Playlist: Bookmarks
Natural Disasters Tournament
Earthquake vs. hurricane. Tsunami vs. wildfire. Students set the criteria, argue their case, and crown a champion. Warning: it gets heated.
Polar Weather Report
The North Pole hits -40°. The South Pole hits -60°. Calculate the averages, graph the data, and deliver your polar weather report.
Notice, Wonder: Sombrero
A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!
Notice, Wonder: SLS Test
A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!
Tournament: 8 Wonders of the Solar System
Which location is the most wondrous place in the solar system?
Notice, Wonder: Swirls
A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!
Precipitation Tournament
Eight types of precipitation battle it out in this tournament.
Habitable Planets and Moons Tournament
Which object in the solar system is most habitable?
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: Branches of the US Government
How is each part of the United States Government not like the other parts?
Ultimate (or Inception) Tic Tac Toe
What if each square on a Tic-Tac-Toe board had another Tic-Tac-Toe board inside of it?
A Lunar Survival Mission
A favorite of mine! This task is delightfully complex and ambiguous, forcing students to make choices without enough information and with no right answer. How will they survive on the moon for three days?
Not Like The Others: Natural Disasters
Four natural disasters. One doesn’t belong. But which one? That depends on your argument.
How Renewable Is That Resource?
Which resource is more renewable? And which is easier to find?
Depth and Complexity – An Introduction for Teachers
For TeachersDepth and Complexity is the most powerful framework most teachers have never heard of. Here’s what it actually is — and isn’t.
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.
Notice, Wonder: Michael
A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!
The Personalities of Rocks
What would an igneous rock be like? Would it get along with a sedimentary rock? Could they handle the hot personality of a metamorphic rock?
Bulls and Cows
How quickly can you break the numeric code?
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.
Math Curiosity: The Coloring Problem
No video gets me more email from students! How few colors can you use to color in any map so that no two, neighboring regions are the same color?
Math Project: What If I Bought Apple Stock Instead?
What if you had an original iPod and sold it compared to if you had bought the equivalent amount of Apple stock and sold that?