Lesson Plans

I found some great sites with lesson plans that can be used in gifted classrooms.

Here are some links:

Lesson Plans and Resources

• I especially like the lesson plan on entomology for elementary school. In this lesson, the students begin by being introduced to basic facts about butterflies and then, under the guidance of their teacher, they begin to use different types and levels of thinking in relation to the subject of butterflies. This type of activity should engage many students at once, which is ideal for a class with students of different levels.

Lesson Planet

• This is an extensive database of lessons for all grade and ability levels. Unfortunately, the number of lesson plans for high school are at zero, but reading through some of the lower grade level plans gave me ideas that could be modified for upper level grades and classes.

Lesson Tutor

• Lesson Tutor, while not as extensive as the others, provides an easy to navigate list of included lesson plans. I was surprised to see an inclusion of lesson plans concerning music, but was slightly disappointed that they are not aimed towards gifted students.

Center For Gifted Education

The Center for Gifted Education is located at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA.

Their Mission Statement is as follows:

Mission Statement The Center for Gifted Education is a learning community that values and fosters the talent development process of individuals over the lifespan.
Goal #1 To provide graduate education programs and opportunities for individuals interested in teaching gifted students and/or assuming administrative and leadership positions in the field of gifted education.
Goal #2 To provide selected programs and services for precollegiate learners and their families.
Goal #3 To develop, field-test, and disseminate curriculum in relevant content areas at appropriate developmental levels.
Goal #4 To conduct research and evaluation for dissemination to relevant audiences and for data-based decision-making.
Goal #5 To provide professional development to promote leadership and exemplary practice.

Mary Baldwin Collge- Program For The Exceptionally Gifted

This program, at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia, is designed forgirls ages 12-16 who have not graduated from high school. The group of roughly 30 students attends college classes and earns college credit to be applied to their bachelor degrees.

The program was founded in 1985 with 11 students and has become a well-known alternative to traditional high school education for those students considered gifted. The Program for the Exceptionally Gifted (PEG) sends out around 10,000 informational packets to 7th graders who have shown a high level of academic achievement while other participants find out about the program on their own either through guidance counselers or their own research.

Some critiques of the program include the fact that the young students are not always properly counseled for their transition into the working world at such a young age.

Tannenbaum

I find Abraham J. Tannenbaum's thoughts on giftedness to be very interesting. In his stating that a person must be an adult to reach giftedness, I can't help but to think of myself. I was identified as gifted in elementary school and I wonder now how I might display the same characteristics seen then. I am not sure I agree with Tannenbaum's theories as strongly as I do the others. I do like his thoughts on nature and nuture as this has recently been on my mind while I work on my musical prodigies project, but I think I do believe that children can be gifted and not just "potentially gifted."

Program Options For Gifted Learners

Just as students with disabilities need extra assistance in school, I believe that gifted students need modifications as well. Program options for gifted students should include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Advanced Placement classes
• Honors classes
• Gifted and Talented classes
• Computer clubs and technology added to normal classroom functions
• Extra-curricular activities such as academic teams, musical ensembles, art groups, etc.
• Grouping/Clustering in classes when appropriate and possible
• Saturday/Summer enrichment programs
• Mentorships
• Internships
• Early identification
• Performing arts options

Identifying Learners As Being Gifted

How do we defensibly identify students as being gifted?

The following is a list of characteristics of a potentially gifted student:

• Has a lot of knowledge and factual information
• Catches on quickly
• Works alone
• Is able to convey ideas
• Has a good attention span for information that is not routine or mundane
• Answers stimulating questions
• May show creativeness
• May want to disagree with the teacher or textbook
• Has a good memory
• Takes charge, but may not follow through
• Anticipates outcomes
• Is usually logical
• Possesses a special talent
• Reads at a more advanced level
• May show spontaneous outcomes or conclusions
• Gives thought-provoking responses
• Elaborate answers given
• Has perceptiveness other students lack

Mittah , Ken. (1989). Teacher pleaser or potentially gifted? Educational Impressions, Inc. Hawthorne, NJ.

Is a student who displays these characteristics gifted? Can this list be used as a checklist to identify students as being gifted? Unfortunately, it is not that easy to identify students as being gifted.

When identifying learners as being gifted there are many things to keep in mind. A student can not be identified from one defining characteristic and he or she can not be denied the label of being gifted for not having one defining characteristic.

A student with a poor GPA, but who has an above-average IQ and displays astounding creatively may be identified as being gifted.

A student with a perfect GPA and has been playing the piano since age 2 may not be identified as being gifted.

Each and every case up for identification must be looked at individually as the defensible reasons for labeling a learner as gifted are as varied as the students.

So how do we know if a student is indeed gifted? The following criteria should be used in the identification process:

• Ability
• Achievement
• Creativity
• Task Commitment
• Motivation
• Socio-emotional development
• Demographics
• School history
• Family background

I believe that the best method for identifying students, and the one with the most validity is that of a portfolio. When appropriate, a portfolio of what a student is capable of may provide the best evidence for giftedness.

Thinking Back

I was in many gifted classes during my K-12 years in Fauquier County. As a result of this class, I have done a lot of thinking about the types of projects and lessons my own G/T teachers provided.

I think my English 10 G/T teacher, Mrs. Madden, did an exceptional job providing our class with differentiated instruction and modified projects. She often gave us choices for projects and these choices ran such a spectrum that no matter what our interests, we could find something appropriate and exciting to do.

Another teacher I remember well is Mrs. Hall from elementary school. I still talk to her and even gave her daughter swimming lessons a few years ago. Her teaching methods really stuck with me, both as a student and as a future teacher. In 6th grade each class had to prepare for an end of the year presentation and our class, being the G/T class, got to be extremely creative in our approach. She helped to make the mundane very exciting for us.

I think I have a positive outlook on gifted education mostly because of my own experiences with the program. This class has only furthered my position on its necessity.