2nd Edition
Quests and Quandaries Intellectual Pursuits and Problem-Based Learning for Advanced and Gifted Students
Take your students on a learning journey to discover their personal intellectual interests and develop expertise. Using a research- based approach, the lessons in Quests and Quandaries are designed to teach students how to think and behave as a scholar. Along the way, students will write SMART goals, use the Depth and Complexity Icons to conduct research, solve problems using the steps in the problem-based learning model, and synthesize what they learn into an Expertise Expo project/presentation.
Designed for gifted students in grades six and up using the National Common Core Standards for Language Arts and NAGC's Learning and Development Standards this unit will guide teachers through the process of helping students’ identify an area of interest and then develop expertise over the course of a quarter, semester, or year.
Teacher friendly with supplemental resources and tips for how to use the unit online, this book is a must have for educators looking for an engaging, student-centered curriculum for their classroom.
1. A Hungry Mind 2. Investigating Individual Interests 3. The Power-Level Profile 4. What is a Scholar? 5. It’s Decision Time 6. S.M.A.R.T. Goals for Smart Students 7. Unanswered No More 8. The Governor’s Invitation 9. The Lexicon of Learning 10. The Power of Perspective 11. Morals, Ethics, and Controversies… Oh My! 12. Zonks or Zillions 13. You Can’t Stop the Clock 14. Patterns Within Patterns 15. The Ups and Downs of Research 16. Everything’s Connected 17. Zooming Out 18. Research Wrap Up 19. Envisioning the Future 20. Itching to Iterate 21. Silo Demolition 22. Reflect then Perfect 23. Appraising Your Progress 24. A Problem-Solving Palooza 25. Choose Your Own “Problem” 26. A Truncated Trial Run 27. Presentation Day 28. Crossing the Finish Line
Biography
Jason S. McIntosh, Ph.D., is an experienced educator and passionate advocate for gifted education. He has served as a gifted coordinator and Director of Advanced Learning Experiences for several school districts in Arizona. To find out more about his latest curriculum projects, please visit his website at www.notmoreofthesame.com.
