platform that allows teachers to create and manage classes, assign courses, and monitor student progress, Khan Academy now also features Khanmigo Tools, free AI-powered tools for education. Courses include math, test prep, ELA, science, social studies, computing, professional learning, and more.

Prodigy
Fully free for teachers, schools, and districts, the game-based Prodigy platform gives educators the ability to create classes, assign lessons, monitor student progress, and identify learning gaps. Students play math and English learning games as individuals or in teams. Integrates with Google, Classlink, and Clever.

Repetitio est mater studiorum.

Or to say it another way, repetition is the mother of learning.

And while repetition sometimes gets a bad rap (as in “drill and kill”), properly utilized, repetition can help cement foundational concepts and allow students to advance to more deeper and nuanced forms of learning.

The learning platform I Know It provides a wide range of activities and exercises for K-5 math and English language arts practice, as well as progress reports for educators and parents and gamified feedback for students.

What is I Know It?

I Know It is a math and English language arts practice site that provides extensive, individualized exercises for students in grades K-5.

The platform includes some of the most engaging features of gamification, such as congratulatory graphics and animations, sound effects, awards, and badges. I think it strikes an excellent balance between fully gamified interactives on one hand and dry data-driven instruction on the other.

I Know It goes beyond simple practice modules by aligning the majority of its exercises with Common Core Standards or selected state standards. Plus, its student-friendly features will encourage timely assignment completion as well as exploration of additional, unassigned problem sets.

How Does I Know It Work?

I Know It makes it easy for educators to sign up for its generous free trial. Simply provide your name, school name, phone number, and email and you’re ready to explore the site. Once signed in, teachers can set options for the following parameters:

• Standards (Common Core, Texas or Florida)
• Hints (none, three or unlimited)
• Animations (on/off)
• Students may explore on their own (yes/no)
• Questions may be read aloud (on/off)
• Progress report to parents via email (yes/no)

Given the level of control and optimization provided, I Know It has a remarkably clean interface with intuitive navigation. It’s also very easy to edit any of these parameters at any time later.

CREATING A CLASS

Create and name your class from the My Students tab. The easiest way to populate your online classes is to use the Rapid Roster feature, which accepts text input, or copy-and-pasted names from a text file, spreadsheet, or email. The system will then create the user names and passwords for you. These can be edited later if you wish. You can also print out a PDF with all student names and passwords.

GETTING TO KNOW THE EXERCISES

I Know It offers two categories of practice: math and English language arts. To start exploring practice sets, select a category and grade from the top menu or from the teacher dashboard. Now you’ll see the entire range of problems for that grade, with large bold print headings so you can easily find your preferred activities.

To get a quick view of a problem type, mouse over the description and an example will pop up. To try it yourself, click to open the problem. Your view will be identical to the student’s view, so you can see what happens following a correct answer or an incorrect answer.

Note the animation option toggle in the lower right corner. Students who prefer not to have graphic or animated feedback can adjust their own settings.

If you’d like to experience and test the platform exactly as a student would, sign in as a student in a separate browser. First add a student; e.g.; Test Student. Open a new browser (for example, use Edge if your teacher account is open in Chrome) and sign in as Test Student, logging in with user name, the class code and the password. A separate student email is not required.

ASSIGNING EXERCISES

To assign activities from the teacher dashboard, select grade and subject (math or ELA), then select the desired exercise. The Assign Lesson window gives you multiple options for the assignment, including number of questions (1-80), which students to assign, display options, auto reassign, and several others.

What Are the Best I Know It Features?

LESSON DIFFERENTIATION

One of most useful features built into the I Know It platform is the ease with which teachers can differentiate lessons. This can be accomplished in two ways:

1. Assigning a lesson of a lower or higher grade level to individual students.
   Instead of assigning fourth grade math sets to Jane Doe, you can assign second grade problem sets, since she's currently working at that level. You can then quickly assign grade-level work to the rest of the students if desired. Importantly, there will not be a grade level displayed on assignments.
   
2. Setting the "ability level" to a lower or higher grade.
   The "ability level" is an optional feature that, if set, will guide the level of exploration exercises offered to a student. These are the optional activities displayed underneath the student's assigned work.

PROGRESS TRACKING AND REPORTING

Student progress tracking allows teachers to see overviews of a class or student, or drill down into details if desired. "Recent Activity" lists students, lessons worked on, and scores, with a link to a detailed view for each student. Here teachers can view all of a student's questions and answers as well as time spent on tasks.

Teachers may also export a printable PDF progress report for selected intervals, or view awards won by students for completing lessons. Weekly progress reports will be emailed to parents if enabled in Settings.

BUILT-IN ACCESSIBILITY TOOLS

Each activity window sports a sound icon in the top left corner, allowing questions to be read aloud. Incorrect answers yield explanations clarifying the correct answer and offering the chance to view the question and answer again.

Does The Robot Have A Name And Why Is It So Much Fun?

Maybe it's just the fifth grader in me, but I love the animated robot character that responds to answers (if animations are permitted in settings). The variety of playful animations for correct answers—all with apt and amusing sound effects—include: blowing bubbles; barking dogs; flying birds; rain; rainbows; rocket ship taking off, circling the moon, parachuting back to Earth; juggling; a flower garden springing from the head; eating an apple that turns into a pie; and more.

My guess is that most kids will enjoy these animated rewards and hopefully, be more motivated to complete their work. Sadly, the riveting (and no doubt, riveted) robot is nameless.

How Much Does I Know It Cost?

I Know It offers three account types: Family, Single Teacher and School/District, with varying pricing and features. A 30-day free trial, with no credit card required, makes it straightforward to discover if the platform is right for your class.

The Family membership allows one parent and up to four children, using a single login, for $45 annually.

The Single Teacher account includes one teacher and 25 students (each of whom has an individual login) for $150 annually and the option to add additional student licenses at $7.50 each.

The District/School account provides additional benefits, such as a unlimited teacher accounts, a dedicated account manager, teacher training, phone tech support and others. The cost is per student and varies depending on the size of the school or district.

Game-based learning turns potentially tedious study time into an adventurous knowledge quest, complete with catchy soundtracks and digital rewards. It helps keep kids engaged with the subject matter and motivated to pursue greater expertise. Best of all, web- or app-based gameplay integrates easily into both online and in-person classes.

We’ve curated the best K-12 educational game sites and apps, arranged according to cost. Many are free (or offer free basic accounts), while some provide progress tracking and analysis tools for teachers. All are remarkably creative and will help kids enjoy learning.

Best Free K-12 Education Games

LangGuesser
Listen to a brief clip of someone speaking, then click on a country where that language is spoken. It may “sound” easy, but it’s surprising how tricky it is to distinguish unfamiliar spoken languages from one another. No account required, but do create an account in order to track your progress. A great exercise for any language class.

Brilliant
Brilliant employs colorful professional graphics and gamified learning to help kids master STEM topics such as algebra and computer science. Exercises start with the basics and gradually build to more complex problems. Each answer, whether correct or incorrect, has an accompanying explanation to aid in understanding the topic. Best of all, Brilliant provides completely free access to its premium account for educators and administrators with school email addresses.

GeoGuesser Name The Countries - Geography Quiz Game
There are 195 recognized countries in the world. How many can you identify on an unmarked map, and how fast can you do it? Eight different versions add to the possible challenges. A great way to learn and practice geopolitical knowledge. Free, no account required.

Quizzity
A super simple but challenging geography quiz. How close can you place the pin to the city-level location provided? The worldwide map includes nothing but political borders to the province/state level. What I liked about this game is that players earn points for being close, even when incorrect. In this way, users are encouraged to keep trying and learning.

Vocab Scrabble
Can you improve your English vocabulary by playing online Scrabble? Yes, according to AE Studio’s Vocab Scrabble, a simple-yet-challenging digital version of the beloved word game. The rules are elementary. Or shall I say basic? Perhaps fundamental? Click “start playing” and the five-minute countdown begins. Like Scrabble, the player receives a selection of letters with which to compose words. Unlike Scrabble, the selection changes after each word created. No account required.

New York Times Games Subscription | iOS Android
While not strictly speaking educational games, these standout puzzles from The New York Times clearly require users to exercise language, math, and logic skills. Non-subscribers can play the following inventive games for free: Wordle, Sudoku, Connections, Pips, Strands, and the daily Mini Crossword for free. My favorite is Connections, the devilishly tricky word game that asks users to create four sets of related words. Players must carefully consider all possible meanings of each word before making their choices. And be sure to try creating your own Wordle game, which can be shared with friends, colleagues, and students. Games offer difficulty levels, hints post-game analysis. Available via website or app.

Prodigy English
From the makers of the popular Prodigy Math, Prodigy English is a gamified English language learning program that features all the fun bells and whistles of gaming, from creating worlds to boosting energy with correct answers. A suite of teachers’ tools includes assessments and reports. Aligned to Common Core reading and language standards for grades 1 to 6. Best of all, the premium Prodigy English is fully free to educators.

Prodigy Math
An award-winning, standards-aligned online math game designed for grades 1-8, Prodigy is modeled on popular fantasy-style multiplayer games. Students select and customize an avatar, and then prepare to battle math problems. Free basic account includes core gameplay and basic pet features. Prodigy Math is fully free to educators.

Ducksters
This easy-to-navigate site affords a wide range of educational digital games for students or anyone who enjoys gameplay and learning. Included are math, word, geography, and puzzle games as well as classic games such as chess, checkers, backgammon, mahjong, and more. But it’s not just fun and games at Duckster. An extensive collection of illustrated lessons in history, biography, geography, and science are accompanied by quizzes and links to the relevant games. No account required to play or learn.

Khan Academy Kids
An award-winning, free iOs or Android app, Khan Academy Kids offers a comprehensive collection of educational math, literacy, and music games and activities for kids aged 2-8 years. Top-rated by users, this free app includes no ads—and no subscription is needed.

Puzzle Playground
From the publisher of Math Playground, Puzzle Playground is a free game-based learning site that uses puzzles of every kind to engage kids’ imaginations. Don’t think “jigsaw” because these amazingly creative puzzles go far beyond shape-fitting. Instead, these varied digital puzzles will keep kids of any age busy challenging their problem-solving, trial-and-error, spatial reasoning, and perseverance skills. Super fun too.

Best Free Virtual Escape Rooms for Schools
These top free virtual escape rooms combine the best elements of gameplay -- suspense, skill, knowledge, and speed. Arranged according to age suitability.

Moose Math - Duck Duck Moose iOs Android
A multi-level math game that allows kids ages 3-7 to earn rewards and decorate cities by solving math problems disguised as adventures. Common Core-aligned for kindergarten and first grade.

Wordscapes iOs Android
Wordscape combines the best features of crossword puzzles, word connect, and word anagram games, all accompanied by scenery designed to relax and focus the mind.

Mind Games
Don’t worry, this site doesn’t advocate gaslighting or psychological manipulation. Rather it’s a collection of free online number, word and logic games, brain teasers, sudoku, crosswords, and more. Free with (blockable) ads. For a premium ad free gaming, visit adfreegames.com, where users pay only $10 for a full year of access.

Solving the Rubik's Cube!
From educator Ryan Chadwick comes this top-notch digital tutorial for one of the most challenging hands-on puzzles ever. Includes images and advice to boost your speed solving Rubik’s cube. Free, no account required.

Annenberg Classroom That's Your Right
Kids play alone or in multiplayer mode to learn and practice their Bill of Rights expertise. With high-quality graphics and music and three levels of difficulty, this free game is an excellent way to support civics education for middle and high school students. Additional resources include a Constitution guide, review of Supreme Court cases, and lesson plans.

Funbrain
Browse K-8 educational games by grade level, popularity, and topics such as math, grammar, and vocabulary. New games include chess, sudoku, and What on Earth?! (geography). Free, no registration required.

iCivics Games
A rich resource for social studies education, the nonprofit iCivics was founded by Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor in 2009 to educate Americans about our democracy. The site includes an educational portal for learning about civics and standards-based games and curricula.

Little Alchemy 2
Air. Earth. Fire. Water. Simply creative. Simply brilliant. iOs and Android too. For makers and imaginers of any age.

National Geographic Kids
Free quizzes and games in topics ranging from animals and bugs to solving ciphers.

PBS Kids Games
Dozens of free games, from math to social-emotional learning, will delight younger learners. No account required on this user-friendly website. English and Spanish. New games include Nature Sights and Sounds, Puppy Pet Care, Road Repair, and many more.

Play4A
A deceptively simple interface allows users to play surprisingly challenging games for free. In addition, teachers create gamified quizzes, then share the code with their students. A jaunty musical soundtrack adds to the enjoyment.

RoomRecess
Find 140+ free learning games in a wide variety of subjects, including math, language arts, typing and keyboard skills, digital puzzles, and more. Games are grouped by grades as well as topics. Highly popular with teachers and students alike.

Tate Kids
Explore art-based games and quizzes on this super appealing, highly visual site from Great Britain’s Tate Museum. Activities focus on learning and discovery rather than test scores. An exceptional way to get kids thinking about and making art. Free.

HoloLAB Champions (Educators Edition)
Players in this remarkable virtual chemistry lab will measure, weigh, pour, and heat in a series of competitive lab skills games. No safety goggles required—but don’t forget your virtual pair! Free for educators. HoloLAB Champions is available in English on Steam for the Oculus Rift and VIVE VR platforms. Free to educators.

NASA Space Place
NASA invites users to investigate Earth and outer space via games that ask big questions such as, “How does NASA talk to its faraway spacecraft?” and “How does the sun make energy?” Free and fascinating.

Best Freemium K-12 Education Games

Factile
Clue: The best known and loved quiz game show in American history. Response: What is Jeopardy!? Factile, with its sleek, sophisticated interface, allows users to create and share Jeopardy!-like quiz games, in addition to playing publicly available games. Create games manually or allow AI to populate the game board with clues related to your chosen topics. Free account users can create up to three custom games, share and embed games and play public games. Transparent pricing allows for easy comparison among account options, with Home/School Basic at $48 annually and Home/School Plus under $100 annually.

GrooveLit
Groovelit’s COPPA- and FERPA-compliant gamified writing practice helps students in grades 4-10 find their voice. Teachers can create new writing games or make use of ready-made games with adjustable player settings. Customizable to state standards. Groovelit Basic provides unlimited free access to gamified writing practice and unlimited students per game, while Groovelit Go adds individualized feedback/analysis and other premium features.

Education.Com Games
With nearly 1,000 high-quality, engaging educational games covering math, science, social studies, and English, Education has something for every preK-8 student. Basic members can access three free downloads per month, while premium members have unlimited access to all Education.com resources. Premium-only features include Guided Lessons, Collections, and more.

ABCya Free Games of the Week
More than 300 lively educational games and mobile apps for preK-6 students. Games can be searched by Common Core State Standards, as well as Next Generation Science Standards. Six new free games released every week. Free for desktop use, premium plan for mobile devices.

Arcademics
An award-winning, innovative site for K-8 game-based learning in math, language arts, geography, and other subjects, Arcademics includes an educational portal that allows teachers to monitor student progress, generate detailed reports, and assess student learning. Free basic account provides most features and is ad-supported. Free 30-day trial. No credit card required.

Oodlu
An online education gaming platform, Oodlu is perfect for learners of any age with some reading ability. Teachers create their own games using the built-in question bank, and analytics provide progress reports for each student. Free standard account.

Blooket
A wonderful gamified learning/quiz platform with a user-friendly interface, Blooket offers nine different game modes and runs on student devices as well as desktop computers. Free basic account allows for unlimited sets and edits, unique game modes, and question set search for up to 60 players.

Turtle Diary Online Games
An extensive collection of games, videos, quizzes, lesson plans, and other digital tools for preK-5 students, searchable by topic, grade, and Common Core standard. Free and premium accounts.

Gimkit
Created by a high school student, Gimkit bills itself as a game show for the classroom. Kids can earn in-game cash with correct answers and invest the money in upgrades and power-ups. Reports for educators are generated after every game played. A second program, Gimkit Ink, allows students to publish and share their schoolwork. $4.99/month, or group pricing for schools. A 30-day free trial of Gimkit Pro can be converted to a free basic account.

Kahoot
One of the most popular sites for gamifying the classroom. Teachers create games and quizzes and students answer them on their mobile devices. You’ll find a plan for every budget: free basic, pro, and premium.

Knoword
A fine, fast-paced vocabulary game. Educators can create their own word packs and track student progress. Free basic accounts allow play of all public word packs, sharing, and exporting, while the moderately priced Pro and Team accounts allow unlimited word pack creation and assignments.

Legends of Learning
A fine collection of standards-aligned science and math games for K-8 students. Free teacher accounts, with premium features for school and district-level accounts. Bonus: Learn about the games before signing up here. Be sure to check out their free upcoming game-based STEM competitions.

Best Premium K12 Education Games

Geoguessr
A unique and visually captivating geography brainteaser that encourages children to decipher locations using hints from Google Street View and Mapillary visuals. Ideal for fostering cognitive abilities and logical reasoning, while providing an entertaining and immersive experience.

Math Playground
Explore this extensive selection of math, logic, skills, and word games for kids in grades K-6. Created by educator Coleen King, Math Playground is kidSAFE/COPPA Certified and includes only COPPA-certified children's ads. Shareable in Google Classroom.

Vocabulary Spelling City
Three dozen free games cover topics including vocabulary, spelling, phonics, and language arts. Each game includes several variations, so the total number of games to play exceeds 100. Just start playing- no account needed. Looking for premium content? Head over to the new site for premium games at VocabularyA-Z.com

Buzzmath
Buzzmath provides more than 14,000 interactive math questions, as well as manipulable objects, audio text reading, math glossary, brain teasers, badges, and digital rewards. Teachers can personalize learning for each student with this standards-aligned supplementary math resource.

