Transcript Lovejoy ISD – GATE 10

Developing gifts and talents;
Connecting the pieces…..
Lovejoy ISD – GATE 10
Gifted and talented curriculum
GATE 10 Staff
Hart Elementary:
Cynthia Anderson
Shelley Cano
Martha Fitzgerald
Traci Reagan
GATE 10 Staff
Lovejoy Elementary:
Shelley Cano
Martha Fitzgerald
Nancy Greer
Penny Meyer
GATE 10 Staff
Puster Elementary:
Eva Logan
Debbie Rohlmeier
Deanne Shaw
What is Gifted Curriculum?
Curricula for the gifted and talented:
 Focus on interpretation of material being investigated
 Hone summative skills
 Foster creativity - divergent thinking
 Refine decision making and independent inquiry
While instructional units for both the gifted and
talented and regular curriculum can be similar,
the breadth, depth, and intensity of learning
activities within the gifted and talented
curriculum mark it as distinctive.
(OFFICE OF GIFTED AND TALENTED, U.S. OFFICE OF EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,
EDUCATION, AND WELFARE BY THE COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN.)
GT Curriculum
New to GT?
Challenged – some for the first time
Class (es) with intellectual peers
Opportunities for intellectual &
creative growth
Incorporates Elements of
Depth …..
Language of the discipline – opening the door
to the discipline by using real vocabulary
and specific terms
Rules governing the discipline -understanding
the stated and unstated rules within the
discipline
Important details – using details to elaborate
on larger questions, unique to subject area
Incorporates Elements of
Depth …..
Patterns – examining the body of knowledge
for events, elements and ideas that are
repeated over time
Trends – looking for connections outside the
topic and noting factors that influence or
contribute to a discipline
Big ideas – stating the founding theories and
principles of a discipline looking for
connections and interrelationships
Incorporates Elements of
Depth …..
Ethical issues – tackling the tough issues of the
discipline; identifying dilemmas and
controversies and the impact on people
Unanswered questions – identifying
inconsistencies, incompleteness or what may
be unknown within a discipline
….and Complexity
Exploring changes within the discipline over
time; interpretations of events over time
Making connections across disciplines
Examining multiple perspectives of issues;
different points of view of stakeholders
Lovejoy ISD – Gate 10
Early Primary Program – K-2
Shelley Cano, Martha Fitzgerald, Eva Logan
K-2 Program Goals

Emphasis on higher level thinking skills

Emphasis on product-oriented learning
to develop creativity

Develop decision-making and problem
solving

Peer Relationships; Team Work
K-2 Program Description
In-class enrichment program:
Creative thinking skills and critical thinking
skills are taught to the entire class
- 30 min./week – each Kindergarten class
- 45 min./week – 1st & 2nd grade
Differentiated lessons, center activities, and
support are provided by GT teacher to
classroom teacher.
K-2 Program Description
Pull-out Program:
1st & 2nd grade students meet with GT
teacher – 3 hrs./week
Curriculum is accelerated, enriched, and
interdisciplinary
K-2 Program Description
Curriculum includes:
 advanced levels of creative and critical
thinking,
 group dynamics and independent study,
 research skills,
 problem solving,
 oral & written communication skills, and
 decision making
K-2 Pull-out (Sample)

Folders:
---Logic, Deductive Reasoning
---Matrix
---Brainteasers
---Perplexors

Journal Activities

Curriculum (will culminate in a mid to yearend presentation)
1st GRADE CURRICULUM
FLIGHT

PART I: Flights of Nature
Concepts: Students will understand the study of
flight in nature through an in-depth study of bats.

PART II: Flights of Fiction
Concepts: Students will understand writing
patterns and styles of authors and illustrators.
Tall tales will be emphasized. Students will
publish at unit’s end.

PART III: Flights of Man
Concepts: Students will understand the various
aspects of flight---space travel, airplanes,
rocketry. Unit will culminate in a rocket launch.
2ND GRADE CURRICULUM
INVESTIGATIONS

PART I: Investigations of Fairy Tales
Concepts: Points of view and cultures from around the
world.

