This practicum was designed to increase higher level thinking skills of gifted students in primary school. The project sought to retrain students from recalling science information from the textbook to a more challenging and active form of learning through individual projects and small group and large group activities. Students were given instruction in questioning content, they learned to ask and answer higher order questions, they practiced critical thinking skills, they had real-life experiences with science, and practice was given in the use of the scientific method. Of the 26 students, at least 19 showed mastery in each area of instruction. Non-mastery by students in grades 1 and 2 was attributed to lack of experience with content and to developmental level. Appendices contain survey forms, a worksheet for understanding content in science, a worksheet for eliciting answers to higher order questions, and checklists for evaluating critical thinking skills and higher order thinking skills. Another appendix describes over 200 science projects for units on plants, weather, rocks and fossils, animals, energy (heat, light, magnetism), and current topics. (31 references) (Author/JDD)