Sumdog
Sumdog’s standards-based math and spelling practice platform aims to boost student learning and confidence with adaptive personalized gameplay. A hit with kids and research-validated to boot. Free 30-day trial.

MinecraftEdu
A block-based graphics game, designed for education, that allows students to build and explore virtual worlds. Built-in educator controls support a safe and education-directed experience. The abundant classroom resources include lesson plans, training for educators, challenge building, and more.

Skoolbo
Skoolbo offers educational games for reading, writing, numeracy, languages, science, art, music, and logic. Digital books and step-by-step animated lessons support young learners as well. Various plans for classes and schools, with the first month free.

Struggly is a gamified online math supplement that encourages and rewards student persistence, creativity, and strategy in solving digital math puzzles.

Aimed at students in grades preK-8, Struggly’s games are standards-aligned and allow students to explore and learn diverse math subjects, from arithmetic and fractions to algebraic thinking and reasoning, all through playful, engrossing gameplay.

Struggly’s clean interface, fun graphics, sound effects, and badges add to its appeal for both students and teachers.

What is Struggly?

Struggly is an award-winning digital math supplement that challenges young learners to engage with math topics via its online gamified platform.

While there are many platforms offering math games, Struggly’s emphasis on the value of playful struggle sets it apart from others. Its uncluttered, easy-to-use website features stylish and fun cartoon characters, graphics, and sounds.

“Struggly is all about supporting students to embrace struggle as an integral and exciting part of the learning process,” says Tanya LaMar, CEO of Struggly. “Our emphasis is on sense-making rather than procedural answer finding; our tasks are designed to promote this.”

How Does Struggly Work?

It’s easy for teachers to create a classroom and start adding students, either via CSV file upload or by manual addition. To add students manually, simply check the “Autogenerate passwords” box and fill in first and last name and user name. No email addresses required! Instead, once the class is complete, print a PDF with the student login information generated by Struggly. Simply share the classroom link and students can login via QR code or password.

Teachers assign tasks and monitor student progress via the “Student Progress” dashboard. Progress is reported in terms of persistence, creativity, strategy, and completion as well as number sense, patterns, and mistakes.

Struggly’s gamified tasks are unusual in that no direct instructions are provided. Users are presented with a relatively simple interactive gamefield that they explore with their mouse, clicking on likely graphics in order to understand the task and the results that ensue from a particular action. In other words, users must not only provide the answers, but also the questions! This is part of the Struggly philosophy, which emphasizes student learning through creativity and strategy during gameplay.

Student errors are met with various messages encouraging them to persist. I confess to a certain amount of frustration (okay, a lot of frustration) as I struggled valiantly with the Arithmagons game above level one. My error was in seeking a solution based on all of the elements in the gamefield while failing to see that each group of three elements contained its own solution. However, Struggly’s algorithm did not offer any hints or help except to display my incorrect answers.

Fortunately, the “About” commentary that accompanies each task clarified my error in understanding the gamefield solution. Since students don’t have access to the game commentary, it’s important for teachers to notice when kids are struggling past the point of benefit in a particular game.

What are the best Struggly features?

Dashboards

Struggly’s dashboards allow teachers to easily track student progress in their assigned tasks. In additional to individual progress, overall class statistics can also be viewed. Other dashboards display all tasks, task activity in real time, and class rosters.

Educator Guidance: FAQs, Webinars, Interviews and Video Guides

While students are encouraged to struggle with their assigned tasks, educators (thankfully) receive plenty of useful direction from Struggly’s FAQs, which serve as a quick-access educator guide to monitoring progress and teaching with Struggly. To dive deeper into Struggly’s tools and methods and to understand how other teachers use Struggly, check out the Free Resources, which provides extensive exploration via webinars, interviews, and video games.

Reflect and reason questions

Each task page includes “reflect and reason” questions, intended for use once students have practiced a task and become familiar with it. These thought-provoking, open-ended inquiries guide students in solidifying and articulating their understanding of the underlying game principles.

Struggly Mode

Struggly mode allows students who have completed an assigned task to jump into playing other unlocked tasks. Additionally, they can “earn” more playing time and more unlocked tasks by playing on their own time and at home.

How much does Struggly Cost?

Struggly features refreshingly transparent pricing for individual education plans: the Basic account costs $240/year and includes up to 30 student accounts and one teacher.

The Tailored account costs from $8/student per year and includes site or district licenses with teacher and administrator accounts.

Families have the option of an annual account at $120/year for up to five children, or a $12 monthly account.

A generous 60-day free trial with no credit card required is available to educators to determine if Struggly will be a fit for their classroom.

Quizalize is a gamified platform that's designed to leverage quiz-style learning in the classroom.

This tool uses AI as a way to make quiz creation as straightforward as possible for educators. It also works to offer both group-based quiz options as well as individually tailored learning formats.

Since there is plenty of feedback for teachers, this can become a valuable tool for assessing progress. And since there is plenty of content already made and ready to go, this can be a powerful resource for teaching and learning.

This guide aims to explain all you need to know about Quizalize for your class.

What is Quizalize?

Quizalize is a quiz creation and execution tool. It uses AI and Google Forms integrations to make for a simple way to create quizzes. Crucially, it also gamifies the experience to make it as enthralling and engaging as possible for students.

Used by more than six million teachers and students, the company behind this says that it can offer a 25% increase in exam-pass rates as well as a 12% reduction in attainment gaps.

Since educators can use pre-built quiz options, and edit any as needed, it can make for a very simple way to build personalized learning and assessment materials for students.

Online games mean up to 100 players can compete together online, allowing this to be used beyond the class, too.

Since quiz integrations range to Google Classroom to Quizlet to ChatGPT, there are lots of ways to pull in current quiz options as well as making and sharing new ones.

How does Quizalize work?

Quizalize allows teachers to share quizzes using a code, right within Google Classroom if that's easiest. This then connects to a class set, so multiple quiz options are there for students to take.

Teachers have the options to give hints and tips on the quiz so students can get help as they progress, to foster working independently. Once completed, they are able to see their score and the correct answers, with a prompt to retake the quiz should they have missed any questions.

Feedback for teachers is helpful here as there is a lot of data displayed on their dashboard, which offers color-coded clarity on how students are doing on an individual level (although this is a feature reserved for the premium version of the system only).

What are the best Quizalize features?

Quizalize is primarily an assessment tool, testing students and getting an idea of their understanding. But it can also help to continue the learning journey with bespoke feedback – guiding a student with less than 50% to a review video, or one with 80% to a new quiz that addresses their weaker areas.

Gamification is a big part of the draw here, with lots of original games that can be played live and online for an immersive experience. These have 3D gaming world tasks that are interspersed with quiz questions that allow students to progress if they answer correctly. These can be played individually or by the whole class at once.

Thankfully, this platform is open so you can import quizzes already built from other places such as Google Forms or Quizlet. Only now you can gamify these to be even more appealing to students.

The AI smart quiz is a great feature. This uses the smarts of ChatGPT and generates questions built around grade levels, topics, learning standards, and more. Teachers can edit these, adding images, videos, and other elements, to enrich the learning experience.

How much does Quizalize cost?

There are several pricing options for Quizalize, including a free basic version of the offering.

The Basic plan, which is free, gets you three AI-generated quizzes per month, 10 saved puzzles, one class, up to 50 students can play live, 30 pieces of AI-generated feedback per month, and results analysis for the most recent quiz.

Go for the Lite plan, at $4.49/mo or $29.88/year (works out to $2.49/mo), and you get all the above plus four live classes, five activities and full reporting, access to all games, plus dedicated customer support.

The Premium tier, at $7.99/mo or $59.88/year (works out to $4.99/mo), gets you the above plus unlimited AI-generated quizzes, unlimited access to user-generated quizzes, unlimited saved quizzes, unlimited classes, and unlimited pieces of AI-generated feedback.

Quizalize best tips and tricks

Bulk learning
Move beyond assessment by adding images, videos, and links to enrich the learning experience of students further.

Enhance forms
Pull in your current Google Forms assessments and use the AI tool to enhance them more, in the program.

Game rewards
Use the mini games as a reward system to help keep students engaged and progressing with the testing side.

• New Teacher Starter Kit
• Best Tools for Teachers

Math is more than arithmetic, geometry, or algebra. It's also a language that describes everything in the universe to a precision far beyond what words convey, as well as a system of logical thinking.

Yet math is not a natural language for many kids. They may struggle not only with understanding math concepts, but also with understanding why it should matter to them.

But when kids become immersed in math games and activities, they learn in spite of their misgivings. Make your math lessons engaging, exciting and fun with these top math apps and websites, many of which are free or modestly priced.

Best Math Sites for Education

Illustrative Mathematics Curriculum
Founded in 2011 at the University of Arizona, Illustrative Mathematics is a research-based, standards-aligned comprehensive set of K-12 math curricula, including lesson plans, professional learning, and community support. Site visitors can browse lessons without logging in, but to explore the full curriculum, educators must create a free account and verify their identity.

Better Explained
Founded by a former Microsoft program manager, Better Explained aims to help students grasp math concepts, using real-world illustrations, colorized text, metaphors, and humor. This site isn’t just about math -- it’s also about how people learn. Explore topics such as “Learning math? Think like a cartoonist,” “Learning to Learn: Math Abstraction,” and many others. Informative and enjoyable.

What If Math
A fascinating free site dedicated to the idea of math as an experimental science and the use of spreadsheets to understand and solve problems, What if Math was created by math educators seeking a better way to teach math concepts. Dozens of spreadsheets cover topics from “Absolute Value Functions” through “What is x?” while the ebook What if..the Idea that Changed the World investigates the centuries-old basis for our current math education and how it no longer applies to our modern world.

Math Playground
No account is required to “give your brain a workout” with this extensive collection of math, logic, skills, and word games for K-6 students. Created by educator Coleen King, Math Playground is kidSAFE/COPPA Certified and includes only COPPA-certified children's ads. Want to go ad-free? Consider the modestly priced premium plans for teachers, as low as $5 monthly for an entire classroom. Shareable in Google Classroom.

ClassPad
A free online math tool that provides a digital “scratch pad” to solve any math problem, including calculus, geometry, graphing, statistics, and more, Classpad’s intuitive, sophisticated workspace is easy to try with no account set up required. Users can also quickly sign in with their Google account. A Tech & Learning Back to School award winner. `

Math is Fun
When I come across an interesting free site that looks like it was last updated in the year 2000, I investigate more deeply to be sure that's not the case. Although Math is Fun presents a dated interface, the site is fully functional and up-to-date. Moreover, its math games and logic puzzles are fascinating and, in some cases, unique. Well worth investigating . Free, no account required. Bonus: the "Hide Ads" feature will keep ads hidden for 36 hours. Ads can also be blocked by your browser's ad blocker.

ABCYA
Terrific resource for educational games in a wide range of subjects including math. Games can be searched by Common Core State Standards, as well as Next Generation Science Standards. Fully free for desktop use, premium plan for mobile devices.

Funbrain
The aptly named Funbrain offers a fine selection of math games and videos for kids in grades preK-8, searchable by grade and topic. Free, no account required.

iKnowIt
A comprehensive interactive math practice site for K-5 students, IKnowit's generous 30-day free trial (no credit card required) allows teachers to fully experience the site before purchasing. The annual cost of $150 provides access to more than 500 Common Core State Standard-aligned math lessons for one teacher and 25 students, each of whom has their own login. Clear navigation and good design makes it a pleasure to explore.

Math Games
A variety of fun, imaginative math skill games are offered free (with blockable ads) or as part of modestly-priced monthly or annual plans for teachers. District-level membership is also available. Searchable by grade, category, standard and skill.

Math Game Time
Large selection of free educational math games, videos, and worksheets, searchable by topic and grade. Despite the early Web 2.0 interface, the site is easy to navigate and loads quickly. No account required.

RoomRecess
Free K-6 educational math games, quizzes, and puzzles. No account required.

Zapzapmath
A curriculum-aligned site for math grades K-6, with an online teacher dashboard for tracking student progress and creating reports. The free basic account allows for one class of up to forty students, and provides teachers’ guides and student reports.

Best Math Apps for Education

Monsters vs. Fractions iOS
Free Common Core-aligned app that helps kids learn fractions through mystery, monsters, and zombies. 'Nuff said.

Mystery Math Town iOS
An adventure-style math game for kids 6-12 that covers addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Students enter a town and try to unlock levels and characters by solving equations and finding variables.

Math and Sorcery iOS
An iOS games for learning basic math skills through playing an old-school 8bit-style role-playing game. Free with in-app purchases.

Moose Math - Duck Duck Moose iOS Android
Top-rated multi-level math game that allows kids ages 3-7 to earn rewards and decorate cities by solving math problems disguised as adventures. Topics include counting, sorting, arithmetic, geometry, and more. Common Core-aligned for kindergarten and first grade.

Prodigy Math Game iOS Android
Prodigy uses an adaptive game-based learning approach to engage students grades 1-8 in building and practicing math skills. Math questions are aligned with state-level curricula, including Common Core and TEKS.

Math Attax iOS Android
A fast-paced single or two-player mobile math shooting game. Players practice arithmetic while playing five math games. Tournament mode offers extra excitement.

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• Best STEM Apps For Education

As a Tech & Learning contributor who focuses on free and low-cost tech tools for teachers, I was intrigued when I came across the Toy Theater website. Founder Joel Gaspard is an artist, designer, and developer who started creating games for kids early in his career.

“After art school I worked as an animator making educational CD-ROMS for kids, which were primarily created for ‘edutainment,’" explains Gaspard. “I thought things could be done better if the sole focus of the interactive work was on its educational value."

With this educational goal in mind, Gaspard studied the work of teachers, including John A. Van de Walle and Marilyn Burns, in order to explore how the interactive medium could provide activities to supplement primary education.

"Interactivity is about giving the user a role to play, to make their decisions matter, and that is compelling to any audience," he says.

WHAT IS TOY THEATER?

Toy Theater is a website that provides online educational games designed for elementary-aged students that's available via any desktop computer, tablet or mobile device. The games are arranged according to subjects, which include math, reading, art, music, puzzles, and classic games. It's important to note that, although K-6 students are intended as the main consumer of Toy Theater, quite a few of the creative games are likely to appeal to older kids and even adults.

The website offers a clean, colorful interface that’s easy to navigate, with a homepage featuring a selection of the most popular games, as well as a search bar and a topic menu.

Games are accompanied by complete guides for users in most cases, and feature the option to go full screen and mute sound.

WHAT ARE THE BEST TOY THEATER FEATURES?

Teacher Guidelines

The breadth of educational games offered can be a little daunting for teachers. “How to get started?” one might ask. Fortunately, nearly every activity, no matter how simple, is accompanied by thoughtful ideas for using it in the classroom, as well as a summary of the skills to be developed using it.

Teacher Tools

Toy Theater’s Teacher Tools include a wide variety of interactives that allow teachers to teach and assess basic math concepts and literacy. The virtual manipulatives are a great way for kids to learn and practice concepts that may be difficult to grasp from a textbook.

For example, fractions, decimal, and percentages may seem abstract and remote. But these basic number concepts come to life with colorful strips that kids drag and drop, creating a powerful visual representation.

Virtual Building Games

The impressive 3D capability of Toy Theater’s interactives is showcased in its super engaging and creative virtual building block games. Users select a set of objects based on a theme—such as ancient Greece, dinosaurs, or robots—then employ an array of buttons to build, paint, and rotate or move in both two and three dimensions. Other controls allow users to zoom, copy, and save.

These games are a terrific combination of creativity, history, technology, and spatial skills that kids will enjoy playing as they learn.

Composer

With Composer, kids drag and drop basic music notation elements onto a treble clef, then press play to hear their opus. Within the fairly simple interface, users will find notes from 1/16th to whole; natural, sharp and flat symbols; and rests from 1/16th through whole.

Kids don't have to have any musical knowledge to enjoy experimenting with this tool. At the same time, it serves as an excellent vehicle for young students to practice learning to read music and compose.

HOW DO TEACHERS USE TOY THEATER WITH THEIR STUDENTS?

Founded in 2001, Toy Theater has grown to host more than one million users annually. Some educators have devised unique and unanticipated ways of using the platform.

"For example, one teacher in New Jersey used our building block activity to teach his kindergartners an early introduction to computer-assisted design (CAD)," says Gaspard. "Another used our art animation station in her STEM lab to demonstrate their learning of the phases of the moon."

Gaspard adds, "Our social media pages are just chock full of creative ways teachers all around the world are using our activities along with the straightforward use of the many tools available to help teachers cover the curricula. Our Instagram page has a large following of speech pathologists who also use our tools to help support the work they do with kids."

When Gaspard and his Toy Theater staff have visited classrooms in real life, the enthusiastic response has been gratifying.

"We have seen first-hand nearly a whole classroom of second grader hands fly into the air eagerly wanting to show off all the many combinations of numbers and operators they can use to solve for a number in our broken calculator game," he says.

HOW MUCH DOES TOY THEATER COST?

All of Toy Theater’s games and tools are free to use with no account required. As is true for many free platforms, Toy Theater is ad-supported.

“We use Google Adsense as our advertising partner,” says Gaspard. “Within Adsense there is an option to block sensitive categories and we have blocked them all.” Gaspard confirms that tracking is also blocked; the ads displayed are based solely on the content of the page.

For those who’d like premium features, the membership option offers a number of useful upgrades. Teachers can create up to fifty pages to organize their own library of games and activities, control students’ category views, and connect up to 30 devices with a single access code. The membership subscription costs $12 monthly and can be canceled at any time.

