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Academics

Thinking Like a Disciplinarian

In line with the District's overall curricular framework for Gifted & Talented students, the Columbus Gifted Academy incorporates the Depth and Complexity Model into our instruction.  Developed by Dr. Sandra Kaplan, this curricular model seeks to increase rigor into the general curriculum by asking students to develop scholarly behaviors, consider knowledge through the perspective of career specialties, or disciplinarians, and to use a variety of critical thinking skills.

Curriculum

Reading, math, language arts, science, social studies, art, music, and physical education are taught through an integrated, problem-based curriculum with drama embedded throughout all grade levels with the support of our community partners. Mathematics and language arts are taught in a mastery format allowing students to progress through advanced levels of content at their own pace. Sandra Kaplan’s depth and complexity framework is integrated in standards-based curriculum to ensure appropriate rigor for the gifted learner. Supplemental language arts units developed by the College of William and Mary and supplemental math units from Kendall Hunt’s Mentoring Mathematical Minds program provide additional challenge for students. While we are not able to offer a foreign language course at this time, there will be opportunities for students to engage in independent studies, and students may elect to pursue foreign language independently.

Thinking Like a Disciplinarian

Students examine content through the lens of a specific disciplinarian. This engages students in the use of academic vocabulary and specific content knowledge. It becomes a tool for differentiation, research, and interest-based exploration. Disciplinarians can be broad, specific, or in between.

Depth & Complexity


These are strategies and skills for approaching and analyzing new information. They can be used individually or in combination.

  • Language of the Discipline - Specialized vocabulary, names of skills/tasks particular to people, working within the disciplines, tools used by the disciplinarians
  • Details – Parts, facts, describing words, attributes
  • Patterns – Predictability, repetition
  • Rules - Order, structure hierarchy, laws
  • Trends – Direction, a course that seems to follow
  • Unanswered Questions – Ambiguities, unclear ideas, incomplete ideas
  • Ethics - Points of view, different opinions, judging
  • Big Ideas - Generalization, principle, theory
  • Change Over Time – How time influences things
  • Different Perspectives – Interpretations, compare and contrast topic with perspectives
  • Across Disciplines - Relationships between areas of study

Content Imperatives

These are aspects of knowledge to explore. They can be used individually or in combination with the depth and complexity skills above.

  • Origins – Foundation, basis
  • Contributions – Value, achievement, impact
  • Parallels – Similarities, comparable phenomena
  • Convergence – Factors that come together, combinations
  • Divergence – Variations, related ideas, “spin-offs”
  • Paradox – Contradictions, irony

Big Ideas and Universal Themes

Content is tied to broad themes to help students make connections. Below is the theme selected for instruction with gifted students at each grade level. These were chosen because of their wide applicability and connection to state standards. Each has multiple generalizations that break down the big idea into more concrete understandings.

  • All Grades - Change
  • 3 - Community
  • 4 - Exploration
  • 5 - Systems
  • 6 - Force
  • 7 - Structure
  • 8 - Power and Conflict