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Good Year Books

Creative Activitiesfor Gifted ReadersDynamic Investigations, Challenging Projects,

and Energizing Assignments

Anthony D. Fredericks

Grades 3–6

Culver City, California

10200 Jefferson BoulevardCulver City, CA 90232-0802

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iii

Contents

Front and Back 35Making Cents 36Who Said That? 37Simile Swing 38What’s That? 39What’s in a Name? 40More Than One 41Hinky Pinkys 42

Unit Two: Word Wizards 43Word Wizards 1 44Word Wizards 2 45Word Wizards 3 46Word Wizards 4 47Word Wizards 5 48Word Wizards 6 49Word Wizards 7 50Word Wizards 8 51Word Wizards 9 52Word Wizards 10 53

Unit Three: Analogies 55Classifications 1 57Classifications 2 58Classifications 3 59Classifications 4 60Which Doesn’t Belong? 1 61Which Doesn’t Belong? 2 62Which Doesn’t Belong? 3 63Which Doesn’t Belong? 4 64Nonsense Groups 1 65

Introduction 1

How to Use This Book 4

Unit One: Puzzles and Problems 7Color My World 8Begin and End 9Word Whip 10Animals Inside 11Mixed-up Words 12In the Right Order 13Animal Farm 14One More Time 15Puzzle Me 16Add One More 17Crazy Headlines 18A Man, a Plan, a Canal: Panama! 19Up, Down, and Across 20Your Order, Please I 21Pyramid Sentences 22Sentence Challenge I 23Answer First 24What’s Right? I 25In Short 26Your Order, Please II 27The Right Size 28Sentence Challenge II 29Fantastic Food 30What’s Right? II 31By Ones and Twos 32Construction Junction 33The Right Place 34

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iv

Nonsense Groups 2 66Nonsense Groups 3 67Nonsense Groups 4 68Type by Type 1 69Type by Type 2 70Type by Type 3 71Type by Type 4 72Completions 1 73Completions 2 74Completions 3 75Completions 4 76

Unit Four: Activities 77Dictionary Dig 78Question and Answer 78Cross Words 79Jack Be Fleet 79Ha Ha, Hee Hee 80Do-It-Yourself Workbooks 80Catalog Capers 81New Labels 81In the Cards 82. . . By Its Cover 82Book Games 83Book It! 83Readers Wanted! 84Advertising Pays 84Answer First 85Character Sketches 85Words and Pictures 86

In the End . . . 86Questions First 87Time after Time 87On the Spot 88Come to Your Senses 88Ad Campaign 89Our Town 89All the News 90

Unit Five: Projects 91Books, Books, Books 92Fabulous Folklore 93Pet Parade 94Comic Relief 95Language Lovers 96Food Fare 97Crazy Computers 98Sports Report 99Name Game 100Monsters and Creatures 101Bicycle Bonanza 102

Unit Six: Story Energizers 103Characters 104Settings 106Events 108

Answer Keys 111Puzzles and Problems 111Word Wizards 117Analogies 119

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1

Introduction

“The time has come,” the Walrus said,“To talk of many things:

Of shoes—and ships—and sealing wax—Of cabbages—and kings—

And why the sea is boiling hot—And whether pigs have wings.”

—Lewis Carroll

Gifted students present a uniquechallenge to elementary teachers.

They are often the first ones done with areading assignment or those who continu-ally ask for more creative and interestingwork. What these students frequentlydemand are ideas and materials that arenot only challenging but relevant as well.What they need are exciting activities,energizing projects, and focused activitysheets that offer a creative curriculumwithin the framework of the regularreading program.

This book has been written with thesegifted readers in mind. It contains a widevariety of ideas and suggestions designedto assist gifted children in developing theskills necessary to expand their readinghorizons. A major focus of the book is tohelp children learn and apply the thinkingand creative skills appropriate for readingcompetence. Assignments are offered thatboth extend the classroom reading programand help students explore the worldaround them.

Specifically, the objectives of this bookare as follows:

1. Students will be involved in a facilita-tive learning process. They will beencouraged to plan and select assign-ments that meet their individual needsand interests. In turn, these self-directedexplorations will lead to greater per-sonal involvement and participation.

2. Students will learn to assume moreresponsibility for their own learning.In so doing, they will gain a greaterawareness of their own abilities,develop a sense of self-direction, andimprove their self-esteem.

3. Students will be exposed to a widerange of materials, assignments, andexperiences—all designed to stimulatereading exploration above and beyondthe basal text.

4. Divergent thinking skills will beemphasized in concert with creativeendeavors. Thus, pupils will beencouraged to both process andinterpret information. As a result,they will come to appreciate readingas a multifaceted subject.

5. Students will be able to explore readingbeyond the walls of the classroom.By using their skills in practical andmeaningful pursuits, they will gain aheightened awareness of their owncompetencies.

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2 INTRODUCTION

Each of the six units in this bookfocuses on six thinking skills and fourcreative extensions. The thinking skillsinclude literal, reorganization, interpretive,evaluation, appreciation, and application.The four creative extensions are fluency,flexibility, originality, and elaboration.