• Best Sites & Apps for K-12 Education Games
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Gamification has become a popular educational approach, having demonstrated solid potential as a learning tool. However, it's not always clear exactly which gamified elements are helping, and in some instances, it can foster counterproductive competition and enhance extrinsic motivation rather than the more effective intrinsic motivation.

Education experts Sebastian Deterding and Naomi Clark have studied the benefits and limitations of gamification in education, and acknowledge that the approach has pros and cons.

Here’s a closer look at the research around gamification.

Gamification Gold Stars

Overall, gamification should earn an achievement badge. A 2020 review of empirical studies looking at gamification found the intervention had small but significant positive effects on cognitive, motivational, and behavioral outcomes.

“There seemed to be particular evidence for interventions that combine collaborative and competitive elements,” says Deterding, Chair of Design Engineering at Imperial College London.

Rather than have students compete individually against one another or work all together, the best results from gamification seemed to occur when groups of students were broken into teams and competed against one another, creating a “collaborative and competitive environment,” Deterding says.

Naomi Clark, chair of NYU's Game Center in the Tisch School of the Arts, says gamification works by providing learners with extra motivation and feedback that helps students measure progress.

That extra motivation can be particularly helpful when a student is learning a new skill and is not yet seeing the fruits of their efforts. “What it does is break things into small steps and says, ‘We’re going to give you a little bit of positive reinforcements for finishing a task,'” Clark says.

At the same time, by tracking scores in the manner of a game, Clark says, gamification processes help students reflect on what they’ve accomplished and see how they have grown.

When Gamification Goes Out of Bounds  

Right now our knowledge of why gamification works is limited.

“Once we move to the level of these individual design elements, we actually know very little because the research is very poor,” Deterding says. “Most gamification interventions just throw a ton of features together into the same intervention, and then look at the overall outcome. So we can't really tell anything about the individual elements.”

But these small design elements can have big impact. A study Deterding conducted with colleagues found that how college students interpreted badges while using Khan Academy and Code Academy influenced their learning.

“If you understood them as a goal-setting element — so the system tells you what you should try and work on next — that was generally helpful,” he says.

However, if you understood the badges as a reward, you were often tempted to continue getting awards by spending more time on the skills you already mastered. “So it was actually very detrimental to learning,” Deterding says.

This highlights one of the problems with gamification.

“Gamification has been shown to rely on what psychologists call 'extrinsic motivation'— you're getting a reward that is not necessarily an inherent or built-in part of what you're doing,” Clark says.

The intrinsic motivation for learning to cook, for instance, would be getting better at cooking because of the joy the skill brings, Clark says. On the other hand, the extrinsic motivation might be a random reward for peeling potatoes. “The problem with extrinsic motivation is that it can actually cause intrinsic motivation to deteriorate,” Clark says.

Navigating Toward Positive Outcomes With Gamification  

Maximizing the benefits while minimizing any potential negatives of gamification is often about good common sense teaching practices. For instance, you can look for gameplay elements that enhance intrinsic motivation by reminding students about the inherent values of the skill they are learning. Teachers can do this by incorporating storytelling into the gamified elements of the lesson and emphasizing its real-world implications.

A related term to gamification, called ‘playificaiton,’ really focuses on this, Clark says. “So it's not just rote memorization; learn to read this word, but then you actually get to read a story and see, ‘Oh, this is really great, I get to experience the story now that I can read it on my own. It's not just I'm getting stars and badges, and trumpet sounds playing to reward me.'”

Deterding says educators can maximize gamification's benefits through trial and error. “The way that I approach my own classrooms, the way that I'm sure lots of educators approach their classrooms, is you try it out. You see what happens,” he says. “Maybe you even ask your students afterward, 'How was that? How did you like it? Did you dislike it? And why, etc.?' And then you iterate on that. So don't view gamification as a surefire one-and-done exercise, which I think holds for most educational interventions.”

Related:

• 5 Ways Science Informs My Teaching
• The Research-Practice Divide is Real. Here's How To Overcome It.

The ISTELive conference is a chance to bring edtech enthusiasts of all walks together with solution providers looking to make advancements that will make the learning process easier for parents, teachers, and students alike. It is a celebration of how far we’ve come with edtech, with a concentrated focus on where the future will take us.

The night before ISTELive takes off, however, a group of dedicated educators organizes an old-school board game meetup during which people can connect in a way that predates even the oldest of tech.

Bonding Over Board Games 

With the tech-heavy focus of ISTELive being the reason educators gather in the first place, having a board game night right before might seem counterintuitive. After all, what do board games have to do with tech?

Eric Curts, Technology Integration Specialist at Stark Portage Area Computer Consortium, explains how game night came to be a beloved pre-conference staple.

“This is our second year doing this at ISTE, but we’ve done similar things like this at other conferences,” says Curts. “Just a bunch of folks saying ‘Hey, this will be fun to do in the evening. We’re a bunch of nerds and we like board games. Let’s do a board game meetup.’ And from that we said we should do this at ISTE.”

Last year’s inaugural event at ISTE was so well-received that there was no hesitation in doing it again.

“What’s behind it is we just want to have opportunities that meet everybody where they’re at,” says Curts. “They don’t want to be in a room with really loud music where they’re trying to scream over it to talk to somebody.”

The difference between a conference floor and a board game table can make all the difference when trying to get to know someone.

“Some people say ‘Hey, I’d rather go somewhere tonight where I can just meet some new people, talk, laugh, have some fun, play some games, and connect,’” Curts says. “And I love that about board games. It’s an opportunity that can bridge and connect people. They learn about each other, and that’s what we’re trying to do. Connecting awesome educators with other awesome educators in a venue that supports fun and creative communication.”

Pre-ISTE = Pre-Technology?

Having a board game night before an educational technology showcase can be jarring given the fact that these are on opposite ends of the spectrum. However, the focus on non-screen gaming is not meant to take away from the advent of technology highlighted by ISTELive. Rather, it helps to bring together a mass of wandering educators for one night to laugh, talk, and connect over one of the oldest forms of entertainment.

“We’ve had people from South Africa, Canada, and Australia,” says Matt Winters, Utah State Board of Education Specialist and founding participant. “We’ve had board game designers and we’ve had educators from higher ed and K through 12. It’s just incredible to see people play a giant version of Jenga and enjoy the craziness of it. I love that it feels like I’m at home, playing a board game with my friends. But these are friends from all over the world, and I’m just meeting them now. Hopefully, I’ll have a connection that goes forward for years.”

A Special Type of Connection 

Board games, much like the people who play them, are diverse in nature as there’s one for almost anyone who would like to play. This diversity was at the heart of the Pre-ISTE Board Game meetup, as participants are encouraged to bring a game of their choosing to the event. Games that would be present were listed prior to the date of the event so attendees would not bring the same game. As Director of Design and Innovation for Community Region Charter School in Maine Dan Ryder recalls, it was a much smaller game night that sparked the idea for this pre-ISTE ritual.

“How did it start? Playing games in Utah and then going for an Uber ride,” Ryder says. “Both Eric Curts and I were in Utah as featured speakers for an event, thanks to Matt Winters. We both went to a game night and, during the Uber ride from the conference to the airport that Eric and I shared, we said we should do this at ISTE. We laughed, but there was no reason why we couldn’t. So, at ISTE 2023, we were able to find a hotel that had a function room, we were able to get a handful of sponsors, and we got a small room that could hold about 150 people or so. We packed it.”

With an eye toward inclusion, Ryder says the event involved those who were less inclined to the hustle and bustle associated with average social gatherings.

“This tends to be an introverts’ paradise and we wanted to have something that was the opposite just as an alternative,” he says. “We’ve had a gentleman come who says he looked at the table and said those weren’t his games. I told him, someone is coming later with more games. He stuck around, found a couple games, had a couple conversations. Originally, he wanted to leave at 6:10 and he ended up leaving at 10:30. It just goes to show you the power of games, connections, and good people. It’s hard to go wrong there.”

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Cybersecurity is no game, unless you visit the district of Tech & Learning Innovative Leadership Award winner Eva Mendoza.

Chief Information Technology Officer at San Antonio ISD, serving 45,000 students in 70 schools, Mendoza is known for creative attempts to teach cybersecurity, such as her popular “Phish Market” poster and PSA-video contest with winner’s artwork appearing as the lock screen on the district’s chromebooks and school monitors. She also offers a PD version of a popular television game show.

“It’s standard ‘Family Feud’ with a cybersecurity theme,” says Mendoza, who was honored for her efforts during a Tech & Learning regional leadership summit. “We follow the basic rules of the game, where a hundred people are surveyed and participant teams guess the most common responses. We just happen to have a hundred people on our IT staff, so it worked out great.”

Surveys are created with simple Google docs or Microsoft forms, free options that any district budget can handle.

“We send out a survey, asking questions such as, ‘What is the most commonly used password?’” Mendoza says. “Then we take the game around to different targeted departments because of the data they handle, and get some volunteers to make up two teams. We usually try to gamify anything within HR and finance. It’s just really engaging when you add in competition.”

Mendoza finds this style of engagement helps important info sink in, both for participating game contestants and the audience.

“So we might say, ‘We asked one hundred people, what are the most commonly used passwords? And the responses come — ‘1234’ or ‘pet’s name,’ ‘year of birth,’ all of these things that people do, but are super easy to guess or find,” she says. “There will be some funny responses and then ‘Survey says— ‘ and the results can be eye-opening. We want to hit them with that real-world shock. ‘Oh, wow — we all do that or know someone who does.’”

Some of the answers are entertaining, such as during the real show, which keeps the audience attentive rather than the dynamic of zoning out, too often seen in PD sessions. Mendoza then has the principal or a tech director give a short one liner of actual information, enough to drive home the lesson without ruining the fun and engagement of the activity.

“We created it within PowerPoint, using the graphics and theme song. It took a little bit of tweaking, but now that it's established, we can take it around to our different departments to take part in the game,” she says. “I personally think cybersecurity's super cool and fun, but you know, not all my colleagues across the district may feel that way. Sometimes people think it's a little intimidating or they think ‘It isn’t part of my work.’ Cyber safety is a shared responsibility. We all play a part in it and we want them to learn and understand the important role they play in cybersecurity.”

Gamification Isn’t Just For Students

Most school districts in Texas are required to have cybersecurity training approved by the state.

“These were often formal, traditional, sometimes boring videos that we were required to watch,” says Mendoza. “If you can reach beyond that traditional training, however, you can make a serious impact.”

It doesn’t matter how secure and advanced your system is if it is made vulnerable by those using it. This can be a real problem when human error leads to leaks of sensitive student data such as social security numbers, grades, health matters, personal phone numbers and addresses, and other family information.

“With cybersecurity, the No. 1 way people hack into systems is to hack the person, not the technology,” says Mendoza. “They go after those without cyber awareness, capitalizing on human error and carelessness. We need to ensure educators and staff realize the threats that are out there and that they are one of the most important parts of the strategy to keep our environment safe for our students.”

This sort of fun exploration of cybersecurity can even be a unique way to engage students in assemblies, cheering on teacher teams while learning.

“Hackers don't care if a target is a six-year-old, it is just an account to get in,” says Mendoza. “Kids need to learn just as much as our staff. Our students are growing up in a digital age from day one. Even if you're itty bitty, you have a digital footprint, and you need to learn to stay safe and how to protect your data. We did a little lesson with all K through 12. Some of the feedback we got from the teachers were stories of ‘My Roblox account was hacked and they took all my points.’ They are in their own world, but that could be so much bigger if they're not taught early and are ready for the future.”

Tips When Creating Your Own Cybersecurity Training Games

Create real-life activities. Mendoza says, “We did a tabletop exercise to take staff through a full-day scenario of what it’s like when you go through a ransomware attack. For example, 9:13 a.m., teachers complaining ‘I can’t log in or get to my email.’ How are you going to get through the day without no system? What happens if somebody picks up their kid early, what happens at dismissal? Now extrapolate that into a system down for three to five days. It was meant to be an exercise for staff, but it turned into a great resource for us to document and make a plan of everything schools would need from us and the central office to get by. Suddenly, it comes full circle and we have staff saying, ‘I couldn't make that connection, that my clicking a phishing link could lead to the whole district being down for five days.’ We were able to make it real for them.

Share the why. “A lot of the time we have processes for the vetting process on technology or digital tools,” says Mendoza. “Sometimes applications or softwares are denied. Educators see something on social media, a blog or a seemingly helpful app, and don't really understand why— ‘It’s free! I don't see why!’ It comes down to data privacy and protection. We have to read all the terms and conditions. At the end of the day, the ‘No’ is for the students and for our staff so we can be into a good digital environment.

Focus on the people. “Having the people part of your strategy is so important,” says Mendoza. “You have your processes, you have your technology, all your cybersecurity systems and solutions. But you need that people piece to make sure that your cybersecurity posture is strong.”

• Innovative Leader Awards
• How Gamifying Education Brings Out the Best In Students

Playing a video game is, for most people, a form of escapism. But, as we play these games, we also learn–we learn what the game wants from us to succeed, how to avoid potential pitfalls, and even how to manipulate the system inside the game so that it gives us what we want. Throughout the entire process, we are learning.

This approach is the essence of gamifying the learning process.

Dan Ryder, Director of Design and Innovation at Community Regional Charter School in Maine, believes that making learning more like gaming can have a profound effect on students and how they interact with their work. Ryder was recently honored by Tech & Learning during a recent Regional Leadership Summit with an Innovative Leader Award for the Innovative Director of Design & Innovation.

Using Game-Based Learning to Reach Students 

Students, not unlike working adults, may or may not find pleasure in their work.

“What I tried to do with learners is use their love of gaming in whatever way–card games, video games, role-playing games–find the angle in, and then have them become creators of games that demonstrate deeper knowledge [of a subject],” Ryder says. “Instead of writing a book report or preparing a boring project, I’ll have you design a game. I’ll give you the parameters on it for design. And what we’re asking of the kids is to connect the dots between all these things.”

In the gamification process, having a deeper understanding of the subject matter comes across in how well a student can translate it in game form. Adapting characters as historical figures, portraying historical events as environments in a game, and implementing certain rules to provide certain outcomes can all be a part of the learning process. The student creating the game can also demonstrate expert knowledge of the subject being used as the basis of the game, making the gamification process potent as a teaching and learning model.

Raising the Stakes 

One of the hallmarks of gaming is the addition of stakes as having a reason to play is extremely important in becoming the driving force behind your progression. Understanding what the stakes are in game-based learning is important, but it isn’t the only factor necessary to bridge the gap between education and gaming. Knowing what your margin of error is holds equal importance, while being allowed to make those errors can influence growth.

Ryder explains that students need to have a wide berth when it comes to the learning process as it helps them through their educational and professional lives.

“Every game has trials and errors. You try things, you make mistakes. The only way you learn from it is by screwing up, right? Games that don’t have that aren’t really games,” Ryder says. “[And] if the stakes are so high that you can’t afford to lose, then it’s not really a game. It’s gambling, and I would argue that gambling isn’t a game at all. It’s more of a risk-taking exercise. You can’t really game it because you don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Systems, Rules, and Mechanics 

Knowing the stakes is important, but overcoming an obstacle is the main reason you play. Students know about overcoming obstacles throughout their time in school. In order to overcome these, understanding what the world is asking of you plays an important role. Ryder equates this to the mechanics and systems found in any game we play.

“Every game has mechanics and systems. Like Mario, right? There’s a reward system. You get 100 coins, you get a free play. There’s a system to it,” he says. “Then we have rules and guidelines, but rules are different from mechanics. You not being allowed to do something is different than how something works. All of education is one gigantic game system.”

Choice and a narrative (or lesson) are necessary in game-based learning.

“You’ve got choices and consequences in every game. You have the choice you make, and then you have the result of making that choice,” Ryder says. “And finally, you have stories and quests. When I see things get gamified, [people] don’t create stories. They create the most basic system of reward. Maybe there’s a rule involved, but it’s basically a mechanic of performing an action, earning a point, and turning in points for a reward.”

The process of integrating education with gaming is a novel idea that can help open students up to a new side of learning, becoming more accessible and inclusive while also adding an element of fun.

Related:

• Gamifying Teacher Training
• Best Sites & Apps for K-12 Education Games

Blooket is a visually fun and engaging quiz-style platform that's designed to engage students with game-based learning.

Lots of quiz options are available on the site, which allows teachers to set work quickly and easily. This also allows for use in class as a group, and as individuals, as well as options for quiz-based learning and assessment outside of the classroom on personal devices.

Although there are many quiz learning platforms out there, this one stands out as it offers more classic-style gaming, which is earned after progressing through questions and answers. That should equate to maximum learning and fun all in one package.

Read on to find out all you need to know about using Blooket in your class.

What is Blooket?

Blooket is a learning platform that is built in a gamified way. This combines quiz-style questions and answers with fun skill games that students get to play on answering the questions.

Blooket is web-based so it can be accessed from nearly any device, ideal for students in class or at home. Teachers can lead the quiz or it can be left for individuals to access as they need. A selection of game modes is available, with different looking games to play in between the quiz parts of the learning.

Everything is points-based with rewards and character progression, making it very like the high-end polished games students may already play on their smartphones. These games can be played solo or in teams, so the teacher can select a group and have them compete against others in the class.

What's New in Blooket?

Aside from seasonal specific update packages, the latest iteration of the platform came back in late 2023 and is now a staple part of the setup. This is Blooket Season 5, which offers lots of new games via a new class pass with 100 new Blook Parts to earn.

A pirate pack is now also available to be bought if you want to add that theme to the gaming adventures.

How does Blooket work?

Blooket is super simple to sign-up to, allowing teachers to get a free account right away with just their email address. Games can be created immediately from pre-built questions or using totally custom builds. Either way, teachers can assign a code for the game to students so that they can join easily as they want.

