Family Resources - Advanced Academic Programs
Resources for parents to support the development of students in Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) at home, including enrichment, research, and critical and creative thinking activities.
Enrichment Opportunities
The National Building Museum offers a variety of interactive activities for families and children of all ages. One can register for summer camp or attend one of the ongoing family programs that are offered. There is something for families to do every day at the National Building Museum. Offerings include:
- Family Tool Kits
- Amazing Arches: Build a Life-Sized Arch in the Great Hall
- The Building Zone
- Discovery Carts
- Family Tours
The National Gallery of Art family weekends offer a variety of activities—films, music, hands-on art projects—for children and adults to enjoy together. All activities are free. There is no advance registration for this drop-in program; participation in each activity is on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, call
202-789-3030. The focus of the weekend programs vary depending on the featured show.
The National Air and Space Museum offers a variety of free educational programs for families, school groups and the general public.
Children's Literature
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, Diana Sudyka, Diana Sudyka
Grade 5–9—After Reynie Muldoon responds to an advertisement recruiting "gifted children looking for special opportunities," he finds himself in a world of mystery and adventure. The 11-year-old orphan is one of four children to complete a series of challenging and creative tasks, and he, Kate, Constance, and Sticky become the Mysterious Benedict Society. After being trained by Mr. Benedict and his assistants, the four travel to an isolated school where children are being trained by a criminal mastermind to participate in his schemes to take over the world. The young investigators need to use their special talents and abilities in order to discover Mr. Curtain's secrets, and their only chance to defeat him is through working together. Readers will challenge their own abilities as they work with the Society members to solve clues and put together the pieces of Mr. Curtain's plan. In spite of a variety of coincidences, Stewart's unusual characters, threatening villains, and dramatic plot twists will grab and hold readers' attention. Fans of Roald Dahl or Blue Balliett will find a familiar blend of kid power, clues, and adventure in Society, though its length may daunt reluctant or less-secure readers.
This book answers the charges that special programs for gifted children are elitist. The authors demonstrate that it is simply appropriate to provide educational experiences that each child needs at a particular time."
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo's undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.
Johnson, D. B. Henry Climbs a Mountain. Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston, 2003
(Henry wants to climb a mountain, and nothing is going to stop him. Then Sam, the tax collector, puts him in jail. But being locked up doesn't stop Henry. He still gets to splash in rivers, swing from trees, and meet a stranger. This bear, modeled on the real Henry David Thoreau, roams free.)
Lasky, Kathryn. The Librarian Who Measured the Earth. Little, Brown and Company. New York, 1994
(This lively picture-book biography begins more than two thousand years ago, when a very smart baby was born in ancient Greece. His name was Eratosthenes. From the time he was a baby, Eratosthenes was full of wonder and questions. Wherever he went as he grew up, and whatever he did, his curiosity and questions propelled him from one discovery to the next. More than anything, however, Eratosthenes wanted to find out how to measure the earth. Everyone knew the earth was round, but no one knew how big around it was. Eratosthenes knew he couldn't walk around the world to measure it, but could he stand in one spot and figure it out? How he did, coming up with a measurement that is only two hundred miles different from our own calculations today, is an inspiring story that is a celebration of curiosity and a tribute to the questing mind.)
Scieszka, Jon and Lane Smith. Math Curse. Viking. New York, 1995
(Did you ever wake up to one of those days where everything is a problem? You have 10 things to do, but only 30 minutes until your bus leaves. Is there enough time? You have 3 shirts and 2 pair of pants. Can you make 1 good outfit? Then you start to wonder: Why does everything have to be such a problem? Why do 2 apples always have to be added to 5 oranges? Why do 4 kids always have to divide 12 marbles? Why can't you just keep 10 cookies without someone taking 3 away? Why? Because you're a victim of a Math Curse. That's why. But don't despair. This is one girl's story of how that curse can be broken.)
