This is the second in a series of posts related to the study of CRYPTOLOGY for advanced students in grades 3-5. See also: Part One: The History of Codes and Ciphers ~ FIND A VIRTUAL SLIDE SHOW READY-TO-SHARE WITH STUDENTS HERE! In Part One, students were introduced to CRYPTOLOGY as the study of the history … Read more
Recently, I ran across “5 Simple Ways to Add Creativity in Mathematics,” and was prompted to spotlight a few engaging math activities that are open-ended, have high ceilings, and can be adapted for any grade level. Even if you are using these in your classroom, you might like to skim through to read about possible … Read more
Among the many recommended books and resources listed on this site, there are a few I feel compelled to tell you more about, to explain how I used them and how they impacted our G/T studies. The Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way (affiliate link) is one that connects math, science, art, and philosophy … Read more
Every year, on the first day of G/T classes, I showed Powers of Ten to my 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade students. By the time my students reached fifth grade, many had seen this nine-minute video three times. They never complained; in fact, they loved telling new students, “Oh, wait ’til you see this; it’s so … Read more
This is the first in a series of posts related to the study of CRYPTOLOGY for advanced students in grades 3-5. See also Part Two: Crack the Code! ~ FIND A VIRTUAL SLIDE SHOW READY-TO-SHARE WITH STUDENTS HERE! Here’s a unit of study that incorporates math, science, history, engineering and also involves solving puzzles! No … Read more
The kid-friendly puzzles described below were originally offered by THE PUZZLE SOCIETY, but appear to be unavailable right now. These particular brands were suitable for advanced elementary-aged students, and I’m sorry to see them go! I will keep this post alive in case they are reinstated at some point in the future. Here are a … Read more
Here are a few challenges and investigations that evoke wonder and fascination if students can get past the blunders and frustration! I call these “First-Day Challenges” because I used them to spark conversations that set the tone from the first day of school. Students learn that the seemingly impossible or unbelievable might actually be possible … Read more
Here are sample Scope and Sequence documents that may give you a starting place in year-long planning or spark some new ideas to add to your curriculum. These grade-level studies are built around universal themes. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to read these two articles about long-term planning for gifted students: PLEASE READ: Planning … Read more
Biomimicry is a fascinating and novel topic of study for younger students. Also called biomimetics, it comes from the Greek roots bios, meaning “life,” and mimesis, “to imitate.” It is observing “what works” in nature and mimicking it to solve problems, create, and innovate. Co-founder of the Biomimicry Institute, Janine Benyus calls it “innovation inspired … Read more
In “Team Logic: Cooperative Problem Solving,” you’ll find some cooperative group activities for older gifted students (3rd-8th). Here are a few collaborative logical-thinking activities you can try with younger students, all found at NRICH Maths, a project of the University of Cambridge. NUMBER MATCH – (2nd-3rd) Students “play” this in groups of four and must … Read more
