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Graphic Arts for Gifted Kids
Graphic arts encompasses the art of representation, decoration, and writing or printing on flat surfaces. Common uses include identity (logos and branding), websites, publications (magazines, newspapers, and books), advertisements, and product packaging. Graphic arts is a field of interest for many gifted young people. If nurtured, it might develop into a career option. Here are some websites that may be helpful for your students.
Celebrating Creativity: Interview with Graphic Designer Michael Schwab—Want to know what it is like to have a career as a graphic artist? Find out in this interview with graphic designer Michael Schwab, whose designs are known nationwide for their bold colors and simple images. Schwab has created award-winning logos and posters for many clients, including Apple, Comedy Central, Levi’s, Major League Baseball, Nike, Warner Brothers, and the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. In this interview, he discusses graphic design and what it takes to be a graphic designer
Design Dossier: Graphic Design for Kids—This is a book that acts as a mini-class on all the aspects of graphic design, including profiles of graphic designers, each answering a few key questions about the art and craft. There are also pull-outs, die-cuts, and other special effects that allow young students a chance to interact with the material.
The Importance of the Arts in Our Schools
Years of research show that [the arts is] closely linked to almost everything that we as a nation say we want for our children and demand from our schools: academic achievement, social and emotional development, civic engagement, and equitable opportunity.
This is from a recent article in Edutopia, titled Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who's Doing It Best. Involvement in the arts is associated with gains in many areas, including academic development and positive character traits. Over the last few decades, arts in the schools have been eroded, but there is hope. Some school districts are now revitalizing the arts, many prompted by new findings in brain research and cognitive development. In this article, you will find examples of school districts that are reinvigorating their curricula with the arts. Edutopia has a whole series of articles on the importance of arts education, includingTake some time to read these articles and encourage the arts in your child’s school. Incorporate art into your family activities. Development of the arts is at the very basis of highly civilized societies.
Theme Park and Ride Design for Gifted Learners
What child doesn’t enjoy an amusement park? How many people have fantasized about creating rides and theme parks? There are many gifted characteristics and abilities that go into the actual jobs required for this field, including physics, creativity, project management, art, architecture, and film. Here are some ideas for developing these interests.
Annenberg Learner has developed an interactive resource titled Amusement Park Physics. This website helps students learn the forces behind the fun. Young people find out what principals of physics make the following rides work, how the dynamics of physics control the safety of the rides, and considerations that need to be factored in by ride designers.
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Roller Coasters
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Carousel
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Bumper Cars
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Free Fall Rides
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Pendulum Rides
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Ride Safety
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Related Resources
Walt Disney Imagineering is the master planning, creative development, design, engineering, production, project management, and research and development arm of The Walt Disney Company and its affiliates. Representing more than 150 disciplines, its corps of Imagineers is responsible for the creation of Disney resorts, theme parks and attractions, hotels, water parks, real estate developments, regional entertainment venues, cruise ships, and new media technology projects. Be sure and check out the Student and College Programs on the left side of the page.
Looking Ahead to Summer Programs for Gifted Kids
Friday, February 25, 2011 - by CFertig - Category: Art, Music, Science, Social Studies, Technology, Gifted Education, Parenting Gifted Children, Teaching Gifted Children, Homeschooling, Language Arts
It’s that time of year again to begin planning for summer experiences for your gifted students. For some, that may mean lots of free time at home to play, read, relax, and let minds wander. Others may benefit from a specialized experience at a day camp or an experience far from home. Here are some suggestions for places to begin your search if you’re looking for something outside the home. (Note: These are not program endorsements. You will want to do your own investigations of programs to make certain they fit your needs.)
Some summer programs are general and some are specialized. Examples of focused programs include the study of space, inventions, technology, government, music, film, oceanography, math, archaeology, debate, art, foreign languages, and Shakespeare. Search hard enough and you’re likely to find a specialty to meet every need.
Here are some searchable databases where you can begin to look.
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Cogito—Extensive list that is searchable by grade level, location, residential/commuter, eligibility, and program scope.
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Imagine Magazine—Includes Talent Search summer programs, university sponsored programs, and directories and links to other programs.
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Paper Folding for Gifted Visual Spatial Learners
While it might jumble the brains of many bright people, the art of paper folding plays right into the strengths of gifted visual spatial learners. Once a student becomes comfortable with basic folds, she can go on to design her own models.
Here are some websites to help young people learn and improve paper folding techniques.
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Origami Gallery—At this site you can sort instructions according to simple, intermediate, and complex designs.
Some people even specialize in certain types of paper folding, such as Paper Airplanes, which includes six different designs.
Ways to Share and Collaborate
It’s always helpful to find others with the same interests.
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If your student would like to join a group of origami folders, you can find contact information at Origami USA. International groups are also listed at this site. In addition, information is provided on forming your own group of folders.
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Paper Folding Artists
If you want to show your burgeoning paper folders the possibilities of this craft, direct them to professional artists who have become masters. Here are just a few:
More Online Resources for Gifted Education
Friday, December 17, 2010 - by CFertig - Category: Art, Label of Gifted, Music, Reading-Writing-L.A., Science, Social Studies, Gifted and Talented Children, Gifted Education, Parenting Gifted Children, Teaching Gifted Children, Homeschooling, Language Arts
In the past, I have listed many excellent websites that contain compilations of resources for gifted education. Recently, several more have come to my attention.
