Our brains love and seek out experiences that are new and different. Learning and retention are enhanced when content is presented in a unique way or is something not encountered before. It’s why we love a good plot twist, magic tricks, and surprise parties (well, some don’t love those!). Novelty is when you experience something … Read more
A variety of topics have come up as my GT students and I read The Giver, a novel that fits in well with a study of philosophy and our year-long theme, IMPACT (read more about that here). Genetic science has always emerged in our discussions because of the role of genetic engineering in the story. … Read more
Let me explain that title. There are so many great puzzles and so many ways to incorporate them in the classroom! Let’s count just five ways! In this post, I’ll focus on word puzzles. FIVE WAYS TO USE WORD PUZZLES IN YOUR CLASSROOM: (1) TO INTRODUCE A LESSON ~ A word puzzle is a great … Read more
One size never fits all in any classroom. When it comes to activities and projects, it’s helpful to have some flexibility in the design so that students with varying abilities and interests can benefit. We definitely want projects that promote meaningful deep dives into content and a GAME DESIGN project is one I can highly … Read more
