Gifted and Talented Newsletter
December 2014
Look What's going on in GT!
1st Grade and 2nd Grade
We have finished introducing all the Primary Thinking skills (creative thinking, inventive thinking, deductive, convergent, evaluative and visual thinking ) and the characters that exemplify each skill. Students will be given the opportunities to experience the challenge of the thinking skills by exploring these skills in a variety of in-depth activities all year. Your child should begin bringing home stories about each character to share with you.
1st Grade will begin a new project next week and explore Weather To The Extreme!
Students will explore seasonal weather changes, as well as extreme weather and natural disasters. Their learning will culminate in a weather report in which they predict what the weather will be like in the near future. Students will have the opportunity to research and explore weather phenomenons (thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes). Our discussion will include how disasters might affect local community, and individuals. Students will have the opportunity to compare weather in other areas of the world.
2nd Grade will begin a new project called Party Planning. Students will have the opportunity to brainstorm different party ideas. Once they decide on a Party event, the fun begins. Students will create invitations, develop a budget for supplies and food, invent a game, and create a presentation to share with their class. Each student will be guided through the steps of planning a party.
3rd Grade will begin a project called Utopian Destination. Students will have the opportunity to imagine, research, plan, and design the city of their dreams. They will explore the their local community which includes the need for government, communication, transportation, and recreation. This will help students gain awareness of how communities form, the history of their local community and have opportunities to generate ideas for an ideal city.
4th Grade will continue to build and program our NXT Robotics. Students are just finishing up their first robotic project. Some students are looking at new robot programs and deciding which project they want to develop next.
We have finished introducing all the Primary Thinking skills (creative thinking, inventive thinking, deductive, convergent, evaluative and visual thinking ) and the characters that exemplify each skill. Students will be given the opportunities to experience the challenge of the thinking skills by exploring these skills in a variety of in-depth activities all year. Your child should begin bringing home stories about each character to share with you.
1st Grade will begin a new project next week and explore Weather To The Extreme!
Students will explore seasonal weather changes, as well as extreme weather and natural disasters. Their learning will culminate in a weather report in which they predict what the weather will be like in the near future. Students will have the opportunity to research and explore weather phenomenons (thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes). Our discussion will include how disasters might affect local community, and individuals. Students will have the opportunity to compare weather in other areas of the world.
2nd Grade will begin a new project called Party Planning. Students will have the opportunity to brainstorm different party ideas. Once they decide on a Party event, the fun begins. Students will create invitations, develop a budget for supplies and food, invent a game, and create a presentation to share with their class. Each student will be guided through the steps of planning a party.
3rd Grade will begin a project called Utopian Destination. Students will have the opportunity to imagine, research, plan, and design the city of their dreams. They will explore the their local community which includes the need for government, communication, transportation, and recreation. This will help students gain awareness of how communities form, the history of their local community and have opportunities to generate ideas for an ideal city.
4th Grade will continue to build and program our NXT Robotics. Students are just finishing up their first robotic project. Some students are looking at new robot programs and deciding which project they want to develop next.
Each month, one grade level will be featured. This month, we want to share the Pet Parade Project that 3rd Grade has just completed.
3rd grade -We are in need of recyclable items in January.
Save all your boxes and recyclables!
cereal boxes
Quaker Oat containers
paper towel rolls
tissue boxes
small boxes (empty macaroni boxes, taco shell boxes, granola bar boxes...)
multi size cardboard milk cartons or creamer cartons
Apps and Websites
December Favorites:
Apps: 24 and Kakooma
Websites: Kenken.com
Wishing you and your families a peaceful and blessed holiday season!
Nancy Melnick