The Multiple Menu Model for Developing Differentiated Curriculum for the Gifted and Talented

The history of curriculum development for the gifted has witnessed a seesaw effect rather than an appropriate balance between authentic knowledge (content) and instructional techniques (process). The Multiple Menu Model is a practical set of planning guides that can assist curriculum developers in combining content with instructional strategies. Menus are provided in the areas of Knowledge, Instructional Objectives and Student Activities, Instructional Strategies, Instructional Sequences, and Artistic Modification. Each of the five planning menus is designed to provide specific forms of guidance for the construction of curricular material that is consistent with generally agreed upon goals of gifted education. A lesson planning guide is designed to synthesize and insure representation of the content and process selected from the respective menus.