Use this celebration as an opportunity to raise awareness of gifted children and the importance of high quality gifted education.  National Parenting Gifted Children Week creates an occasion for you to reach out to local media to discuss the needs of advanced students and to advocate for gifted and talented education. 

For more information:

http://www.nagc.org/index2.aspx?id=4854

Genesis: Students finished their writing workshop portfolios this week.  Their work on this project was tremendous, and students frequently expressed their observations of how exactly they have grown as writers, which was meaningful to see.  We mapped out this 6th grade year and interpreted these key narrative events in drama groups.  We began reading a play, The House of Dies Drear, adapted from the novel by Virginia Hamilton.

Legacy: This week was filled with end-of-year activities.  We held our final “Rekkas Class” on Tuesday, where students wrote a letter to their future selves (to be mailed by me in four years).

Explorers: This week was filled with end-of-year activities.  We held our final “Rekkas Class” on Tuesday, where students wrote a letter to their future selves (to be mailed by me in four years) and visually mapped out this year of 8th grade.

Legacy: Students watched and responded to The Day the Earth Stood Still, and also reviewed class graduation speeches.  Next week we will have our special goodbye G/E class.

Explorers: Students worked with the House Theater to develop dramatizations of their science fiction plot concepts.  Next week we will have our special goodbye G/E class.

Genesis: After book chats, students chose their science fiction literature circle books and began reading them during workshop.  We held our first literature circle meeting.  We focused on four-line grammar analysis skills, and students practiced identifying nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions in sentences.  Students continued developing their choice writing portfolios in writing workshop.

Legacy: Students developed and completed their final Fahrenheit 451 assessment.  This “learning agenda” helped students reflect on the nature of dystopia in the novel while practicing text analysis skills.  All students created incredible extensions to the book!

Explorers: Students worked on their science fiction story development using plot line elements.  They pitched their work to their fellow classmates for next week’s House Theatre work.

Legacy: Continue work on differentiated final assessment for Fahrenheit 451 (Block 2: due Thu 5/21; Block 3: Fri 5/22)

Explorers: Independent Reading Contract due Wednesday.  Science Fiction Project this week!

Don’t wait! June 1st is the deadline for Gifted LearningLinks (GLL) Enrichment and Accelerated Summer Option classes.

Enrichment Classes: June 15th – August 22nd (Grades 3-8)

Visit our website for engaging humanities, language arts, social studies, math & science offerings.

NEW THIS SESSION: Introduction to Computer Programming in Python

Accelerated Summer Option: June 15th –August 22nd (Grades 6-12)

Honors Classes:

U.S. History, World History, Economics,

Greek I, II, III, Latin I, II (Wheelock)

Intro to Philosophy, Logic, World Religions, World Theater

Algebra I, Algebra II/Trig, Pre-Calculus, Geometry

Chemistry, Biology, C++

English Vocabulary I, Journalistic Writing

AP Classes:

AP Calculus AB, AP Economics: Micro & Macro, AP Environmental Science,

AP Biology

For course descriptions and to apply please visit: http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/gll/

Sign up while class space is still available!

Legacy: Continue independent reading.  Your letter-essay is due Wednesday 4/29.

Explorers: Read and annotate social studies packet in preparation for this week’s essay drafting.