● Take a look at the quotes on your table● Pick one that stands out to you● Think about how your quote represents the gifted child● Think about how your quote represents depth and

complexity● Be prepared to share :-)

Welcome!

Understanding and Using the Depth and Complexity Icons with your Gifted StudentsTeagan ThomasMetrolina Regional Scholars AcademyMinds in Motion, Gifted Education Conference

Dr. Sandra Kaplan specifically designed the Depth and Complexity Icons for gifted learners who need assistance in going beyond the surface and guidance in thinking more critically about the world around them. With the goal of digging deeper (Depth) and making connections (Complexity), these visual icons provide gifted students (and all learners), the chance to better wrap their heads around content and concepts. In this session, we will explore the meaning behind the icons, and discuss strategies for how to apply them in the classroom and at home!

Agenda● Hook activity and discussion● Why does this all matter?● About the Depth and Complexity Icons

○ Examples of how to use the Icons● Gallery Walk-Exploring different resources● Overall strategies and discussion● Final thoughts

About Me● 5 years of teaching experience● B.S. in Elementary Education, with Concentration in Middle School Math (University of

Delaware)● Masters in Gifted and Talented Education (Whitworth University)● 4th Grade Math and Science Teacher, Scholars Academy (Charlotte, NC)● Gifted and Talented Resource Teacher (Spokane, WA)● Middle School Science Teacher (Newark, DE)● Gifted and Talented Program Specialist (Newark, DE)● National Geographic Certified Educator● Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions● Interests include traveling, hiking, board games, trivia, climate conservation, attempting

to cook, cats, and my new niece!

Let’s Play Tic Tac Toe!

Let’s Play Tic Tac Toe!

Tic Tac ToeNot more “hard”, more “complex”

Why does this all matter?● Giftedness is a spectrum● Gifted education is not just about acceleration, but more so about deepening

and broadening understanding● When we emphasize effort, students become more inclined to take risks,

make mistakes, and learn from them● Social and emotional needs are just as important as academic needs● Regular differentiation in the normal education classroom, is not enough to

meet the individual needs of each gifted student.● Growth mindset vs. Fixed Mindset

Depth● Studying ideas from the

concrete to the abstract, unknown to the known

● Uncovering more details and new knowledge

Complexity● Connecting, relating and

layering ideas across multiple disciplines

● Understanding WHY the connection exists

Depth and Complexity Icons● Dr. Sandra Kaplan’s work● 8 Depth icons, 3 Complexity icons● The Icons provide structure & support for looking at

content & concepts in a deeper & more complex way.● A visual “reminder” tool (post in the room!) ● Can apply to any content and grade level● A way to scaffold and differentiate learning ● Reaches the appropriate area of ZPD● Can increase motivation and “buy-in”● Must be practiced consistently (start small and grow!)

The “Language of the Discipline” Icon

● What vocabulary terms are specific to the content or discipline?

EXAMPLE:Do a “Taba” style card sort to match up and align the learned vocab words and special phrases with their meanings, during a unit on organisms and the habitats they live in.

The “Details” Icon

● What are the defining features or characteristics?

● Find examples and evidence to support opinions and ideas.

EXAMPLE:To help with using more detail in writing, have students practice writing step by step directions for how to make their favorite sandwich, providing as many factors, variables, and traits of the process as possible.

The “Patterns” Icon

● What elements re-occur?● What is the sequence or

order of events?● Make predictions based on

past events.

EXAMPLE:Do a study of several different well-known authors, analyzing their writing styles through the patterns and repetition they tend to make in their books.

The “Unanswered Questions” Icon

● What information is unclear, missing or unavailable?

● What evidence do you need?● What has not yet been

proven?

EXAMPLE:While looking at a multi-step math word problem, draw and/or describe what the knowns and unknowns are in the problem that will help to solve it.

The “Rules” Icon

● What structure underlines the subject?

● What guidelines or regulations affect it?

● What hierarchy or ordering principle is at work?

