Indiana ELA Standard: 7.CC.4

What’s In My Brain: Ramp vs Bike

Two columns. One is an example, one isn’t. Can you figure out the hidden rule before the big reveal?

What’s In My Brain: H vs Arrow

Two columns. One is an example, one isn’t. Can you figure out the hidden rule before the big reveal?

What’s In My Brain: Grass vs Mold

Two columns. One is an example, one isn’t. Can you figure out the hidden rule before the big reveal?

Main Idea and Details

Young students can use this big idea organizer to identify the main idea and support it with details.

Halloween Worksheets

Crosswords, image analysis, and writing prompts for Halloween!

Power Big Idea Worksheets

Your students will investigate statements like: Power leads to change, Power comes in many forms, Power can be used or abused.

Power can be Visible or Invisible

What are examples of unseen Power? And can invisible power be more powerful than visible power?

What’s In My Brain: Inventions vs Discovery

We’re looking at inventions vs discoveries.

What’s In My Brain: Paperclip vs Straw

We’re looking at magnetic vs. non-magnetic materials.

What’s In My Brain: Lion vs Bear

We’re looking at carnivores vs omnivores.

What’s In My Brain: Guinea Pig vs Potbelly

What do guinea pigs, shooting stars, and seahorses have in common? They’re all misnomers!

What’s In My Brain: Spain vs Germany

One column is an example. The other isn’t. Can your students figure out the hidden rule before the reveal?

Tournament of Mythological Creatures

Who will win the tournament of mythological creatures!?

Tournament of Not-So-Famous Inventors

Which inventor and invention will win the tournament?

Not Like The Others: Rivers

Four rivers. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

Not Like The Others: Cephalopods

Four cephalopods. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

Not Like The Others: Flowers

Four flowers. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

Not Like The Others: 19th Century Presidents

Four 19th century presidents. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

Not Like The Others: 20th Century Presidents – Group B

Four 20th century presidents. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

Not Like The Others: 20th Century Presidents – Group A

Four 20th century presidents. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

What’s In My Brain: Pentagon vs Pentagon

We’re looking at regular vs irregular polygons.

What’s In My Brain: Austin vs Los Angeles

We’re looking at capital cities.

What’s In My Brain: Italy vs Normandy

We’re looking at countries vs states (and other smaller regions).

What’s In My Brain: Coral vs Water Lilies

Let’s look at saltwater vs freshwater organisms.

What’s In My Brain: Tree vs Tree

Let’s look at deciduous vs coniferous trees.

What’s In My Brain: Ball vs Book

Let’s look at Kinetic vs Potential Energy!

What’s In My Brain: Crocodile vs Tree Frog

Is it a reptile or an amphibian?

What’s In My Brain: Narwhal vs Penguin

We’re looking at the arctic vs the antarctic.

Domesticated Animals Tournament

Which domesticated animal will win the tournament?

Types of Energy Tournament

Which type of energy will win the tournament!?

What Happens In Your Brain When You’re Worried or Afraid

Allison Edwards explains how blood flow in your brain affects your decision-making

Not Like The Others: African Nations

Four African nations. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

What’s In My Brain!? Japan vs Jamaica

Is it an island or an archipelago?

Not Like The Others: US National Parks

Four US national parks. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

What’s In My Brain!? Gold vs Wood

Some of these examples are conductors and some are insulators!

What’s In My Brain!? Walnut vs Clouds

Let’s look at living vs non-living things.

Concept Attainment: Hornet vs Tiger

Can your class spot the vertebrates vs invertebrates?

Not Like The Others: Types of Diseases

Four diseases. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

Not Like The Others: Birds of the Desert

Four desert birds. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

Not Like The Others: Penguins

Four penguins. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

Not Like The Others: Microstates of Europe

Four of the tiniest countries in Europe. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

Not Like The Others: Microorganisms

Four microorganisms. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

Plant Adaptation Tournament

Who will win in a tournament of eight plants with Interesting adaptations!?

Tournament: 8 Wonders of the Solar System

Which location is the most wondrous place in the solar system?

Not Like The Others: Ants of the World!

Four ants from around the world. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

The 8th Wonder of the World Tournament

Which of these eight wonders deserves to become the Eighth Wonder of the World!?

Exploration Technology Tournament

Which of these pieces of exploration technology is most important? Most underrated? Most long-lasting?

Precipitation Tournament

Eight types of precipitation battle it out in this tournament.

Tournament of Ancient Inventions

Which of these inventions of the ancient world is most influential? Least useful today? Most taken-for-granted?

Animal Adaptation Tournament

Which animal has the most interesting, most valuable, or strangest adaptations?

Habitable Planets and Moons Tournament

Which object in the solar system is most habitable?

