Resources+for+Enrichments


 * Enrichment Resources**

//( [|www.paec.org] - go to “Resources” and click on “FloridaLearns Clearinghouse” to get more info. and to order1-877- 873-7232 ext.2245)// || || A step-by-step instructional program designed to help students become competent and confident problem solvers. It utilizes an easy-to-learn, four-step method combined with ten useful problem-solving strategies. **Great beginning of year curriculum that will really pay off as the year goes on.** //// //“The Problem Solver” 1-800-624-0822)// || **(Grades 3-8)** || Hands-On Equations is a visual and kinesthetic teaching system for **introducing algebraic concepts** to students in grades 3 to 8. Kids really enjoy it!  //( [|www.borenson.com] 1-800-993-6284)// || **(Grades 6-8)** || A Denver Public Schools math program that involves two cluster competitions (4-5 schools at a site) and a final district-wide competition || **By Coleen Kessler** **(Gr. 2-4)**  || **Uses specific picture books to teach elementary students math concepts**. Subjects covered include problem solving, geometry, measurement, algebra, and probability. (Prufrock Press || **by Kleiman (Gr. 3-9)** || You can't find a more engaging, delightful, and revolting math book out there. This is real. This is alive This is math the way it ought to be--tough, fun, **a little weird but really cool!** || **By Michael Cain** **(Gr. 5–8)** || The six units in this book each have 10 problems that deal with a variety of **real-life situations**. || **(Grades 4–10)** || **A kids’ answer to the question, “What will we ever use this for?”** This is real math shared by real people in real jobs. || **//38 Interactive Card Games//** || **Reinforces Math skills** (multiplication facts, fractions, number patterns, probability, etc) and improves active listening. Minimum prep – maximum participation. //(Creative Teaching Press [|www.creativeteaching.com] )// || **(Book 2 Gr. 4-8)** || Contains exercises that can be used to stimulate recall of information and to build deductive reasoning skills. **No prep, fun problem of the day activity.** Also includes clues for Literature, Things, and Logic. || **(Grades 3–6)** || Provides menus and tic-tac-toes that elementary-aged students can use to select exciting products that they will develop, **instead of using a traditional worksheet format**. This book includes whole numbers/operations, fractions, probability/statistics, geometry, measurement, and problem-solving. (Prufrock Press) ||
 * **Math Enrichment** || **Description** ||
 * **Sunshine Math Superstars Program (Grades K-8)** || Math Superstars program provides an **extra challenge for self-motivated math students**. It does not impinge on the normal classroom routine or the time of the teacher. Different levels to meet the needs of all students. Get the DVD set!
 * **The Problem Solver //Activities for Learning Problem-Solving Strategies//** **(Grades K-8)**
 * **Hands-On Equations**
 * **Mathletics Competition**
 * **Mathcounts** || A national math program with three competition levels; local, state and national. ||
 * **Book: Picturing Math** **//Hands-On Activities to Connect Math with Picture Book//**
 * **Book: It's Alive!: //Math Like You've Never Known It Before//**
 * **Book: Mathability //Math in the//** **//Real World//**
 * **Book: Real Life Math Mysteries**
 * **Book: I Have, Who Has?**
 * **Book: Clues by Chatham**
 * **Book: Differentiation Instruction With Menus (Math)** **by Laurie Westphal**

**(Age 8+ leveled books)** || Story problems that require deductive reasoning, logical elimination and math skills. Using clues, cross off words in a list of all possible answers to arrive at the solution. **Helps students prepare for standardized tests.** Students really enjoy Perplexors! //(MindWare [|www.mindwareonline.com] 1-800-999-0398)// || **By Fulton/Lombard** **(Intermediate grades)** || **Designing and drawing a house to scale.** || **Hands-on-Math Projects** || Math challenges for families [] || [] || []  []  ||
 * **Books: Math Perplexors**
 * **Book: A Blueprint for Geometry**
 * **Website: KidsZone Learning with NCES Create A Graph Website** || **Create a Graph** allows you to enter data and create a graph. Options include bar, line, area, pie, and XY. __ [] __ ||
 * **Website: Number & Word Puzzles** || Math number and word puzzles (crossword puzzles) [] ||
 * **Website: Figure This**
 * **Website: All Skills Practice** || Put your curser over the skill and it will show you a sample problem so that you can see if this is the skill that you want students to practice
 * ***Website: Interactivate Technology Centered Math Activities** || Tons of activities