Exquisite Minds is created and maintained by Stacia Nicole Garland, a national award-winning teacher who worked with gifted children for 16 years. She includes practical, user-friendly information for both parents and educators as well as a long list of links of "Brainy Games."
While 96 Essential Sites & Blogs for Gifted Homeschoolers is designed for homeschoolers, it also contains some great websites for children who are more traditionally educated. If you are looking for ideas that support or supplement your student’s interests and abilities, you will find many ideas here. Topics include Related Gifted Education Web Sites, from the American Psychological Association has an extensive alphabetical listing of gifted associations, programs, university connections, schools, research organizations, and publications.
Top 10 Gifted Education Blogs, from OnlineDegrees.org, lists links to the best blogs in gifted education. I’m pleased to say that Prufrock’s Gifted Child Information Blog is included in the list.
Puppetry for Gifted Kids
If you think that the art of puppetry is a simple subject, think again. Like any niche subject, there is a great deal more to learn than initially meets the eye.
Puppetry can be incorporated into any subject, it can be a study on its own, or it may become a lifelong hobby. It may even lead to a profession (think Jim Henson).
Learning to make puppets and stage puppet shows can be done at many levels, from very simple to very sophisticated, and incorporates a variety of skills, including math, language arts, art, advanced problem solving, and creativity. Many gifted kids will find it exciting and compelling.
Here are some puppetry websites that will help you as a teacher, a parent, or a student.
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Definitions—Lists information about more than a dozen kinds of puppets.
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Traditions Around the World—Traditions from 13 different countries.
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Puppet Building—Books, patterns, tutorials, materials, and suppliers.
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Using Puppetry—Puppet stages, plays, and scripts.
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Schools, Workshops, Internships, Scholarships, and Awards—A great section for those who are seriously interested in puppetry.
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Organizations—Links to organizations around the world.
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Festivals—Conferences and festivals in the United States and Canada.
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Exhibits and Museums—From around the world, with many in the United States.
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Resources—Books, mailing lists, newsgroups, and other puppetry Web sites.
YouTube—Search on “Puppet Making Tutorial” for many options to learn how to make puppets.
Puppeteers Unite is a blog for current and future puppeteers that provides information detailing puppet performances, building techniques, and positive business practices.
You may want to start searching on the Internet for puppet camps for this summer. Start with a search such as “puppet camp” combined with the name of your city.
Gifted Kids Blogging about Academics
Friday, October 29, 2010 - by CFertig - Category: Art, Math, Music, Science, Social Studies, Technology, Gifted Education, Parenting Gifted Children, Teaching Gifted Children, Homeschooling, Language Arts
Recently I came across two blogs written by students who are "into" academics. These blogs are fun for others to read and may inspire young people to launch blogs to share their own passions.
Daphne’s Word Blog is written by a logophile, a person who loves words. Each entry discusses a word or words that the author finds fascinating.
Ivan’s Number Blog includes interesting information about number patterns and problems that require time and thought to solve.
Each of these bloggers encourages readers to submit their own words, problems, and solutions.
You may want to use these two blogs with students who have an interest in vocabulary and in math, and/or you may want to use the blogs as examples of what your own young people might create. Students could construct blogs in any area of interest (e.g. The Civil War, butterflies, favorite books, creative writing, fire engines, dinosaurs, kites, careers, famous composers, etc.). Entries may be added as time permits or a routine schedule for posts can be established to encourage self-discipline.
Mentors for Gifted Students
Friday, October 22, 2010 - by CFertig - Category: Art, Music, Science, Social Studies, Technology, Gifted Education, Parenting Gifted Children, Teaching Gifted Children, Homeschooling, Language Arts
On several other occasions I have written blogs about the virtues of finding mentors for gifted students. See
The importance of mentoring is worth revisiting over and over again. Some students have such esoteric interests that it is only through one-on-one coaching and support that they can get the intellectual nourishment that they need. So I want to bring this academic option to your attention once more with some other links available on the Internet.
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Finding a Mentor for Your Gifted Child— Lorel Shea of the BellaOnline Web site provides reasons why even young gifted students benefit from mentorships. She also gives tips for finding mentors. The author’s advice applies to students of any age who are gifted academically or have very strong interests.
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Mentorships: A Guidebook—This guidebook, published by the Davidson Institute for Talent Development, helps students and adults determine if a young person is ready to pursue a mentorship and, if not, what alternatives are available. It includes parameters for setting up different types of mentorships and suggestions for finding mentors.
A Study of M.C. Escher for Gifted Students
M.C. Escher was a Dutch graphic artist known for his mathematically inspired constructions that seem impossible. His artwork represents explorations of infinity, architecture, fractals, and tessellations. Gifted students find his work fascinating and love studying his prints, which are readily available in books and on the Internet. Young people also appreciate learning about the theories behind Escher's artwork and trying to replicate his techniques.
