Lovejoy ISD – GATE 10

Developing gifts and talents; Connecting the pieces….. Lovejoy ISD – GATE 10 Gifted and talented curriculum

GATE 10 Staff Hart Elementary: Cynthia Anderson Shelley Cano Martha Fitzgerald Traci Reagan

GATE 10 Staff Lovejoy Elementary: Shelley Cano Martha Fitzgerald Nancy Greer Penny Meyer

GATE 10 Staff Puster Elementary: Eva Logan Debbie Rohlmeier Deanne Shaw

What is Gifted Curriculum? Curricula for the gifted and talented: • Focus on interpretation of material being investigated • Hone summative skills • Foster creativity - divergent thinking • Refine decision making and independent inquiry While instructional units for both the gifted and talented and regular curriculum can be similar, the breadth, depth, and intensity of learning activities within the gifted and talented curriculum mark it as distinctive. (OFFICE OF GIFTED AND TALENTED, U.S. OFFICE OF EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE BY THE COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN.)

GT Curriculum New to GT? Challenged – some for the first time Class (es) with intellectual peers Opportunities for intellectual & creative growth

Incorporates Elements ofDepth ….. Language of the discipline – opening the door to the discipline by using real vocabulary and specific terms Rules governing the discipline -understanding the stated and unstated rules within the discipline Important details – using details to elaborate on larger questions, unique to subject area

Incorporates Elements ofDepth ….. Patterns – examining the body of knowledge for events, elements and ideas that are repeated over time Trends – looking for connections outside the topic and noting factors that influence or contribute to a discipline Big ideas – stating the founding theories and principles of a discipline looking for connections and interrelationships

Incorporates Elements ofDepth ….. Ethical issues – tackling the tough issues of the discipline; identifying dilemmas and controversies and the impact on people Unanswered questions – identifying inconsistencies, incompleteness or what may be unknown within a discipline

….and Complexity Exploring changes within the discipline over time; interpretations of events over time Making connections across disciplines Examining multiple perspectives of issues; different points of view of stakeholders

Lovejoy ISD – Gate 10 Early Primary Program – K-2 Shelley Cano, Martha Fitzgerald, Eva Logan

K-2 Program Goals • Emphasis on higher level thinking skills • Emphasis on product-oriented learning to develop creativity • Develop decision-making and problem solving • Peer Relationships; Team Work

K-2 Program Description In-class enrichment program: Creative thinking skills and critical thinking skills are taught to the entire class - 30 min./week – each Kindergarten class - 45 min./week – 1st & 2nd grade Differentiated lessons, center activities, and support are provided by GT teacher to classroom teacher.

K-2 Program Description Pull-out Program: 1st & 2nd grade students meet with GT teacher – 3 hrs./week Curriculum is accelerated, enriched, and interdisciplinary

K-2 Program Description Curriculum includes: • advanced levels of creative and critical thinking, • group dynamics and independent study, • research skills, • problem solving, • oral & written communication skills, and • decision making

K-2 Pull-out (Sample) • Folders: ---Logic, Deductive Reasoning ---Matrix ---Brainteasers ---Perplexors • Journal Activities • Curriculum (will culminate in a mid to year-end presentation)

1st GRADE CURRICULUM FLIGHT • PART I: Flights of Nature Concepts: Students will understand the study of flight in nature through an in-depth study of bats. • PART II: Flights of Fiction Concepts: Students will understand writing patterns and styles of authors and illustrators. Tall tales will be emphasized. Students will publish at unit’s end. • PART III: Flights of Man Concepts: Students will understand the various aspects of flight---space travel, airplanes, rocketry. Unit will culminate in a rocket launch.

2ND GRADE CURRICULUM INVESTIGATIONS • PART I: Investigations of Fairy Tales Concepts:Points of view and cultures from around the world. • PART II: Investigations of Ancient Egypt Concepts: Geography, literature, communicating mathematically, and culture. Unit culminating in an Egyptian feast exhibiting students’ knowledge and research. • PART III: Investigations in Architecture Concepts: Students will investigate elements of architecture, periods in architecture, and applications for architecture in the future.

