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Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

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United States - Texas - San Antonio

Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

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Resources for Gifted and Advanced Learners

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DNA Extraction from Strawberries

$2.00

$S.C.A.M.P.E.R. Numbers and Math - Critical Thinking Mini-Unit$

S.C.A.M.P.E.R. Numbers and Math - Critical...

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Bulletin Board Scrabble Tile Letters

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BACK-TO-SCHOOL PROGRESSIVE PUZZLE + MAD GABS

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BACK-TO-SCHOOL PROGRESSIVE PUZZLE + MAD GABS

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

Welcome your students back in a fun and unique way! This Back-to-School puzzle set can be sent with a welcome letter or used as a first-day activity. Enjoy the bonus content as well, which includes a link to a free Back-to-School Mad Gabs®

Subjects:

English Language Arts, Gifted and Talented, Back to School

Grades:

4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th

Types:

Activities, Printables

$3.00

Digital Download PDF (2.54 MB)

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NEW YEAR's Progressive Puzzle + Two Bonus Puzzles!

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

Welcome your students back after the holiday break with a unique puzzle set! This New Year's puzzle set leads students to an inspirational quote and includes links to (1) a free January Mad Gabs® activity, (2) a free New Year Traditions logic

Subjects:

English Language Arts, Gifted and Talented, The New Year

Grades:

4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, 9^th

Types:

Activities, Printables

$2.00

Digital Download PDF (1.19 MB)

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MINI-MYSTERY Progressive Puzzle #1: "Prize in a Purloined Purse"

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

A PROGRESSIVE PUZZLE is a set of puzzles that must be solved in sequential order. The solution to the first puzzle is needed in order to solve the next puzzle, and this continues with each successive puzzle. Students will use a variety of critical

Subjects:

Math, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving

Grades:

4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, Homeschool

Types:

Activities, GATE, Printables

$2.00

Digital Download PDF (2.09 MB)

ADD TO CART

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December Progressive Puzzle ~ Who Got Which Gift?

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

⭐️ A PROGRESSIVE PUZZLE is a set of puzzles that must be solved in sequential order. The solution to the first puzzle is needed in order to solve the next puzzle, and this continues with each successive puzzle. Students will use a variety of

Subjects:

Gifted and Talented, Problem Solving, Holidays/Seasonal

Grades:

4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, Homeschool

Types:

Activities, GATE

$2.00

Digital Download PDF (1.29 MB)

ADD TO CART

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LAST DAYS OF SCHOOL Progressive Puzzle

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

Subjects:

English Language Arts, Gifted and Talented, Holidays/Seasonal

Grades:

3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th

Types:

Activities, GATE

$2.00

Digital Download PDF (2.73 MB)

ADD TO CART

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APRIL FOOL'S DAY PROGRESSIVE PUZZLE

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

Have fun playing a benign practical joke on your students while also enticing them to learn about the origin and history of April Fool's Day! A PROGRESSIVE PUZZLE is a set of puzzles that must be solved in sequential order. The solution to the first

Subjects:

English Language Arts, Gifted and Talented, Spring

Grades:

3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th

Types:

Activities, Lesson

$2.00

Digital Download PDF (8.05 MB)

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A Greek or Latin Root is Worth 1,000 Words

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

This is my absolute favorite way to introduce a year-long study of Greek and Latin roots! Students need to know your why and "buy in." What better way than to get them hooked into solving a puzzle! Present the incredibly LONG word in this slide

Subjects:

Vocabulary, Gifted and Talented, Back to School

Grades:

3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, Homeschool

Types:

Activities, GATE, Lesson

CCSS:

CCRA.L.4

$1.00

Digital Download PPTX (0.72 MB)

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BUNDLE: Spring Holiday Progressive Puzzles

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

⭐️4 Spring Holiday Puzzle Sets PROGRESSIVE PUZZLES are sets of puzzles that must be solved in sequential order. In each set, the solution to the first puzzle is needed in order to solve the next puzzle, and this continues with each successive

