Creative and Critical Thinking

Creative and Critical Thinking

Keri HarrisCameron ISD Teacher

& GT Coordinator

Stories With Holes

Stories With Holes

• Inspire Creative Thinking• Students only ask questions that I can

answer with a yes/no answer• www.storieswithholes.com • By Nathan Levy

• Not Just Schoolwork (gr. 3-12)

Goal of GT Programs

• Opportunities for developing talents and special interests.

• Promote potential for divergent, creative, and critical thinking.

Be All That You Can Be? When…

• Put in learning environments which offer little or no challenge

• Top grades for minimal effort by requiring too little• They should always get A+, anything less is

unacceptable• We foster dependence rather than independence as we

protect them from possible mistakes or negative consequences.

• We prevent the development of positive self-concept/self-reliance/self-efficacyo Not allowing struggleo Work hard at something difficulto Learn effort = success

Helping these students isn’t a

‘bonus’ or an optional extra;

it’s a professional obligation.

-Summary Report of the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, September, 1996.

“They [teachers] must know their subject areas deeply, and they must understand how students think as well as what they know in order to create experiences that produce learning… teachers need access to the growing knowledge that exists about how to teach different kinds of learners effectively.”

Challenge for Teachers

Student Suggestions for Effective Teachers of the Gifted

  Be patient   Have a sense of humor   Move quickly through material   Treat each student as an individual   Avoid being a "sage on the stage" all the time  Consistently give "accurate" feedback

Creative/Critical Principles

To make the basic curriculum more appropriate for gifted students we should modify:

o Content (what is learned),o Process (the methods used and the thinking processes) o Product (expected as a result of the processes used), and

Based on:o Readiness of the studento Interests of the studento Learning Profile (strengths) of the student

Content Modifications

Powerful academic effects when GT learners are given… (Dr. Karen Rogers)

• Abstract or complex content• telescoped or progressed rapidly through the

"regular" curriculum• tend to be analogical (transfer information of one

subject to another) in their processing and therefore "get" the themes of true interdisciplinary curriculum more successfully

• tend to learn most successfully when they are given the whole concept, in depth, up front and then allowed to break it down through analysis

• Gifted boys, in particular, and to some extent,

girls are motivated by learning the way things work and the ways professionals work

(Methods of Inquiry); gifted students are more successful with "practicing professionals" tasks than are other students

Gifted girls, in particular, are motivated by learning

- famous people

- career paths

- people-oriented issues of a content area

Biography reading often provides "role models" for gifted learners

Process Modifications

Process includes teaching methods which include:• Higher levels of thinking• Open-endedness• Discovery• Evidence of reasoning• Freedom of choice• Group interaction activities and simulations• Pacing• Tiered Assignments

From Dr. Rogers’ Study

• The learning rate of children above 130 IQ is approximately 8 times faster than for children below 70 IQ

•  Gifted students are significantly more likely to retain science and mathematics content accurately when taught 2-3 times faster than "normal" class pace.

• Gifted students are significantly more likely to forget or mislearn science and mathematics content when they must drill and review it more than 2-3 times

Product Modifications

These products should reflect the adjusted content and process in the following ways.• Real-life problems• Real-life audiences – let them choose• Independent study• Rubrics• Multiple modes of expression

There must be a "fit" between the student and the content, processes, and products that create learning experiences.

How can you and your teachers meet the needs of your students?

- What will the kids do?- When/Where will they do it?- OMG! What will they miss?- Who will grade it?

Texas Association for Gifted and Talented

www.txgifted.org

Legislative Updates Conferences

HB 3 has been signed into law by Governor Perry. The responsibility now rests with the commissioner of education; he made the decision as to how to proceed (see below). In addition, the governor signed HB 3646, which alters and lightly increases funding for most school districts and also increases teacher salaries until……

Legislation

Legislation

House Bill 3

39.236 The Commissioner shall adopt standards to evaluate school district programs for gifted and talented students to determine whether a district operates a program for gifted and talented students in accordance with: The Texas Performance Standards Project; or Another program approved by the commissioner that meets the requirements of the state plan for the education of gifted and talented students under Section 29.123. (81st Legislative Session in 2009)

SECTION 3 CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONDistricts meet the needs of gifted/talented students by modifying the depth, complexity, and pacing of th curriculum and instruction ordinarily provided by the school.