CURRICULUM Bob Eisenberg’s “The Big Six” steps for gathering information and creating research projects (big6.com) ---Task Definition ---Information Seeking Strategies ---Location/Access ---Use of Information ---Synthesis ---Evaluation Group research projects based on eight multiple intelligences Creative dramatics/presentations

Evaluation, Conferencing, Communication • Beginning with the 2nd six-weeks grading period, each child in the program will receive a Gate 10 evaluation inserted into their report cards • Parent/Teacher Conferences are held yearly and additionally as needed or requested • Newsletters and curriculum outlines

Lovejoy ISD – Gate 10 3rd - 5th Integrated Studies Program Cynthia Anderson, Nancy Greer, Debbie Rohlmeier

3rd-5th Integrated Studies Definition: • Making connections with text from personal, world, and other literary experiences • Weaving, blending, and connecting reading, writing, art, music, science, math, and social studies in pursuit of a common goal

3rd-5th Integrated Studies Purpose: • To create an awareness of enduring understandings and essential questions through a framework of depth and complexity • To increase learning potential and understanding for students • To enable students to evaluate and synthesize new learning opportunities

3rd-5th Integrated Studies Collaboration: • Collaboration is the key to success for an integrated gifted program. • The GATE 10 teachers partner and plan together on a weekly basis to ensure the learning opportunities, goals, and objectives are uniform across the district.

Components of a GATE 10 Integrated Studies • Universal theme for each grade level 3rd – Establishing Identities within Various Communities 4th – Adaptations to Adversity 5th – Diversity and Conflict Enable Opportunity • Continuous connection to other academic disciplines (Science, Art, Music, Social Studies) • Curriculum developed through the lens of Social Studies TEKS

Components of a GATE 10 Integrated Studies • Literature - Novel Studies - Multiple Genres - Independent Reading (self-selection) • Opportunities for metacognition - Bloomin’ Journals - Life Collections - Rigorous, relevant research - personal choice reading product

Novel Studies for Fifth GradeDiversity and Conflict Enable Opportunity • Bridge to Terabithia, by Paterson • George vs. George, by Schanker • Red Moon at Sharpsburg, by Wells • The Cay, by Taylor

Novel Studies for Fourth GradeAdaptations to Adversity • Esperanza Rising, by Ryan • Pictures of Hollis Woods, by Giff • Bud,Not Buddy, by Curtis • Sign of the Beaver, by Speare

Novel Studies for Third GradeEstablishing Identities within Various Communities • Harriet the Spy, by Fitzhugh • Year of the Dog, by Lin • Poppy, by Avi • Castle in the Attic, by Winthrop

Curriculum Sources • Using TEKS to guide skill inclusion • William & Mary Integrated Curriculum for Gifted Students • Caesar’s English, by Michael Clay Thompson • Reviving the Essay, by Gretchen Bernabei • Deeper Reading, by Frank Gallagher • Teaching Grammar Through Writing, by Keith Polette

Lovejoy ISD – Gate 10 3rd - 5th Math Program Shelley Cano, Penny Meyer, Traci Reagan, Deanne Shaw

3rd – 5th Math Program Goals • For students to finish the elementary GT Math program ready for success in Pre-Algebra in 6th grade. • To create mathematicians that are competent in their skills as well as confident in their abilities as problem solvers who can communicate and reason mathematically.

3rd – 5th Math Program Main Features • 90 minutes daily in the GT Math classroom • GT Math teacher is the teacher of record and is responsible for the student’s math grade • Compacted and accelerated curriculum • Current grade level TEKS taught and reviewed to mastery • Next grade level TEKS taught simultaneously

3rd – 5th Math Program Curriculum Resources • GT Math Scope & Sequence which includes current and next grade-level TEKS • M3 Gifted Math Curriculum • Newly adopted textbook – using current and next grade level books • Marcy Cook resources • Math Olympiad

3rd – 5th Math Program Collaboration between GT teachers • GT math teachers will collaborate weekly to ensure that goals, objectives, and activities are uniform across district. • Collaboration will allow for spiraling, complexity, and deepening of concepts across grade levels.

3rd – 5th Math Program Problem Solving • What you do when you don’t know what to do • Learn to value the process as much as the solution • If you already know the answer or how to solve it, then it’s not a real problem. It’s just practice.

3rd – 5th Math Program Challenge • We learn the most when we are put into a state of disequilibrium, which brings confusion and frustration and causes a strong desire to “figure it out.” • Frustration is a good thing when it’s within a safe environment where support and guidance is abundant. • By learning how to handle frustration and confusion now in a safe setting, they will know how to handle challenging situations later in their lives.

GATE 10 Program Bringing the pieces together for total talent development

Lovejoy ISD – GATE 10