EXAMPLE:Learn about and discuss the three branches of Government, figuring out what the overall organization is and why this is important.

The “Trends” Icon

● Note factors (Social Economic, Political, Geographic etc.) that cause events to occur.

● Identify patterns of change over time.

EXAMPLE:Prepare for and hold a Socratic Seminar in which students analyze and discuss a current events article, comparing and contrasting different points of view about the essence of the article.

The “Ethics” Icon

● What moral principles are involved in this subject?

● What controversies exist? ● What arguments could

emerge from a study of this topic?

EXAMPLE: Have students research and develop a presentation, arguing for or against the uses of social media in schools, stating the pros and cons, as well as evidence.

The “Big Idea” Icon

● What theory or general statements apply to these ideas?

● How do these ideas relate to broad concepts such as change, systems, chaos vs. order, and so on?

● What is the main idea?

EXAMPLE:Read a few different articles about the cardiovascular system. Summarize the main structures and functions of this system.

Complexity Icons

Popcorn!● discussing the ethical issues of popcorn creates a fascinating debate…● looking at the trends of popcorn price at movie theaters reveals economic

insights…● examining the rules of popcorn popping becomes a science lesson…● studying the details of what separates popcorn from other corn broadens

thinking…● sharing multiple perspectives about popcorn flavoring opens minds to

other cultures…● analyzing how popcorn has changed over time reveals new information

about our changing society…

Content and Concept Graphing

Which icon(s) does this activity align with?

Enjoys socializing

Enjoys alone time

Content and Concept Graphing

Which other characters or figures could you use?

Enjoys alone time

Enjoys socializing

Improviser

Planner

Gallery Walk● Table 1- Depth and Complexity Guide

Charts and Vocab resources● Table 2 - Depth and Complexity + Literature

resources● Table 3- Depth and Complexity + Content

Imperatives resources● Table 4- Depth and Complexity + Science

resources

● Walk around to see each table

● Feel free to keep any of the resources!

● Think about how they might be useful to you

8 minutes!

Overall Strategies and Discussion

● Incorporate student roles when doing Icon activities/lessons

● The purpose is to not directly teach the icons, but rather how to use the icons’ ideas to promote thinking strategies

● Use the Content Imperatives as a pathway for enhancing the Icon strategies

What other ideas, suggestions, and insights do we have for using these icons?

Ideas to Use: Things to be Aware of:

Final Thoughts

● Start with introducing 1 icon at a time, then grow and connect from there● Use the icons frequently in multiple content areas, and show them visibly,

so they become apart of your student’s lexicon● Great resources to check out!

○ http://www.giftedguru.com/depth-complexity-frames/○ https://www.byrdseed.com/tag/depth-and-complexity/○ http://envisiongifted.com/○ https://www.jtayloreducation.com/○ Pinterest○ Teachers Pay Teachers

Contact me anytime!Teagan Thomastthomas@scholarsacademy.org*write down your email, I’ll send you resources!

References

● Byrd, Ian. “6 Easy Activities to Increase Complexity.” Byrdseed.com, 2017.● Van Gemert, Lisa. “Depth and Complexity Downloads.” Gifted Guru, 2019,

www.giftedguru.com/free-downloads/.● QUEST Program. “Depth and Complexity.” Mead School District, 2017.● Tallman, Melissa. “Depth and Complexity Teaching Critical Thinking.”

Gottoteach.com, 2014.● Dr. Jann Leppien, Margo Long Endowed Chair, Professor at Whitworth

University, Gifted and Talented Education Department

Often, students are asked simply to “identify details, identify patterns, identify rules…” and so on. “identify” is a bottom level skill.

1. Look for patterns in a character’s actions.

2. Compare the patterns in this character’s actions with another character’s.

3. Judge the ethics of the patterns we see in this character’s actions.

4. Create a new situation that would continue this pattern.

Instead, climb Bloom’s Taxonomy in combination with a

prompt of depth and/or complexity