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Brain Teasers, Riddles, & Puzzles

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Braingle: Brain Teasers, Riddles and Puzzles

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With over 15,000 brain teasers, riddles, logic problems and mind puzzles submitted and ranked by users like you, Braingle has the largest collection anywhere on the internet.

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Video lessons, puzzles

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Mashup Math activities make your math lessons fun and engaging for students

K-8 math activities designed to be highly engaging for students.

We inspire kids to learn math in a way that isentertaining and fun.

Our unique approach boosts academic achievement and participation.

Over 100,000 math teachers rely on Mashup Math resources to supplement their lessons.

Standards-aligned math resources for grades K-8+

Gain On-Demand Access to All of our K-8 Math Puzzles, Worksheets and Activities

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Math Education Teacher Resources Common Core Cool Video Lesson Free Worksheets Elementary Middle High School Homeschool Algebra Geometry Lessons Help Tutor Homework

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K-5 Science lessons, videos and resources

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Video lessons made in partnership with the National Science Teachers Association that engage, educate & inspire kids in science. Generation Genius videos are 12-minutes long and include lesson plans, teacher guides, DIY activities and stopping points for class discussion.

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SEL learning resources from Discovery Education

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SEL learning resources from Discovery Education

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Social emotional skills are crucial for 21st century learners. Today's students need different skills, especially when it comes to listening to others who "don't look like they do" or have different points of view.
Morrell, E., Cooper, R., Del Gatto, D., & Morrell, J., 2013

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Soar with Wings: Social Emotional Skills for School & Life

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Activities for Your Classroom Social and emotional learning (SEL) has the power to help students develop skills necessary to succeed in school, be prepared for the workforce, and become positive and healthy contributors to society. Explore these ready-to-go, standards-aligned activities designed to build the social and emotional skills of elementary students.

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You can find resources on Depth and complexity links, lessons, various resources

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"More insights on a positive side of a 'disorder.'

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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is typically described by the problems it presents. It is known as a neurological disorder, marked by distractibility, impulsivity and hyperactivity, which begins in childhood and persists in adults. And, indeed, ADHD may have negative consequences for academic achievement, employment performance and social relationships.

But ADHD may also bring with it an advantage: the ability to think more creatively. Three aspects of creative cognition are divergent thinking, conceptual expansion and overcoming knowledge constraints. Divergent thinking, or the ability to think of many ideas from a single starting point, is a critical part of creative thinking. Previous research has established that individuals with ADHD are exceptionally good at divergent thinking tasks, such as inventing creative new uses for everyday objects, and brainstorming new features for an innovative cell phone device. In a new study, college students with ADHD scored higher than non-ADHD peers on two tasks that tapped conceptual expansion and the ability to overcome knowledge constraints. Together with previous research, these new findings link ADHD to all three elements of the creative cognition trio.

Prior knowledge can be an obstacle to creativity. When we look to a prior model or example for inspiration, we may actually become stuck: designers refer to this as " fixation." In creative generation research, when participants are given examples before a task that requires them to invent something new, such as a new toy, their inventions tend to incorporate aspects of the examples-and thus are less novel. The ability to overcome recently presented information is therefore essential to creative thinking.

Similarly, knowledge of the world can stunt one's ability to imagine it differently. For instance, if asked to invent an animal or fruit that might exist on another planet, most people would start by thinking of a typical animal or fruit on Earth and then modify it somewhat into an "alien" version. Research suggests that when people invent alien creations based on specific Earth examples, the creations are rated as less original compared to those not inspired by specific examples. The key to being creative under these conditions is conceptual expansion, or the ability to loosen the boundaries of concepts. For instance, a paperclip is designed to hold papers together. By conceptual expansion, one might think beyond this definition and imagine a paperclip as something else-such as a tool to pry open the battery compartment of a wristwatch. In creating an alien animal, one might assume that the animal would need to be bilaterally symmetrical, as most Earth animals possess this attribute. Conceptual expansion might allow one to imagine an animal with an asymmetrical form, which differs from a typical Earth animal.

Evidence suggests that ADHD may offer some protection from the constraining effects of knowledge. In a study of adolescents, a group with ADHD was compared to a group of non-ADHD peers on a toy invention task. Participants were first shown a set of example toys that shared specific features (e.g., a ball), then asked to invent new toys that were very different from any existing toys. The toys invented by the ADHD group included fewer elements of the task examples compared to toys created by the non-ADHD group. In the same study, there were no differences between the ADHD and non-ADHD groups on a conceptual expansion task. However, a study of college students found that, compared to non-ADHD peers, ADHD students showed a broader scope of semantic activation-which is the "turning on" of concepts and ideas that are stored in memory-and is correlated with conceptual expansion in other research. Given evidence that linked ADHD to higher divergent thinking and ability to overcome the constraining effect of task examples, it seemed intuitive to look more closely at the relationship between ADHD and the third element of creative thinking, conceptual expansion.

I compared college students with and without ADHD on two tasks. In the first, I told participants to imagine they worked for an advertising agency and that they'd been asked to invent names for new products in three categories (pasta, nuclear elements, and pain relievers). For each category, six examples were provided that shared certain endings (e.g., pain relievers ending in -ol, such as Midol, Tylenol, and Panadol). I then instructed participants to invent a name for a new product in each category without using any aspects of the examples provided. And then, to explore conceptual expansion, I asked participants to draw and describe a fruit that might exist on another planet very different from Earth. The creations were to be as creative as possible and not duplicate any fruit that existed on Earth.

As expected, the ADHD students were less constrained by task examples on the product label invention task; compared to non-ADHD peers, ADHD students were less likely to include the example endings, yet invented labels that were equally descriptive of the product category. On the alien fruit task, the ADHD students invented fruits that were rated as more original and less representative of Earth fruit, compared to non-ADHD students. And while the groups were comparable in their inclusion of typical fruit features, such as seeds and stems, the ADHD students were more likely to include atypical features such as antenna, tongues, straws, and hammers. The ADHD students also demonstrated higher conceptual expansion by violating conventional boundaries of the fruit category-for instance by making the fruit poisonous or adding properties of nonliving things such as tools. Similar results have been reported for gifted individuals in a non-ADHD population.

At first glance, nonconformity and conceptual expansion may not sound very impressive. But, in the context of creative innovation, a small change may unlock a breakthrough. Take the sewing needle, for example. The basic design (eye on the blunt end for threading) dates back to our Denosoyan ancestors, at least 50,000 years ago. Then, in the early 1800s, inventor Balthasar Krems flipped that design upside-down to create the world's first eye-pointed needle -which paved the way for the sewing machine.

ADHD may create difficulties for individuals in many contexts that required focused, sustained attention-such as school, where students are expected to sit still and pay attention. On the other hand, the same distractibility and chaotic mind can give people with ADHD an edge when it comes to creative, original thinking. This new study suggests that ADHD may be especially beneficial when the goal is to create or invent something new without being locked into-and constrained by-old models or conventions. The innovative, original thinking style of people with ADHD may be a great fit for innovative fields where it's an advantage to be on the cutting edge.

