Back to School Night

Welcome to the Gifted Support Program

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Introduction• Professional Background

– 16th year of teaching– Certified Language Arts and Social Studies– Certified Administrative I– 3 teaching middle school in Philadelphia– 2 teaching high school in Clayton, NJ– 8th year teaching in Hatboro Horsham School District– Masters in Education – Various advisory and coaching positions– National Junior Honor Society

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Curriculum• Grades 7 and 8 will be utilizing the PACE period at

the beginning of the day for enrichment class.• This year the students will choose two

units of study for enrichment. The classes may be a mixture of 7th and 8th graders grouped by interest.

• Students will still be pulled out of class TWO/THREE times a month for independent study/project completion time and for social/emotional goal management.

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UNITS OF STUDY

1.MOCK TRIAL-SPRING• The students are assigned a criminal case (Rosenberg Trial

is one example) and pick roles to assume. They are the lawyers, the witnesses, and in the past the members of the jury. The students learn about the legal process and the rules of criminal and civil trials. They also learn about courtroom decorum. The students engage in a great deal of research regarding the case and the people involved. The culminating activity is a visit to the District Courthouse to engage in a full MOCK TRIAL with Judge Paul Leo presiding. This is a SPRING unit due to the nature of the 7th Grade Social Studies curriculum.

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2. FUTURE CITY (STEM)-FALL

•  STEM based unit of study.  The Future City Competition is a national, project-based learning experience where students imagine, design, and build cities of the future. Students collaborate with an educator and engineer mentor to plan cities using SimCity™ software; research and write solutions to an engineering problem; build tabletop scale models with recycled materials; and present their ideas before judges at Regional Competitions in January. For more information click here: www.futurecity.org

• ANNUAL THEME “WASTE NOT, WANT NOT” (Waste management)

• FALL UNIT DUE TO DECEMBER DUE DATES AND JANUARY (SATURDAY) COMPETITION for one winning team from school

 

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Future City Components1. Project Plan: Four part plan that fosters organization, focus, and

remaining on schedule for task completion.2. Design a virtual city using SimCity software and present city’s progress via

a slideshow (PowerPoint of Prezi)3. Write a 1500 word essay that describe the unique attributes of the city

and provides a solution to this year’s problem (Waste Not, Want Not…designing an innovative citywide solid waste management system that is safe, environmentally sound, and energy efficient). This is to be in MLA format and include citations. NO WIKIPEDIA.

4. City Model: Build a physical model made from recycled materials. This must have at least one moving part, be built to scale, and may not exceed a $100 budget. WE CAN USE THE 3D PRINTER FOR THIS BUT THERE ARE COMPETITION RESTRICTIONS.

5. City Presentation: 7 Minute Presentation with a 5-8 minute question and answer session with judges

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3. National History Day Project-FALL

• Students will conduct higher-level research based on the theme “Exploration, Encounter, Exchange in History”

• Creation of one of five end products: 1. Historical research paper2. Website (Weebly)3. Documentary

4. Historical exhibit5. Original dramatic performance.

• Higher level resources will be made available by teacher, media specialists. In the past we visited the Free Library of Philadelphia (Central Branch) and the Horsham Library as part of the research process

• End product to be included in a school competition, winners from school competition can enter into the National History Day Regional Competition on a Saturday in March at Ursinus

• Website for more information: http://www.nhd.org/Contest.htm Be sure to check out Student Project Examples and Creating an

Entry for Rules and Regulations for project submission.

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4. Video Game Design/App Creator-SPRING

• Unity3D is a software application and 3D game development environment (also known as a “game engine”) that allows users to create immersive, interactive, 3D games and simulations.

• GameStar Mechanic is an introductory tool that allows for students to learn the diverse elements of gaming while playing games to earn sprites to create new games that they can publish and received feedback from peers. This is a web-based 2D tool.

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Unity (continued)

• www.unity3d.com• Requires parent permission and signature on

revised AUP• Students will learn through a series of tutorials

then begin designing independent games• Final product to be evaluated will either be

– An original game proposed by student (packet to be provided) and approved by teacher and administration

– Comprehensive game plan overview that mirrors those used by software engineers in industry (samples provided)

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Video Game Design (Gamestar Mechanic)

• Gamestar Mechanic is currently supported by a partnership between the Institute of Play and E-Line Media. The game was originally developed by Gamelab in partnership with the Institute of Play and the Academic Advanced Distributed Learning Co-Lab (AADLC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Initial funding for the game and companion learning guides came from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

• Gamestar Mechanic differs from other game creation tools by focusing on game design rather than computer programming. Knowing how to put together a successful game involves system-based thinking, creative problem solving, art and aesthetics, writing and storytelling.

