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The Science Vault

Rated 4.91 out of 5, based on 2525 reviews
1,198 Followers
Castle Pines, Colorado, United States
About the store
I’ve spent 36 years teaching science, primarily 7th–8th grade physical science and 9th grade physics. Throughout my career, I’ve focused on helping students think like scientists—investigating, questioning, and making sense of the world around them. The Science Vault grew out of that work: classroom-tested lessons, labs, and logic puzzles designed to spark curiosity, strengthen reasoning, and build confident young scientists.
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Preview of Atomic Structure Logic Puzzle a Great Activity for Critical Thinking Skills

Atomic Structure Logic Puzzle a Great Activity for Critical Thinking Skills

Boost Your Students Atomic Structure Skills with This Engaging Brain Teaser! Interactive and Fun Way to Master Chemistry Concepts: This brain teaser is expertly crafted to reinforce key chemistry skills such as identifying energy levels, valence electrons, and calculating the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons based on atomic mass and atomic number. It's an excellent resource for a bell ringer, review session, enrichment activity, or even as extra credit. What's Included:Ready-to-Use Eas
Preview of St Patrick's Day Logic Puzzles Two Great Puzzles for Critical Thinking Skills!

St Patrick's Day Logic Puzzles Two Great Puzzles for Critical Thinking Skills!

Fun brain teaser challenge that utilizes arithmetic skills of measurement in feet and inches, less than, more than, addition & subtraction, so the puzzle is not out of reach for a 5th-grade student, and still challenging for 8th-grade students. The "Easel Activity" has been created for you - NO PREP - just assign because all of the answer boxes have been created for you and your students! If you find that your students would rather do the solving on paper but you are teaching remotely, have t
Preview of Solar System Logic Puzzle for Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Solar System Logic Puzzle for Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Enrich Your Solar System Unit with This Planetary Logic Puzzle! Astronomical Fun for Young Astronomers: Dive into the wonders of our solar system with this enthralling brain teaser. Perfect for students in grades 6-8, this puzzle combines learning with logic, tasking students with solving a mystery using clues about the planets and their order from the sun, and distinguishing between gas giants and terrestrial planets. What’s Included in the Puzzle:Ready-to-Use Easel Activity: With all answer bo
Preview of Calculating Acceleration Logic Puzzle + Graphing

Calculating Acceleration Logic Puzzle + Graphing

Boost Your Student's Understanding of Acceleration with This Logic Puzzle and Graphing Activity! Interactive and Fun Way to Learn Acceleration Concepts: Engage your students in physics with this intriguing logic puzzle themed around cars merging onto the highway. This resource is a fun activity and a practical tool for applying and understanding acceleration calculations. What’s Included in the Puzzle:Ready-to-Use Easel Activity: Pre-created answer boxes mean no preparation is needed. Just assig
Preview of Winter Olympics Themed Logic Puzzle Great for Critical Thinking Skills!

Winter Olympics Themed Logic Puzzle Great for Critical Thinking Skills!

This Winter Olympics brain teaser is great for sub plans, transition activities, enrichment, bell-ringers, and stations. Students will use their critical thinking skills to determine which athlete is from which country and what sport they compete in. The "Easel Activity" has been created for you - NO PREP - just assign. All of the answer boxes in the logic puzzle have been created for you and your students! If you find that your students would rather do the solving on paper but you are teaching
Preview of Average Speed Logic Puzzle Great for Building Critical Thinking Skills

Average Speed Logic Puzzle Great for Building Critical Thinking Skills

This brain teaser asks students to determine the length of the racecourse, the average speed of each skier, and which athletes won medals. Great for critical thinking, enrichment, warm-ups, homework, and extra practice. It's a great puzzle to support students' understanding of average speed because it asks students to manipulate time and distance in terms of average speed and seconds v. minutes, and it gives them practice in calculating average speed. The "Easel Activity" has been created for y
Preview of Logic Puzzle and Claims Evidence Reasoning Writing Prompt

Logic Puzzle and Claims Evidence Reasoning Writing Prompt

This brain teaser is an engaging way for students to develop critical thinking skills. Great as an extension, warm-up, transition activity or as a part of emergency sub plans, this logic puzzle also asks students to use the C-E-R structure to answer two writing prompts once they have solved the puzzle. The "Easel Activity" has been created for you - NO PREP - just assign because all of the answer boxes have been created for you and your students! If you find that your students would rather do t
Preview of Field Day Critical Thinking Logic Puzzle

Field Day Critical Thinking Logic Puzzle

Challenge Your Students' Logic Skills with Field Day Fun! Are you looking for an exciting brain teaser to engage your students and boost their critical thinking abilities? Our Field Day Logic Puzzle is the perfect addition to your teaching resources, offering a range of uses from sub plans and transition activities to enrichment, bell-ringers, and station work. "Easel Activity" - Zero Preparation Required!We've done the heavy lifting for you! Our "Easel Activity" is ready to go; simply assign it
Preview of Algebraic Thinking Logic Puzzles plus Graphing for Critical Thinking

Algebraic Thinking Logic Puzzles plus Graphing for Critical Thinking

These two brain teasers ask students to use basic algebra to solve for the number of coins. Graphing, greater than / less than, adding & multiplying are all reinforced with these puzzles. Engaging and challenging, great for enrichment, transitions, bellringers, and sub plans. The "Easel Activity" has been created for you - NO PREP - just assign. All of the answer boxes have been created for you and your students! If you find that your students would rather do the solving on paper but you are
Preview of St. Patrick's Day Logic Puzzles

