Interdisciplinary

CONNECTIONS-NC, Inc.

INTERDISCIPLINARY RESOURCES

The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History, Michael H. Hart - This collection of biographical sketches gives students a fabulous cultural literacy concerning the people across all time who have most greatly influenced the world. In addition, the author has ranked these individuals, and given his reasoning for his ranking, thus modeling the thinking skill of prioritizing and justifying. Students can engage in discussions and/or seminars concerning his reasoning, create their own lists, analyze the attributes of these individuals and their lives, or simply become familiar with the individuals who have had an impact on the world. Elementary, Middle, High.
Cooking Projects That Make Kids Think , Darlene Freeman - Written for use in primary classrooms, this book uses cooking as a means of addressing specific critical thinking skills. Large print and blackline masters make it an excellent resource for tiered assignments or learning centers. Primary
Mensa Brain Bafflers for Kids , Carlton Books Limited - Each set of cards provides 75 mind bending puzzles or baffling brain teasers. Cards are available for Word Puzzles, Number Puzzles, and Secret Codes. They could be used easily in an alternative learning center for those who can compact out of the other center choices, or as tiered assignments. Primary/Elementary

The Whole Brain Game, Lisa Ekensteen Ogut - Incorporating both hemispheres of the brain, this game requires players to spontaneously generate ideas from eight alternating instructions and 200 categories. Can be used in a center with only one player at a time, for tiered group activities with 2 players, or as a whole-class activity. Great way to develop fluency and flexibility in divergent thinking. Recommended by National Association for Gifted Children. Upper Elementary/Middle/High

Math Talk: Mathematical Ideas in Poems for Two Voices, Theoni Pappas - A very creative treatment of math as poetry, this small book gives poems written for two voices on such topics as integers, googols, squares and Fibonacci numbers. Students interested in math could easily be hooked into poetry, and the other way around. Great for alternative centers or tiered assignments, or group readings. Students could be inspired to write their own poems on mathematical concepts. Upper Elementary/Middle/High

Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, Jared Diamond - The author seeks to explain why some civilizations have survived others, starting with 11,000 B.C. As the title indicates, his thesis is that it boils down to who owns and develops the weapons, the germs and resistance and the steel. A fabulous and creative treatment of history through the eyes of a scientist. Excellent material for seminars.
The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody: Great Figures of History Hilariously Humbled, Will Cupp - Terrific biographical studies for gifted learners, who often deal with their own failures in unhealthy ways. Middle/High
Eureka!: What Archimedes Really Meant and 80 Other Key Ideas Explained, Michael Macrone - Explains key ideas in science, literature, mathematics and history from Pythagorus to Mendel, and everything from Plato’s Cave to division of labor! Middle/High
Differentiation In Practice: A Resource Guide For Differentiating Curriculum, Grades 5 - 9, Carol Ann Tomlinson, Caroline Cunningham Eidson - This resource, co-authored by Dr. Carol Tomlinson and CONNECTIONS Consultant Dr. Caroline Eidson, is a superb collection of units developed by teachers in Grades 5 - 9 and in all disciplines. Each unit states the abstract theme and generalizations around which it is constructed, provides a unit overview, then outlines daily lesson plans that differentiated both instruction and assessment. Middle/High
Differentiation in Practice: A Resource Guide for Differentiatig Curriculum, Grades K-5, Carol Ann Tomlinson, Caroline Cunningham Eidson - Similar to the book description above, this book, co-authored by Dr. Carol Tomlinson and CONNECTIONS Consultant Dr. Caroline Eidson, is a fabulous resource for teachers in Kindergarten - Grade 5. In addition to a "Brief Primer on Differentiation" in the front of the book, six units are detailed using the format and components described above. The units include a language arts unit on the alphabet; a science unit on plants; a social studies unit on needs, wants, and community helpers; two math units - one on geometry and one on probability; and a language arts unit introducing literature circles. These units are a marvelous tool for demonstrating to teachers the specifics of differentiation, and giving them concrete strategies that they can use or adapt to their curricula. Elementary
Historical Connections in Mathematics: Resources for Using History of Mathematics in the Classroom (Historical Connections in Mathematics), Wilbert Reimer - These fantastic notebooks each contain biographical sketches on 10 mathematicians, then worksheets that take students through the mathematics of that individual. Care was taken to choose ancient and modern, male and female, and to be culturally representative. They also span a wide range of math topics and abilities, and are appropriate for grades 3-9 with gifted learners. They are excellent to use for independent investigation when a student has compacted out and is not yet ready for a full-fledged independent study. Upper Elementary/Middle/High