Parts of Speech Tournament

Which part of speech is most useful? Interesting? Strange?

Not Like The Others: Types of Rocks

Igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic — and one that doesn’t fit. But which one? Depends on your argument.

Not Like The Others: Snakes of the Rainforest

Four rainforest snakes. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

Not Like The Others: Rainforests

Which of these rainforests is not like the others?

Not Like The Others: Stars

How is each of these stars not like the others?

Not Like The Others: US States

How is each of these states not like the others?

Not Like The Others: Mountains

Which of these mountains is not like the others?

Not Like The Others: Birds of the Tropical Rainforest

Which of these four birds is not like the others?

Not Like The Others: Branches of the US Government

How is each part of the United States Government not like the other parts?

Create A Civilization: Design A Flag

What makes for a good flag? What makes a bad flag?

Tournament of Presidents

So who was the strangest of these eight presidents?

What’s In My Brain: Owl vs Eagle

Some of these animals are nocturnal and some are diurnal.

Concept Attainment: Art

Can your students tell the difference between cubism and abstract art?

Thinking With Art: Head Down

One artist, two paintings. Notice details, compare, synthesize, then find a parallel in another creator’s work.

Inferring With Art: A Man

What’s going on in this painting? Who is that guy? What’s his job? And where’s his other boot?

Inferring With Art: A Couple

What’s going on in this room? There are shoes everywhere! Are those… oranges? Let’s make some inferences!

Inferring With Art: Two Women

What are these two women up to? What’s that thing she’s holding? Let’s make some inferences!

Art Lesson: One-Point Perspective

Let’s give our students an art history lesson while teaching them how to enhance their drawings using one-point perspective.

Art Lesson: Two-Point Perspective

Let’s get students’ art really popping with two-point perspective!

Not Like The Others: Natural Disasters

Four natural disasters. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

Not Like The Others: States of Matter

How is each of the states of matter not like the others?

Not Like The Others: Countries

How is each of these four countries not like the others?

How Renewable Is That Resource?

Which resource is more renewable? And which is easier to find?

What’s In My Brain: Trapezoids or Not?

Which are trapezoids and which are not?

Not Like The Others: Charlotte’s Web

Four Charlotte’s Web characters. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

Not Like The Others: Creatures of the Tundra

Four tundra creatures. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

Not Like The Others: US Presidents

Four US presidents. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.

Not Like The Others: Planets

Which of these planets is not like others? Well, it sure looks simple at first. But each option could be the one that doesn’t fit in.

The Tournament of Biomes

Want to move beyond memorizing the characteristics of biomes? In this lesson, students work through a Tournament of Biomes, explaining which biome wins in each round (based on criteria you choose). In the end, they crown a 👑 Champion Biome!

Fraction Ordering Tournament

Which set of fractions would be the trickiest to order from least to greatest? Let’s have a tournament!

What’s In My Brain – Independent vs Dependent

These clauses are sorted into two groups. What’s the rule? No definitions given — just examples.

The Resiliency Tournament

Your students will set up a tournament to determine which person or character best demonstrated resiliency.

Create A Civilization: Calendars

Why 12 months? Why 30ish days? Why 7 days in a week? Your civilization could organize a year in any way you want!

Improving Presentations 1: Watching The Greats

Get better at giving presentations by studying the greats!

Content Imperatives: Parallel

Get students thinking broadly by exploring similarities across multiple topics. Combine with Depth and Complexity for bonus points!

Persuasion and Packaging: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

How does a drink’s packaging affect us emotionally and logically?

Depth and Complexity: 📈 Trends

Has something been changing recently? What might be causing that? What are the effects?

Depth and Complexity: 🚦 Rules

Is there a consequence for not doing something? You may have found a rule!

Depth and Complexity: 🏛️ Big Idea

Let’s get students thinking big and focusing on more abstract ideas.

Depth and Complexity: ⏳ Change Over Time

Want to get students thinking about how a topic has changed or might change in the future? The ⏳ Change Over Time thinking tool is just what you need!

Depth and Complexity: Patterns

Can your students spot anything that repeats? Or that has stopped repeating?

Depth and Complexity: 🌻 Details

Get kids focusing on the small, but essential, details of a topic.

Introduce Symbolism with Pixel Art

Create a pixelated icon that represents the essence of a character!

Reduce Anxiety: Brain Plate (Tool 3)

When a student’s brain is full of worries, everything feels urgent. Brain Plate helps them sort what’s real from what’s noise — and actually do something about it.

Reduce Anxiety: Change The Channel (Tool 2)

Reduce anxiety by learning to “change the channel.”

Add Layers To Direct Instruction

Take direction instruction beyond a monotonous practice of the same skill over and over.