Earlier in this series, you met the eleven dimensions of depth and complexity. Today you’ll be introduced to another set of rigor-increasing, engagement-enhancing thinking tools known as the content imperatives, also developed by Sandra Kaplan.

Disclaimer: Naturally, the best place to learn to use these tools is through a training or a book by the creator.

Purpose

Much like depth and complexity, the content imperatives are thinking tools designed to dig deeper into content. They provide a simple way to differentiate curriculum and increase complexity for gifted learners. Each content imperative has a corresponding icon, just like depth and complexity. Here’s the list (good news, there’s only five!):

Origin	Paradox	Parallel	Convergence	Contribution

Resources

Although less well-known than depth and complexity, there is still some great information on the web to enhance your understanding of the content imperatives.

• Wood Ranch Elementary
• David Chung
• Content Imperative cards to post in your room.
• The Flip Book, Too

Try It With Popcorn

Again, we’ll examine the rather bland topic of popcorn using the content imperatives to add interest and rigor:

• What are the origins of popcorn?
• Examine the paradox of health and flavor in popcorn.
• What cultures have a snack food that parallels popcorn?
• What has contributed to the popularity of popcorn?
• What factors converge to cause popcorn to pop?

Apply To Your Curriculum

• What are the parallels between addition and multiplication?
• What are the origins of democracy?
• What factors converged to solve the problem in this story?
• How does heat contribute to density?
• Identify a paradox in this character’s actions and thoughts.

Start Differentiating Tomorrow!

The content imperatives provide a straight-forward way to increase the rigor of standard curriculum for your gifted students. Stay tuned for ideas on combining these tools for even more depth and complexity!

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