By Beth Smith, M. Ed. | #smithingifted

Welcome to #smithingifted! I’m Beth Smith, a gifted educator, professional development presenter, lifelong learner, and the kind of teacher who always has one more idea, one more project, and one more way to make learning more meaningful for students.

#smithingifted was created for teachers who want more than basic enrichment. It is for educators who believe gifted and high-ability learners need opportunities to think deeply, solve real problems, create original work, collaborate with others, and use technology in purposeful ways.

In my classroom, gifted education is not just about finishing early or doing extra work. It is about designing learning experiences that challenge students to ask better questions, build creative solutions, and see themselves as innovators.

What You’ll Find at #smithingifted

The #smithingifted store focuses on creative, rigorous, and ready-to-use resources for gifted and high-ability learners, especially in grades 3–5. My resources are designed to help teachers bring more creativity, STEM, robotics, coding, problem solving, and real-world learning into their classrooms.

You will find resources that support:

• Gifted education
• STEM challenges
• Robotics and coding
• Design thinking
• Choice-based learning
• Creativity and innovation
• Research projects
• Real-world problem solving
• Student reflection and portfolios
• Classroom systems that help gifted students work at their own pace

My goal is to create resources that are practical for teachers and exciting for students. I know how busy teachers are, so I want my materials to be easy to use while still offering the depth and rigor gifted learners need.

Why Robotics, Coding, and STEM Matter

One of my favorite parts of gifted education is helping students see that technology is not just something they use. It is something they can create with.

Robotics and coding give students a chance to practice problem solving in a hands-on way. They learn to test ideas, debug mistakes, collaborate with teammates, and keep trying when something does not work the first time. Those skills matter far beyond one lesson or one classroom project.

Whether students are working with micro:bits, Dash robots, Scratch, Hummingbird kits, Jr. Botball, or other STEM tools, they are learning how to think like engineers, designers, programmers, and innovators.

That is the heart of #smithingifted.

Learning Should Be Rigorous and Fun

I believe gifted students deserve learning that is both challenging and joyful. They need room to explore, create, question, and sometimes completely rethink their first idea.

That is why many #smithingifted resources are built around student choice, project-based learning, and real-world connections. I want students to have options, work at their own pace, and take ownership of their learning.

In my classroom, students may be researching local history, designing a water conservation solution, coding a robot, building a prototype, preparing for Battle of the Books, solving Continental Math League problems, or creating something completely original.

The common thread is this: students are not just completing assignments. They are thinking, creating, and growing.

The Global Innovation Lab

One of the projects I am most excited about is The Global Innovation Lab, a student-centered initiative where learners connect across communities and countries to solve real-world challenges.

Our first challenge focuses on water conservation. Students will explore water issues in their own communities, compare challenges with other classrooms, and design creative solutions as Global Water Innovators.

This project represents so much of what I believe gifted education can be: global, collaborative, innovative, and meaningful.

For the Teacher Who Wants More

If you are a teacher who wants your students to do more than memorize facts, you are in the right place.

If you want resources that include creativity, technology, STEM, robotics, coding, research, and real-world problem solving, you are in the right place.

If you believe gifted learners need depth, challenge, independence, and opportunities to lead, you are definitely in the right place.

#smithingifted is still growing, and I am so excited to continue sharing resources, ideas, projects, and professional development that support creative and rigorous gifted education.

Thank you for being here. I hope #smithingifted helps you bring more innovation, joy, and meaningful challenge into your classroom.

Let’s help students think bigger, create more, and lead the way.