Subjects:

Gifted and Talented, Holidays/Seasonal

Grades:

4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th

Types:

Activities, GATE

$8.00

$6.00

Bundle

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OCTOBER PROGRESSIVE PUZZLE

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

This fall-themed puzzle can be used as a fun break from your classroom routine or as a team contest. The final message reveals some magical “tricks with treats” and the word puzzles incorporate a little trivia and history.A PROGRESSIVE PUZZLE is a

Subjects:

English Language Arts, Holidays/Seasonal, Halloween

Grades:

3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, 9^th, Homeschool

Types:

Activities, Lesson

$2.00

Digital Download PDF (1.42 MB)

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ST. PATRICK'S DAY PROGRESSIVE PUZZLE

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

Subjects:

English Language Arts, Gifted and Talented, St. Patrick's Day

Grades:

3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th

Types:

Activities, Lesson

CCSS:

CCRA.L.4, CCRA.L.6

$2.00

Digital Download PDF (1.28 MB)

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MINI-MYSTERY Progressive Puzzle #2: "Ransomed Ruby in the Ratatouille"

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

Subjects:

Gifted and Talented

Grades:

4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, Homeschool

Types:

Activities, Printables

$2.00

Digital Download PDF (1.90 MB)

ADD TO CART

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MINI-MYSTERY Progressive Puzzle #3:"Vengeance for Victims of a Valentine Vandal"

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

⭐️ Based on an actual criminal case ~ a novel puzzle set for Valentine’s Day! A PROGRESSIVE PUZZLE is a set of puzzles that must be solved in sequential order. The solution to the first puzzle is needed in order to solve the next puzzle, and this

Subjects:

Gifted and Talented, Critical Thinking, Valentine's Day

Grades:

4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th

Types:

Activities, GATE

$2.00

Digital Download PDF (1.69 MB)

ADD TO CART

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NASA's ARTEMIS Progressive Puzzle

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

⭐️ THIS UNIT INCLUDES A LINK TO COPY 20 TEACHING SLIDES INTRODUCING NASA'S ARTEMIS PROGRAM. READ MORE HERE.A PROGRESSIVE PUZZLE is a set of puzzles that must be solved in sequential order. The solution to the first puzzle is needed in order to solve

Subjects:

Science, Gifted and Talented, Critical Thinking

Grades:

4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th

Types:

Activities, Lesson

$2.00

Digital Download PDF (1.15 MB)

ADD TO CART

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Mini Olympiad Academic Contest - Indoor / Outdoor Events

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

An Academic Field Day!This Mini-Olympiad has all the fun components of an end-of-the-year field day with running, racing, and team games. But the challenges have a twist. Each race has an added “thinking” task- a puzzle to solve or a problem to work

Subjects:

Gifted and Talented, Critical Thinking, End of Year

Grades:

4^th, 5^th, 6^th

Types:

Activities, Games

$8.00

Digital Download PDF (1.84 MB)

ADD TO CART

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MYSTERIES of the DEEP SEA Progressive Puzzle

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

⭐️THIS SET INCLUDES LINKS TO ADDITIONAL RESOURCES STUDENTS CAN USE TO LEARN ABOUT THE MYSTERIES OF THE OCEAN’S TWILIGHT ZONE. A PROGRESSIVE PUZZLE is a set of puzzles that must be solved in sequential order. The solution to the first puzzle is

Subjects:

English Language Arts, Science, Gifted and Talented

Grades:

4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th

Types:

Activities, GATE, Lesson

$2.00

Digital Download PDF (1.29 MB)

ADD TO CART

WISH LIST

BUNDLE: Fall Holiday Progressive Puzzles

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

⭐️Fall Holiday Puzzle Sets PROGRESSIVE PUZZLES are sets of puzzles that must be solved in sequential order. In each set, the solution to the first puzzle is needed in order to solve the next puzzle, and this continues with each successive puzzle.

