Gifted and Talented Programs - Curriculum and Learning

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Gifted and Talented Programming at Shenendehowa

	If you are looking for information on gifted children, differentiated instruction or acceleration and enrichment, you are in the right place! "The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." Michelangelo (1475-1564)

	Meeting the needs of high ability learners in Shenendehowa's Schools Our Policy 4000 requires an academic program that challenges "children to perform at their best, allows them to reach their full individualized potential". The Board of Education encourages and supports initiatives and program flexibility permitting students to learn at a rate commensurate with their skills, abilities, performance and interests. All district instructional planning efforts are expected to consider such flexibility in developing K-12 standards/outcomes. High ability students are those students who are performing significantly beyond their peers and need different or additional services to reach their potential. This definition covers a talented musician, athlete or second grade mathematics student. Shenendehowa has a number of initiatives to meet the needs of our high ability students: Shenendehowa's Instructional Program - Our curriculum is continually being updated to meet and exceed N.Y.S. standards. We have designed a curriculum that challenges our students to higher standards. Additionally, we have added performance tasks, which are complex demonstrations of learning that are required in each grade and course. Socratic Forum (grade 6): The goal of this program is to provide a challenging a rigorous humanities curriculum for highly able middle school students, designed to strengthen critical thinking skills and nurture creative thought using a Socratic Seminar approach and inquiry model of instruction. It will be designed to connect a “big idea” using English Language Arts 6th grade curriculum and reinforce/teach the following skills: The writing process Correct grammar and conventions Creative writing Increase vocabulary Note taking Oral presentation skills Active listening strategies Inferential reading comprehension Textual analysis Introduction to library/media center resources Introduction to research techniques Literacy analysis using higher level thinking The Socratic methodology is characterized by open-ended questions designed to stimulate conversation and deepen understanding of new issues. It is based on texts, books, short stories, artwork, historical documents, etc. The problem-based learning component will require students to select an area of research. Students will use this research to create a powerpoint and will share these out in late spring. For the 2008-09 school year, placement into this program will be minimally determined by classroom performance (report cards), the Gifted Rating Scale, performance on a normed achievement test, a writing sample and nomination from classroom teachers. Young Scholars- This one day a week, "pull-out" program is for students in grade 4-5 who score four grade levels above their current grade on a standardized test. Parents are notified annually about the test so they may have their child(ren) take the test. For more information, please click here. Early Admission to Kindergarten - The district has a procedure whereby high ability youngsters who are at least four years old, may apply to enter school early. Contact the office of the Deputy Superintendent at 881-0640 for more information.

	Enrichment and Acceleration Process Communication between parent and teacher is the first step to enriching or accelerating a student's academic program. The district has established a process to identify students for acceleration. Identification criteria include the SCAT (School Cognitive Abilities Test), the TOMAGS (Test of Mathematical Abilities for Gifted Students), the Gifted Rating Scale, as well as input from the parent, teacher and principal. Results of these data points are returned to the building level committees to determine appropriate programming. Students are challenged academically through a range of honors level and accelerated programming. Beginning in grade 7, there is a honors level for English, math as well as acceleration for English and social studies. In grade 8, students are selected to enroll in English honors, English 9H, Global 9, accelerated Regents earth science, math honors, enriched algebra one, accelerated studio art and technology. There are many enrichment opportunities available to students at all levels. There are many clubs at the secondary level which can be accessed by going to the middle schools or high school web page, then selecting the link for "Clubs" in the red box that says "School Links." In addition, there are many extension activities that are shared with students on daily announcements and in the guidance offices.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The Office for Curriculum and Learning, K-12, 881-0600 for Instructional Program, Early Admission into Kindergarten, Policy 4000

Teachers and Principals - Enrichment and Acceleration, mathematics grouping

RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS

Magazines that Publish Children's Work

Creative Kids-Creative Kids magazine is the nation's largest magazine by and for kids. The magazine bursts with games, stories, and opinions all by and for kids ages 8-14. In the pages of Creative Kids you will find such fun activities as: brain teasers, contests, stories, poetry, pen pals, mysteries, and much more! This interactive magazine also includes activities that stimulate and encourage the creativity of readers.
Kids from all over the world read and contribute to Creative Kids. The magazine includes exciting examples of the most creative student work to be found in any publication. Kids express themselves in letters to the editor, answers to posed questions, and questions of their own.