Blooket has a pretty standard quiz-style section that offers a question with large color blocks for the answer choices. This makes clicking to select and moving forward very clear and easy for students of all levels. Once the answers have been given, and points attained, these can be used in the game before jumping back to the next batch of questions.

In Cafe mode, students answer questions to earn food to serve to customers in the game. Or in Tower of Doom, students pick characters to battle against others, answering questions to help win. Then there is the classic Tower Defense, which most students will likely have played already in some form.

This Blooket lesson plan is designed to help implement the tool into instruction.

What are the best Blooket features?

Blooket is super easy to use, both for students playing and teachers operating. As such, it can be used for a wide range of ages and abilities.

For example, it offers a nice randomizing feature that allows teachers to easily assign students into groups. But also points rewarded can be randomized, to help removed the speed-based competition from the games.

Everything is, frankly, addictive, so students will more than likely come back to play these games even when not in class. The fact teachers can easily create question sets is ideal as when students decide to play, learning materials already can be lined up to help them progress on their own time.

The ability to earn points and coins to spend in the game is a great addition as it helps bring students back as well as keeps them engaged to progress. It is worth noting they may be prompted to give an email to start an account – so for students under 13, for whom this isn't legal, be aware.

How much does Blooket cost?

Blooket offers three levels of subscription to pick from as well as quotation-based group pricing.

The Free tier gets you access to create and host games, unique game modes, question set search, and unlimited sets and edits.

Go for Plus, at $2.99 per month billed yearly at $35.88, and you also get enhanced game reports, early event access, exclusive features, student bonus tokens, copy and duplicate set options, plus priority support.

Or pick Plus Flex, at $4.99 per month, and you get all the above features but an option to pay monthly so you can cancel anytime.

Blooket best tips and tricks

Adapt what's there

Search the question sets already available and edit these to suit your needs for the fastest way to get up and running.

Set the speed

While lots of games focus on speed, you can go into settings to adjust this so that isn't so important – a good move to take pressure off students.

Reward the class

Setup a quiz as an exit ticket for the class, going over what was taught. Set assignments first and as students finish they get to start the game, incentivizing them to listen, get the work done, and start play – which is still learning.

• New Teacher Starter Kit
• Best Digital Tools for Teachers
• Blooket Lesson Plan

Baamboozle is an online platform of games that are intentionally connected to teaching and learning. It offers a flexible suite of games that teachers of any subject area or topics can use to support their instruction while engaging learners. 

Because Baamboozle’s gamified learning offerings are so widespread, covering a plethora of areas, this lesson plan can be used to support any education lesson. 

For an overview of Bamboozle, check out What is Baamboozle and How Can It Be Used for Teaching? Tips and Tricks. 

Baamboozle offers several ways to interact with the online games, including Slideshow, Play, and Study modes. As such, this sample lesson plan provides guidance on using those three modes in an integrated manner. 

Subject: Any   

Topic: All 

Grade Band: Elementary, Middle, High School 

Game Search 

The first step is to choose the games you want to use to support instruction. Since there are more than a half million games, the most efficient way to decide on one is to use the search feature. Within the first box, you can type in the topic you are searching for based on the lesson. As a reminder, you can focus on any topic or subject area that you are working on improving! Then choose games that align. 

For example, you search “biology” and nearly 900 games will appear. If you provide more specificity and search “ecology,” you will be shown closer to 200 games. If you are a physical education/health teacher you could search “fitness,” which would give you more than 600 games, or “health,” which would give you 2,500+ games. 

In addition to the hundreds of thousands of games that are premade, you as the teacher can customize your own game, so whatever your need, you will be sure to find a game that connects with it. You can also filter the search by language and view alphabetically or by popularity.

Slideshow and Play 

Once you have the game(s) that connect(s) with your lesson subject and topic, you can use the slideshow feature to play the game, while also teaching content to students. 

The collections option allows you to pull from where there are multiple games already packaged based on the same topic. For example, the “adverbs” collection has 12 games included. 

You will be able to create a class pin for students to access the game from their devices, or you can use the projector and interactive whiteboard in your class for the entire class to participate without the need for separate devices. 

After going through a game or two using the slideshow feature, you can play the game as both friendly competition and as an engagement activity. Decide on whether you want to have students work in teams while in play mode, or even create their own games. 

Study

If you use the study mode, the games are transformed into study squares in which students can work independently, revisiting content from earlier in the lesson. This makes for a great homework or general extra practice option to complement the lesson. 

What If I Am Not Familiar With Baamboozle? 

Check out the Baamboozle blog! It’s jam-packed with information, tips, and tricks on using the platform. In addition, the blog highlights some of the most popular games that other teachers and students have engaged in. Within the blog space, there is also a beginners guide available which is helpful to review as a new user. So, even if you have never heard of Baamboozle before or used similar platforms, you will be able to lean into the provided resources and quickly learn to navigate and utilize the system. 

What If All Students Do Not Have Compatible Devices? 

This is one of the unique aspects of Baamboozle. You can use a projector and interactive whiteboard and have the game appear for the entire class in person, or share your screen for an online class. Not having to have individual screens may also help students stay focused on the same thing that you are teaching 

Baamboozle is fun, simple, and full of opportunities to elevate lessons while peaking students’ interest and interaction with content. Try one of the Bamboozle games for any of the subjects and topics that you are up next for your lesson and enjoy students’ engagement and learning.

• What is Baamboozle and How Can It Be Used for Teaching? Tips and Tricks
• Top Edtech Lesson Plans

TinyTap is the cutely named app and website that offers games focused on educating young users in a fun and engaging way -- with bespoke building.

Unlike many other educational game systems out there, TinyTap is all about personalization. Consequently, it offers educators and guardians a way to build their own educational games.

This can mean teaching specific topics and themes, as needed, but through the fun of a gaming platform. Of course there are plenty of pre-built games available, yet it's the option to build your own that makes this platform shine. Since many of the games are created by teachers, developers, parents, and others, these can be well suited to a variety of specific teaching tasks.

So this guide aims to help you decide if TinyTap could be a useful education tool in your selection.

• New Teacher Starter Kit
• Best Tools for Teachers

What is TinyTap?

TinyTap is a website and app-based educational gaming platform that allows you to build and edit your own games to teach exactly what's required.

TinyTap is attractive on its own, as a games-based platform that has more than 250,000 pre-built games, created by teachers across the world. Add in the ability to make your own and this becomes a very appealing system indeed.

This is all well-organized using a curriculum-based system that tailors to children from as young as 2 up to around 14 and beyond. This all covers a range of subjects that include math, science, language arts, social skills, and reading.

This goes further with blockchain integration as well as AI tools for building. But for educators and parents, that extra technological commitment doesn't need to be a worry as everything is kept straightforward to use, even for beginners.

How does TinyTap work?

TinyTap is very easy to navigate and begin using right away, via the website or app. If you're simply looking to play a game, it can start right away with a simple account sign-up required using email.

TinyTap does let you get started on the website right away but for the app you'll need to be a paying member to get access to everything there. Worth keeping in mind if this is for use on an iPad, for example.

Once you're ready to go, it's a case of exploring the subjects and ages to then narrow down into gaming options that are already built. Or go into the building section to begin creating your own games. You can also have students work on building their own games as a way of teaching and creating follow-up games for the group to work with together.

What are the best TinyTap features?

TinyTap offers a wide array of game types that are generally well-sectioned by age, favoring the more simplistic if anything. As a result, the choices should all be well-suited to keep students interested and challenged at a level that has them coming back for more, as opposed to being put off by difficulty.

TinyTap works well as an ongoing platform to enjoy new content. Students and teachers can follow a particular developer, or theme, for example and then get updates for an easy way to discover new games that might suit their needs.

Pay for the premium version and educators get access to TinyTap Insights, which allows for a more in-depth analysis for student gaming behavior. This can prove beneficial for future teaching plans as well as determining how well certain games types and topics are received across the class and years. 

Since games can be built from scratch, it can prove a very helpful way to teach a specific student, or group, that could benefit from this interactive style of learning. Unlike other platforms in which that might mean generalizing, this system lets you teach exactly what is needed at the level required for that student or group.

How much does TinyTap cost?

TinyTap offers the first week of its membership for free so you get to trial what is on offer. After that there are a few subscription options.

You can pay either monthly or annually for the subscription version of the app. Pay $14.99/monthly or save 69% by paying annually at $4.49/month.

TinyTap best tips and tricks

Build together
Start by building a game as a class, so they have something to play and know how to build their own if you set that as a task later.

Use as rewards
Find their favorite style of games and offer these as rewards for work tasks, keeping the learning going while students have a game-based 'break.'

Build at home
Set a game building task for children and parents together, so both can see what's being worked on and how these games can make for extra learning at home.

• New Teacher Starter Kit
• Best Tools for Teachers

Gimkit takes learning and gamifies it in a way that aims to help engage students better and assist teachers with education. Ideally, kids can get to work independently, leaving more time for teacher one-on-ones.

Built by a former student, this was created with learning in mind from a young mind that could see the value in creating a fun experience. It also means the app is designed to be easily understood and enjoyed by students, with the least amount of learning required up front.

This has been consistently updated with fun and powerful new features, making it more engaging and effective than ever, right now.

This guide aims to explain all you need to know about Gimkit for teaching in your class.

What's new in Gimkit?

Since this was last updated, Gimkit has added a number of useful features. These include laser beam styles, text outlines for clearer guidance, extra props such as the Fishtopia boat, customizable sentries, and a platforming mode that is ideal for interactive reviews.

A useful recent feature is the Pixelator that creates visuals. Other new ones are the Character Dialogue box for story-based games, and a Pop-Up Call To Action device to guide students in games.

Gimkit now offers more than 150 new props, terrains, and maps, making it easier to create fun and engaging student experiences.

Also semi-recently, the makers of this ever-evolving platform released five game modes as well as added two new types of cosmetics, plus introduced dozens of new Gims into the mix. Consquently, the game is more immersive and freeing than ever for students and teachers alike.

All these updates came from feedback provided by teachers and students so the idea is to offer exactly what is wanted and needed, rather than an update for the sake of it, as some platforms do.

What is Gimkit?

Gimkit is a digital quiz game that uses questions and answers to help students learn. The platform can be used across a host of devices and, usefully, can be used by students on their own smartphones, tablets, or laptops.

This is a very minimal and easy-to-use system that is created by and maintained by students. As such, it's very accessible for the K-12 age group, with intuitive controls.

As you can see above, the questions are clear with multiple choice answer options in boxes that use lots of color for clarity. Students are able to submit questions that the teacher can allow to appear in the game being played.

This offers class-wide games, live, or individual games, at student pace, so it can be used as a classroom tool but also as a homework device. A rewards system helps to keep students engaged so they want to come back for more.

How does Gimkit work?

Once signed up for Gimkit, a teacher can begin right away. Sign up is simple as an email or a Google account – the latter making it easy for schools already setup on that platform. This is especially the case for roster importing. Once a roster is imported, it's possible for teachers to assign individual quizzes as well as live class-wide modes.

Students are able to join a class game via the website or an email invite. Or they can use a code that can be shared via the LMS platform of choice by the teacher. All this is controlled via a central class account that is run by the teacher, which allows for game controls as well as assessment and data analytics – but more on that below.

Games can be held live, during which students submit questions that the teacher moderates and others answer. This can work well if the quiz is projected on the main screen for everyone to work through as a class. It is possible to collaborate in groups or compete against one another. Since there is a five student limit on the free version, the big screen or group options work well.

What are the best Gimkit features?

Gimkit offers KitCollab mode that allows students to help build the quiz with the teacher before the game begins. This can be particularly useful when the class is split into groups and the challenge of coming up with genuinely tough but helpful questions works in everyone's favor.

Kits, as the quiz games are called, can be created from scratch, imported from Quizlet, imported as a CSV file, or picked from the platform's own gallery where you can modify them for your use.

In-game credits are a great way of keeping students engaged. For each correct answer, this virtual currency is awarded. But get a wrong answer and it will literally cost you. These credits can be used to invest in score-boosting power ups and other upgrades.

Millions of combinations allow students to work to their own strengths and build their individual profile. Power-ups include the ability to use a second chance or to get more earning potential per correct answer.

More than ten games are available with more in the works to add even greater immersion to the quizzes. These include Humans vs. Zombies, The Floor is Lava, and Trust No One (a detective-style game).

While the live games are great for class, the ability to assign student-paced work is ideal for homework. A deadline can still be set but it's down to the student to decide when it gets done. These are called Assignments and are graded automatically.

Teachers can use their dashboard to view student progress, earnings, and more formative data that can be useful in deciding what to work on next. One great feature here is the measure of how students did at a game being separate to their academic ability in the task. Ideal for those that may know the answers but struggle at the gaming side of things.

How much does Gimkit cost?

Gimkit is free to start using but there is a limit of five students per game.

Gimkit Pro is charged at $14.99 per month or $59.98 annually. This gets you unrestricted access to all the modes, and the ability to create assignments (play asynchronously) and upload both audio and images to your kits.

Go for the department or schools pricing and its $650 per year for 20 teachers, or the whole school for $1,000 per year.

Gimkit best tips and tricks

KitCollab the class
Have the class build a quiz using the KitCollab feature except have everyone submit a question they don't know the answer to – ensuring everyone learns something new.

Pretest the class
Use Gimkit as a formative assessment tool. Create pre-tests to see how well students know a subject, or don't, before you plan how you want to teach the class.

Get groups for free
Get around the pay restriction limits by having students share a device in groups, or using the whiteboard to project the game for a class-wide effort.

• New Teacher Starter Kit
• Best Tools for Teachers

GarageBand offers a very powerful yet easy to use digital music studio that can be used to teach in class and for use, in practice, by students anywhere.

Apple provides GarageBand for free on most of its hardware, including Mac, iPad, and iPhone -- and lets you jump between devices if you're using iCloud to store the work. Crucially, this is a platform that lets you create music, with virtual instruments, from scratch or with pre-built loops and more.

This is also a tool that allows you to input real-world physical instruments so students can work on their learning while making recordings and building songs and projects.

What is GarageBand?

GarageBand is a digital audio workstation (DAW) that allows you to record and edit music projects with multiple instruments for professional-grade outputs.

GarageBand is designed to work with instruments, input via MIDI attachments and more, but also with virtual instruments. It's possible to write music or play it using digital virtual instruments. As a result, students of varying abilities can take part in creating songs.

Since this can be used across various Apple devices, it's possible for students to work on projects in the class but also to continue from their own devices out of class. The layout is minimalist, making it relatively easy to use, but it is still a powerful and complex tool, which makes it best suited to ages 10 and above.

How does GarageBand work?

GarageBand is installed on Apple devices allowing you to get started using the platform without the needs to pay or sign-in. Simply open the app, online or offline, and get started building a music project.

Begin a new project by selecting a base-level instrument to build and then layer tracks on top of that. A good musical starting point is a drum beat so you can select a drum and create a beat. Or use smart drums and loops to create something with ease. 

If you want a real-world instrumental input then you can connect a MIDI device, or instrument and select this in the app. You are then able to record what you play, live, so you can either use that or loop that as needed.

Usefully, you can work through all of this on a mirrored whiteboard screen, teaching students how it works while also building a song as a group. Once you have all the elements lined up you can hit the red record button and begin playing the layers as needed. This lets you record the track before saving and exporting as needed.

What are the best GarageBand features?

GarageBand is very professional yet at the same time it makes things simple. That's why this is such a great tool to teach with as it can be used by total beginners. Yet they can go on to create professional music tracks with just this free tool.

GarageBand features really useful loops that make creating a track very straight-forward. Use the smart instruments and you can select pre-programmed chord progressions or riffs to start building songs quickly and easily. Editing is also straight forward with drag-and-drop functionality backed by smart tools to help you cut, distort, fix audio, and more.

The ability to output these tracks as ringtones for smartphones is a really nice touch and could be an incentive to get even the less engaged students working to create their own personalized tunes.

Pair this with a microphone and it can work as a great way to record singing as well as voice-overs for projects -- a valuable skill to have and use across many subjects and disciplines. 

The ability to save work in the cloud allows you to start a project in class, have students work on it from their devices at home, and continue in class -- presuming they have access to an Apple device.

How much does GarageBand cost?

GarageBand comes as part of the Apple hardware package, meaning it's free bundled software. So you can install and run it on a Mac computer, an iPhone, or an iPad with ease.

Of course this does mean you need to own an Apple device. Also, if you want to work across devices, you'll need an appropriate iCloud subscription to make sure you can save and export work as needed.

GarageBand best tips and tricks

Build a band
Have students pick an instrument and each work on their loop to add to a recording, playing each song back to the class at the end.

Make a ringtone
Have each student work on their own ringtone, show them how to export it, and have them get it up and running on their smartphones to learn the process.

Copy a song
Listen to a real song in class, chosen by students, and then re-build that in GarageBand to create a similar version using the app.

• New Teacher Starter Kit
• Best Tools for Teachers

ClassHook is, at first glance, a simple collection of videos that you can already find on YouTube. But look closer and it's clear this is a curated and organized collection designed specifically for education -- with interactive functionality.

That can mean searching to find video clips to help support learning in class. This allows educators to use the immersive medium of video to help introduce or cement learning on a wide variety of subjects.

Essentially, ClassHook cuts down the search time and editing needs for educators using video to help with teaching. That said, it isn't totally search- or age-safe so don't expect that as a given, although there are some features that help in this area in this premium version.

What is ClassHook?

ClassHook is a curated video collection that not only offers searchable clips but also options to make the content interactive so students have calls to action following a video viewing.

By using movie and TV clips, topping out at 10 minutes in length, this website offers a helpful teaching assistant. Crucially, there are several ways of searching and filtering content, which should save teacher time in lesson prep and help integrate content.

