GREAT THINKING THURSDAY
For Klein ISD Educators of Gifted/Advanced Learners
February 13, 2020
Passionate about Learning, These New GT Teachers Share the Perfect Recipe for Gifted!
New Teachers of Gifted SEL Cookbook RAFT
To learn more about RAFT-complete with step by step directions visit this link: RAFT
Wanted: Teachers of Gifted: Have you Enrolled?
John Spencer Returns to Klein ISD!
Advanced Academics is excited to announce that we are bringing renowned author and educator, John Spencer, back to Klein ISD! John will be joining us for a full day of professional development on Saturday, March 21, 2020.
John is the author of the book LAUNCH which details Design Thinking and how to implement this cycle into the classroom. We have taken this cycle and incorporate it into our research milestones in order to help students design more meaningful products for their GT research. He also authored the book Empower which focuses on student owned learning.
While visiting Klein, John will be presenting professional learning on two topics: PBL for ALL, and Expower.
Klein ISD is hosting this course for the Houston Area Coop, so sign up through EventBrite at the following link: John Spencer PL
John Spencer's Latest Newsletter
Spring 2020: GT Professional Learning Playlist
Texas State Plan for Gifted: Opportunities for professional learning in the area of gifted/talented education are provided on a regular basis, and information on them is disseminated to professionals in the district.
KHS WINS REGIONAL DECATHLON!
Over the weekend all five high schools took their Academic Decathlon teams to compete at the Region 6 AcaDec Competition at Montgomery High School. This year the topic of study was: In Sickness and in Health: An Exploration of Illness and Wellness. Students study and compete against high schools from all over the greater Houston area in ten subjects. Including the subjects picture here, as well as speech, interview, and a written essay. After all the written tests are taken the teams compete in a quiz show style Super Quiz that covers material from all the subjects studied.
Klein ISD shone at the awards ceremony with all 5 high schools placing in the top 10. Klein Forest took 9th place, Klein Oak 5th place, Klein Cain 3rd, Klein Collins 2nd and Klein High took top honors in first place! Congratulations to Amy Breeding, Head Coach, and Carrie Wilkins, Assistant Coach, as well as the 8 amazing students who scored a total of 44, 849 points! (Pictured below. Top from left to right: Esther Marin, Juslyn Dhingra, Grace Allbritton. Bottom left to right: Andrew Shen, Hunter Hermantin, Josh Smith, Mace Wages, John Galaway.)
Texas State Plan for Gifted: Opportunities are provided for students to pursue areas of interest in selected disciplines through guided and independent research.
SAT Opportunity Ambassador Update
Klein ISD’s Opportunity Ambassadors are leading fellow students in SAT preparation. The official, in-school, free of charge SAT test will be given to all juniors on Wednesday, March 4th, 2020 at all Klein high schools. This week we are featuring 3 high schools and the amazing things their Ambassadors are doing.
Klein High School
Yesterday, February 11th all Juniors linked their College Board accounts to Khan Academy and were given 3 hours to practice for the SAT. Students were then offered a 14 day Boot Camp where they will be preparing during Den time to better their scores. Here is a must-see VIDEO created by the Klein High Opportunity Ambassadors about the importance of the March 4th SAT! Please share with all of the Juniors on your campus.
We also want to congratulate one of Klein High’s Ambassadors Ryan McDonald for being a recipient of the KPRC 2 Senior Scholarships. Click HERE to watch as Ryan is presented with the award.
Klein Cain High School
We want to thank Rebekah Roorda for her support of the Cain Opportunity Ambassadors and the work they are leading for SAT preparation. Ambassadors are providing tutorial sessions after school as well as Landfall SAT study sessions. They have doubled the number of attendees and we are beaming with pride!!
Klein Collins High School
KC Opportunity Ambassadors are working relentlessly alongside teachers to also prepare students for the March 4th SAT. Students attend Tiger Den prep sessions where they receive support and guidance from ELA and Math teachers. “The ambassadors did a PHENOMENAL job meeting with the juniors yesterday – breaking down the SAT and recruiting for the SAT prep day. We rotated the juniors through the auditorium about 400 at a time . . . . It was as INCREDIBLE as they are!” - DeAnne Thompson, Advanced Academics Advocate
KISD Opportunity Ambassadors: SAT Crash Course for March 4 SAT School Day!
All Klein ISD Opportunity Ambassadors would like to invite students who would like to prepare for the SAT to attend SAT-ur-day: SAT Crash Course. Please check out the flyer HERE. Students may sign up at bit.ly/SATPREP20.
Unplugged Valentine’s Day Activity
Shared by Carie Barber
Advanced Academics Program Coordinator
Get your students working on developing the 4C’s (Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration and Communication) on Friday by working in teams on an extended activity that will get your students excited about engineering a tower out of Valentine’s Day candy. Their task is to create the tallest tower using some simple and sweet supplies. This extended activity is included in the Teacher Lesson Plans for the Tynker project.
Valentine’s Day Tower
Note: This activity requires prepping. Before starting the activity, you'll need to gather supplies (e.g., Valentine's Day heart gummies, toothpicks, marshmallows, straws, scissors) that your students can use to build a tower.
● Group students into teams of 3-4. Give each team the same number of building materials. Example: Approximately 10 Valentine's Day heart gummies, 20 toothpicks, 10 marshmallows, 3 straws, scissors.
● Tell students that the goal of this activity is to work as a team and use the provided supplies to create the tallest tower that can stand on its own.
● Before students start building, ask them to sketch a plan. Next, they can build then test their design.
● Once students finish designing their tower, give them a ruler and ask them to measure how tall it is. Record their results on the classroom board.
An important final step is to have the teams communicate their challenges and successes to reflect on the process.