Books · 01-30-2014
Friday, January 31st, is Backward Day! The perfect day to eat dinner in the morning (with dessert first). Add palindromes to the mix to celebrate this fun, silly "holiday." A palindrome is a word, phrase, number or sequence that reads the same backward as forward such as, kayak, solos, A Toyota, 535, and 76067. 3456 is NOT a palindrome because backward it is 6543.
Books · 01-28-2014
If you live in the greater Baltimore/Washington D.C. region, don't miss the creative exhibit Beyond Words: The Artistry of Illustrated Children's Books. Organized by McDaniel College, in a partnership with the Corcoran College of Art + Design, the exhibit highlights work from thirty-two artists, seventeen of whom received a Caldecott Medal or Honor or both. The art ranges from the classical works of the early and mid-20th century (e.g., Marcia Brown, Hardie Gramatky, Willy Pogany) to the...
Books · 01-27-2014
Today, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books for children and young adults including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards! Thank you ALA and this year's creative winners for making reading fun. The winner of the 2014 John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature is: Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures written by Kate DiCamillo The American Library Association also named four Newbery Honor Books:...
Resources · 01-24-2014
Gifted children are highly imaginative. They may not be inclined to follow the organization of others and may insist in doing things their own way. Here's a suggested tip from gifted education teacher Susan Winebrenner: "Whenever possible, let your child solve her own problems. Help her brainstorm solutions, but don't insist that she choose the one you think is best. You'll avoid power struggles and build self-reliance and responsibility in your child."
Books · 01-21-2014
Who doesn't love Mr. Wuffles!, the creative story of a curious house cat's encounter with alien visitors? Written and illustrated by David Wiesner (three time Caldecott Medal winner/two time Honor winner) this "almost" wordless book is clever and engaging. I appreciate how Wiesner challenges readers to decode the aliens' language. Best of all, it is a story that "deepens with each rereading." There are quite a few "wordless" books contending for this year's Caldecott Medal. Who do you think...
Activities · 01-18-2014
A warm-up is a short activity at the start of a lesson to jump-start students' thinking. Warm-ups have many purposes including: to introduce a new topic to reinforce skills to motivate students to prepare students to learn to assess how much students know Warm-up time is also a great time to promote higher order thinking. For example, students who have mastered the math facts may be bored with the following warm-up:
Museums · 01-13-2014
Museum Monday Since many museums are closed on Monday, I'll bring a museum to you. This week it's in the form of "learning links" for children and parents, including Martin Luther King Jr. Day resources.
Books · 01-10-2014
"I need book recommendations for a smart teenager!" My friend's plea didn't mention the teenager's age, interests, or even a specific genre. Did he want a book that was fun, perhaps an escape into the world of fantasy, or maybe he wanted recommendations that addressed issues of self-identity? I don't know. Without much to go on, the classic writers came to mind such as Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe, Jack London, Ralph Ellison, Ray Bradbury, Mark Twain, Arthur Conan Doyle, Jane Austen, Isaac...
Museums · 01-06-2014
A few years ago, my fifth grade gifted and talented students completed a unique research project. Specifically, we sent letters to museum directors asking for input about one object, artifact, work of art, or a creative selection from their museum's collections. The selection could be a personal favorite, possess significant cultural relevance, be a "best" example of its kind, tell a story, promote a new idea, or expose students to a new experience. The purpose of the project was to provide...
Resources · 01-02-2014
In addition to fostering creativity and learning, play makes a child's life more fun. Since children are naturally playful, their imaginations soar within environments that allow them to play and experiment without needless restrictions. We know that all work and no play makes. . .