The document discusses differentiating instruction for gifted learners through depth and complexity. It defines depth as digging deeper into curriculum to focus on more difficult and abstract aspects of a discipline. Complexity is described as relating a topic to other disciplines, considering different perspectives, and broadening knowledge. The document advocates active learning approaches that provide gifted students opportunities to explore disciplines in greater depth and complexity through reflective thinking.

1. Active Learning for ALL:
Differentiating Instruction
with Depth and Complexity
Patry Lerwick
lerwick2@aol.com

4. Giftedness is a greater
awareness, a greater
sensitivity, and a greater
ability to understand and
transform perceptions into
intellectual and emotional
experiences. (Roeper, 1982)

7. Concrete Abstract
Depth Complexity Novelty
Dependent Independent
Reflective Learners

9. Dimensions of Depth
and Complexity

10. Depth
 Discipline exploration
 How do teachers and students
dig deeper into the curriculum?
 Focus teacher’s and student’s
attention on increasingly more
difficult, divergent, and
abstract qualities of knowing a
discipline or area.

11. Big Ideas
Ethics
Rules

12. Complexity
 How the topic relates to other
disciplines
 How does perspective affect the
way disciplinarians explain their
environment?
 How knowledge is extended or
broadened

13. Across the
Disciplines
Over Time

14. A B
How is drilling oil like studying a
topic?