Speaking of, the content covers a wide range of subjects and areas, including science, math, history, ELA, business, health, SEL, and ethics, totaling more than 7,000 educational clips available.

The company does point out that its premium model plays videos without ads and can automatically detect and skip inappropriate language as standard.

How does ClassHook work?

ClassHook offers a free sign up and then it's possible to start using the system. Educators can create an account and then add a class by inputting students or uploading a rosta via Google Classroom. 

It's then possible to start searching for clips, save these, assign, and even create discussions. Teachers can filter by topic, genre, grade level, vocabulary, standards, and length. 

Helpful pre-populated playlists can be used to work through a subject area if that kind of guidance is helpful. Otherwise, if you need to use specifics, the search options are helpful. Three main features are available: Playlists, Comparisons, and Discussions, but more on how those work below.

What are the best ClassHook features?

ClassHook offers a great way to get to video content quickly and without the need to edit or adapt for age groups, as this has been done for you. So, the best quality content, much from mainstream and recognizable media, that is super engaging while still useful to illustrate concepts.

The ClassHook Playlists section allows teachers to create their own playlists, which will hold a selection of videos as needed and found in the search. You can filter by age, genre, clip length, and more -- ideal for building separate playlists for certain classes or subjects.

The Comparisons feature lets you create a new comparison and then select multiple videos to feature. Add clips to illustrate several side of a point, for example, and you can then add a discussion question to allow for follow-up exercises in which students consider the clip comparisons.

The Discussions feature supports live discussions, ideal for combining those in the room or out-of-class time remotely. Usefully, you can setup questions that appear as the video clip is playing, allowing you to have students talk about the video, as it pauses, before moving on to assimilate more of the content.

How much does ClassHook cost?

ClassHook does offers a free start but for all the best features you'll need to go for a premium option.

The Free plan get you 10 videos per month, three live discussions, six student assignments, and no credit card needed.

Go for the Premium plan at $8/month and you get unlimited video access, ad-free videos, search by video standards, advanced in-video search, unlimited interactive discussion tools, unlimited student assignments, automated student rostering, and priority customer support.

The Organization tier is charged at custom pricing, which gets you the above plus custom professional development and product training, organization-level reports and metrics, plus staff license management. 

ClassHook best tips and tricks

Flip the class
Set videos to watch at home with discussion points to consider, then talk through it all when back in the classroom as a group.

Introduce
Use clips to dip into a new topic before teaching it in more depth after a video has helped give an overview of the basic idea.

Build SEL
Use a video's emotional content to start talking about the feelings involved and how they can appear in the individuals, groups or class.

• New Teacher Starter Kit
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To share your feedback and ideas on this article, consider joining our Tech & Learning online community here

Ozaria is a full-on fantasy game in and of itself, yet it's also a code-teaching tool that can be used in the classroom and beyond.

A lot of these coding-style games are out there but what makes this stand out from the others is the curriculum structure, making it ideal for teaching. It also has plenty of support, which is helpful, even for teachers with less code-based knowledge or experience.

While this is a useful tool for teaching within computer science, it can be used beyond that class as a very accessible story-based game that covers STEM and math concepts too. 

To be clear, the game is called CodeCombat but it comes under the umbrella of Ozaria's world.

What is Ozaria?

Ozaria is a fantasy game that uses coding to teach students and to progress the narrative of the characters you play as within this world.

The game is built on the CodeCombat structure yet is specifically made for classroom use and teaching at home. It does this using Python or Javascript, which means real-world coding skills that can be used to build games and apps.

Ozaria is standards-aligned and meets both ISTE and CSTA, ideal for the middle schoolers it is aimed at, but extends between grades 3 and 12. This is both for class-wide teaching, group-based work, and individuals too, making it usable in a variety of environments and for mixed abilities. 

How does Ozaria work?

Ozaria requires you to sign up and login to begin using the service, with a portal for both students and educators. Students can use a class code to get in and begin classes. Educators can sign in with Google or Clever for the greatest of ease when getting started -- this also lets you link with Google Classroom for ease of setting work.

Ozaria offers games for students to get started on right away and there is a dashboard to teachers to set work and monitor student progress.

The game features a fantasy land with characters who play through a storyline, progressed by using coding. This is web-based so students can access the game via a web browser on nearly any device with an internet connection.

Teachers have access to lesson slides with tips such as pacing suggestions, gaming gaps to punctuation with teaching, cutscene instruction use, and extension opportunities. All the gaming systems are then available via the dashboard for teacher controls, but more on that next.

What are the best Ozaria features?

Ozaria features Python and Javascript coding, making it a real-world tool that can be used directly to create games, apps, and more -- potentially building a career skill.

The teacher dashboard is of great use as this allows educators to monitor student progress but also to manage student projects and even make assessments using a dedicated tool. 

This is all curriculum-led and features a well-structured layout that allows for lesson progression at a pace in fitting with the schooling timetable. It also focuses on SEL, which allows students to build integrity when working on a project, to further develop their ability to progress through challenges. 

Accessibility is thought of here too with helpful voiceover narration, making reading not a strict necessity at all points. A screen reader mode is available for those who might otherwise not be able to access the visual instructions.

While everything is self explanatory there is also support for educators with professional development opportunities provided for by Ozaria's creators in a full course program.

How much does Ozaria cost?

Ozaria offers the first lesson chapter for free to give students and educators a taste of what is available. 

Licenses for the products are then charged on a school-by-school basis with specific quotes tailored when you make an enquiry over email.

Ozaria best tips and tricks

Reward a chapter
Use the first, free, chapter as a reward to students who finish their classwork. This will let you see how you and your students take to the game before buying.

Break out detail
The game has details on loops, algorithms, and debugging so have lessons on these areas to go into more math-based depth.

Use beyond the game
Create projects using the code learned from game chapters in order to show students how they can build with it in real world scenarios. 

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GeoGuessr is an online game-based platform that uses maps and gamification to teach world geography to students.

Crucially, this is a game first and then a learning experience as a result of the content. Being built that way, it feels like something that is fun rather than an educational tool. However, it can work as exactly that for teachers, making for a useful way to get even less enthusiastic students to engage in learning geography. 

Easy to access, with free content, and super simple to use, this setup is great for a wide range of ages, but since it focuses on geographical knowledge it will likely best suit students from around the age of four or five and upward. That said, it can be fun for adults to try too.

So can GeoGuessr help teach in your classroom?

• Best Tools for Teachers
• 5 Mindfulness Apps and Websites for K-12

What is GeoGuessr?

GeoGuessr is an online and app-based game that uses maps and a question-and-answer style scenario to challenge the geographical knowledge of students. While teaching them more at the same time.

The website itself is easy to access from nearly any device with a browser and an internet connection, although there are also app versions of this available for iOS and Android. The free initial access makes it a great option to try out without the need to commit.

The site uses a combination of Google Street View and Mapillary images to take students around the world while testing their knowledge. For example, a student may be placed near the Statue of Liberty and asked to place a pin on a map to show where they are in the world.

It's all very simple to do, making it easy to pick-up even for students that are less technologically able.

How does GeoGuessr work?

GeoGuessr starts you off on a map or Street View location. You are then encouraged to explore in order to determine where it is that you have virtually landed. This can mean looking around and taking in crucial details such as the local language, road signs, landmarks, topography, the environment, personal experiences, and more.

There is a small map in the bottom right corner in which you are encouraged to place a pin. This can be zoomed for even more accuracy when placing that pin. To use the Statue of Liberty example, you have a zoomed out map of New York but can zoom right in to Liberty Island to place your marker.

You are then shown the exact location of the spot you were in, next to the marker you placed. A measurement of how far out you were, in miles, is shown to denote how well you've done. This is also shown in points, which you accrue across the several missions you're given before being given a final score at the end.

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What are the best GeoGuessr features?

GeoGuessr is lots of fun right from the start. As you progress it becomes more challenging, which is often where the learning of new places starts to come in.

Having that points system is a great way to keep students engaged as well as a way to make things competitive, if that's something which works for your class. There are also incentives for earning more points, such as levelling up to get new player titles and visuals around your avatar. 

Several modes of play are available, including Quick Play, Classic Maps, and Maprunner, to add different styles of gaming to keep things fresh. You can also continue games at the point you left off.

Upgrade to Pro and you get more features, including no ads, no waiting to play more, map creation, and more.

GeoGuessr Price

GeoGuessr is free to use a basic account, but there are limitations on the number of plays per day and there are ads on the website.

Go for the Pro tier, at $3.49 per month or $23.88 annually, and you get uninterrupted play as much as you like, no ads, play with friends mode, avatar items, map creation, and competition against others with leaderboard access.

GeoGuessr best tips and tricks

Play together
Start off on the big screen as a class to get the idea of how to play but also to engage the class in exploration.

Compete
Keep track of scores and reward those in the class that show good progress in the game -- not necessarily just those with the highest score.

Share experiences
Have students share a tough one where they did well, perhaps helping others in the class learn new locations at the same time.

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Laguna Unified School District in California is preparing students for success by gamifying teacher training and incentive programs as well as offering innovative ways to engage student learners.

Michael Morrison, who has more than twenty years of experience in education, serves as the chief technological officer for the district. He and his team took a program that was formerly known as Rocket Ready and morphed it into an integral part of teachers’ performance and compensation. “We actually purposely took away a catchy name because we wanted it to be part of our institution, so we just call it unit design,” says Morrison who recently won Best Example of Professional Development at a recent Tech & Learning Regional Leadership Summit in California

The unit design is set up to incentivize teachers when students reach benchmarks. “We took staff development, and we gamified it so that teachers have certain goals they try to reach that lead, ultimately, to where students are solving real-world problems,” Morrison says. For instance, one science teacher in the district had their class look for ways to use surface area and volume to reduce waste. The students designed more sustainable packaging for breakfast cereal that wastes less paper.

The unit design program not only get students excited about the world around them, it also gives educators an opportunity to earn bonuses. To track teachers’ progress, the district uses Alludo’s professional-development software, which allows them to earn points that can result in stipends that can add up to several thousand dollars.

As one might imagine, this gamification approach has paid dividends for the district. “When it comes to getting paid for the full amount for the unit, [teachers] would have to submit a student’s work and reflection on that the students have with a survey of what the unit was like,” Morrison says. “So, the students are giving feedback to the teacher. The teachers are reflecting on it. And that's where they earn that last bit of money for that unit.”

PD On The Go

If teachers are more invested in their professional development and student success, all stakeholders win. However, investing in programs, technology, and redesigned classrooms only works if there is buy-in from educators. Morrison is quick to remind any district leaders that teachers are the greatest investment.

In that vein, Laguna USD has developed a unique program that Morrison refers to as "paying teachers to drive to work." The district developed a podcast series that covers a wide range of topics such as the T3 model for learning and building other habits for learners. Consequently, teachers get paid for professional development while on the move or when they can fit it into their schedules. “They love this kind of staff development where they get to pick the timing,” Morrison says

Giving teachers the flexibility that they need for PD and course design is necessary to ensure they are prepared to meet current and future challenges.

Developing Empowered Students 

When asked about the future of education, especially in light of recent technological advances in artificial intelligence, most notably ChatGPT, Morrison says, “One of the questions is, how do you authentically assess students?”

Fortunately for his district, teachers and students are already in the habit of creating portfolios that demonstrate students’ learning, and now his district is experimenting with a software program called Portmoto, a portfolio maker.

These portfolios can also showcase the training students who graduate from Laguna USD should have. “We're thinking it's more about a series of skills, like one of ours is an empowered learner,” Morrison says. “An empowered learner, to me, means that they have the skillset to learn on their own, to be curious, to ask questions, and they want to learn.”

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Roblox is a popular multiplayer game that many children have been playing outside of school time, nights, and weekends. It features interactive technology that allows students to build and play in worlds they have created. 

The collaborative aspect of Roblox can allow students to connect with others virtually, while co-creating worlds. As educators, we know that when students are interested in a topic, they are more engaged, and thus, learn more. We also know that when we develop learning activities in exciting ways beyond traditional lectures and worksheets, students are able to experience content in multiple ways. 

One way to bring these types of experiential learning experiences and project-based learning to the traditional classroom is by embracing Roblox and creating a Roblox classroom. A Roblox classroom can have a wide range of features while specifically providing students opportunities to code, create, and collaborate! 

To get started, set up a free Roblox account for your Roblox classroom, and take the Roblox educator onboarding course within the Roblox website.  

Creating a Roblox Classroom: Coding 

One of the special features of Roblox is the ability for students to code as they build their virtual worlds. In your Roblox classroom, developing coding skills and having opportunities to practice coding can be an integral part. 

If you are new to coding or coding in Roblox, CodaKid offers several courses geared toward students 8 and over to create games in the Roblox Studio by using the Lua coding language. If your students are native Spanish speakers, Genius offers Roblox Studio courses for Spanish language learners. 

Roblox also has a host of other external opportunities for code development focused on coding language within the Roblox Studio. In addition, The Roblox Education web pages also have different templates and lessons that teachers can work from to support students' development of the Roblox classrooms. The lessons are aligned to curriculum standards and range in levels and subject areas. 

Creation

There are many options to create virtual worlds, simulations, and 3D options within Roblox. To keep your Roblox classroom connected to teaching and learning, it may be helpful to structure and organize the outcomes of what you expect students to focus on when creating. 

A good starter is a lesson offered by Roblox is an Intro to Coding and Game Design. This lesson is also connected to the Innovative Design and Creative Communicator ISTE standards. 

Other creation options that Roblox already offers is Code a Story Game, which would connect with English language arts, Animate in Roblox, which connects with engineering and computer science, and Galactic Speedway, which connects with science and mathematics. 

These are only a few examples of premade games and templates that you can use to start the creation process. As your students within your Roblox classroom develop their skills and expertise in design thinking, animation, coding, 3D modeling, etc., you can work with them to create different worlds to address other skills and content areas.

Collaboration

Social presence, community, and collaboration can all be seamlessly achieved within Roblox classrooms. To leverage the collective contributions of students, create different opportunities in which students will need to use the multiplayer feature to problem-solve within the virtual world. To get you started, Roblox has Escape Room and Build A for Treasure experiences that require students to work collectively. 

Do not worry about others outside of your class or school joining your Roblox classroom. Roblox has several privacy features available to include activating private services for classroom use in which only invited students will have access. 

Trust us, students love Roblox, and if you embrace all that it has to offer and integrate it in into your teaching, you will not only be one of the favorite teachers in the school, but you will also support students development of their coding, creativity, and collaboration skills, all of which are part of the 4 Cs and essential soft skills that all learners must be equipped with to have success beyond their classroom education. 

• What is Roblox and How Can It Be Used to Teach? Tips & Tricks
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Dungeons & Dragons is a powerful teaching tool say educators who have used it as part of their curriculum or for after-school clubs. 

The tabletop role-playing game debuted in the 1970s but is currently experiencing a renaissance. This is due in part to the prominent references to the game on Stranger Things and the popularity of Dungeons & Dragon web streams and TV series, including Critical Role, a web series featuring voice actors playing the game that inspired the Amazon animated series The Legend of Vox Machina.

Educators can capitalize on this popularity by facilitating students as they embark on noble quests filled with magic, dragons, and warriors. At the same time, students will get better at reading, math, problem-solving, collaboration, and more. 

Here are some of the reasons educators say they teach with Dungeons & Dragons. 

1. Dungeons & Dragons Can Teach Social-Emotional Learning  

Kade Wells, Harrisburg North Middle School ELA Instructor in South Dakota and founder of Building Heroez, says Dungeons & Dragons helps students with their social-emotional growth because it gets them away from screens and has them collaborating with one another IRL (in real life). 

“When they are sitting around the table playing, they're working on their personal communication skills,” he says. “I've seen it change kids’ lives pretty drastically. You have the fly-on-the-wall kid who never says anything in class, and they'll become an advocate for themselves and others.” 

2. D&D Helps Students Develop Reading Skills

Dungeons & Dragons can be an interactive and engaging way to teach students how to start to understand and analyze complex texts. “A lot of the manuals are at a very high Lexile level,” says Lizz Simpson, a middle school librarian at Sudbury Public Schools in Massachusetts. Simpson says students who play the game naturally break down complex texts dealing with different rules around things like casting spells. 

Wells agrees. “You have to synthesize the information in order to utilize the information, which increases the synaptic path growth from theoretical to concrete,” he says. “When kids do this over and over and over again, that synaptic path becomes an optic highway. Sort of magically, there'll be a point where everything kind of clicks and those students will be able to glean information quicker, answer questions faster, and become better problem solvers.” 

Currently, Dungeons & Dragons is built into the curriculum of Wells’ classes but he started using it as a reading intervention for students who had experienced trauma or had other language acquisition challenges. 

3.  D&D Fosters Collaborative Creativity and Storytelling  

“The core element of Dungeons & Dragons is collaborative storytelling,” says Zac Clay, a music teacher and D&D Club volunteer at Benecia Middle School and Benecia High School. Playing the game gives the students the chance to express their artistic sides whether that’s through developing their characters or by drawing maps and other scenes associated with gameplay.  

“It has created an outlet for them in the school space to be able to express their creativity,” he says. In contrast during the rest of the school day, “they may just be in taking in a lot of information and don't really get a chance to actually express themselves.” 

At the same time that they get this opportunity for collaborative expression, they’re also learning critical thinking and problem-solving skills. 

4. D&D Provides Opportunities for Math Practice  

Many-sided dice play a role in much of the action in Dungeons & Dragons and tallying these dice scores takes quite a bit of recursive math, Wells says. “Even for kids who are good at math, this sort of adding two numbers together all the time, all the time, all the time, makes them just better.” 

