GREAT THINKING THURSDAY
For Klein ISD Educators of Gifted Learners
November 7, 2019
Building Community With Gifted Learners
GT Field Trips
By Christina Hale, GT Advocate, Schindewolf
Emily Smith, GT Advocate, Krimmel
Lindsay Roberts, GT Advocate, Strack
Carrie Raiyawa, Program Coordinator, Advanced Academics
Schindewolf, Strack, and Krimmel each took a group of their GT students on a field trip last week. Here are some highlights!
Schindewolf Intermediate took their GT students to see “Encore” performed by the Chamber Theater at the University of Houston. The play included “The Raven”, “The Tell-Tale Heart”, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, “The Monkey’s Paw”, “The Necklace”, and “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.” Our kids had an incredible time. They loved seeing stories they have read in their English Language Arts classes come to life. This experience enriched literature lessons they have worked on in class as well as built bonds across grade levels within our GT students.
Reactions from Strack Students:
"Sleepy Hollow was my favorite play because I already knew about it from my English class."
"My favorite was the Raven because it was just a narrator on stage, and the tension kept building. The visuals were aesthetically beautiful as well."
"I liked the play titled 'The Necklace' because the plot twist was cool and unexpected. I didn't expect the diamond necklace to be FAKE."
"The Monkey's Paw was my favorite because it was dark and ended with a cliffhanger. I wanted to see what the son looked like when he was resurrected from the wish."
As a student, I loved when my teachers took us on field trips. As a teacher, I love it even more. Field trips are a fun opportunity to see our students in a different setting. Our trip to University of Houston for the Encore production of classic short stories did not disappoint. From the bus ride filled with songs and laughter to the boys and girls dressed for the theater, our sixth graders were a joy to be around! The Chambers Theater company put on an entertaining show using only five talented actors. The students were engaged and had lots to talk about at lunch and on the ride home. I am so grateful that Klein ISD, the Krimmel administration, and our Humanities parents allowed us to have this memorable day!
Student Owned Research
Building a Path to College
In this Path class, students were provided an engaging learning experience that encouraged student ownership and self reflection through peer feedback.
Shannon McCauley, 8th Grader, Strack Intermediate
In the Path elective, students participate in a college research to help them better understand the various options that are currently available. At Strack, the Path students selected different colleges and universities to learn more about, including public colleges, community colleges, and private colleges. The research had to include whether the school was private or public, 2 years or 4 years, and if it was commuter or residential. They also had to find out the student-faculty ratio, the gender ratio, the number of undergraduates, the ethnic diversity of the college, the location, the 6-year graduation rate, the tuition and fees, and the school’s mascot/team.
Everyone in the class made a poster including all of this information. In the end, they had such a great variety of schools including vocational schools, junior colleges, 4-year public and private, and even one international school!
All students then took a “gallery walk” where they gathered information on each school and
critiqued the posters of their peers. Shannon McCauley, Strack 8th Grader, shared, “It’s a good way to learn about different colleges in other states, and different types of colleges such as community, public, and private colleges, as well as learning the advantages and disadvantages of the different colleges.”
Students went to each of the posters and wrote what they liked or disliked about it and if all the information was there. The students gained great information about the different types of schools and universities and what each has to offer. It provided lots of information to help students start planning for their future.
They also learned a great deal about how to positively critique their peers work. McCauley reflected, “This was a great way to bond and communicate with the classmates without hurting their feelings because everyone always has something to work on.” As an additional “side effect,” the students also realized how to improve their own assignments.
2020 Recycling Video and Poster Contest
For more information, use the following resources:
Authentic Research Opportunities
Producing Authentic Researchers Beyond the Science Classroom
Research is a life skill that all students need to learn, and according to the Texas State Plan for Gifted, opportunities to complete authentic research should be a part of the services our Gifted Learners are receiving. (4.2 Opportunities are provided for students to pursue areas of interest in selected disciplines through guided and independent research.) While science subjects lend themselves easily to research through the scientific method, teachers of other subjects may have a hard time incorporating research into their content. Alicia Cotabish is an author and Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning at the University of Arkansas who, in this article, outlines the importance of teaching research skills and how to increase the depth and complexity for advanced learners.
By Alicia Cotabish
February 2019
Source: NAGC website
"...Nottage and Morse (2012) share a 7-step approach to teaching research methods in the early grades that focuses on a teacher-facilitated group process that includes: a)finding a topic, b )goal setting, c)researching, d)organizing facts, e)evaluating goals, f)knowledge sharing through products, and g)student presentation. Classroom teachers should also promote the importance of checking sources, asking good questions, and pursuing information while taking a practical, hands-on approach that encourages students to partake in the rewards of conducting their own empirical/action research."
Cobitash goes on to explain how you can differentiate research with high ability learners here.
