Enrichment Resources
Part of your job as a teacher of gifted students, is providing a wealth of rich resources for students to stretch their brains and explore their interests.
Enrichment can incorporate a wide variety of activities. It is sometimes seen in terms of the development of certain qualities of mind. These include problem solving, creative thinking, initiative and self direction, discovery, higher order thinking skills, profound personal interests, self acceptance, and the courage to be different. Opportunities for these kinds of enrichment should be created throughout the curriculum, as well as beyond lesson time – and both in school and outside it. –Westminister Institute of Education
Giving students more of the same work is NOT enrichment!
Browse the activities below, and engage your students in some exciting opportunities to stretch their brains!
WEBSITES
Research Resources
Fact monster- Offers learning on all kinds of topics. Analogies, idioms, & more.
Time Lines-Detailed what went on in the world timelines for anyone’s life- Create your own timelines including varying types of events.
Math Resources
Tower 23-Challenging math and reading games & activities, including "Absurd Math" and other Pre-algebra & Algebra games
Mathcounts resources-challenging problem of the week, problem of the month
Transum-Starters, lessons and activities
Problem of the Day-Problem, hint, solution
Interdisciplinary Resources
Brain Games -online puzzles and activities all organized by categories such as mathematical, spatial, etc.
Brain Boosters-Activities to sharpen thinking in categorization, logic, reasoning, spatial awareness, word play and lateral thinking
Brain Bashers-excellent critical thinking puzzles
Puzzles/Logic
Puzzle.com-Math, visual, and logic mindbender puzzles
Riddles -Riddles, games, puzzles, etc.
i-riddlers-Challenging bridge building game
Enchanted Mind-Creativity, spatial thinking and critical thinking building activities
Judy's logic puzzles-tons of deductive reasoning puzzles
School-wide Enrichment
Renzulli Learning-There is an annual charge for this site.
Subject Related Resources
National Association for Gifted Children Content Connection
Fantasia Middle Grades Social Studies Enrichment Project from Candace Forlenza
PRINTED MATERIALS
Mindware and Prufrock Press are great reources for gifted materials. These materials can be found at amazon.com
Some recommended titles for elementary general enrichment are:
Letter Logic
Letter Getters
Logic Links
Coin Clues
Gwinnett County FOCUS teacher, Laura Magner has great books that are published at Pieces of Learning.
AIMS Educational Foundation
CONTESTS AND COMPETITIONS
This is just a sampling. Some of the deadlines have past for this year. However you can search for appropriate competitions for your subject and grade level.
Listing of competitions for elementary/middle students
Listing of student competitions available to high school students
Thinkquest
Toshiba Exploravision
Scholastic Kids are Authors
Nasa Competition for High School Students
FOR FUN
Newspaper Generator
OUTSIDE READING PROJECTS
Regardless of your subject area, consider assigning (or suggesting) outside reading projects for you students. Search the library for the topic you are studying for a variety of fiction and non-fiction.
For example, a search in the Gwinnett Public Library for "Ecology", filtered by "teen collection", yielded 31 titles, both fiction and non-fiction.
Allow them to choose creative products. Here is one resource for ideas:
91 Ways to Respond to Literature
Thanks to Valerie Munson, Kathy Traylor, Chrissy Edwards, Mary Jane Peevy, Alan Hochbaum, Dawn Moss, Patti Woschitz, Wendy Vermeulen, Michelle Bays, Sharon Johnson, and Candace Forlenza for contributing resource ideas.