What does this mean for your child?

•GATE Summary Plan

•Differentiated Curriculum

•Strategies for Differentiation

•ICONS of Depth and Complexity

•Sample lessons

•Expectations of Academic Rigor

An overview of the department’s yearlong focus.

Districts develop differentiated curriculum, instructional models and strategies that are aligned with and extend the state academic content standards and curriculum frameworks. The differentiated curriculum is related to theories, models, and practices from the recognized literature in the field.

What does a class with a differentiated curriculum look like?

This occurs when the following qualities are evident in the questioning, responses, instruction and engagement in learning that occurs in a student-centered environment. Such an environment encourages independence and is conducive to intellectual risk-taking. This curriculum is aligned with instructional strategies that promote inquiry, self-directed learning, discussion, debate, meta-cognition, and other modes of learning appropriate to the needs and abilities of gifted learners.

Content

Challenge level of the content meets or exceeds state standards with appropriate scaffolding when needed.

Depth

Learners venture further, deeper and more elaborately than standards would require in the subject under study.

Complexity

Dimensions of complexity of thinking requires students to make connections, associations, and relationships over time and from different points of view between, within, and across disciplines.

Novelty

Students construct personal meaning of knowledge, resulting in reflection, synthesis and personal insight.

Pacing

The pace of instruction is appropriately altered and more sophisticated resources are provided.

Process

The process is concept and generalization driven, balanced between critical and creative thought. The teacher asks open-ended questions with elements of ambiguity that allow students to explore and discover new meaning.

Social and Emotional Needs

In support of the social and emotional needs of GATE students, discussions include exploration of philosophy, ethics, psychology, values clarification, and conflict resolution when appropriate.

A variety of strategies exist to ensure a qualitatively and quantitatively different curriculum.

ICONS for Depth and Complexity:

A process using ICONS to help identify elements of depth and complexity so that students are able to examine content in a more critical fashion.

ICONS of Depth and Complexity

Pat Conroy, The Great Santini

Apply the following dimensions of DEPTH and COMPLEXITY to your section of The Great Santini. In other words, discuss your section of the novel through the following “lenses.” The following questions are a guide to generate discussion, but all may not apply, or more information can be added. As always, include specific, concrete evidence—direct quotes whenever possible—for support.

Choose two or three significant “things” from your section of the novel (e.g. new characters, places, objects, statements, NOT events). Address the following questions for each:

•What are its attributes? What features characterize it? What distinguishes it from others like it?

•How do different characters (major or minor) see this “thing”?

Focus on the actions, or the norms, behaviors, attitudes, beliefs, values of the characters in your section (either specific characters, or those that make up the general backdrop of the setting). Address the following questions:

What “things” recur over time? How are these “things” affected by the past? How can you predict what will come next? Why do these “things” change or remain the same?

Focus on key moments or events from your section. Address the following questions for each:

What ongoing outside factors have influenced these events? How might they continue to contribute to similar events in the future? What are the written and/or unwritten rules associated with the factors influencing these events?

Samples from departments were showcased the night parents of incoming 9th graders toured the campus.

How much homework can you expect?

AP = 1-2 hours per day per class

Adv./Honors = 1-1.5 hours per day per class

Regular = .5-1 hour per day per class

From current 9th graders

•Don’t be shy. Try to make friends on the first day. Don’t be obnoxious. Show respect for the teachers, the other kids, and other adults at MMHS. You want the teachers to see you as good role models.

One missing assignment can mean the difference between an “A” or a “B.” Work hard all the time, from the very start, because it’s v ery hard to raise a low grade at the end of the semester. Don’t “slack off.” Your tests are a huge part of your grades, so remember to study for every one of them.

Use a planner to stay organized and to be on top of your homework.

Do all your work/homework and turn it in on time. High school is so much harder than middle school, especially when you don’t do your work.

Department Chair: Derek Knapp dknapp@sandi.net ext. 4041

VP in charge of GATE: Matt Fallon mfallon@sandi.net ext. 2205

District Coordinator: Rhonda Zawadzki rzawadzki@sandi.net 858.573.5987