There are numerous websites on the Internet that provide collections of Escher’s art and explanations of how the art relates to mathematics, including
For sites that provide activities and lesson plans related to Escher, see
Summer Activities to Do at Home
Friday, July 02, 2010 - by CFertig - Category: Art, Reading-Writing-L.A., Science, Social Studies, Gifted Education, Parenting Gifted Children, Teaching Gifted Children, Homeschooling, Language Arts
Are you looking for some fun summer activities to do with your kids? Here are some ideas.
Aesop’s Fables—Professor Copper Giloth at the University of Massachusetts Amherst teaches Introduction to Computing in the Fine Arts. She assigns her students the task of illustrating the traditional Aesop's fables alongside their own retellings of the fables in a modern setting. This website showcases their work and can be used in several ways. You and your child can read the fables, you can compare the fables with versions found elsewhere, or you can use the student work as incentive for your children to illustrate stories or poems.
Neuroscience for Kids—Learn about all aspects of neuroscience in a format that uses helpful graphics. Try the many experiments that make use of games and activities. View questions that have been submitted and then answered by basic and clinical neuroscientists from around the world. Search the numerous links provided, sign up for the free newsletter, and much more.
Insects—Brought to you by the Amateur Entomologists' Society, this website helps the visitor identify bugs, learn about bugs, find out how to care for bugs as pets, and many other interesting things about insects and invertebrates. There is also information on how to become an entomologist.
U.S. Department of the Treasury for Kids—Here there are links to government websites especially for kids. Links lead to the White House, the U.S. Mint, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the Official Kids' Portal for the U.S. Government, and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
Brain Teasers, Optical Illusions, and Logic Links—Hoagies’ Gifted Education Page provides a very long list of links that will engage students in mental gymnastics. There are also links for rebuses, wacky wordies, frame games, and visual puns. Enjoy working some of these puzzles as a family.
The Art, Math, and Science of Snowflakes
With recent winter storms plaguing the country, now is the perfect time to introduce students to the study of snowflakes and crystals. Perhaps you thought that gazing at and trying to understand these beautiful creations was just a fun way to spend a few moments outside. However, some people dedicate their entire lives to studying these gifts from nature.
SnowCrystals.com was created by Kenneth G. Libbrecht, professor of physics and chairman of the Physics Department at Caltec. At this website, which is very well laid out and easy to follow, you will find:
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incredible galleries of snowflake photos,
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the classification of different types of snowflakes,
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books about snowflakes,
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information about the physics of snowflakes,
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snowflake activities, and
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tips on where to go to view the best snow crystals.
The Electron Microscopy Unit Snow Page, created by the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture) offers a series of annotated photos of snowflakes taken with a Low Temperature Scanning Electron Microscope (LT-SEM). This website describes:
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the special microscope that is used,
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the procedure for collecting the specimens, and
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an elaborate system for classifying snow crystals.
It is so easy to get caught up in the required curriculum and ignore the everyday wonders that surround us. But by introducing students to a wide variety of subjects and interests that may be outside of the regular curriculum, we may just spark an interest in kids that will carry them forward to additional paths of inquiry.
Paper Art for the Gifted
Do you have a budding young artist at home or at school? Or do you know one that you would like to inspire? Try paper art. Students can easily experiment with this medium at home or at school, using inexpensive, easy-to-find materials to create fanciful pieces of art.
Depending on the project, the process of working with paper art may include copying another artist's previous designs or techniques. There’s nothing wrong with learning paper techniques by copying. The creative part comes when individuals take those copied techniques and use them in different ways to generate fresh interpretations.
Here are some great places to look for inspiration and ideas, whether your student is copying another artist's techniques or creating her own:
Copying
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YouTube—Search for “Paper Art,” or “Origami,” or “Paper Folding,” to name just a few, and you will find all kinds of videos showing how to create paper art.
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Magazine Mosaic—Create an original mosaic using a paper plate and cut up magazine pieces.
Creating
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100 Extraordinary Examples of Paper Art—I promise that you will love this website. Here, 13 artists showcase their amazing pieces of paper art. Some of the artists featured here use simple materials, while others resort to the unexpected to create stunning work.
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WebUrbanist—Here, more artists showcase their paper art. There are some repeats from the preceding website, but this website is still worth viewing.
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Jen Stark's Paper Art—Here is a video showing how one artist uses very inexpensive materials to create wonderful examples of paper art.
Bring Speakers (Based on Student Interest) Into Gifted Classrooms
Friday, November 27, 2009 - by CFertig - Category: Art, Music, Reading-Writing-L.A., Science, Social Studies, Technology, Gifted Education, Parenting Gifted Children, Teaching Gifted Children, Language Arts
Bringing weekly speakers into the classroom broadens the interests of gifted students and encourages individual passions. It also makes it possible for some students to find an exciting new area of passion. By inviting speakers to your classroom, you will:
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expose your students to a wide range of subjects and people,
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show them that their interests and ideas are valued, and
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help them to begin their career education at an early age.
The classroom is also a much more intimate and valuable setting than a school assembly.
Here are a few examples of speakers that I used at the elementary school level in the Denver, CO, area:
Student interest: Astronomy
Speaker: A female scientist from The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) brought a wonderful slide show on solar flares and explained their many effects to students.
