As the conclusion of another school year approaches, I thought it might be fitting to re-publish this post from last year with suggestions for ways to end the year “strong.” I always laugh when people say that we should end school earlier in the year because the last few weeks are a waste. What do … Read more
The Class Dojo “Big Ideas” series is growing. Up until now you could find videos on: Perseverance, Growth Mindset, Empathy, and Gratitude. The latest theme is, “Mindfulness.” So far, only the first video has been released. In the past, the schedule has been to publish one per week. As with the other videos, there are discussion … Read more
UPDATE 3/23/2025: I’ve added a new post with updated Faberge Egg Resources that you can access here. My 4th grade GT students study masterpieces each year. The story of the Faberge Eggs, annually created for the last Russian czar’s mother and wife, fascinates all of us – especially when considered in the context of the tragedy … Read more
“Original Thinkers” is a fascinating TED Talk by Adam Grant, author of Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World. “The greatest originals are the ones who fail the most – because they are the ones who try the most,” according to Grant. Using the story of his own failure to invest in a new company that would … Read more
One of the biggest changes I made to our Genius Hour projects this year was to insist that the students do practice presentations for small audiences before they do the “real thing” – kind of like the “Alpha Testing” often used on products before they go on to “Beta Testing” and then full release. In … Read more
When my Kinder GT class learns about “Scientist Thinking” and classification, I like to use a PBS Cyberchase Game called, “Logic Zoo,” which helps them to understand Venn Diagrams. You can find that game, and other fun math problem solving interactives for elementary and middle school students on this page. (You need Flash to play these … Read more