Cassidy Gifted & Talented News
Week of December 12, 2016
Announcements
Gifted and Talented Showcase - PLEASE RESPOND BELOW IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY:
Mark your calendars! On December 14 from 5:30-6:30 in the Cassidy cafeteria, we will have our first Cassidy Gifted and Talented Showcase! This will be an opportunity for students to share what they have been working on this year in PTP/GT with their families. Please click here to respond if you/your child plan to attend or not (please respond either way) so that I can plan accordingly. Thank you!
Reading
The areas that we focus on in reading are determined based on MAP data for that particular grade level group.
ALL GRADE LEVELS: All grade levels in PTP/GT reading will be starting Book Clubs after break. In book clubs, students will read a book together in small groups. They may read the same book or they may read different books centered around the same topic or genre. They will practice their comprehension skills while reading and meet periodically to discuss the book and practice their thinking, listening, and speaking skills.
1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade: Students are working on finishing up their research and drafting their non-fiction pieces. When students develop it into a finished piece, they can self-select what they want their finished product to look like, such as a newspaper, magazine, brochure, poster, speech, website, etc.
NOTE: All 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students (and this is coming soon for 1st grade) are now enrolled in our new fun tool called Google Classroom. It is a web-based classroom platform that allows me to post assignments and for students to post their work and collaborate together. They are able to access this from anywhere (home/school/beyond) by going to www.classroom.google.com and then logging in with their e-mail addresses and passwords. Many students have been asking about this because they have wanted to work on their projects some at home so I thought I would share it with families in case they need a little help learning how to get to it on their home devices. All student e-mail addresses end with @stu.fayette.kyschools.us. They tend to remember the part that goes before the @, but are still learning the rest.
Math
In math, all groups are working on advanced level mathematics to extend their learning in this area. The topics each group is studying are listed below.
Announcement: Soon all students in PTP/GT will be enrolled in Khan Academy. This is a website that allows the students to explore math topics at all levels. It gives them a quiz to determine a starting point and then lets them engage in math at increasingly higher levels as they master each skill. This will be a great way for them to work in their classrooms and at home on math at their level. I will be sending information home about this as soon as I get student accounts set up (if they don't already have accounts).
1st Grade: Beginning multiplication and division
2nd Grade: Subtraction strategies with regrouping and multi-digit numbers
3rd Grade: Multiplication and division facts, strategies, and word problems. As we move into division, it is very important that students know their multiplication facts. As they move into more and more advanced math, it will help them with speed and accuracy. Here are some resources for them to practice at home:
https://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/math-trainer-multiply.html
http://www.multiplication.com/games/play/quick-flash-ii
http://www.mathplayground.com/multiplication01.html
http://imaginationsoup.net/2014/10/01/best-multiplication-apps-kids/
Leadership
General Intellectual
Art, Creativity, Music, Dance, and Drama
5th Grade Art: We have been working on self-selected, independent projects involving research on technique or art history combined with the creation of a piece of artwork. Students will present their works at the December showcase. Is anyone a graphic designer or does anyone know a graphic designer? The students mentioned they were interested in learning about digital art and I would love for someone to share with us. My contact info is below.
Resources and Opportunities
Opportunities:
Winter Break Classes at the Living Arts and Science Center
Resources:
The National Center for Gifted Studies is housed at our very own Western Kentucky University! They have many resources and programs available for students, teachers, and parents. As students transition to middle/high school, they have some incredible opportunities for camps and travel so keep this resource in mind for when that time comes!