Open-Ended Triple-A Analogies ~ High Ceiling / Low Floor

Here is a math activity that can serve as a quick brain teaser or an ongoing whole-class activity to use throughout the school year. First, if you aren’t familiar with what I call Triple-A Analogies, watch the video tutorial below, first shared in this post. It’s a great place to start and you’ll find ready-to-share … Read more

24 Challenge® ~ Math Club and Tournament Resources

Recently, GT teacher Julia Dweck (@GiftedTawk) posted on Twitter about her class competing in the math game 24 with a group of college students. One video she shared of her students competing in a Variables round was amazing! I confess: I was not aware of the many different versions of the game! I was inspired … Read more

On the Hunt for Amazing Beach Wildlife ~ Another Virtual Scavenger Hunt

Here is another virtual scavenger hunt, but this one is a bit different from previous ones I’ve shared on this site. With just ONE CLICK, your students will be off on their journey! The scavenger hunt experience is much the same- students “travel” from place to place around the world, via Google Earth, hunting for … Read more

Novel Study One-Pager ~  A Culmination Project (Gr 4 and up)

Do you do novel studies with your students? If so, this is a culminating project I can recommend for both general education and gifted classes, particularly in middle school. No doubt you’ve heard of one-pagers and may have even assigned them. You’ll find many great write-ups and resources listed below. I thought I’d share some … Read more

Dashing Through the Snow ~ A Virtual Scavenger Hunt for “Treasure”

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

“A Visit from St. Nicholas” ~ Lessons Across Disciplines (3rd and Up)

“‘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

How Can I Impact the World in a Positive Way? ~ 5th Grade IMPACT Theme

The two stories below are meant to serve as an inspiration to us all. I hope to highlight more of these positive stories in future posts. If you have a story to share about how your students have impacted their community or school, please consider leaving a comment below so we can celebrate it with … Read more

A 3-D Printer Student Business!

by Crystal Koenig Crystal Koenig is a Gifted Education Facilitator and SGE Robotics Coach with 21 years of experience in education. She also serves as an eMINTS Affiliate Trainer and Director of Gifted Association of Missouri Region 1. This post is the result of a conversation in the Big Ideas Facebook group, specifically our Summer … Read more

Oh, the Places You May Go! ~ Virtual Scavenger Hunt

In celebration of the month of May, here is a virtual scavenger hunt that will take your students to unique destinations around the world. As they journey, students will collect what they need to solve a paired puzzle. The solution to the puzzle will provide them with a ticket number for their flight home. Like … Read more

Mini Think-a-Thon ~ Indoor Class Competition

If your students enjoy a little friendly competition, this Mini Think-a-Thon is fun to do at the end of the year or when students have been through several days of testing! I have previously shared about it HERE, as part of an all-day event, but thought it might be helpful to create a landing page … Read more