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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is typically described by the problems it presents. It is known as a neurological disorder, marked by distractibility, impulsivity and hyperactivity, which begins in childhood and persists in adults. And, indeed, ADHD may have negative consequences for academic achievement, employment performance and social relationships.

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with Dr.

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Video lessons made in partnership with the National Science Teachers Association that engage, educate & inspire kids in science. Generation Genius videos are 12-minutes long and include lesson plans, teacher guides, DIY activities and stopping points for class discussion.

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STEM and interdisciplinary lessons and virtual explorations for grades 6-8

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STEM and interdisciplinary lessons and virtual explorations for grades 6-8

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Explore how humans can use biotechnology to influence the characteristics of organisms by looking at how scientists are using mosquitos to study disease progression and prevention methods. Approach these issues with an interdisciplinary focus while challenging your students to develop and apply innovative STEM solutions to combat an outbreak of Zika-infected mosquitos in their community.

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5 Best Free Educational Game Sites for Kids

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The top 5 educational game sites for kids offer safe, interactive game-based learning for your classroom. Discover hundreds of free games to help students master core subjects.

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Help your students fall in love with math through challenging and puzzle-like problems. Order the grade-specific Problem of the Week bundle for the entire school year! Freshly updated in Summer 2023!

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Social-emotional development of gifted kids

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Social-emotional development of gifted kids

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When I was about eight, my mom took me to the dentist. I needed to have a tooth removed and, to save you the distressing details, I'll just say the procedure lacked all bedside manner. Afterward, a nurse came in ... Read More

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Gifted Culture Project - Teach gifted kids about giftedness

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When I was about eight, my mom took me to the dentist. I needed to have a tooth removed and, to save you the distressing details, I'll just say the procedure lacked all bedside manner. Afterward, a nurse came in ... Read More

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Ecole Kenwood French Immersion Elementary School

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Characteristics of advanced learners and strategies for meeting their needs in the mixed-ability classroom

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Characteristics of advanced learners and strategies for meeting their needs in the mixed-ability classroom

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Educational Videos - Education Consulting Service

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This video demonstrates helpful tips for parents on how to interact with your gifted children's teachers in ways that are likely to help them offer appropriate differentiated learning experiences for these students. The methods are thoroughly explained in Susan's book, Teaching Gifted Kids in Today's Classroom.

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Templates for math board games

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Gamification with a revision test generator! - ClassTools.net

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Classtools.net Home | Premium Login | Facebook Fanpage | PowerSearch | Contact

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This report, a collaboration between the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy and Learning First, shows how systemic assessments of student learning that isolate skills like "finding the main idea" encourage teachers to place an unhelpful emphasis on the teaching of these "skills". Drawing on examples from the United States, the report explains why this approach fails to lead to improvements in student learning. Nevertheless, student assessment can be both aligned with high standards and help to encourage the kinds of effective teaching practice that support student learning. The report concludes by suggesting what a more productive approach to curriculum-aligned student assessment would look like.

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The problem with finding the main idea - Learning First

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This report, a collaboration between the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy and Learning First, shows how systemic assessments of student learning that isolate skills like "finding the main idea" encourage teachers to place an unhelpful emphasis on the teaching of these "skills". Drawing on examples from the United States, the report explains why this ...

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Great for visual thinking, attention and perseverance

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Welcome to ThinkablePuzzles.com
New Name but still the same great puzzles and games! Be sure to bookmark our new site/domain - This is the place for anyone age 10 and up to test their brain and skills with word and math puzzles, mazes, brain teasers and more.

We are happy to provide you hours and hours of printable, thinkable fun. We have more than 1100 free printable puzzles for you to test your brains on.

These puzzles are perfect for individuals, your students, or even for bridal and baby shower fun. Just click below for the type of printable, thinkable fun you want to enjoy:

New! Number Search Puzzles - challenging & fun!

If you are looking for "Wuzzles", they have changed to " Bamboozables " due to trademark issues.

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Free Word Puzzles, Math Puzzles & Games to Print

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Printable word and math puzzles for kids, teachers and parents.

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free lesson plans...K-8

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237,408 educators have signed up on our website so far to download lesson plans and other kindness resources. Thank you!

1+ M

Our lessons have been downloaded more than 1 million times since we introduced them in 2006.

Our lesson plans have been downloaded from 195 countries and have been translated into 12 different languages.

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Our lessons have been downloaded from educators from over 35,000 schools & school districts.

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FREE K-8 Kindness in the Classroom® Curriculum

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Download our NEW K-8 Kindness in the Classroom® lesson plans today!

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While it's tough to claim that one can 'teach' empathy, educators can create experiences that help students exercise their ability to empathize with other people. In particular, educators can help students learn about their own points of view, appreciate different perspectives, think critically about different perspectives, and cooperate and communicate in a respectful, positive manner.

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PBL resources

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Enrich your students' learning by signing up for a Polycom program led by experts from the field.

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Enrich your students' learning by signing up for a Polycom program led by experts from the field.

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interactive video distance learning programs

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Center for Interactive Learning - Browse CILC's Visual Content Provider Directory

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Browse CILC's Content Provider Visual Directory, Filter by subject area and age group to help you find interactive programs easily.

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Ask your gifted readers to engage in a creative writing challenge

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Ask your gifted readers to engage in a creative writing challenge

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Storybird - Read, write, discover, and share the books you'll always remember.

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Become a better writer with Storybird's creativity tools. Online courses, challenges, and reader feedback will help you improve your writing.

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CommonLIT - a free website for paired texts

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CommonLIT - a free website for paired texts

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Use these texts to teach your students about the incredible ways people have changed the world.

During my time in the classroom, I had the privilege of teaching my students about many amazing people who changed the world. Reading about Malala Yousafzai and Nelson Mandela helped my students envision the changes they wanted to make. Every week, we read about true acts of compassion, creativity, selflessness, and defiance that happened throughout history and have contributed to life as we know it today. We learned about transformative social movements, revolutions, and acts of resistance, and we analyzed how they shaped society.

Every year, when the Nobel Peace Prize winners are announced, I fondly remember these lessons with my students. This year, the team at CommonLit has composed a list of texts on our site that highlight some of the world-changing individuals whose lives and words will inspire your students.

3rd-4th Grade:

Cesar Chavez (1927-1993) was an American civil rights leader who was known for organizing the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA), being president of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), and protecting the rights of farm workers. He used peaceful protest and treated all people with respect, encouraging everyone to try to imagine others' perspectives. Ask your students what the phrase "Sí se puede!" means to them.

In this informational text, students will learn about Bessie Coleman, the first African American woman to receive her pilot license. By defying societal expectations for African American women, Coleman inspired many to pursue their dreams of becoming a pilot. While teaching this text, show your students the Related Media video, " The First Female African American Pilot, " and ask why they think Coleman's accomplishments were important to African Americans during her time.

5th-6th Grade:

Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low (1860-1927) was the founder of the Girl Scouts in the United States. In this informational text, Natasha Wing explores why the Girl Scouts was important to Daisy and how she established the organization. Once your students read about why Low thought it was important to create the Girl Scouts, ask your students why they think developing the group was significant for girls all over the world.

