Teacher notes: Present three statements about the topic — two true, one false. Students identify the lie. This activity reviews factual knowledge in a fun, game-style format that encourages reasoning and discussion.
Student instructions: Your teacher will show or read three statements about the topic — two are true, one is a lie. Decide which one you think is false and explain your reasoning. Be ready to share your guess with the class!
Embedded Files
Teacher notes: Students choose an emoji to describe how they’re feeling today, write it on a sticky note (or share digitally), and include a short explanation. The teacher can invite a few volunteers to share or review the notes privately. This activity helps gauge student wellbeing and mood before learning begins — great for building emotional awareness and classroom connection.
Student instructions: Choose an emoji that best describes how you’re feeling today. Write it on a sticky note (or share it online) along with a short reason why you chose it. Example: 😀 “I’m happy because I finished my project!” Your teacher may ask a few volunteers to share with the class.
Teacher notes: Give 5–6 statements, events, or terms and ask students to quickly rank them (e.g., from most important to least important, earliest to latest, or easiest to hardest). Encourages evaluation and justification of thinking.
Student instructions: Look at the below list. Rank the items according to the given criteria (for example, from most important to least important). Once you’ve ranked them, be ready to explain why you ordered them that way.
Teacher notes: A Rebus puzzle uses pictures or letters to represent a word or phrase. Rebus puzzles encourage creative and lateral thinking, making them a fun warm-up or brain break while still engaging literacy skills.
Student instructions: A Rebus puzzle uses pictures or letters to represent a word or phrase. Look carefully at each puzzle and try to figure out the hidden meaning. Write your answers in the space provided.
Teacher notes: Give 4–5 related terms; one doesn’t fit — students justify why. This task promotes analytical thinking and concept differentiation. It can also be done with images for visual learners or lower-literacy students.
Student instructions: Look at each set of 4–5 related words (or images). Decide which one doesn’t belong and explain why. There may be more than one correct answer — what matters is your reasoning!
Teacher notes: Show a funny or interesting image related to the current topic. Students write a creative caption that connects the image to what they’re learning. This is a quick and engaging way to check understanding and encourage humour, creativity, and topic connections.
Student instructions: Look at the below image. Write a short, clever caption that links it to what we’re learning about today. Be creative — your caption should make sense and show you understand the topic.
Teacher notes: Show students a current or historical news headline and ask them to rewrite it in simpler or more accurate language. This strengthens comprehension and summarising skills while helping students interpret media critically.
Use ClassTools.net to create a Breaking News bulletin that students can rewrite.
Student instructions: Read the headline on the board. Rewrite it in your own words using simpler or clearer language while keeping the same meaning. Be ready to share and compare your version with others.
Teacher notes: Jumble unit keywords. A quick and effective vocabulary activity that helps students commit terminology to memory. Great for retrieval practice at the start or end of lessons.
Student instructions: Unscramble each of the jumbled keywords below. Write the correct word next to each scramble. Race against classmates or time yourself to see how fast you can complete them.
Teacher notes: Pose a real-world estimation question to the class that can’t be proven exactly.
Fermi questions build estimation, reasoning, and problem-solving skills by encouraging students to make logical assumptions.
Here is a list of Fermi questions you can copy and paste into your resources:
How many text messages are sent by students at our school in one day?
How many hours of YouTube are watched by teenagers in our city each week?
How many basketballs would it take to fill our school gym?
How many litres of water does our school use in one school day?
How many slices of pizza are eaten in our city on a Friday night?
How many steps does the average student take in one school day?
How many teachers would it take to stand shoulder-to-shoulder around our school oval?
How many trees would it take to produce all the paper our school uses in a year?
How many cars pass our school between 8:00–9:00 a.m.?
How many mobile phones are within 1 kilometre of our school right now?
How many tennis balls could fit inside a standard classroom?
How many dollars are spent at the tuckshop each week?
How many hours does the average teenager spend gaming in one year?
How many times does the word “like” get said in our school in one day?
How many plastic water bottles are used in our school in a month?
How many books are currently being read by students in our school?
How many hairs are there on all the students’ heads combined in one class?
How many photos are taken by teenagers in our state each day?
How many kilograms of CO₂ are produced by students travelling to school each week?
Teacher notes: Present a number related to the subject (e.g., 1066, π, 9.8). Students brainstorm what it might represent. This sparks curiosity and activates prior knowledge at the start of a lesson.
Student instructions: Look at the below number. Think about what it might represent in today’s subject and discuss with your elbow partner. Write down your ideas about its significance before your teacher reveals the answer.
Teacher notes: Give each student a sticky note and one minute to doodle or draw a simple image representing a keyword or concept. They then post it on the board or wall. A fun, low-stakes way to activate prior knowledge and get everyone participating.
Student instructions: Grab a sticky note and a pen. You have one minute to draw a simple sketch that represents a key concept or word from today’s topic. Add it to the board when you’re done — we’ll look at everyone’s ideas together.
