Differentiate Lessons With The Content Imperatives
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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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!