ST. BENEDICT SCHOOL
TALENTED AND GIFTED PLAn

MARCH NEWSLETTER

The Accelerated and Talented and Gifted Program is going very well this year. Student Intervention Plans and ICEPS, if applicable, are being implemented. The Accommodation Plan is sent with the report card as a reminder of the accommodations in place for your child.

In addition to the regular classroom differentiation, students in grades 1-5 are involved in a 90 minute pull-out class each week with Mrs. Rys. The program is multi age and theme based. Activities include higher level thinking and integrated curriculum.

Grades 1-2 have been working on the Discoveries Unit. Students have been exploring the complexity of the concept of discovery. Through the eyes of a tiny mouse in "Abel's Island" by William Steig, students were led to evaluate and discover their personal strengths and weaknesses. Students learned about Anthropomorphism, natural disasters and survival techniques. Students used trial and error strategies to build their own watercraft.They discovered the difference between civilized and primitive.

Through Crayons From Start to Finish by Samuel G. Woods, students learned how to look at an object in depth and discover things about it they never knew or thought about before.

Students also learned about the Gold Rush and the discovery of a gold nugget that had major effects on the history of California. They learned about supply and demand.

The final lesson in the unit will be Discovering Hopscotch. Students will learn that not all discoveries are of equal importance and that many games we enjoy today have a historical past.

Students will have a post-unit assessment to demonstrate how their concept of Discoveries has grown from the beginning to the end of the unit. The purpose of the program is to expand their thinking. All activities tap into higher level thinking skills that include demonstrating, investigating, classifying, evaluating, giving opinion, creating, imagining. Students will be moving on to the Symbols unit.

Grades 3-5 have been working on the Viewpoints Unit. Students have been examining the concept of viewpoints from many angles in this unit. From the history of child labor laws to optical illusions, Viewpoints took students through a variety of critical thinking activities. Students learned to consider others' perspectives as they learned the process of formal debate. Students re-evaluated their value systems as they were challenged to consider topics such as rich vs. poor. Students learned about illusions and how tricks, math, and magic are related during the Magical Sum activity. They explored idioms and how personal viewpoints can be influenced by a person's culture and/or background. In the final activity of the unit, students will learn about artist perspective, including "linear Perspective", a technique that helps artists make things look deep.

Students will have a post-assessment to measure how their minds have been broadened since the beginning of the unit. Students will move on to the Choices Unit.

All students in the Pull-Out Challenge Class will receive a Progress Report along with the regular second trimester Report Card.