Objective

Students will categorize stories according to a repeating pattern of themes using a variety of films, novels, short stories, and video games.

Hook

Ask students if they have ever heard of a story where someone begins as a good person, is corrupted, and then returns to good at the end? Solicit examples of stories with this patter. Allow a lot of thinking time as your students make connections.

After you’ve some examples, explain that these stories all share a similar “big idea” or theme. In particular, this theme is known as “a fall from grace” and “redemption.”

There are only a few themes authors choose from and they are repeated throughout history. This is another example of the generalization “structure increases creativity” in writing. Authors pick a theme and then build creatively around it.

Instruction

Define “Theme”

My 6th graders are fluent with the idea of an “author’s message,” so I don’t spend too much time definining “theme.” The introductory hook is typically enough. With younger students, you may need to introduce this concept (perhaps as its own lesson). Explain that a theme is the big idea that the author is exploring in his writing. It is not stated directly in the writing, but instead we must infer the theme based on evidence.

Let’s look at some common themes that authors use (as you are defining these terms, be sure to allow student participation. They will make connections to stories that you may be unfamiliar with. Encourage this since they are constructing meanining):

Fall From Grace/Redemption

Definition: A character begins as a hero or otherwise “good” person. Through some event, the character becomes “bad.” This is the fall from grace. The character then earns back their good standing through selfless action. This is the redemption. It’s possible, of course, to have a story about a fall from grace with no redemption or redemption without a fall from grace.

Essential characteristics:

• The protagonist begins heroically.
• A selfish act destroys the protagonist’s reputation.
• The protagonist returns to the hero status through selfless acts.

Examples:

• Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars)
• Brutus (Julius Caesar) – no redemption
• Scrooge (A Christmas Carol) – no fall from grace

The Quest or The Journey

Definition: The protagonist is on a mission to find a place, a person, or an item. During the journey, the main character experiences a change over time.

Essential characteristics:

• Character begins humbly
• Character acquires comrades
• Character changes throughout story
• The quest is less important than the final growth

Examples include:

• The Lord Of The Rings – Frodo must reach Mordor to destroy the ring.
• A Wrinkle In Time – Meg must find her father
• The Wizard Of Oz – Dorothy must reach the Emerald City so she can return home.

Coming of Age/Loss of Innocence

Definition A character grows up and loses their childish ways. This may mean taking on new responsibilities or realizing that something isn’t important. The loss of innocence theme has a more negative view of this transformation while a coming of age story is positive.

Essential Characteristics

• Character begins as a young person
• Character clashes with authority (teacher, parent, older sibling)
• Character goes through a conflict which changes their point of view
• Character understands the point of view of the authority
• The change can be good or bad (loss of innocence)

Examples include:

• Hatchet
• Where The Red Fern Grows
• To Kill A Mockingbird
• Grandfather’s Journey
• Lord of the Flies

Stranger In A Strange Land or Alienation

DefinitionA character is put in a place in which he feels alone and out of place. During this time, the character learns about himself and grows. He may also helps those around him grow as well. Essential characteristics:

• Character is out of place – strange setting, strange characters
• Character learns from his strange surroundings
• The other characters may learn from the main character

Examples include:

• E.T.
• Harry Potter
• Wizard of Oz

Guided Practice

Students now enter groups of four and are presented with a list of well-known stories and films. They categorize these stories based on their themes. I give them a list of stories and a literary theme worksheet :

Worksheet For Analyzing Themes

Naturally, you know which stories will work best with your class. They sort these into theme categories, giving an explanation of how the story fits with the theme. This would then be shared out and we would note any differences among groups. It is reasonable that one story could fit under multiple themes.

Independent Practice

I give students an assortment of settings – pictures taken from Flickr’s most interesting photos of the week. Students pick one setting and a plot summary using one of the themes we introduces. This plot should follow the dramatic structure presented in the previous lesson.

This lesson has led to some incredible stories of redemption set on a volcano

Coming Up

Now that we’ve introduced patterns in plot structure and themes, students will be examining the types of characters that populate these stories.

