Applications to a Gifted Education Program in an Elementary School

FIRE ECOLOGY WORKSHOP 2013

Michele ThelenGifted EducationJune 2014

Overview

My Story

How Did Content Fit In?

Scientific Method

Dichotomous Key Lesson

Archaeology Lesson Ideas

My Story• Gifted Ed in

Elementary School

• 80 students, grades K-6

• Cluster Model

• 4-Day Compacted Curriculum

• Enhance, Enrich Accelerate

CCSS

Gifted Standards

Science

Social Studies

Technology

Social-Emotional

Where did it “fit in”?• Alignment to

classroom teacher units

Scientific Method

Plant Ecology

Archaeology

Weather

• Collaboration with gifted-cluster teachers

• Resources

Career Day

Scientific Method• Presented to grades

3-6

• Used format for all science experiments & activities

• Common language/common concepts

• Aligned to SARSEF (Southern Arizona Regional Science & Engineering Fair)

Understanding

Using

Creating

DICHOTOMOUS KEYS

(Lesson plan included in binder)

Productive Group Work

Teacher models “thinking”

Students collaborate

Frequent pause & check for understanding

Where to begin? Activating prior

knowledge

2nd graders & plant ecology background knowledge of desert plants & animals

Extension for 3rd & 4th graders

Think like a scientist

Work like a scientist

*Meet with students weekly

Dichotomous KeysResources

Provide the background knowledge for future units (older grades)

Lesson built on previous lessons using dicot keys

Resources available at

www.thelenlearningteam.wikispaces.com/forest+fire+ecology

Lesson Overview Activated prior

knowledge

Whole group activity: creating class shoe dicot key

Partner work: candy dicot key

Fine arts extension: shoe art

4th grade unit

ARCHAEOLOGY

Activate Prior Knowledge

• Review what classroom teacher had taught

• Create a starting point based on knowledge that was retained from class unit that was previously taught

What is an archaeologist?

What do they do?

What are their tools?

How do they “know” about ancient cultures?

Introduction to Archaeology• Introduce concept of

“context”

• Summarize story for students

• Show some of the illustrations

• Conversations on how those that found the artifacts made deductions about them

• Students select common household object and brainstorm “alternate” uses for item

• Illustrate in black & white, give new name to object, & write up “description” to what it was used for

Wupatki National MonumentGreat lessons available from National Park Service at:

Wupatki National Monument Teacher Resources

Walnut Canyon National Monument

More hands-on, interactive lessons found at:

Walnut Canyon Teacher Resources

Tree Ring Activity

Walnut Canyon Web Quest

Questions???