Welcome!3rd-5th Grade G/T Parent

MeetingEncino Park, Room 1150

Mrs. Chandler

October 4, 2013

Try out some of our G/T Work!Check out the half-sheet at your table!

Some Characteristics of Gifted ChildrenCognitive Traits

• Very Observant• Extremely Curious• Intense interests• Excellent memory• Long attention span• Excellent reasoning skills• Quickly and easily sees relationships in ideas, objects, or facts• Fluent and flexible thinking• Elaborate and original thinking• Excellent problem solving skills• Learns quickly and with less practice and repetition• Unusual and/or vivid imagination

Language Traits • Extensive or Advanced Vocabulary• May Read Early • Reads Rapidly and Widely• Asks "what if" questions

More…Social and Emotional Traits 

• Interested in philosophical and social issues• Very sensitive, emotionally and even physically• Concerned about fairness and injustice• Perfectionist, self-critical• Energetic• Well-Developed Sense of Humor• Usually intrinsically motivated• Relates well to parents, teachers and other adults

(not necessarily other kids)

Additional Traits• Enjoys learning new things• Enjoys intellectual activity• Displays intellectual playfulness• Prefers books and magazines meant for older children• Skeptical, critical, and evaluative• Asynchronous development

Goals of the G/T Program

• To teach children to be critical thinkers, creative problem solvers, and to work with other students in understanding and practicing the dynamics of leadership and group effectiveness.

Student Expectations

• I will participate.

• I will use precise, specific words.

• I will take time to think about a problem.

• I will think about my thinking.

• I will ask complex questions about the topic.

• I will listen to what other students say.

• I will stick with a problem, even though it is difficult.

• I will offer different answers to one problem.

• I will give reasons for answers.

Graduate Profile

• A student completing 5th grade G/T should be –

• A Self-Directed Learner

• An Effective Communicator

• A Contributing Citizen

• A Collaborative Team Member

• An Adaptive Problem Solver

• A Perceptive Thinker

• A Quality Producer

Tools of the Program• Our curriculum is designed to develop higher thinker and

heightened awareness through:

• Critical thinking

• Creative thinking

• Problem solving

• Research/inquiry

• Technology

• Affective thinking

• Decision-making

• Leadership

• The Elementary G/T program encompasses the four core curriculum areas of language arts, math, social studies, and science.

Our G/T Schedule

• 3rd Grade – Tuesdays

• 4th Grade – Wednesdays

• 5th Grade – Thursdays

• All classes have recess and specials (PE, Music) at their regularly scheduled time.

• 3rd Grade Lunch – regular class, regular time

• 4th Grade Lunch @ 11:57

• 5th Grade Lunch @ 11:17

District G/T Homework Policy

• Students are not responsible for making up missed class work.

• Homework can be assigned if no classtime was provided and it’s homework for all students.

• There will be some G/T homework assignments to be complete at home. They will be written in agenda book and can usually be found on Edmodo.

3rd Grade G/T

Becoming a Thinker!What can I use as a guide to fulfill my potential?

Systems: Natural and Man-Made

• The Internet

• The Brain

Hands on Equations Level 1

Literature Studies – The Phantom Tollbooth, Tuck Everlasting.

4th Grade G/T

Mysteries and MasterpiecesWhat are my gifts and talents?

What can I do that will have meaning in the future?

Leonardo da Vinci

William Shakespeare

Hands on Equations Level 2

Literature Studies – The Wednesday Wars

5th Grade G/T

PhilosophyWhat responsibilities do I have to the world around me?

Dimensions of Character

• Eminence (Lives of Believers and Achievers)

• Philosophy – Socrates, Aristotle, Plato

Hands on Equations Level 3

Literature Studies – The Giver, Gathering Blue, and possibly more!

Student Progress

How can I see my child’s progress?

• Report Cards – January and May

• Edmodo – parent code

• Rubrics

• Work sent home

• Student Self-Evaluations/Reflections

Future Years in G/T

• Once in the 3-5 Program, students do not need to retest until the end of 5th grade.

• All current G/T students in 5th may retest.

• Testing for middle school occurs in the spring (February/March). Results are sent home in May.

• Students can test for G/T Math, G/T English, or both! I encourage my students to test for both subjects.

Technology

• Edmodo

• Google Docs

• G/T Blog

• Devices – coming soon!

• iPad

Genius Hour

• Independent Research is a great way to encourage gifted students to explore a topic of their choice in-depth.

• Students will pick a topic, research it using various resources, and present the newly learned information in an interesting format of their choice.

• 5th grade will begin Genius Hour and we will slowly incorporate 3rd and 4th grade later in the year.

• This project will be worked on throughout the school year.

Book Clubs

• Literature is a great way to explore various universal themes.

Order vs. Chaos

Change, Conflict

Patterns, Power, Structure

Systems, Relationships

• Optional

• Permission Slip on file, above level reading

• Meet about once a month during our lunch

• Students must have completed the book

• Options how to get the book – borrow, school library, public library, ebook, purchase, etc.

Field Trips

3rd Grade – Brain Expo tentatively scheduled in January

4th Grade – To Be Decided

5th Grade – Think-a-Thon at Tejeda M.S tentatively in May.

Communication

• Email is the best way to contact me –

• achand4@neisd.net

• Teacher Webpage- http://tw.neisd.net/webpages/achand4/

• Blog – Updated weekly, if not daily! http://blogs.neisd.net/achand4

• Sign up for the Edmodo parent account.

Wish List• The district school supply list reflects items

used in the regular classroom.  Here is a list of G/T classroom items we use throughout the year.  

• If you are able to help out, please feel free to bring these items the anytime throughout the school year!

• Your help with these items is greatly appreciated and makes a HUGE difference in our class! 

• Thank you in advance for your help!

Wish List• Glue sticks (Our most needed supply!) 

• Scrapbooking paper (any color/design, any size)

• Play-Doh (any color, any size container)

• Paper plates

• Black Sharpie markers - fine point or regular

• Card Stock - any color

• Oil Pastels

• Ziplock baggies - quart or gallon                    

• Clorox (any brand) cleaning wipes or baby wipes

• Gift cards – Half Price books, Amazon, B&N

Answers! • 2(x+4) + x = x + 16

3x+8=x+16 2x=8 x=4 Check 2(4+4)+4=4+16 20=20

• If two-thirds a number, increased by 4, gives the same result as one-third the number, increased by 12, what is the number?

Let xxx be the number.

x x+ 4 = x +12

x + 4=12

x=8

x x x=24

The number is 24.