Brown, Ruth. If at First You Do Not See. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. New York, 1982
(The caterpillar goes off in search of food, but each time he thinks he has found a meal, he discovers that he has stumbled onto one creature or another who does not want to be eaten. At last a scarecrow puts the caterpillar in his pocket where he can rest. When he wakes, the caterpillar has become a butterfly. In this book, the reader's imagination is called into play to make sense of both story and pictures.)
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices From a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz, Robert Byrd (Illustrator)
Using a series of interconnected monologues and dialogues featuring young people living in and around an English manor in 1255, she offers first-person character sketches that build upon each other to create a finer understanding of medieval life. The book was inspired by the necessity of creating a play suitable for a classroom where "no one wanted a small part." Each of the 23 characters (between 10 and 15 years old) has a distinct personality and a societal role revealed not by recitation of facts but by revelation of memories, intentions, and attitudes. Sometimes in prose and more often in one of several verse forms, the writing varies nicely from one entry to the next. Historical notes appear in the vertical margins, and some double-page spreads carry short essays on topics related to individual narratives.
Cooper, Melrose. Gettin' Through Thursday. Lee & Low Books, Inc. New York, 1998
(Andre dreads Thursdays. Thursday is the day before Mama gets paid at work each week--it's the day when money is tight and spirits are low for Andre and his older brother and sister. As report card day approaches, Andre anticipates making the honor roll and Mama says she'll throw a royal party for just such an event. But Andre can't believe his eyes when he looks at the calendar and sees that the report card day falls on the worst possible day of the week: A Thursday. Andre's predicament--and the loving solution that his family offers--will strike a chord with readers of all backgrounds.)
Frasier, Debra. Miss Alaineus. A Vocabulary Disaster. Harcourt, Inc. New York, 2000
(Anyone who has ever been daunted: discouraged or disheartened, by a mere word in a dictionary will cheer wildly: in a manner lacking all restraint, as Sage transforms embarrassment into victory in this outrageous and touching story of loving--and mistaking--our glorious language.)
Pappas, Theoni. fractals, googols and other mathematical tales, Wide World Publishing, San Carlos, CA, 2002.
(This book, for grades 4 to 8, contains information about famous problems, mathematicians, and events in the history of mathematics from the perspective of Penrose the cat. Each tale centers on one particular event and is accompanied by historical background information. For example, in the tale about the Mobius strip, Penrose falls asleep and dreams he is in a room where he can walk from the floor to the ceiling without touching the walls.)
Phillips, Christopher. The Philosophers' Club. Tricycle Press. California, 2001
(What is silence? What is wisdom? How do you know you're here? Think you don't have a clue? Well, think again. Because in the Philosophers' Club, you'll come up with plenty of answers--answers that always lead to more questions, questions, questions that will get your mind humming and give you plenty to talk about with your friends. Join the conversation!)
Smith, David J. If the World Were A Village. A Book about the World's People. Kids Can Press.New York, 2002
(At this moment, there are more than 6 billion people on the planet! It's hard to picture so many people at one time but what if we imagine the whole world as a village of just 100 people? In this village: 22 people speak a Chinese dialect, 20 earn less than a dollar a day, 17 cannot read or write, 60 are always hungry, and 24 have a television in their homes. If the World Were a Village tells us who we are, where we live, how fast we are growing, what languages we speak, what religions we practice and more. So come and learn about our global village. What you find out may surprise you!)
Dorros, Arthur. Abuela. Dutton. New York, 1991
(Rosalba tells of a day in the park with her abuela (grandmother). Rosalba imagines flying over New York City with her abuela, seeing the harbor, the airport, the streets and office buildings, the Statue of Liberty. Rosalba's narrative is sprinkled with terms in Spanish, her abuela's language, offering just enough challenge to invite an English-speaking child to become fascinated with the words. The illustrations are joyous, colorful, and rich in details to explore.)
How to Develop Critical and Creative Thinking in Your Child
Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.
Zora Neale Hurston
Teaching children how to research is a critical skill that can start early and serve them for a lifetime. In today’s world, where there is so much information readily available at our fingertips, it is never too early to teach children how to search with a "critical eye."