Clay says a math teacher could even go further than adding up the dice by building more advanced math problems into the storytelling of the game. “Maybe the way for students to attack the goblin is to solve the quadratic formula or something like that,” he says. 

5.  D&D Can Help With Socialization and More 

One of the primary draws of Dungeons & Dragons in the school setting is that it allows students to socialize in a manner that’s different from any other school interaction. “The whole point is to sit around a table with your friends, and not just chat about random stuff, but to actually work together on a goal,” Clay says. 

Simpson has seen middle schoolers make friends playing the game and learn how to have fun and accomplish goals in a group. “[They learn when] to take turns and sit back and let somebody else take the floor because they have a more important skill for this particular challenge,” she says. 

Wells has witnessed Dungeons & Dragons being an effective teaching tool for students who have experienced trauma or are on the autism spectrum. “I've seen it bring kids back from the brink of trauma,” he says. “I've had students when I taught in Texas who had family members that lived in Honduras and terrible things have happened to them. And students have been disengaged, and then all of a sudden, they're part of this community, and they completely turned around.” 

Resources

Educators interested in bringing the game to their classroom or school as a club activity can get a free D&D Afterschool Kit and search a wealth of resources at the Dungeons & Dragons educator’s page. 

Teachers who are new to the game hoping to get a better understanding of it might want to watch some members of the cast from Stranger Things playing a game hosted by B. Dave Walters.  

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School leaders who are hesitant to get started with esports or aren’t sure what game to get started with are often overlooking an easy point of entry for their competitive team or club: Minecraft. 

What makes Minecraft a great entry point for esports?

Minecraft is Everywhere! 

Minecraft, the ubiquitous block-building sandbox game, is available on every major platform: console, PC, and even Chromebook, which uses the Minecraft: Education Edition of the game. 

Microsoft recently made things even easier for schools who might want to get started with Minecraft on PC by taking the two PC versions of the game, Bedrock and Java Edition, and combining it into one standalone version Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition for PC. Players who owned either version of the game were given this new, one-and-only version of the game for free. This move makes it easier for schools who want to get started with Minecraft on the PC since they won’t have to choose between these two very popular versions of the game, they only need Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition for PC to accommodate all students. 

Minecraft: Education Edition (M:EE) is the version of Minecraft made for schools, and while it is available on PC, it is the only version of Minecraft that works on a Chromebook. While harder to play against other schools, M:EE is a great option for Chromebook-only schools or schools who are looking to get started competing in-house with intramural tournaments. M:EE is also the best version to use if students are going to be playing from home as it does not require a server to play remotely. Someone just needs to host the world and invite the players to the game.

With Minecraft being available on every major platform with a relatively cheap point of entry of $30 per account and Minecraft: Education Edition costing as little as $5 per student per year (or even free as M:EE is included in many volume license agreements) it is a relatively affordable entry point for scholastic esports.

Play Your Way 

It should be no surprise that the king of the Sandbox Minecraft’s flexibility is what makes it a great point of entry for esports. No matter what version of the game you participate in, there is a robust esports scene. Games such as Spleef, Bed Wars, and Capture the Wool are worlds that can be easily downloaded, imported, and played in-house or against other schools if you are part of a scholastic esports league such as Garden State Esports.

This more traditional, school vs. school, head-to-head style of esports isn’t the only popular way to play the game. In the same way you may compete against other schools in mini-games such as Sky Wars, you can also compete against other schools in live build challenges. In a build challenge teams show up, are given something to build such as a theme park or statue of a superhero, and then must finish the build challenge in a certain amount of time. Afterward, judges pick the winner. 

Build challenges don’t even have to be live! Teams can be given a build challenge and as long as needed to submit their build for judging, which allows kids more time to work and collaborate on builds and even allows build challenges to exist during the school day as part of the curriculum, not just as an after-school activity.

Schools that are looking for competition and don’t have a place to play should check out the North American Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF). NASEF is consistently producing high-quality Minecraft-style events not just for American students but on an international level. Their international competitions such as Farmcraft and the Rube Goldberg Challenge meet many STEM learning standards, and thanks to the international flavor, opens up opportunities to learn about other cultures. NASEF will even give schools M:EE accounts to use if they don’t have them.

No matter how you choose to play, Minecraft is a great point-of-entry for schools looking to jump into scholastic esports! 

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• Minecraft: Education Edition Lesson Plan

Wordle’s popularity has led many teachers to incorporate it into the classroom. And as much as we love Wordle and how educators are using it to teach, it’s not the only word game that provides learning opportunities. 

The Power of Wordle and Other Word Games 

Wordle has been a good reminder for educators about how spelling and playing with words can be fun, says Nell K. Duke, professor of Literacy, Language, and Culture at the University of Michigan. 

“Sometimes, people have this feeling that phonics and spelling instruction has to be boring, or people avoid it because they're afraid that children won't like it,” she says. “But well-done phonics and spelling instruction can be highly engaging.” 

Instead of, or in addition to, Wordle, Duke recommends incorporating games that have been researched and shown to be effective in teaching children. She’s on the advisory board for PBSkids.org and says that site can be a good place to start. “The PBSkids.org games are developed in consultation with researchers and they are generally well-aligned with things we know about supporting children's development,” she says. 

Rather than the term “gamification,” Duke prefers the term “puzzlefication” to describe the way in which she recommends incorporating word games into the classroom. “One thing about Wordle is that you're not competing with other people. It's sort of a personal best kind of thing,” she says. “When you say gamification, for a lot of people the association is one of competition, one of accruing points, etc. And I don't actually think that would be good advice for teachers of young children. We don't want to create situations where some children are winning and some children are losing on a regular basis.” 

Other Word Games Beyond Wordle  

Esther Keller, M.L.S. Librarian at Marine Park JHS 278 in Brooklyn, created her own customizable version of Wordle on Canva so that she could play more than one game per day with students, and students couldn’t give away the word of the day. (Here is a link to her template for educators who are interested.)

Keller also recommends the app-based game Wordscapes. Her interest in these games goes beyond helping students with spelling, vocabulary, and reasoning. “Mostly, I'm finding these games as a social-emotional [exercise] for the students,” she says. “It's a way for them to collaborate together on a puzzle and be a team.” 

Spello is a Wordle-inspired game that can be customized with multiple words and is designed to help students learn words their teachers assign for spelling homework. Tom Davies, a software developer in the United Kingdom, designed it. “I am dyslexic myself, and my two boys have also inherited my issues, so the weekly spelling lists from school have always been tricky,” he says. “When we started playing Wordle the boys were very interested and I saw that it could engage them, and had the idea.” 

Spello will read words to students and help them learn as they guess. “Unlike other spellings apps we have tried, Spello guides you toward the right answer with hints rather than being a simple black-or-white answer, which is more supportive and less frustrating,” Davies says. “For teachers, Spello allows you to easily create your own lists and then share them with your class via a link.” 

• How to Teach With Wordle
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Game-based learning turns potentially tedious study time into an adventurous knowledge quest, complete with catchy soundtracks and digital rewards. It helps keep kids engaged with the subject matter and motivated to pursue greater expertise. Best of all, web- or app-based gameplay integrates easily into both online and in-person classes.

We’ve curated the best K-12 educational game sites and apps, arranged according to cost. Many are free (or offer free basic accounts), while some provide progress tracking and analysis tools for teachers. All are remarkably creative and will help kids enjoy learning. 

50 Sites & Apps for Educational Games

FREE

Ducksters
This easy-to-navigate site affords a wide range of educational digital games for students or anyone who enjoys gameplay and learning. Included are math, word, geography, puzzle games as well as classic games such as chess, checkers, backgammon, mahjong and more. But it’s not just fun and games at Duckster. An extensive collection of illustrated lessons in history, biography, geography and science are accompanied by quizzes and links to the relevant games. No account required to play or learn.

Wordle
Wordle’s simplicity belies its intriguing intellectual challenge. This new, highly popular word game tests memory, vocabulary, and spelling in a puzzle format that allows for rapid gameplay and feedback. Teachers and students can play this free game on the New York times website, no account needed. 

Khan Academy Kids
An award-winning, free iOs or Android app, Khan Academy Kids offers a comprehensive collection of educational math, literacy, and music games and activities for kids aged 2-8 years. Top-rated by users, this free app includes no ads—and no subscription is needed. 

Vocabulary Spelling City
Three dozen free games cover topics including vocabulary, spelling, phonics, and language arts. Each game includes several variations, so the total number of games to play exceeds 100. Just start playing- no account needed. Looking for premium content? Head over to the new site for premium games at VocabularyA-Z.com

Math Playground
Explore this extensive selection of math, logic, skills, and word games for kids in grades K-6. Created by educator Coleen King, Math Playground is kidSAFE/COPPA Certified and includes only COPPA-certified children's ads. Shareable in Google Classroom. 

Puzzle Playground
From the publisher of Math Playground, Puzzle Playground is a free game-based learning site that uses puzzles of every kind to engage kids’ imaginations. Don’t think “jigsaw” because these amazingly creative puzzles go far beyond shape-fitting. Instead, these varied digital puzzles will keep kids of any age busy challenging their problem-solving, trial and error, spatial reasoning, and perseverance skills. Super fun too. 

Best Free Virtual Escape Rooms for Schools
These top free virtual escape rooms combine the best elements of gameplay -- suspense, skill, knowledge, and speed. Arranged according to age suitability. 

Moose Math - Duck Duck Moose iOs Android
A multi-level math game that allows kids ages 3-7 to earn rewards and decorate cities by solving math problems disguised as adventures. Common Core-aligned for kindergarten and first grade. 

Wordscapes iOs Android
Wordscape combines  features of crossword puzzles, word connect and word anagram games, all accompanied by scenery designed to relax and focus the mind. 

ChatterPix Kids iOS Android
Kids aged 5-12 can easily make images come to life with their own voices. Great for all types of creative expression, from funny cards to school assignments. 

Mind Games
Don’t worry, this site doesn’t advocate gaslighting or psychological manipulation. Rather it’s a collection of free online number, word and logic games, brain teasers, sudoku, crosswords, and more. Free with (blockable) ads. For a premium ad free gaming, visit adfreegames.com, where users pay only $10 for a full year of access. 

PurposeGames
With tools for teachers, games on every school subject, badges, groups, and tournaments, PurposeGames offers a lot of free educational play. Create your own games and quizzes, too! Need a break from geography? Try the entertainment and television games, which allow users to show off their knowledge of Family Guy, The Simpsons, child actors and other light fare.

ABC kids
Easy as ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), these super simple digital games are for young learners aged 2-5 years. Games include memory match, Alphabet Hunt, Fire fight, jigsaw puzzles, and more. Want more early education resources? Check out the ABC Kids Early Education curricula and ideas. 

Solving the Rubik's Cube!
From educator Ryan Chadwick comes this top-notch digital tutorial for one of the most challenging hands-on puzzles ever. Includes images and advice to boost your speed solving Rubik’s cube. Free, no account required.

Annenberg Classroom That's Your Right
Kids play alone or in multiplayer mode to learn and practice their Bill of Rights expertise. With high-quality graphics and music and three levels of difficulty, this free game is an excellent way to support civics education for middle and high school students. Additional resources include a Constitution guide, review of Supreme Court cases, and lesson plans. 

Cells Alive! Puzzles and Games
Free digital memory match, jigsaw, and word puzzles help students reinforce classroom biology lessons. The interactive cell models are also a great way to learn about the parts and functions of plant and animal cells.

Funbrain
Browse K-8 educational games by grade level, popularity, and topics such as math, grammar, and vocabulary. New games include chess, sudoku, and What on Earth?! (geography). Free, no registration required. 

Geoguessr
A unique and visually captivating geography brainteaser that encourages children to decipher locations using hints from Google Street View and Mapillary visuals. Ideal for fostering cognitive abilities and logical reasoning, while providing an entertaining and immersive experience. 

GoNoodle Games iOs Android
Unlike most digital activities, GoNoodle is designed to get kids moving rather than keep them glued to the screen. The latest free GoNoodle games for iOs and Android feature kids’ favorite characters, moves, and music. 

iCivics
A rich resource for social studies education, the nonprofit iCivics was founded by Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor in 2009 to educate Americans about our democracy. The site includes an educational portal for learning about civics and standards-based games and curricula. 

Little Alchemy 2
Air. Earth. Fire. Water. Simply creative. Simply brilliant. iOs and Android too. For makers and imaginers of any age. 

Sheppard Software
Hundreds of free games for preK to post-secondary students, grouped by grade level and including subjects such as animals, geography, chemistry, vocabulary, grammar, math, and STEM. Choose relaxed mode for fun, timed mode for practice tests.

Math and Sorcery
A super entertaining iOS app for learning basic math skills in an 8-bit style role-playing game. Students are challenged to find the stolen book of math and sorcery. A great way to improve mental math speed. 

Math Attax
This free mobile (iOS/Google Play) math game helps students with basic math skills. An Asteroids-style shoot-em-up, it’s fast and fun.  

National Geographic Kids
Free quizzes and games in topics ranging from animals and bugs to solving ciphers. 

ABCya
More than 300 lively educational games and mobile apps for preK-6 students. Games can be searched by Common Core State Standards, as well as Next Generation Science Standards. Fully free for desktop use, premium plan for mobile devices.

PBS Kids Games
Dozens of free games, from math to social-emotional learning, will delight younger learners. No account required on this user-friendly website. English and Spanish. New games include Nature sights and Sounds, Puppy Pet Care, Road Repair, and many more.  

Play4A
A deceptively simple interface allows users to play surprisingly challenging games for free. In addition, teachers create gamified quizzes, then share the code with their students. A jaunty musical soundtrack adds to the enjoyment.  

Play to Prevent Games
With a focus on sensitive topics such as opioid misuse, HIV/AIDS, vaping, and unintended pregnancy, these games tackle tough social issues while supporting kids’ mental health and development. Free with request for access. 

RoomRecess
Find 140+ free learning games in a wide variety of subjects, including math, language arts, typing and keyboard skills, digital puzzles, and more. Games are grouped by grades as well as topics. Highly popular with teachers and students alike.  

Tate Kids
Explore art-based games and quizzes on this super appealing, highly visual site from Great Britain’s Tate Museum. Activities focus on learning and discovery rather than test scores. An exceptional way to get kids thinking about and making art. Free.  

HoloLAB Champions (Educators Edition)
Players in this remarkable virtual chemistry lab will measure, weigh, pour, and heat in a series of competitive lab skills games. No safety goggles required—but don’t forget your virtual pair! Free for educators. HoloLAB Champions is available in English on Steam for the Oculus Rift and VIVE VR platforms. Free to educators.

Braineos
A simple, easy-to-use site with digital flash card-based games in a wide variety of subjects and topics, including English, math, sciences, and languages. No login required to play, but a free registration is needed to save your scores. 

NASA Space Place
NASA invites users to investigate Earth and outer space via games that ask big questions such as, “How does NASA talk to its faraway spacecraft?” and “How does the sun make energy?” Free and fascinating.  

FREE ACCOUNT OPTION

Education Galaxy
This imaginative K-6 online platform uses game-based learning to boost kids’ academic success. The two main programs are online assessment prep and adaptive intervention for struggling learners and at-risk students. Free basic teacher’s account allows one teacher and 30 students/all subjects or 150 students/1 subject.

Arcademics
An award-winning, innovative site for K-8 game-based learning in math, language arts, geography, and other subjects, Arcademics includes an educational portal that allows teachers to monitor student progress, generate detailed reports, and assess student learning. Free basic account provides most features and is ad-supported. Free 30-day trial. No credit card required.

Oodlu
An online education gaming platform, Oodlu is perfect for learners of any age with some reading ability. Teachers create their own games using the built-in question bank, and analytics provide progress reports for each student. Free standard account.

Blooket
A wonderful gamified learning/quiz platform with a user-friendly interface, Blooket offers nine different game modes and runs on student devices as well as desktop computers. Free basic account allows for unlimited sets & edits, unique game modes, and question set search for up to 60 players. 

Turtle Diary Online Games
An extensive collection of games, videos, quizzes, lesson plans, and other digital tools for preK-5 students, searchable by topic, grade, and Common Core standard. Free and premium accounts.

Gimkit
Created by a high school student, Gimkit bills itself as a game show for the classroom. Kids can earn in-game cash with correct answers and invest the money in upgrades and power-ups. Reports for educators are generated after every game played. A second program, Gimkit Ink, allows students to publish and share their schoolwork. $4.99/month, or group pricing for schools. A 30-day free trial of Gimkit Pro can be converted to a free basic account. 

Kahoot
One of the most popular sites for gamifying the classroom. Teachers create games and quizzes and students answer them on their mobile devices. You’ll find a plan for every budget: free basic, pro, and premium. 

Knoword
A fine, fast-paced vocabulary game. Educators can create their own word packs and track student progress. Free basic accounts allow play of all public word packs, sharing, and exporting, while the moderately priced Pro and Team accounts allow unlimited word pack creation and assignments. 

Legends of Learning
A fine collection of standards-aligned science and math games for K-8 students. Free teacher accounts, with premium features for school and district-level accounts. Bonus: Learn about the games before signing up here. Be sure to check out their free upcoming game-based STEM competitions. 

Prodigy
An award-winning, standards-aligned online math game designed for grades 1-8, Prodigy is modeled on popular fantasy-style multiplayer games. Students select and customize an avatar, and then prepare to battle math problems. Free basic account includes core gameplay and basic pet features.  

PREMIUM

Buzzmath
Buzzmath provides more than 14,000 interactive math questions, as well as manipulable objects, audio text reading, math glossary, brain teasers, badges, and digital rewards. Teachers can personalize learning for each student with this standards-aligned supplementary math resource. 