Stone Soup-The Magazine by Young Writers and Artists (ages 8-13) Stone Soup is unique among children’s magazines — it’s the only magazine made up entirely of the creative work of children. Young people from all over the world contribute their stories, poems, book reviews, and art work to the magazine. Published six times a year—January, March, May, July, September, and November. Contains no advertising.

Skipping Stones-Skipping Stones is a nonprofit children's magazine that contains stories, articles and photos from all over the world. The magazine accepts art and original writing in all languages and from all ages. Non-English writings are accompanied by English translations to encourage the learning of other languages. Each issue also contains international pen pals, book reviews, news, and a guide for parents and teachers. Published bimonthly during the school year.

Cicada-The Literary Magazine for Teenagers and Young Adults (ages 14 and up) Cicada publishes original short stories, poems, and first-person essays written and encourages submissions from their readers. Published six times per year. (Please note: Read Slam's Rules for Submissions first)

Igniting Creative Energy Challenge: asks the question of K-12 students throughout the country in a competition designed to encourage students to learn more about energy and the environment. Students may express their ideas in the form of documented science projects, essays, stories, artwork, photographs, music, video or website projects.

Write a Play: National Playwriting Competition. For students up to age 18. Your play will be read and evaluated in writing by a theatre professional. Selected writers will come to New York for a writers conference to work with some of this country's most exciting theatre artists.

Fun Math Sites

For Math Practice with facts, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with whole numbers, decimals and fractions, try www.aplusmath.com

For fun with Geometry try http://www.scienceu.com/geometry/

For Cryptarithms - brain teasers obtained when digits in numerical calculations have been replaced with letters www.cut-the-knot.org/cryptarithms/st_crypto.shtml

For Brain Teaser Puzzles, try www.eduplace.com/math/brain/ by Houghton Mifflin Publishers

To Take Challenge, try http://figurethis.org/index.html

Word problems for kids are available at http://www.stfx.ca/special/mathproblems/welcome.html

If you are interested in creating a magic square, try this one http://mathforum.org/alejandre/magic.square/adler/adler.whatsquare.html

How about creating your own tangrams, try http://mathforum.org/trscavo/tangrams/construct.html

For math support in the Harcourt Brace program, try http://www.hbschool.com/menus/math_advantage.html

Just for Fun

Science activities from Science Museum of Minnesota
http://www.smm.org/explore/

Hubble Telescope pictures: Take a ride into space with this wonderful site.
http://www.hubblesite.org

National Geographic
http://www.nationalgeographic.org/kids/

Metropolitan Museum of Fine Arts
http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/museumkids.htm?HomePageLink=museumkids_c

smArt kids From the Art Museum of Chicago smArt kids helps you look at art in new ways. You will look at different art, learn the language of art and learn about the history of selected artworks.

DIG If you are into archeology and studying ancient civilizations, try this site for links.

Museum of Natural History
http://www.amnh.org/kids/?src=toolbar

New York Times New York Times for Students This site will take you through the New York Times every day.

Animal Planet. Kids who love animals can pick up all kinds of interesting facts. http://www.animal.discovery.com

Discovery Channel has a website to explore everything from dinosaurs to technology
http://kids.discovery.com/

For a kids' reading website on the latest books, series and authors http://www.kidsreads.com/

Nova Online Adventure Explore Egypt's pyramids on a virtual tour.

