Cassidy Gifted and Talented News
January 24, 2020
Announcements
Save the Date!
We will have a spring PTP/GT showcase (for general intellectual ability, specific academic areas, and leadership) and a spring arts and creativity showcase (for music, art, dance, drama, and creativity). These events are an opportunity for your child to share what they have been learning in PTP/GT with their friends and family.
The spring showcase is scheduled for May 7 from 5:30-6:30pm in the cafeteria.
We will also have a showcase on May 21 (time TBA) for creativity, art, dance, drama, and music students to showcase their work. Art, dance, drama, and music will not display their work at the spring showcase, but will save their pieces for the creativity/arts showcase in the spring. This is to accommodate the length of time it takes for them to complete their pieces and to also provide them with the spaces they need to best share their work and have comfortable places for their families to view their work.
5th Grade Art GT students will have their work on display at the Louden House Art Gallery on the evening of March 20 for families to go and view them. I will pass along details as they are delivered to me.
The 5th Grade GT Language Arts students will also be showing their documentary projects at the movie theater in the downtown public library on the evening of April 13.
Recycling Help
A group of PTP students has planned a paper recycling program at Cassidy. Right now, we cannot recycle paper using our recycling dumpster, but we can collect paper and recycle it at one of the paper recycling dumpsters around town. We need parents to help pick up the recycling and deliver it to the recycling dumpsters. Here is the info:
Dear Parents,
We are 3rd grade PTP STEM students and we want more people to recycle paper. You can put paper, newspapers, magazines, and catalogs in the recycling bins. We have placed bins in all of the teacher's classrooms, but need help getting it to the recycle bins. We were hoping we could partner with PTA parents to help us get the paper to the recycle bins.
Here is a link to the drop off stations:
https://www.lexingtonky.gov/PaperRecycling
Here is a link to sign up:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZqeK3Mp6D4agtc5EdlG0oQ-dWuY2i9lVA91fqYICuhI/edit?usp=sharing
We will collect the paper each week and have it waiting for you in the office on your scheduled pick up day.
Sincerely,
Rhett, Carter, Callie, Alec, and Isabella
Opportunities:
Innovation Arts Academy Spring Opportunities
Great opportunity for students in drama, dance, music, or art! Click here for more info.
Super Saturdays and Summer Camps at WKU
Western Kentucky University (the home for the Center for Gifted Studies) hosts a series of fun workshops for GT students at the campus in Bowling Green. Click here for more info. They also have several summer camps. Click here for more info.
Duke Tip
Duke Tip is a program through Duke University that offers a variety of opportunities for GT learners in grades 4 and up. Click here for more info. Registration is now open!
Free Classes at the Fayette Mall Apple Store
The Apple Store at the Fayette Mall has a plethora of fun offerings for technology classes for kids. Check out the link for more info!
What We Are Up to This Week!
Kindergarten PTP:
Students are participating in an interdisciplinary enrichment curriculum called Envision designed specifically for gifted and talented learners. Our project is called Pet Parade. Students will select a pet that interests them and then will do a variety of activities to learn about how to care for the pet. The unit will incorporate math, science, and language arts.
1st Grade PTP:
Students are participating in an interdisciplinary enrichment curriculum called Envision designed specifically for gifted and talented learners. Their project is called Curiosity Expedition. In this project, they select a topic of interest, research it, and then write a non-fiction book about it to share with others.
2nd Grade PTP:
Students are participating in an interdisciplinary enrichment curriculum called Envision designed specifically for gifted and talented learners. They are doing a unit called Travel Passport where students will use science, social studies, math, language arts, art, and technology to plan a trip to a destination(s) of their choosing.
3rd Grade Language Arts:
Students are working on researching a historical time period or event. They will use that research to create an informational text to share with others.
3rd Grade Math:
I am co-teaching with Mrs. Dycus during math Monday-Thursday and will be doing a variety of accelerated math activities with students to advance their math skills. Currently, we are working on a fractions bakery project. Here is the link to sign up for the Mrs. Dycus's Math class Seesaw account.
PTP Leadership:
Students are applying their leadership skills to design and execute a leadership project in their class/school/community to reduce the impact that Cassidy has on climate change. This group will meet with me a few weeks in a row on a rotating basis so they will see me for a few weeks, then work on their project for a few weeks. We will repeat this rotation throughout the year. The purpose of this is to give students longer, consistent blocks of time to work on their projects with me and their leadership projects around the school/community.
3rd Grade STEM (Science and GI):
Students will be working on a project related to sustainability. They will learn what sustainability is and decide on a project that they want to do in their class/school/community. They will then work on this project throughout the school year. This group will meet with me a few weeks in a row on a rotating basis so they will see me for a few weeks, then work on their project for a few weeks. We will repeat this rotation throughout the year. The purpose of this is to give students longer, consistent blocks of time to work on their projects with me and their sustainability projects around the school/community.
