Workshop Descriptor 2002-2003 Bluebonnet Celebrations Workshop
Presenter: Suzy Red 
Title: Defeating Giants
Descriptor:
For our children, the challenges that lie ahead are like giants. They are the obstacles that stand in the way of their success and happiness in the future taking the form of family breakdown, terrorism, peer pressure, fears, and substance abuse. (For Texas teachers, the giant may look like the new TAKS test!)
To prepare our children to defeat these giants, we must arm them with strength in moral character and problem solving skills. Characters in the Texas Bluebonnet Award Books for 2002-2003 model strong character traits, present opportunity to develop and sharpen problem solving skills, encourage laughter, and demonstrate the faith required to step forward from the edge of darkness.
Let them lead your students into an active, integrated curriculum that is rich in character, reading and math skills, science, social studies, research, problem solving, internet projects, and FUN...all keyed into Gardner's Multiple Intelligences and TEKS objectives with the creative TAKS practice. This authentic learning changes lives and increases motivation to grow strong to defeat giants in the future.
Participants will receive a 200 page guide filled with unique, active ideas--excellent for literary circles as well as for individual and whole class interaction. Join us for a breath of fresh curriculum that includes laughter, songs, character building, and problem solving through literature.Workshop Focus:
Using the twenty Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominated Books for 2002-2003 as a vehicle, this workshop will focus on dispelling fears about the new TAKS test by infusing the TEKS into an integrated, character-based curriculum correlated with Gardners' multiple intelligences. Based on flexible, fluent, and creative thinking, the activities inspire and challenge students to develop problem solving skills. Practice on high level skills will be included in the newest TAKS format as well as through logic puzzles, real-life projects, music, and cooperative learning.Participants will ~
...receive 6 hours of gifted and talented credit
...be familiar with the content and possibilities of each of the newest Bluebonnet Books.
...participate in problem solving extensions of the books.
...explore internet and library resources that enable students to grow skillful in research and project building.
...understand the importance of their role in weaving character into every aspect of a child's life.Back to Workshops