Prodigy English
From the makers of the popular Prodigy Math, Prodigy English is a gamified English language learning program that features all the fun bells and whistles of gaming, from creating worlds to boosting energy with correct answers. A suite of teachers’ tools includes assessments and reports. Aligned to Common Core reading and language standards for grades 1 to 6.

Sumdog
Sumdog’s standards-based math and spelling practice platform aims to boost student learning and confidence with adaptive personalized gameplay. A hit with kids and research-validated to boot. Free 30 day trial.

MinecraftEdu
A block-based graphics game, designed for education, that allows students to build and explore virtual worlds. Built-in educator controls support a safe and education-directed experience. The abundant classroom resources include lesson plans, training for educators, challenge building, and more. 

Skoolbo
A 2016 SIIA CODiE winner for Best Game-Based Curriculum, Skoolbo offers educational games for reading, writing, numeracy, languages, science, art, music, and logic. Digital books and step-by-step animated lessons support young learners as well. Various plans for classes and schools, with the first month free.  

• Best Summer Learning Apps & Sites
• How to Use Comics in Your Classroom, With MakeBeliefsComix Founder Bill Zimmerman
• Best Online Summer Jobs for Teachers

To share your feedback and ideas on this article, consider joining our Tech & Learning online community here.

When the pandemic began, the leaders at Columbus State University in Georgia explored various platforms to see how they could better engage their students, particularly incoming freshmen. “We traditionally bring freshmen to a campground for an extended orientation we call PROWL,” says Mariko Izumi, Ph.D., professor of communication and director of the Center for Experiential Learning and Career Design. “It stands for Pride, Relationships, Opportunities, Wisdom, and Leadership.” 

During PROWL, second-, third-, and fourth-year students lead incoming students in activities that help them create bonds. The event focuses on social-emotional learning rather than logistics. “If you become friends with people, you are less likely to drop out,” says Izumi.

Could the college figure out how to hold PROWL in a virtual world?

Yes, thanks to Minecraft Education. 

The free education version of the popular building game allowed Columbus State to create a safe and inclusive space for students. By adding in the communication channel Discord, students were able to use voice chat and share screens.

Over 15 weeks, a group of computer science students built a Minecraft version of the institution. They used typography maps from the city and made it as realistic as possible. “We wanted incoming students to have a realistic simulation so we spent time on corners, windows, and doors,” says Izumi.

To recreate the face-to-face aspect of PROWL, a group of five computer science faculty members designed interactive activities inside the platform. Held for three days at the beginning of August, 30 freshmen and 20 new faculty members participated. They “walked” through campus and collaborated to solve various problems, such as creating an ideal classroom and helping a roommate who wasn’t leaving the room or going to class. Throughout the event, faculty and students got to know one another, learn about the campus culture, and explore campus resources.

“The point of PROWL is to spend time together beyond the surface level. It’s harder in a virtual setting but we’re proud of what we created,” says Izumi. 

Columbus State’s admissions department may use the Minecraft world for recruiting and campus tours, she says. Izumi also plans to offer Minecraft PROWL next summer, so she and her team have begun building the inside of buildings. 

• What is Minecraft: Education Edition?
• Minecraft: Education Edition Tips and Tricks for Teachers
• What is Esports and How Does it Work in Education?

Universal accessibility

Other higher ed institutions have discovered the value of Minecraft, too. The University of La Verne in California, for example, used Minecraft to hold debate practices. Colin Coppock, a junior and president of the Lordsburg Debate Union, says the team began building a Minecraft village for fun when COVID-19 first hit, and then they realized it might be even more useful.

“We found a program called Yaatly, which hosts online debates and has speaking times set in place,” Coppock says. “Having physical avatars of friends in the Minecraft world made it easier for many of us to engage in online debate.”

According to Coppock, the combination of Minecraft and Yaatly helped the team immensely. “We had improved discussions and our debates were much better than they would’ve been in a faceless void. When it wasn’t your speech, you could move your avatar around the debate hall, thinking of ways to improve it aesthetically, such as adding trap doors or flower pots.”

At Brown University in Rhode Island, the student online gaming group, BEST, opened its Minecraft campus in March and invited students, alumni, faculty, and staff to add details to the exteriors of each building and create interiors. Nearly 70 people have participated, helping to create a sense of community even though they are all working remotely.

“One of the things we are focusing on is making sure it’s in a ready state for admissions tours,” says Griffin Beels, a senior and co-president of BEST. “With in-person tours unavailable, it’s important to have another medium—especially one that improves on the virtual tour, giving people the autonomy to move around.”

“Minecraft is very accessible,” adds Isaac Kim, an M.D./Ph.D., student at Brown.  “You can run it on any device, even mobile.” By the end of August, nearly 200 students had signed up to build or participate.

Moving forward, BEST hopes to host parts of events in Minecraft.

S.S. Grin

Fantastical game helps teach friendship skills through storytelling

Pros: Incredibly interactive game uses vignettes to teach relationship skills and perseverance.

Cons: Length of time it takes to complete an activity could be limiting, especially since students can't save mid-activity.

Bottom Line: Riveting role-playing game reinforces relationship skills, but plan carefully so students can save their game

Read more 

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

By Common Sense Education

GameSalad

[50 Sites & Apps for K-12 Education Games]

Great interface, flexible publishing options make game-making a snap

Pros: Empowers kids with the ability to custom-create games; amazing online support.

Cons: Full features (including publishing student-created apps) require a pricey subscription fee.

Bottom Line: Engaging interface and tutorials will empower budding game designers, but the price tag could be a deal-breaker for tight school budgets.

Read more.

Site of the Week picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed byCommon Sense Education, which helps educators find the best edtech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

By Common Sense Education

CoderZ introduces a new cyber-robotics curriculum for students in grades five through eight. The Cyber Robotics 102 curriculum is a sequel to CoderZ’s Cyber Robotics 101 and uses advanced gaming simulations to teach STEM through robotics and computer science. The comprehensive course offers 15-20 hours of curriculum and practice. 

Cyber Robotics 102 has students work in an online virtual environment that features a new robot called Ruby and that accurately mimics real-life physics and a physical setting. Students advance through game levels as they learn engineering, mechanics, physics, navigation, control and sensors. At the same time, those students are introduced to programming components like commands, variables, conditional logic, loops, functions and more. 

The online, gamified, turn-key curriculum comes with teacher support materials such as class presentations, teacher guides, optional mission solutions, webinars and rich-content blogs. Additionally, teachers can have students work on the course from any computer, even from home. 

For more information on the Cyber Robotics 102 curriculum, visit https://gocoderz.com/cyber-robotics-102/.

MIND Research Institute today announced the launch of an all-new version of its flagship solution, ST Math®. 

Based on 20 years of neuroscientific research, ST Math uses spatial-temporal games to present math concepts visually for students in grades preK–8. 

The mastery-based and standards-aligned ST Math offers challenging puzzles, non-routine problem solving, and informative feedback. Independent education research firm WestEd recently published a study evaluating a math edtech program on multiple state assessments. The 239 schools that used ST Math consistently outgrew similar schools in statewide rank by an average of 14 percentile points.

The newest version is built on the latest website technology, featuring responsive design to work on any device. The update gives ST Math’s mascot, JiJi, and all the puzzles and environments a fresh look and allows students to track their logins, minutes played, and puzzles solved each week.

For administrators, ST Math now has more streamlined implementation focused on single sign-on and account provisioning, as well as new reporting tools that offer comprehensive student data to uncover insights and track student learning results.

Improvements for teachers will help them implement the program with greater fidelity, integrate it with core curriculum more easily, and better support student learning. Key features for teachers in the new version include:

• A simplified user experience
• A new assignments feature, allowing teachers to assign any ST Math objective to individual students, groups, or the whole class outside of their journey
• Redesigned progress reports and student detail information to more clearly present actionable data for informed instruction
• The ability to see the progress of minutes played and puzzles completed during the current week, or as a median of all weeks to track engagement
• The ability to view a student’s entire history of usage and progress toward standards and objectives, as well as clear alerts for struggling students.

To learn more about the new version of ST Math, which is available for the 2020-2021 academic year, go to http://www.stmath.com/whats-new. 

AlgoBot

Simple coding game a fun intro to algorithms

Pros: Game teaches several basic programming concepts very well; moving Algo Bot around gives instant feedback.

Cons: Difficult to refer to scoring on past levels; supervising robot is mean to Algo Bot.

Bottom Line: This coding game is a fun and helpful introduction to basic algorithm development, but other resources will be needed for more depth.

Read more 

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

By Common Sense Education

Classcraft

Track behavior, motivate students with clever fantasy-themed game.

Pros: Instant feedback and accountability encourage students to act responsibly, and teacher-created quests motivate learners.

Cons: Depending on how it’s set up, the experience could be more punitive than supportive and in some cases, may hinder relationships.

Bottom Line: Classcraft is a fantastic game for encouraging positive behavior while students build knowledge and develop communication and collaboration skills.

Read more here.

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

By Common Sense Education

Duolingo

Stellar language-learning tool levels up skills in bite-sized bursts

Pros: Comprehensive, clear lessons guide students through questions and let them set the pace, personalizing the experience.

Cons: The games are great, but they'll work even better coupled with teacher-led differentiation and thoughtful classroom instruction.

Bottom Line: Duolingo's lessons provide a simple, effective, and engrossing way to learn a language.

Read more 

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

By Common Sense Education

Roblox

Popular game development platform has classroom potential

Pros: Roblox gives students a platform to share their games with a real audience.

Cons: With millions of users worldwide, it’s impossible to control the people and content students will encounter on Roblox.

Bottom Line: Teens who love gaming can learn to be developers, too, with Roblox's tools and hosting service.

Read more.

Site of the Week picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed byCommon Sense Education, which helps educators find the best edtech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

By Common Sense Education

Educational games can be a fun way to engage students while also teaching or reviewing subject area content. These can include activities such as word searches, crossword puzzles, bingo games, flashcards, Jeopardy games, and more.

There are lots of tools online that can be used to create such activities. One creative option is to use Google Sheets templates from Flippity. This is a free website that provides a wide range of templates that you can download, fill in with your own content, and then play online through the Flippity site.

As an educator you can make these activities for your own use or for review games for your class. However, students can also use Flippity to make their own activities, which could be a fun alternative project for those interested. For example, a student could create a set of digital flashcards for the content being covered in a particular unit.

See below for how to access the templates and then use them to make your own interactive projects.

The Flippity Activities

Begin by going to the Flippity website at: www.flippity.net

Once there you will see a grid of thumbnails showing the wide variety of interactive games and activities you can create with Flippity. New ones are added from time to time, but as of this writing, the following templates are available:

• Flashcards - Add text, images, and videos to create a flashcard set
• Quiz Show - The Flippity version of a Jeopardy game
• Random Name Picker - Great for selecting a random student or creating random groups and teams
• Scavenger Hunt - Create your own "Breakout" style game
• Fun With Words - Make artistic versions of words
• Timeline - Create an interactive timeline
• Badge Tracker - Display digital badges earned by students
• Typing Test - Practice typing speed and accuracy with custom texts
• Spelling Words - Create spelling lists for students to practice with a variety of games
• Word Search - Make an interactive word search
• Crossword Puzzle - Generate a crossword puzzle from words and clues
• Word Scramble - Make word scramble puzzles from a list of words, including a final phrase to solve
• Bingo - Play online or print
• Hangman - Play five styles of hangman from a custom word list
• Progress Indicator - Track and display student progress, such as pages read
• Matching Game - Create a memory game with words and / or pictures
• MadLibs - Make a story for users to fill in with different parts of speech
• Mix and Match - Randomly combine words or phrases to make writing prompts and such
• Tournament Bracket - Generate a bracket from a list of 4 to 64 competitors
• Certificate Quiz - Make a self-grading quiz that generates a certificate when completed

If you would like to try out an activity or game to see how it works, simply click the "Demo" link below the thumbnail. This will open the activity, loaded with demo content to test out.

If you would like to learn even more about an activity, click the "Instructions" link to get a page with detailed information about that activity.

Make a Copy of a Template

Once you have selected the activity you want to create, you will need to make a copy of its Google Sheets template.

• Click the "Template" link at the bottom of the thumbnail for that activity.
• You will get a new window asking if you would like a copy of the Sheet.
• Click "Make a copy" and the copy will be created.
• When done, you will have your own copy of the template with demo content entered.

Fill in your Content

Now that you have a copy of the Google Sheets template for your activity, you will want to remove the placeholder content and insert your own.

• Delete the existing content in the template.
• Be careful to not edit any cells with a blue background, as those cells are needed for Flippity to function properly.
• Now add in your own text, such as for the clues and answers for the activity.
• Some templates support links to images and YouTube videos.

Publish the Spreadsheet

Once you have your content entered into the template, there is still another step needed before you can play the game or run the activity. At the moment, your Sheet is private just to you, so Flippity is not able to access your content. You need to publish the Sheet for Flippity to be able to use it.

• Click "File" then click "Publish to the Web".
• When the pop-up window opens, click "Publish".
• Click "OK" when asked if you are sure.
• You can close out of the pop-up window after publishing.

Get the Link for the Activity

You are now ready to try out your game or activity!

• Look at the bottom of the Sheet to find the table titled "Get the Link Here".
• On this Sheet you will find the link to run the interactive Flippity activity with your content.
• Click the link to open and run the activity.
• You can also copy the link and make it available to others so they can run the activity as well.

Tip - If you plan to use a certain Flippity activity frequently, such as the Random Name Picker to group students in your class, you can simply bookmark the Flippity link from your spreadsheet (from the "Get the Link Here" tab). Now anytime you need to run the activity, you can just click the bookmarked link to launch it.

cross posted at www.controlaltachieve.com

Eric Curts is an education trainer and consultant with over 20 years' experience throughout the U.S. He is an authorized Google Education Trainer and a Google Certified Innovator. Read his blog at www.controlaltachieve.com and follow him on Google+ and @ericcurts on Twitter.

My school year is off to a great start. My Fair Haven Innovates program is entering its fifth year of existence, the second year with the program looking like I want it to. Students are doing an outstanding job building their edcorps in FH Innovates. My esports team, the FH Knights, is also entering its second year. This means it is time to take it up a notch.

Last year, the FH Knights were the first middle school esports team in the country. As such, it was hard to find anyone to play us in Rocket League. I wound up reaching out to Rutgers University and having a nice series of games with them. As the school year progressed, Steve Isaacs fielded a Rocket League team for us to play from his video game club. Steve’s WAMs played my FH Knights in the first ever middle school esports match in the country. After, I met Harvey Scribner who had started a middle school esports team out in Pennsylvania. We played Harvey’s Cougartek team in the first ever intercontinental (I have some WWE fans on my team) middle school esports match.

Having the first middle school esports match and the first match across state lines ticked two of my three goals for esports in education last year. The third was to have a match against a team from another country. I was lined up to play a middle school team from the Netherlands, but my son decided he couldn’t wait to be born anymore, so we had to cancel the match.

This year, I have two goals for esports in education. The first is to get that international match, but the second is a big one: build the first middle school esports league.

Over the summer, I put out the call to any middle school who has or will have a Rocket League team this school year. Where once I was alone, I am excited to say that there are eight middle school teams that have joined our league so far. Esports in education is really taking off. NJ is well represented with three teams. We also have teams from Pennsylvania, Texas, Kansas, Florida, and New Mexico.

It is important that we build our own middle school league. At least in Jersey, there isn’t and will likely never be an official governing body for esports at our level. I have talked to the NJSIAA, our governing body for high school athletics, and while they said they are “getting background information on esports and doing our due diligence before we make any decisions moving forward…” with sanctioning esports at the high school level, they will not be providing any guidance or oversight at the middle school level. From the people I talk to, that seems to be the norm throughout the country: middle school esports is on its own.

That means if esports is going to happen at the middle school level, it is up to educators to make it happen. Organizing our league consists of a Google sheet where the teams have put their team info and availability as well as a Discord channel where we’re working out who will play whom and when. We’ll meet online at the agreed times and have our matches. EZ PZ.

I have no doubt that middle school esports, and esports in general, will continue its massive growth this year. As I outlined in this post, It is important that all schools embrace esports and it is important that educators take an active role in making teams and building leagues. Neither is as hard as you think, and both will lead to better opportunities for students. Check out my Guide to Esports for Education if you want to bring esports to your school. And stay tuned to hear more about our league. It’s gonna be big!

Until Next Time,

GLHF

cross-posted at Teched Up Teacher

Chris Aviles presents on education topics including gamification, technology integration, BYOD, blended learning, and the flipped classroom. Read more at Teched Up Teacher.

DreamBox Learning Math

Pros: The adaptive technology is quite good; lessons often make use of inquiry-based teaching strategies that focus on conceptual understanding rather than procedures.

Cons: K-2 students may need a lot of support with the interface and games, at least initially.

Bottom Line: Excellent all-in-one solution for extra math support and practice, with solid adaptive tech that supplements but doesn't replace curriculum.

Read more 

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

By Common Sense Education

Minecraft

Spiraling sandbox of adventure and creation gets kids to dig deep

Pros: Delivers open, creative, and purposeful play supported by frequent updates.

Cons: Open world can lead to power struggles and community problems without a shared code of conduct.

Bottom Line: An irresistible and seemingly limitless incubator for 21st-century skills that, with a little guidance, can chart new courses for learning.

[Create Games For Any Curriculum With Aris]

Read more.

By Common Sense Education

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly.

Epistory - Typing Chronicles

Practice typing by exploring and defending a world made of paper

Pros: Learn to type faster through timed events that depend on skill and accuracy.

Cons: By design, it's repetitive. Whether the story keeps players engaged enough to reach the end is iffy.

Bottom Line: Great for practicing touch-typing skills, this adventure game draws players in with a slowly revealed backstory.

