Advanced Learning/AIG Resources

Enrichment opportunities for students: 

• Enrichment opportunities: 

  • Afterschool programs: Contact your children's schools to see what's available

  • Polk County summer AIG Camps (Registration opens in May)

  • NC School of Science and Math summer programs: https://www.ncssm.edu/summer

• Community Organizations

  • Get on social media and email lists to get updates about programming from local libraries, Champions for Wildlife, FENCE, Polk County Parks, Recreation and Maintenance, Tryon Arts and Crafts School, Tryon Fine Arts Center, etc. (Please contact awalter@polkschool.org to add your organization to this list.)

• Support a Classroom: Follow a school on DonorsChoose (https://www.donorschoose.org/). Let your child's teachers know that you and your friends/family are prepared to help fund projects.

• Websites for students

  • The Gifted Guy (Todd Stanley) talks about executive functioning skills, project management and good study habit, and how to solve a variety of puzzles. https://www.thegiftedguy.com/enrichment

Gifted Associations

• North Carolina Association for Gifted Children (NCAGT)

  • They'll Be Fine (NOT!) podcast including

    • Overexcitabilities with Summer Cowlick, Teaching Math to Gifted Learners, How to Support the Neurodiverse Learner and many more https://open.spotify.com/episode/2PGKeszxLMZS0i5estqZ2G?si=PF6tcYBZRwG5WT1iFQ795g

  • Annual Conference: Concord, NC, March 12-13, 2026

• National Association for Gifted Children

  • Website: https://www.nagc.org/

  • Publications: https://www.nagc.org/publications 

  • On Demand Videos including Gifted Advocacy, Professional Development, Parenting Tips

• Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)

  • Website: https://exceptionalchildren.org/

• BrightLinks: Offers several different benefits to our subscribers designed to nurture the intellectual, social, emotional, and academic development of profoundly intelligent young people 

  • Website: https://www.brightlinks.us/

Parent Resources

• Todd Talks (there are many!) Examples: 

  • 5 Things Never to Say to Your Gifted Child https://youtu.be/vA38X01a85c?si=IOCsrC8RnWauGD9H

  • What are Some Good Books to Read about Raising Gifted Children https://youtu.be/MotBMImxcWM?si=gCctL-snxSSJSi-q (Please contact awalter@polkschools.org if you are interested in starting a Polk County Gifted Parents book study!)

  • 5 Ways to Work with Your Gifted Child's Teacher https://youtu.be/TXUk59VxCVY?si=285Hi0Lfajhp-9HS 

• Gifted Guru (Lisa Van Gemert (M.Ed,T.): a frequent conference keynote speaker, facilitator of educational and business professional development, expert consult to television shows, and author of articles published in magazines and peer-reviewed journals, and author of several books.

  • Resources for Parents: https://giftedguru.com/resources-for-parents/

  • Resources for Teachers: https://giftedguru.com/resources-for-educators/ 

Teacher Resources

• Project Based Learning from PBLWorks - information on how to do it and free lesson plans https://www.pblworks.org/resources-overview

• Paideia Seminar - Sample lesson plans from the National Paideia Center https://paideia.org/pages/sample-paideia-seminar-plans 

• Mathematical Thinking from Math Circles (use the grade/topic filters) https://mathcircles.org/activities/

• Puzzles from the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival https://jrmf.org/puzzle/?filter=recommended 

• The Gifted Guy resources - a variety of FREE activities for enriching and differentiating https://www.thegiftedguy.com/resources 

• Todd Talks (there are many!) Examples: 

  • Setting Up Independent Projects https://youtu.be/C4mziAkWipQ?si=87JesUH1lz_dOwc7

  • Bonus Opportunities - 4 Corners for Early Finishers https://youtu.be/p7hJe69A8tE?si=dGhFrSuDwpwWT3u2 

• DonorsChoose - Write a super quick grant to order materials. (Let families know about your request so they will fund it!) https://www.donorschoose.org/teachers

• Gifted Guru (see above) Resources for Teachers: https://giftedguru.com/resources-for-educators/