The study of ancient philosophers, mathematicians, and scientists is a major component of the 5th-grade IMPACT theme. The Story of Science makes these paradigm-shifters come to life, and Pythagoras is one who fascinated my students! Pythagoras had some interesting ideas about the divinity of numbers and the prevalence of numerical patterns in the universe. His … Read more
For well over a decade, I’ve had students write letters – to their future selves- at the end of the school year in May. A colleague shared this idea with me, and I know many of you do the same with your students. It’s such a meaningful way for students to reflect on their year, … Read more
If the outdoor activities described below seem daunting, you might consider doing indoor activities first, what I call a Mini Think-a-Thon. You can read more HERE. Kids love field days and they are a great way to celebrate the end of a school year. Several years ago, I thought it would be fun to create … Read more
Here are two more engaging NRICH activities in which students must figure out the rules! This is a continuation of a previous post which you can find HERE. STRIKE IT OUT In the video below, the game is presented and students are challenged to determine the rules and the strategies that lead to winning! You … Read more
In previous posts, I’ve shared universal themes and sample outlines for year-long studies in grades K-5 (see more about long-term planning here). The 2nd Grade year-long theme of STRUCTURES is described here, and in this post, I’ll explain how you might introduce the theme. The introduction sets the stage for an “around-the-world” approach to the … Read more
I’ve recommended a number of math and logic puzzles and listed them by grade level on this site. I thought it might be helpful to share specifically about how I’ve used them in my classroom. These puzzles COMBINE math reasoning and critical thinking and even if they make students a bit uncomfortable at first, encouraging … Read more
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
