Elementary GT service is based on a General Intellectual Abilities model. The elementary GT program, Challenge, is a one-day-per-week-pull-out-model for identified students in grades 1-5. Challenge students leave the regular classroom one day per week to work with the Challenge teacher, who is highly trained in the education of the gifted. Challenge curriculum includes high-interest advanced content, creative and critical thinking skills, research and technology skills, and the opportunity to pursue topics of individual interest. Each year's curriculum units are connected by a broad-based theme. The Challenge program is provided for identified students at all elementary campuses.
This year our challenge students will explore Geological Forces, Neuroscience, and Oceanography.
Challenge Curriculum Grades 1-5
Year 3- Theme: Patterns
|
Unit
|
Unit Name
|
Unit Summary
|
|
1
|
Geological Forces
|
The Geological Forces Unit will guide students to analyze the causes of historical and current geological forces and their impact on society and the environment. Students will investigate the concept that the Earth's surface is in a state of constant change, discovering how the interrelationships among geological systems reveal predictable patterns that help us make sense of the world. The unit will explore both rapid changes, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis, and slow changes caused by weathering, erosion, and deposition. A central focus will be on the theory of plate tectonics and its role in causing geological events, including the worldwide patterns of volcanic and earthquake activity like the Ring of Fire. Finally, students will examine humanity's efforts to predict, prepare for, and measure these geological events over time.
Essential Questions:
Why are patterns important?
What can we learn from observing patterns?
How does the earth change over time?
How do geological forces impact people and places?
|
|
2
|
Neuroscience
|
This Neuroscience Unit is designed for students to explore the structure and function of the human brain with a specific focus on giftedness and how the brain processes information. Students will gain an understanding of how the interrelationships among different parts of the brain reveal predictable patterns that govern everything from motor skills to memory and learning. The unit will cover the major parts of the brain and their specific functions, analyze how the brain controls and influences key cognitive processes, and delve into the concepts of giftedness, patterns of learning, and multiple intelligences. Ultimately, students will apply levels of thinking as represented on the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy and explore the significant contributions of gifted individuals throughout history.
Essential Questions:
Why are patterns important?
What can we learn from observing patterns?
What makes the human brain unique?
What does it mean to be gifted?
How do we think about thinking?
|
|
3
|
Oceanography
|
The Oceanography Unit will guide students in exploring the Earth's oceans and the rich variety of life they support, while also recognizing the critical importance of oceans in sustaining life. Students will learn that ocean patterns, such as currents and tides, are part of a predictable system that impacts the global environment. The unit will cover various ocean biomes, from coral reefs to the deep ocean, and the unique adaptations of living organisms within them. A key focus will be on the resources provided by the oceans and how human activity impacts the health of these vital ecosystems and the life forms they contain.
Essential Questions:
Why are patterns important?
What can we learn from observing patterns?
How have living organisms adapted to survive in different ocean environments?
How does human activity impact the ocean?
How do ocean patterns impact the environment?
|
Parents of elementary students receive information during the fall semester regarding screening for the GT program, and are invited to attend a parent information session held each year in October. To request GT screening, parents of students in grades 1-4 must return the Elementary Parent Checklist by the published deadline.
Students in grade 5 who are referred for GT screening will be screened for possible service in the Secondary GT Program. To request screening, parents of 5th grade students must return the Secondary Parent Checklist by the published deadline in September. Screening of 5th grade students will take place from October - January for possible service to begin in fall of the 6th grade year.
