Interdisciplinary Resources
The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in
History, Michael H. Hart This collection of
biographical sketches gives students a fabulous cultural
literacy concerning the people across all time who have
most greatly influenced the world. In addition, the author
has ranked these individuals, and given his reasoning for
his ranking, thus modeling the thinking skill of
prioritizing and justifying. Students can engage in
discussions and/or seminars concerning his reasoning,
create their own lists, analyze the attributes of these
individuals and their lives, or simply become familiar with
the individuals who have had an impact on the world.
Elementary, Middle, High
Cooking Projects That Make Kids Think Darlene
Freeman Written for use in primary classrooms, this book
uses cooking as a means of addressing specific critical
thinking skills. Large print and blackline masters make it
an excellent resource for tiered assignments or learning
centers. Primary
Mensa Brain Bafflers for Kids, Carlton Books
Limited Each set of
cards provides 75 mind bending
puzzles or baffling
brain teasers. Cards are available for Word Puzzles, Number
Puzzles, and Secret Codes. They could be used easily in an
alternative learning center for those who can
compact out of the other center choices, or as tiered
assignments. Primary/Elementary
The Whole Brain Game, Lisa Ekensteen Ogut
Incorporating both hemispheres of the brain, this game
requires players to spontaneously generate ideas from eight
alternating instructions and 200 categories. Can be used in
a center with only one player at a time, for tiered group
activities with 2 players, or as a whole-class
activity. Great way to develop fluency and flexibility in
divergent thinking. Recommended by National Association for
Gifted Children. Upper Elementary/Middle/High
Math Talk: Mathematical Ideas in Poems for Two
Voices, Theoni Pappas A very creative treatment
of math as poetry,
this small book gives poems written
for two voices on such topics as integers, googols,
squares and Fibonacci numbers. Students interested in
math could easily be hooked into poetry, and the other
way around. Great
for alternative centers or tiered
assignments, or group readings. Students could
be inspired to write their own poems on mathematical
concepts.Upper Elementary/Middle/High
Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human
Societies, Jared Diamond
The author seeks to explain why
some civilizations have survived others, starting with
11,000 B.C. As the title indicates, his thesis is that
it boils down to who owns and develops the weapons,
the germs and resistance and the steel. A fabulous and
creative treatment of history through the eyes of a
scientist. Excellent material for seminars.
The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody: Great
Figures of History Hilariously Humbled, Will Cupp
Terrific biographical studies for gifted learners, who
often deal with their own failures in unhealthy ways.
Middle/High
Eureka!: What Archimedes Really Meant and 80 Other Key
Ideas Explained, Michael Macrone Explains
key ideas in science, literature, mathematics and history
from Pythagorus to Mendel, and everything from Plato’s Cave
to division of labor! Middle/High
Differentiation In Practice: A Resource Guide For
Differentiating Curriculum, Grades 5 - 9, Carol Ann
Tomlinson, Caroline Cunningham Eidson This resource,
co-authored by Dr. Carol Tomlinson and
CONNECTIONS Consultant Dr. Caroline
Eidson, is a superb collection of units developed by
teachers in Grades 5 - 9 and in all disciplines. Each
unit states the abstract theme and generalizations
around which it is constructed, provides a unit
overview, then outlines daily lesson plans that
differentiated both instruction and assessment.
Middle/High
Differentiation in Practice: A Resource Guide for
Differentiatig Curriculum, Grades K-5, Carol Ann
Tomlinson, Caroline Cunningham Eidson Similar to the
book description above, this book, co-authored by Dr. Carol
Tomlinson and CONNECTIONS Consultant Dr. Caroline Eidson,
is a fabulous resource for teachers in Kindergarten - Grade
5. In
addition to a "Brief Primer on
Differentiation" in the front of the book, six units
are detailed using the format and components described
above. The units include a language arts unit on
the alphabet; a science unit on plants; a social
studies unit on needs, wants, and community helpers;
two math units - one on geometry and one on
probability; and a language arts unit introducing
literature circles. These units are a marvelous tool
for demonstrating to teachers the specifics of
differentiation, and giving them concrete strategies
that they can use or adapt to their curricula.
Elementary
Historical Connections in Mathematics: Resources for
Using History of Mathematics in the Classroom (Historical
Connections in Mathematics), Wilbert Reimer
These fantastic notebooks each contain biographical
sketches on 10 mathematicians, then worksheets that take
students through the mathematics of that individual.
Care was taken to choose ancient and modern, male and
female, and to be culturally representative. They
also span a wide range of math topics and abilities, and
are appropriate for grades 3-9 with gifted
learners. They are excellent to use for
independent investigation when a student has
compacted out and is not yet ready for a
full-fledged independent study. Upper
Elementary/Middle/High