References

• Common Themes In Literature
• Harold Bloom’s Literary Themes – a series of books
• Frayer Model of concept attainment
• Kaplan and Gould’s The Flip Book and The Flip Book, Too
• Virtual Salt’s literary terms

Patterns In Writing III: Themes is a post from: Byrdseed Gifted

Related posts:

1. Patterns In Writing II: Plot Structure
2. Patterns In Writing I: Introduction
3. Start The Year With Themes & Generalizations

Recall that this unit is framed with the generalization that “structure increases creativity.”

In this unit, we’ll be using a Frayer Model-style concept attainment with definitions, essential characteristics, and examples/non-examples to define each act of the plot.

My goal with these lessons is to equip my students with a sophisticated set of tools to write with. Writing programs tend to start and end with setting, character, and plot. By showing my gifted students the authentic tools of an author, they have a higher level to aim for in their writing.

Plus, it’s a blast reading your students stories as they integrate sophisticate plots, themes, conflict, and character archetypes.

Objective

“Students will identify the pattern of a five-act plot structure in story-telling using a variety of films, novels, and short stories.”

Hook

Refer to the unit’s generalization “structure increases creativity.” Often, authors use an existing structure to organize their plot.

I might also mention that identifying patterns in plot structure goes back to 335 BC with Aristotle’s Poetics

Instruction

People such as Aristotle noticed that great stories (whether by the Greeks, Shakespeare, or Pixar) follow a common pattern. They each contain these five acts:

• Exposition
• Rising action
• Climax
• Falling action or resolution
• Dénouemont

Using these terms, we’re going to explore the plot of Finding Nemo.

1. Introduce language of the discipline “exposition”

Definition: In the exposition, the reader meets the protagonist and sees life before the conflict starts.

Essential Characteristics of the exposition:

• Introduces protagonists character traits
• Introduces general setting
• Main plot has not started.

Ask students to think from the point of view of the screenwriter: “How did the writer use the exposition to show the characters’ traits?”

Possible examples:

• Marlin’s cautious nature is shown when he goes in and out of the home indefinitely, checking for danger.
• Nemo’s ‘lucky fin’ is revealed, showing that he was physically affected by the baraccuda attack.
• We also see that Nemo is a regular kid, annoyed by his father’s worrying.
• Marlin is socially awkward, revealed through his terribly unfunny joke.

Non-Examples:

• The real conflict does not begin in the exposition.
• Nemo’s capture and Marlin’s attempts to find him are not part of the exposition.

Explain that the real plot hasn’t started yet. No one is trying to “find Nemo.” The conflict begins with an event known as the “inciting incident.”

2. Introduce “inciting incident” and “rising action”

In Finding Nemo, the conflict truly begins when Nemo is taken by the divers. This is known as the inciting incident. It is the origin of the next act, the rising action.

Definition: The rising action is the series of adventures the characters go on. Each adventure slowly takes them towards the climax. Quality stories get increasingly suspenseful and tense as the climax approaches. The rising action begins with an event known as the “inciting incident.”

Essential Characteristics

• Several mini-adventures within the main plot
• Longest act of the story
• Builds tension, excitement, and suspense over time

Examples of rising action from Finding Nemo:

• Inciting incident: Nemo is taken by the divers!
• Marlin encounters the sharks.
• Marlin goes through the jellyfish.
• Nemo gains the friendship of the aquarium fish.
• Nemo attempts to escape the aquarium.

3. Introduce language of the discipline “climax”

Definition: The climax is the peak of the action. It could be a huge battle or an exciting action scene.

Essential Characteristics:

• Most intense, exciting moment of the story.
• Storylines come together

Example from Finding Nemo: The search for Nemo intersects with Nemo’s own adventures in the dentist’s office. The climax continues into the ocean, reaching its peak when Nemo rescues the fish trapped in a net.

4. Introduce “Falling Action”

Can you imagine if the movie simply ended in the middle of all the excitement of the climax? We would never know how the big battle turned out or if the heroes were all safe.

Definition: The falling action is a short but vital part of the story that resolves the climax.

Essential Characteristics:

• Shows the outcome of the climax
• Tells the reader the status of the main characters

Example: In Finding Nemo, this is when Nemo saves Dorie and Marlin learns to trust his son.

Non-Examples: The falling action should not leave the reader confused.

5. Introduce the dénouement

Now I ask my students to think about the final part of the movie Finding Nemo. We see Nemo and Marlin back in the same situation as the beginning of the movie. They are back at the reef and Nemo is preparing to go to school. Only this time, there are major differences from the exposition. If we watch the clip, I would ask my students to note some of the differences:

Definition The dénouement reveals how the charaacters have “changed over time.”