Thinking Skills1. Literal. The literal level of thinking

involves the student’s ability to locate,identify, recall, and remember specificfacts in written material.

2. Reorganization. This refers to the abilityto sort, group, or classify ideas intonew patterns. Putting concepts oritems into categories is one method ofreorganization.

3. Interpretive. Using their own back-ground of experiences, studentsdevelop inferences about story infor-mation. Making educational guesses isone use of interpretive skills.

4. Evaluation. Using a set of establishedcriteria, students make personaljudgments about the worth or merit ofwritten material.

5. Appreciation. This refers to students’emotional responses to stories orbooks. It entails identifying affectivereactions to written material.

6. Application. This skill focuses onstudents’ ability to use informationobtained from written sources in avariety of new situations.

Creative Extensions1. Fluency. This is the ability to create a

potpourri of ideas or lists of ideas.It involves the generation of manythoughts without regard to quality.Brainstorming is a good way toenhance fluency.

2. Flexibility. This skill involves drawingrelationships between seeminglyunrelated ideas (for example: “How isa rubber band like a dictionary?”).Locating common elements betweenitems helps students look for manypossible answers to a problem.

3. Originality. This refers to the creationof ideas that are singular and unique—those that are different from all others.It is the creative process we most oftenassociate with gifted youngsters.

4. Elaboration. This is the process indi-viduals go through to expand anidea—to enlarge it until it is workableor feasible. It is a process of additionor multiplication that builds ideas intotheir final form.

The assignments in this book havebeen developed in concert with variedgroups of gifted youngsters. Many childrenhave participated in the development ofeach activity sheet, activity, project, andstory energizer, thus ensuring the relevancyof each assignment for all gifted readers.However, it is important that whicheverassignments you select for your students,you take sufficient time to discuss thepurpose of each one, in terms of both itsimmediate importance and its long-rangeimplications. Providing opportunity forpupils to share and discuss the implica-tions of these ideas for their own readingdevelopment will help them appreciatethe selected assignments as a positiveextension of their literacy development.

You are also encouraged to solicitfollow-up activities from your giftedstudents. These units are not rigid; theycan be modified and expanded as thedynamics of individuals or groups maywarrant. When students have opportuni-ties to extend and expand the ideas withineach of these units, they will be able to see

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3INTRODUCTION

the value of their work in terms of long-range reading goals.

In short, the activity sheets, projects,activities, and story energizers in thisbook should serve as launching pads forstudents’ imagination, thinking-skillsdevelopment, and creativity enhancement.

The assignments are designed to beused in whatever order or sequence youfeel to be most appropriate. You shouldplan to use a mix from the units through-out the year, providing varied opportuni-ties for students to become actively

involved in a selection of ideas, themes,and interests. In turn, their interest will bepiqued and their motivation ensured.

This book has been written for theteacher who wishes to stimulate, encour-age, and extend the learning opportunitiesfor gifted readers. A healthy dose of theseassignments within and throughout thereading program can produce pupils whoare eager participants in the readingprocess. In turn, literacy growth canbecome an exciting and dynamic part ofthe world of gifted readers.

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4

How to Use This Book

This book can be used in a variety ofclassrooms, grouping situations, or

instructional formats. Here are somepossibilities:

1. The Regular Classroom. All of the unitscan be used in a regular classroomcontaining both gifted and on-levelreaders. As such, units can be assigned(a) when scheduled reading assign-ments have been completed, (b) inplace of regular assignments, or(c) as supplemental work to strengthenconcepts presented in the readingcurriculum.

2. Special Gifted Class. This book presentsa number of options for special giftedclasses. These include (a) using theunits in addition to the regular readingcurriculum, (b) developing a completereading curriculum for gifted pupilsbased on these assignments, or(c) scheduling individual or small-group work as an extension of previ-ously learned concepts and skills.

3. At Home. Parents will find theseassignments appropriate for home use,too. Each unit focuses on a variety ofthinking skills and creative extensions,using a nonthreatening format thatfamilies can enjoy together. Parentsshould treat these ideas as fun-to-doassignments rather than as gradedwork. It is important, therefore, thatthe atmosphere be low-key, relaxed,and informal—enjoyment should bethe watchword. Total family involve-ment will help gifted students applyclassroom-learned skills in a variety ofpractical situations.

This book can be used in a variety ofways, depending on individual classroomdynamics and on the instructional plansyou wish to emphasize. In choosingassignments for your gifted students, youmay wish to give some thought to thefollowing:

1. Try a variety of grouping strategies.Most of the activity sheets, activities,projects, and story energizers can bedone as individual or as small-groupwork. Provide children with a selectionof sharing opportunities, too.

2. All of the units are nongraded. How-ever, you may wish to set up your ownevaluation system or have studentshelp in establishing appropriateevaluation criteria. This will ensuremaximum pupil involvement—afactor that enhances both cognitiveand affective development.

3. There is no set order or sequence tothe assignments. You are free tochoose appropriate work or allowstudents a measure of self-selection indetermining the assignments theywould like to pursue.

