It’s no secret I am a strong advocate of Pro Prof online products for educators. The online quiz maker, poll creator, and flashcard generators are terrific. Now Pro Prof has added over 4,000 Brain Games & Puzzles to their already robust (free) product line. ProProfs Brain Games allows users to create their own custom games that can quickly be uploaded to blogs, teacher pages, and social media sites. Users can also take advantage of the numerous pre-made games on the site and embed them on teacher sites for student use. I love the strategy games section, as I feel many of the games can be used to challenge and enrich students to think more creatively and critically.

To create personalized games you will need to have an account, but registration is simple and quick. If you already have a Pro Prof Polling or Quizmaker account no registration is required; simply login to your account. Currently, the games that can be personalized include:

• Word Search Games
• Crossword Puzzle Games
• Sliding Puzzle Games
• Hangman Games
• Jigsaw Puzzle Games

I have embedded a couple of strategy games to get you started, but I would strongly encourage you to explore ProProfs Brain Games for games that you feel are appropriate for your students. Be forewarned, however, these new games are addictive and plentiful! Enjoy!

Check out my previous Pro Prof Product Posts (say that ten times fast!)…

Pro Profs Polls
Create Online Quizzes with ProProfs

Yesterday I worked with Middle and High School English teachers developing curriculum maps. During our time together we discussed the challenges of teaching students grammar. As so often happens, following our conversations I began to wonder if there are some web apps and games that could be used to complement the text books and materials that are currently embedded in their curriculum. This post is dedicated to those teachers (everywhere) who strive to help students learn and improve their grammar skills. Please feel free to share additional resources using the comment link fund at the bottom of this post.

1. Virtual Grammar Lab – while this site is not flashy or polished in appearance, it does feature an extensive database of links to free online English grammar activities on the Internet. Search for activities using the grammar point you want to study, by the difficulty level, or by the type of activity. The Virtual Grammar Lab was designed for ESL/EFL students but also has many activities that will help students in English writing classes practice their grammar.Students and teachers can sign up for free Virtual Grammar Lab accounts. You do not need to be registered to use the site; however, registered teachers can create classes for their students to join and then track the VGL use and grammar studied by their students. Students can rate the activities they study to help guide future learners to the best pages. Students can also flag links that are broken or other problems with the activities for the Spunky English team to investigate. Teachers can also rate activities and flag problems, but more importantly, they can add additional activities to the VGL database.
2. The Grammar Aquarium – this site features grammar notes, online and handout grammar exercises for EFL and ESL students. The exercises are straight-forward with very few graphics, but solid content.
3. Grammar Ninja – This activity/game was more colorful and interactive than the links I reviewed so far, but content was somewhat limited. Refer to the screenshot below for a summary of the activities.
   
4. English Grammar Book – Englishpage.com is constructing a grammar book of high-quality English lessons and exercises to help English learners learn English grammar online. There are a number of activities that can be used to practice grammar skills.
5. Grammar Bytes – scary icon character/logo aside, this site features a large number of resources: handouts, exercises, presentations, and more. This is truly a marvelous place to look for supplementary handouts and instructional PowerPoints.
6. The Guide to Grammar and Writing this sponsored by the Capital Community College Foundation, features solid information that can be shared with students working at any level.
7. Grammar Girl – “Grammar Girl provides short, friendly tips to improve writing. Covering the grammar rules and word choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers, Grammar Girl makes complex grammar questions simple with memory tricks to help you recall and apply those troublesome grammar rules. Whether English is your first language or second language, Grammar Girl’s punctuation, style, and business tips will make you a better and more successful writer. Mignon Fogarty is the creator and host of Grammar Girl. Grammar Girl is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast.” If you have not listened to Grammar Girl take time to do so…her podcasts are engaging and interesting.
8. Great Source iWrite: Grammar Handbook – an animated and narrated glossary of grammar terms.
9. BBC Skillwise – this portal features 10+ games and activities that students can play to build grammar skills.
10. Learn English – this site features a large number of grammar-related activities.  Perform a search for the word grammar to find the activities and lessons quickly.
11. 40+ Tips to Improve your Grammar and Punctuation – this is an excellent blog post found on the blog Dumb Little Man Tips for Life.
12. Dr. Grammar – “a site devoted to providing helpful assistance for writers everywhere! It does not matter whether you are looking for help with comma rules or with formats for writing business letters (or with everything in between), you will find helpful assistance here.”

The following activities are probably most suitable for elementary students, but I have found that older students also enjoy the challenge and review of playing online games.

1. Grammar Blast – designed for younger students these activities are brief in nature, but engaging.
2. Maggie’s Earth Adventure – five brief, colorful grammar games that will appeal to students all ages.
3. Grammar Practice Book – 12 great grammar games for students grades 4-6.
4. Monkey Business – children build bridges to let a monkey cross over treacherous waters using proper sentence structure.
5. Proofreading Makes Perfect - students can learn how to proofread by correcting sentences in this game.
6. Grammar Gorillas – Choose from a beginner or advanced level and rack up bananas as parts of speech are properly identified.
7. 2Bee or Nottoobee – choose one of two bumblebee characters and skill level in this game that helps you select the right verb within the sentence.
8. Paint by Idioms – choose a character to paint, a skill level, and the way you want the idiom problems presented. As you choose the correct answer, the painter will paint.
9. MadLibs – this fun, fast paced game emphasizes nouns and adjectives.
10. I Know That.com – this site features numerous interactive activities and games that can be used to help students develop grammar skills.
11. Copacabana Public School: Get Smart English – this school has created a portal to several grammar games (you may notice some duplication with some of the sites I have shared in this post).