Thomas Edison (1847-1931) was an American inventor and businessman whose inventions included the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and, perhaps most notably, the light bulb. Because of his decision to mass produce his inventions, Edison is credited with transforming the state of research laboratories. Edison's creativity and drive have inspired inventors all over the world. Pair this text with the lesson entitled " Today's Telephone," and have your students compare and contrast how Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone and Edison's inventions affected life in America.

7th-8th Grade:

Elie Wiesel (1928-2016) was a Romanian-born Jewish American writer, professor, political activist, and Holocaust survivor. During World War II, Wiesel and his family were transported to a German concentration and extermination camp, where his parents and one of his sisters died. Wiesel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 for his work promoting human rights - he was called a "messenger to mankind" by the Nobel Committee. After reading this speech, ask students to discuss the advice Wiesel provides for future generations.

A Pakistani education activist and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate, Malala Yousafzai was born in Swat District, Pakistan. Malala's family ran a chain of schools in the region, and Malala was known for being a vocal advocate for equal education at the young age of 14. Because of her activism, she was shot and nearly killed by the Taliban - but this experience has not stopped her from fighting for equal rights for all. Ask students to discuss Malala's argument on the importance of access to education. Additionally, you can assign this text alongside " Mother Teresa " and have your students compare the missions of the two Nobel Peace Prize recipients.

9th-10th Grade:

Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) was a South African leader who worked to end apartheid, a system of racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa from 1948 to 1991. Mandela later served as South Africa's first black president from 1994 until 1999. In 1993, Mandela and F.W. de Klerk, the last head of state of South Africa under the apartheid era, received the Nobel Peace Prize jointly for their work ending apartheid. To provide background about the Nobel Peace Prize and how it's awarded, have your students watch " How Does the Nobel Peace Prize Work?" and ask them how Mandela's efforts qualified him for the award.

Barack Obama served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017. In 2009, Obama was also awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work strengthening international relations. In his acceptance speech, Obama discusses the relationship between war and peace. Using this text, prompt a debate in your class about whether there can be peace without war.

11th-12th Grade:

Jimmy Carter served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981. Following his presidency, Carter set up the Carter Center with the goal of advancing human rights and combating human suffering. In 2002, Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize for his work promoting international peace. Show your students the video " The Carter Center " to provide more information about Carter's efforts.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement. He was known for his use of nonviolent civil disobedience to protest against racial injustice. In 1964, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to the Civil Rights Movements. After your students read this text, have them write about how people create change. Specifically, ask them to elaborate on what King contributed to the Civil Rights Movement that changed the fight for freedom.

Bonus texts!

There are so many amazing individuals that we couldn't limit ourselves to just 10 texts. Check out our entire collection on the Featured Content page of our site.

What are your favorite texts?

We'd love to hear from you and your students! Tell us your favorite CommonLit texts about World Changers in the comments below.

Click the 👏 below to help spread this resource with the teaching community!

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10 Texts About World-Changing Individuals - CommonLit

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During my time in the classroom, I had the privilege of teaching my students about many amazing people who changed the world. Reading about Malala Yousafzai and Nelson Mandela helped my students envision the changes they wanted to make.

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Introduce an article -a - day from ReadWorks

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Introduce an article -a - day from ReadWorks

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ReadWorks.org | Solving the Reading Comprehension Crisis

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Introduce Article-A-Day™ to your students with this 2 minute video!

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Inquiry learning in math...

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Collaboration and math strategies

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Five Steps to 50 printable sheet
This challenge is about counting on and back in steps of 1, 10 and 100.

Roll a dice twice to establish your starting number - the first roll will give you the tens digit and the second roll will give you the units digit.
You can then make five jumps to get as close to 50 as possible.
You can jump forwards or backwards in jumps of 1 or 10 or 100.

Compare your strategy with a friend.
Did you jump forwards or backwards?
Can you land on 50 exactly?
How far from 50 were you?
Could you do it another way?
Could you get even closer?
Which numbers can get you to 50?
Which can't?

Roll the dice again and have another go!

For example:
I roll a dice and get a 2 then a 3, so my starting number is 23.
I make the following jumps to get as close to 50 as possible:
Starting number is 23
Jump one is +10 to get me to 33
Jump two is +10 to get me to 43
Jump three is +10 to get me to 53
Jump four is -1 to get me to 52
Jump five is -1 to get me to 51

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Use five steps to count forwards or backwards in 1s or 10s to get to 50. What strategies did you use?

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Puzzles.COM - the world's best resource for puzzling on the Internet - is about Puzzles, Illusions, Tricks, Toys, and everything around all these great Funny, Entertaining, Intellectual and Educational Things.

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Some of the benefits of "puzzling" are creativity, perseverance, fun, critical thinking.

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Printable puzzles. Thousands of ’em. All free.

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Math in the real world.

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In late January, workers at the Mars Wrigley plant in Waco, Texas created this giant Snickers Bar. It won a spot in The Guinness Book of Records as the World's largest Snicker's Bar.

What do you wonder about this giant creation? Let's explore the math with similarity, cross-sections and number of servings (equivalent number of mini-snickers bars).

Giant Chocolate Bunnies - What can you deduce about the bunnies (pictured in this activity) from the descriptions given ... solid? hollow? cost per pound? cost per height? Anything else? 6.RP.A, 7.RP.A

Mom's matzoh ball soup - Let students review fractions as they triple my mom's matzoh ball soup recipe and try to change the recipe to create one giant matzoh ball. 5.NF, 6.NS, 7.NS, 7.EE, MP7, MP8

Something seems wrong ... I think.

A fellow teacher, Laura Deschaines,saw this chart on the news the other night. What do you notice? Does anything seem amiss? What should it look like?

How many Peeps are sold at Easter time each year?

Students estimate the number of Peeps sold each Easter season. They consider reasonability by making guesses they think might be a little too high and a little too low. Students determine necessary info, problem solve and improve their original estimates. They conduct random samplings of their estimates and compare the mean of their estimates to the actual number of peeps sold each season. A Peeps video, the math activity, hints and data are below.

What do you wonder about these recipes for coloring?

What would happen if I used the wrong recipe (i.e. cake mix instead of egg dying) for coloring my eggs?

Do all of the recipes (cake, icing, and eggs) have basically the same proportions of color drops?

What lingo helps you describe color variations?

A Danish market found an interesting way to limit hoarding of hand sanitizer.

How much are these costs in your currency?

What is the unit price on these bottles?

By how much (what percent) was the price increased?

Is this legal?

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In late January, workers at the Mars Wrigley plant in Waco, Texas created this giant Snickers Bar. It won a spot in The Guinness Book of Records as the World's largest Snicker's Bar. What do you wonder about this giant creation? Let's explore the math with similarity, cross-sections and number of servings (equivalent number of mini-snickers bars).

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Ready to use lessons to apply engineering principles in your classroom

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Home - TryEngineering.org Powered by IEEE

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TryEngineering Inspires the Engineers of Tomorrow . TryEngineering aims to empower educators to foster the next generation of technology innovators. We provide educators and students with resources, lesson plans, and activities that engage and inspire.

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Splat math; visual spatial reasoning and downloadable lessons...

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Splat math; visual spatial reasoning and downloadable lessons...

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Steve Wyborney's Blog: I'm on a Learning Mission.