Subjects:

Gifted and Talented, Holidays/Seasonal

Grades:

4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th

Types:

Activities, GATE

$9.00

$7.00

Bundle

ADD TO CART

WISH LIST

Six Hats Thinking and Cinderella

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

Six Hats Thinking, a process developed by Edward de Bono, can be integrated into literary discussions with young children io encourage higher-level thinking and more in-depth character analysis. In these sample activities, students analyze

Subjects:

Gifted and Talented, Critical Thinking, Literature

Grades:

1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd

Types:

Activities, GATE, Lesson

FREE

Digital Download PDF (1.97 MB)

WISH LIST

$"Get to Zero" Math Game$

"Get to Zero" Math Game

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

This is a FUN way to introduce or reinforce the addition of positive and negative integers! Students love playing card games and this can be played in pairs, triads, or groups of four. The object of the game is to GET TO ZERO, or have a sum closest

Subjects:

Math, Basic Operations, Numbers

Grades:

5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, 9^th

Types:

Activities, GATE, Games

CCSS:

6.NS.C.6a

$2.00

Digital Download PDF (2.72 MB)

ADD TO CART

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Welcome Back Paired Puzzle

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

This fun BACK-TO-SCHOOL puzzle is actually a TWO-FOR-ONE! A paired puzzle is a pair of puzzles. The first puzzle must be solved in order to begin the second puzzle. This themed puzzle can be included with a WELCOME BACK letter to students or as a

Subjects:

English Language Arts, Gifted and Talented, Back to School

Grades:

3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th

Types:

Activities, GATE

FREE

Digital Download PDF (0.73 MB)

WISH LIST

Celebrate Pi Day in a Novel Way - Pilish Writing FREE

By Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher

If you celebrate Pi Day, March 14th (3/14) with your students, this is a fun writing activity to challenge students. PILISH is writing in which the digits of pi determine the number of letters in consecutive words. Included are examples and links to

Subjects:

Numbers, Gifted and Talented, Writing

Grades:

4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, 9^th, 10^th, 11^th, 12^th

Types:

PowerPoint Presentations, Activities, GATE

FREE

Digital Download PPTX (0.24 MB)

WISH LIST

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Ask Big Ideas for Little Scholars Donna Lasher a question. They will receive an automated email and will return to answer you as soon as possible. Please Login to ask your question.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Teaching is still my passion after nearly four decades. Currently, I am a "rewired" teacher, freelance writer, and content creator! All of my products are a result of my work with students and classroom-tested. I served intellectually gifted students in grades K through 5 in a pull-out program for fifteen years. I also taught 8th grade ELA and promoted schoolwide enrichment by helping teachers enrich their curriculum and by sponsoring academic contests on my campus. Most recently, I've been supervising student teachers at the university level and worked to create a resource site for GT teachers: BIG IDEAS for LITTLE SCHOLARS (bigideas4littlescholars.com). I have also published a vocabulary enrichment series called CRYPT-O-WORDS with The Critical Thinking Company and a simulation with Interact (no longer in print).

MY TEACHING STYLE

I am a facilitator of learning! I want my students to make discoveries, to enjoy the process of becoming more competent in all areas, and mostly to LOVE learning!

HONORS/AWARDS/SHINING TEACHER MOMENT

Semi-Finalist-District Teacher of the Year 2009; Campus Nominee- Trinity Prize for Excellence in Teaching- 2000, 2007; Featured in Texas Schools-What Works!-1991; Outstanding Elementary Education Major-University of New Orleans-1980

MY OWN EDUCATIONAL HISTORY

Masters in Adult Education; BA in Elementary Education

ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Author of the Crypt-O-Word vocabulary enrichment series offered through The Critical Thinking Company and published in 2022. I've also published a simulation (no longer in print) with Interact.