• For more information please visit the webpage at:http://gamestarmechanic.com/ (be sure to check out the links for the parent and teacher pages)

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5. Writer’s Workshop-FALL/SPRING

• Guided yet independent unit where the focus is on writing for pleasure and bolstering writing skills. This is ran much like a higher-level institution on-line course with the use of Edmodo.com

• Students will conference with teacher and peers and receive tips for writing polished end products

• Portfolio to be published, bound, and sent home• Work can be published on either:

– Teen Ink: requires signed parent consent– Edmodo: closed and secure online community made up

of only other students in the writing group

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PHILOSOPHY/PSYCHOLOGY

• The students study a myriad of philosophers, opening up each student’s views about the facets of present situations and the potential for the future. Socratic seminars are held in response to readings and “case studies” presented to the students. The culminating project is to create a “Personal Philosophy” statement about the “Big Issues” (life, friendship, love, knowledge, reality, spirituality). They will use quotes from philosophers and their writings to support their own philosophical notions.

• The students will also engage in an overview of psychology with a focus personality types and preferences and the TEEN BRAIN.

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AutoCAD Design/3D Printing: Maker Space Lunch and Friday PACE

• Open to ALL 7th and 8th Grade Enrichment Students

• Students will use CAD software to design then produce objects using the brand-new KV 3D Printer

• The software is complicated in nature and incorporates mathematical concepts in the design and production process.

• Students will learn from trial and error, failure is celebrated as a learning opportunity in this unit of study.

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Unit Choices By Semester• Fall:

– Future City– National History Day– Writer’s Workshop

• Spring:• Mock Trial• Video/App Design• Philosophy/Psychology• Land Design: Naval

Base Land Use• Writer’s Workshop

Writers Workshop: A Fall or Spring Unit depending on interest

3D Printing/Design/Maker Space: Every Friday PACE and once a month pull out enrichment class. The Maker Space will be open twice a week for lunch depending on teacher availability

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Science Olympiad

• From October-March students can participate in the Science Olympiad Club. The club meets after school on Wednesday until 4:15pm once a week and will meet once a week in the Maker Space during a Black PACE day (will be either a Monday or Tuesday each week).

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JOHNS HOPKINS CTY

• Website for all the information you may need to learn about the programs–http://cty.jhu.edu/

• SAT Information:–http://cty.jhu.edu/talent/testing/about/sat.html

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Schedule• Students will be placed in groups comprised of 7th and 8th

graders based on interest and unit of study. • Students will meet with members of their “Interest” group

once a week on an assigned day during PACE Period and will be pulled from class twice a month for full enrichment periods.

• HW CLUB Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-4:15pm in the library. They must bring work to complete.

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Gifted Support Schedule

• Students will still be pulled out of class by grade level two/three times a month to work independently on projects. In most cases this means they will only miss each class three/four times the ENTIRE first semester

• Pull out class sessions will also be used to support social/emotional needs and to mentor students in “interest” unit projects

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TRIPS• NYC/Baltimore/Washington DC• 54 passenger bus (49 students, 1 teacher)

– Four parent chaperones. – Or this will become an 8th grade event if we can keep the

cost manageable and have enough chaperones willing to go

• Students to vote to choose destination and itinerary (within reason)

• Cost: between $50-$70. • Past trips to NYC: 911 Memorial, Museum of Natural History,

Ellis Island, Sony Wonderlab.

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GIEP MEETINGS

• 7th Grade Meetings are usually held at 7:45am-8:15am, at 10am, or at 2:45pm to enable one classroom teacher to attend.

• 8th Grade Meetings are usually held at 7:45am, 1:40pm, or 2:45pm to enable one classroom teacher to attend.

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National Junior Honor Society

• Minimum of 15 Community Service Hours earned from June 2015-April 2016

• Participate in at least one school based activity/sport/club during 7th grade

• All report card quarterly grades are 85% and above for all of 6th and 7th grade (this include PE/CAR)

• No suspensions or major disciplinary infractions