**(Great Explorations in Math and Science) All Levels** || Each classroom session includes an overview, materials list, and preparation steps, followed by clear, step-by-step instructions. **Guides on many, many topics! //(//**// [] (510-642-7771)//   || **//14 Interactive Card Games//**   || A way for students to test and **reinforce their science content knowledge** (plants & animals, forces, motion, simple machines, etc). //(Creative Teaching Press [|www.creativeteaching.com] )// || (all levels) || __ [] __ ||
 * **Science Enrichment** || **Description** ||
 * **GEMS Guides**
 * **Book: I Have, Who Has?**
 * **Website: Zoom** || Activities from the PBS show, Zoom. **Really fun activities for a inventions club!** http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/index.html ||
 * **Website: Digital Library for Earth System Education website** (all levels) || __ [] __ ||
 * **Website: Windows to the Universe** **website**
 * **Website: SuperKids Hangman** || **Hangman games for Science** http://www.superkids.com/aweb/tools/words/hangman/ ||
 * ***The Pursuit of Technology Integration Happiness** || []  ||

**From Perfection Learning** || **The Middle School version of Jr. Great Books** (but easier to facilitate). This literature series challenges the reader, promotes critical thinking and encourages independent exploration of genres, themes, and issues. ISBN 0-7891-5051-4 || || You get 5 word cards, a mix of nouns, adjectives, and verbs, and **write a story in one minute!** Share your stories and laugh out loud. ( [|www.bafflegab.com] ) || || The ultimate **war of words** game that takes just 30 seconds to learn. It works great in a learning center, as a small group activity, or with the entire class. ( [|www.snatchwordgame.com] [|www.usgamesinc.com] ) || **38 Interactive Card Games** || A motivating and entertaining way for students to **reinforce language skills** (synonyms, antonyms, grammar, analogies, etc) and improve active listening. Minimum prep -- maximum participation. (Creative Teaching Press [|www.creativeteaching.com] ) || **by DiPrince** || Unjournaling exercises challenge a writer’s creativity and ingenuity. **Excellent book for journaling!** || **by DiPrince** || Like Unjournaling but more in-depth. **Excellent book for journaling!** || || Includes simulated **newspaper articles about fairy tale characters who broke the law**. Students become the trial judge and determine a punishment. (Pieces or Learning). ||     || **Proofreading and editing exercises with a sense of humor.** || **//by Stolmack Eaton//** || Students with a wide range of abilities, learning styles, and motivation will really enjoy the **project-based activities** provided in this book. Includes Autobiographical, Novel, Compare/Contrast, Poetry, Persuasion/Opinion, and more. **Great project ideas!** [] || **by Hank Kellner** || A collection of **photographs and writing prompts** for the classroom. Includes a **CD** to project images for all to see. Great book! ||
 * **Language Arts Enrichment** || **Description** ||
 * **DPS Information Literacy & Technology Projects (ILT) All Levels** || Provide teachers with standards-based, age-appropriate, engaging technology supportive curriculum. **Spanning the K-8 curriculum scope and sequence**, the projects focus on literacy in a cross-content application. [] ||
 * **Literature & Thought**
 * **Semantics/Spelling Bee** || Contest information is sent regularly during the school year. ||
 * **Young Authors** || A showcase of student writing by DPS elementary school aged students. ||
 * **Game: Baffle Gab //A funny story in every game!//**
 * **Game: Snatch-It Word Game**
 * **Book: I Have, Who Has?**
 * **Book: Unjournaling**
 * **Book: Yoga on the Brain**
 * **Book: Fairy Tales on Trial by Janis Silverman (also Advanced Fairy Tails on Trial for Middle School)**
 * **Book: Phunny Stuph by M.S. Samston**
 * **Book: Curriculum Candy,** **//Projects that Sweeten the Literacy Curriculim//**
 * **Book: Write What You See**

