Serving advanced learners (and their teachers) since 2012.

Alabama ELA Standard: 5.LF.10.a

Review the key ideas expressed and draw conclusions in light of information and knowledge gained from discussion.

Chaos Makes Sense (Later)

Chaos Makes Sense (Later)

In the moment, a chaotic event makes no sense. But later, that same event can feel like it was part of a larger story.

Notice, Wonder: Fountain

Notice, Wonder: Fountain

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Dazzle

Notice, Wonder: Dazzle

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Burton Island

Notice, Wonder: Burton Island

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Tenzing

Notice, Wonder: Tenzing

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Chaos Can Be Positive or Negative

Chaos Can Be Positive or Negative

Sometimes we want order, but sometimes we need chaos!

Power in Autumn

Power in Autumn

Autumn was once powerful because of the harvest. What gives Fall its power now?

Who has more power: the Queen Bee or the Hive?

Who has more power: the Queen Bee or the Hive?

Who really runs the hive: the queen, or the thousands of bees around her?

Indirect Power – Lighthouse vs Magnetism

Indirect Power – Lighthouse vs Magnetism

Students explore the idea of indirect power – which can be both visible (a lighthouse) or invisible (magnetism).

Power – Blue Whale vs Krill

Power – Blue Whale vs Krill

Sure, a Blue Whale is huge. But does a tiny krill have more power?

Power can be Visible or Invisible

Power can be Visible or Invisible

What are examples of unseen Power? And can invisible power be more powerful than visible power?

Notice, Wonder: Brooklyn

Notice, Wonder: Brooklyn

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

New Uses For A Cardboard Tube

New Uses For A Cardboard Tube

So, what can a cardboard tube be used for other than holding wrapping paper?

Student Introductions With Depth, Complexity, and Frames: Level Two

Student Introductions With Depth, Complexity, and Frames: Level Two

Once students know the prompts of Depth and Complexity, let’s take them much higher up Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Natural Disasters Tournament

Natural Disasters Tournament

Earthquake vs. hurricane. Tsunami vs. wildfire. Students set the criteria, argue their case, and crown a champion. Warning: it gets heated.

Van Gogh Self-Portrait Tournament

Van Gogh Self-Portrait Tournament

Who will win the tournament of Van Gogh self-portraits!?

Notice, Wonder: Sombrero

Notice, Wonder: Sombrero

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Silver Torch

Notice, Wonder: Silver Torch

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Barringer

Notice, Wonder: Barringer

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Rosetta

Notice, Wonder: Rosetta

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Categorize and Re-Categorize Animals

Categorize and Re-Categorize Animals

Put these animals into groups. Then do it again. Then… do it one more time. How does re-re-grouping the same creatures reveal new patterns and give new insights?

Discussing An Important Decision from History

Discussing An Important Decision from History

How would people with two different perspectives discuss a decision from history?

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.

Notice, Wonder: Critter

Notice, Wonder: Critter

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Introducing Universal Theme of Conflict

Introducing Universal Theme of Conflict

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

Notice, Wonder: A House

Notice, Wonder: A House

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Chess Variant: Monster Chess

Chess Variant: Monster Chess

What if you had really weak chess pieces, but you could always move twice?

Introducing Universal Theme of Change

Introducing Universal Theme of Change

Everything changes. But how does it change? Students brainstorm dozens of examples and boil them down to one big idea.

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.

Introducing Universal Theme of Power

Introducing Universal Theme of Power

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

Notice, Wonder: SLS Test

Notice, Wonder: SLS Test

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Butterball

Notice, Wonder: Butterball

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Ramses

Notice, Wonder: Ramses

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Craters

Notice, Wonder: Craters

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Bloom

Notice, Wonder: Bloom

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Skylight

Notice, Wonder: Skylight

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Charge of the Light Brigade – Chess Variant

Charge of the Light Brigade – Chess Variant

What if one side played with THREE QUEENS and the other had SEVEN KNIGHTS!? What if?

