Dear Southwest Local School District Families of Gifted Students,

We Are a Team - Students will engage in learning activities that foster community.  Students will learn about themselves and others through projects and critical thinking activities.  Technology will be infused to establish interest and innovation.  Students will discover who they are as a learner and individual and how they connect with each other so that they can fully engage in service learning projects together.  Products will include a “glog” and learner profile glyphs.

Philosophy Through Language Arts - Students will engage in discussions and topics using popular children’s books so that philosophical terms and thinking can be introduced through discussions about ethics. 

http://www.teachingchildrenphilosophy.org/wiki/Educators

ABC- Architecture by Children- This year’s challenge will be announced and students will work together to create a model for exposition at a local venue; (Last year’s exhibition was at the downtown public library.) Details will be forthcoming when the challenge is announced for this year; this year’s unit is on “bridges”  and  will involve all curricular areas as students learn what it is like to be an architect with relevant 21^st century demands on our community and environment.

If time allows, students will promote and teach others as they participate in Mix It Up at Lunch day which will be held for a date TBA in November.    I’d also like to involve the students in My Class Cares - Students would be able to write a non-fiction book for a sister school/community in a developing country.  Students will decide what actions they want to take so they can make a difference in the lives of other children. 

Other activities will be developed by current events issues and student needs. 

Want to find out more?  Here are some websites that will support our learning this year:

http://www.myhero.com

http://www.aiacincinnati.org/community/ABC/ABC2010/abc2010.cfm

http://www.oclre.org/PC/

http://www.tolerance.org/mix-it-up

 http://www.myclasscares.org/

Details regarding the schedule for each building, etc. will be handed out the first week of school.  Sessions should begin the second week of school.  Enrichment will be offered for selected students in grades 1-3.

What materials do you need for class?

·         Binder and notebook paper

·         Pencil, pen

·         Index cards

·         Post it notes (will be using various sizes)

·         USB / Memory stick

·         Pillow (we will be sitting on the floor some)

·         Box of tissues