Brisk Teaching Blog

A syllabus is like a survival guide for your class. It keeps students (and you) on track, answers questions before they even get asked, and helps avoid the classic “Wait, when is that due?” panic. But let’s be real—writing one from scratch is about as fun as grading a stack of essays on a Friday night. That’s where Brisk Teaching comes in. Forget the clunky, rigid templates that make you fill in every tiny detail manually. Brisk is a free Chrome extension that helps teachers generate a syllabus from the materials they already use—or start one from scratch in just a few clicks. It’s quick, it’s free, and it actually makes syllabus creation brisk (see what we did there?). Let’s break down why a syllabus matters, what makes a good one, and how Brisk can save you time without sacrificing quality.

As a 4th-grade teacher, you know how important it is to keep young minds engaged. Science is one subject where curiosity can really take off, and the best way to spark that curiosity is through fun, hands-on experiments. There are so many options from Earth sciences, life science, and the solar system. We guarantee there’s no shortage of opportunities for 4th graders to experiment and explore. Let’s explore 10 exciting 4th grade science experiments that are simple to set up but packed with opportunities for critical thinking, problem-solving, and most importantly, fun. Plus, we'll highlight how Brisk Teaching AI can support you in bringing these experiments to life in your classroom.

We joined Dan Fitzpatrick, The AI Educator, to discuss impactful ways you can Brisk today… like right now! Dan’s conversation with Arman, our founder, included sharing the birth of Brisk, how you - our incredible community of teachers around the world - continue to drive the updates that make Brisk even better, and a collection of ways you can use Brisk to transform your time immediately!

In our recent Real Talk About AI webinar, I explored groundbreaking strategies for enhancing student engagement using Brisk and Boost with educators from Northville Public Schools. They shared amazing interactive learning experiences from leveraging AI-powered feedback to creating character chats with Chrysanthemum and personalized career exploration.This session took student engagement to the next level.

We are thrilled to announce that Brisk Teaching and Brisk Boost for Students have earned the ESSA Tier IV - Building Evidence Badge from Leanlab Education! This certification demonstrates that Brisk and Boost are built on a foundation of evidence-based learning science that drives student success.

Equip students with civil discourse skills using Brisk and Boost tools for respectful dialogue. Foster critical thinking with structured discussions, ground rules, and engaging activities.

This lesson on the plant life cycle is designed for second grade students and blends interactive learning with clear, structured instruction. Grounded in the principles of inquiry-based learning, it enables students to explore how plants grow and change while meeting Common Core Standards. Through video observation, group discussions, and creative activities, students will build a foundational understanding of biological processes in a way that fosters both curiosity and academic achievement.

Teaching about elections and the voting process provides students with an opportunity to engage with one of the most essential aspects of civic life. This lesson promotes inquiry-based learning, allowing students to ask questions, research, and develop a deeper understanding of how elections work and why they matter. As educators, we can empower our students to explore these processes critically and collaboratively. Through group discussions and research activities, students will learn how elections ensure a representative democracy and the importance of participating in this process.

This worksheet is designed to guide students through foundational concepts in operations and algebraic thinking. Through a mix of direct questions, word problems, and pattern recognition, students will explore how addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are used in problem-solving. The goal is to develop not only their computational skills but also their ability to recognize patterns and use simple algebraic expressions. By the end of the activity, students should feel more confident in using numbers and symbols to solve problems and start seeing math as a tool for everyday life.

Have you ever noticed how two people can tell the same story differently? The way each person sees things can change the story completely! In this lesson, we’ll explore different points of view in storytelling and practice writing from multiple perspectives, giving us a new way to experience familiar tales.

Through this lesson, students learn fundamental biological concepts by comparing plant and animal cells while connecting this knowledge to a real-world issue—climate change. By linking cell structures to environmental changes, students develop a deeper understanding of how climate affects living organisms. It promotes critical thinking, interdisciplinary learning, and environmental awareness. Additionally, the lesson is culturally relevant, as many students come from regions disproportionately affected by climate change, helping them connect their personal experiences to scientific inquiry.

In this lesson on 2D and 3D shapes, students will engage in hands-on activities designed to build their understanding of geometry through exploration, classification, and visualization. In recent years, research has emphasized the importance of a structured, evidence-based approach to teaching foundational. Grounded in the principles of active learning and aligned with the Common Core Standards, this lesson ensures that first graders not only identify and differentiate shapes but also develop spatial awareness.