Read more 

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

By Common Sense Education

Quick: Name the most popular educational video game of all time. Chances are, you said either Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? or The Oregon Trail. 

Those games are classic—created last century. Due to the lack of production and depth of gameplay, the edutainment industry has never really taken off. Where the edutainment industry has fallen short, large studios with big budgets, or triple-A (AAA) video-game companies, have started to step in. Game-based learning—where teachers teach and assess through video games—is being found in more and more classrooms. For those looking to incorporate game-based learning in the classroom, here are the top 10 video games that put the quality of the game first but also offer some educational value.

1 - Minecraft: Education Edition

Minecraft: Education Edition is the reigning champion of game-based learning. The game retains the open-world, sandbox charm of traditional Minecraft while incorporating educational tools and lessons that are very engaging. Minecraft first added lessons in their Chemistry update, which challenges students to “discover the building blocks of matter, combine elements into useful compounds and Minecraft items, and conduct amazing experiments with new lessons and a downloadable world.” Their most recent update, Aquatic, added a new underwater biome to explore. It comes with a host of lessons to incorporate into your classroom. Using the new camera and portfolio, students can capture all their learning in Minecraft and export projects to use in a variety of cool ways. 

2- Assassin’s Creed

Assassin’s Creed is a long-running, popular series of video games in which players go back in time as members of the Assassins’ Guild to stop the Templars from exerting control over history. The core games in the series are probably not appropriate for school, but the game’s developer, Ubisoft, has creating a non-violent, educational version of the game with Assassin’s Creed: Origins. Origins takes place in Egypt and features 75 historical tours that range from five to 25 minutes long. They’re set in the game’s open world and cover mummies, cultivation, the Library of Alexandria, and more. 

3 - Cities: Skylines

Cities: Skylines is like SimCity on steroids. Cities: Skylines is a highly detailed, in-depth city building simulator that encourages system thinking as students have to balance wicked problems brought on by systems—such as taxes versus citizens’ happiness, waste management, traffic, zoning, pollution, and much more. Beyond system thinking, Cities: Skylines is great at teaching civil engineering, civics, and environmentalism. 

4 - Offworld Trading Company

Congratulations! You’re now the CEO of your very own trading company on Mars. The problem is, the other CEOs want to drive your company into the ground so they can control all of Mars’ valuable resources. Can you defeat the competition as you refine basic materials into more complex sellable goods and take control of the market? Offworld is a real-time strategy game that’s great for teaching the basic principles of economics like supply and demand, markets, finance, and opportunity cost. It comes with a fun tutorial that helps students get started on the road to economic success. 

5 - SiLAS

SiLAS is an innovative video game that helps students with social-emotional learning through digital role play. First, students pick an avatar and then act out a social situation in the video game with a teacher or peer. The interaction is recorded live as students play it out. Students and teachers can then play back the interaction to analyze their performance. SiLAS’ onboard curriculum aligns with Universal Design for Learning and Multi-Tiered System of Support standards, but SiLAS is also flexible enough for teachers to use it with their own curricula. SiLAS’ patent-pending technology and focus on active learning separate it from other social skills programs, which are typically paper based and consumed passively. SiLAS’ active lessons have been shown to promote greater engagement, resulting in the development of social skills that carry over into the real world. 

6- Rocket League

I recently started the nation’s first middle-school esports team. My students compete against other schools in Rocket League. While Rocket League may just be cars playing soccer, the game can be used to teach students all of the lessons they would learn from traditional sports such as leadership, communication, and teamwork. Rocket League is a great game for schools looking to start an esports team.

7- DragonBox Math Apps

One of two edutainment video games on this list, DragonBox Math Apps are the best math-as-a-video-game offerings out there. From basic math through algebra, these apps offer the most fun students will have while learning math. 

8 - CodeCombat

CodeCombat, the second edutainment video game on this list, stands out as the best game to come out of the Hour of Code movement. CodeCombat teaches basic Python through a traditional role-playing game (RPG) format. Players level up their character and equipment as they defeat enemies through coding. Fans of RPGs will be delighted by CodeCombat.

9 - Civilization VI

Civ VI is a turn-based strategy game where players control one of dozens of civilizations—such as the Romans, Aztecs, or Chinese—that are trying to carve out their place as the greatest civilization ever. To go along with the riveting, award-winning game play, Civ VI does a masterful job working in educational content around each civilization. Because players can play out historical events on top of the educational game play, Civ VI is a history teacher’s dream game. Civics, religion, government, political science, economics, and math teachers would also get a lot of mileage out of the game. 

10 - Fortnite

Yes, Fortnite. Teachers can try to fight Fortnite’s popularity, or they can embrace what students love and use it to engage them with what they need to learn. This can be done without even using Fortnite in school. Fortnite-themed writing prompts may reach the most reluctant learner. And those who know a little bit about the game can create some great math problems. For example: a topic of debate in Fortnite is the best way to land. The faster you land, the more likely you are to live because you’ll get a weapon sooner. Want to start an engaging debate with your students? Ask them: “Once you jump out of the Battle Bus, what’s the best angle of approach to take if you want to land at Tilted Towers first?” It may sound obvious (a straight line), but it’s not. There are game mechanics, like gliding and fall rate, that need to be taken into account. Another example: Fortnite is played on a 10 x 10 grid, 100-square map, with 100 players. Each square on a Fortnite map is 250m x 250m, making the map 2500m x 2500m. It takes 45 seconds to run across a single square horizontally and vertically, and 64 seconds to run across a single square diagonally. With this information, how many math problems can you create for students? You could even teach them how to use this information to calculate when they should start to run for a safe zone.

Chris Aviles is a teacher at Knollwood Middle School in the Fair Haven School District in Fair Haven, New Jersey. There he runs the renown Fair Haven Innovates program he created in 2015. Chris presents and blogs about a variety of topics including gamification, esports, and passion-based learning. You can keep up with Chris at TechedUpTeacher.com

GameMaker Studio 2

One of the best creation tools available for aspiring game developers

Pros: Offers an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface for novices; powerful scripting for pros.

Cons: Free version doesn't allow the creation of any executables; learning curve for novices is pretty steep.

Bottom Line: Provides teachers with the best choice for a full unit or class on game design, and gives students a tool to help them realize their game-making dreams.

Read more here.

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

By Common Sense Education

GooseChase EDU

Digital scavenger hunts provide dynamic, fresh learning experiences

Pros: Highly engaging and fosters collaboration in any subject area.

Cons: Video recordings are a maximum of 15 seconds; devices must maintain internet connection.

Bottom Line: Students and teachers will enjoy the powerful learning of a modern scavenger hunt.

Read more here.

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly.

By Common Sense Education

For the past couple of years I’ve been a live reporter at ISTE and for 2 years interviewed folks with my toddler, Savvy. This year I am attending the ISTE conference virtually!  This year’s conference highlighted so many ways to use Google apps and tools to engage learners and make grading, assessment, feedback, pbl, gamification, student engagement, collaboration, student choice, and student voice easy to do! Currently, I am the Computer and Technology teacher of over 400 elementary students. Google Education apps and tools has helped me manage it all and be a powerful teacher. If you missed the zilions of presentations and amazing ideas at ISTE don’t worry, because I got you covered. Below I have added links to presentations, resources, tips, and more thanks to Wakelet, the great free curation tool that captures thoughts, reflections, and reactions from Twitter during a conference. I recommend following the presenters. I have shared a list of Google Gurus in this post.

Top Google Education Tips and Updates

These are the important updates and cool ways to use Google Education apps and tools.

• Students can now earn a GSuite certification!
• Google Classroom is adding several grading features, including rubrics, and has a new user-friendly design.
• Now you can import questions from other forms on Google Forms and Google Forms is getting a makeover.
• Google Expeditions is now compatible with Chromebooks and students can use Tour Creator to build their own virtual reality tours.
• Google has new grammar suggestions to improve writing.
• Google has partnered with different EdTech companies, such as Seesaw and Kahoot! so teachers and students can easily use learning apps with Chromebooks and GSuites Edu.

TEACHING & LEARNING IDEAS, RESOURCES, & TIPS

• @WTerral shared how to create gifs with Google Slides and how to make your own Chrome extensions.
• In their presentation, Get in the Game! Lil Gamers, @mrsnpartyka  and @k8wakeshare downloadable Choice Menus and Game Boards, tips for managing choice work in Google Classroom, and ideas for gamification with Google Forms.
• Find resources for the presentation, If You Give a Kindergartener a Chromebook, here.
• Add Screencastify’s screen recording videos (create tutorials or show students how to use websites) to Google Slides. Great for your beginning of the year presentations.
  @Njcashman shared the resource Glide for creating an app within minutes using Google Spreadsheet.
• @She3llyLynn84 shared how to create games with Google Slides.
• Google Earth scavenger hunts where another idea. I didn’t see links, but found these two resources (Geolocation coordinates scavenger hunt and Google Classroom scavenger hunt) to help you set this up in your classroom.

Top Google Tips and Resources

These are some of the highlighted tweets taken during the presentations and related to Google Education so you have the latest news, updates, resources, and tips!

cross posted at teacherrebootcamp.com

Shelly Terrell is a Technology and Computer teacher, education consultant, and author of books including Hacking Digital Learning Strategies: 10 Ways to Launch EdTech Missions in Your Classroom. Read more at teacherrebootcamp.com.

If you want to know about the next big thing in ed tech, you should know about esports. 

Here are takeaways from the "Esports in Education: Everything You Wanted to Know" session hosted by Microsoft that took place at #ISTE19. 

The Stats

Future ready skills

Improvements in:

• Attention
• Problem solving
• Digital literacy
• Technology fluency
• Math achievement

School Success

• Students who play esports are know to have:
• Increased attendance
• Increased participation in school activities
• Decreased at-home game play
• Increased GPA

College Scholarship Opportunities

Hundreds of colleges provide scholarships for esports athletes. Currently there are more than 16 million dollars in scholarships.

STEM Interest

Video game playing is positively correlated with interest in STEM Fields. Esports are STEM.org approved.

There Is A Curriculum

The High School Esports League has a curriculum and you can access it at bit.ly/gamingcurriculum.

Career Readiness

Students learn about platform technologies, databases, big data, and machine learning.

Accessibility and Inclusion

All students can participate unlike traditional sports.

Social Connections

Esports are a great way for students to connect.

Don't know what esports is?

Esports or electronic sports are a form of competition that happens when people play video games competitively. Just like football players play football together, esports players play video games together. Just like baseball players fill stadiums, so do esport players. It is a one billion dollar industry with more than 500 million people predicted to watch them in 2020. 

Lisa Nielsen (@InnovativeEdu) has worked as a public-school educator and administrator since 1997. She is a prolific writer best known for her award-winning blog, The Innovative Educator. Nielsen is the author of several booksand her writing has been featured in media outlets such as The New York Times,The Wall Street Journal, Tech&Learning, and T.H.E. Journal.  

At ISTE 2019, Classcraft will premiere the trailer for “Classcraft: Season 1,” an episodic adventure designed to engage and motivate students by harnessing the power of storytelling. Classcraft, a Google for Education Premier Partner, provides tools to measure and promote student motivation that are used by more than 5 million students and educators.

Classcraft: Season 1 is a part of Classcraft’s new “Story Mode,” which is designed to help teachers improve student engagement, foster a positive school climate, and promote social emotional learning (SEL) through a series of ready-made stories set within the Classcraft world.

Classcraft: Season 1, which explores themes of self-discovery and the value of human relationships through a year-long adventure story, will premiere during Back to School 2019. New episodes will be released each month. 

At ISTE 2019, Classcraft will officially unveil its all-new Ambassador Program. Classcraft Ambassadors are a group of passionate teachers inspiring and supporting other educators with Classcraft, from their schools to communities all around the world.

Educators interested in sharing their Classcraft story, connecting with other educators, and helping Classcraft have a deeper impact for the millions of students using it are invited to submit an application or visit Classcraft at ISTE Booth #2030 to learn more.

For a complete guide to Classcraft’s activities at ISTE 2019 — including speaker sessions, a Nintendo Switch giveaway, and the Classcraft AR Experience, view our ISTE round-up announcement.

Nearpod Student Engagement Platform for K-12 teachers, today launched Time to Climb, a new game-based activity that allows students to compete across various subjects through interactive visualizations to assess comprehension and increase engagement in the classroom. 

Time to Climb, the platform’s introduction of game-based activities to its lessons, is designed to ignite friendly competition and interactivity in the classroom while  assessing students’ understanding. The activity, which can be embedded in any lesson, asks students to answer multiple choice questions against the clock in a race to the top of a mountain, visualizing their progress and understanding through interactive simulations. At the end of the game, the top three winners are presented with fanfare, bringing friendly competition into the classroom. Additionally, teachers are given access to post-session reporters on each students’ performance, allowing them to get a full picture of their classes’ comprehension in real-time. 

Time To Climb is integrated into any existing Nearpod lesson, allowing any topic or subject to be gamified. The teacher will see a dashboard with the students’ ranking, as well as a view of the mountain as the students progress towards the top and students can see the class rankings on the teacher view. Teachers can integrate any of the 25 pre-made offerings with existing Nearpod-created lessons or develop their own with tailored questions to fit their students’ needs. 

Time to Climb can be played in any grade level and supports all classroom sizes. The new offering will work on all devices such as desktops, iPads, Chromebooks, Android devices and more. Time to Climb is currently available through teacher-paced lessons.

Teachers can add Time to Climb activities to any existing or new Nearpod lesson - check the collection of ready-to-run lessons here or can stop by Nearpod’s booth (#2234) at ISTE 2019.  

Time to Climb is available at no additional charge for all Nearpod users, including users of Nearpod’s free Silver licenses. To sign up for a free Silver account and start using Nearpod today, click here.

Osmo Tangram

Fun hybrid puzzles with excellent classroom supports  

Pros: Plenty of puzzles and levels of difficulty to engage and challenge students.

Cons: Device has to be removed from its protective cover to be placed in base, so teachers will need to have procedures in place to handle that.

Bottom Line: Classic puzzler combines toys with digital play to engage and teach all ages.

Read more 

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

By Common Sense Education

NewsFeed Defenders

Social media simulation builds news literacy skills  

Pros: Lifelike news and social media feeds offer a safe, controlled environment.

Cons: There's not much in-game feedback on why choices are correct or incorrect.

Bottom Line: This is a great tool to kick off critical discussions about news and social media. 

Read more here.

Site of the Week picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed byCommon Sense Education, which helps educators find the best edtech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

By Common Sense Education

Zoombinis

Classic logic puzzler gets a beautiful new look 

Pros: Increasingly difficult puzzles makes for cognitively powerful playtime.
Cons: Some puzzles take a bit too long or are somewhat tedious to complete, even after a solution is found or a pattern is discovered.
Bottom Line: Promote powerful thinking skills, resilience, and decision-making through purely fun gameplay that will keep students begging for more.

Read more here. 

By Common Sense Education 

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

I got the chance over the last few days to spend time with tons of social studies gurus and learn tons of new stuff at the National Council for History Education conference in Washington DC. Thanks to Dr. Richard Satchwell and Judy Bee at Illinois State University and all the folks at the @TeachingLC Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources project for making the trip possible.

Part of our TPS time together was spent with developers of the five Library of Congress interactive civic education apps they’ve created. Very cool stuff that you can find at the LOC. All five are super handy for helping kids make sense of primary sources and for training students to engage as informed citizens. It was great sitting with the developers and learning more about how to use the apps with kids.

But I am just as excited about something Emma Humphries, Chief Education Officer at iCivics, threw out at the end of her formal presentation about their DBQuest app:

We’re releasing a new iCivics game tomorrow called Race to Ratify. 

She couldn’t really share a ton about it but we got the chance to get a quick taste of the game. And when she said “tomorrow,” she meant last Friday. So it’s been officially out in the wild for a few days. I’ve played with it a bit since then and it’s pretty much like all iCivics content.

Awesome.

Basically your students pick a character from 1787 and spend their time trying to get the Constitution ratified by the different states. The iCivics people created the following overview: 

The ink is still drying on the new Constitution.

Will it become the law of the land or will it fall into the dustbin of history? The fate of our young nation is in your hands! Dive deep into the heated national debate over the future of a radical new plan for American government. Travel across the 13 states to hear from a diverse and opinionated cast of characters and use what you have learned to influence others through the social media of the time . . . pamphlets.

Can you be a ratification #influencer?

Kids can jump right in. Race to Ratify is designed for students to discover the big ideas at the core of the ratification debate while learning about the role of pamphleteering in the 1780s.

Though I may have convinced my wife who teaches 5th grade to give it a try, the game is probably more for middle and high school kids. The game is also device agnostic – giving you the ability to play on laptops, Chromebooks, tablets, and phones. 

Like most of the games that iCivics create, you also get a very handy teacher’s guide and something they call an Extension Pack with additional tools and resources. But, unfortunately, like some of the things that iCivics creates, it can be difficult finding all of these things in the same place. (Seriously, iCivics web site people. Is it so hard to create a single page with links to all of this stuff in a bulleted list? Just asking. For a friend.)

So . . . here are some direct links to the Race to Ratify things. Just remember, you’ll need the free teacher account to download the extra goodies and assign the game to the iCivics LMS – though your kids can always play without logging in.

• Race to Ratify game
• Teacher Guide
• Extension Pack 

cross posted at glennwiebe.org

Glenn Wiebe is an education and technology consultant with 15 years' experience teaching history and social studies. He is a curriculum consultant forESSDACK, an educational service center in Hutchinson, Kansas, blogs frequently at History Tech and maintains Social Studies Central, a repository of resources targeted at K-12 educators. Visit glennwiebe.org to learn more about his speaking and presentation on education technology, innovative instruction and social studies