Beginning in kindergarten and tailoring gifted methodologies for reg-
ular classroom teachers to use with all children, Bright IDEA 2 is built on
the most advanced research and best practices and focuses on empower-
ing regular classroom teachers, principals, and curriculum specialists,
through training and mentoring, to become curriculum architects for the
future. They are trained to design interdisciplinary, concept-based curricu-
lum units consistent with state standards, infused with Building Thinking
Skills (Parks & Black, 2004) and Gifted Intelligent Behaviors, and to
change their classroom environments to meet the learning styles of all chil-
dren. Students are challenged to use the full range of their talents and
intellectual abilities as they address authentic and complex academic tasks.
The program builds upon and extends the North Carolina Standard
Course of Study through rigorous concept-based integrated tasks and a
research-based thinking skills program. The teachers and principals create
scholarly environments that engage students actively and consistently in
sophisticated investigations of materials and texts, and in learning activities
that require them to understand and apply critical and creative processes
that are quite advanced for K–2 students. Students are engaged in centers
that provide task rotations through four major learning styles (Silver,
Strong, & Perini, 2000) and multiple intelligences (Gardner, 1993).
Professional Development
The professional development component built upon and extended
the work of Mary Frasier’s Talents, Attributes, and Behaviors and the
Habits of Mind that have been adapted into Gifted Intelligent Behaviors
that can be observed and documented on each child in Bright IDEA 2
classes. The first phase of training focused on integrating the state stan-
dards with Building Thinking Skills (Parks & Black, 2004), Bloom’s
revised taxonomy, Marzano’s new taxonomy (Marzano & Kendall, 2007),
mathematics research (Olive & Sheffield, 2003), and Stage 1 of Under-
standing by Design (McTighe & Wiggins, 2004). After the initial train-
ing, participants were prepared to write a concept-based interdisciplinary
unit based on a Bright IDEA design template. The units were developed
and written during a five-day summer institute under the leadership of the
design team and learning styles trainer, Dan Moirao. As a result of the
Habits of Mind in North Carolina 323