St. Patrick's Day Logic Puzzles

What a fun way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and help your students develop critical thinking skills! This product has two puzzles - the same basic story line, but one logic puzzle is slightly more difficult than the other. Both critical thinking puzzles use basic math skills such as greater than, less than, addition and subtraction. Included in this packet are two versions of each puzzle - one with blank space for students to devise their own method for solving the puzzle - the other version u
Preview of Two Logic Puzzles for Critical Thinking Skills: Fun in the Snow Activities

Two Logic Puzzles for Critical Thinking Skills: Fun in the Snow Activities

Two different logic puzzles with the theme of snow day activities :) Great for sub plans, enrichment, transitions, and partner work. One puzzle has a single dimension of determining the number of snowballs each of six students make and the other puzzle asks your students to determine the number of sledding trips and the color of the sled for six students. The clues include simple arithmetic and skills of less than and greater than, so this puzzle could be appropriate for 4th graders with some sc
Preview of Spring Season Logic Puzzles

Spring Season Logic Puzzles

Four great brain teasers to help your students develop critical thinking skills! Great for bell-ringers, transitions, extensions, or even as a part of sub plans! Three logic puzzles use basic math clues so they are accessible by any student - the focus is on the thinking - and the cryptogram is a fun way to decipher a quote about springtime. The "Easel Activity" has been created for you - NO PREP - just assign. All of the answer boxes have been created for you and your students! If you find that
Preview of Book Club Critical Thinking Logic Puzzle

Book Club Critical Thinking Logic Puzzle

Engage Your Students with Critical Thinking Fun! Looking for an engaging brain teaser that can serve multiple purposes in your classroom? Look no further! Our Book Club Brain Teaser is the perfect addition to your teaching toolkit, suitable for various scenarios such as sub plans, transition activities, enrichment, bell-ringers, and station work. "Easel Activity" - Hassle-Free and NO PREP!We've done the hard work for you! Our "Easel Activity" is ready to go; simply assign it to your students. Al
Preview of Music Festival Critical Thinking Logic Puzzle

Music Festival Critical Thinking Logic Puzzle

Challenge Your Students' Problem-Solving Skills with a Musical Twist!Are you searching for an entertaining brain teaserperfect for sub plans, transition activities, enrichment, bell-ringers, and stations? Look no further! Our Music Festival Logic Puzzle is a fantastic addition to your teaching toolkit, combining the excitement of music festivals with the thrill of critical thinking. "Easel Activity" - Zero Preparation Needed!We've taken care of all the preparation for you! Our "Easel Activity" i
Preview of Treasure Hunt Critical Thinking Logic Puzzle

Treasure Hunt Critical Thinking Logic Puzzle

Embark on a Treasure Hunt Adventure with a Twist! Are you searching for an engaging brain teaser that combines an interesting storyline with the challenge of critical thinking? Look no further! Our Treasure Hunt Logic Puzzle is the perfect addition to your teaching resources, offering a wide range of uses, including sub plans, transition activities, enrichment, bell-ringers, and station work. "Easel Activity" - No Prep Required!We've taken care of all the preparation for you! Our "Easel Activi
Preview of Pets & Their Houses Critical Thinking Logic Puzzle

Pets & Their Houses Critical Thinking Logic Puzzle

Challenge Your Students' Logic with Furry Friends and Colorful Homes! Looking for a unique brain teaser that combines the joy of pets with critical thinking? Our Pets and House Colors Logic Puzzle is the perfect addition to your teaching resources, offering versatile uses such as sub plans, transition activities, enrichment, bell-ringers, and station work. "Easel Activity" - No Prep Required!We've done all the work for you! Our "Easel Activity" is ready for immediate assignment to your students
Preview of Amusement Park Theme Critical Thinking Logic Puzzle

Amusement Park Theme Critical Thinking Logic Puzzle

Challenge Your Students' Critical Thinking Skills! Are you searching for an engaging brain teaser that serves many educational purposes? Look no further! This brain teaser is an excellent addition to your teaching resources, ideal for sub plans, transition activities, enrichment, bell-ringers, and stations. "Easel Activity" - Zero Preparation Required!We've taken care of the prep work for you! Our "Easel Activity" is ready to go; simply assign it to your students. Every answer box in the logic p
Preview of Track Meet Medals Logic Puzzle for Critical Thinking

Track Meet Medals Logic Puzzle for Critical Thinking

This brain-teaser will get your students using math & logic skills to determine the number and type of medals six countries earned. Great for early finishers, bellringers, transitions, or as a part of sub plans. My students love these puzzles and are always asking me to make more :) The "Easel Activity" has been created for you - NO PREP - just download and assign. All of the answer boxes have been created for you and your students! If you find that your students would rather do the solving o
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About the store

Experience

I’ve spent 36 years teaching science, primarily 7th–8th grade physical science and 9th grade physics. Throughout my career, I’ve focused on helping students think like scientists—investigating, questioning, and making sense of the world around them. The Science Vault grew out of that work: classroom-tested lessons, labs, and logic puzzles designed to spark curiosity, strengthen reasoning, and build confident young scientists.

Teaching style

I believe students learn best when they’re curious, talking to each other, and exploring real phenomena. My favorite moment in class is when a student asks, “Why does that happen?” My lessons tend to be hands-on, noisy, collaborative, and rooted in investigation — with time built in for quiet processing because I’m an introverted learner myself. Above all, I want students to feel relaxed, safe to wonder, and confident in their ability to figure things out.

Awards & shining teacher moments

Google Certified Educator (Level 1 & 2) Google Certified Trainer Google Certified Coach

My own education history

B.S., Stephen F. Austin State University M.S., University of Texas at Austin (Exercise Physiology) M.Ed., University of Missouri (Educational Technology) Ed.S., Educational Technology – Technology in Schools

Additional biographical information

I’ve had the joy of teaching in Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado. No matter where I’ve been, my passion has stayed the same: helping students engage with science through inquiry, laughter, and discovery.