Student interest: Animation
Speaker: The owner of a local animation company brought in a short video about his company, presented some animation production cels, showed the kids how to make flip books using their own animations, talked about jobs in animation, and explained the education that one should have in order to follow a career in animation.
Student interest: Snakes
Speaker: A member of the local herpetological society brought in some live snakes and talked about his own personal interest in the animals, their life habits, and what we should all know and understand about snakes.
Because it can be very time consuming for teachers to find speakers, parents can play a vital role with the teacher's guidance. Here are some suggestions for setting up a similar program:
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Survey students to find out areas of interest that they would like to learn more about. Do not give them a list of possibilities to check off. Instead, just have each child write on a piece of paper at least three things that he or she would like to explore. These ideas do not have to be academic.
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Have a small group of volunteer parents sort through the students' ideas and try to group them. Are there some recurring themes?
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Have the same group of parents brainstorm about places where they might find speakers that would address student interests.
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After discussing their ideas with you first, parents can begin making contacts.
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Once schedules are set up for speakers, ask parents to contact the speaker again a week or two in advance to confirm the date and time and find out if there is anything special that the speaker will need.
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Make sure that parents keep you informed of any communication that occurs between them and the speakers.
Locating Potential Speakers
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Start close to home. Are there people you know personally that would match a student's interest?
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Are there parents at the school that have a strong personal interest or profession that would match another student's chosen topic?
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What are some of the companies in your community that might have individuals that could present? Many larger companies actually have speaker bureaus.
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What about people who work at museums, theaters, orchestras, or universities? Or, what about individuals who work as mathematicians, authors, or cartographers? No matter what the interests of the students may be, you can probably find a speaker nearby if you live in a large metropolitan area.
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Don't be afraid to approach people. They can always say no, but I think you will be surprised by the people who say yes.
Setting Up Guidelines for Speakers
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Decide what day and time you would like to have the speaker. (I always chose Friday afternoons, because it was a nice end-of-the-week activity.) We tried to have a speaker every week that it was possible.
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Be clear about exactly what time you need the speaker to start, the physical condition of the classroom, the types of students that they will be working with, and whether or not you want the talk to be interactive. Sometimes those outside the school system don't understand the difficulties that are presented when an expected person doesn't show up right on time, and so be careful to explain all of that.
Making the Speaker Feel Welcomed
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Make certain that the class has reviewed appropriate behavior for honoring a guest in the classroom. Remind them that this is a special occasion and a privilege.
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Have someone meet the speaker at the front door of the school building. This could be a parent and/or student (depending on the grade level). Let the speaker know how much the class is looking forward to the presentation.
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Have the student or students who chose the area of interest briefly explain to the class why they selected that particular topic.
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Decide on a way to thank the speaker for taking time to come to the classroom. Students may write letters, draw pictures, create something to send to the speaker, or anything else that you feel suits the situation.
It takes quite a bit of time and organization to set up a program like this in a classroom, but I know that you will find it well worth the effort.
Summer Apprenticeship Program for Gifted Students
Friday, June 05, 2009 - by CFertig - Category: Art, Math, Parents and Educators, Reading-Writing-L.A., Science, Social Studies, Technology, Gifted Education, Parenting Gifted Children, Teaching Gifted Children, Homeschooling, Language Arts
The Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA) offers three- and four-week summer apprenticeship programs for gifted high school students. Each year, the program places high school freshmen, sophmores and juniors in challenging, hands-on learning experiences provided by an esteemed group of participating mentors in various professions. This year's participants are located at several sites in Southern California and include the Los Angeles Superior Court, Art Center College of Design, and the Japanese American National Museum.
The programs run from July 12 through August 8. During this time, apprentices spend weekdays working with their mentors on pre-arranged projects. At the end of the program, they will present their work to fellow participants and other interested parties. Apprentices live on the Occidental College campus and IEA staff transport the students to and from apprentice locations. In addition, IEA will provide enriching evening and weekend activities, as well as other general opportunites for apprentices to socialize with their intellectual peers. Past program participants rave about their experiences and many have gone on to attend prestigious universities.
The original application deadline for this program has past, but there are still some spaces available. Call 626-403-8900 if you are interested in applying. IEA will continue to accept applications until all spots are full.
Specific information on the program, including apprenticeship sites and participating mentors can be found here. Financial aid is available.
This truly sounds like a wonderful opportunity. I urge you to explore this program.
Arts Education and Brain Research
Earlier this month, Johns Hopkins School of Education hosted a summit and roundtable discussion titled Learning, Arts, and the Brain. Much of the information from this summit and roundtable can be found at the Dana Foundation Web site. Included are the following:
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Music Training Changes Brain Networks Research by Ellen Winner, professor of psychology at Boston College; Gottfried Schlaug, professor of neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School; Michael Posner, professor emeritus at the University of Oregon; and Elizabeth Spelke, professor of psychology at Harvard University.
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The Arts Will Help School Accountability Comments by Mariale Hardiman, Assistant Dean, Urban School Partnerships, and Chair of the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education at the John Hopkins University School of Education.
