Depth and Complexity Back to School Activities Kindergarten through 3rd Grade

This set of Depth and Complexity Back to School Activities for Kindergarten through 3rd grade will make back to school a time of learning and connection. You'll get 10 activities that are all ready to print and go!

The activities actively teach three Depth & Complexity thinking prompts while providing engaging learning experiences. If you teach gifted (or even if you don't), this is a must-have back-to-school resource. If you don't know where to start using Depth and Complexity with little ones, this is all you need.

If you don't know the framework very well or have been wanting to use Depth & Complexity but weren't sure where to start, this set of back to school actvities is perfect. You can learn right along with your students, as you see what the elements mean and the kind of thinking they can bring out in your students.

You'll get great instructions, as well as a wide variety of types of activities. You can choose as few or as many of these Depth & Complexity activities as you want to use. There are different options where appropriate for different grade levels within the Kindergarten through Third Grade band.

You don't have to use them all during the Back to School time. They can easily be used throughout the year. In fact, the last activity is a great review activity!

Included in This Depth and Complexity Back to School Resource:

✅ teacher instructions and ideas

✅ 10 different activities using 3 of the thinking prompts of Depth and Complexity

✅ Poster of the three thinking prompts used

✅ variety of activities and options

✅ all activities are low-prep

The Activities!

✍ Active Details activity

✍ Details Poster

✍ Observing Details activity with school buses

✍ Details about the Letter "A' (let's learn the letter "A", too!)

✍ Details activity using common things students know (whole-class & independent options)

✍ Learning about Ethics activity with scenarios

✍ Ethics Poster

✍ Rules activity with objects

✍ Depth and Complexity frame (whole-class, individual, color, b/w)

✍ Writing Prompt (all 3 promts and a rubric!)

✍ Let's Go to School (Image Analysis) for independent or whole-class work

✍ Review activity of all three prompts taught

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. I've never used Depth and Complexity before. Is that a problem? Nope. In fact, this is perfect for you. Everything is done for you and ready for you to use with ease.
2. How much prep is involved? For the most part, these are print-and-go. There's one activity that asks you to bring some common items from home (like shampoo).
3. I don't like fluffy stuff, even at the beginning of the year. Are these quality activities? I'm with you. I need my students to hit the ground running with deep thinking. That's why the Depth & Complexity framework is so fabulous. You can have the kind of classroom culture-building activities that are great at the beginning of the year, while still having students think critically.

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I was completely unsure how to work depth and complexity into my primary classes and this was the perfect introduction for me and my students! - Brook M.

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I love this resource for K-2! Such a great way to intro 3 of the icons to students at their level! Kids were engaged and really understood the concept. I also like that there is a review for later in the year to remind them of the thinking tool. - Kristine W.

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This is perfect for helping my younger students work with Depth and Complexity. Thank you! - Heather D.