Opportunities to conduct in-depth research allow children to discover and explore a wide range of topics that connect to personal interests and encourage inquiring minds. As they search for knowledge and data about topics connected to real-world issues, personal interests, and relevant concerns, children learn the value of searching for information through a wide variety of resources. They also discover and practice investigative and formal research techniques that train them to develop abstract ideas, use inductive thinking, see connections, and solve problems.
The research process teaches them to organize, apply, and evaluate information and data, which they can collect from multiple sources. Then, they can use that information for a project, a purchase, a personal goal, or to help solve a real-world problem. To strengthen and refine their thinking and communication skills, children need opportunities to explore topics of interest and share what they learn with others.
Journaling
The first step in this process can begin with a journal. This can be online or in a notebook and is a place where children can record the journey of their search for information. Make it personal and suggest they write in the first person point of view. This way it becomes a story of their search and they can record what they do, what they learn, and what they think about the information as they learn it.
They can also write down new questions that surface as they record and think about what they learn. They not only gain an understanding of their topic from many different sources, they gradually formulate their own opinions based on evidence as they become personally involved in the quest for knowledge.
Choosing a topic is an important next step. Maybe your child has expressed interest in a topic either out of curiosity or because they want to make a purchase. This could cover a wide range from soccer balls and bicycles to solar-powered vehicles. Or maybe they question why there are so many snakeheads in the Potomac River. Deciding what to research can prompt thinking and discussion as children consider different options.
It is important that your child searches for information on a topic that he or she truly cares about. Encourage your child to record in a journal what he or she would like to learn more about and why it is important to them. They should record not only why they chose their topic, but also what sparked their initial interest.
For example, one child who decided to investigate snakeheads wrote in her journal, "I was fishing with my dad in the river and I caught a large fish that looked different from any fish I had ever seen before. When I asked my dad what it was, he explained that it was a snakehead and they were an invasive species. I wanted to learn more so we took a picture of the fish and this is how my research journey began . . . One of the things that puzzled me was that this fish was an invasive species and I wanted to know more about that ... Where did they come from? Who brought them here?"
Mind Mapping
Next, ask your child to record everything they already know about the topic and make a list of questions or areas of interest they would like to pursue. One strategy that can help children organize information and ideas in unique and personal ways is a mind map. Mind mapping is a lot of fun. Your child can write a word or draw a circle in the middle of a page. Next, ask your child to draw lines and new circles to ideas and words or pictures that connect to the original word.
Maybe your child is interested in space. Together you could create a mind map of all that your child knows about space and then add things your child wants to investigate. Mind mapping also gives children an understanding of the breadth of a topic and it can help them narrow down their research to one or more specific areas. As they map out their thinking they can see connections among related ideas.
This thinking skill is especially important for visual learners and may be used throughout the research process as children gain more in-depth knowledge of their topic. A good book for learning more about mind maps is Mind Mapping for Kids: How Elementary School Students Can Use Mind Maps to Improve Reading Comprehension and Critical Thinking by Toni Krasnic.
Once the search begins, children will need help and guidance in finding sources of information. These sources should be a combination of books, site visitations, online research, letter writing, interviews, and any other resource that would provide facts and data about their chosen topic. As they learn information, encourage them to record what they learn and list new questions as they surface. If they like using a mind map, the mind maps can help to illustrate their search and the connections they make.
Encapsulation
Keeping a journal and recording their search also gives children an opportunity to encapsulate or practice putting what they learn into their own words. Encapsulation is the art of sharing ideas or information as precisely as possible. It is the ability to share “the bottom line” or the essence of a story, experience, or other information in a concise, precise form.
Encapsulation requires that the creator use as few words as possible and at the same time not lose the intention of the original idea. As children write about what they learn in their own words, this gives them important writing practice and not only strengthens their confidence to express ideas in their own words, it also helps them understand the essence of an idea or information.
