were studying pulleys, measurements, painting techniques, and da Vinci’s
“Vitruvian Man,” all relating to the curriculum unit.
The learning strategies used were developed by teachers trained in
Bright IDEA (Interest Development Early Abilities) to implement a
concept-based curriculum unit on exploration, using the latest research
on best practices and integrating the Habits of Mind as an important
part of the unit.
Rationale for Project Bright IDEA
In 1996, the North Carolina General Assembly enacted legislation to give
local school districts more flexibility in developing and implementing
academically gifted programs for minority and economically disadvan-
taged students. In 1997, Article 9B of the North Carolina General
Statutes stated, “Outstanding abilities are present in students from all
cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human
endeavor.” As written into law, this article provides the underlying
assumption for developing research-based nurturing programs for all chil-
dren to have access to more rigorous and challenging curriculum and
provides the foundation for building and restructuring pedagogies that
promote concept-based, qualitatively differentiated curriculum includ-
ing instructional delivery and comprehensive balanced assessments.
These in-depth approaches have been developed to serve as a K–2 trans-
formational model for all students with Habits of Mind. The question is
that when students are presented with complex problems for which there
are no immediate answers, what habits do they employ to navigate the
world of vast information and create meaningful solutions? The habits
become the sustaining framework of the heart and mind for adapting and
changing students’ dispositions when required to operate successfully in
a globally competitive world.
Based on the data from the pilot project, Bright IDEA 1 and the
Bright IDEA 2 research, underrepresented student populations are per-
forming at higher levels than many teachers believed possible. These pop-
ulations include those children, regardless of race or ethnic group, who
may have language patterns and limited English experiences, cultural
backgrounds, economic disadvantages, and/or educational disadvantages,
320 Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind