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Igniting Creativity in Gifted Learners, K-6

Strategies for Every Teacher

By: Joan Franklin Smutny, S.E. von Fremd

Linked to standards, these proven activities and strategies for reading, writing, social studies, mathematics, science, and the arts help teachers promote creativity and higher-level thinking.

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Product Details

Grade Level: K-6
ISBN: 9781412957786
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2008
Page Count: 344
Publication date: October 29, 2008

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Description

"Contains priceless examples of teachers sharing their particular expertise on how to bring creativity and excitement back to our classrooms. Best of all, the strategies are integrated with required standards."
—Susan Winebrenner, Author and Staff Development Specialist
Education Consulting Service, Inc.

"There are many books that establish the importance of providing creative, stimulating learning experiences, but here is a book that provides strategies for exactly how that can be done."
—Barbara Clark, Professor Emeritus
California State University, Los Angeles

Provide exciting, enriching learning experiences for gifted students through proven strategies from master teachers!

How can I motivate my gifted students using the resources I already have? How can I stimulate their imaginations to further their learning? This book is packed with practical activities that allow students to bring their insights, observations, imaginations, and experiences to the classroom.

Igniting Creativity in Gifted Learners, K–6 helps elementary school teachers use creative methods to enhance gifted students' learning and stimulate higher-level thinking, discovery, and invention. Linked to curriculum standards, these ready-to-use strategies, activities, and examples help teachers:

Inspire students in reading, writing, social studies, mathematics, science, and the arts
Tie creative processes to learning outcomes
Incorporate technology into instruction where appropriate
Encourage students to explore new avenues for thinking and learning

Use these contributions from experienced educators to make creativity a vital ingredient in classroom instruction and the learning process!

Key features

Each chapter is written by a master K-3 teacher followed by a 4-6 grade teacher that have both used creativity strategies successfully to enhance the learning of students who are gifted
The guide includes specific subject chapters on reading, writing, social studies, mathematics, science, and the arts, with technology integrated throughout
The goals of this resource are to help general education teachers answer the following questions:

How can I best inspire/motivate gifted students?
What creative teaching strategies work best in specific subject areas?
What sequence of activities is most effective?
What materials can be used as catalysts and resources?
How do I tie creative processes to specific learning outcomes?
How do I determine the effectiveness of instruction for gifted learners?

Author(s)

Joan Franklin Smutny

Joan Franklin Smutny is founder and director of the Center for Gifted, a Northern Illinois University Partner. She directs programs for thousands of bright, talented, and gifted children in the Chicago area annually. She also teaches creative writing in many of these programs as well as courses on gifted education for graduate students at the university level. She is editor of the Illinois Association for Gifted Children Journal, contributing editor of Understanding Our Gifted, and a regular contributor to the Gifted Education Communicator, Parenting for High Potential, and the Gifted Education Press Quarterly. Smutny has authored, co-authored, and edited many articles and books on gifted education for teachers, parents, and administrators, including Challenging High Potential Spanish Speaking Students (2012), Teaching Advanced Learners in the General Education Classroom (2011), Manifesto of the Gifted Girl (2010), Differentiating for the Young Child, Second Edition (2010), Igniting Creativity in Gifted Learners, K–6 (2009), Acceleration for Gifted Learners, K–5 (2007), Reclaiming the Lives of Gifted Girls and Women (2007), Designing and Developing Programs for Gifted Students (2003), Underserved Gifted Populations (2003), Gifted Education: Promising Practices (2003), Stand Up for Your Gifted Child (2001), The Young Gifted Child: Potential and Promise, an Anthology (1998), and Teaching Young Gifted Children in the Regular Classroom (1997). In 1996, she won the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Distinguished Service Award for outstanding contribution to the field of gifted education.

S.E. von Fremd

S.E. von Fremd is an independent scholar, writer, and editor with a background in education, cultural studies, and dance. She performed with the Never Stop Moving Dance Company in Chicago under the direction of Reynaldo Martinez and taught creative dance and theater to children in the city and surrounding areas. Her interest in creativity and culture eventually led her to do a doctorate in performance studies at Northwestern University. This included a year’s research in Uganda, where she focused on the role of popular theater and dance in reviving cultural identity and educating children and young people throughout the country. She has written several book reviews on African musical traditions, a monograph on the cultural legacy of Kenyan novelist Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Nigerian playwright Wole Soyinka, another monograph on refugees in Africa, and an article on the performing arts as a popular forum for education in Uganda. She has also given presentations on Uganda’s creative artists under the reign of Idi Amin and on dance movements throughout the continent of Africa.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

About the Contributors

Introduction

1. Creativity: A Gift for the Gifted

2. Making Creativity Work: Practical Suggestions by Classroom Teachers

3. Literacy Strategies: Reading and Writing

4. Social Studies Strategies

5. Science Strategies

6. Mathematics Strategies

7. Strategies in the Arts

8. Discovering Your Own Creativity

Index

Reviews

"Contains priceless examples of teachers sharing their particular expertise on how to bring creativity and excitement back to our classrooms. Best of all, the strategies are integrated with required standards."

Susan Winebrenner, Author and Staff Development Specialist
Education Consulting Service, Inc.

"This book has a tremendous number of exciting ideas for developing and enhancing the creativity of gifted learners in kindergarten through sixth grade. Teachers from across the country have contributed to this outstanding volume. A must for every dedicated teacher."

Frances A. Karnes, Professor of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education
University of Southern Mississippi

"Filled with practical strategies to ignite creativity in classrooms. Teachers will discover multiple ways to foster their students’ creativity. The strategies are applicable in all content areas, so this is a valuable resource for all teachers."

Julia Roberts, Mahurin Professor of Gifted Studies, Western Kentucky University
Executive Director, The Center for Gifted Studies

"There are many books that establish the importance of providing creative, stimulating learning experiences, but here is a book that provides strategies for exactly how that can be done. Smutny has brought together a group of creative and exciting teachers who present in clear, usable ways the ideas and strategies that could and should be used in every classroom."

Barbara Clark, Professor Emeritus
California State University, Los Angeles

"The most exciting and significant book about creative teaching to come out in gifted education in the last 25 years."

Jerry Flack, Professor Emeritus of Education and President's Teaching Scholar
University of Colorado

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