WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL GIFTED AND TALENTED EDUCATION

WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL! GIFTED AND TALENTED EDUCATION: 4 TH GRADE MATH ACCELERATION 2018 -2019

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR ACCELERATION IN MATH? Students who are: • Quantitatively Gifted: 95 th percentile or Higher on Cog. AT • Talented: 84 -94 th percentile on Cog. AT • Talented: High proficiency in the area of math as measured by an out of grade level, 3 rd Grade Galileo end-of-year placement test your child took as a 2 nd grade student

WHO WILL MY STUDENT LEARN WITH? • Students will learn with other 4 th grade students who meet the criteria for math acceleration • One grade level teacher and the gifted teacher will work together to provide direct instruction of the 4 th and 5 th grade standards • Each teacher has or is working toward their full gifted endorsement • Our 4 th grade math acceleration teachers are: 1. Mrs. Khan 2. Mrs. Heleotes

WHAT WILL MY STUDENT LEARN? • Telescoping of the curriculum: 4 th grade students will learn 4 th and 5 th grade math standards during the year. • The curriculum will be taught to students at a more rapid pace which allows for compacting out what the group already knows. • Curriculum is designed to prepare students for advanced grade placement. • In addition to 4 th grade standards, 7 of the 5 th grade standards will be learned

EXAMPLE OF STANDARDS LEARNED AND PACING:

WHAT CURRICULUM WILL BE USED? • Mc. Graw Hill, My Math will be the primary resource for math curriculum • The mathematical practices will be integrated throughout each module • Formative assessment will be utilized to create flexible grouping for instruction within the classroom during the math period 4 5

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR ACCELERATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS? Students who are: • Verbally Gifted: 95 th percentile or Higher on Cog. AT • Talented: 84 -94 th percentile on Cog. AT • Talented: High proficiency in the area of math as measured by an out of grade level, 3 rd Grade Galileo end-of-year placement test your child took as a 2 nd grade student

WHO WILL MY STUDENT LEARN WITH? Accelerated grouping is common to gifted and talented programs. Grouping gifted/talented students is beneficial for academic and social/emotional growth. Together, within a cluster group that purposefully groups advanced or gifted/talented students, 4 th grade students will learn within the classroom along with peers who demonstrate similar readiness and/or interest in the area of English Language Arts. • Cluster Grouping ELA takes place within the classroom for daily instruction • Each teacher has or is working toward their full gifted endorsement • The site Gifted Specialist will provide curricular and/or instructional support for the classroom • Our 4 th grade Gifted and Talented Cluster English Language Arts Teachers are: 1. Mrs. Bodnar 2. Our Gifted Specialist is Mrs. Heleotes

WHAT WILL MY STUDENT LEARN? • All 4 th grade ELA standards will be learned • The curriculum will be taught to students at a more rapid pace. This will allow gifted and talented students to also read fiction and non-fiction text, complete in depth writing projects and participate in interest or readiness level book studies. • Gifted and Talented students will learn to think critically and creatively • Gifted and Talented students will make interdisciplinary connections by reading a variety of text related to unit themes

WHAT CURRICULUM WILL BE USED? • Journey’s, our newly adopted Houghton Mifflin Harcourt curriculum will be the primary resource to teach the ELA standards • Grammar, spelling and writing which are components of the HMH curriculum will be integrated throughout each unit through the use of technology, whole group and small group instruction • Fiction and Non-fiction text will teach and extend student understanding of the grade level standards • Novels, based on reading ability and/or interest will be added to support avid readers and allow for differentiated learning for advanced students

FEATURES OF THE GIFTED/TALENTED CLUSTER ELA CLASSROOM MAY INCLUDE: • Integration of the Prompts of Depth and Complexity • Questioning to foster critical and creative thinking • Learning Centers • Choice/Interest • Independent Learning and Performance Tasks specific to the unit

WILL MY CHILD HAVE MORE HOMEWORK? • Your child will not have more homework, but their homework may look different than another student in 4 th grade. • ELA homework will be mainly reading at your child’s level and practicing spelling and vocabulary. Students and their parents will choose which spelling list will be used to practice the weekly skill. Spelling and vocabulary menus will be provided for choice activities. • Math homework will typically be assigned two nights per week or as needed. • Independent enrichment activities will also be assigned throughout the school year.