Teacher notes: Show a 2-axis grid (Energy vs. Happiness) and have students mark where they feel they are. The grid helps identify emotions based on how energetic or happy students feel. A visual tool that helps students recognize and regulate emotions — perfect for morning check-ins or transitions.
Student instructions: Look at the Mood Meter grid on the board. Think about how you feel right now:
Energy level (high or low)
Happiness (positive or negative)
Place yourself on the grid where your mood fits best. Be ready to reflect quietly or discuss what might help you move to a positive space.
Teacher notes: Students share three reflections: a rose (something positive or successful), a thorn (a challenge or difficulty), and a bud (something they’re looking forward to). Encourages self-reflection, emotional awareness, and balanced thinking about learning experiences.
Student instructions: Think about your learning or week so far and write down:
Rose: something positive or that went well.
Thorn: a challenge or something tricky.
Bud: something you’re looking forward to or want to grow in.
Teacher notes: Students must summarise yesterday’s topic in one sentence or under five seconds. Forces concise expression and demonstrates understanding — perfect as a quick warm-up or closure task.
Student instructions: You have five seconds (or one sentence) to summarise yesterday’s topic. Focus on the main idea — what was it really about? Be clear, brief, and accurate.
Teacher notes: Give students a set of terms and matching definitions or images. Matching activities support vocabulary consolidation and visual association. They can be done digitally (e.g., drag-and-drop) or in print, making them flexible for any setting.
Student instructions: Match each term to its correct definition or image. Time yourself or compete with a classmate!
📝Old School (devices options but mostly not needed)
📝Old School (devices options but mostly not needed)
These resources are a lifesaver when the wifi goes down!
Teacher notes: Pick a person, place, or concept from the unit. Students take turns asking yes/no questions as a class until they guess correctly. This activity develops questioning, deduction, and recall skills, while encouraging participation and active listening. It works well as a warm-up, recap, or lesson closer.
Teacher notes: Students have 60 seconds to recall and write down as many facts as they can from the last lesson. A high-energy recall activity that reinforces memory and helps teachers see what’s been retained.
Student instructions: Your teacher will set a timer for one minute! Write down as many facts, ideas, or key terms as you can remember from the last lesson. When time’s up, compare your list with a partner or share highlights with the class.
Teacher notes: Give students a concept, definition, or short scenario and have them create a 3-panel comic that represents it visually. This supports visual learning and helps students demonstrate understanding through creative expression.
Student instructions: You’ll be given a concept or idea from today’s topic. Create a 3-panel comic strip that explains or represents it. Include simple drawings, speech bubbles, or labels. Focus on showing meaning — not artistic perfection!
Teacher notes: Play classic Hangman as a class but with content-specific vocabulary only. This keeps a familiar game academic and purposeful while reinforcing spelling and vocabulary in an engaging, interactive way.
Teacher notes: Jumble unit keywords. A quick and effective vocabulary activity that helps students commit terminology to memory. Great for retrieval practice at the start or end of lessons.
Student instructions: Unscramble each of the jumbled keywords below. Write the correct word next to each scramble. Race against classmates or time yourself to see how fast you can complete them.
Pick a letter (or use a random generator to choose a letter) and ask students to list one things about themselves that starts with that letter
For example, if the letter is S, students may say they like spaghetti, play soccer, have a dog called Sue, etc
Here is a Wheel of Names with the easier letters: https://wheelofnames.com/dah-dmv
Teacher notes: Create a crossword using 5+ words from the unit's key terms. Provide to students either digitally or on print-outs.
Create a crossword puzzle on ClassTools: https://www.classtools.net/crossword/
Student instructions: Complete the crossword using this unit’s key terms. Read each clue carefully and fill in the correct word in the grid. Work individually or with a partner. When you finish, double-check your answers against the word list and submit or show your completed crossword to your teacher.
Teacher notes: Students complete an A–Z list using words or concepts related to the current topic (e.g., “List a history term for each letter you can”). This fast-paced activity encourages recall, creative thinking, and broad connections to unit vocabulary.
Student instructions: You have a few minutes to complete an A–Z list of words related to this topic. Try to find one word for as many letters of the alphabet as you can. Be quick — aim for accuracy and creativity!
Teacher notes: Students summarise a key idea, lesson, or topic in exactly six words. This encourages precision, reflection, and synthesis — summarising big ideas in a concise way.
Student instructions: Summarise what you learned in exactly six words. You can write a sentence, phrase, or mini-story — but it must be six words only! Try to capture the most important idea from yesterday’s lesson.
Teacher notes: Use hands, mini whiteboards, or digital tools (e.g., Mentimeter, Kahoot, or Google Forms) to gather instant feedback, predictions, or opinions. Engages all students quickly and provides a fast check of understanding or sentiment.
