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
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
WHO NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK? Teachers and parents of K-12 students. That’s really all you need to know. Here’s why I so highly recommend this book. I taught 8th-grade English and Literature for three years, and -hands-down- my students’ favorite activity was a mock trial we did after a reading of the story “The … Read more
Giggles, giggles, and more giggles. Students are often nervous the first time they circle up to participate in a formal Socratic dialogue. In a previous post, I discussed many different approaches to facilitating meaningful student dialogue including Shared Inquiry and Philosophical Chairs. Here are some ideas that can help you introduce student-led dialgoue, as well … Read more
When I think about the holidays in my classroom, many things come to mind: Snowflake Sudoku, The 12 Days of Christmas problem solving, and reading aloud the classic short story “The Gift of the Magi.” I bought the book shown here when my own children were little, but I used it more often in my … Read more
