Less than $5 8th Grade Critical Thinking Activities (by rating)

Add a touch of holiday excitement to your classroom with this activity- Christmas Mystery Game! Ideal for use in homeroom, classroom parties, or as a fun brain-boosting break, this game will have students working together to solve clues and uncover the mystery.

Ready-to-Use Ready-to-Print / Printable Black and White Worksheet

What’s Included:

• Christmas Mystery PDF: A festive logic puzzle game that challenges students to think critically and collaborate to solve the mystery.
• Answer Key

Bring holiday magic to your classroom with this Christmas Mystery Game! Download now and watch your students immerse themselves in this joyful, brain-teasing activity!

Can be used in any grade level and any subject, especially math for cryptography lesson, encrypting, decrypting messages.

OTHER CHRISTMAS CLASSROOM GAMES:

• Math Escape Room
• It's a Match (like Spot It / Dobble)
• Christmas Mystery: Crack the Code Worksheet
• Memory Game
• This or That
• OOPS Taboo-Like Game

Copyright © OOPS! Math is Fun [2024]. All rights reserved. This digital product is the sole creation of OOPS! Math is Fun and is intended for personal use by a single individual only. Redistribution, posting online, resale, or sharing of this product, in part or in whole, is strictly prohibited without prior written consent from OOPS! Math is Fun. Any unauthorized use or distribution may result in legal action.

Help your learners develop critical social communication skills with the Think It or Say It? ABA Program! This digital download is designed to teach teens and adults how to determine when it’s appropriate to say something out loud or keep it as a thought. The program uses Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) techniques, offering structured support to build self-awareness and improve communication skills.

What's Included:

1. Detailed Implementation Plan: A comprehensive guide that outlines how to implement and target these skills using ABA strategies. The plan provides clear, step-by-step instructions on teaching learners to differentiate between thoughts that should be kept private and those appropriate to express in social settings.
2. Flashcards for Discrete Trial Training (DTT): A set of editable flashcards that focus on various scenarios to help learners practice identifying whether to "Think it" or "Say it." The flashcards can be personalized to meet each learner’s unique needs.
3. Visual Aid: A visual support tool to be reviewed with learners prior to starting the program. This visual helps learners grasp the key concepts and provides a clear, visual reminder during the learning process.

Why Choose the Think It or Say It? ABA Program:

• Improves Social Awareness: Learners will become more aware of their thoughts and better understand what is socially appropriate to say, enhancing their communication and social interaction skills.
• Easy to Implement: The detailed program plan and ready-to-use flashcards make it simple to start working on these skills immediately, whether at home, in school, or in a therapeutic setting.
• Flexible and Adaptable: The program’s customizable flashcards and visual aid ensure that you can adjust the difficulty and content to match each learner’s unique developmental level.

Equip your learners with the tools they need to navigate social situations with confidence. Download the Think It or Say It? ABA Program today and start teaching thoughtful communication skills that will benefit learners in all areas of life!

Get ready to embark on an exciting educational journey this Black History Month with a variety of engaging activities! These activities have been carefully designed to make learning about black history fun and interactive for students.

Challenge your word skills with "How many words can you find?" activity, where you'll uncover hidden words related to black history. Step into the shoes of Martin Luther King, Jr. in a unique writing activity, where you can have a virtual conversation with this influential leader. Test your knowledge with Black History Month Trivia, complete with an answer key for self-assessment.

Enhance your language skills by putting Black History Month words in alphabetical order. Explore the lives of inspiring African American leaders by writing their captivating biographies. Unleash your creativity by designing your own Black History Month T-shirt through a drawing activity.

Experience empathy by taking a walk in an African American leader's shoes through a thought-provoking writing activity. Finally, dream big and express your own aspirations in the "I have a dream" writing activity.

With these activities, students will not only learn about the significant contributions of African Americans throughout history but will also develop vital skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and empathy. Join us in celebrating Black History Month and let the learning begin! black history fun and interactive for students.