RESOURCES FOR PARENTS

Basic Information on Gifted Education

Hoagies gifted education articles
What We Have Learned About Gifted Children, by Linda Kreger Silverman, Ph.D.
Distinguishing Myths from Realities: NRC/GT Research by Marcia Gentry and Karen Kettle
Nurturing the Social/Emotional Needs of Gifted Children
ERIC Clearinghouse for Exceptional Children
National Association for Gifted Children
Gifted Journals and Magazines

Summer Programs

NAGC Listing of Summer Camps and Summer Programs, also Enrichment Programs
http://www.nagc.org/resourcedirectory.aspx

Summer Institute for the Gifted Residential Program: Three-week summer camp for gifted students in grades 4-11 at Amherst College, Bryn Mawr College, Caldwell College Oberlin College, UCLA and Vassar College
http://www.giftedstudy.com

Alfred University
Alfred University Summer Program
Alfred, NY 14802
Contact: Melody McLay, Director of Summer Programs
Telephone: 607-871-2612
Email: summerpro@alfred.edu
Web Site: www.alfred.edu/summer
Program Offered: Summer Only
Our beautiful campus, in New York State's Finger Lakes region, is the perfect place for learning and living in a collegiate setting. At week-long academic institutes, students explore astronomy, writing, business or science & engineering, meet kids from all over the country with similar interests and have lots of fun.

New York State Summer School of the Arts: Students can participate in ballet, choral studies, dance, jazz, media arts, theater, orchestra and visual arts residential programs after qualifying through auditions. The eight schools are staffed by internationally acclaimed artists and companies such as the New York City Ballet and the The Philadelphia Orchestra.
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/nysssa

Simon Rock Summer Young Writers Workshop: Three-week writing workshop for high school students beginning June 27, 2004, which is part of the National Writing and Thinking Network, the largest consortium of summer writing programs in the country.
http://www.simons-rock.edu/young_writers/index.html

Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth Summer Programs: Three -week programs are offered at colleges and universities throughout the U.S. to students from grades 7-12.
http://www.cty.jhu.edu/summer/catalogs.html

ID Tech Camp: Hands-On Technology Fun : Week-long, day and overnight, hands-on technology camp for ages 8-17 at more than 30 universities nationwide.
http://www.internalDrive.com

Ivy League Day Camp : This summer camp program is designed for gifted learners interested in the sciences, computers, robotics, engineering and performance and visual arts. Program includes swimming and athletic activities.
http://www.ivyleaguekids.com

Long Island University Center for Gifted Youth offers an all-day program during July for students in grades 2-8. Subjects include science, mathematics, computers, writing and law.
http://www.cwpost.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/edu/gifted/courses.html

Syracuse University Summer College for High School Students invites talented high school students to earn six or seven college credits, test career interest and experience campus life.
http://www.summercollege.syr.edu

Identification

Is It A Cheetah? by Stephanie S. Tolan
Characteristics of Giftedness Scale by Linda Kreger Silverman
What is gifted?

Twice Exceptional Students

Programs and Talent Searches

Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development - University of Iowa
Duke University Talent Identification Program
Northwestern University Center for Talent Development
Rocky Mountain Talent Search - University of Denver
Center for Talented Youth - Johns Hopkins University

Publishers

Organizations

www.hollingworth.org Hollingworth Center for Highly Gifted Children
www.nagc.org National Association for Gifted Children
www.agateny.org Advocacy for Gifted and Talented Education in New York State, Inc.
http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/nrcgt.html National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented
www.apa.org/ed/cgep.html American Psychological Association Center for Gifted Education Policy
World Council for Gifted Children

List Servs

ON THIS PAGE

•	Enrichment and acceleration process
•	Contact Information
•	Resources for Students
•	Resources for Parents

• • • • •

OTHER INFO

•	A Nation Deceived 2004 report on Acceleration Practices
•	NAGC and NMSA Position Paper -"Meeting the Needs of High Ability and High Potential in the Middle Grades"

Maintained in accordance with the Shenendehowa Central School District Web Publishing Guidelines by Kelly DeFeciani, Public Information Officer. Copyright © 2004 Shenendehowa Central Schools, 970 Route 146, Clifton Park, NY 12065; Phone (518) 881-0600. All rights reserved.