Challenging Units for Gifted Learners: Teaching the Way Gifted Students Think (Science, Grades 6-8)

After completing some units from Ken's math book, I also tackled two units from this one. I completed the "Diagnosis of Symptoms and Experiences" unit with sixth graders and the "Food Science" unit with my third grade students. Both of these units were very well written and easy to follow. I really appreciated how involved the students were with their own learning.As another reviewer wrote, I also brought in an ER doctor to talk with my students for D.O.S.E. However, because I knew my students needed to have a little more background and prior knowledge about the physiological systems of the human body, I had them complete their "Medical School Rotations" prior to starting the simulation. These rotations took place over a few weeks and the students learned all about the different body systems. We finished the unit with a visit to a local hospital, which was AMAZING!The Food Science unit was also tons of fun. My third graders were up to the task learning all about macro- and micro-nutrients. They LOVED the hands-on experiments in which they tested the foods they ate. I used a kit I bought here on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Innovating-Science-Testing-Food-Nutrients/dp/B009F1CC9C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421099667&sr=8-1&keywords=food+science+nutrient+testing) and it worked perfectly. We culminated this unit with a trip to our downtown market where we took a greenhouse class and got to speak to the vendors about their locally grown foods. I had many parents comment that they liked this topic area -- their children were even checking food labels at home!So far, I have completed four of Ken's units, and they are fantastic. I would highly recommend his books.

Kenneth Smith has written a book that science teachers of all levels will appreciate.Every unit is complete, with lesson plans and handouts, and a complete explanation of the material and methodology.He encourages logical thinking in each project, and students learn the scientific method of inquiry while enjoying the research they're doing.As a retired math and science teacher, I wish this book had been available for me several years ago.

Good planning tool.

I thought this book would be appropriate to use with my gifted elementary students. I received the book today and realized it was written for six through eighth grades. Lesson learned... I need to look at the fine print. Wish I would have seen this.

I have just completed the first "unit" from this book with my 7th & 8th graders in a three day pull-out program. We did the unit on D.O.S.E. - but called it "Mystery Disease". The students loved it! The theory and methodology were all laid out in the chapter and it was easy to convert it to a three-day plan. However, there were only four "patient" simulations, so before I did the unit, I contacted the author and he graciously sent me four more!All were researched and ready to go.I added to the unit in the following ways:1. We openend with a one hour presentation from an emergency room doctor. He talked about how an emergency doctor thinks. He used all of the key phrases that the kids were going to use (like "differential diagnosis") and also taught them the Baysian Theorum (basically using common sense & listening!). After that, he showed them slides of patients with conditions and they went through an interactive dialogue of what questions they would need to ask the patient and what conclusions they could draw form the initial interview. He showed them photos, Xrays and scans - covered everything from poison ivy to bleeding in the brain to a BB in the eye socket!2. I got student volunteers (not in our program) to role-play the patients. Previously they studied the patient symptoms & history and then became the patient. They really got into it! The boy who played Father John Grady came all dressed in black with a cross around his neck!3. Students used netbooks to put together their presentations and used the on-line program called Prezi - it was perfect! Some groups added all the bells and whistles to make it fancy. Here is an example:[ [...]The students did a fabulous job on the final afternoon at our Morbidity & Mortality Conference. It was so interesting to hear the conclusions and then the questions that they asked each other.The students thoroughly enjoyed this unit and many said it was their favorite. I want to try others in the science book & I also bought the social studies book - I am looking at the one on Africa next.A wonderful addition to any Gifted curriculm!

As a school librarian, I bought a set of these books for my staff development library.They have been so popular, that I've logged on to buy another set.Science enrichment is always the hardest for me to find for the teachers. This book was exactly what the science teachers wanted--complete units in a variety of scientific disciplines. Some units were more challenging than others which made it applicable to different grades. Especially good for science and math integration. If he does another one, I hope it's in science. All units had a great hands-on component. This book made me a hit with a lot of teachers who don't usually do enrichment.

The importance of understanding science and math can't be overstressed (although sometimes it overstresses me!). Dr. Smith knows how to present challenges for gifted children, with clear examples and exercises. Would that my elementary and high school teachers had Dr. Smith's knowledge and the willingness to figure out how I learn and work with me. I hope this book, and the others in this series, teach educators how to recognize different manifestations of intelligence in their students, and then to fan the flames of a child's thirst for knowledge...and challenge. Thank you, Dr. Smith.