Serving advanced learners (and their teachers) since 2012.
In the moment, a chaotic event makes no sense. But later, that same event can feel like it was part of a larger story.
Sometimes outside forces turn order into chaos. But sometimes chaos comes from within.
Chaos can contain order. Order can contain chaos! Is chaos ever truly random?
Students will write a big idea explaining when order is better and when chaos is better.
Students will choose five related topics and write about when order is better and when chaos is better.
Then, they rank the five topics from most chaotic to most orderly.
Then they write a big idea, summing up their findings about when order or chaos is better.
Students will categorize examples of Order as “written” or “unwritten.”
Students brainstorm examples of order from all areas of life.
They categorize each example as “written” or “unwritten” order.
They pick an important unwritten school rule and formalize it, designing a poster to display.
We compare the power of traditions shared by millions with smaller traditions shared by perhaps just one family.
Autumn was once powerful because of the harvest. What gives Fall its power now?
When does a simple symbol have more power than a word?
Sometimes power is concentrated in one place. Other times it is spread out.
Students explore the idea of indirect power – which can be both visible (a lighthouse) or invisible (magnetism).
Sure, a Blue Whale is huge. But does a tiny krill have more power?
Using these worksheets, students will prove statements about Power across content areas.
Students will group examples of power based on how fast, slow, loud, and quiet they are.
First, students will brainstorm fast and slow examples of power using four scenes.
Next, they will categorize those same examples as loud or quiet.
Finally, they will group examples into four categories and then add new ideas they think of.
Students will decide if invisible things can be more powerful than visible things.
Students will brainstorm visible and invisible power based on four scenes.
Next, they continue their brainstorm, this time bringing in any examples they can think of.
Finally, they take agree or disagree with this statement: “Invisible power is more powerful than visible power.”
Students will categorize examples of “conflict”, create a big idea about conflict, and then support that big idea with new examples.
Students simply brainstorm as many examples of the theme as they can think of onto a circle map. Encourage dozens of ideas. This is best done with a large group.
Next, individually or in small groups, students start to group those examples into 3 – 5 categories.
Now, students move their categories into a new graphic organizer and label the categories with 1 – 3 word labels.
Then, they create a big idea statement about the universal theme using at least some of their labels.
Finally, students can look for examples across different areas or subjects that support this new big idea they created.
Students will categorize examples of “change”, create a big idea about change, and then support that big idea with new examples.
Students simply brainstorm as many examples of the theme as they can think of onto a circle map. Encourage dozens of ideas. This is best done with a large group.
Next, individually or in small groups, students start to group those examples into 3 – 5 categories.
Now, students move their categories into a new graphic organizer and label the categories with 1 – 3 word labels.
Then, they create a big idea statement about the universal theme using at least some of their labels.
Finally, students can look for examples across different areas or subjects that support this new big idea they created.
Students will categorize examples of systems, create a big idea about systems, and then support that big idea with new examples.
Students simply brainstorm as many examples of the theme as they can think of onto a circle map. Encourage dozens of ideas. This is best done with a large group.
Next, individually or in small groups, students start to group those examples into 3 – 5 categories.
Now, students move their categories into a new graphic organizer and label the categories with 1 – 3 word labels.
Then, they create a big idea statement about the universal theme using at least some of their labels.
Finally, students can look for examples across different areas or subjects that support this new big idea they created.
Students will categorize examples of Power, create a big idea about power, and then support that big idea with new examples.
Students simply brainstorm as many examples of power as they can think of onto a circle map. Encourage dozens of ideas. This is best done with a large group.
Next, individually or in small groups, students start to group those examples into 3 – 5 categories.
Now, students move their categories into a new graphic organizer and label the categories with 1 – 3 word labels.
Then, they create a big idea statement about “power” using at least some of their labels.
Finally, students can look for examples across different areas or subjects that support this new big idea they created.
Students will apply the statement, “Change leads to more change” to multiple topics.
First, students will learn that a big idea connects many topics; next, they will explore examples of how one change leads to more changes; then, they will think about other situations where this concept applies; finally, they will create a graphic organizer to show how change leads to more change.
Students will consider which examples of order are natural and which are constructed.
First, students think of examples of order that is either natural or constructed by people.
Then, they consider three specific examples of order: addition, families, and the English language.
Finally, they create a spectrum and place their examples based on how natural and how constructed each example is.
Students will become familiar with the statement, “Problems Lead to New Rules, Which Lead to New Problems.”
First, students will learn that problems can lead to new rules, next they will explore examples of how these rules can create new problems, then they will consider the idea of the Cobra effect, and finally they will think of their own examples of this concept.
Students will become familiar with the generalization “Systems Are Made up of Other Systems.”
First, students will learn that systems are made up of other systems, next they will think of examples like clocks and computers, then they will explore ecosystems and human bodies, and finally they will identify and create graphic organizers for various systems in their own lives.
Students will become familiar with the statement, “Power can be unseen, but its effects are always visible.”
Students list examples of how invisible power has visible effects.
They note which effects are positive and which are negative.
Then they rank the invisible power based on how positive or negative the effects are.