Essential characteristics:

• The characters are back in a similar setting as the exposition
• The protagonist behaves differently, showing effect of the story’s conflict
• A great dénouement shows how the characters have changed.

In Finding Nemo, the dénouement shows:

• Marlin finally tells his whole joke.
• Marlin is no longer over protective of his son.
• Nemo is confident and happy.

Poor dénouements look like: :

• “And they lived happily ever after.”
• “And he never made the same mistake again.”

Guided Practice

Dramatic Structure Graphic Organizer

Break students into groups of four to participate in a practice session of identifying the plot elements of popular stories. I give a selection of choices such as: The Lion King, Harry Potter, Star Wars, etc.

I’m fine when groups use a story not on the list too. Each group should work with a different story. Groups analyze their story’s dramatic structure using a Freytag Triangle worksheet (pdf) and then present their work. These samples will go up as reminders and references.

Independent Practice

Students will develop their own Freytag Triangle (pdf) based around an idea for an original story (perhaps one they’ve created as part of this unit).

Closure

Refer back to the unit’s theme: “Structure increases creativity.” Note the wide variety of excellent, creative stories that use this plot structure. Preview that students will be creating their own stories based around this pattern.

Resources

• Kaplan and Gould’s The Flip Book
• Kaplan and Gould’s Flip Book, Too
• Wikipedia’s Dramatic Structure article

Patterns In Writing II: Plot Structure is a post from: Byrdseed Gifted

Related posts:

1. Patterns In Writing III: Themes
2. Patterns In Writing I: Introduction
3. Oz, Paragraphy, and Writing Strategies

“Structure Increases Creativity”

We’ll frame this unit with the generalization: “Structure increases creativity.” A generalization is an abstract statement applicable across many disciplines.

If you’re new to the use of abstract generalizations in gifted education, here are a sampling of quotes regarding gifted students and abstract thinking:

There are powerful academic effects when gifted learners are given abstract and/or complex content

Dr. Karen Rogers

Although instructional strategies depend on the age of the students and the nature of the disciplines involved, the goal is always to encourage students to think about subjects in more abstract and complex ways.

Sandra Berger

The differentiated curriculum includes learning theories that reinforce the needs, interests, and abilities of gifted students including abstract thinking and big ideas of the content area.

California’s GATE Standards

Approaching writing from whole to part using an abstract generalization is aligned with the needs of gifted learners.

Introducing The Theme

The opening lesson of this unit will simply explore the theme “structure increases creativity.” We’re teaching our students that this theme is applicable across many disciplines.

Here’s an excerpt from a Wired article I used as inspiration:

…consider these cultural and technological high points of the last century: Piet Mondrian helped usher in modernism by limiting himself to 90-degree angles and primary colors. Miles Davis conceived Kind of Blue without the use of a single chord. More recently, the very iPhone on which you listen to Davis’ landmark album is a one-buttoned example of restraint in pursuit of an ideal…

From Wired.com

I begin by brainstorming as many examples as possible from multiple disciplines. The Wired article is a great starting place, but my own experiences and my students’ lives will be the most useful resource.

Some possible examples:

• The Beatles limited their instrumentation on Let It Be
• Ansel Adams used black & white film to photograph nature.
• Pixar chose to use minimal dialog in Wall•E.
• If age-appropriate, note that films such as Psycho, Schindler’s List, 300, and Sin City were purposefully filmed in black & white or a very limited color palette.
• The Game Boy boasted a black and white screen and two buttons, yet defeated all competitors.
• Shakespeare utilized iambic pentameter in much of his writing.

However, I also want my class to bring their own ideas in. Open up the brainstorming to them and you’ll be surprised at what they come up with.

Frame The Theme

As a class, we use these examples to construct a frame (see the book Frames by Kaplan & Gould) to group these examples according to their discipline.

Group Work

Split students up into groups, hand them an image such as the following, and ask them to explain how the example supports our big idea. I would print out images such as the following and hand one to each group.

