In our district, most 5th grade GT students read the book, The Giver, by Lois Lowry. This amazing piece of dystopian literature spawns endless discussions about topics from the meaning of freedom to the potential consequences of genetic engineering. I have read this book with a group of students every year for 14 years, and … Read more
Sometimes I start reading a blog post and my jaw drops. I am constantly amazed by the work of educators around the globe, and Sonya Terborg is one person I deeply admire. From her blog, I learned about The Passion Project, and I am absolutely convinced that I must somehow find a way to include … Read more
I first learned about the web game, “Refraction“, from Julie Greller’s post on “A Media Specialist’s Guide to the Internet”. Since my 5th grade daughter happens to be knee-deep in fractions right now, I was intrigued by Julie’s description of the game, which involves guiding lasers to power spaceships. I followed her link to the … Read more
Peter Reynolds, author and illustrator of The Dot, as well as many other books, is the mind behind SuperThinkers. This website, designed for students in upper elementary and middle school, includes, games and activities that encourage: reading for meaning, logic, and reasoning skills. According to the site, it “offers activities that require that students THINK … Read more
Math Apprentice is designed for students in grades 4-7. According the producers of this site, “the goals of this project are to connect math with real world careers, introduce students to more advanced mathematical ideas, and provide additional opportunities to apply math concepts they have already learned.” If you have a student who asks you, … Read more
This site from the Science Alberta Foundation describes itself as follows: “Wonderville is a fun, interactive destination for kids to discover the exciting world of science. This award-winning site encourages exploration and curiosity, while helping kids discover how much fun science can be.” The site include videos, games, comics, and other activities about topics such … Read more