- discovery
- integrity
- inquisitiveness
- conservation
- finding
- engineering
- teamwork
- planning
- focus
- cooperation
- problem finding
- perseverance
- good choices vs. bad choices
- sportsmanship
- self management
- technical creativity
- imagine
- idea making
- goal setting
Since we began GT this school year we have been studying and practicing the eight GT skills pictured above and below. We begin each school year in this way, in order to get familiar with what each skill means and what it feels like to use it. Today I asked your children to suggest a new skill that could be added to these important eight. I asked them to consider what gifted people like themselves need to practice in order to thrive in life. As always, they impressed me to no end with the depth of thought and consideration they gave to the question. Here are some of the things your kids believe are important for them to practice:
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Room 211 has been "abuzz" with creative & critical thinking this week! The GT cuties thoroughly impressed with their ability to problem solve, compromise, and communicate in order to accomplish their mission. The activity called "Saving Buzz Lightyear" was the root of all the excitement this week. Students had to use strong time management skills along with a bevy of thinking skills in order to save Buzz within the given time restrictions. More than half of the total project time was dedicated to planning. It was during these critical minutes that the students learned how to convey their thinking and digest the ideas of others. Compromise was a necessary ingredient to success, and each group was able to bend and meld into a unified force. Due to the precise plans that the GT cuties made, the building process was smooth and relatively stress free. Many plans had to be adapted during the building process - just like what happens so often in the real world. The students learned a great deal about the design process throughout the Saving Buzz Lightyear project. The day after building students completed a reflection activity about the project. They were given six questions and one sheet of paper. The directions guided the students to fill the paper with their own words. They could answer as few as one question or as many as six. The reflections the GT cuties wrote were exceptional! Full of detail and honesty, the students shared their ideas and opinions with confidence and fluidity. These reflections, along with any other papers we may produce this quarter, will be sent home with GT folders at the end of the nine weeks. Below you can see a video of one of the 5th grade groups as they save Buzz Lightyear. Bridge Point GT is in full swing as all grade levels have resumed classes! We've had a week full of creative and critical thinking, and every GT cutie put forth maximum effort and focus all week long. 2nd grade focused on the Blind Build challenge this week. For details about the activity please refer to last week's post. The class took on the challenge with enthusiasm and a cooperative spirit. It was difficult for them to communicate with all the restrictions in place, but they stepped up to the challenge and performed well! 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders began an activity called Saving Buzz Lightyear this week. The directions are: MISSION: Move Buzz Lightyear safely across the room and to his toy box WITHOUT touching the floor. MATERIALS:
The figurines look like this: Below you can see the toy box on the floor and how the figurines are placed in the room. The figurines are resting on the windowsills. Here is an example of the bags of materials that each group is using to perform the challenge. Students brainstormed and planned this week. On Monday, their contraptions will be built! We hope to save every Buzz Lightyear in the room!
Did you know that the EISD GT curriculum is based upon eight core skills and behaviors? The district's GT program is formed around them. They are: creative thinking, critical thinking, problem solving, interpersonal relationships, quality work, risk taking, time management, and self-discipline. We begin each year by practicing these skills, so we can refer to them during long term projects we do throughout the school year. This week students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade participated in activities designed to remind them what creative thinking and critical thinking feel like. We began with The 30 Circle Challenge - an activity that demands flexible creative thinking and strong time management. The students were given this paper: They were told to use a pencil to change the circles into something recognizable by their peers. Using multiple circles for one image is allowed, along with drawing outside the lines. The students were given a set amount of time (between 10 and 20 minutes), so they had to budget their energy and focus. Afterwards, we had a strong sharing session where students were able to view one another's work. They learned a lot about the uniqueness of creative thought and the thinking abilities of their GT classmates! We began an activity called Blind Build this week. In this group challenge students must use effective and positive communication in order to help their teammates reconstruct a structure. With each success the team took on more and more challenging rules. The full directions are located below:
Students thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of finding new ways to communicate with one another. They begged me to continue this activity next week, and I surrendered to their cuteness! So, we will spend Monday on this activity as well :-)
On Tuesday there will be no GT for any grade level due to the Early Release Day Schedule. |
This Week in GTEvery Friday Ms. O updates this page. Check here to find out more details about the learning we did in GT class this week! Archives
May 2019
GT Class Schedule
Monday - Thursday 8:00 – 8:40 4th grade 9:00 - 9:40 5th grade 9:45 – 10:15 Kindergarten 10:15 – 10:45 1st grade 11:35 – 12:15 3rd grade 12:15 – 12:55 2nd grade Come & visit us any time! |