(These images include art from Van Gogh, Picasso, and Escher, a poster of The Nightmare Before Christmas, an excerpt from Yertle The Turtle, and a picture of iPods. )

Extend – Independent Practice

To extend this idea and increase the rigor, I’ll ask students to create a short (very short) short that follows a strict structure. Ideas could include:

• Employing iambic pentameter
• Writing a six-word story
• Using words of only a certain length

Coming Next…

After getting students thinking about the various ways that structure, rules, and patterns can lead to creativity, I bring in our true content, which is writing.

Writers use structure and patterns as a base on which they build their creativity.

The types of patterns we’ll examine in this unit will include:

1. The five-act dramatic structure
2. Recurring Themes
3. Character archetypes
4. Types of conflict

In the next lesson, we’ll begin digging into the patterns of plot structure.

Patterns In Writing I: Introduction is a post from: Byrdseed Gifted

Related posts:

1. Patterns In Writing II: Plot Structure
2. Patterns In Writing III: Themes
3. Oz, Paragraphy, and Writing Strategies

1. “My Best Posts On Classroom Management” http://bit.ly/bZXYa1 (from Larryferlazzo)
2. Meeting The Needs Of Gifted Learners In The Regular Classroom – Tomlinson – http://tinyurl.com/2f9f36g
3. Gifted students use higher order thinking w.o training, but benefit significantly from training – Dr. Rogers http://bit.ly/UYI8B
4. 10 Rules For Writers http://bit.ly/bviofw
5. Tomlinson on gifted differentiation. Great resource! http://tinyurl.com/25bmlmf
6. Foster a love of learning in your kiddos –http://tinyurl.com/3yjo5yd
7. Be tough with your gifted kids. Demand the best.http://tinyurl.com/2fdkl4h
8. Top 10 kid-friendly projects from Make magazine . . . http://bit.ly/bsKmFr (wggifted and DanielPink)
9. The start of an interesting math problem for your gifted kids? http://tinyurl.com/2gypcxk
10. “Don’t be creative!” Another awesome post from geraldaungst! http://bit.ly/c9FBSf

Ten Gifted Ed Resources – 7/23 is a post from: Byrdseed Gifted

Related posts:

1. Survey: Building A Gifted Library
2. 10 Social & Emotional Needs of the Gifted
3. The Beatles, Houghton Mifflin, and Gifted Students

Update: Summer Break is a post from: Byrdseed Gifted

Related posts:

1. Byrdseed Update!
2. Differentiating Math Lessons For Gifted Students
3. Ten Gifted Ed Resources – 7/23

1. Connect Students To Cultural Milestones

In America, It’s A Wonderful Life is part of our cultural heritage. Even if you don’t love Jimmy Stewart, even if you can’t stand black and white, and even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, it’s impossible to avoid references to this film. Likewise, The Wizard Of Oz is referenced whenever you hear “there’s no place like home” or “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”

Connecting students to the source of these references increases the richness of their intellectual life and gives them more to draw upon as creative people. Perhaps, as gifted educators, it is part of our job to provide this exposure. And expose is the key, of course. There’s no need to make it into a critical study with massive assessments and writing assignments.

Just as the Romans built upon the Greeks, our students will build upon their creative foundation. If their understanding of films is based solely on Alvin and the Chipmunks, we are not providing them with a strong foundation to build on.

So how do you pick what to expose students to? Simply pick those classics you love and are most knowledgeable about. Your passion for the subject will do far more than picking the “best” classic film.

2. Connect The Modern To The Classic

Rafe Esquith offers Akira Kurosawa films to his 5th graders.

Think your students might struggle with fifty year old, black and white, subtitled Japanese films?

I bet they’ll be pretty intrigued when you tell them George Lucas used Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress as a blueprint for the first Star Wars film.

As my class watched 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, I asked students to look for commonalities with the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Immediately my kids picked up on the parallel between Davey Jones and Captain Nemo – noting similarities that I had missed. It’s important for our students to understand the rich heritage that modern works draw upon. By comparing Nemo and Davey Jones, my students developed a greater understanding of both characters.

Read more about taking classics and remixing them into new ideas.

3. The Art of Critiquing

Afraid your students won’t like your favorite black and white classic? Worried they’ll rebel against your beloved film?

First, it probably won’t happen. But if it does, use this opportunity to teach students what it means to critique.

critique (n) – A serious examination and judgment of a work of art.

To critique a film, students must learn the language of film, they must learn to set criteria, and they must learn to evaluate based on that criteria. It’s far different from the typical playground evaluation of “that sucks.”