PTP Art/Music/Dance/Drama/Creativity:
Students will be collaborating together to design a production/piece to perform/present at our arts showcase this spring. Students will collaborate together to highlight each of their skills to create their pieces/productions. This group will meet with me a few weeks in a row on a rotating basis so they will see me for a few weeks, then work on their project for a few weeks. We will repeat this rotation throughout the year. The purpose of this is to give students longer, consistent blocks of time to work on their projects with me and Mrs. Gilpin, Mrs. Stringer, or Mrs. Case (our district GT arts specialist).
4th Grade Language Arts:
Students will be engaging in a unit on non-fiction text. They are conducting research on a topic of their choice and then will select what they want to create for their product to share about what they learned.
4th Grade Math:
I am co-teaching with Mrs. Valentino during math Monday-Thursday and will be doing a variety of accelerated math activities with students to advance their math skills. Currently, we are working on a fraction unit.
4th Grade STEM (Science and GI):
Students will be working on a project related to sustainability. They will learn what sustainability is and decide on a project that they want to do in their class/school/community. They will then work on this project throughout the school year. This group will meet with me a few weeks in a row on a rotating basis so they will see me for a few weeks, then work on their project for a few weeks. We will repeat this rotation throughout the year. The purpose of this is to give students longer, consistent blocks of time to work on their projects with me and their sustainability projects around the school/community. This group will also be collaborating with Mrs. Patton from Bluegrass Greensource, who will be visiting our classroom periodically throughout the year to do a variety of lessons on sustainability.
4th Grade Social Studies:
TBA
5th Grade Language Arts:
Students are engaging in a documentary project where they will research a topic, develop an argument, and then create a documentary to convince you to side with them on their topic.
5th Grade STEM (Science, GI, and Math):
Students will be working on a project related to sustainability. They will learn what sustainability is and decide on a project that they want to do in their class/school/community. They will then work on this project throughout the school year. This group will meet with me a few weeks in a row on a rotating basis so they will see me for a few weeks, then work on their project for a few weeks. We will repeat this rotation throughout the year. The purpose of this is to give students longer, consistent blocks of time to work on their projects with me and their sustainability projects around the school/community. This group will also be collaborating with Mrs. Patton from Bluegrass Greensource, who will be visiting our classroom periodically throughout the year to do a variety of lessons on sustainability.
5th Grade Art:
Students have been learning about the elements of art, art over time, and art from around the world to develop a plan for the artwork they want to create. They will then create their pieces to present at our arts showcase this spring. They will also create a piece to be considered to showcase at the Loudon House for a student art show that will be happening this spring. This group will meet with me a few weeks in a row on a rotating basis so they will see me for a few weeks, then work on their project for a few weeks. We will repeat this rotation throughout the year. The purpose of this is to give students longer, consistent blocks of time to work on their projects with me and Mrs. Gilpin.
5th Grade Social Studies
Students are engaging in an economics unit where they will develop their own government and economy.
5th Grade Leadership
Students are working on a variety of projects including supporting the homeless in our area, brightening up our city and school, and fundraising for the playground improvements.
4th/5th Grade Dance:
Students will be working with me, Mrs. Valentino (our dance team coach), and Mrs. Case (our district GT arts specialist) to develop a piece to perform at our arts showcase this spring. This group will meet with me/Mrs. Valentino/Mrs. Case a few weeks in a row on a rotating basis so they will see me/Mrs. Valentino/Mrs. Case for a few weeks, then work on their project for a few weeks. We will repeat this rotation throughout the year. The purpose of this is to give students longer, consistent blocks of time to work on their projects.
4th/5th Grade Drama:
Students will be working with me, Mrs. Valentino (a skilled drama performer and teacher), and Mrs. Case (our district GT arts specialist) to develop a piece to perform at our arts showcase this spring. This group will meet with me/Mrs. Valentino/Mrs. Case a few weeks in a row on a rotating basis so they will see me/Mrs. Valentino/Mrs. Case for a few weeks, then work on their project for a few weeks. We will repeat this rotation throughout the year. The purpose of this is to give students longer, consistent blocks of time to work on their projects.
Sharing Our Work With You!
Seesaw Sign Up Links
Seesaw is an online journal where students can make posts to document and share their learning with you and each other. They can take videos and pictures, make drawings, type notes, etc. I am beginning to use it in several classes and will roll it out to more as we go along so if you do not currently see your child, please continue to check in with them or check back in to see if they have set up Seesaw yet or not. If your child participates in one of these groups, you can sign up with Seesaw to view their work by clicking on the link for their group, choosing their name from the menu, and then signing up for an account. There is also a Seesaw app you can download on your phone.
PTP/GT Dance/Music/Art/Creativity
Homeroom
Homeroom is an app/online site that lets me share pictures with you of what we are up to in PTP/GT. Here is the link to our Homeroom site!
Contact Information
Gifted and Talented Teacher
Cassidy Elementary
859-381-3018 ext 21252
angie.madden@fayette.kyschools.us
Email: angie.madden@fayette.kyschools.us
Website: www.cassidy.fcps.net
Phone: 859-381-3018