GE NEWS @ Woodland in December 2014
from Kris Happe, Gifted Education Specialist
IMPORTANT TESTING INFORMATION!!!!!
Information for second grade parents
All second graders will be participating in thinking-skills testing in January. Data gathered from this process and the upcoming NWEA assessments, will be used for decisions about GE services for 2015-16. You do not need to sign and return anything unless you DO NOT want your child tested.
Information for third and fourth graders.
January and early February is the time when testing for Gifted Education pull-out service takes place. Teachers in grades three and four will soon begin the data-collection process in preparation for identifying those students with the greatest need for pull-out enrichment in the 2015-2016 school year.
Teachers and parents may nominate students for this testing and students may self-nominate. Students may re-test for areas in which they do not currently qualify for GE service. Please let Kris Happe or your child's teacher know if you would like them to retake one or more of the CogAT subtests.
Grades Kindergarten, 1 and 2: Collaborative Enrichment
I spend time going into our kindergarten, first and second grade classrooms for an enrichment lesson each month. We are learning about the theory of multiple intelligences, developed by Howard Gardner.
During these sessions, the GE teacher goes in to each classroom to teach an enrichment lesson. So far we have met King Peoplopolis (who is 'people smart') and Queen Mia (who is 'self smart').
3rd Grade GE Math Smart? Fermi Who?
We have been doing math related puzzles, mazes, Sudoku and estimation on www.estimation180.com !
Last time we met, I introduced them to the concept that is the foundation of Fermi Math, a math competition that many of our classroom teachers use with their able math students.
The basis of Fermi Math is the challenge of coming up with a PLAUSIBLE solution scenerio for a question that is posed in the competition. For instance, 'How much fabric would I need to make a bathrobe for a groundhog?' The first step in the Fermi process is come up with as many questions as possible that might help you create a plausible solution/answer to the challenge question. This can really take our literal or concrete-sequential math kids by surprise~! Which is a fantastic opportunity for them to be uncomfortable and not know 'the RIGHT' answer immediately.
After break, we will be doing many 'mini' Fermi Math challenges which will use their quantitative ability to build their problem solving and creative thinking capacity.
Go to the following link to learn more about FERMI math please visit: http://www.district287.org/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=teachLearn_Gifted_fermileague_program_v4S14&category=TeachingLearning_Gifted_Fermi&submenu=0
This seminar is usually on Friday afternoons and will meet three more times in January.
4th Grade Non Verbal Simple Machine Builders~!
What I love about this group of students, is that they are not the stereotypical GE student~! (Love that!) They may become engineers, artists, architects, or industrial designers. Inventors, computer scientists, molecular scientists and theoretical physicists also call on spatial intelligence.
These scholars are using simple machines: wheet/axel, pulleys, levers, inclined planes, wedges and screws. The concept of a simple machine reducing the 'work' or effort required of a human to accomplish a task is not an easy one to grasp! Using legos to construct both simple and complex machines, and the scientific method to conduct experiments with those machines, scholars are learning more about how the world around them works.
The last session of this seminar was spent taking inventory of our lego kits and identifying for Mrs. Happe each of the simple machines and explain how they work! We have had a great time!!
Stock Market Game? Yes, please!
I have been meeting with our highly quantitatively talented 5th graders in December to share the basics of the stock market. I have used Schoology as the forum for much of their work when they are with me. They have learned what a stock market is, how it works. All students have either completed or are currently researching at least six different companies to see if they and their team would like to 'invest' in those particular companies during the Stock Market Game in January.
I will be going into two of the sixth grade math sections in January to work with over 60 scholars to prepare them for the Stock Market Game as well. Although scholars usually prefer to come out of their regular classes to participate in GE, Mrs. Sorenson and I decided we could expose more students to the wonderful opportunity if I came into some of her classes.
How does The Stock Market Game work?
Students in grades 4-12 work in teams and receive a virtual $100,000 to invest in stocks and mutual funds. Portfolios are updated daily with real-time prices. Teams make trades on the internet using real ticker symbols and watch their portfolio value change with the stock market. Our students will be competing against other teams in their age division in the state of Minnesota.
Need Holiday Gift Ideas for Your Child?
Looking for great holiday gift ideas for your child? Here is a recommended toys and games list from the National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC)
http://www.nagc.org/sites/default/files/Parent%20CK/NAGC%20ToyList%202014.pdf
Need Resources to Support Your Child's Emotional Health? Need Resources to Save Yours?