Activities included 

Black History Month- How many words can you find

Writing activity-Conversation with Martin Luther King, Jr.

Alphabetical order-Black History Month words 

Black History month Trivia with answer key

Writing Activity- Biography of an African American Leader

Drawing Activity- Design a Black History Month T-shirt

Writing Activity- Take a walk in an African American Leader’s shoes

A great way to get students journaling is to combine visuals with words to stimulate the mind. The eleven-slide PowerPoint addresses study skills, time management, stress management, interpersonal relationships and goal setting. Great for group discussions and story starters, as well.

Speed Dating is a fun alternative to a traditional class discussion. Students have a set amount of time to discuss a question with their partner, then quickly move onto the next partner and question. This product includes directions and 12 discussion questions for Season 3 Episode 24 of The Twilight Zone: "To Serve Man". The questions address word choice, point of view, inference, theme, allusion, cinematic techniques, suspense, and foreshadowing. They require the students to really analyze the episode! Please let me know if you have any questions! Thank you!

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Embark on a mythical adventure with this set of 30 HeadBands cards featuring iconic figures from Ancient Greek mythology!

From powerful gods and goddesses to courageous heroes and fearsome monsters, test your knowledge and have fun guessing who you are.

This pack includes:

1. 30 cards featuring a variety of well-known characters from Greek mythology.
2. A diverse range of figures: Gods like Zeus and Poseidon, heroes like Hercules and Apollo, monsters like Medusa and the Minotaur, and more!

Engaging gameplay: Perfect for any elementart or middle school classroom.

Educational value: Learn about Greek mythology while having fun!

How to Play:

Insert a card into your headband or stick it to your forehead without looking at it.

Ask yes or no questions to the other players to figure out who you are.

Be the first to guess your character correctly to win!

With this pack, your HeadBands game will reach Olympian heights!

This AVID strategy of layering focused notes is the perfect instructional routine to display for any class in any subject area! Layering is a strategy that clarifies the second and third phases of the focused note-taking process by asking students to revisit their notes multiple times, thinking critically with a different purpose in mind.

Why layering?

Each layer added to the notes is completed in a different color, so a student’s interactions are visible to the instructor and to the student. This not only allows the instructor to assess the quality of the student’s thinking and interaction with the content, but it also solidifies learning about the process and the content itself. Additionally, the use of color enhances retention for visual learners.

Instructional Goals

Students will:

• Add layers of thinking to their notes to process and connect their thinking.

• Use colors to show their repeated interactions with their notes.

Materials needed

If taking notes on paper, students will need a variety of colored pens, colored pencils, highlighters, and markers to use for the note-taking layers.

Directions

• Provide time for students to complete each layer by adding to their notes with a different color.
• Work on one layer at a time. Consider whether developing learners need more structure or fewer components to add during each layering session, compared with more experienced note-takers.
• Have students keep a key to indicate what color is used for each layer (they can make their own key or use the example.)

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Looking for fun mazes or after testing activities for your early finishers? This Pop Culture Maze set is perfect for Gen-Z! Offer your students stress-relieving, yet challenging activities that they will WANT to work on and stay on task as they complete mazes themed upon high-interest topics in pop culture, like TikTok, Crocs, Fortnite, Snacks, Air Jordans, MrBeast, AI, and Netflix!

►This resource requires NO PREP - simply print and staple a packet or use the activities separately. Either way, it's guaranteed to keep your kiddos busy and engaged. I often like to challenge the class with a maze from the pack and offer a small reward to whoever solves the puzzle first! So fun!

►I always leave a stack of mazes to grab in a pinch in my sub binder on my desk for a sub, or colleague to grab in case of an emergency. I feel at ease knowing my students are engaged, even when I have to be out of the classroom.

✔️What's included:

1. 8 Impossible Mazes (PDFs)
2. Answer Keys

***CHECK OUT THE PREVIEWS FOR MORE DETAILS!***

✔️✔️✔️_LIKE THESE MAZES?? GRAB THE_ POP CULTURE PACKETS THAT INCLUDE THESE EXACT MAZES, AS WELL AS A HIGH-INTEREST ARTICLE, READING COMPREHENSION, A CROSSWORD PUZZLE AND A DESIGN CHALLENGE!

