Assign the gifted and talented student independent projects to complete on her own or with a mentor. These projects should correlate to their interests, yet tie into the classroom. Examples would be having a child create a universe model out of Styrofoam balls while the class is studying the solar system or designing a math or a vocabulary word puzzle. Another option you might try is having the child write his own play for the class to act out or blogging about the class topic online and relating it to a current event.
Teach the gifted student to find information herself rather than providing it to her. Teach her how to go to educational sites online and get more in-depth information about the class topic which she may share with the class or use for extra credit. An example may be when you are studying Mexico, have her download pictures of typical woman peasant dress, homes and customs. Design assignments for him which exceed the classroom projects and challenge him to develop his thinking skills and problem-solving abilities. For example, when studying business, have him present the pros and cons on the pollution and the need for manufacturing.
Enroll gifted students into school and statewide academic competitions. These events test a student's knowledge and challenge her academically. It gives her a chance to excel before her peers and receive recognition for her strengths. It also provides her the ability to achieve personal satisfaction, learn goal setting techniques and leadership abilities.
Allow the talented student to enrich your classroom while using his talent. For the artist, allow him to create a comic book of the Shakespeare play. For the writer, let her take a character from a story and build a new story around it. For the singer, let her write lyrics instead of poetry which can be set to music. For the dancer, let her demonstrate the fairy dance in Midsummer's Night Dream.