What’s First When You Sit Down to Plan? (Video Series)

What do you think about when you sit down to plan for your intellectually gifted students? What are the first things you DO?

Let’s just get real. I know we have curricular guidelines and state standards to think about, and maybe you don’t incorporate the Depth and Complexity framework. But I think we can learn from one another if we have some conversations about the actual steps we take and what guides us as we sit down to plan.

So, I’m going to try to answer those two questions above- and I hope you will too. I also hope you will join us in our Facebook group as we discuss this and other topics in the weeks to come.

INTRODUCTORY VIDEO – Part One (15 min.)

The video below is an introduction to this series, and I’ll be adding at least two additional videos to this. You can also find the video HERE. (One clarification: the teacher mentioned in the first two minutes of the video didn’t develop the Depth and Complexity chart; but he added to it to come up with a process that worked for him.)

VIDEO #1: Additional Information and Resources:

Planning for the Year (list of articles about planning, videos, and sample year-long plans)

Novelty, Surprise, and Twists: How to Sneak These into Your Lessons

Novelty is Essential to Keeping Advanced Learners Engaged (24-min. webinar / John Hopkins Center for Advanced Youth)


PLANNING A MINI-UNIT – Part Two (11 min.)

This second video explains how to get started in planning a multidisciplinary mini-unit, a topic of study that spans a few weeks, usually two to six weeks. It includes a template for making connections to the Depth and Complexity tools as you plan (see resource links below). You can also view the video HERE.

VIDEO #2: Additional Information and Resources:

Planning for the Year (list of articles about planning, videos, and sample year-long plans)

Unit Planning Template for Making Connections to Depth and Complexity (shown below)

PLANNING A LESSON – Part Three (14 min.)

This third video below takes you through the process I use in planning a lesson or learning experience (that may be up to 3 class periods). In the video, I explain how I use the template above to help me come up with lesson ideas, and I share what I’m thinking about as I develop a 45 to 90-minute lesson. You can also find the video HERE.

Join us in our Facebook group where we share about planning meaningful and novel experiences for our students! Happy Planning!

2 thoughts on “What’s First When You Sit Down to Plan? (Video Series)”

  1. Having enjoyed your website for years, I am fascinated to get another peek-behind-the-curtain into your amazing mind. Thank you for this first video. I am looking forward to the others. I wonder when they will be coming out. You’re my favorite professional development source. I will be studying from the depth and complexity site more this summer too!

    Reply
    • Tiffany, I have loved connecting with you over the past few years! What a wonderful message- thank you for the encouraging words. I am working on the second video and hope to share it in the FB group by the end of this week! The third video will follow soon after. Like all writing and creating that I do, I’m learning a lot in the process! I highly recommend trying to define your process as you study!

      Reply

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