**By Bell Kiester** || This book gives you all the tools you need to teach your students how to respond to any fiction or nonfiction prompt. Includes a CD. **Great resource for teaching advanced writing tips!** //(ISBN 0-929895-93-2)// || **By Chatham (Gr. 4-8)** || Contains exercises that can be used to stimulate recall of information and to build deductive reasoning skills. **No prep, fun problem of the day activity.** Also includes clues for Math, Things, and Logic. || []  **English Resources** || [] || **(Gr. K-5)** || A collection of **Aesop’s Fables** that contain college student created **animated versions of familiar fables**. __ [] __ ||
 * **Book: Blowing Away the State Writing Assessment Test** **(Third Ed.)**
 * **Clues (Book 2)**
 * **Website: Analogy Game** || []  ||
 * **Website: The Pursuit of Technology Integration Happiness** || []  **10 Resources for Teaching Writing with Technology**
 * **Website: Blabberize** || [] 5 steps - find image, download image, reshape mouth, record, publish. **Great for research projects!****Can put a mouth on anything and it will talk!** ||
 * **Website: Spellingcity** || ** [] Use for spelling tests.** Also, click on “Play a Game” for fun spelling activities. ||
 * **Website: Letterpop** || **Create a flier.** A one-pager visual with information typed in. Use for a service project, a upcoming show, etc.
 * **Website: Aesop’s Fables Animated**
 * **Website: Inspiring Stories** || Here is a link to **inspiring stories** that can be shared with kids. http://www.gagirl.com/stories/ ||
 * **Website: SuperKids Hangman** || **Hangman games for Language/Literature** http://www.superkids.com/aweb/tools/words/hangman/ ||
 * **TikaTok website** || A free creative community where kids under 13 can write, illustrate, and publish their own books. //( [] )// ||
 * **Website: ProTeacher** || **Project-based activities for all subject areas** [] ||
 * **Cricket Magazine website** || 25th of each month- //Spider’s Corner,// Students ages 6-9, [] ||

|| A **national theme-based competition** that meets many of the Colorado Model Content Standards in History, Geography, Civics, Economics, and Reading/Writing. || //( [|www.freespirit.com] 1-800-735-7323)// || || This book contains over **500 service ideas** for young people who want to make a difference. //( [|www.freespirit.com] 1-800-735-7323)// ||
 * **S. S. Enrichment** || **Description** ||
 * **National History Day**
 * **National Geographic Bee** || A nationwide **geographic competition** for U.S. schools. ||
 * **Book: The Kid’s Guide to __Social Action__ by Barbara A. Lewis** || Includes **ready to copy and use** **social action tools** and an up-to-date resource guide with addresses, phone numbers and Web sites for other social action groups, govt. offices and awards for kids.
 * **Book: The Kid’s Guide to __Service Projects__ by Barbara A. Lewis**
 * **Website: National Geographic Kids (Gr. 3+)** || **Online magazine from National Geographic.** Provides animal information, videos, activities, stories, and more. __ [] __ ||
 * **Website: The Pursuit of Technology Integration Happiness** || []  ||
 * **Website: Archiving Early America website (Gr. 3-8)** || Site contains **movies based on the 'Famous Moments' series.** Requires Flash. __ [] __ ||
 * **Website: Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center** || DPS has purchased this for the entire districts use and it is excellent! A one-stop source for information on **today's hottest social issues.** //( [] )// ||

**by Robert Meyers (gr. K-3)** || 40 activities that are designed to persuade your students to think critically and creatively. || **By Joan Vydra (gr. 1-3)** || Designed to develop various kinds of creativity including Awareness, Curiosity, Imagination, Fluency, Flexibility, Originality, Elaboration, and Perseverance. || **by Bob** **Stanish** || **Great Literacy tie-in.** Includes classroom experiences for activating creative thinking. || || Activities include **using creative thinking to solve real problems.** || **By Chatham (Gr. 4-8)** || Contains exercises that can be used to stimulate recall of information and to build deductive reasoning skills. **No prep, fun problem of the day activity.** Also includes clues for Math, Things, and Logic. ||
 * **Creativity and Additional Enrichment** || **Description** ||
 * **Book: Mind Sparklers**
 * **Book: Primarily Creativity**
 * **Book: I Believe in Unicorns**
 * **Book: Creativity Tackle Box by Laura Magner**
 * **Psychology for Kids Vol. 1, Vol. 2 By Kincher** || 40 fun tests that help you learn about yourself. **Great for a Character Ed. or leadership group!** ||
 * **Clues (Book 2)**
 * **Optimist Brain Bowl** || Students form teams and demonstrate their knowledge of a variety of subjects such as math, science, history, current events. ||
 * **Destination Imagination** || The goals of DI are to: foster creative and critical thinking, learning and applying creative problem solving methods, developing teamwork and much much more. ||

**__Extracurricular Enrichment Activities__** The activities explained below are coordinated by the Denver Public Schools Gifted and Talented Department. However they are **not** limited to identified G/T students. **//All DPS students//** are encouraged to participate in these activities. Dates for activities and competitions are distributed to schools by the Gifted & Talented Education Department through GT Coordinators at schools. To find out more about a particular activity, contact your GT Coordinator or Becky Butz at 303 405 8274 or becky_Butz@dpsk.org

**Brain Bowl**

...Is a challenging and fun opportunity for students to participate in a rapid response general knowledge competition that promotes teamwork and enthusiasm for academics. Brain Bowl provides a framework for students to expand their classroom learning by using analysis, application, knowledge, and comprehension skills. Brain Bowl can be offered during the school day as an enrichment activity or as an after school club.