Set up opportunities for critique by asking “what makes a good film?”

• Exciting action?
• Strange settings?
• Interesting characters?

Similar to a teacher creating a rubric, students can then ‘grade’ films based on these criteria.

In teaching students about being critical evaluators, we provide a way to honor their opinions, but also rigorously demand that those opinions be backed up with specific, relevant evidence.

To learn more about critique (some of these are specific to ‘art’ but can easily be adapted to any medium), head here:

• An Art Teacher’s Guide To Critique
• Questions To Ask In Art Criticism
• Roger Ebert’s Reviews

4. Become Fluent In The Language of Literary Devices

Teaching literary devices naturally requires literature. However, a quality film uses many of these same techniques, but does it in a way that, one, is fun and, two, is fast. Plus, it hits students with another modality, which is always a bonus.

• Want to explain climax? Show the giant action scene that ends your favorite movie.
• Need your kids to understand the different between the falling action and the dénouement? I go straight to a discussion of Pixar films (boy they do some great dénouements!).
• Clearly illustrate the hero’s journey using Star Wars, The Matrix, or The Wizard of Oz.

5. Understand creative role of directors and actors

As my class watched Marlon Brando in Julius Caesar, I constantly paused and noted how the director makes creative decisions when adapting Shakespeare’s plays to the screen. Where will the characters stand? How will they get into their correct positions? What will the stage look like at this moment? How will the actors convey the emotion behind their lines?

This kind of understanding moves students from knowledge into the evaluation realm of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Watching a film can be more than entertainment, it can be an experience in critical thinking. Now, take this understanding and apply it to literature by discussing an author’s motives.

6. Use Film To Support Above-Grade-Level Reading

Your reading curriculum is no doubt far below the reading level of your students. As you bring in some novels that truly challenge your kids, a film version can assist with understanding. As mentioned in my article on Reading Shakespeare With Gifted Students, incorporating a film version of Julius Caesar is a key element in helping my students understand Shakespeare’s play.

7. Bring Social Studies To Life

A film depicting the historical events of your social studies curriculum is a great way to engage students in content and also evaluate the historical accuracy of films. When we watched the 1956 film Alexander The Great, my students quickly recognized questionable history on the screen. Several even mentioned that they felt the film was biased against Alexander. You couldn’t ask for higher level thinking, could you?

Dealing With Restrictions

District rules regarding the rating and content of films should certainly be a consideration when picking  what is appropriate to show your students. Naturally, you’ll have to work within these guidelines. An extra bonus with classic films is the lack of violence and vulgarity so common even in modern films.

How can you justify the time?

As a teacher of gifted students, you have an obligation to up-level your teaching. Exposing students to classic films provides a novel way of investigating symbolism, foreshadowing, and other literary devices (which are also naturally film techniques). Instructionally, the payoff is immediate and the understanding richer than through text alone. Plus, it’s easy to tie any quality film into your literary response standards.

Now, make a list of your favorite classics, fire up that DVD player, and add a new element to your teaching!

Further Resources

• Article on viewing film with gifted students
• Hoagies Gifted: Films with gifted characters
• Addressing social/emotional needs through film

7 Ways To Use Film In The Gifted Classroom is a post from: Byrdseed Gifted

Related posts:

1. Differentiating Within A Gifted Classroom
2. Google’s 20% In A Gifted Classroom
3. 3 Ways Teachers Battle Students’ Giftedness

Here’s how I tackle Shakespeare with my gifted elementary class.

Getting Kids Interested: AKA The Shock

Shakespeare seems stuffy to the average student, but wait until they see:

• hilarious insults (“you saucy fellow!”)
• off-color jokes
• swear words
• battles betrayal, and death after death!

Shakespeare is not the dull academic we assume he would be!

Understanding The Times

Be sure to open any study with an explanation of Shakespeare’s time. Address misconceptions and explain that:

• All types of people attended his plays – from the noble to the impoverished.
• All people could understand his language, not just the educated.
• He was quite rich and famous during his time.
• He borrowed ideas from earlier stories, just as many borrow his ideas today.
• No one can simply pick up a Shakespearean play and immediately understand it. We all need some background and a good reference guide to dig into his language.
• His plays are meant to be heard and seen, not just read (imagine reading the script to Star Wars without ever experiencing the film).