Encourage your child to express how they feel about the information and their search as it progresses. For example, they may write a letter or email to a person, expert, or organization whose work focuses on their topic. When they receive a response, they may be excited because it includes lots of new information and answers a lot of their questions, or they may be disappointed because they received a form letter or no response at all. Reflection is an important part of the research process. Encourage your child to note their surprises and disappointments as well as how their thinking changes as they learn and reflect upon that learning.
Interviewing
Conducting research also helps develop self-confidence. Your child may need help finding someone to interview; however, the process of conducting the interview will strengthen their confidence as well as their communication skills. Encourage them to write down their questions ahead of time and then practice the interview with you or another member of the family. During the actual interview, they may take notes or record the interview.
Sometimes a site visitation can be combined with an interview. For example, one child heard his parents talking about how the county wanted to build a road through a wetlands area and some people were against this idea. He wanted to learn more so he asked his parents to take him to the wetlands, where he could interview a ranger. This led to more interviews and he interviewed a local official, a transportation expert, and some commuters. Through the various interviews, he learned the importance of having good information and considering different points of view from multiple stakeholders.
He also read newspaper articles and editorials about the controversy. As he learned about the wetlands, he decided that more people needed to be educated about this important part of the ecosystem that is often not valued or understood. This allowed him to learn how citizens become involved, and the different forums that could be used to share what he learned. It also gave him a better appreciation for the complexity of real-world problems and the importance of gaining knowledge to inform your opinion.
Share Findings
The final phase of the research process is an opportunity for your child to share their findings and take action with the information that she has learned. She may want to write letters, create a video, construct a model, or make a picture collage to inform and share what she has learned with others. If your child is researching a product they would like to purchase such as a new computer tablet or lacrosse equipment, he can select and justify which brand he wants to purchase and why. It is exciting to watch and encourage children to develop their own thoughts and opinions as they become better informed. As long as the topic is one in which they have a strong interest, children will spend a tremendous amount of time and energy researching, reflecting, and finding ways to share and take action with their new information.
The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them.
This quote by Albert Einstein highlights the importance of teaching children to think creatively so that they will be prepared to cope with the complexities of our modern world and face situations that do not have one clear answer.
What is creativity and why is it important? How can it be nurtured? How have creative thinkers changed our lives and shaped our ever-changing world? These are just a few of the questions that may be used to start the conversation and raise awareness of creativity and its connection to innovative solutions.
There are also children’s books that share the stories of children who have solved everyday problems with innovative ideas. One of my favorites is The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by William Kamkwamba, Bryan Mealer and Elizabeth Zunon, an inspiring story of a young boy in Malawi who used scrap metal, tractor parts, and pieces of old bicycles, to create a crude yet operable windmill to bring electricity to his village. Additional recommendations include The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle by Don L. Wulffson and Real Kids, Real Stories, Real Change: Courageous Actions Around the World by Garth Sundem.
Although it is often associated with art, creativity is a dynamic process that relies on an inner resource that will produce as long as the environment stimulates ideas and encourages risk-taking. The environment is a critical component, and it must be one in which children feel free to take risks to explore and discover their own ideas, insights, and solutions.
Children should be encouraged to observe and notice things, play around with their ideas, see patterns and connections, and explore unique applications of their ideas to real-world problems and situations. Creativity is nurtured in a home that provides a safe environment for investigation, instills the value of learning from mistakes, and fosters respect for individual ideas and differences. Children need rich and varied opportunities to think about possibilities, experiment with ideas, test their ideas, and reflect on the results.
Creative Problem Solving is one strategy that nurtures the creative thinking skills that are needed to come up with unique solutions to any problem. This strategy promotes the development of fluency and flexibility (the ability to generate many ideas and see different possibilities), originality (the ability to combine ideas in new ways or come up with unusual ideas), and elaboration (the ability to further develop ideas to evaluate them for feasibility).