3.1.1 Recommended Opportunities are provided for students to pursue areas of interest in selected disciplines through guided and independent research.

3.1 Exemplary Curriculum options in intellectual, creative and/or artistic areas; leadership; and specific academic fields are provided for gifted/talented students.

3.2R Participation in the Texas Performance Standards Project (TPSP), or other experiences that result in the development of sophisticated products and/or performances that are targeted to an audience outside the classroom, is available through gifted/talented curricula.

3.2E The opportunity for students who have been served in a gifted program for one or more years to develop sophisticated products and/or performances assessed by external evaluators who are knowledgeable in the field that is the focus of the product is available through gifted/talented curricula.

Websites

www.noodletools.comNoodleBib MLA Starter – FREE and simple MLA bibliography tool. Access info on-line.id – sample for workshoppassword – cameron

using YOUTUBE.COM

Make Ideas Real with SketchUp

Create Cool Stuff with Google SketchUp

Why Create 3D models for Google Earth

*Google Earth*Google Sketchup

Texas Performance Standards Project

www.texaspsp.org/

Curriculum for K-12

We are Texans – 4th graders and adaptable for 7th grade

High School Science Unit

What’s the Diagnosis? Historical and Physical Impacts of Disease

Explore the physical and historical impacts of disease. Students will begin by researching cells, bacteria, and viruses and the role of each in the body. They will then study different diseases (e.g., common cold, HIV/AIDS, bubonic plague) and their impacts on the body.

High School Science Unit

What’s the Diagnosis? Historical and Physical Impacts of Disease

Students will then choose one disease and track its history through time.

They will determine the impact on the populations (including future populations) affected, as well as the impact on lifestyles of affected populations (including future populations) throughout the world.

• Read the book –Code Orange

Overload the senses with gross!

YouTube has excellent videos about diseases Google images – “diseases”

Students will then choose one disease and track its history through time.

They will determine the impact on the populations (including future populations) affected, as well as the impact on lifestyles of affected populations (including future populations) throughout the world.

Goals Students will meet these goals in their explorations:

• Ask questions and explore theories • Have opportunities to generate new ideas • Develop the essential skills of logical thinking,

creative problem solving, intellectual risk taking, and communicating

• Become familiar with the biology and sociology of various diseases

• Understand how awareness of disease has changed over time and how people from various cultures have responded to this knowledge

http://www.wix.com/daviseric2009/malaria

http://www.wix.com/chanman876/cholera

Game of Life Middle School

Students will have a realistic idea of the educational path needed for a career of

their choosing. Students will create homes based on the salary of their career choice.

Game of Life • Students will meet these goals in their explorations:• Become familiar with various career and study

opportunities related to interests• Learn about the purpose of their field of study within

society• Develop the essential skills of logical thinking, creative

problem solving, intellectual risk taking, • and communication• Explore unanswered questions and generate new

questions• Generate new ideas• Build and apply critical thinking skills

Game of Life

Introduce this unit with guiding questions:

How many of you have thought about the career you would like to pursue?

Do you know what type of training is required for the career of your choice?

What kind of a house will you be able to afford with salary you will make?

Game of Life Using www.texascollegeandcareer.org, students take their first steps to college and/or a career.  Under the Careers tab, click Get To Know Yourself. Many students make the mistake of trying to “fit the mold” of different career paths. In reality, the best career choice may be one that naturally fits you. So how do you figure out what careers fit you? Take a look at these quizzes!

Game of Life

What Do I Like? assesses your interests and work “personality.”

The quiz asks you to rate how much you like (or don’t like) different work activities. Do you prefer working with your hands, working with people, or working with computers? The quiz results fit into 6 “Interest Areas” that can help give you a better idea of what type of work you would like.

Game of Life

What Do I Value? asks you to prioritize different “Work Values.”