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Several weeks ago, I posted Cube Conversations, which is a set of 80 animated lessons designed to promote visually rich math discourse. You can learn more about - and download - all 80 of the Cube Conversations lessons .

Today, I'm adding a new - and very important - element to the series, which is a set of 80 downloadable, printable pages. These pages completely match the animated Cube Conversations lessons.

You'll see that these pages quickly multiply discourse opportunities for students.

In addition, I'm sharing four instructional strategies.

Watch the video and download the pages in the format that works best for you. Then let your students amaze you with their insights!

1. Have the entire book - of all 80 pages - instantly emailed to you. Simply fill out the subscription form below and receive the entire book of all 80 pages in a single file.

2. Download the specific set (or sets) you want by clicking on the links below.

Printable Pages 1-10 Printable Pages 11-20 Printable Pages 21-30 Printable Pages 31-40 Printable Pages 41-50 Printable Pages 51-60 Printable Pages 61-70 Printable Pages 71-80 Other Posts and Resources Which May Be of Interest
Splat! (over 140,000 free lessons downloads in 2017!)

The Fraction Splat! Series (with 20 more downloadable lessons) is now available!
Tiled Area Questions
Primary Tile Questions
Thank you for taking time to view my blog.

All my best,

Steve

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80 Printable Cube Conversations Pages and 4 Instructional Strategies

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Several weeks ago, I posted Cube Conversations , which is a set of 80 animated lessons designed to promote visually rich math discourse. You can learn more about - and download - all 80 of the Cube Conversations lessons .

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Use logic to solve visual, interactive mathematical puzzles. Create your own puzzles to share with your friends or the SolveMe Community.

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A great article on the importance of challenging tasks to engage learners

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A great article on the importance of challenging tasks to engage learners

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If you've been to this site before and are looking for something in particular that is no longer up, shoot me an email. I've been in the process of moving my site over to a new host. Thanks for being patient. Keep checking back, as there are new materials being put up regularly. Check out the Envision Gifted Pinterest Page

~Marcie

Ideas and resources for differentiating instruction for gifted and advanced learners.

Envision Gifted was designed with the hope to support teachers in meeting the unique learning needs of gifted and advanced students. There is a misconception that gifted students, " Will be fine. " regardless of the instruction they receive (or don't receive). This couldn't be further from the truth. Gifted students need and are entitled to differentiated instruction and learning opportunities. Despite this, much of the focus in education has been on how to differentiate to support struggling students.

It is my hope to share ideas on differentiating instruction for gifted and advanced learners and to contribute to the dialogue surrounding how to meet their unique needs. The ideas and lessons I share are not mine alone, but rather the result of building on the ideas of others who have been kind enough to share, collaborating with and receiving feedback from colleagues, and of course input from the ultimate critics: the students themselves.

Check out some of the new postings

Envision Gifted! Please share this site

Copyright © 2012 Marcie Griffith All rights reserved by author. Permission to copy or distribute is limited to single classroom use only unless permission is granted by the author. If you post or pin any of the ideas or content found here, please give credit and include a link back to this site so that others may benefit from the resources as well.

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Envision Gifted was designed with the hope to support teachers in meeting the unique learning needs of gifted and advanced students. There is a misconception that gifted students, " Will be fine. " regardless of the instruction they receive (or don't receive). This couldn't be further from the truth.

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Access to a Problem-Based Learning Webinar

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Access to a Problem-Based Learning Webinar

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In late 2017, a groundbreaking national survey was released that aimed to reveal American girls' thoughts, behaviors and attitudes. The report, titled "The Girls' Index: New Insights into the Complex World of Today's Girls," sampled 10,678 female youths ages 10 to 18 from across the country on issues such as confidence, body image, friendships, pressure, leadership, career aspirations, school, academics, technology and social media. Now, a just-released companion report, "Girls, STEM & Careers: Decoding Girls' Futures in an Age of Social Media", commissioned by Battelle Education, dives deeper into "The Girls' Index" to examine girls' perceptions of their math and science abilities, their thoughts on pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering or math, and related issues. Check out the full report here.

Research for both reports was conducted by Ruling Our eXperiences (ROX), a non-profit organization committed to equipping girls with the knowledge and skills they need to lead healthy, independent, productive and violence-free lives. For background on the original survey and insights into the new report, we contacted Lisa Hinkelman, founder and executive director of ROX:
Q: What were the major findings of "The Girls' Index"?
A: The findings include:

Girls' confidence declines sharply between fifth and ninth grade. "The Girls' Index" surveyed girls from 5th through 12th grade and found that the percentage of girls who would describe themselves as confident declines more than 25% throughout the middle school years, from 86% to 60%. By 9th grade, confidence is as its lowest point, and then it levels off for the next three years. Girls reported that confidence does not return to pre-middle school levels for the remainder of high school.

Technology and social media impact girls' relationships, achievement, confidence, mood and school engagement. With technology and social media becoming an ever-present reality, it is important to understand how technology is related to other aspects of girls' lives. We asked girls about the time that they spent using technology (computers, tablets, phones, video games, etc.) as well as the time they spent engaged specifically with social media.

Most girls like to be in charge, but self-doubt can impact their pursuit of leadership opportunities. We asked girls about their own leadership desires, whether they like to be in charge and their thoughts on several other concepts related to leadership. We learned that 8% of girls believe that men are better leaders than women, but that 46% of girls think that certain jobs are better for men than women. When it comes to skills that are required for leadership like sharing an opinion or disagreeing with others, there are continued challenges for some girls, particularly for girls who lack confidence. Less confident girls are nearly twice as likely to report that they withhold their opinions or disagreement compared to girls who describe themselves as confident. Overall, 1 in 3 girls are afraid to be a leader for fear of others thinking she is bossy.

Q: The new report, "Girls, STEM & Careers: Decoding Girls' Futures in an Age of Social Media," is a deep dive into your bigger survey. What was the goal of this STEM survey, and what are its major findings?
A: We recognized that the data collected in "The Girls' Index" can tell us so much about what is currently happening and what is relevant in girls' lives today. There are several different areas that we believe warranted a secondary analysis, and STEM and careers were at the top of our list.

Our goal was to better understand the relationships among girls' academic and career aspirations and the other factors/variables in their lives. I believe that if we can better understand the realities of girls' lives today, we have a better chance of more effectively supporting them.

We found that while girls' interest in math and science increases, their perceptions of their abilities decrease. The same drop in confidence that is seen from fifth through ninth grade is mirrored in girls' perceptions of their STEM abilities.

We found a relationship between social media use and girls' aspirations and perceptions, where increased time on social media indicated more negative outcomes in other areas.

Q: To what do you attribute the drop in confidence that girls experience?
A: The drop in confidence that girls experience between fifth and ninth grades is indicative of the perceptions that they have about their STEM abilities and their intelligence as it pertains to their career aspirations.

That general drop in confidence can impact nearly every aspect of a girl's life - and we see this play out with perceived STEM ability. There is not one clear and concise reason that girls experience a drop in confidence, although there are many theories and many variables that seem to be related to this change in self-perception.