► Grab Set 1 which includes the following sets:

• Crocs
• Air Jordans
• Takis
• Fortnite

► Grab Set 2 which includes the following sets:

• TikTok
• MrBeast
• OpenAI
• Netflix

⭐⭐⭐ OR CLICK HERE TO BUY THE MONEY-SAVING BUNDLE AND GET ALL 8 SETS HERE FOR 20% OFF!!

Have a question?

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**For personal and single classroom use only. If using with multiple classrooms, please purchase additional licenses at the discounted rate.**

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Lesson Overview

In this lesson, students learn more about safe and reliable use of the Internet in the digital age as they learn how to decipher between fake and real news, spot misleading websites, avoid clickbait, and recognize rumors or misleading information on social media. The lesson starts with a PowerPoint presentation (teacher led or distributed to students to read themselves) that outlines some of the pitfalls of erroneous or misleading information on the Internet. Then, students complete several lessons to develop their skills in recognizing fake news, fake websites, clickbait, and other misinformation. These can also be done with a partner or in a small group if the teacher prefers. Next, students work with a group to answer critical thinking questions about the ethics of fake news and ways to prevent contributing to the problem. Also included with the lesson is a word search puzzle, great for early finishers, or as a part of the lesson.

This lesson was designed for middle school (grades 6-8) but could be used in upper elementary grades or high school as well.

Materials Required:

· Computers with Internet access for each student (or pair of students)

· Access to Microsoft Word or Google Docs and Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides

Files included:

· Teacher & Student Resources

· PowerPoint Presentation – Misinformation in the Digital Age

· 3 Lessons with Instructions, Grading Rubrics, and Answer Keys

· Reference Sheet: How to Recognize Fake Websites and News

· Group Discussion Critical Thinking Questions with Teacher Guide for Use

· Word Search Puzzle with Answer Key

Approximate Lesson Duration:

· Introduction to the Unit and PowerPoint Presentation: 1 (50 minute) class period

· 3 lessons: 3-4 (50 minute) class periods (for all three lessons)

· Group Discussion Questions: 1-3 (50 minute) class periods depending on class/group size

· Word Search Puzzle: about 20-30 minutes

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Enhance your students' reading comprehension skills with this engaging resource featuring five significant historic disasters. Each passage is designed for 5th to 9th-grade students and includes questions that encourage critical thinking and discussion. Perfect for use in the classroom or as homework assignments!

What's Included:

• Five Reading Comprehension Passages:

1. The Great Chicago Fire (1871)
2. The Titanic Disaster (1912)
3. The Hindenburg Disaster (1937)
4. The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake
5. Hurricane Katrina (2005)

• Five Sets of Questions:
  • Comprehension questions for each passage, focusing on key details, cause and effect, and historical significance.

Unlocking Logic: 20 Engaging Puzzles for Grades 5–8 is a fun and challenging collection of brain teasers designed to boost critical thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving skills in middle school students. This ebook features 20 diverse puzzles, including number patterns, riddles, code-breaking, magic squares, logic grids, spatial reasoning, and more. Each puzzle is crafted to spark curiosity and encourage creative thinking, making it perfect for classroom use, homework, enrichment, or early finishers.

The puzzles vary in difficulty and style to engage a wide range of learners and support flexible use across grades 5–8. Students are encouraged to work individually or in pairs, explore multiple strategies, and build resilience through thoughtful problem-solving. A full answer key is provided to support self-checking and guided discussion.

Whether you're a teacher looking to inspire your class or a parent wanting to support logical thinking at home, this ebook is the perfect companion for building sharp minds—one puzzle at a time!