Work Values are your personal rule book for your working life. Knowing your values can make the difference between finding a job that you love and being stuck in a job you hate.

Game of Life

What Are My Skills? introduces you to the fundamental building blocks of work activity.

Learning about what skills you have, and how they match with careers, can help you guide your studies and early career choices.

Game of Life

Students will have the opportunity to explore the occupations that match their likes, values, and skills. After learning about an occupation’s characteristics, students will find a field of study and the education level required for that occupation.

• Under the College tab, click College Search. Click on Majors. Students may search and compare colleges by entering the major name or major category. Students may enter more than one major. This will show students the colleges in Texas that offer their desired major.

Game of Life

• Under the Paying for College tab, click College Cost Estimator.

Step 1: Add your School Step 2: Review your Cost per Year Step 3: Add your awards per Year (goal for middle school)Click Calculate at the bottom of the page.Step 4: Cost Gap ResultsAdd another school. Students may compare the four year average cost for their chosen schools.

Game of Life

Under the Paying for College tab, click Loan Cost Estimator.

Enter the loan amount (Cost Gap Results).

Calculate to find the Loan Cost & Analysis.

Can you afford your monthly loan payment?Choose your career and calculate affordability.

Students will be given a Quality of Life Analysis.

You may wish to have the students present their findings in a paper or in another format.

Game of Life

Phase II. Independent ResearchA.Research process

1. Selecting a topic. Students should select and sketch a dream home. The home can be anywhere and include as many options as they want.

2. Asking guiding questions. Once students have decided about their home, each student should think of three to five guiding questions, such as:

What do you like about your current home? What would you change? What style of home will you design? How many bedrooms? Bathrooms? What kind of spaces do you need, e.g. big kitchen, family room, library? Where do you want to build your home?

Game of Life

3. Creating a research proposal.

The student should include numerous components in the research proposal:

•Student’s career choice and salary •Sketch of dream home•Three to five guiding questions he/she will investigate•Resources he/she will need to find answers to questions

Game of Life

4. Plan your living space.

Student will research the area where he wants to live. How much is an acre? A city block is about 2.5 acres. Plan to purchase at least one acre.

A single story home is one level. A two-story home will cost less because the two-story home will have a smaller roof and foundation. Sketch ideas for all interior rooms under the main roof. Include the attic or porches only when used as four-season rooms. Do not include the footage for the garage area or patios.

Game of Life

5. Grade Your Home Use Attachment 1. Students appraise the different grades of building construction and select one for their home.

6. Options You Want Use Attachment 2. Students research the cost of any options they want in or around their house. Furniture, swimming pools, basketball courts, putting greens, and hot tubs are popular options. List the options and their costs.

7. Detailed Plans Use Attachment 3. Calculating the dream home can be frustrating. Students should use a pencil to calculate their home’s square footage based on their choices.

8. Refer to the Building Code Attachment 4 is a simplified Building Code.

Game of Life

B. Product The student should express, through the design and creation of an original product, an example of her dream home. The complete project should include floor plans and a rendering of the proposed home following the appropriate building codes. Some useful product ideas include the following:

Google Sketchup Design Workshop Lite1 cm Jumbo Graph Paper Roll

Texas Performance Standards Project

All Physics

“Challenging the System” 8th PSP

Students will understand living and non-living systems and patterns found in systems. They will use technical writing and statistics to produce a scientific

paper and formal presentation.http://www.physicsgames.net/game/Fantastic_Contraption.html physics games, Fantastic Contraption

http://incredibots.com/ Physics game

http://www.edheads.org/ Science, Math & Critical Thinking

-Deep Brain Stimulation - Crash Scene Investigation-Brain Surgery - Virtual Surgery (Hip, Knee)-Simple Machine - Odd Machine-Stem Cell -Weather

Brainstorms – Critical Thinking

• List everything you used today.• What do we need to have a great day?• What could we do without and still have a great

day?• What do people waste?• List all the things can you catch?

http://www.sporcle.com/ Choose the topic and play asa class! Great brainstorm activity!

In a group, students will create a Rube Goldberg.

