When you’re looking for the perfect lesson to teach your students, of course, you want something that is going to get them to think, read, and reinforce the skills and ideas you’re teaching. Find the perfect formula for a fun and engaging lesson to use in your Social Studies, Science, or Reading classroom with Cube Code critical thinking lessons!
1. What Elements Does a Perfect Innovative Lesson Include?
There are so many essential elements to an innovative lesson. When I put together lessons like the Founding Fathers Cube Code, Of course, I am looking for the perfect combination of education and engagement. Overall, creativity, critical thinking, comprehension, and engagement are all key for a student’s (and teacher’s) favorite innovative lesson.
Creativity
First, one of the best elements of a perfect innovative lesson is creativity! Getting those creative juices flowing helps your students get excited about what they are learning. In my Code Cube lessons, students get to color images, design, and build the cube. That’s five stars for creativity!
Critical Thinking
Next, when it comes to a perfect innovative lesson, critical thinking skills are the key. A lesson can be creative and fun, but you want your students to think beyond the page. Critical thinking skills are so important when citing evidence from the text. In the Code Cube lessons, students use critical thinking skills to find missing words in a passage. They’re deciphering codes and finding evidence throughout the text to help them with critical thinking and problem-solving.
Comprehension
Of course, many of my Code Cube innovative lessons are related to Science or Social Studies, but reading comprehension is a key element to all of these! Students read passages to solve the puzzles in these creative, critical thinking lessons. Whether your students are learning about dinosaurs or the Founding Fathers, they are working on their reading comprehension skills, making these great lessons to use in ELA as well. Six stations help reinforce these skills.
Engagement
Finally, any lesson dubbed as innovative needs to be focused on student engagement. What is more engaging than solving puzzles and codes? I love using the Founding Fathers Code Cube in Social Studies classes to teach students about the Founding Fathers, US Constitution, George Washington, John Adams, Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, the Declaration of Independence, and the American Revolution. This Code Cube is as engaging as a musical number about the Founding Fathers!
2. What is Included in a Code Cube Lesson?
Of course, the Code Cube lessons are filled with creativity and critical thinking. Here is what you will get with every lesson:
- Reading Passage Related to the Topic
- Six Stations
- Teacher & Student Directions
- Station Cards
- Text Marking Option
- Alternate Station 6
- Answer Key
Overall, the Code Cube lessons have everything you need to meet your students’ needs.
3. What are the Six Stations in the Code Cube Lessons?
Each of the six stations helps with critical thinking and comprehension engagingly and creatively! Of course, the lesson starts with a reading passage.
- Fill in the Blank – First, your students determine the missing words to find the 4-digit code.
- Find the Paragraph – Next, the students number the paragraphs and determine where they find the answers to questions. After eliminating paragraphs, they reveal the secret code.
- True or False – Another activity is True and False. Students answer true and false questions and add the values of the true questions to reveal the 4-digit code.
- Lock Combination – Using basic math and reading skills, the students reveal the answer to the lock code.
- Multiple Choice – Next, with critical thinking and comprehension skills, students answer multiple choice questions to lead them to a code based on the number of times they chose each letter answer.
- Main Idea – Finally, the students complete a main idea writing activity and color and add a topic.
In addition, an optional text marking tool is included as a color code chart for students to mark where they found evidence in the text.
4. What Materials Do Your Students Need for Cube Code Lessons?
Of course, these lessons are ready to use after you print them. Just add:
- Crayons, Markers or Colored Pencils
- Scissors
- Stapler, Glue Sticks or Tape
5. What Skills are Used in Innovative Lessons?
In innovative lessons like the cube code lessons, your students will also sharpen their reading comprehension skills. In addition, they will use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to solve puzzles and identify textual evidence. Of course, they will also learn text marking and citing evidence.
6. How Can You Use Cube Code Innovative Lessons in Your Classroom?
I love all the options for Cube Code lessons like the Founding Fathers lesson. Of course, these lessons are not only for whole group innovative instruction. In addition, they can also be used for any of the following:
- Anticipatory Sets
- Unit Review
- Early Finishers
- Gallery Walk
- Stations or Centers
- Sub Plans
- Rewards
- Individual Work
- Partner Activities
- Extension Activities
7. What are Some Cube Code Lessons to Use with Your Students?
American History
Natural Disasters
In addition, there are also dozens of World History, Biology, Chemistry, and even Physics activities! Check out all the hundreds of Cube Code critical thinking lessons to use in your classroom.
8. What Makes Cube Code Lessons Different From Others?
Finally, all of these skills from reading comprehension, critical thinking and problem-solving, creativity, and engagement are encompassed into ONE LESSON! Next, not only are the lessons complete with all these elements, they also make a great art project at the end. When students are finished with all the puzzles and reading, they put together their cubes. I love displaying these in the classroom during conferences or just for the students to enjoy their work! Also, the Cube Code lesson has clear directions for students and teachers.
Overall, Cube Code lessons are the perfect critical thinking, creative, and innovative lessons for your classroom. Want to try a FREE Cube Code lesson in your classroom? First, download the Founding Fathers Cube Code Lesson to see what the buzz is all about! You’ll love it so much, that you’ll also want to download even more or sign up for my monthly membership where you can try out even more Cube Code Lessons! Finally, get started with a $1 free trial, and try more Cube Code critical thinking lessons today.
