Differentiating with Projects for your Gifted Students

This is my first year teaching GATE kiddoes, and it has definitely been a learning process. Just because these kids can do most grade-specific tasks wonderfully, should they be praised just on their intelligence? Check out this eye-opening video:

I try to keep this in mind as I am praising my students. Even when they answer a question, 

"wow, I can tell that you really thought about that answer". 

For the most part, my gifted kids are doing something completely different in the classroom. They have their own little cohort and I check in on them throughout their projects. I've finally gotten into the swing of it, but I am learning with every day.

Why do I use project with these kids? 

Well for the most part...

For the most part, I can teach a lesson to these types of kids once and then they're ready to move on to the next thing. By nature, we feel that the mini lesson is not the end all be all. We feel that for the most part of the class, we need to nurture their understanding of the material and drag it out elaborating on the summative assessments.

Oh, not these kids. They are bored after the lesson and when you make them complete tasks that they know they can excel at, you're not helping anybody. It's time to extend their learning with activities that can push them to showcase their skill set.

I am sure other GATE teachers structure their differentiation differently, but today I am focusing on the project side of it.

In Texas, we call them the TEKS. These are the "things" we are required to teach.

When I look at a lesson, I look at all the standards and think: How can I turn this into a project?

When these kids are in charge of their learning, can PICK a topic, it lights a fire under them.

For example:

I just finished reviewing nonfiction. 

I looked at all the standards and created two types of projects. 

Why two?  Well, you'll have two types of learners: introverts and extroverts. 

Here are the examples: 

In both of these projects, students are researching using various non fiction resources. During their research, I question them with specific questioning stems. I also facilitate them through their project process. I don't over help them, but sometimes these friends needs a little guidance so these big ideas can become an actual project! 

The brightest thinker in the world could care less what 'teacher deemed cool' project you created if if doesn't interest them. These students need a buy in with something they are passionate about. 

I should probably do this every month, but I have managed to have my gifted kids complete this questionnaire every grading people. They tell me what they are interest in, what books they've read recently, and any questions they have. This helps me gauge an understanding about what they like, and I can tailor their projects to lean in that direction. 

My class spent a week reviewing procedural text. 

My gifted kids did NOT need to review, and making them sit through the class would only bore them to the point they hated school. 

I utilized our wonderful library for examples of non-fiction text. 

I created a checklist for the kids to write and demonstrate their own procedural text! 

It was fabulous! That QR code in the picture above scanned to real-life examples of how-to demonstrations such as procedural text.

One kid did a how to take care of a pet...

He brought in a stuffed dog. Hilarious. 

To get this project:

{CLICK HERE}

I hope this was a Peppy Zesty idea for you!