Scope and Sequence for Creative Skill Development Through the Science Olympiad (1 Year)

Scope
How important are certain skills and concepts for the gifted
learner to master?
Van Tassel Baska (1988) states that general school
curriculum is inappropriate for gifted learners and
attributes the faults of the curriculum to be directly
related to its incompatibility with gifted students
abilities. One of these abilities and indicators of
giftedness is an innate creativity that manifests in
many ways: the ability to manipulate and arrange
information in new ways, creative questioning and
curiosity, and other forms of creative expression (art,
music, etc). In order to cultivate the skills and
abilities of gifted learners, it is highly important to
include creative strategies and skills in curriculum as it
pertains to Science Olympiad.
How broadly should various skills and concepts be presented?
Science Olympiad in its purest form requires the
participants to creatively apply new information to a
wide array of tasks. In order to apply the knowledge,
students are often asked to answer questions that are
worded strangely, manipulate materials in different
ways to achieve a desired outcome, and memorize vast
amounts of knowledge in a short period of time. These
all require the ability to utilize creative thinking and
performance skills and therefore, creative skills should
be taught explicitly within studies, as well as during
whole group problem-solving time. Creativity should

Sequence
At what stages is the gifted learner ready for certain curriculum
experiences?
*Students in Science Olympiad are in grades 3-5, all
demonstrating giftedness or gifted potential*
At the beginning of the years meetings, many of these
strategies will be new to the students. It is advisable
that students gain exposure to each strategy early so
that they may have a fully equipped tool box of skills
to apply when the need arises. Teachers should remain
present and engaged to help clear up any confusion as
students build proficiency.
What are appropriate developmental transitions in shaping
curricular order?
Exposure- students are exposed as a class to
applications of the 5 strategies. This will take place in
stand-alone activities designed around group
participation and exploration.
Guided Application- Once students have been exposed
to the strategies and they have chosen their studies and
builds, students will use the lesson plans provided as a
template for guided application of the strategies in
ways that are appropriate for each task.
Authentic Application- Once students have completed
the lesson plans; they will authentically apply the
strategies independently or as small groups to further
their knowledge. This authentic application will also
take place during the even competitions as they apply

be the backbone of the processes by which students

learn new information and begin to apply it within the
lessons for each event in the competition.
What are the critical exposures to new content that the gifted
learner should have?
New content that relates to creativity will exist in the
strategies that the students are taught.
SCAMPER
RAFT Writing
6 Thinking Hats (Group discussion and decisionmaking)
Role Play
Attribute Listing
Acrostics and Symbol Creations
How much time will be needed to engage in various topics at
an appropriate level of depth?
Students will need at least an hour to appropriately
apply each strategy, possibly more as they are
learning the techniques. As students become more
comfortable and do not have to focus on the processes
behind each skill, less time may be needed. This time
will be provided as a mixture of class meeting time and
homework assignments.
Is the teaching staff capable of delivering the nature and extent
of the proposed curriculum for the gifted learner?
One of the two teachers for Science Olympiad are
gifted certified, leading to the conclusion that they are
capable of delivering gifted content appropriately.

the strategies without support.

What is the desired cumulative effect of gifted learners

engagement in specified curriculum experiences?
Students will become proficient in multiple creative
thinking strategies that they can apply to unique
situations.
How can learning experiences be organized at sufficiently
abstract levels to accommodate fully the capacities of gifted
learners?
The structure of the Science Olympiad curriculum is
largely problem-based, requiring students to solve a
problem using strategies, skills, and knowledge that
they can generate. These problems are not made public
to the coaches or teams prior to the meets. This ensures
that learning experiences are organized at a
sufficiently abstract level.
What processes and products constitute logical extensions of
the curriculum at key points in the schooling process?
Processes: Students will develop fluency working with
multiple creative application skills that they can utilize
in authentic situations.
Products: Students will be able to create SCAMPER
charts, brainstorming lists, attribute lists, constructive
group conversations, and created study tools to assist
with memorization procedures.

Also, the structure of the meetings is completely up to

the discretion of the coaches, and therefore can be
manipulated to fit the needs of the proposed
curriculum.

Scope and Sequence for Creative Skill Development Through the Science Olympiad (5
Month Plan of Effectiveness)
Learning Objective: Students will develop higher-level creative skills through the learning of creative strategies as they
apply to Science Olympiad events.
By the end of October
Science Olympiad Activities:
Creativity Goals:
Diagnostic Test/Admission
Students will be able to identify different creative
Creativity Pre-Assessment
skills on a basic level (no application).
Exposure to skills through team-building exercises
By the end of November
Science Olympiad Activities:
Creativity Goals:
Student exploration of study possibilities
Students will be able to attribute characteristics of
Student exploration of build possibilities
different studies and builds to his/her own strengths
Student selection of studies/builds
and weaknesses (attribute listing).
Students will be able to identify a study and build
By the end of December
Science Olympiad Activities:
Creativity Goals:
Student partner work on builds/studies
Students will be able to apply creative thinking
strategies when guided by a study lesson plan.
By the end of February
Science Olympiad Activities:
Creativity Goals:
Student partner work on studies/studies
Students will be able to apply creative thinking

strategies when guided by a build lesson plan.

By the end of March
Science Olympiad Activities:
Creativity Goals:
Student partner work on builds and studies
Students will be able to effectively apply creative
County competition
thinking skills in a new and unique situation without
Creativity Post-Assessment
the guidance of a lesson plan.