This activity should accompany Ellen Raskin's book The Westing Game. Check your students' reading comprehension by assigning them one of 16 character cards. Students will ask each other questions in order to determine the character card that five of their classmates have. Students will have to know the characters in the book in order to ask and answer useful questions. This activity allows students to get up and moving! The resource includes a worksheet for students to complete as they ask questions along with a reflection once the activity is complete. There is a slide presentation with instructions and 16 character cards to print, cut, and hand out to students.

Increase critical thinking skills with this Thanksgiving-themed Costa's Levels of Inquiry activity! Students will categorize questions based on Costa’s Level 1, 2, and 3, promoting deeper understanding of Thanksgiving traditions and ELA skills. Perfect for engaging middle and high school students in critical analysis and creative thinking during the holiday season!

What's Included

• 10 Thanksgiving-themed questions for categorizing into Costa's Level of Questioning
• Answer key

Find this in...

✨AVID Bundle

✨Costa Bundle

✨November Early Finisher Packet

In this fun and back to school, no prep lesson and emergency sub for your Geography program, students will embark on a geographical journey to find specific countries using an atlas or google earth skills to develop their country finding ability, before labelling and coloring in the map. All neatly contained within a single A4 sheet.

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This NOVEL IDEAS FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL resource allows English Language Arts teachers to quickly engage and teach students. This resource boasts has 30+ EDITABLE Slides, Several Suggested Uses, Varied Types of Questions, Presentation format, and a student workbook with answer key. This resource encourages insightful planning and thinking from both teacher and student. 6th - 12th Graders will show their growth through this resource, and YOUR LESSON. Check it out!

^^^^THIS IS ONE PROJECT WITH DIFFERENT PARTS, NOT DIFFERENT PROJECTS FOR NOVELS^^^^

***GREAT FOR BELL RINGERS OR EXIT TICKETS***

***AWESOME CLASS DISCUSSIONS ***

***AMAZING NOVEL PRESENTATIONS***

***WONDERFUL STUDENT-DRIVEN BOOK REPORT PROJECT***

This RESOURCE includes:

1. 9 ELA ELEMENTS

2. POWERPOINT and WORKBOOK versions

3. 30+ SLIDE/DOCUMENT EDITABLE resource

4. SUGGESTED uses

5. OVER 60 QUESTIONS

6. TEACHER NOTES and more

to make your your classroom GREAT!

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• ELA DAILIES FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL [BELLRINGERS AND MORE]
• FRESHMAN EXPERIENCE UNITS 1 - 8 [FULL YEAR CURRICULUM] [MEGA-Bundle]
• THE STUDENT SUCCESS PROJECTS and ACTIVITIES for MIDDLE and HIGH SCHOOL
• SECONDARY ASSEMBLY ACTIVITIES [for MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL]
• SECONDARY GET-TO-KNOW-YOU YEAR-ROUND BINGO AND GAMES
• QUOTABLES [PROJECTS, ACTIVITIES, & WORKSHEETS FOR USING QUOTES FOR ANALYSIS]

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Get ready for an exciting journey into the world of algebra with this "Algebraic Adventures" Logic Puzzle Brain Teasers set!

This captivating resource is specifically designed to make learning the basics of algebra an engaging and enjoyable experience for students.

With a collection of visually stimulating math activities, this set will keep your students focused and motivated throughout their learning journey.

Each card in this set presents a brain-teasing challenge that encourages students to apply their algebraic thinking and problem-solving skills.

As they tackle these challenges, students will not only strengthen their understanding of algebraic concepts, but also sharpen their critical thinking abilities.

Whether used in the classroom or at home, these Brain Teasers offer a perfect balance between education and entertainment.

Students will be captivated by the interactive nature of the activities, making learning algebra an exciting adventure.

Watch as their confidence grows and their enthusiasm for math flourishes!

Key Features:

• Engaging brain teasers that foster algebraic thinking and problem-solving skills
• Visual and interactive math activities that captivate students' attention
• Encourages critical thinking and enhances problem-solving abilities
• Suitable for classroom use or independent learning at home
• Boosts students' confidence and enthusiasm for algebraic concepts

Embark on a thrilling journey of algebraic exploration with our "Algebraic Adventures" Brain Teasers set and witness the transformation of your students into confident and capable mathematicians!