From puberty to identity development to finding a tribe, girls' lives are complicated. Add to this the intense expectations around beauty, body image, ensuring top academic accolades and stellar sports performance (to name just a few), and the stakes are even higher.

When we compound this with the ever-present impact of social media and the constant comparison of oneself to others, it is no wonder that girls today are little pressure cookers! When nearly every aspect of their lives is on display, and under scrutiny, there is little room for them to fail. This avoidance of failure results in fewer girls feeling that they can take risks or take on new challenges.
Q: The survey also found that girls' perceptions of their intelligence drops as they get older, with 46 percent of high schoolers thinking they aren't smart enough to land their dream job, up from 23 percent of fifth-graders. What do you think fosters this self-doubt?
A: As girls get older, they start to understand more about the world of work and begin to consider where they fit. Previous research on the career development of adolescents found that during the critical middle school years, girls begin to lose interest in specific careers based upon the fact that they don't see other women - and women of their same race and ethnicity - pursuing these occupations.

More recent discourse on this subject expands this explanation and also asserts that girls need exposure to STEM careers, activities and mentors that will spark their interests and sustain their engagement.

I think what is missing from this conversation is the discussion about how individuals come to happiness and fulfillment in a particular occupation. Those who are most satisfied in their careers tend to be the individuals who know themselves well, have insights into themselves as well as their values, aptitudes and interests.

When what I care about can align with what I am good at and what I am interested in, what an amazing trifecta that is! However, there are very few career development conversations or activities that happen with any regularity for today's students.

Girls need to be made aware of their options and decisions, understand themselves and their interests and values, know what is required to pursue a particular career path, and then take action toward the goal. We need to help girls understand the ways that careers in STEM are creative, innovative, helpful, collaborative and potentially life-changing.

We are not talking exclusively about a lonely scientist in a lab (although that, too, is an option). This requires more than simple exposure; it requires that girls can begin to develop some interpersonal insights into what they enjoy, what they care about and what they are good at.
Q: The survey found that a girl's interest in pursuing a career in math and/or science is greater if she takes part in school or youth activities, or if she has a paying job. Why do you think that is?
A: When girls are connected to positive people, structured activities, supportive teams and adequate support systems, they fare better personally, interpersonally and academically.

Each of these connections provides the opportunity to build specific skills: friendship, communication, negotiation, dealing with conflict and competition, handling winning and losing, developing responsibility, etc. These are life skills that are also critical life competencies. When girls have the opportunity to develop success in various domains, the efficacy that they develop can often been observed in other domains.
Q: Overall, 73 percent of girls surveyed believe they are good at math and/or science, but only 46 percent of Hispanic girls agreed with that finding, and girls who attend high-poverty schools are 10 percent less likely to agree. What do you think are the reasons for these lower numbers?
A: We know that girls of color dis-proportionally attend high-poverty schools, and that high-poverty schools tend to have fewer resources. In turn, girls get less access and exposure to the STEM areas.

High-tech robotics labs, summer STEM camps and job shadowing experiences are not always accessible; therefore, I think it is especially important that our efforts to engage, expose and empower girls ensure that we create opportunities for girls who otherwise would not have access to the activities, experiences and people that could help cultivate their STEM interest.

They aren't given an even playing field, so it is our responsibility as educators and people who care about this work to focus our efforts and address the inequity.
Download the report

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New insights into the complex world of today's girls | Ohio STEM Learning Network

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In late 2017, a groundbreaking national survey was released that aimed to reveal American girls' thoughts, behaviors and attitudes. The report, titled "The Girls' Index: New Insights into the Complex World of Today's Girls," sampled 10,678 female youths ages 10 to 18 from across the country on issues such as confidence, body image, friendships, pressure, leadership, career aspirations, school, academics, technology and social media.

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Teaching self-regulation in the early grades

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Teaching self-regulation in the early grades

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For children who have adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), co-regulation is at the heart of teaching-and of discipline. These children need assistance regulating their nervous system before they can learn new coping strategies and understand the consequences of their choices and decisions.

We don't hesitate to teach our students the reading or math skills they need to be successful, and emotional and behavioral skills should be no different. Students with ACEs may come to school having little experience with impulse control and emotional regulation. They may struggle with paying attention. These are executive function skill sets our students need to be academically, socially, and emotionally successful.

The strategies described here are Tier One strategies in a Response to Intervention model for discipline and engagement. Co-regulation is beneficial for all students, and these brain-aligned preventative strategies aid all students in regulating their responses and developing relationships. They can be a part of our procedures, routines, morning meetings, and bell work, easing all transitions throughout the day.

Strategies for Helping Young Students Regulate Their Responses

1. Incorporate rhythm. Our hearts beat in rhythms, we sleep and live in rhythms, and our breath has a cadence that can regulate our nervous systems. When these rhythms are missing, our sensory and motor systems can be compromised.

At the center where I work, we model rocking movements before rest or naptime or during transitions. Children follow the teachers as we sway back and forth to soft music or to the sound of a quiet voice. These rocking exercises help the children quiet down and refocus or prepare for quiet time.

We also bring in rhythm by having the children mimic the pattern set by a leader using paint sticks or drumsticks. We can vary this drumming from soft to loud, slow to fast, and even move our bodies as we drum together.

Children can also listen to the beat of a piece of music and use crayons to draw how they visualize and imagine the beat with colors and shapes of different sizes.

2. Have students take a sensory bath. This is a class favorite. In the mornings, we gather a group of three or four children in one area of the room with their own bath loofahs, a large beach towel, and a tube of lotion. Students can take their loofah and press on their arms and legs, pretending to scrub and clean, or they can choose an adult to give the sensory bath.

I model this activity by pretending to step into a tub. Then we sit down and sing, "We're taking a brain bath, a brain bath, a brain bath, / We're taking a brain bath to help us feel _____," and students choose different words to fill in a sensation or feeling: happy, bubbly, fresh, clean, peaceful, etc. Once we pat the loofah up and down our arms and legs, we pretend to carefully step out of the tub.

One at a time, we wrap each child tightly in the beach towel while rocking back and forth or side to side and continuing to sing. This time we sing about drying off and feeling ready for the day. Students can then opt to get a drop of hand lotion to massage on their hands before leaving the area with three deep breaths as they enter their day of learning.

Addressing the sensory and motor systems of these young children helps them regulate their nervous system so learning can occur.

3. Use a singing bowl. Patterned, repetitive activity that works with our body's rhythms and senses is calming to a child's nervous system. The Tibetan singing bowl is a part of our morning circle time-students listen to the sound the bowl creates and we collectively try to match that sound.

We follow this with three deep breaths and then take turns playing the bowl, matching the sound and increasing our breaths to five or six long inhales and exhales. Sometimes we play the bowl and students close their eyes and listen to the tone until they can't hear it any longer. When this happens, they raise their hands in the air.

Some children may be sensitive to these sounds, so it's important to pay close attention to each child's response and adjust this activity as needed.

4. Walk the lines. Movement and breath calm the nervous system. We've created an adjustable labyrinth of colorful lines, shapes, and mazes with various types of foot work and animal walks that the children follow-walking, hopping, crawling, or skipping as indicated. We model the crab walk along the purple line, for example, and then the students follow. The students love to lead this exercise and often design patterns of movement that we mimic.

