With the encouragement of parents and teachers, many young people would raise more questions than they typically do about nature. Examples of questions about animals which might lead to creative, thought-provoking discussions and explorations are offered. (CB)

The authors assert that history can be approached from a creative perspective; the student need not merely report what has already been written. Instead, students may make an original contribution by becoming a practicing historian. Strategies and examples of ideas to motivate students toward this level of productivity are described. (Author/CL)

Three pamphlets (Practitioner's Guides) present guidelines from the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented at the University of Connecticut. The guidelines are based on theory-driven quality research that is problem-based, practice-relevant, and consumer-oriented. Each pamphlet has a section summarizing research from the literature or…

The monograph presents a variety of language arts teaching ideas for use with gifted students. Teachers are encouraged to expose children to much literature including poetry, folk tales, riddles, fairy tales, "pourquoi" tales, myths and legends, fantasy, science fiction, and biographies and autobiographies. The document offers the SIMMER theory of…

Interviews with 169 children labeled 10 years earlier as gifted, nonlabeled but equally able, or having average ability revealed significant intergroup differences in work patterns and emotional outcome. Intense academic study possibly inhibited creative development; parents and teachers should be aware of the possible loss of creative potential…

This 9-week curriculum unit on trees is designed for gifted students in grades 1-5. The lessons are designed for 40-minute classes meeting two or three times a week and stress the development of creative thinking skills, creative problem solving and decision making skills, and critical and logical thinking skills. Each of the 12 lesson plans…

The collection of instructional plans is designed to offer samples of strategies and ideas to teachers involved with gifted students. Approximately 30 plans are presented for the following areas (sample subtopics in science (atomic fusion), social studies (mores and folkways), mathematics (spatial relations), health and physiology, philosophy, and…

Five problem-based learning activities tested by fourth-grade gifted students are suggested. Each open-ended problem is intended to be worked on by a small group for 30 minutes. Student reactions are quoted and analyzed, noting that students became more willing to take risks, test the properties and limits of their materials, and learn from their…

This digest paper presents strategies and activities that can be used to encourage gifted students to develop their individual talents in the language arts. Suggestions for exploring poetic language especially free verse, include ideas for creating group poems and catalysts for creating individual poems. Suggestions for exploring the elements of…

This digest describes academic creativity and offers suggestions for its development in gifted students. Creative learning and learning by authority are contrasted and examples of each are given. The naturally creative behavior of young children is noted. Among suggestions offered to teachers are: respect the unusual questions of children; show…

The CREST (Creative Resources Enriching Student Talents) Project, an enrichment approach for elementary gifted, talented, and creative students, is described. The project is explained to incorporate an interdisciplinary approach to instruction in art and science using resources within the community. Chapter 1 outlines the project philosophy,…

Describes a specialized school for the arts for high school students. Discusses courses in ceramics, metal working, photography, advancement placement in studio art, and art history. Explains the relationship between this specialized school and the surrounding high schools that these students attend for other subjects. (KM)