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Activities for Gifted Learners in Elementary Learning Centers

Elementary learning centers are specialized supplements to a typical classroom education, offering homework assignments and specialized lessons with teachers and educators. National companies often run elementary learning centers, which are good for helping gifted children who are struggling in a typical classroom setting. The centers can employ a number of activities to help the kids grow in their education rather than be held back.
  1. Open-Ended Projects

    • The educator can let the child explore his talents by allowing him to create his own independent project. The child can work within some basic parameters, such as a science project involving fruit or a Renaissance art research project, and then be given complete independence to work on that project as long as he meets the deadline. Consider giving him some tools, like a video camera or a software program, and letting him figure out how to use them.

    Academic Competitions

    • A competition with other gifted students who are also enrolled in the elementary learning center can help foster academic growth. Create a quiz competition or a debate on a particular topic. If you can't host these at the learning center, you can contact the child's school to see if it would be willing to host the competitions. It serves the purposes of challenging the students academically and helps them develop skills in leadership and working in groups.

    Leveled Assignments

    • Educators can create leveled assignments for the students so they can work alongside their peers, yet be challenged differently. For example, if your class is reading through the same essay for reading comprehension, give the gifted students a quiz that asks more nuanced and detailed questions about the essay than the quiz that you give the rest of the class. Discuss school lesson plans with a mentor or special educator to determine how it might be adapted to suit the child.

    Critical Thinking Tasks

    • Gifted learners should be able to stretch their critical thinking skills. For example, you can give the child about 10 random objects and ask them to list all the ways they are related. Instruct the child to analyze, feel and investigate each object. Don't have a gifted learner regurgitate lists or facts; give the child an activity that allows for investigation and creativity.

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