Serving advanced learners (and their teachers) since 2012.

Alabama ELA Standard: 2.LF.15

Utilize new academic, content-specific, grade-level vocabulary, making connections to previously learned words and relating new words to background knowledge.

Plexidemokinesis (Greek and Latin)

Plexidemokinesis (Greek and Latin)

What on earth is a Plexidemokinesis? Break apart the Greek and Latin roots, figure out what it should mean, then invent what it describes.

Psycholunaphase (Greek and Latin)

Psycholunaphase (Greek and Latin)

What on earth is a Psycholunaphase? Break apart the Greek and Latin roots, figure out what it should mean, then invent the creature, device, or spell it describes.

Hydromagnaphone (Greek and Latin)

Hydromagnaphone (Greek and Latin)

What on earth is a Hydromagnaphone? Break apart the Greek and Latin roots, figure out what it should mean, then invent what it describes.

Geosynth (Greek and Latin)

Geosynth (Greek and Latin)

What on earth is a Geosynth? Break apart the Greek and Latin roots, figure out what it should mean, then invent what it describes.

Thermocryptograph (Greek and Latin)

Thermocryptograph (Greek and Latin)

What on earth is a Thermocryptograph? Break apart the Greek and Latin roots, figure out what it should mean, then invent what it describes.

Aquamorphotron (Greek and Latin)

Aquamorphotron (Greek and Latin)

What on earth is a Aquamorphotron? Break apart the Greek and Latin roots, figure out what it should mean, then invent what it describes.

Chronosonarium (Greek and Latin)

Chronosonarium (Greek and Latin)

What on earth is a Chronosonarium? Break apart the Greek and Latin roots, figure out what it should mean, then invent what it describes.

Pyrostasis (Greek and Latin)

Pyrostasis (Greek and Latin)

What on earth is a Pyrostasis? Break apart the Greek and Latin roots, figure out what it should mean, then invent what it describes.

Greekymon Studies – Round 3

Greekymon Studies – Round 3

What might a creature named “Aquacornus Rex” be like?

Greekymon Studies – Round 2

Greekymon Studies – Round 2

What might a creature named “Hypermnemonicus” be like?

Greekymon Studies – Round 1

Greekymon Studies – Round 1

What might a creature named “Ursolunascope” be like?

How to Reset Your Brain When You’re Flooded

How to Reset Your Brain When You’re Flooded

Allison Edwards explains how changing your senses can reset your brain.

Word Pyramids

Word Pyramids

Start with a one letter word, add another letter, then add another. How tall can you make the pyramid?

Famous Structures

Famous Structures

The Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House — group them, pick the best from each group, then design your own.

Introducing Universal Theme of Systems

Introducing Universal Theme of Systems

So what could you do with a Universal Theme of Systems? Well, here’s an introduction that will get your students’ brains sweating.

Antonym Paths

Antonym Paths

Does the antonym of an antonym bring us back to the same meaning?

Ultimate (or Inception) Tic Tac Toe

Ultimate (or Inception) Tic Tac Toe

What if each square on a Tic-Tac-Toe board had another Tic-Tac-Toe board inside of it?

Word Ladder: East to West (4 Steps)

Word Ladder: East to West (4 Steps)

COLD to COOL. BAND to SING. Change one letter at a time — can you find the path?

Systems Are Made up of Other Systems

Systems Are Made up of Other Systems

A clock is a system. So is a rainforest. So is your school. Once you see systems inside systems, you can’t unsee it.

Game: Notakto

Game: Notakto

What if you only played Tic-Tac-Toe with Xs and you could play on multiple boards?

More Specific than “Smart”

More Specific than “Smart”

When students are told that they’re “smart”, what does this word actually mean to them? (Psst. It isn’t what we intended.)

Building Creative Analogies

Building Creative Analogies

We’ll take two seemingly unrelated pieces of content (say volcanoes and the human body) and then build analogies to connect the two ideas. In the end, students can create a skit, comic, or story relating the two concepts.

Synonym Graphs

Synonym Graphs

So, which is happiest: happy, joyful, or ecstatic? Which is most temporary?

Academic Love Letters

Academic Love Letters

What if Kylo Ren wrote a love letter to Abe Lincoln or the Sahara Desert wrote one to the Moon?

Create A Civilization: From Hunter Gatherers to Farmers

Create A Civilization: From Hunter Gatherers to Farmers

What happens when your civilization suddenly has a surplus of food? Think of the possibilities!

Content Imperatives: Origin

Content Imperatives: Origin

Take students back to the beginning by using the Content Imperative ⏺️ Origin.

Depth and Complexity: 👄 Language of the Discipline

Depth and Complexity: 👄 Language of the Discipline

Imagine a construction worker who doesn’t know the name of a screwdriver or a doctor who can’t remember what to call your neck. It’s pretty hard to communicate well without knowing the 👄 Language of the Discipline!

Educational Valentines

Educational Valentines

Let’s make valentines with an educational twist!

Reduce Anxiety: Brain Plate (Tool 3)

Reduce Anxiety: Brain Plate (Tool 3)

When a student’s brain is full of worries, everything feels urgent. Brain Plate helps them sort what’s real from what’s noise — and actually do something about it.

Asynchrony: Developing At Different Rates (For Students)

Asynchrony: Developing At Different Rates (For Students)

For students! In some areas, a student may be shockingly advanced, while in others… surprisingly average. This is asynchrony in action.

Common English Words From Other Languages

Common English Words From Other Languages

Bored with typical spelling studies? Let’s dig into the origins of common English words from other languages!

Greek and Latin Dinosaur Names

Greek and Latin Dinosaur Names

Let’s create a new dinosaur using Greek and Latin stems!

Intellectual Intensity

Intellectual Intensity

Do you know someone who becomes a bit overexcited by ideas?