Work Cited:
Cotabish, Alicia. (2019, February). Producing Authentic Researchers Beyond the Science Classroom. Retrieved November 5, 2019, from http://www.nagc.org/sites/default/files/Publication%20THP/THP_Winter_2019_SociallyScientific.pdf?mc_cid=8223c4c41d&mc_eid=c9c2b88a2a
College and Career Readiness
Taking ACTion on College and Career Readiness - Part 2
By Imee VIllarreal
Program Coordinator
Advanced Academics
Exciting things happening for ACT takers in fall of 2020:
ACT Section Retesting: For the first time in the 60-year history of the ACT test, students who have already taken the test will be allowed to retake individual ACT section tests (English, math, reading, science and/or writing), rather than having to take the entire ACT test again.
Online testing with faster score results: Students will, for the first time, have the option of online or paper testing on national test days at ACT test centers (selected test centers initially, eventually expanding to all). The test is currently administered only on paper on national test dates. Online testing offers faster results compared to traditional paper-based administration—two days compared to around two weeks.
ACT superscoring: ACT will report a superscore for students who have taken the ACT test more than once, giving colleges the option to use the student’s best scores from all test administrations, rather than scores from just one sitting, in their admission and scholarship decisions. New ACT research suggests that superscoring is actually more predictive of how students will perform in their college courses than other scoring methods.
More on the ACT to come in the following week so stay tuned!
Resources for Teachers of Gifted
Duke TIP Teachers Workshop
Program Coordinator
Advanced Academics
In the past, when Duke TIP was brought up, the focus of discussion was above-level testing for 4th - 7th graders. However, they also have an amazing resource just for teachers called Teachers Workshop (https://blogs.tip.duke.edu/teachersworkshop/).
On the website, educators can explore best practices in “The Craft of Curriculum,” investigate teaching strategies and discuss instructional challenges in gifted education in “The Art of Instruction,” and find lesson plans, writing topics, book club materials, and videos for a wide variety of content areas in the “Lesson Blueprints” and “TIP’s Curriculum Vault” sections. They also encourage educators to share their great ideas!
From Duke TIP’s Teachers Workshop website:
Teachers Workshop is a resource and community space for educators sponsored by the Duke University Talent Identification Program. Here educators of the gifted can find guidance on everyday teaching challenges, tips to inspire their instruction, and free classroom-ready lessons and materials.
Join your colleagues to share lesson ideas, and review and discuss best practices in gifted curriculum and instruction.
We’re here to inspire greater art, craft, and ideas for your classroom. The ideas you’ll find are starting points for conversation about best practices. Tell us what worked and what didn’t. We’re also here to learn what’s already working for you. Share your joys and frustrations about the art and rocket science of teaching gifted youth.
Every day presents exciting and daunting challenges for educators of the gifted: an opportunity to solve a problem or make something new happen for our students. At Teachers Workshop we strive to be invitational, conversational, and motivational so you can make what you need to for your classroom.
We talk shop about
Help us create a space where caring, committed educators of the gifted gather to refine and create best practices.
Who's Afraid of Contemporary Art?
By Jessica Jasper
Program Coordinator
Advanced Academics
Contemporary art often uses unconventional methods, media, and messages that push the boundaries of traditional art forms. Challenge your students to discover how "traditional" works of art in the Getty Museum's collection have inspired and informed contemporary artists.
How do you "grade" a Genius Hour project?
Source: YouTube - Don Wettrick: StartEdUp channel
Cultivate Talent: Multilingual Fall Conference
Working together with the Multilingual Department, Advanced Academics coordinators, Carrie Raiyawa and Carie Barber, will be hosting a breakout session called, "Identifying and Serving Linguistically Diverse Gifted Learners."
By Evelyn Cornejo
Featuring: Year 3 Blended GT Foundation
Big Future: College Checklists for High School Students
Scholarship opportunity for Education in Action programs
Scholarship opportunity for Education in Action programs
October 7, 2019
SYTA ROAD SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION PERIOD IS OPEN!
The Road Scholarship program awards funds to youth unable to afford the cost of their student group trip and may be applied to participation in both of Education in Action's student program offerings: Lone Star Leadership Academy summer camps and one-day Discover Texas Field Trips.
Based on the belief that travel is essential for a complete education, the SYTA Youth Foundation's goal is to make a positive difference through travel. Applications may be submitted October 1 – November 15, 2019.
WHO CAN APPLY? Nominations must be submitted only by an educator, program leader or designated school official. Nominations submitted by parents or guardians will not be considered.
HOW MUCH IS AWARDED PER SCHOLARSHIP? Up to $1,000 will be awarded to an individual (applies to Lone Star Leadership Academy participants); a maximum of $5,000 will be awarded to a group ('a group' can be a group of individual students nominated to attend summer Lone Star Leadership Academy camps OR a school's entire grade level taking part in a one-day Discover Texas Field Trip). Nominations requesting an award higher than the maximum will not be considered.