4. Whatever activity sheets, activities,projects, or story energizers you oryour students select, it will be impor-tant to keep time limits flexible. Sug-gested completion times are includedin the introduction to each unit but areoffered as approximations only. Afterstudents have completed severalassignments, you will be able to judgeappropriate time limits for future work.

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5HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

5. Most of the units require either somedegree of student independence or anextended period of time for completion.Consequently, it is strongly suggestedthat you schedule periodic conferenceswith individual students or with smallgroups of students. These conferencescan provide you with an opportunityto gauge student progress and discussissues or concerns specific to individualassignments.

Assignment SchedulingFollowing is a suggested plan for assigningindividual lessons within each unit. Feelfree to modify it according to the dynam-ics or time limitations of your classes.

1. Introduce an assignment or lesson toindividuals or small groups. Be sureto provide a complete list of all thenecessary requirements.

2. Have students discuss several optionsfor completing an assignment. Makesure discussion centers on how theassignment will be initiated, pursued,and terminated.

3. Give students plenty of time to examineseveral assignments thoroughly andto make their own choices. Studentsmay opt to work on specific lessonsindividually or in small groups.

4. Have students begin working onselected activity sheets, activities,projects, or story energizers.

5. Allow students sufficient time to planculminating projects or presentations.Have them set a target date forcompletion of a selected assignment.

6. Provide opportunities to share theresults of an assignment, to discuss itsimplications, and to evaluate theproduct(s).

Reporting FormatsAs students complete the individualactivity sheets, activities, projects, or storyenergizers, they will want to report theirnewly discovered information. The list onpage 6 contains several possibilities forsharing student information with otherclass members as well as with you. Youshould encourage students to select avariety of reporting formats throughoutthe year and throughout the assignments.

The variety of instructional optionsand reporting formats guarantees thatstudents will be able to discover manyexciting dimensions to the world ofreading. In so doing, they will have theopportunity to use their classroom skillsin varied literary explorations beyond theclassroom.

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6 HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

book reviews booklets storytelling

illustrated talks videos carvings

posters file boxes clay models

poems recordings book talks

chalk talks charts advertisements

brochures bulletin boards scripts

dramas cartoons filmstrips

folders sculptures guidebooks

games pantomimes displays

panoramas book jackets diaries

mobiles reference books drawings

discussion groups roller movies news articles

murals time lines scrapbooks

dioramas puppets models

maps puzzles letters to authors

dances PA announcements collages

shadowboxes activity sheets flannel boards

collections songs bookmarks

lists CDs Videodisks

Web pages Webquests iTunes

PowerPoint presentations

blogs (as appropriate)

e-mail communiqués (as appropriate)

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7

UNIT ONE

Puzzles and Problems

to experience and appreciate the univer-sality of reading in their lives.

Students should be able to finish eachactivity sheet in one or two class periods.Each can be completed independently orby a small group of two or three students.You can use the activity sheets in anyorder. You may wish to use them uponcompletion of a regular reading assign-ment, as an element in a guided readinglesson, as a separate assignment, or as aspecial homework paper.

In all, the activity sheets offer studentsopportunities to develop thinking skills ina fun, interesting, and meaningful format.Sprinkled liberally throughout the readingcurriculum, they can add a touch of spiceto gifted students’ development as well-rounded readers.

Independent learning has long been ahallmark of gifted reading instruction.

This first unit offers gifted students anumber of motivating activity sheetsdesigned to challenge them in a variety ofreading areas, to encourage them in thedevelopment of both reading and creativeskills, and to provide them with opportu-nities for individual exploration of selectedinterest areas.

You can reproduce each activity sheetand give it to students. Each emphasizesat least two thinking skills and is designedto reinforce and extend students’ cognitiveprocesses. Although this section can oftenbe completed without additional referencematerials, encourage students to engagein extra research whenever necessary,using a multitude of classroom or libraryresources. This option stimulates students

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8 UNIT ONE: PUZZLES AND PROBLEMS

Name __________________________________

Date _________________

Color My World

Directions:Many words and phrases in our languageinclude color words. For example, theword greenbacks means dollar bills ormoney. Locate and write a definition foreach of the following colorful words andphrases:

red tape _____________________________

golden rule __________________________

yellowjacket _________________________

blacktop _____________________________

blue chip ____________________________

silver lining __________________________

yellow streak_________________________

white elephant _______________________

red alert _____________________________

blackmail ____________________________

silversmith __________________________

blue bloods __________________________

whitewash ___________________________

Thinking Skills• Literal• Reorganization

Directions:For each of the definitions below, locate acolorful word or phrase:

Highest rank intae kwon do ___________________

Place whereplants are grown ___________________

Girl who visitedthe three bears ___________________

Heated to a veryhigh temperature ___________________

Something anexpert gardeneris said to have ___________________

The brain ___________________

A novice ___________________

A tropical disease ___________________

To edit amanuscript ___________________

To be sad ___________________

Special grassin Kentucky ___________________