PART II: Investigations of Ancient Egypt
Concepts: Geography, literature, communicating
mathematically, and culture. Unit culminating in an
Egyptian feast exhibiting students’ knowledge and
research.
• PART III: Investigations in Architecture
Concepts: Students will investigate elements of
architecture, periods in architecture, and applications for
architecture in the future.
CURRICULUM
Bob Eisenberg’s “The Big Six” steps for
gathering information and creating research
projects (big6.com)
---Task Definition
---Information Seeking Strategies
---Location/Access
---Use of Information
---Synthesis
---Evaluation
Group research projects based on eight
multiple intelligences
Creative dramatics/presentations
Evaluation, Conferencing,
Communication

Beginning with the 2nd six-weeks grading
period, each child in the program will receive
a Gate 10 evaluation inserted into their
report cards

Parent/Teacher Conferences are held yearly
and additionally as needed or requested

Newsletters and curriculum outlines
Lovejoy ISD – Gate 10
3rd - 5th Integrated Studies Program
Cynthia Anderson, Nancy Greer,
Debbie Rohlmeier
3rd-5th Integrated Studies
Definition:

Making connections with text from personal,
world, and other literary experiences

Weaving, blending, and connecting reading,
writing, art, music, science, math, and social
studies in pursuit of a common goal
3rd-5th Integrated Studies
Purpose:

To create an awareness of enduring
understandings and essential questions through
a framework of depth and complexity

To increase learning potential and understanding
for students

To enable students to evaluate and synthesize
new learning opportunities
3rd-5th Integrated Studies
Collaboration:

Collaboration is the key to success for an
integrated gifted program.

The GATE 10 teachers partner and plan together
on a weekly basis to ensure the learning
opportunities, goals, and objectives are uniform
across the district.
Components of a GATE 10
Integrated Studies

Universal theme for each grade level
3rd – Establishing Identities within Various
Communities
4th – Adaptations to Adversity
5th – Diversity and Conflict Enable
Opportunity


Continuous connection to other academic
disciplines (Science, Art, Music, Social Studies)
Curriculum developed through the lens of Social
Studies TEKS
Components of a GATE 10
Integrated Studies

Literature
- Novel Studies
- Multiple Genres
- Independent Reading (self-selection)

Opportunities for metacognition
-
Bloomin’ Journals
Life Collections
Rigorous, relevant research
personal choice reading product
Novel Studies for Fifth Grade
Diversity and Conflict Enable Opportunity

Bridge to Terabithia, by Paterson

George vs. George, by Schanker

Red Moon at Sharpsburg, by Wells

The Cay, by Taylor
Novel Studies for Fourth Grade
Adaptations to Adversity

Esperanza Rising, by Ryan

Pictures of Hollis Woods, by Giff

Bud,Not Buddy, by Curtis

Sign of the Beaver, by Speare
Novel Studies for Third Grade
Establishing Identities within Various
Communities

Harriet the Spy, by Fitzhugh

Year of the Dog, by Lin

Poppy, by Avi

Castle in the Attic, by Winthrop
Curriculum Sources

Using TEKS to guide skill inclusion

William & Mary Integrated Curriculum for Gifted
Students

Caesar’s English, by Michael Clay Thompson

Reviving the Essay, by Gretchen Bernabei

Deeper Reading, by Frank Gallagher

Teaching Grammar Through Writing, by Keith
Polette
Lovejoy ISD – Gate 10
3rd - 5th Math Program
Shelley Cano, Penny Meyer,
Traci Reagan, Deanne Shaw
3rd – 5th Math Program
Goals

For students to finish the elementary GT
Math program ready for success in PreAlgebra in 6th grade.

To create mathematicians that are
competent in their skills as well as confident
in their abilities as problem solvers who can
communicate and reason mathematically.
3rd – 5th Math Program
Main Features

90 minutes daily in the GT Math classroom

GT Math teacher is the teacher of record and is
responsible for the student’s math grade

Compacted and accelerated curriculum


Current grade level TEKS taught and reviewed to
mastery
Next grade level TEKS taught
simultaneously
3rd – 5th Math Program
Curriculum Resources

GT Math Scope & Sequence which includes
current and next grade-level TEKS

M3 Gifted Math Curriculum

Newly adopted textbook – using current and
next grade level books

Marcy Cook resources

Math Olympiad
3rd – 5th Math Program
Collaboration between GT teachers

GT math teachers will collaborate weekly to
ensure that goals, objectives, and activities
are uniform across district.

Collaboration will allow for spiraling,
complexity, and deepening of concepts
across grade levels.
3rd – 5th Math Program
Problem Solving

What you do when you don’t know what to do

Learn to value the process as much as the solution

If you already know the answer or how to solve it,
then it’s not a real problem. It’s just practice.
3rd – 5th Math Program
Challenge

We learn the most when we are put into a state of
disequilibrium, which brings confusion and frustration and
causes a strong desire to “figure it out.”

Frustration is a good thing when it’s within a safe
environment where support and guidance is abundant.

By learning how to handle frustration and confusion now in
a safe setting, they will know how to handle challenging
situations later in their lives.
GATE 10 Program
Bringing the pieces together for total talent development