Gifted Guild's Guide to Depth and Complexity: Finding Your Way Through the Framework

Finally understand Depth and Complexity… and actually use it with confidence.

If you’ve ever looked at the icons and thought, I know this is powerful, but I’m not sure I’m doing it right, you’re not alone.

Whether you’re brand new to the Depth and Complexity framework or you’ve been using it for years and want to go deeper, this book will show you exactly how to make it work in real classrooms with real students.

Written by Ian Byrd and Lisa Van Gemert (two of the most trusted voices in gifted education) Gifted Guild’s Guide to Depth and Complexity is the most comprehensive and practical guide available to this powerful framework developed by Sandra Kaplan.

What makes this book different?

This is not a theoretical overview.

This is the book teachers turn to when they want to:

• Understand what Depth and Complexity actually looks like in action
• Fix common mistakes that quietly limit student thinking
• Move beyond surface-level icon use to true intellectual rigor
• Apply the framework across subjects and grade levels
• Adapt Depth and Complexity in ways that fit their own teaching style

With 27 short, highly readable chapters, you can jump in anywhere and immediately find strategies you can use tomorrow.

Inside, you’ll learn how to:

• Use each element of Depth and Complexity with clarity and purpose
• Bring the framework to life with concrete classroom examples
• Plan lessons that deepen thinking without overwhelming students
• Support gifted learners and elevate learning for all students
• Adjust, refine, and even rethink how you currently use the framework

The result?

You won’t just “understand” Depth and Complexity.

You’ll feel completely comfortable using it.

You’ll plan with confidence, teach with intention, and create learning experiences that challenge students to think more deeply, make meaningful connections, and engage at a higher level.

If you’re ready to move from uncertainty to clarity, from good lessons to truly powerful ones, this is the guide you’ve been looking for.

Lisa Van Gemert is an educator, speaker, and consultant who specializes in gifted education and the Depth and Complexity Framework developed by Dr. Sandra Kaplan. Known to many teachers as "The Gifted Guru," Lisa has spent years helping educators make rigorous thinking practical, approachable, and engaging for all learners.
 
She has worked with schools and districts across the United States and internationally, providing professional development focused on differentiation, critical thinking, creativity, and meaningful rigor. Teachers appreciate her conversational style, classroom-ready strategies, and ability to make complex ideas easy to implement immediately.
 
Lisa is the co-author of The Gifted Guild's Guide to Depth & Complexity and the creator of numerous resources and courses designed to help educators confidently use the framework in everyday instruction.
 
When she is not teaching or writing, Lisa is usually reading children's literature, reviewing books for young readers, or creating new tools to support teachers and gifted learners.