Jacob Barnett – A Real-Life Boy Genius!
At first glance, Jacob Barnett looks like an ordinary 13-year-old kid. He wears sweatshirts and backward baseball caps, goes to school, and hangs out with his family. But the reality is that Jacob is anything but ordinary! You see, Jacob is a genius……….
As a toddler, Jacob was diagnosed with autism. But as he got older, he began to show signs of incredible intelligence. And now, as a 13-year-old college student who looks to graduate at 14 and start on his PHD, Jacob is proving to the world just what an incredible mind he has!
This video tells Jacob’s amazing story.
Additional Resources:
- Here is an article about Jacob and his take on another subject – Einstein’s theory of relativity!
- Here is a video in which Jacob shows his tremendous intelligence, using the back window of his house!
Jacob at TEDx
Topics for Discussion:
- What would it be like to be nearly done college at age 13?
- As a toddler, Jacob stopped speaking from the time he was 18 months old until he was three years old. Why do you think he did this?
Take Action:
- Visit the website for My Jacob’s Place to learn more about the work Jacob’s family does for autism and how you can get involved!
- Visit the Autism Speaks website to learn more about autism and what you can do to help people with this condition.
Teacher Features:
- Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for elementary school students.
- Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for middle school students.