You might also find some of my past postings helpful:

• Celebrate National Punctuation Day…[!;"(,?.)"-:]
• The “Write” Stuff

I have gathered a number of Halloween and Harvest related resources and links (and even developed a few of my own) to share with you today.

Incorporate and integrate some of the following resources in your curriculum as you celebrate this week…

• Explore the literature, customs, and history of Halloween, using the lessons and links found on this TeacherVision web page. Integration ideas for Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Art, Music, and Health can be found at this site. There are many printables available at this site as well.
• “Charlie Brown would surely appreciate the wonders of these GIANT pumpkin patches–but how can you move a 1000 pound pumpkin to enter it into a great pumpkin fair in the first place? Measure off the world’s largest pumpkins in this October installment for Riverdeep, where pumpkins are a very serious business.
• Education World has also posted an interesting article about Pumping up Curriculum with Pumpkins.
• Are you looking for some Halloween printables? Visit the DTLK Holiday site. The site includes bingo cards, award coupons, worksheets, treat bags, and more!
• Here are some additional reproducible links…..
  • Print this cute number sheet — students fill in the ghosts!
  • Which Halloween pictures are different?
  • Just in time for Halloween – Math Word Problems!
  • Print some terrific Halloween Stationary for young authors to use or better yet have your creative writers keyboard their stories and mount them on a Haunted House background!

Reproducible Mask Links…

• What’s In a Face? – an Art Sparker from the online Art Room
• Janet Brett Animal Masks – several reproducible Mask based on the characters found in Janet Brett’s books
• Jack-O’-Lantern Mask – A paper plate, hole punch, markers or paint, and some yarn are all that are required to create these Halloween Jack-o’-lantern masks.
• Make a Cricket Mask – If you are working on an insect unit with your elementary classes, you will want to download and print this very colorful cricket mask. Students can assemble it with scissors and glue.
• Animal Mask Printables – Choose a lion, a dog, a pig, or a koala bear–among others–to print out a template and decorate an animal mask for Halloween fun.
• Butterfly Mask – First learn about the butterfly cycle or monarch migration, then print out this vivid butterfly mask as a re ward for unit work.
• Sun Mask – as the weather gets cooler outside, warm your classroom with sun masks. This site gives directions for a project that will make your students shine!
• The Power of Masks – Elementary students will explore how cultures use masks and how different expressions are idealized or represented before creating their own papier mache mask.
• Animal Masks – Access a variety of detailed animal mask that can be printed out in color: lions, tigers, bears, a pumpkin, Little Red Riding Hood, and the Big Bad Wolf.
• Arthur Character Masks – Printable masks of all the favorite Arthur characters can be used for Halloween or in conjunction with the Arthur books.

Bookmark Links…

• Use these printable bookmarks to reward classroom behavior, for prizes in your own Halloween parties, or to encourage early reading skills. You can also give them out as trick or treat prizes instead of the usual candy treats.
• Author Illustrator Janet Brett also offers beautiful bookmarks just in time for Halloween.

Clipart Links…

• Visit the Cavern of Clipart for access to hundreds of Halloween related clipart items.
• There are also a number of Halloween printables available at Alenka’s Printables web site.

Halloween Story Starters

• It was a beautiful day and the leaves were starting to change color. I was on my way home from school. Suddenly, I saw something behind a tree
• Now that it’s almost Halloween one thing that I want to do is…
• I was reading my favorite ghost story when suddenly I heard a noise upstairs. Maybe it was the dog playing with my shoes or…
• We were sitting at the table making a poster for class. It was raining hard and the wind was whistling throught the trees. Suddenly the lights went out.
• If I could choose any costume in the world…

Batty about things that fly in the night…

• The Wonderful World of Bats – Check out this thematic unit on bats; students will gain a greater appreciation for these misunderstood mammals.
• More Batty Ideas! – October and its holidays provide the perfect opportunity for learning about bats. This site provides plenty of printables on bats and bat anatomy, along with general background information on classifying bats. Find more specific info on both the fruit bat, and the ever-popular vampire bat.

Creepy, crawly spiders and snakes…

• Spider Lessons – Seven elementary-geared lessons can be found at this site, complete with worksheets and exercises that span the curriculum.
• Under the Spell of Spiders – Learn about a spider’s life and explore the way people and cultures have typically viewed spiders. Printable handouts are included for the lesson plans.
• How well do you know your snakes? Take the Snake Sense test at the National Geographic Explorer Magazine web site.

Interactive Online Activities…

• Students will love the Halloween Meddybemps site. They can try on virtual costumes, help Frogwart cast spells, tour a ghost ship, play spooky games, and read interactive stories.
• Take your students to this interactive site where they can select eyes, mouths, etc. to carve their own pumpkin online! Great for younger students!
• Check out the online counting book I created to help young students learn how to count.
• Halloween Interactive Seek, Discover, and Play site – I created a site with 31 hidden rollover images that link to 31 interactive Halloween games and activities. Click on the image below to access the site/activity…
  

Halloween Safety…

• The Safety Game – Teach students how to best proceed when trick or treating using this
  online interactive game. Students must select between two choices for each segment and thereby learn helpful safety rules.
• Students will learn about Halloween safety in a fun fashion as they work with this interactive site.

Webquests…

• Edgar Allen Poe: Father of Horror – Middle school or high school students will create a timeline on the life and times of Edgar Allen Poe, and choose one of his literary works to recreate in a dramatic presentation or workshop.
• Harry Potter WebQuest – What do you think of Harry Potter’s life? Have you ever thought about being a student at a school similar to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? …