Holiday Worksheets
Writing prompts, non-fiction analysis, and science topics related to Christmas and Hanukkah.
Who has more power: the Queen Bee or the Hive?
Sometimes power is concentrated in one place. Other times it is spread out.
Founding The Colonies
13 colonies activities including a word search and task cards packed with facts. Plus, students will create their own colony with a name, story, and map!
Two Animals Switch Biomes
What if a capybara and a kangaroo rat switched homes? Would their adaptations be helpful at all?
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: 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.
New Uses For A Cardboard Tube
So, what can a cardboard tube be used for other than holding wrapping paper?
Create A Civ: Capital City
Every great capital is part geography, part human design. Research real ones, then build your own from scratch.
Not Like The Others: African Nations
Four African nations. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.
Not Like The Others: US National Parks
Four US national parks. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.
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.
Drawing An Impossible Triangle
Here’s how you can draw The Penrose Triangle, an example of an impossible shape.
Microchess (Chess Variant)
What if we played chess on a board that’s only 4×5?
Horde Chess Variant
What if one player had, say, 32 pawns?
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.
Habitable Planets and Moons Tournament
Which object in the solar system is most habitable?
Not Like The Others: Types of Volcanoes
Which of these types of volcanoes is not like the others?
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: Deserts
Which of these deserts is not like the others?
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: 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: Currency
What type of currency will your civilization use? What symbols will be on it? Why are they significant?
Create A Civilization: Design A Flag
What makes for a good flag? What makes a bad flag?
Not Like The Others: Countries
How is each of these four countries not like the others?
Impostor Syndrome
How high-performing students can often feel like they aren’t really that great.
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.
Upgrade Research Questions With Depth and Complexity
Ever ask students to create research questions? Were their ideas a bit… blah? My own students had a very hard time writing questions they didn’t already know the answer to! This video is how I solved that problem: upgrade research questions with depth and complexity.
Game: Notakto
What if you only played Tic-Tac-Toe with Xs and you could play on multiple boards?
Dots and Boxes
Who can make the most boxes from dots in this strategy game?
Using Creativity Tools To Develop A Learning Exploration: Step Three
How do you turn “go research something” into a structured, creative learning exploration? Kathryn Haydon walks through it step by step.
Using Creativity Tools To Develop A Learning Exploration: Step Two
How do you turn “go research something” into a structured, creative learning exploration? Kathryn Haydon walks through it step by step.
Depth and Complexity: 📚 Across Disciplines
No topic is an island! With the 📚 Across Disciplines prompt, students note connections within and across multiple fields.
Creating A Realistic Flower and Pollinator
Your students will create a new flower, designed to attract a specific pollinator.
Drawing Natural Curves Like Andy Goldsworthy
Andy Goldsworthy turns leaves and stones into art. Your students will learn to draw his signature natural curves — then build on them.
Building Brush Bots and Art Bots
What if we turned a tooth brush into a robot… that could do art?
Creating A Classroom Motto
Starting with specific examples of fantastic classroom behavior, your class will end up with one sentence summing up their expectations. It’s a classroom motto!
Teaching Empathy With Faberge Eggs
The story of the Fabergé Eggs is heartbreaking. It’s also the perfect way to build empathy in your classroom.
Disneyland Parking Tram Math Project
A full parking structure. Thousands of people. Trams that hold a few dozen. How many trips? Real math with a place kids actually care about.
Engineering: Build A Bridge
Using real bridges as their starting point, students will construct bridges out of straws and paperclips.