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Learning, Arts, and the Brain A conversation with Michael S. Gazzaniga, director of the University of California, Santa Barbara’s SAGE Center for the Study of the Mind and its Summer Institute in Cognitive Neuroscience.
The Dana Foundation has just started Arts Ed on the Web, a bimonthly feature in which Web sites devoted to arts education are highlighted. You’ll want to bookmark this. In the first posting (May 26, 2009) you will find an arts integration resource site, an education portal for teachers with lesson plans and videos, and a music education project featuring Yo-Yo Ma.
School Options for Gifted Kids—Where to Begin
Friday, May 22, 2009 - by CFertig - Category: Art, Reading-Writing-L.A., Science, Social Studies, Technology, Gifted and Talented Children, Gifted Education, Parenting Gifted Children, Language Arts
I experienced another interesting conversation yesterday while traveling to the airport in a shared van. The woman sitting next to me was flying to Tennessee to watch two of her children compete in the Global Finals for Destination ImagiNation (DI). DI is an exciting, creative enrichment program that engages kids in critical thinking, teamwork, time management, and problem solving. She told me about the wonderful enrichment teacher who works at their neighborhood school. Each year, the teacher is able to recruit parents who are willing to make the necessary time commitment to work with teams of youngsters who compete in Destination ImagiNation. What a wonderful experience for the students at this neighborhood school.
We then went on to have a general conversation about education, gifted education, parenting, etc. She told me that next year two of her children will attend a magnet/charter school that focuses on international studies. There, they will have a choice of languages on which to focus. Her children have decided to concentrate on Chinese. This woman had really done her research and was a very positive advocate for her kids, finding educational options that fit their needs.
My question to this fellow traveler was, “How do parents find out about the various choices in their school district?” It was then I realized that the shuttle driver had been listening intently to our conversation. When I asked my question, he laughed. He indicated that he had several children at home, was not pleased with their school situation, and did not realize that he had choices. He, too, had wondered how one finds out about opportunities.
So often, parents feel that their children are trapped in whatever educational program is closest to their home. They often cannot afford to move to a “better” neighborhood and don’t realize that there are alternatives.
So, I want to present you with some information. I also hope that others will comment on this blog entry, sharing possibilities that I have not listed. Right now, I will just talk about actual physical (as opposed to virtual) schools that might be available to you in your area. In my book, Raising a Gifted Child: A Parenting Success Handbook I discuss many more educational options.
Situations vary from state to state and from district to district. You often won’t know if these possibilities exist unless you ask.
The Education Commission of the States (ECS) provides an online database for open enrollment. To one degree or another, open-enrollment policies allow a student to transfer to the public school of his or her choice. There are two basic types of open-enrollment policies: intradistrict and interdistrict. The Web site cited here is an excellent resource. In many cases, students are not locked in to attending their neighborhood or even their district schools.
The U.S. Department of Education provides information on charter and magnet schools across the country. Charter schools are public schools that operate with freedom from many of the local and state regulations that apply to traditional public schools. Some of them have very innovative philosophies. Magnet schools are designed to attract students from diverse social, economic, ethnic, and racial backgrounds. They focus on a specific subject, such as science or the arts; follow specific themes, such as business/technology or communications/humanities/law; or operate according to certain models, such as career academies or a school-within-a-school. Once you understand the general concepts of charter and magnet schools, you can search the Web sites of your local school district and surrounding districts to see what is available.
It is important to know how the students in your school and in schools you are considering perform on state tests. Look at sites such as SchoolMatters where you can search for information by school or state. This Web site is also able to list schools within a state from highest scoring to lowest scoring in reading and in math. It will be much easier for your child to perform at a high level if he attends a school where the norm is to perform well.
Please feel free to share additional information by hitting the “Comment” button at the top of this blog entry.
Integrated Curriculum for Gifted Students
Friday, March 13, 2009 - by CFertig - Category: Art, Music, Reading-Writing-L.A., Science, Social Studies, Gifted Education, Parenting Gifted Children, Teaching Gifted Children, Homeschooling, Language Arts
Curriculum is meaningful when students can relate it to other aspects of their lives. This is more likely when material is taught using themes that integrate many subjects.
Integrated curriculum organizes education so that it links together the humanities, natural sciences, mathematics, social studies, music, and art. It views learning and teaching in a holistic way, reflecting the real world and prepares children for lifelong learning. Integrated curriculum includes
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A combination of subjects
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An emphasis on projects
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Sources that go beyond textbooks
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Relationships among concepts
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Thematic units as organizing principles
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Flexible schedules
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Flexible student groupings
Teachers often learn the theory behind good curriculum development, but they are too often expected to create their own materials. It is difficult to find enough time to keep “reinventing the wheel.” There are a couple of very good resources for integrated curriculum that contain already-developed teaching units that target gifted students.
In my blog, I have frequently mentioned the units developed by the Center for Gifted Education at The College of William and Mary. These units contain in-depth activities that develop high-level thinking skills and encourage students to relate the material to their own lives. I have personally used several of these units and know teachers who have used others. The material is excellent! Units are available for elementary through high school. Titles include The Weather Reporter, Spatial Reasoning, Patterns of Change, and Defining Nations: Cultural Identity and Political Tensions.
