GT Parent Update January 2022
January 2022
Wow! What a Great Response!
Ninety-two percent of the parents liked the Grade Level News section. In fact, many of you would like to know more about what your child is doing in class each week. Several parents have asked for activities that correlate to the topics we are discussing in class. In the Answering Parent Questions section below, we tell you how you can see your child's lessons and work on activities that correlate to your child's lessons. We have heard you and will continue to work to communicate more efficiently.
Answering Parent Questions
What happens when my child goes to middle school? Will he still receive GT?
Middle School:
GT classes (direct instruction) do not occur in middle school due to the fact our students have access to honors courses. Students can take honors classes in the core subjects (Math, ELA, SS, and Science). Additionally, math is compacted at the middle school level.
Honors 6th grade Math: All 6th-grade curriculum plus 3 units of 7th grade
Honors 7th grade Math: Combine 7th and 8th-grade curriculum
Honors 8th grade Math: Algebra 1
How do I know what my student is doing in GT each week and how she is performing on her assignments?
Most of our GT lessons are found in your child's GT Canvas Course. Students can access the Canvas course from any computer. Ask your child to show you their GT Canvas Course and what lesson he/she worked on that week. Grades 3-5 have asynchronous work that students may complete at home. Second graders have independent activities that may be completed at home as well. When in doubt, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's GT Coach. Click on the link below to find your child's GT Coach email.
Principal's Perspective of GT
Our GT coaches also regularly support our general education teachers, through the provision of resources and professional learning opportunities, in providing appropriately challenging lessons not only to our Gifted and Talented students but to all our students. Cara and Casey are extremely good at communicating the breadth of their services to teachers, administrators, and families. They also support our school beyond the GT program (advancement of instruction opportunities for students, early entry support, spelling bee, etc.). We are so fortunate to have such strong teachers and services for our GT students – we couldn’t do what we do without them!
Keith Cottrell
Northshore Elementary School
GRADE LEVEL NEWS
Second Grade
This month our second graders worked on multiple perspectives through learning how mail travels and the different jobs related to this industry. After reading How Mail Travels and discussing the diagrams from the passage, students practiced perspective-taking by writing from the point of view of a post office worker. Your child can continue his/her learning by logging into his/her Canvas account on a computer at home and completing the two independent activities at the end of this module.
Third Grade
Grade 3 students spent several weeks learning about creative thinking! Students learned about famous innovators that used creative thinking. Then students were asked to practice creative thinking through writing poetry and through pareidolia which is looking at existing items in a fresh, new way. What do you see in the picture to the left? Your child can continue his/her learning by logging into his/her Canvas account on a computer at home and completing the asynchronous activities within this module.
Fourth Grade
Students learned how note-taking can help with overall success. Then students were taught the four different ways to interpret remainders when dividing and were asked to take notes while learning this new concept. Their notes were used throughout the interpreting remainders lessons as students practiced this new learning. Then, students reflected on their own learning and created a goal for their next steps in the learning process. This module ties in with our competency skill of thinking critically to self-assess and improve my own learning. Your child can continue his/her learning by logging into his/her Canvas account on a computer at home and completing the asynchronous activities within this module.
Fifth Grade
Students will analyze two major documents during the Civil Rights Movement written by Martin Luther King Jr. and connect his peaceful movement to the 5th Grade competency of self-advocacy. Students watched the video of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech and discussed the connections between that speech and the letter from the Birmingham jail. Students will discuss with their peers how Dr. King's advocacy affected then and now. Your child can continue his/her learning by logging into his/her canvas account on a computer at home and completing the asynchronous activities within this module.