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Articles from
February 2011
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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Interactive Science Web Sites for Gifted Kids
The interactive science websites listed here can be used both in the classroom and at home to teach students.
Edheads provides many virtual teaching activities and supplemental resources. Topics covered at the website include the following:
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Create a Line of Stem Cells—Learn what a stem cell is and help our scientists create a stem cell line!
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Design a Cell Phone—Help engineering director Elena design and manufacture a cell phone to help senior citizens get the most out of new technology!
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Deep Brain Stimulation—Help Dr. Vanessa Mei cut, probe, and drill her way to helping her patient cope with a movement disorder through brain surgery!
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Crash Scene—Help the highway patrol recreate a deadly crash by examining the evidence and calculating the forces.
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Virtual Hip Resurfacing—Take on the role of the surgeon throughout a hip resurfacing surgery.
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Virtual Hip Replacement—Take on the role of the surgeon throughout a hip replacement surgery.
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The Odd Machine—Learn how forces and simple machines can work together to create The Compound Machine.
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Virtual Knee Surgery—Take on the role of the surgeon throughout a total knee replacement surgery.
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Weather—Learn how to report and predict the weather at the underground W.H.E.D. weather caves.
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Simple Machines—Learn about simple and compound machines while you explore the House and Tool Shed.
Virtual Dissections—A variety of websites offer the opportunity to either watch dissections or to do virtual dissections. Here are two.
Second Life is a virtual world and requires the viewer to sign up for a free account. There are many aspects of Second Life and not all are being recommended here. This is a site that parents and teachers may first want to explore themselves. The technology is being used by NOAA (the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration). NOAA’s Virtual World offers educational opportunities in science. Other “destinations” available on Second Life can be found here.
Teaching about Propaganda Techniques—Opening the Door to Critical Thinking
As educators and parents, we should teach students how to think, not what to think. We need to present all sides of issues and encourage debate. Propagandists, on the other hand, build the strongest possible case for their views and discourage discussion. Propaganda appeals to its audience in three ways. It
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calls for an action or opinion that it makes seem wise and reasonable.
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suggests that the action or opinion is moral and right.
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provides a pleasant feeling, such as a sense of importance or of belonging.
Propaganda is an excellent resource for exploring this subject. Aaron Delwiche, the author of the site, holds a doctorate in communications from the University of Washington and a B.A. in political science from the University of California at Berkeley. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at Trinity University.
As Delwiche states, "propaganda can be as blatant as a swastika or as subtle as a joke. Its persuasive techniques are regularly applied by politicians, advertisers, journalists, radio personalities, and others who are interested in influencing human behavior. Propagandistic messages can be used to accomplish positive social ends, as in campaigns to reduce drunk driving, but they are also used to win elections and to sell malt liquor."
Delwiche explains the importance of teaching students about propaganda, presents common propaganda techniques and common fallacies, and provides examples of propaganda in both print and video.
The Oracle Education Foundation sponsors ThinkQuest, an online learning platform that helps students develop important 21st century skills, including communication, critical thinking, and technology skills. ThinkQuest houses over 7,000 websites created by students around the world who have participated in a ThinkQuest competition. Several of these student-created websites on propaganda are included in the online ThinkQuest library. Here are two.
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What is Propaganda? —Communication that is meant to persuade or change public opinion. While the word often has a negative connotation, it is not necessarily bad. Propaganda is an attempt to change opinions by persuasively presenting new ones. It is important to recognize propaganda techniques and examine the purpose of the propaganda before making decisions.
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Propaganda Techniques—Eleven different techniques are listed and explained. The knowledge of these techniques enables students to analyze print and other media. Understanding the techniques opens the door to critical thinking and the ability to analyze information.
Suggested Activities
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Have students collect advertisements and analyze what, if any, propaganda techniques were used.
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Apply propaganda techniques to current political discussions or to a unit in history being studied.
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Discuss how the use of technology has affected the use of propaganda.
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Have students take a stand on a topic of their choosing. Individually or in small groups, have them create an advertising campaign that uses a set of propaganda techniques.
Teaching Gifted Kids to Argue Persuasively
There is a big difference between fighting and arguing, with the former having a negative connotation and the latter having a positive connotation. Fighting causes hard feelings and is non-productive, while arguing can be very beneficial for all concerned. The goal of a fight is to dominate your opponent. In an argument, you succeed when you either bring your audience over to your side or at least reach a better understanding of the views of each side. We need to teach kids to argue persuasively and effectively and reward them when they do it well.
In How to Teach a Child to Argue, Jay Heinrichs states that “rhetoric doesn’t turn kids into back-sassers; it makes them think about other points of view.”
To disagree reasonably, a child must learn the three basic tools of argument: logos, ethos, and pathos. Examples of each are provided in Heinrichs’ article.
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Logos is argument by logic.
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Ethos is argument by character and employs the persuader’s personality, reputation, and ability to look trustworthy. A sterling reputation is more than just good; it’s persuasive. An adult is more likely to believe a trustworthy kid and to accept her argument.
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Pathos is argument by emotion. It plays on one’s heartstrings. When a student learns to read your emotions and play them like an instrument, he is becoming a good persuader.
Aristotle’s Guide to Dinner Table Discourse (according to Heinrichs)—or rules for teaching young people to argue effectively:
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Argue to teach decision-making. When you argue the various sides of an issue with your kids (“Beach or mountains this summer?”), they are learning to present different options (“Both!”) and then decide which choice to follow.
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Focus on the future. Arguments about the past (“Who made the mess with the toys?”) or the present (“Good children don’t leave messes.”) are far less productive than focusing on what to do or believe: “What’s a good way to make sure that toys get cleaned up?”
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Call “fouls.” Anything that impedes debate counts as a foul: Shouting, storming out of the room, or recalling past family atrocities should instantly make you choose the opposite side.
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Reward the right emotions. Respond to screaming and anger by not responding, except to say, “Oh, come on. You can do better than that.”
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Let kids win sometimes. When they present a good argument, there’s no better teaching method than rewarding them. My overreliance on the slow cooker, for instance, made my son beg for “dry” food. “Even the cat’s meals,” he said, “aren’t all wet.” Good point. I served hamburgers next. Very dry hamburgers.
Some other guidelines for interacting with kids and teaching them to argue effectively include
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Listen and verbally acknowledge that you have heard what the other person has said.
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Take time to think. Don’t be afraid to say you’d like to think about a point for a while and respond later. This will give time to formulate an appropriate response.
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Acknowledge the other person’s points that you agree with.
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Stick with the main point and don’t get sidetracked.
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Don’t let feelings fester. Bring up topics sooner rather than later.
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Look for a win/win solution.
When your student gets older, encourage her to join a debate club where the art of argument is fostered. According to IDEA (The International Debate Education Association), “...debate embodies the ideals of reasoned argument, tolerance for divergent points of view, and rigorous self-examination. Debate is, above all, a way for those who hold opposing views to discuss controversial issues without descending to insult, emotional appeals, or personal bias.”
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