The units developed by the Ricks Center for Gifted Children at University of Denver use critical thinking, problem finding, problem solving, and evaluating as an overlay for the content areas included in each topic. Multiple teaching strategies are used to address specific learning styles, individual needs, and intellectual abilities. Units are available for pre-kindergarten through grade 8. Titles include Arctic/Antarctic, Architecture, Natural Disasters, and United Nations.
Summer Arts Programs for Talented High School Students
Do you have a talented high school student who would like to pursue a possible career in the arts? There are a variety of summer programs that are worth considering. Some of these schools also offer programs during the school year. The following is only a sampling of what is available. To find more, use an Internet search engine or talk with a local high school art teacher or counselor.
Boston, MA
The emphasis of this program is drawing, painting, and sculpture.
Ithaca, NY
Classes include Introduction to Architecture and Art as Experience.
Velencia, CA
This program offers four weeks of exploration, discovery, and hard work designed to unleash creative power. Talented high school students receive intensive training from professionals in music, theatre, video and film, visual arts, dance, creative writing, and animation.
Northwestern Michigan
More than 2,500 of the world's most talented and motivated young people attend this camp each summer. They learn and perform with peers and educators. Areas of focus include creative writing, dance, motion picture arts, music, theatre, and visual arts.
Chicago, IL
Here, students expand their creative talents and develop a strong portfolio for college admission while receiving college credit. Students study art, design, and writing.
New York City
This program is designed for high school students who want to enhance their creative skills, learn more about a particular field of art, or develop a portfolio. Course offerings include animation, filmmaking, screenwriting, cartooning, painting and drawing, sculpture, printmaking, graphic design, and photography.
Cartooning and Animation for Gifted Kids Revisited
Cartooning and animation are great outlets for those who have visual-spatial strengths. They also involve problem-solving skills, especially once one enters the realm of political cartoons or storyboards. There are many jobs available in this field for talented individuals, including film, advertising, video game design, print media, and instructional design.
My June 20, 2008 post on Cartooning and Animation for Gifted Kids has been very popular. Because of this interest, I am writing another blog on the topic with more resources. Here are some good Web sites, arranged in alphabetical order.
Contains all kinds of information on careers in the fields of animation and cartooning.
Offers information and advice on careers in animation.
Created for older, more mature students, this site offers lessons in political cartooning.
The best part of this Web site is the section on free classroom handouts.
Includes almost 300 quick tips for drawing cartoon characters and objects.
Written by Chris Browne, who creates the comic strip Hagar the Horrible. He offers advice on how to become a cartoonist.
Offers regularly updated cartoon drawing lessons.
Lists numerous drawing lessons, arranged alphabetically.
Cartooning and Animation for Gifted Kids
Looking for a fun summer activity for your kids? Try cartooning and animation. An interest in this area could actually turn into a wonderful creative career opportunity.
There are some great Web sites that will help bright students learn this craft.
A set of tutorials to teach the art of animation.
An animation expert from Disney offers free online lessons in animation.
Gives kids the opportunity to create their own comic strips using templates.
Read a couple of articles from Imagine Magazine (published by Johns Hopkins University) telling about the pursuit of education and careers in computer animation
Also, check out your local library for books on cartooning and animation.
Developing Talent in Artistically Gifted Kids
Jan Brett is a popular author/illustrator of children’s books. She is especially fond of drawing animals. At her Web site is a series of videos that could easily be used at school, at home, or through a homeschooling experience to encourage artistic talent.
From the time Brett was in Kindergarten, she knew she wanted to be an illustrator of children’s books. The videos include interviews that share how this talented lady became interested in drawing, and the events in her youth that inspired her. She also talks about how she gets the ideas for the books she publishes now.
In addition to the interviews, there are more than a dozen videos where Brett shows how to draw various animals and objects, breaking down the process into small, easy-to-follow steps. She includes a dolphin, rhinoceros, creature of the deep, lion, baby polar bear, hedgehog, chick, African okapi, bunny, elephant, horse, and Siberian husky.
This Web site is an excellent resource for students who want to do an in-depth study on a children’s author/illustrator. It could also serve as an inspiration for those who would someday like to publish their own work.
After watching the videos, students may want to create their own illustrated books for fun.
Trends in Gifted Education
Friday, January 04, 2008 - by CFertig - Category: Art, Label of Gifted, Math, Music, Parents and Educators, Reading-Writing-L.A., Science, Social Studies, Technology, General Education, Gifted and Talented Children, Gifted Education, Parenting Gifted Children, Teaching Gifted Children
The NAGC (National Association for Gifted Children) Convention was held in November. Each year, I like to read through the entire catalog of presentations so that I can form general impressions about categories that were considered important.
Disclaimer: I do not have access to information about presentation proposals that were submitted nor do I have information about how the presentations were chosen. I do not look at this information to make judgments; only to observe trends.
Like everything else in society, certain topics wax and wane. Someone else may interpret this very differently than I do. But, for the record, this is what I see.