This regulation strategy gives us a deep look into students' balance and gross and fine motor skills. We're also able to see their levels of frustration and how they respond to mistakes by redirecting their movements.

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Teaching Self-Regulation in the Early Grades

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For children who have adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), co-regulation is at the heart of teaching-and of discipline. These children need assistance regulating their nervous system before they can learn new coping strategies and understand the consequences of their choices and decisions.

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How to give authentic feedback to help students rise to their potential

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How to give authentic feedback to help students rise to their potential

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Authentic Feedback Changes Everything

How do children learn? A central part of the learning process is feedback. Children need feedback to affirm their areas of strength, and help them address their areas of challenge. But there are different kinds of feedback. Consider a typical classroom environment, where a teacher puts a letter grade at the top of a worksheet, and perhaps writes "good effort!" This type of feedback is incomplete, and misses many opportunities to guide children toward mastery of the material. However, authentic feedback provides a more meaningful approach to helping children learn.

Authentic feedback consists of certain key elements. It must reference a learning goal, and identify tangible aspects of that objective. It should be actionable; in other words, it should be feedback that prompts a child to do something specific in order to improve their understanding of the topic. Authentic feedback is personalized and user-friendly. Finally, authentic feedback is not effective if it is random; children benefit when it is timely, ongoing, and consistent. Authentic feedback can be given in a variety of ways: via written notes, on a phone call, or during video conversations.

Laurel Springs teachers have made it their mission to deliberately change how teaching and learning work through the use of authentic feedback. Unlike traditional schools that are not designed to recognize the unique learning style of each child, Laurel Springs provides personalized, collaborative, and interactive instruction. Our teachers work with academic department chairs to continually improve their approach to feedback with regular coaching meetings. Teachers challenge each other to look deeper into the feedback they provide their students to see if it is truly meeting each student's needs. This system, which is part of the Laurel Springs teacher culture, ultimately benefits each student, who receives meaningful responses to academic work that can be used as a basis for understanding and improvement.

How does Laurel Springs succeed at providing students with authentic feedback? First, their personalized learning environment allows parents, students, and teachers to share how feedback works best for them on an individual level, which enables teachers to modify their approach for each student. Next, teachers understand that children want to be acknowledged. Students put time and energy into their work, so it is extremely important for teachers to recognize and affirm that. When teachers find something personal to connect with in a student's assignment, it shows the student that the teacher took the time to focus on that specific work in order to provide guidance that is unique to that student. In addition, students receive feedback that is timely and motivating, which enables them to apply advice to future work, or to ask teachers additional questions if needed.

It can be difficult to provide feedback for students who excel academically, because sometimes there are no major areas of challenge in a given assignment. However, authentic feedback prompts even gifted students to stretch their abilities. Consider one of the best practices used at Laurel Springs School, the "feedback sandwich."

1. Start with something positive.

2. Focus on the product, not the student, but personalize the comments.

3. Provide specific examples for change.

4. Encourage improvement or offer a challenge.

The "feedback sandwich" approach is useful with all students, but is especially helpful when adapted for high-achieving students. These students will enjoy figuring out how they would reframe the current assignment from a different perspective, or brainstorm ways to take a deeper dive into the topic by thinking differently about it.

Authentic feedback has a core question that can be used as a litmus test: is this feedback providing a meaningful learning opportunity for the student? Authentic feedback focuses on the connection between the teacher and student that honors the student's academic journey. Laurel Springs teachers believe in the power of authentic feedback, which is central to providing personalized learning for each student.

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Authentic Feedback - Laurel Springs School

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Authentic Feedback Changes Everything How do children learn? A central part of the learning process is feedback. Children need feedback to affirm their areas of strength, and help them address their areas of challenge. But there are different kinds of feedback.

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is a Senior Fellow and Thought Leader for the International Center for Leadership in Education and the Founder and Chief Learning Officer of Innovate 2 Educate. She has worked with educators nationally and internationally to create compelling learning experiences that reflect high expectations for all students.

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Standard aligned math word problems

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How to help the underachieving gifted child

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How to help the underachieving gifted child

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Any child who struggles in school is a challenge and a heartbreak for parents. But when gifted children veer off course, it can be especially troubling. We know what they are capable of, yet watch helplessly as they squander their talents and potential.

Understand why your child is underachieving

Underachievement springs from a variety of sources. You can't solve the problem without understanding its cause. Assuming there is no clearcut explanation, such as a learning disability or serious psychological problem, reasons for underachievement can be varied. And while personal traits, family dynamics, peer pressure, and social/cultural/gender factors* can affect performance, the first influence to consider is the school.

In other words, what role does the school play in either unwittingly encouraging - or hopefully correcting - the problem of underachievement among gifted students?

If you want to explore how to address - or prevent - school-based underachievement, consider the following:

1. Identify the type of underachievement your child displays

Gifted underachievement can be overt or masked. Is your child what Delisle and Galbraith (2002) labeled a "selective consumer," showing interest in only a select few subjects? Is she struggling with boredom and disinterest in school, losing respect for teachers and the school itself? Is he failing completely and at risk for dropping out? Is she underachieving only when certain demands arise, such as exams or essays that evoke anxiety, avoidance and procrastination? Is your child a gifted underachiever-under-the-radar - overlooked by teachers because above average grades mask the reality that he is merely coasting through school?

Recognizing how your child's underachievement is manifest within the school is a first step toward identifying where to address the problem. Clearly, a child who is capable of passionately engaging in subjects she loves, but eschews topics she dislikes, is quite different from one at risk of dropping out from school altogether. Understanding how gifted underachievement is expressed will help you and the school tailor an intervention to help your child develop greater investment in learning.

2. Understand how the school environment affects your child's attitude

The school milieu imposes certain demands that influence each child's reaction to learning. When the school environment is challenging, respectful, and engaging, when learning is exciting, and when a student feels appreciated and accepted, he will most likely feel some "connection" with the school and invest energy into the learning process. When these factors are absent, disengagement may occur.

Many gifted children quickly realize that they can coast through school. They become accustomed to waiting while their peers catch up, and feel angry and bored. They lose respect for their teachers and the school, and conclude that the school has little concern for their specific needs. When they receive easy A's and awards, they may assume that their efforts are "good enough," and lack initiative to reach their potential. Their academic choices also may be influenced more by their peers' opinions than by the school's recommendations.

Siegle and McCoach (2005) have highlighted factors necessary for engagement with school. They found differences between gifted "achievers" and underachievers. Among other things, gifted achievers believed in their ability to perform, trusted the school environment, viewed school as a place where they could succeed, believed that school was meaningful, and held positive attitudes toward teachers and the school. Gifted underachievers felt less trusting toward school and found less meaning and value in their efforts.

Gifted students need to view the school's goals favorably, must perceive the school environment as supportive, and find meaning in academic tasks. Unless these factors are present, they are unlikely to feel motivated to achieve. Helping students find meaning and a positive connection to the school seems essential, especially for gifted underachievers. This, of course, requires a collaborative effort with the school, and must address how your child can find more of a connection to the school and a reason to value it.

3. Assess whether the school's limitations contribute to the problem

While most teachers and schools want the best for their students, sometimes school policy, misconceptions about giftedness, a lack of funding, and philosophical views about best classroom practices (such as solely relying on differentiated instruction) can derail learning for gifted children. It is devastating for parents to watch their child's love of learning wither under these conditions.

Gifted children often respond to these roadblocks with apathy and suspicion toward authority. They note how the school welcomes their accomplishments - proudly broadcasting names of the latest science fair winner or National Merit Finalist - but refuses to address their academic needs. Students watch as their parents advocate for even the most cost-effective solutions, such as subject acceleration, as if this basic, simple request were an egregious demand.

It is difficult to rebound from so much distrust and apathy. Parents need to validate their child's school experience, but also put it in perspective. Even while you continue with your own advocacy efforts, it is still important to help your child develop a positive attitude toward her education. Remind her that everyone makes mistakes; even teachers and administrators. And not everyone is going to agree with what she wants. Encourage her to find some areas of interest, connect with a caring teacher, learn how to respectfully self-advocate, find some school activities that are meaningful and enjoyable, and come up with a strategy for how she will make the most of her education - even though it is not ideal.

4. Identify any emotional effects of the underachievement
Most gifted students who have coasted through school eventually face an unexpected academic challenge. The awareness that innate abilities are not sufficient can be a harsh jolt of reality. While some gifted children rise to the challenge, others become anxious and insecure, doubt their abilities completely, and might feel like " impostors." They may compare themselves to other exceptional students, and assume the worst about themselves. Confronting a roadblock or failure experience can be a devastating blow to a student with a distorted view of her abilities and little understanding of the effort necessary to achieve. Some give up trying altogether, and with it, sacrifice their sense of wonder, curiosity and desire to learn. It would seem that anxiety, low self-esteem, apathy and underachievement revolve in a vicious spiral.

Many gifted underachievers also may never develop the "character-building" skills imparted to students who regularly receive a challenging education. Inman (2016) described what gifted children don't learn when they have not been challenged. They are deprived of opportunities for developing a strong work ethic, a sense of responsibility, the capacity for sacrifice, and the self-worth derived from accomplishments. They never receive the "education" that comes from hard work, perseverance, "paying your dues," and overcoming obstacles. The absence of these necessary skills and experiences can fuel underachievement.

Try to gather information about how underachievement is affecting your child. Is he upset about his performance, or does he claim that it is a reasonable response to boredom in the classroom? Does she worry about how she appears to others, both in terms of grades, as well as social status? Is underachieving a means of masking his abilities and gaining popularity? Is she depressed, anxious, angry, bored, or struggling with existential concerns? Does he feel insecure about his academic struggles and doubt his abilities?

Gifted children and teens underachieve for a variety of reasons and exhibit a range of emotional reactions. The psychological toll that results from underachievement can be masked by rebellion, obscured by a fierce bravado, or manifest as chronic depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. Your child's reactions and behavior need to inform and influence your response. Clearly, an anxious and depressed child requires a more supportive, "therapeutic" intervention than a child who claims he is underperforming in a particular class because he is bored and disinterested in the topic.

Unless it is addressed, underachievement can persist into adulthood, informing college or career decisions, affecting motivation and study/work ethic, and limiting creativity and productivity. Gifted children need to appreciate and accept their giftedness and the importance of hard work and practice. A collaborative effort with the school is critical so that your child can assume challenging work, and navigate the challenges of imperfection and failure. Working with mentors, supportive teachers and coaches, and finding meaningful extra-curricular activities can be helpful. Counseling with a licensed mental health professional also may be needed.

5. Identify whether underachievement is masking a skills deficit
Gifted children sometimes lack adequate self-regulation skills, which involve the ability to set goals, use organizational strategies and evaluate one's progress.(2010) has described self-regulated learners as those who participate actively in learning. They see themselves as capable and seek out meaning in their education. They use strategies such as self-monitoring, self-evaluation, strategic planning, time management, goal-setting, and techniques to combat procrastination, distactibility and task avoidance.

When gifted children coast through school and exert little effort, they rarely develop these necessary skills, and struggle when eventually faced with more challenging academic demands. In addition, many gifted children fail to develop executive functioning skills as readily as others, since their minds are more focused on their interests, passions, and creative pursuits. They need specific guidance with self-regulation and study skills. Learning to take notes, review them, study effectively, self-monitor and evaluate their progress, and set goals are essential. Self-regulation also requires self-discipline and awareness of when and why they are avoiding a task. However, teaching these skills without providing truly difficult and challenging work will seem pointless to gifted students, who may doubt that these lessons apply to them.

6. Help your child find a reason to be motivated
Gifted underachievers often lose lost interest in awards and other extrinsic motivators. They require convincing evidence that engaging in activities they find boring or routine is worth their effort. In his overview of verbally gifted children, Redding (1989) has suggested helping students understand the benefits and rationale for sticking with boring, detail-oriented tasks, and appreciating the association between their efforts and outcomes. In other words, there is value in learning multiplication tables - even if it seems tedious.
In a case study review, Kanevsky and Keighley (2003) identified five characteristics that can alleviate some of the disengagement and boredom common among gifted underachievers. According to these researchers, students must experience control, choice, challenge, complexity and caring teachers. It would seem that these five characteristics are necessary motivational ingredients for all children; however, they may be especially critical for gifted students, who have grown wary of the limitations and watered-down instruction in many of their classes.

McCoach and Siegle (2003) have noted that students lose motivation if they believe that their academic goals have little value. In addition to the importance of engaging in challenging academic work and developing self-regulation skills, McCoach and Siegle (2003) have recommended that gifted students:

Recognize and appreciate their success and growth in specific areas of learning, to help boost confidence if it is lacking;

Have the opportunity to revise and improve upon their work, and use a portfolio to display and track their progress;

Learn how they can "master" the system at school - by appreciating their role within the system and understanding how they can fit in and feel valued;

Ensure that their academic goals are personally motivating and are goals that they value.

Recent research ( Gottlieb, Hyde, Immordino-Yang, & Kaufman, 2016) has suggested that engagement could be encouraged through enlisting gifted students' social-emotional imagination, creativity, sense of purpose and empathy for others. They need to see a connection between what they are learning and a larger purpose. Many gifted children and teens have a passion for social justice and struggle with existential issues. It seems clear that they must find a reason for learning beyond the acquisition of grades of awards.
What can you do?

As a parent, you have a unique perspective, since you know your child best. Yet, you need to enlist the aid of the school in assessing your child's performance and developing a strategy for addressing the underachievement. Understanding why your child is not reaching his potential, losing interest in school, and exhibiting a discrepancy between ability and performance is essential. Start by asking your child to describe the problem. Get input from all of his teachers. Consider additional testing. And pursue counseling with a licensed mental health professional to help you and your child address coping strategies and manage the emotional toll resulting from the underachievement.

Nurturing a gifted child's abilities might seem like traversing a maze filled with roadblocks ready to steer you off course. These highly sensitive, reactive children flourish under the right conditions, but their sharp intellect and tendency to question everything will quickly lead them to give up on an education that is a disappointment. As parents, we need to help them navigate this educational maze, keep their intrinsic love of learning alive, and prevent underachievement that robs them of their potential.

