Free Resources - Gifted Guide

1. The Great Debate - Focuses on speech, writing, persuasion, presentation, and more! Best for grades 5-8.

2. Newspaper - Students get to create their own newspaper, with lessons on brainstorming topics, article analysis, editing, and more!

3. Creative Writing - Fiction - This unit focuses on what good writers do and the building blocks of prose. Each week, students participate in a mini lesson that focuses on some aspect of good writing, then they have free time to write their own stories, poems, songs, you name it! This would be an ideal unit for students in grade 5-8.

4. Creative Writing - Nonfiction Slideshow - Nonfiction writing seems to be more outside students' comfort zones, but I love that it brings creativity into nonfiction writing through the use of research, interviews, humor, and more. I would recommend for grade 6-8.

5. Strategy Game Design Unit - I placed this under ELA since students write their rules for the game, discuss theme and conflict, and create written evaluations of the games, but it's really multidisciplinary, critical thinking, and creativity rolled into one! I've also created a slideshow, so all the resources are in one place.

6. Philosophy Unit - I placed this in ELA, as well as Critical and Creative Thinking, because it encompasses a lot of different standards. Very fun unit for middle school students to get them thinking about various philosophical scenarios. Thanks to Cheryl Smith for helping with this!

7. ELA Enrichment Room - Grades 6-8

Other Free Resources

1. Independent Writing Projects - This example has lessons on starting a great story, creating a compelling character, a page-turning plot, and an immersive setting.

2. Poetry Writing Options

• • Analyze and write social justice poetry project

  • Hosting a spoken word poetry jam and Examples and Evaluations of spoken word poetry