Modifications to the Core Curriculum for Gifted Scholars Depth and Complexity Modifications to the Core Curriculum for Gifted Scholars

Examples are from the Language Arts curriculum but could be selected from any area. Some of the depth and complexity shown is beyond the reading levels of Seventh-Graders, but are provided here for the use of parents.

Depth Going deeper into the discipline. There are at least 8 layers of depth. Go as deep as you can. Challenge your students to go deeper.

Depth Language of the Discipline Details Patterns Trends Unanswered Questions Rules of the Discipline Ethics The Big Idea

All students should learn these levels. On the Page… All students should learn these levels.

Language of the Discipline Grammar terms Noun, verb, adverb… Simple, compound… Literary terms Prose fiction, nonfiction prose, poetry, drama Metaphor, metonymy, hyperbole… General vocabulary

Details and Facts Observation: topics, stylistic devices, compositions, plots, character What does it say? What happens? What does it mean? Note specifics, ambiguity, relationships, gaps

Some students should learn at these levels. Between the Lines… Some students should learn at these levels. As many as possible. As deep as possible.

Patterns The Ability to generalize Genres Similarities and differences Archetypes Themes and topics What does the author say in other works?

Trends External forces which shape understanding of the subject matter Context Eras, -isms, movements The Harlem Renaissance Why did the author want to say that? Note patterns of ambiguity, gaps, relationships

Unanswered Questions What the disciplinarians don’t know Who wrote Shakespeare? Where did the genius come from to write Shakespeare, anyway? What makes a work or writer great? What does a certain passage or word in context mean?

Rules of the Discipline The way things happen Spelling and grammar Conventions of writing: biography, letters, poetry, documentation, etc. What makes language obscene or objectionable? Plagiarism and intellectual honesty

Ethics Dilemmas, conflicts, ambiguities Plagiarism and intellectual honesty The place or value of multiculturalism, diversity, dead white men Should literature be uplifting? Should literature reflect one’s cultural context?

Ethics What language is appropriate in a given circumstance? What literature is appropriate for a given classroom? Political correctness

The Big Idea Generalizations, principles, theories Archetypes: a hero is someone who stands for a righteous cause, even against enormous odds. Examples: “Change is inevitable.” The search for identity Finding one’s voice Justice and injustice

Complexity See the discipline in a broader context. How wide is your vision? Can you see in all directions? Challenge your students to breadth.

@Kathy Alvis Patterson Classen School of Advanced Studies Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 2007 (Based on OAGCT Spring Conference, 2000)

Over Time How ideas and individuals are seen differently in different eras: Copernicus Galileo Shakespeare Don Quixote Thomas Jefferson Cholesterol Bacon past future present

Points of View and Perspective Personal interpretations Narrative device Examples: Worker vs. employer Man vs. woman Facts vs. opinions

Interdisciplinary Aspects How other disciplines use English Primary and secondary sources in literature Primary and secondary sources in other disciplines AP Tests in various disciplines

Studies should be as broad as possible.. In other sources… Studies should be as broad as possible..

Depth and Complexity also apply in other disciplines Math Science Foreign Language English Fine Arts Career Studies Social Studies Military Science Athletics

Teach Your Students These Skills: Creativity, thinking skills, problem solving How to prove with evidence How to distinguish fact from opinion Cluster the skills you teach around concepts of depth and complexity. Example: When teaching any revolution, use , , , and .

“Don’t limit yourselves to what your teachers know: Surpass them.”

Intellectual Pathway For each student, create an individual Intellectual Pathway to a product. E.g., Unanswered Questions lead to Details lead to Patterns lead to Perspectives Over Time. Student A: Student B: Student C:

Use Depth and Complexity concepts to elaborate any topic or unit. Give of . Look for . Use to shed light on . Pull apart the you encounter. Discover if are due to insufficient , unknown , or issues.