What have you found that helps your child with underachievement?

* More to come - future blog posts will address some of the other influences that contribute to gifted underachivement.
This blog post is part of a series on gifted underachievement. Other posts include:

Who is the gifted underachiever? Four types of underachievement in gifted children
What causes gifted underachievement?
Underachievers under-the-radar: How seemingly successful gifted students fall short of their potential
Why do smart women forego success?

References:

Delisle, J. & Galbraith, J. (2002). When gifted kids don't have all the answers. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.

Gottleib, R., Hyde, E., Immordino-Yang, M. H., & Kaufman, S. B. (2016). Cultivating the social-emotional imagination in gifted education: Insights from educational neuroscience. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1-10.

Inman, T. F. (2016). What a child doesn't learn. Parenting for high potential, 6, 15-17.

Kanevsky, L. & Keighley, T (2003). To produce or not to produce? Understanding boredom and honor in underachievement. Roeper Review, 26, 20-28.

McCoach, D. B. & Siegle, D. (2003). Factors that differentiate underachieving gifted students from high-achieving gifted students. Gifted Child Quarterly, 47, 144-154.

Redding, R. (1989). Underachievement in the verbally gifted: Implications for pedagogy. Psychology in the Schools, 3, 275-291.

Siegle, D. & McCoach, D. B. (2005). Motivating gifted students. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.

Zimmerman, B. J. (2010). Becoming a self-regulated learner: An overview. Theory into Practice, 41, 64-70.

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How to help your underachieving gifted child

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Any child who struggles in school is a challenge and a heartbreak for parents. But when gifted children veer off course, it can be especially troubling. We know what they are capable of, yet watch helplessly as they squander their talents and potential. Understand why your child is underachieving Underachievement springs from a variety of sources.

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The Hour of Code is coming! Are you ready? Here's your Beginner's Guide to the Hour of Code!
(This post was originally published on Edsurge.com.)
In case you haven't been paying attention, computer science skills are vastly becoming some of the most in-demand skills of the twenty-first century. In fact, some call it a new " superpower."

But there's a problem. There are approximately 587,000 computing jobs nationwide, which is growing at 2x the national average, but only about 38,000 computer science students graduated into the workforce this year.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by the year 2020, there will be one million more computer science jobs than graduates prepared for these jobs.

Computer science is a primary driver of the U.S. economy, yet it does not play a significant role in K-12 education.

Did you know that only 27 states allow students to count computer science courses toward high school graduation? But there's a way schools can help-by getting involved in Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek).

CSEdWeek and The Hour of Code arrive December 3-9, 2018, and this annual event is bigger than ever.

Below, you will find a resource guide for CSEdWeek and Hour of Code, in order to help all of you K-12 educators bring coding into the classroom.

What is Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) and The Hour of Code?

Computer Science Education Week or CSEdWeek is an annual program designed to inspire K-12 students to take an interest in computer science. The program was originated by the Computing in the Core coalition, Code.org, and is supported by partners and educators worldwide. The philosophy is simple but significant: every student deserves the opportunity to learn computer science.

Hour of Code is a global movement in over 180 countries and is a quick way to introduce coding to students or anyone. Anyone can learn the basics of computer science in a fun and easy way! By spending as little as one hour, you can spark coding interest in your students with one-hour lesson plans, tutorials, interactives and games.

How to Run an Hour of Code

Ready to get started? Running an Hour of Code doesn't have to be complicated. The resources are abundant and easy-to-follow. Sign-up here to get FREE resources!

No matter what grade level you teach, or what devices you have available, every student can participate in the Hour of Code and learn the basic principles that apply to all programming languages (like sequencing and looping). There are even options to go "unplugged" if you do not have access to devices in your classroom because students can learn computer science principles with something as simple as a deck of cards.

Coding Resources & Lessons

There are hundreds of free resources, lesson plans, tutorials and events that bring the power of coding into the K-12 classroom. Below is a list of nine of my favorite options for anyone of any age to learn computer science skills. ( If you'd like even more tools, check out my full list here.)

New for 2018! The Grinch

Don't miss The Grinch Hour of Code!

Learn to program drones and a high tech sleigh with coding magic to capture presents and navigate down the mountain to return Christmas to Whoville.

Learn to program drones and a high tech sleigh with coding magic to capture presents and navigate down the mountain to return Christmas to Whoville.

modern browsers, smartphones & tablets

Write Your First Program

Drag and drop blocks to learn the basics of computer programming with self-directed tutorials and lectures from Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates.

37 languages

modern browsers, smartphones & tablets

Hour of Drawing with Code

Khan Academy tutorial: Learn how to draw with code (Javascript and ProcessingJS).

modern browsers and iPad

Learn the basics of JavaScript through this interactive guide, includes accompanying quizzes and slides.

modern browsers, iOS and Android

Online game where students program a monkey to catch bananas as they learn a real programming language.

16 languages

modern browsers, iOS and Android

For even more, check out all the lessons and resources from Code.org and their partners. I have also curated a YouTube playlist of inspirational videos and tutorials on coding. Still looking for more resources? Check out the Shake Up Learning Coding Pinterest Board.

Computer Science Unplugged

No computer? No problem. As mentioned earlier, you can still teach and learn the basic principles of computer science without any computer or device at all. Try CS Unplugged, which is a collection of learning activities that teach computational thinking concepts without the need of a computer or device.

Moving Beyond the Hour of Code

Jumpstart Your Curriculum

The Hour of Code is just a starting point. When you and your students are ready for more, explore these fantastic resources, or give your teaching a boost with one of the following curriculums. (Keep in mind-most of these curriculums are tied in with the tools of the companies that created them!)

Professional Development and School District Partnerships

There are hundreds of events happening all over the globe, educators. To find an event near you, visit this link. Code.org also offers resources and training for educators and school districts. Find a professional learning event near you to learn more about the initiative and how to bring coding into your classroom. In fact, if you're already a computer science teacher, you can become a Code.org facilitator.

And for you district administrators, listen up! Code.org offers district partnerships to bring computer science to your entire district. Apply now!

Girls and Coding

The gender gap in the computer science industry is astonishing. Women today represent only 18% of all computer science graduates. In 1984, women were 37%. Encourage girls and young women to get started with coding using these inspiring programs.

Get Involved, No Matter Your Position!

Not a classroom teacher, but still want to get involved? Spread the word with https://code.org/promote or https://csedweek.org/promote. Or, even better, become a Code.org volunteer.

No matter what your role, be it classroom teacher, administrator, parent, or community member, there are multiple ways to support CSEdWeek. Preparing students for the future, and equipping them with essential skills for success is always the end goal. Every student deserves a chance to learn computer science! Get started this week with the Hour of Code!

© Shake Up Learning 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

18 Challenges for Teachers in 2018 FREE eBook!

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The Beginner's Guide to the Hour of Code

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The Hour of Code is coming! Are you ready? Here's your Beginner's Guide to the Hour of Code! (This post was originally published on Edsurge.com.) In case you haven't been paying attention, computer science skills are vastly becoming some of the most in-demand skills of the twenty-first century.