Fluency and flexibility open up many possibilities and originality and elaboration stretch the uniqueness of their ideas. These thinking skills are based on the work of Alex Osborn, an advertising executive, and Sidney Parnes, a college professor, both of whom did extensive research on how creative people solve problems. It is a great strategy to use with children as it teaches them to consider multiple ideas as they search for creative solutions to a variety of problems.
Step One: Identify a Problem or Challenge
Every problem is a gift - without problems we would not grow. Anthony Robbins
Walk around the house or yard with your child and talk about things that could be improved e.g., the garden, the play area, their room and how it is organized. Ask your child to choose one and brainstorm ideas for improving it. How could it be better?
Step Two: Fact Finding
Facts are facts and will not disappear on account of your likes. Jawaharlal Nehru
This is the stage where children practice their research skills, ask questions, and gather information. Once they have selected their problem area, discuss the following with your child the following:
- Who else could you talk to?
- What might you observe?
- Where do you want to go to learn more?
- How will you record your information?
For example, if your child decides to focus on an overgrown garden, she may need to visit a nursery or a garden center to learn about the different plants, the space and sun that they need, and other factors that must be taken into consideration to have a successful and productive garden. If the problem is a messy, disorganized room, you may suggest that he look at magazines for ideas that can be used to organize space, visit a container store, or research online.
Step Three: Identify Problems
A good problem is something you don't know how to solve. That's what makes it a good puzzle and a good opportunity. Paul Lockhart
Encourage your child to review the facts and think about the situation from as many angles as possible. Use smaller problems to identify the parts of the bigger problem. Select and state a manageable problem that will invite solutions. In the example of the garden, some of the problems may include:
- Too many weeds
- Squirrels or deer eat plants
- Not enough rain
- Not enough sun
- Space is too small
- Soil is too hard
Step Four: Generate Ideas!
Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions. Oliver Wendell Holmes
Encourage creativity and ask your child to list all the ways she might improve her garden or room based on the problems she identified. Stretch her imagination and remember, at this stage, nothing is judged! No idea is too crazy or silly. You might suggest that they start their list with “In what ways might I … .” or “How might I … .” Share ideas among members of the family and listen to each other’s ideas. You can combine ideas and — most important of all — come up with lots of ideas!
For example, to improve a garden, the list might include:
- Put down plastic to keep weeds from growing
- Put newspapers on the soil to prevent weeds
- Move the garden to another area of the yard
- Create a patio garden in containers
- Add earthworms to break up soil
- Add an alarm system to keep animals away
- Dig irrigation ditches
- Chop down trees that are blocking the sun
Step Five: Create a Solution
In the book of life; the answers aren't in the back. Charlie Brown
Now is the time to review the list of ideas and decide which ones might work. Ask your child to look at the ideas realistically and evaluate the ideas against some measures. The goal is to select an idea that has the best chance of succeeding. In the case of the garden, the measures your child might choose could include cost, time, location, and soil preparation. For example, if your child decides to move the garden to another part of the yard with more sun, what will it cost, how long will that take, is there a space that would work, and what kind of soil preparation is needed? Create a chart and rate each idea objectively.
Criteria | #1 Not Feasible | #2 May be possible | #3 Will work with limitations | #4 I can do this!! |
---|---|---|---|---|
COST | ||||
TIME | ||||
LOCATION | ||||
SOIL PREPARATION |
Step Six: Solve the Problem!
You can't plow a field simply by turning it over in your mind. Gordon B. Hinckley
Now is the time to have your child make an action plan. Help him determine what needs to be done, assess the challenges that might arise, and prepare a plan of action. Work as a team and draw or design a model of what the solution will look like. Label parts and write down details that will help your child implement the plan.
When Creative Problem Solving is practiced and applied, it becomes a way of thinking about problems that can be adapted to multiple situations. When children are encouraged to apply the creative process to a problem, they also gain a greater appreciation for the important contributions made to our world by creative individuals who took risks, experimented with ideas, and solved problems through real-world applications of their unique ideas. Through the practice of Creative Problem Solving children will be empowered to face any problem and to search for unique solutions to improve their world not only for today but for future generations as well.