Using brain tests in the classroom
Quick brain tests make good classroom activities. They take a minute or two, every student gets a number they can compare and graph, and they lead naturally into questions about how the brain works. Everything on this site runs in a browser with no accounts, so it works on school laptops, Chromebooks and tablets.
Science experiments
Reaction time is ideal for practising fair tests. Students can form a hypothesis, change one variable and keep the others the same, then compare averages. Some ideas:
- Does reaction time improve with practice? Compare the first and tenth tries.
- Is the dominant hand faster than the other hand?
- Do sounds or distractions slow people down?
- Are people faster before or after a short burst of exercise?
- Is a mouse faster than a touchscreen or trackpad?
Maths with real data
Every test gives a number, so a class quickly builds a data set. Students can find the mean, median and range, draw a histogram and compare it with the distribution chart on each test page. Repeating the test lets them talk about variation and why one result isn't enough.
Warm-ups and brain breaks
A round of the Stroop test or a Schulte table makes a quick, focused start to a lesson. The memory card game and 4×4 Sudoku suit younger children. Short movement-free activities like these can reset attention between longer tasks.
Class challenges
On the For teachers page you can pick a set of tests and share them as one link. Students open it, complete the tests and see their own summary, which they can download as a scorecard or copy to send to you. Nothing is uploaded and no student accounts are needed: scores stay in each student's browser.
A note on comparing students
Scores depend on the device as well as the student, and they vary from day to day. Use them for curiosity, experiments and personal progress rather than ranking. The tests aren't diagnostic and shouldn't be used to assess attention or learning needs.