Teacher notes: Students write a haiku (3 lines, 5–7–5 syllables) that summarises a key concept or event like a “news flash” poem. Combines creativity and summarising skills, encouraging students to express understanding concisely.
Student instructions: Write a Headline Haiku about today’s topic or a key term.
Line 1: 5 syllables
Line 2: 7 syllables
Line 3: 5 syllables
Try to capture the main idea in a creative way — like a poetic headline!
Teacher notes: Students complete the sentence: “Today’s topic is like ___ because ___.” Analogies help students make connections between new content and prior knowledge, strengthening conceptual understanding.
Student instructions: Finish this sentence: “Today’s topic is like ___ because ___.” Think of something familiar to compare it to, and explain your reasoning in one clear sentence.
Teacher notes: Pose a fun “Would You Rather” question connected to the topic (e.g., “Would you rather travel to Ancient Rome or Ancient Egypt?”). Engages curiosity, sparks discussion, and encourages reasoning while staying subject-focused.
Student instructions: Review the “Would You Rather” question below. Choose one option and ready to explain why you picked it. There’s no wrong answer — just share your reasoning!
💻Devices helpful
💻Devices helpful
These starter activities could be done 'old school', but are more effective when students have access to devices.
Teacher notes: Show a meme template or allow students to choose one (such as from this site - https://imgflip.com/memetemplates), then challenge them to adapt it to the day’s topic. Memes combine humour with conceptual understanding, helping students engage critically and creatively with key ideas.
Student instructions: Choose or use the meme template your teacher provides. Add your own caption or text that links the meme to today’s topic. Make sure it’s appropriate, relevant, and shows your understanding of the idea.
Teacher notes: Use hands, mini whiteboards, or digital tools (e.g., Mentimeter, Kahoot, or Google Forms) to gather instant feedback, predictions, or opinions. Engages all students quickly and provides a fast check of understanding or sentiment.
Teacher notes: Give students a tricky definition, quote, or passage. They rephrase it using their own words. This activity builds comprehension, vocabulary, and confidence in expressing complex ideas clearly.
Student instructions: Read the definition or quote your teacher has provided. Rewrite it in your own words so that it means the same thing but sounds simpler and more natural. Avoid copying exact phrases.
👯For pairs, groups or the whole class
👯For pairs, groups or the whole class
These activities are great for encouraging lively discussion and working together.
Teacher notes: Each student shares one word that sums up how they’re feeling, how yesterday’s lesson went, or what they’re thinking about the topic. A quick and inclusive way to start a discussion and gauge class energy or understanding.
Student instructions: When it’s your turn, share one word that sums up your current mood or how you felt about yesterday’s lesson. Keep it short and listen respectfully as others share their words.
Teacher notes: Students must summarise yesterday’s topic in one sentence or under five seconds. Forces concise expression and demonstrates understanding — perfect as a quick warm-up or closure task.
Student instructions: You have five seconds (or one sentence) to summarise yesterday’s topic. Focus on the main idea — what was it really about? Be clear, brief, and accurate.
Teacher notes: One student says a fact, the next adds a connected fact, and so on, creating a “chain” of related ideas. Encourages active listening and reinforces how concepts link together.
💻Digital input (by the teacher) required
💻Digital input (by the teacher) required
These resources are lots of fun and highly effective, but require a bit of input before they are ready to go. Some of these activities are completed by students on devices and some can be printed out.
Teacher notes: This is based on the popular New York Times Connections puzzle. It promotes critical thinking, pattern recognition, and group reasoning. It’s best introduced with a few class examples before students work independently or in pairs.
Student instructions: You’ll see 16 words on the screen. Your task is to sort them into four groups of four, based on a hidden connection between the words. Keep trying until you’ve found all four correct groups!
Teacher notes: Create a crossword using 5+ words from the unit's key terms. Provide to students either digitally or on print-outs.
Student instructions: Complete the crossword using this unit’s key terms. Read each clue carefully and fill in the correct word in the grid. Work individually or with a partner. When you finish, double-check your answers against the word list and submit or show your completed crossword to your teacher.
Teacher notes: Word searches reinforce familiarity with new terminology and spelling. They can be teacher-created using the site above or found pre-made for common subjects.
Create a word search using key terms for the unit (or find one that already has the terms within) at TheWordSearch.com
Student instructions: Complete the word search using the key terms from this unit. Highlight or circle each word as you find it.
Teacher notes: Use hands, mini whiteboards, or digital tools (e.g., Mentimeter, Kahoot, or Google Forms) to gather instant feedback, predictions, or opinions. Engages all students quickly and provides a fast check of understanding or sentiment.
📃Printables
📃Printables
teacher notes: Word searches reinforce familiarity with new terminology and spelling. They can be teacher-created using the site above or found pre-made for common subjects.
Create a word search using key terms for the unit (or find one that already has the terms within) at TheWordSearch.com
Student instructions: Complete the word search using the key terms from this unit. Highlight or circle each word as you find it.
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