Perfect for:

• Early finishers
• End of the year activities
• Back to school activities

A printable version and solutions are also included.

Since this activity is online (interactive pages) there is very little prep; just provide the link, and off they go! There are no locks to configure or clues to hide—everything you need is online. No Google Classroom or Microsoft Teams logins are necessary.

Due to the Terms of Use of the font/clip artists and stock photo websites I purchased from, this product is not editable. Thank you for understanding.

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• You can earn credits for future TeachShare purchases by leaving feedback on resources you purchase?
• Your satisfaction is my #1 priority! If you encounter any issues with this resource, please contact me so I can resolve any concerns. I proofread carefully and strive to provide you with quality resources, but occasionally one gets by!

Please feel free to contact me anytime!

Email: infomatemths@gmail.com

Copyright © 2024 Matemaths

All rights reserved by the author.

Permission to copy for single classroom use only.

Not for public display.

How does media effect one's self esteem?

This package contains 6 lessons and a culminating task that will address this topic.

The package is meant to be taught over at least five lessons. With discussion, each page should easily fill a 45- to 60-minute lesson block.

Lessons include:

- definitions and discussion

- Influence of the Media

- self esteem and music videos

- what happens when a "beauty" company helps people see their beauty?

- evolution of an advertisement (print media/photoshopping)

- overcoming stereotypes and negative comments

- Think about how awesome you are

- Hand of friendship (culminating task)

There is currently no final assessment piece included in this package.

Each lesson, except the last, should be started with a gratitude journal page. The idea behind this it to help students see that they have a lot to be grateful for, regardless of what the media may portray to them. The journal pages shouldn’t take anymore than 5 minutes, max. For photo copying purposes, the journal page is placed before the worksheet, for any given lesson.

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The Math About Me Back to School Activity is a dynamic and versatile resource, ideal for the first week of math instruction and bulletin board displays. This engaging activity not only encourages students to think critically about math, but also fosters connections as they learn more about one another. Start the year with a fun and interactive way to blend math skills with community-building!

Resource Overview:

Students will answer each question about themselves. Each answer will have numerical value. Once students have answered each question, they will write an equation that corresponds to or equals their answer. For instance, if their favorite number is 7, they might write the equation 3+4=7 or 14÷2=7. You can give specific guidelines to your students about the equations based on their grade level/ability level. Four examples have been provided.

Key Features:

• Customizable for All Grades: You decide your equation guidelines to match your students' skill levels. Whether you're teaching elementary or middle school, you can set the guidelines that fit your classroom's needs.
• Critical Thinking: Encourage students to think critically and creatively as they formulate equations based on personal information. This activity promotes problem-solving skills and helps students apply math concepts in a meaningful way.
• Engaging & Interactive: Students will enjoy sharing about themselves while practicing their math skills. The activity fosters a positive classroom environment by allowing students to connect with each other through their personal experiences and math.
• Perfect for Back-to-School: Ideal for the first days of school, this resource helps build a sense of community in the classroom while reinforcing important math concepts.

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This Solving Linear Equations Student Choice Homework is perfect to ensure that students use their brain and not the computer! Students are going to be creating and solving their linear equations given a specified solution and a rule to follow. Included is also an example to do with them as a class so they understand the assignment better.

THE PROBLEM THIS IS SOLVING: Your students looking up answers and not getting the maximum benefit of doing their homework

Use this for:

• homework
• classwork
• partner work
• extra credit

What is included:

• Double sided worksheet with 7 questions
• an example to do together
• 3 example equations for each question

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If you are looking for a fun and interactive way to get your students working together, trying something new, and having a little fun along the way, while also getting them up and moving a bit, then you will love this team building and leadership challenge! Use it as an icebreaker or add a few extra challenges that students will work through and make it a complete lesson! My early elementary and middle school students loved this activity.