Explain The Contribution Of Shakespeare

Why do we read Shakespeare’s works hundreds of years after his death. Besides his beautiful writing and complex characters, Shakespeare has direct contribution on our modren world.

Students may have heard famous sayings such as:

• It’s all greek to me.
• Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day.
• To be or not to be.
• All’s well that ends well.
• Read 135 of these Shakespearean sayings here.

Investigate the parallels of Shakespeare’s writing with modern day movies:

• The Lion King parallels Hamlet
• Westside Story parallels Romeo & Juliet
• 10 Things I Hate About You parallels Taming Of The Shrew
• O parallels Othello

Where to start?

A look into Shakespeare’s sonnets may be a more manageable starting point than a full blown play.

The background on the sonnets are as fascinating as the plots of Shakespeare’s plays. A fair youth? A rival poet? A dark lady? Shakespeare the spurned lover? Be sure to explain the “private diary” style of writing (these poems were not meant to be published). Play up the mystery of not quite knowing the true meaning behind these poems!

Sonnet 18 is probably the most well-known and will give your kids something to hang their hat on (“Hey! I’ve heard that line before!”). Rich with figurative language and (gasp!) romance, this is a fun poem to have students read aloud (perhaps to their dog, their favorite pencil, or even their teacher!).

It will also give you a chance to introduce Iambic Pentameter and the concept of working within a structure. Try incorporating the big idea that “structure leads to creativity.” Shakespeare chose to work within an incredibly limiting structure for all 158 of his sonnets. Yikes!

Word Play

Be sure to prepare students to understand Shakespeare’s unique sense of humor. I set up an understanding for puns earlier in the school year through a “Very Punny” homophone assignment. When we arrive at the first scene of Julius Caesar, I discuss the job of a “cobbler” so students understand the plays on:

• cobble (beat up vs. make shows)
• awl vs all
• soles vs souls

The Read Through

We slowly go through the play, line by line. As we go, I constantly stop the class and explain meanings and highlight important themes. I also ham it up a bit to remind kids that these plays are meant to be acted!

After reading a bit, I use the iPod and play the same segment from an audio book.

Then, as we get moving a bit more, I bring in a DVD and we watch the scenes we’ve just read.

Since Shakespeare is well beyond our curriculum, and I do this after testing, we are able to go at a relaxed pace without the expectation of completing every scene. If we begin to run out of time, I pick essential scenes so that we have some resolution on the play.

Our read through of Caesar is primarily to reinforce our study of Rome and to expose my gifted kids to something highly advanced and “scholarly.” Assessment is kept to a minimum, just a check to see who’s getting the story. I don’t expect interpretation from my 6th graders.

Putting On A Play!

Nothing stands out from my own days in a gifted elementary class like the plays we put on. By sixth grade, I had performed in Little House On the Prairie, Annie, Peter Pan, two original plays, and MacBeth simply by attending school! These events may seem like a thing of the past, but don’t think you have to create a full-blown production. Consider letting groups act out single scenes or allow brave students to tackle a soliloquy.

I guarantee they’ll remember it in 20 years. Heck, I still remember my lines from our 6th grade production of MacBeth.

Resources

Don’t go at it alone! Check out these Byrdseed recommended resources!

Something Rich and Strange: A Treasury of Shakespeare Verse

This beautifully illustrated book features quotes from Shakespeare’s plays and poems. Great for enticing students or finding fantastic examples of figurative language.

The “No Fear Shakespeare” Series

Features the original text on the left and a modern translation on the right. Invaluable for working your way through those tough passages. Many of my students pick these up when we go through Julius Caesar. Be sure to explain the necessity of working through the original language while using the translation as a guide.  

Shakespeare’s Insults: Educating Your Wit

Nothing rolls off the tongue like an ancient insult from The Bard. Also, be sure to enjoy this site which generates random Shakespearean insults. I bite my thumb at you, you naughty knave!

Studying Shakespeare: A Guide to the Plays

Picking up a large guide like this provides insight in to the bigger picture of Shakespeare’s writing. Might want to browse your library before settling on one sine they’re a little pricier than the other resources.

Shakespeare Downloadable Audiobooks

I hook my iPod up to the class sound system and play lines so we can hear a professional reading. Being able to download the file straight from Amazon or iTunes is a bonus!

