Emily Mofield

This book draws from research and best practices about coteaching and collaboration in related disciplines and mixes it with sound practice related to gifted education to create a practical guide for collaboration in gifted education. The book begins with a research and theoretical framework and moves on to foundational interpersonal skills, professional learning and administrative support needed for any teaching partnership to succeed. The authors cover a spectrum of models, including show more partnerships inside and outside of the classroom, and include graphic organizers, rubrics, and reflective tools to help readers build a strong collaborative relationship. Along the way, information about best practices in gifted education related to both academic and social-emotional needs of gifted learners is included to help readers focus their work on this student group, this would make an excellent book study for teachers entering into new collegial partnerships of any kind. show less

As a high school history and sociology teacher, I appreciate the scope and depth of this book, as I have incorporated some of the lessons (or derivation thereof) into my teaching. Although written for the gifted/talented 6-8 grade learner, this book did what all good books of its genre should do: it revitalized my own creativity as a high school-level social studies educator, as I strive to continually create rigorous and meaningful learning experiences for my students with an emphasis on my show more literacy goals within my content area. From the perspective of a sociology teacher, this book is a goldmine of treasure for exploring the conflict theory perspective. Highly recommended. show less

This book is one of a series of four books designed specifically for gifted middle school students (grades 6-8) to help students analyze texts. This book is specifically focused on truth versus perception, and learning to identify the intent of various cultural works. The authors hope to support the acquisition of analytical skills, and have done a fine job in designing lesson plans to help students look both inside and outside the box.

The lessons are further aligned to the Common Core State show more Standards (CCSS) and English Language Arts (ELA) standards.

Each lesson follows a similar format, and includes first of all a list of resources needed for the lesson and where to find them (many of them are available online). Some of them, like Flowers for Algernon and The Lottery, are controversial, and teachers in some districts will not be able to use them.

The materials section is followed by “Introductory Activities” to get the students engaged. Some of them are very clever; for M.C. Escher, for example, the teacher is encouraged to show the students various optical illusions. For “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant, the teacher (assumed to be female, I presume) is encouraged to wear a diamond necklace (fake or otherwise) and solicit opinions from students on its authenticity and why they have formed such conclusions. I was a little perplexed by the activity for Van Gogh - the authors have constructed a handout called “Van Gogh: Fact or Fiction?” and propose a number of assertions about Van Gogh that students are supposed to label true or false. How in the world they would know much of anything about Van Gogh before the lesson, much less these esoteric facts, is beyond me. But I liked all the other introductory activities.

Next comes “Text-Dependent Questions for Close Reading” and “Analysis Section.” The authors come up with excellent questions to encourage a deeper understanding of the material, and perhaps even more importantly, provide suggested answers for teachers unfamiliar with it themselves.

They also include “In-Class Activities to Deepen Learning”; “Concept Connections”; suggested paths to follow for students at different levels; writing tasks designed with CCSS assessments in mind; a formative assessment section; handouts; and miscellaneous additions germane to each subject. (For Van Gogh’s Starry Night, for instance, there is a section on visual analysis of the painting, with excellent thought-provoking and discussion-engendering questions.)

Appendices offer further guidance with using the tools provided, and a very useful chart of common symbols employed in media and what they mean (for example, roses or mirrors).

Evaluation: This book will save hundreds of hours and alleviate a great deal of stress for teachers. The material is excellent, and I imagine will teach the teachers as well as the students! show less

This is a fine resource on a topic (essential question) that would be of great interest and engagement for middle schoolers. It would make a good spine for any literacy teacher looking to create a Common Core aligned unit but doesn't want to have to start from scratch. I question why it is considered for advanced and gifted learners as the content and materials are appropriate for all middle school learners.