Some of the topics that were considered top priorities in the past 10-30 years that I see no longer getting the same attention include
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Underachievement
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Multiple Intelligences
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Pullout/enrichment
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Advocacy
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GT resource teachers
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Affective issues
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Identification
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Learning Styles
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Differentiation
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Theory of giftedness
Topic trends that I do see increasing are
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The integration of technology into the curriculum rather than treatment as a separate subject
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Interest of programs on an international level (in fact, at the NAGC convention this year, a strand was added titled “International”)
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Special schools and programs
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Less talk about specifically meeting the needs of the gifted and more emphasis on the need for an increase in general academic rigor, including the need to let students advance at a faster speed
I would love to hear the ideas of others on these trends. You can always leave a comment at this blog entry or email me if you would prefer that others do not see your comments.
SAT Exam, Taken at Age 13, Can Predict Career Path of Gifted
Sunday, September 09, 2007 - by CFertig - Category: Art, Math, Music, Parents and Educators, Reading-Writing-L.A., Science, Social Studies, Technology, Gifted and Talented Children, Gifted Education, Parenting Gifted Children, Teaching Gifted Children
A new study from Vanderbilt University finds that the future career path and creative direction of gifted youth can be predicted well by their performance on the SAT at age 13. The study offers insights into how best to identify the nation’s most talented youth, offering opportunities for educators and policymakers to develop programs to cultivate these individuals.
The current study looked at the educational and professional accomplishments of 2,409 adults who had been identified as being in the top 1% of ability 25 years earlier at age 13. Significant differences in the creative and career paths of individuals were found, with those showing more ability in math having greater accomplishments in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, while those showing greatest ability on the verbal portion of the test going on to excel in art, history, literature, languages, drama, and related fields.
The key was to administer the SAT at a young age. When students take the test in high school, the most able students all score near the top, and individual differences are harder to see. Using the test with gifted students at a young age creates the potential to help shape that person’s education.
Overall, the creative potential of these participants was extraordinary, with individuals earning 817 patents and publishing 93 books.
With this knowledge, the policy question becomes: How best can we support these individuals, especially during their formative years?
For more information, see:
Using Search Tools on Prufrock’s Gifted Child Information Blog
Thursday, July 19, 2007 - by CFertig - Category: Art, Label of Gifted, Music, Parents and Educators, Reading-Writing-L.A., Rural Education, Science, Social Studies, Technology, Weblog for Gifted Education, Free Activities and Lessons, Gifted and Talented Children, Gifted Education, Parenting Gifted Children, Teaching Gifted Children
You may have noticed that the format of this blog changed a bit recently, and I want to make certain readers understand the search possibilities available. This is the 120th weekly blog that has been posted in more than 2 years, so there is a lot of information here. There are two ways to search.
· Categories—In the left column of the web page, you will find a section titled Categories. Within that section, you will see a list of more than a dozen subjects. If you click on any of these, all the articles that fit into that grouping will appear.
· Search—You can also search for words, phrases, or topics you do not see listed under Categories. With the new format of the blog, you will need to sign in to use the search function. There is a section on the upper right where you can register. Your user name and password are case sensitive.
Example—You might want to search on “underachievement.” To do this, click on the word Search either at the bottom of the Categories list or near the top of the page. Once you do this, a number of boxes will appear and you can fill in the appropriate information. (You do not need to fill in all the boxes.) Click on Search, and all of the articles will come up that meet the criteria you entered.
These are great tools, so make sure you take advantage of them.
Artistically Gifted Children
How can parents and teachers assess whether a child is artistically gifted? In Identifying Artistically Gifted Children, Willemina Foeken does a commendable job of summarizing research, listing characteristics of artistically gifted youth, and offering recommendations for parents and teachers.
Foeken believes that artistic talent does not normally reveal itself as early as musical talent. When looking at the childhoods of great artists, we find that the earliest known painting of Rembrandt was done at the age of 19. Although Leonardo da Vinci took up art at the age of 15, all his great work was done after the age of 40. Matisse and van Gogh didn’t start painting until they were in their 20s.
Foeken feels that the most remarkable work on artistically gifted children has been done by C. Gaitskell and V. Lowenfeld who both conducted many long-term case studies. In searching the Internet, I found that it is not easy to find information on these two experts. One might have to go to a specialty library to find them. However, Foeken summarizes the characteristics that Gaitskell and Lowenfeld use to identify children as being artistically gifted. They are
- Artistically gifted children show fluency of imagination and expression. These children can’t get their ideas down fast enough. They don’t need stimulation. One idea leads to another.
- They might have a highly developed sensibility in certain areas. For example, movement, space, rhythm, color. (One small boy I taught was only interested in tempera paints and lost interest if other media were used. Another child drew only figures showing a lot of movement or action.)
- They show integration of thinking, perceiving, and feeling.
- There is a distinctive quality to their imagination. These children have faith in their ideas and don’t find the need to copy.
- There’s a directness of expression. The gifted child can be very expressive but only if the experience motivating him or her to paint, has been personally meaningful. Such a child rarely responds well to classroom activities where the teacher sets the topic.
- There is a high degree of self-identification with the subject and the medium. Artistically gifted children live their art. They are in their work. It is part of them. Even the medium is often like an extension of the fingers. Their work is intensely personal and shows an inner need for visual expression.