Shakespeare on DVD

Nothing beats seeing the action on stage and a DVD is the next best thing. Naturally there’s a huge variety of interpretations, so be sure to read those reviews and do your research. I prefer the classic movies since they’re more appropriate for my elementary kids, but with high schoolers you can probably venture into the more modern interpretations.

Shakespeare & Gifted Students is a post from: Byrdseed Gifted

Related posts:

1. Enticing Gifted Students To Read Twice
2. Vocabulary Skills For Gifted Students
3. Remixing Ideas With Gifted Students

Why did Alma’s family decide to make nativity figurines?

To me this is asking for low level thinking, certainly not what I would consider “critical.” Now, let’s transform this into a beautiful and rigorous question suitable for your gifted kids.

Add Depth And Complexity Icons

You can begin by adding an element of Sandra Kaplan’s depth and complexity:

• List three details that explain why Alma’s family created nativity figurines.
• Identify the change over time that made it possible for Alma’s family to create nativity figurines?
• Explain two opposing two points of view towards the nativity figurines.

Connect To A Larger Idea

Try connecting this question with a larger theme or quote:

• Explain how the nativity figurines support the big idea “conflict can lead to positive outcomes.”
• Explain how the Alma’s family and their nativity figurines demonstrate a theme of perseverance.
• Explain how the nativity figurines support the quote that “the best things in life are free.”

Connect To Other Stories

Increase the rigor by connecting the question with another story:

• Note three parallels between Alma’s family and the family of Jackie Joyner Kersee.

Take It To The Top!

Finally, move your thinking skill up Bloom’s Taxonomy by crafting an evaluative question:

• Do you agree with the family’s decision to devote time making nativity figurines?
• Which action represented a bigger sacrifice: making the nativity figurines or moving homes to support mom’s business?

Don’t Start Everything From Scratch

This is a simple example of taking grade-level curriculum and differentiating it to fit the needs of gifted learners. When creating lessons or assessments, be sure to mine your base program for all its worth. There are wonderful seeds there that, with your care, will blossom into an appropriate challenge for your students.

Transforming Textbook Questions is a post from: Byrdseed Gifted

Related posts:

1. Drive Instruction With Unanswered Questions
2. Start The Year With Themes & Generalizations
3. Character Analysis With Depth & Complexity

• Spanish: Adjectives come after nouns
• Japanese: Words are not pluralized. Numbers are implied within the sentence
• French: Nouns have gender

Benefits

Validation

By examining other languages, we validate our bilingual students and provide them with an opportunity to be experts during ELA. It’s also enjoyable to see students discussing and making connections as they analyze their language’s grammar.

Error Analysis

You are probably aware of patterns in your students writing caused by their first language. These may include errors in conjugation, subject-verb agreement, or tense. Rather than endlessly marking up papers in red ink, consider having your students compare and contrast English and their first language to truly understand the origins of these errors.

Fun

Your students will certainly get a kick out of learning about the multiple perspectives behind different languages.

Resources

• If you’ve got loads of money, Rosetta Stone has incredible resources for learning multiple languages.
• I’ve picked up several language textbooks for just a few dollars from my local library’s bookstore.
• Hit up iTunes’ podcast library and look for free language podcasts. Personally, I enjoy JapanesePod101 from iTunes.

Uplevel Grammar By Examining Another Language is a post from: Byrdseed Gifted

Related posts:

1. Can You Spice Up Grammar?
2. Language Arts Needs Of Gifted Learners
3. Vocabulary Skills For Gifted Students

Why?

Check out these examples. Which would you rather answer?

Math

• Boring: Compare and contrast multiplication and division.
• Fun: Which is better, multiplication or division? Why?

Social Studies

• Boring: Describe the similarities between Athens’ democracy and the Roman Republic.
• Fun: From the point of view of a commoner, which government would you rather live under?

Science

• Boring: List the qualities of metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous rocks.
• Fun: Create a political campaign for your favorite type of rock in which it proves it is better than the other two candidates.

Plus, as I wrote about earlier, these types of assessments should be reflecting the depth of your instruction.

Ask Them Which Is Better is a post from: Byrdseed Gifted

Related posts:

1. Reflecting With Depth and Complexity
2. Character Analysis With Depth & Complexity
3. Remixing Ideas With Gifted Students