BES GT LEADers January News
Learning Experiences for Academic Discovery
Lori Kirkhuff
Email: lori.kirkhuff@gcisd.net
Location: Bransford Elementary School, Glade Road, Colleyville, TX, United States
Phone: 817-305-4920
Twitter: @BESGTLEAD
WELCOME to GT LEAD
Upcoming Dates and Events:
Feb.2-Grades 1-4 ID Parent Information Night for GT LEAD- 6-7:00pm @ PDEC
*This meeting is only for those wanting to refer their child for GT LEAD Identification.
For more information see flyer below.
Feb. 13- Special Programs Expo 5-7:00 @ Cross Timbers Middle School (see flyer below)
Feb. 13-24th Nomination window is open for referrals in grades 1-4.
Feb. 24: SAGE Event: Pathways to College @ PDEC 5:30 Social, 6-8:30 Program
Feb. 27th -March 10th Testing in grades 1-4 for new referrals.
*NOTE: all GT LEAD Classes will be canceled during this testing window.
Note: PDEC is the GCISD Professional Building located off Hwy 26 in front of Colleyville Middle School.
Join us on our journey to greatness!
Happy New Year! 2017
Kindergarten Class of 2017- Welcome to GT LEAD !
The identification process is complete for our new 2017 kindergarten class. Letters will be mailed home today, January 20th. I am looking forward to starting classes on February 6th!
Our Class will meet on Monday and Tuesdays 11:50-12:15 pm.
First Grade LEAD
First grade just finished reading the book called The Great Fuzz Frenzy. Students were introduced to the eight elements of thought using this story. The students then used their creative strategies by focusing on fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration. We discussed the importance of Tolerance for Ambiguity and seeing things from multiple perspectives. The challenge was to create a new use for the "fuzz" from a tennis ball into a unique product. The students are currently writing a story about the adventures of this new object and look forward to presenting their projects next week. The students will then use this project to help them write a self-reflection goal to improve their level of creativity for the spring semester.
Second Grade LEAD
Second graders are busy analyzing the six main parts of the human brain. We used the 3-D Brain App to introduce our new concept. During our first week of study, students learned how the brain works and used this new knowledge to compare the human brain to an everyday object like a computer. The students did a great job evaluating both for things they have in common and how they are different. A few points we analyzed were the energy source needed to make it work, ability to send messages, the capability of multi-tasking, memory capacity and the ability to learn new information. Students then built a model of the brain as we focussed on the two hemispheres exploring the function of each main part. This week the students are busy researching and planning for a debate with other team members to determine which part of the brain is the most important. I look forward to their ability to analyze new information in order to create compelling arguments for our debate tournament. Students have resources links available in Google Classroom is they want to continue research at home.
Third Grade
This week third-grade students started a new project called 3-D Discoveries. The purpose of this project is to look at things from multiple points of view. In GT LEAD, we refer to the term Tolerance for Ambiguity to help students extend their imagination and value the uniqueness of ideas. Students will use the components of creative thinking, generate many ideas and will respond creatively to a prompt in order to build an original product. Next, they will be challenged to write a creative story to accompany their creation using the literary device of alliteration. I look forward to their upcoming presentations where products will be evaluated for originality and elaboration. Creativity will play a big part in the future for these students. Please see the video below.
Creativity in a Big Sense
Creative opportunities are all around us. By actively engaging our surroundings, we can discover innumerable creative solutions. The video below quickly explores just some endeavors that can be considered creative.
Fourth Grade LEAD
What an exciting time to be a GT LEAD 4th-grade student! Who doesn't love to build a marble run and work with simple machines? Students will begin our new study on Force and Motion by reviewing simple machines and how cause and effect can change the outcome of an event. This project will reinforce the science concepts of force and Newton's Laws of Motion. Students will research Rube Goldberg and how he drew cartoon machines that make simple tasks more difficult and complicated. Teams will be challenged to create a marble run for a competition using examples of simple machines from recycled materials. As teams work together to build a vertical marble run, they will need to use problem-solving strategies, creativity, and critical thinking. Through much trial and error, students will be trying to keep their marble suspended on their board the longest. This project requires a lot of materials to complete the task. Please see the items needed below. We will start collecting donations this week. Thank you in advance for your help on this fun project. May force and motion be with you!
Supplies Needed:
* Super Strong Velcro (Heavy Duty- Black wide rolls work the best)
*Clear Packing Tape
* Large Science Fair Tri-Fold Project Boards in any color
(Hobby Lobby gift cards are appreciated if you don't have time to shop.)
Suggested Recycled Materials:
(Please feel free to send other items you think will work as well.)
Levers: tiny boxes emery boards, ketchup cups
Wheels: ribbon spools, heavy duty plates, golf tees, toilet paper rolls
Ramps: med. sized lids, cereal boxes, paper towel rolls and large popsicle sticks
Fifth Grade LEAD
Focus: Design Process, Research Skills,
Fifth graders are continuing their research projects on "Be the Change, where they will be developing a SPARK talk to share with an audience. During the first week, we watched a video by Dr. Ryan, our superintendent as he challenged our 5th-grade LEAD scholars to be the LEADers of change to make a positive impact on the world through their SPARK Talk presentations. (SPARK stands for Speaking Passionately About Real-world Knowledge) Students are currently selecting their topics for research. They are to choose an area of interest with a focus on ideas to change someone for the better, standing up for a cause or taking my passion to the next level.
We will be planning our SPARK Talks through the lens of the Design Process. As we started the process in the "Ask" phase of the project we looked at defining what is a problem. Next, as we moved to the "Imagine" step, we brainstormed ways we could solve problems. The students then explored topics of interest or passion as we began the "Planning " stage of this project. We will continue researching our topics over the next several weeks. Next week, students will learn to evaluate valid websites when searching the internet for information and resources that are safe to use when looking for facts on their topic. In the next phase of "Create", we will learn good speaking techniques and the importance of capturing the attention of your audience at the start of your talk. From there, we will work on "Improving" our SPARK Talks with technology and lots of practice!
We would love for you to join us during our "Share" phase of this project to celebrate this challenging journey. As the presentations get closer, we will send home a calendar fo the speakers for each day. Please take a moment to visit with your child on the progress of this assignment.