- Most of these children draw well before the age of 2—usually by 15 months if given the chance.
- They are always above average in intelligence. Although studies indicate that all those gifted in art score well in IQ tests, the reverse is not always true. Many with high IQs are below average in art!
- All show extraordinary skill with the medium.
- There is usually a sensibility for design.
- Each child is highly individual and inventive.
- The artistically gifted child works frequently on a favorite art form. No encouragement is needed. (Foeken, 2005)
Foeken offers recommendations for parents and teachers of artistically gifted children, based on both Lewenfeld’s suggestions, as well as her own. They are
- Regard your child’s art as a record of his or her personality.
- Don’t put too much emphasis on the end product.
- Display the work of all of your children—not just the one best at art.
- Teach your child to respect the work of others.
- Don’t correct wrong proportions.
- Don’t encourage competitiveness in art.
- Provide your child with an appropriate space for work and suitable materials.
- Send your child to art classes.
- Don’t show children how to paint.
- Allow experimentation.
- Provide a range of materials and experiences to suit as many children as possible.
- Avoid the trap of over-teaching. Teachers need to know when to assist and when it is best to leave children alone. (Foeken, 2005)
Foeken also says not to be concerned if, as a parent, you know very little about art. Some of the greatest artists also had parents who knew very little about the subject. She advises parents to burn all coloring books and “how-to-draw” books. Do visit art galleries with children and make them familiar with the art sections of the library. “Above all, enjoy your child’s creativity but don’t make a great fuss over it.”
Smithsonian Resources for the Gifted
In 1826, James Smithson, a British scientist, drew up his last will and testament, naming his nephew as beneficiary. Smithson stipulated that, should the nephew die without heirs (as he would in 1835), the estate should go “to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.” Since its founding, the Smithsonian Institution has grown to be the world's largest museum complex and research organization. The Internet has enabled the institution to grow even more and avail its resources more readily to people around the world.
A specific area of the institution’s site, Smithsonian Education, is of particular interest to gifted students, their families, and educators.
The section for educators (my favorite) includes extensive lesson plans and suggestions for uses of technology in the classroom. (Currently, the Web site shows how student podcasting can be used as a learning tool.) Lesson plans are divided into the categories of Art & Design, Science & Technology, History & Culture, and Language Arts. The many lesson plans and resources within each of these categories can be used as wonderful differentiation tools. Individual or small groups can be formed to investigate the various subjects, using primary sources on the Internet. The wonderful part is that it’s free and already developed for teachers.
The family section provides information for those who want to visit one of the museums in person. It has suggestions for before, during, and after activities to make a family visit most enjoyable and educational.
The section for students includes many interactive modules to help young people learn in the areas of Everything Art, Science & Nature, History & Culture, and People & Places. You might want to spend a little time looking at this section. Although there are activities for many different levels of ability, it may take a little hunting to find a section that is most appropriate for your student.
In addition to the Internet resources, Smithsonian Education also offers a free e-mail newsletter that is filled with interesting information. You can view a sample copy before signing up for the newsletter.
This may be one of the best distance learning sites on the Internet.
Gifted Young Artists
Friday, August 18, 2006 - by CFertig - Category: Art
How can we as adults judge the artistic ability of young people—or should we be judging it at all? Does the rendering of realistic artwork when a child is young indicate that she has an artistic bent or is she just copying what she sees in her environment? What does it mean to be a gifted artist?
A very interesting exhibition, titled When We Were Young: New Perspectives on the Art of the Child is on display at Washington’s prestigious Phillips Collection through September 10. The exhibition will also run from October 20 through December 31 at the Krannert Art Museum at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Jonathan Fineberg is the curator of this exhibition of works by Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee and other famous artists that were created when they were very young. Fineberg hung their works alongside dozens of richly imagined drawings and paintings by modern kids, ages 4 and up. In the article Artwork by Kids, Some Later Famous, Rates a Show of Its Own, Fineberg offers some interesting insights on the misconceptions of many adults about young artists and also the development of artistic talent in kids. Among other things, he suggests that
- The demonstration or non-demonstration of artistic ability at a young age is not necessarily a predictor of one’s abilities as an adult.
- Those with real talent are often obsessed with drawing. It’s difficult for them to stop and do something else.
- Art can help a child express and examine things that they can’t put into words. In a sense, it helps them to gain control over their environment.
- Adults need to be careful not to impose their values and aspirations on a child and her artwork.
- Some feel that by the time a child is 10 or 11, he often loses his gift for drawing imaginatively. By then, he has figured out the rules and standards of the larger world and is trying to please others.
- Instructions should not be given a child in the realm of her fantasy.
- Kids who are four and five often are so unrepressed. They reveal inner feelings in their art that we try to deny ourselves.
- Adults can get very wrapped up in their own kids. Parents must be careful not to push a child into a place that the child doesn’t want to be, such as showing off or exhibiting his work or selling it. It is easy to do this because the parent has put too much of his own ambition into the child.
- Buy lots of cheap paper so you don’t feel like your kid is wasting it.
- If a child’s perfectionism is too great, they may be trying to please you or themselves too much. If that is the case, you need to talk with them about that.
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