Long-term planning is always a work in progress. You start with a basic plan for the year, but throughout the year, new resources become available, new opportunities and ideas come your way, and your students sometimes lead you in a different direction than the one you planned.
However, connecting content in some way for gifted students, over the course of the year and across disciplines, is another way to add depth and complexity to year-long studies. The choice of a year-long theme and how it is tied to weekly concepts, lessons, and activities is an important factor in developing richer experiences and more enduring understandings for students.
Based on the work of Dr. Sandra Kaplan, and her development of the tools of Depth and Complexity, many GT teachers strive to build a curriculum that relates to universal themes. Here are some SAMPLES of year-long unit themes with ideas for essential questions and generalizations. Please feel free to MESSAGE if you have thematic unit ideas you can share. You are also invited to join our Facebook group to engage in sharing.
| READ MORE ABOUT THIS: |
What are UNIVERSAL THEMES? by Ian Byrd
| These overviews will be updated and modified regularly to include links to resources and posts found on this site. They are provided to give you an idea of how classroom experiences can be planned to connect to universal themes and enduring understandings. |
Sample Overview – Kindergarten G/T – PATTERNS
Sample Overview ~ First Grade G/T – WONDERS
Sample Overview – Second Grade G/T – STRUCTURES
Sample Overview – Third Grade G/T – SYSTEMS
Sample Overview – Fourth Grade G/T – MYSTERIES
Sample Overview – Fifth Grade G/T – IMPACT
| FIND FOUR SHORT VIDEOS HERE FOR MORE ABOUT INTRODUCING THESE THEMES IN THE FIRST WEEKS OF SCHOOL (3rd – 5th) VIDEOS for PRIMARY GRADES HERE. |
| READ “LONG-TERM PLANNING FOR DEEP AND COMPLEX STUDIES: ALWAYS A WORK IN PROGRESS.” TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LESSONS TIED TO THEMES. |
| ADDITIONAL READING RELATED TO PLANNING: Planning for Gifted Students: the Work of “Reflective Artisans” and Lifelong Learners Novelty, Surprise, and Twists: How to Sneak These Into Your Lessons |
Other Curriculum Units Available Online:
Envision Gifted – additional ideas for the use of Universal Themes in planning curriculum, including combining more than one theme.
Chesterfield Township Elementary School (NJ) GATE Curriculum Units for K – 6 – the district’s rationale, philosophy, and curriculum units are detailed in this PDF
The Texas Performance Standards Project (TPSP)– Tasks and assessments in unit form for G/T students, K-12
Gifted Guide – GT teacher Sarah Young offers an overview of her curriculum with links to lessons and many resources listed by grade level and subject area.