**Available to grades 6-8**

**Contact:** Becky Butz 303 405 8274

**Colorado State Spelling Bee**

...Sponsored by the Rocky Mountain News, it is designed to help students improve their spelling, vocabulary, language, and reading skills. In an effort to prepare our middle school students for this event, DPS sponsors cluster spelling bees, which familiarize students with the spelling bee format, prior to the state competition. Denver Public Schools will send 25 top spellers to the state competition.

**Available to grades 6-8**

**Contact:** Bill Shaefer 303 322 0479

Becky Butz 303 405 8274

**Destination ImagiNation (DI)** []

[]

...Is the creative problem-solving program offered by Denver Public Schools and the University of Denver. It is a school-based program that encourages divergent thinking, creative problem solving, and teamwork. Teams of up to seven students, encouraged by adult team managers, devise solutions to team challenges that they present, along with a solution to a surprise instant challenge, at the Denver Regional Tournament in the Spring. The top placing teams advance to the Colorado State Tournament where they compete for the right to represent Colorado at the Global Finals, which brings together teams from across the country and the world.

**Available to grades K-12**

**Contact:** Becky Butz 303 405 8274

[] **History Day [] **

...Is an exciting opportunity for students to study in depth about historical issues, ideas, people, and events. This program encourages students to choose a topic and research its historical significance and relationship to the annual theme. Students present their findings in papers, exhibits, performances, or documentaries, which are evaluated by historians and educators.

**Available to grades 6-12**

**Contact** Becky Butz 303 405 8274

**MathCounts**

...Is a national competition designed to stimulate 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students' interests and abilities in mathematics. Coached by teachers or volunteers, students prepare by studying a wide range of math concepts. Emphasis is on expanding math knowledge and learning how to analyze and approach problems. Schools compete in the Metro Competition in an attempt to earn the right to advance to the state and national competitions. Each school is allowed to enter one team consisting of four students plus four additional students.

**Available to grades 6-8**

**Contact:** Becky Butz 303 405 8274

**Mathletics**

...Is a math competition for DPS middle school-aged students. Schools are allowed to send up to three teams, each made up of four students plus an alternate, to each competition. Four or five schools compete at each cluster competition. The final district competition involves students from all schools at a central site. Mathletics is intended to expand the depth and breadth of students' knowledge of math concepts. It may be offered during the school day as a challenging enrichment activity or after school as a club.

**Available to grades 6-8**

**Contact:** Becky Butz 303 405 8274

**National Geography Bee** []   [] []

...Is a competition designed to challenge students' knowledge of physical and cultural geography and current events issues. School Bee winners take a written test to qualify for the state competition, where students compete to participate in the national level Geography Bee.

**Available to grades 4-8** **Contact**: National Geographic at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geographybee/

**Science Olympiad**

...Is a national program that emphasizes learning in science through active, hands-on group participation. A school team of 15 prepares during the school year to compete at the North Regional Tournament. Top teams advance to the State Competition. The top state team in each group advances to the National Competition. These inter-scholastic competitions consist of individual and team events that encourage learning in biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, problem solving, and technology.

**Available to grades 6-12**

**Contact:** Pam Fisher 303 832 1036

**Shakespeare Festival**

...Held each Spring in downtown Denver, involves hundreds of DPS students. The Festival, now in its 20th year, is designed to make Shakespeare come alive for the students. Pre-festival, curricular-based activities generate knowledge of Shakespeare and his plays. The Festival includes dance, vocal, and instrumental music, juggling, puppetry, and fencing as well as sonnets and scenes from Shakespeare's plays, all performed in the true Elizabethan style of "street theater." The Festival has grown in size and prestige since its inception. Thousands of students have come to understand and delight in the works of Shakespeare because of their participation in the Festival.

**Available to grades K-12**

**Contact:** Joe Craft 303 405 8278

**Young Authors' Conference**

...Held each Spring, is a district-wide celebration of student writing. Each elementary school selects student authors and illustrators of two books, one from grades K-2 and the other from grades 3-5, to attend this conference. Students display their published books and participate in a special program.

**Available to grades K-5**

**Contact:** Becky Butz 303 405 8274