Each lesson features a short video originating from CBS News’ On the Road series with Steve Hartman. Students and educators easily connect to the heartwarming and inspirational stories featured in the videos.

Along with the video, we’ve provided activities, discussion and journal prompts, family connections, and a Google Slides deck. You may even find lessons written by teachers at schools near you!

How it addresses social & emotional needs:

• This page offers research-based information about the unique affective profile of gifted students (intensity, asynchronous development, overexcitabilities, perfectionism, social isolation).

• It includes strategies for teachers/parents to support emotional regulation, self-advocacy, and healthy peer interaction.

• The resource normalizes gifted “depth of feeling” and gives practical language adults can use with learners.

How I would use it:
I would share this with students during advisory or socio-emotional check-ins to help them name what they’re experiencing, and with families as a common language tool for conversations about intensity and expectations. I would also use it as a planning tool when designing lessons that intentionally build self-awareness and coping strategies for perfectionism and anxiety.

2. “Personal Strengths Inventory for Gifted Students” Lesson/Worksheet

How it addresses social & emotional needs:

• This lesson helps gifted students identify their strengths and challenges, which builds self-awareness and supports a growth mindset.

• It encourages reflection on how strengths show up socially and academically, and can strengthen self-esteem and internal motivation.

• It also provides a framework for conversations between students and adults about goals and emotional needs.

How I would use it:
I would integrate this lesson at the start of the school year or semester in a gifted advisory group. We would complete it together, discuss patterns, and use students’ identified strengths as a springboard for goal setting and peer collaboration activities. It would also inform how I differentiate socio-emotional support throughout the year.

Additional Resources to Add to the Padlet (Not Listed)

Post #1 — “The Social & Emotional Development of Gifted Children” (Article + Strategies)

Link: https://www.hoagiesgifted.org/socio_emotional.htm

Why it’s useful:
This comprehensive article outlines research on the affective development patterns of gifted learners, including intensity, sensitivity, imagination, and self-expectations. It provides:
✔ teacher and parent strategies for supporting emotional regulation
✔ examples of classroom practices that build empathy, resilience, and belonging
✔ insights into common challenges (e.g., frustration tolerance, peer relationships)

How it supports gifted learners:
I would use portions of this article as mini-lesson content in SEL groups, and also share excerpts with families during conferences so they understand why gifted students think and feel differently and how to nurture their emotional strengths.

Post #2 — “Mindset for Gifted Learners” by Dr. Joshua Davis (Video + Classroom Activities)

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWv1VdDeoRY

Why it’s useful:
Dr. Davis’s work connects Carol Dweck’s growth mindset research with the affective experiences of gifted learners (e.g., fear of failure, high standards). The video + downloadable activities help students:
✔ differentiate between effort vs. ability
✔ reframe challenges as learning opportunities
✔ practice self-talk that reduces anxiety and perfectionism

How I would use it:
I would show segments of the video during SEL class circles, followed by structured discussion prompts. Then students would complete reflection journals and set growth-oriented goals. These activities directly support self-awareness, perseverance, and emotional regulation.

Pen Pals in the 21st Century | Edutopia

I love the idea of "Bringing back" pen pals. This resource discusses how technology has sort of done away with the traditional pen pals of the past. However, I think even utilizing online pen pals could have great benefits! This could benefit gifted students because it gives them a chance to connect with strangers, people of different backgrounds, and someone they would not normally come into contact with. They get to learn about different cultures, customs, ways of living-while honing their letter writing skills-another art lost to technology.

https://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev012.shtml

This resource is about having a classroom that is a democratic environment. The teacher "established a format for class meetings that enabled her students to share their thoughts and solve classroom issues on their own. In Styles's model, students take turns acting as a discussion leader, while the teacher promotes a respectful atmosphere and participates as a group member." This would be a great resource to utilize in the classroom. Many gifted students question the way the classroom is ran- this gives them an opportunity to decide how it is run and take some responsibility/ownership. This lesson would be best used at the start of the year-as classroom rules and expectations are being explained and created. Students love getting to make decisions. She also suggests regular "class meetings". She does supervise and intervene when necessary, but primarily the students run the meetings-they decide what changes may be needed and discuss how to fix problems.

I like this resource:

Dabrowski's Theory and Existential Depression in Gifted Children and Adults - Davidson Institute

This site has a number of resources. They have a lesson here where students create their own shield/coat of arms that my students enjoy.

https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-blog/dabrowskis-theory-and-existential-depression-in-gifted-children-and-adults/

-N.Kramer