Visit Prufrock Press at the NAGC Conference
If you will be attending the annual conference of the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) in Charlotte, NC, this weekend (November 1-5, 2006) please stop by our booth (booth #139) and say hello. The NAGC conference offers attendees a great opportunity to hear experts from around the world discuss what is happening in gifted education. It also provides a chance for educators and parents to network. Prufrock always has a strong presence at the NAGC conference. We like to use the conference as a way to meet our customers and hear what is on their minds. Please stop by our booth (you can't miss us, we are the first booth as you walk in the exhibit hall door). I would enjoy meeting you.
Gifted Education Web Resources for Fall 2006
The Web resources below originally appeared in the Fall 2006 issue of Gifted Child Today.
This popular journal offers teachers and parents the practical information needed to create a successful education for gifted children. Visit the
Gifted Child Today homepage to download sample articles or to order a subscription to
Gifted Child Today -- the nation's most popular gifted education journal.
Sudoku
http://www.websudoku.com It's the new craze! Sudoku is a puzzle that is solved by logic. Players enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces so that every row, column, and 3 x 3 square of the puzzle contains one of each digit. This fun site offers Sudoku puzzles with four levels of difficulty. A JigSawDoku link takes the visitor to an interactive game that is timed and offers hint and help features. Visitors can play as much Sudoku as they want on this Web site. If that's not enough, customized Web Sudoku eBooks of various sizes, difficulty levels, and styles can be ordered for $2.95.
Music to My Ears
http://www.classicsforkids.com This is a wonderful interactive resource for kids where they can learn about music's great composers and even compose their own music. There is a musical dictionary that offers pictures, audible descriptions, and sounds of the different instruments. The Composer Time Machine, Rockin' Rhythm Master, and Note Name games teach youngsters about music in a fun way they will love. Also, the site offers teaching resources based on National Standards for the Arts and state Academic Content Standards for Music. This is a great way for the young Mozart to be immersed in classical music!
The Stock Market
http://library.thinkquest.org/3088 It's never too early to learn about disciplined investing. Edustock has tutorials on how the stock market works, what a stock is, and how to manage a portfolio. There are also profiles on select companies to help visitors get started in making wise investing choices. The Web site even features a free real-time stock simulation.
The Big Mac Index
http://www.economist.com/markets/Bigmac Ever wonder why certain items are more or less expensive depending which country you are in? How about the Big Mac? McDonalds has restaurants all over the globe and uses the same ingredients in all countries, so the signature Big Mac sandwich should cost roughly the same price anywhere you go, right? Take a look at the Big Mac Index to find out. This Web site offers an explanation of exchange rate theory via a short video. The site includes some indexes of hamburger and Starbucks coffee prices around the world. For access to the full index, you must subscribe to the
Economist magazine, but the free introductory materials offers much ... um ... food for thought.
Snow Crystals
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals Have you ever made a snowman or wondered where snow comes from? Caltech's physics lab offers information on how snow crystals form and why they take different shapes. The Guide to Snowflakes gives details on the different types of snow flakes. This fascinating Web site also offers movies of snow crystals forming!
Neopets
http://www.neopets.com Do you or your family members suffer from allergies so much that you can't have a furry pet in the house? Here's a way to have the pet you've always wanted. You can choose the species, name, and color of your Neopet. How your Neopet behaves and where your Neopet likes to live is also up to you. Once you sign up for a free account, you can feed and play with your Neopet and have many adventures in Neopia.
A View Into the World of a Gifted Child
As parents and educators of gifted children, we know that, at times, gifted kids can feel isolated and "different." We look for ways to help break that isolation--to help gifted kids realize that there are others who share their views and ways of thinking.
To this end, I would like to suggest that you visit Gifted Gear Reviews. Here you will find an insightful running narrative by Stephen, who describes himself as "a gifted and talented 10-year-old who likes anime, manga, rock and roll, and theoretical physics and who has a mild form of autism called Asperger's syndrome." I had to Google "manga" (Japanese comics).
Stephen's blog offers a unique view into the world of a gifted child. I believe you will enjoy reading his blog. I'm learning a lot about the inner world of a gifted 10-year-old. The author has a talent for introspection, and the blog is filled with good humor and insights into being gifted and having Asperger's syndrome.
Drop by Stephen's Gifted Gear Reviews and leave a note of encouragement in the form of a posted comment. I'm sure he would enjoy getting some feedback from you.
More important, I think that many gifted kids will find Stephen's blog of interest. A gifted child with Asperger's may find this blog especially valuable. A feeling of isolation can be so hard for kids, and getting to read and comment on a blog by an open and insightful kid like Stephen can be quite helpful.