My students and I first celebrated POWERS of TEN DAY in 2014. My 3rd-5th-graders see the film on their first day of class and we discuss it (see “POWERS of TEN and COSMIC EYE ~ Mind-Expanding for Students), but October 10th is the perfect day to revisit the film and introduce a few advanced math … Read more
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
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
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
I am desperate to tell you something. I don’t want to be misunderstood. Planning for gifted students is rewarding, fascinating, and challenging. On this site, I offer some ideas, some sample lessons, and even sample thematic plans. You can also find lists of many great resources for use in the classroom. My goal is to … Read more
“Everyone wants to connect content across subject areas… but how do we create an overarching idea that unifies our content over an entire semester or a year? Few of us have a tool to make this happen. This is why Universal Themes are a key – but tragically underused – part of the Depth and … Read more
by Sarah Young Sarah Young works with districts all over the world to create and improve their gifted programs, curriculum, and teacher training. She also works virtually with students in grades K-10 in underserved and underrepresented gifted programs. She is passionate about helping teachers and was inspired to create a website to share curricular resources … Read more
