We’ve come a long way from the annual EGG DROP Challenge, Design and engineering challenges are ubiquitous and for good reason. Students love them, they promote the application of academic skills and concepts, they connect to things happening in the world, and they introduce students to the roles of engineers, logisticians, research and development teams, … Read more
This relates to a previous post that may also interest you: Deeper Reading: Strategies for Comprehending Challenging Texts. Recently, in A Delicious Deep Dive into the Search for Delicious, I shared about a novel study I created. My goal was to engage younger advanced readers in the story and at the same time introduce language … Read more
S.C.A.M.P.E.R. is a thinking technique that can be applied to any creative endeavor. Using it as a lens through which to explore poetry is a novel approach and adds a fun dimension to a poetry mini-unit. in previous posts, I’ve shared about S.C.A.M.P.E.R. If it’s new to you, please read S.C.A.M.P.E.R. Across the Disciplines ~ … Read more
by Kaley Chick When I saw this creative project on Instagram, I reached out to the_gifted_chick, GT teacher Kaley Chick, and she graciously agreed to give us all the details in a guest blog post. Kaley is the PACE instructor for the gifted program with Minot Public Schools in Minot, ND, where she works with … Read more
Here’s a fun activity to welcome students back after the winter holiday break. I think our students can always use more geography, so like Oh the Places You May Go and The Grinch Who Stole the Christmas Star, this virtual scavenger hunt will take your students around the world via Google Earth to gather clues. … Read more
“‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house…” How much time do you have to dive deeply into this classic? “A Visit to St. Nicholas” is a work that can inspire lessons across disciplines for all ages. Rich in literary elements and vocabulary, it has an interesting history, it had great impact on … Read more
This is definitely a novel approach to literature and perhaps a bit controversial. Full disclosure: I’ve never tried it, but gifted ed colleagues of mine have shared positive experiences with this collaborative reading activity in which a book is cut apart and groups of students read assigned sections. The groups then report back to the … Read more
Falling between Halloween and Thanksgiving, Veterans Day doesn’t get as much attention. But if you can spare 15 minutes on November 11th, I think your students would benefit from this brief explanation of Veteran’s Day. It’s part of this lesson plan intended for secondary students, and I’ve included a logic puzzle to commemorate the day … Read more
Here is another math activity with constraints! Solving math riddles such as the one shown below requires some figuring, and creating this type of riddle can also be a sneaky way to reinforce number sense. If your students are not familiar with how to solve this type of riddle, you can find a good explanation … Read more
Like teachers, students love contributing to the world through what they are doing and creating. In my experience, when students contribute to the learning of others, they sense a greater purpose in what takes place in the classroom. No matter what is happening in your classroom, a connection can be made to the learning of … Read more