Notice, Wonder: Krzywy Las

Notice, Wonder: Krzywy Las

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Scales

Notice, Wonder: Scales

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Vortices

Notice, Wonder: Vortices

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Swirls

Notice, Wonder: Swirls

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Witch’s Fingers

Notice, Wonder: Witch’s Fingers

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Green Circles

Notice, Wonder: Green Circles

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: An Orange Thing

Notice, Wonder: An Orange Thing

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Thinking With Art: Head Down

Thinking With Art: Head Down

One artist, two paintings. Notice details, compare, synthesize, then find a parallel in another creator’s work.

Inferring With Art: A Couple

Inferring With Art: A Couple

What’s going on in this room? There are shoes everywhere! Are those… oranges? Let’s make some inferences!

Inferring With Art: Two Women

Inferring With Art: Two Women

What are these two women up to? What’s that thing she’s holding? Let’s make some inferences!

Notice, Wonder: Kuiseb

Notice, Wonder: Kuiseb

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Game: Snakes

Game: Snakes

In this grid-based strategy game, who will be the last to add to the snake?

Notice, Wonder: A Long Line

Notice, Wonder: A Long Line

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Blood Falls

Notice, Wonder: Blood Falls

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Think Like A Philosopher

Think Like A Philosopher

What would Socrates have thought if he watched Frozen?

Change Leads to More Change

Change Leads to More Change

Can you think of a time in your life when “Change lead to more change?”

Problems Lead to New Rules, Which Lead to New Problems

Problems Lead to New Rules, Which Lead to New Problems

Problems create rules. Rules create new problems. Can you trace the cycle in history, stories, and your own life?

Invisible Power Can Have Visible Effects

Invisible Power Can Have Visible Effects

Can you think of times when power is unseen, but we can clearly see its effects?

How Renewable Is That Resource?

How Renewable Is That Resource?

Which resource is more renewable? And which is easier to find?

Notice, Wonder: Forest

Notice, Wonder: Forest

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Akron

Notice, Wonder: Akron

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Electronics

Notice, Wonder: Electronics

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Turbine

Notice, Wonder: Turbine

Your students will be surprised by the size of this turbine… and by what’s hanging from it!

Notice, Wonder: Z-Machine

Notice, Wonder: Z-Machine

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Climber

Notice, Wonder: Climber

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: A River

Notice, Wonder: A River

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: The Cliff

Notice, Wonder: The Cliff

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Michael

Notice, Wonder: Michael

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Etna

Notice, Wonder: Etna

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: Plateau

Notice, Wonder: Plateau

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Notice, Wonder: A Ship

Notice, Wonder: A Ship

A mysterious image. Reveal it slowly. Let your students wonder!

Paradox: The Barber’s Paradox

Paradox: The Barber’s Paradox

The barber shaves everybody who doesn’t themselves. So… does the barber shave himself?

Paradox: Crocodile Dilemma

Paradox: Crocodile Dilemma

A crocodile makes a deal. But the deal creates a paradox. Can your students untangle a 2,000-year-old logic puzzle?

Paradox: The Liar’s Paradox

Paradox: The Liar’s Paradox

Nothing like a paradox to get your kids brains exploding 🤯! This one starts with five simple words: “This statement is a lie.”

Col – A Strategy Game

Col – A Strategy Game

The first person to run out of regions loses in this strategy game.

The Thinking Hats

The Thinking Hats

So… do your students moan when forced to work in a group? Part of the problem is that lack the structure to work well with peers. Edward de Bono’s Thinking Hats are a perfect tool to help with this problem.

Depth and Complexity: ❓ Unanswered Questions

Depth and Complexity: ❓ Unanswered Questions

This underutilized tool focuses students on what we don’t yet know and even what we can’t know.

Creating A Realistic Flower and Pollinator

Creating A Realistic Flower and Pollinator

Your students will create a new flower, designed to attract a specific pollinator.

Creating A Classroom Motto

Creating A Classroom Motto

Starting with specific examples of fantastic classroom behavior, your class will end up with one sentence summing up their expectations. It’s a classroom motto!

Think Like An Economist

Think Like An Economist

How would an economist read Goldilocks? How would they see a rainforest? How would they study the American Revolution?