Mathematically Gifted Students: How Can We Meet Their Needs?

Abstract

Today, as usual, Mrs. Johnson began her 3rd-grade math class by reading aloud a thinking puzzle: Charlie, the dog, was tied to a 2-meter rope. His favorite ball was lying in the grass at least 10 yards away from him. He managed to grasp the ball easily. How did he manage to do this? Nathan's hand flew into the air just microseconds after his teacher finished posing the question. While his classmates were pondering the problem, Nathan had already formulated the answer. Surprising even Mrs. Johnson, Nathan immediately found the lateral thinking puzzle required little effort and absolutely no math. While other students were converting meters to yards, moving decimal points, and drawing pictures, Nathan realized that the other end of the rope was not attached to anything; the dog merely had a 2-meter rope tied to his collar, but was not tethered at all.