GREAT THINKING THURSDAY
For Klein ISD Educators of Gifted Learners
Extending Gratitude to all our Teachers for Rekindling the Flame!
High School Independent Study Course: Research
By:
Vicki L. Hermsdorf
Chemistry I PreAP, Chemistry AP, Organic Chemistry Teacher
Science UIL and Science club Sponsor, SNHS co-sponsor
In keeping with the spirit of innovative learning and pathways, Klein High School began a Scientific Research and Design class this fall. We have fifteen students co-enrolled over four periods with AP Chemistry and PreAP Chemistry. The students work alone or in groups of two on a topic of their choosing. Each student group is walking through the research process from the initial research to the presentation of the project at the Research Expo March 5 and 6, 2019.
Some of the students are working in conjunction with a university professor or through communication with professors who have done the original work. The response from the scientific community encourages the students to continue their work.
Currently, the students’ topics cover chemistry, biology, physics, the environment, cosmetics, technology, sports, and more! The students will begin actual experimentation in the next week. We are excited that KISD has provided this opportunity to demonstrate our golden thread of innovation as our students journey from promise to purpose!
Balloonatics: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Celebrating 85 Years!
60-Second Strategy: Discussion Mapping
Following discussions with a quick reflection exercise helps students sharpen their speaking and listening skills.
October 5, 2018
Source: Edutopia
Want to know where your students are? Try G.P.S.!
By Carie Barber
AA Program Coordinator
Students are asked to pretend their brain is like a gas tank.
How full would your tank be if it were filled with all you knew about the topic?
Purdue University’s Gifted Education Research Institute (GERI) offers educators a free, downloadable, customizable General Pre-Assessment of Students (G.P.S.). This pre-assessment, is an open-ended measure that shows teachers what students already know about any topic of study. Pre-assessment allows teachers to personalize learning based on a student’s current level of understanding. When students demonstrate mastery of the content, they are provided opportunities for further challenge and investigation of topics of interest.
First students write about their background knowledge of the topic they are about to learn. Students can express their feelings about the topic and how they think they will perform on a test of the unit. Vocabulary, questions, and interest level are also assessed with the G.P.S. The final section asks students to set a goal for their learning.
Teachers provide the unit objectives and a picture relating to the topic for students to describe. The remaining open-ended questions are all included in the document.
The G.P.S. was created by Jason McIntosh in 2012 and can be downloaded from the GPS page of the GERI website. Advanced Academics would love to hear how you are using G.P.S. to differentiate instruction, so be sure to tell your Program Coordinator!
Bibliotherapy-Support for Gifted Perfectionists Part 2 Example Lesson
An example lesson for bibliotherapy can involve the book Ish by Peter H. Reynolds. This book is about a young boy named Ramon who loves to draw. After a negative remark from his brother about one of his drawings, Ramon's self-confidence is shot down. When his sister tells Ramon that his drawings have an "ish" factor to them, he begins to look at his artwork in a new way. This story can provide inspiration for gifted students who struggle with perfectionism. Seeing how a character who might be similar to them deals with negative remarks can help them see how they could deal with a similar problem.
The following discussion questions are meant to be used throughout the reading of this book to allow critical thinking skills to develop. Use the page numbers to align these questions to text.
Discussion Questions:
1. How do you think Ramon feels after his brother laughs at his drawing? Why? (pg. 6)
2. Have you ever felt like that? When? What happened? What did you do? (pg. 6)
3. Why does Ramon quit? Have you ever quit something you loved? Does quitting make you feel better or worse? Why? (pg. 10)
4. Why does “ish” change Ramon’s perspective? Could thinking “ish” about something you have trouble with change your abilities or decision to quit? Why? (pg. 20)
(Alyssa Cady, http://giftedbibliotherapy.blogspot.com/p/dealing-with-perfectionism.html)