• Students create the due date. • Students create a list of 5 simple tasks to choose

from. • Students create the rubric. How many simple

machines must be used? (Go to edheads.org for simple machines)

• Group must draw/create a blueprint. NOTE: It never ends up looking like the plan! You can also use a wiki here for each group. Yes, they have to add # entries.

In a group, students will create a Rube Goldberg.

Supplies to have on hand:• Hot glue sticks & guns• Pulleys (Nasco $1.40 ea.) 2-3 for each group• Kite string• Ball bearings (metal balls instead of marbles)• Cheap dominoes

Students are responsible for the base. And now it’s time to create!

Research Process

• Select a topic – student identifies a problem within a system to study.

(biological, physical, environmental, social, or other)

• Think of 3-5 guiding questions to explore • Hypothesize – possible answers to questions

Research Proposal

Student will design and submit a research proposal with:real world problem to investigate3-5 questions to investigateresources needed to find answers (previous studies on topic, correspondence with expert, etc.)process for gathering data – experimental design, survey,…

Conduct Research

After proposal is approved, students begin using resources they identified (and many more). Students will keep a log of all resources (Noodletools), note cards or resource process sheets of all sources they use and what they learn from each one.

Data Summary

• Depending on topic and needed data – this may be a lab report or analysis of survey results.

http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/default.aspx Make a graph

http://www.ehow.com/how_5849690_write-science-experiment-report-kids.html How to type a lab report

Or contact your SCIENCE teachers. (I was so out of my element.)

The Product

Student will show what he/she learned through one of following written products:• Letter to person or organization with

responsibility for the problem• Article that summarizes the results of research

MUST complete a Reference List/Works Cited Pages with at least 10 references.

Communication

Student will demonstrate what he/she learned through one of the following types of presentations (15 minutes maximum)• Formal presentation to panel of experts• Informal class presentation to a class

FINALE – Science Night for parents

Submission to teacher

• Cover sheet• Research Proposal• Log, note cards, resource process sheets• Data summary• Letter or article• Works Cited Page• Videotape of Presentation include Q & A• Response letters/emails to student letter or article

Shawn Johnson, gold medalist gymnast

“If you are afraid of falling, you’ll never get on the balance beam. You have to be willing to fall off the beam again and again if you want to go to the Olympics.”

Websites

www.eastoftheweb.com Short storiesGames - Popword, cryptoquote, definetime, 8 letters, codeword, wordsearch

edheads.org Activate your mind!

games.sify.com Full of games

www.sporcle.com How much do you know? Answers are timed!

www.engine-uity.com Engine-Uity specializes in differentiated resources, keyed to Bloom's Taxonomy of higher level thinking skills, that lead to independent studies.

Free Websites

• Google Earth

• Google Sketchup – build 3-D models of buildings. Excellent follow up to Home Design Unit

www.thinkfinity.org Free lesson plans and educational resources K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 Arts Integration, Economics, …Social Studies, National Geography, Smithsonian, Verizon Foundation, …

www.izzit.org FREE educational DVDs, current events lessons, and unique games and contests

As teachers and educators…

• It’s our job to offer learning opportunities to all students – including gifted ones – every day.

• It’s not our job to train our gifted learners to cope with boredom, but to facilitate their learning and excitement in their accomplishments.

As teachers and educators…

• We have to know their learning needs – appropriate pace, levels of depth and complexity

• We also have to know our content to make it relevant and interesting to the learner to engage their passion

As teachers and educators…

• We have to make it rigorous enough that students who want to make A+ will have to work hard to achieve it, not just because they are gifted, because they excelled and earned the mark.

This may require us to be able to explain to parents and administrators as well as to students that high grades are not a given!

Love him or hate him…

he sure hits the nail on the head with this! Bill Gates recently gave aspeech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learnin school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it! Rule 2: The world won't care about yourself-esteem. The world will expect youto accomplish something BEFORE youfeel good about yourself. Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life.. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Keri Harris, GT Teacherkharris@cameronisd.nethttp://classroom.cameronisd.net/webs/kharris/(254) 697-2131 Cameron ISD404 E. 22nd

Cameron, TX 76520