Great resources to understand the social and emotional needs of your gifted child better:
http://www.nagc.org/resources-publications/resources-parents
Chess Club or Robotics Sound Good?
Want your child to participate in a competitive Chess Club or work more with LEGO robotics?
Check out: http://www.youthenrichmentleague.com/
Young Scientist Roundtable 2014-2015: An enrichment opportunity for ALL families
Your FREE participation in each month’s Young Scientist Roundtable is funded by Gifted Education 279.
Future dates are listed below.
"New treatments for Spinal Cord Injury"
Dr. Ann Parr, University of Minnesota
"Leukemia: The Search for a Cure"
Dr. John Wagner, University of Minnesota
"Innovations in Cardiac Surgery"
Dr. Bernard Harrison
- See more at: http://www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/Page/7074#sthash.TlRIOZI5.dpuf
Middle School Updates: ATTENTION 5th and 6th Grade Parents
November Update on Grade Level Configuration News Impacting GE:
Will S+ classes continue in the middle school model?
A large team is continuing its work on the design of all aspects of the middle level program. While no decisions have been made yet specific to middle-level gifted education programming, the goal is to make those decisions in January.
Planning for new grade spans provides the opportunity to assess all of our practices, K-12, and to make adjustments where needed to improve the educational program. As part of its work to plan for a change in grade spans, the Middle Level Design Team is looking at all aspects of the middle level educational program, including services for gifted and talented students. The team is considering how best to meet the needs of gifted/talented students within the new middle school interdisciplinary teams.
Here’s where the middle level design work on this topic stands at this time:
- First, whatever the gifted and talented services look like, our staff is committed to providing challenging curriculum, differentiated instruction, and personalized learning in the middle school model.
- 6th grade classes may continue in a cluster model, as they do elementary school, for math and English/language arts. Please note, though, that final decisions are yet to be made.
- Teachers will be equipped with skills to meet the needs of advanced learners. For example, we’re working with the College Board to provide training on pre-AP teaching strategies to all middle school teachers in math, social studies, science and English/language arts. One of the ways all interdisciplinary team teachers can differentiate instruction, particularly for 7th and 8th graders, is to teach the higher-level thinking that prepares students to take AP courses in high school.
Wendy Biallas-Odell, director of Curriculum, Instruction and Educational Standards, anticipates that the Middle Level Design Team will recommend how gifted education services will be provided in the middle school interdisciplinary team model by early January.
UPDATE #12: PLANNING FOR NEW GRADE SPANS CONTINUES
Updated December 12, 2014
Planning for the transition to new grade spans continues to advance on time and on budget. Key areas of work include:
The Middle Level Design team continues its work to design all aspects of the middle level program.
Curriculum
The middle level design team is considering offerings that will be provided for exploratory/elective courses. Current 7th and 8th grade course offerings along with other options are being considered. A recommendation will be provided to administration in January 2015.
A team of current S+ teachers, curriculum team members and administrators are considering how to address the unique needs of gifted and talented students in the middle school model. A recommendation will be made to administration by the end of January 2015.
Scheduling
The team has recommended that each middle school offer a modified eight-period day that allows for two exploratory/elective classes with flexibility within the six remaining periods to offer four core classes plus advisory and lunch.
Future Planning
Next steps include providing course information for 2015-2016 registration, revising middle level report cards for 2015-16, developing the advisory curriculum and identifying additional materials that will be needed for grades 6-8.
**Woodland GE impact? It has yet to be determined how our Gifted Education staffing allocation at Woodland will be impacted by the grade level configuration change. Decisions about elementary programming adjustments will be made by the district. Stay tuned!
Kris Happe, Gifted Education Specialist, Osseo Area Schools, Minnesota
Kris Happe is a veteran educator who has two gifted children of her own. After 25 years in education, she has been a classroom teacher, a gifted education program specialist in elementary schools, as well as a district gifted coordinator. She has served on the Minnesota Department of Education’s Gifted Education Advisory Council since 2006. Kris has been a conference presenter at the Hormel Gifted Education Symposium in Austin, Minnesota as well as a guest speaker for local parents of gifted groups.
Email: happek@district279.org
Location: Woodland Elementary School, Oak Grove Parkway, Minneapolis, MN, United States
Phone: 763-315-6400
Twitter: @happekris