Novelty Bakersfield City School District Extended Programs Department GATE Program February, 2010 PowerPoint adapted from Riverside Unified School District’s GATE Program

What is Novelty? Novelty complements depth and complexity by providing opportunities for inquiry and exploration. Constructing meaning in an individualized manner. Constructing meaning in an individualized manner. Owning a subject. Owning a subject. Seeking an original interpretation. Seeking an original interpretation. Inventing, redesigning or substituting. Inventing, redesigning or substituting. Looking for new implications among or within the disciplines. Looking for new implications among or within the disciplines.

For the gifted, novelty often provides the most meaningful learning experiences.

Differentiating Curriculum Questions for Novelty How can knowledge in the area of study be interpreted? How can knowledge in the area of study be interpreted? How can knowledge from this study be restated/expressed in one’s own words? How can knowledge from this study be restated/expressed in one’s own words? What type of investigation or experiment can be designed to learn more about the area of study? What type of investigation or experiment can be designed to learn more about the area of study? What type of original investigation or experiment can be developed to prove or disprove an idea about this study? What type of original investigation or experiment can be developed to prove or disprove an idea about this study? What personal interpretation could be made from this area of study? What personal interpretation could be made from this area of study?

Creation of novelty rests with the student, but the teacher sets up the conditions.

Examples of Novelty Textbook questions or activities; Textbook questions or activities; Learning Centers; or Learning Centers; or Independent Study. Independent Study.

Textbook Questions/Activities To reflect novelty textbook questions must be at the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy by asking that the student: Analyzing the content material to their own life; Analyzing the content material to their own life; Evaluating and justifying with evidence; or Evaluating and justifying with evidence; or Creating new products, ideas, or ways of viewing things. Creating new products, ideas, or ways of viewing things.

Learning Centers Learning centers can be stations or collections of materials learners use to explore topics or extend skills. Centers can be teacher or student created. Provide specific activities that build upon content-area studies. Provide specific activities that build upon content-area studies. Add depth and complexity to the core curriculum. Add depth and complexity to the core curriculum. Allow for independence. Allow for independence.

Independent Study Teacher and student plan method to investigate a topic and identify the product student will develop. Build on student interest within core curriculum. Build on student interest within core curriculum. Allow student maximum freedom to plan. Allow student maximum freedom to plan. Teacher provides guidance and structure Teacher provides guidance and structure Use preset timelines. Use preset timelines. Establish criteria for success. Establish criteria for success.

All pursuit of novelty requires some level of research.

Research is not writing a report. It is pursuing further understanding of a topic.

Research is “search” A student’s ability to find information from a variety of sources and to draw conclusions from that information is at the root of research. A student’s ability to find information from a variety of sources and to draw conclusions from that information is at the root of research.

Questions Provide the Framework for Research Questions can come from any layer of the curriculum: Questions can come from any layer of the curriculum:  Core Content;  Universal Theme;  Generalizations;  Depth and Complexity; or  Thinking like a Disciplinarian.

Questions from Thinking Like A Disciplinarian. DisciplineQuestions Archeology What tools were used? How were the tools used? What do they mainly look for? Paleontologist Why are they interested in origins? Why and where do they dig? Psychologist Why are they effective? Why do they ask so many questions? How do they get in your mind?

Questions can be developed by simply asking I have learned this, but I am still wondering…

Six Research Skills Paraphrase; Paraphrase; Take notes; Take notes; Summarize; Summarize; Determine relevance; Determine relevance; Compare/Contrast; and Compare/Contrast; and Draw conclusions. Draw conclusions. Have students pick a research skill and decide which elements of depth and complexity would help them with it.

To answer my question about _____________, I will (research skill), using (depth/complexity), (depth/complexity), and (depth/complexity).

Process Versus Product The research process should be the focus of the novelty pursuit, not an elaborate project. The research process should be the focus of the novelty pursuit, not an elaborate project. The product should demonstrate the student’s ability to apply skills and knowledge to a topic. The product should demonstrate the student’s ability to apply skills and knowledge to a topic.

Most important to remember… For students to create novelty, the making of personal meaning is required through invention or interpretation. PowerPoint adapted from Riverside Unified School District’s GATE Program