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    Ridgewood Avenue School

    Grades 3–6

    Goals and Objectives:

          o   Expose students to accelerated content.

          o   Develop creativity and research skills.

          o   Provide diverse enrichment that broadens learning.

          o   Stimulate intellectual curiosity.

          o   Emphasize the process of learning.

          o   Encourage critical and divergent thinking through problem solving.

          o   Experience collaborative learning through teamwork and group projects.

    Common Core Standards

    The goals and objectives of the program are designed to challenge and enrich those students who are identified as Gifted and are based upon the National Common Core State Standards in the following areas:

    Standards for Technological Literacy

    1.     The characteristics and scope of technology

    2.     The core concepts of technology

    3.     The relationships among technologies and the connections between technology and other fields of study

    4.     The cultural, social, economic, and political effects of technology

    5.     The effects of technology on the environment

    6.     The role of society in the development and use of technology

    8.     The attributes of design

    9.     Engineering design

    10.    The role of troubleshooting, research and development, invention and innovation, and experimentation in problem solving

    11.    Apply the design process

    12.    Use and maintain technological products and systems

    13.    Assess the impact of products and systems

    16.    Energy and power technologies

    17.    Communication technologies

    18.    Transportation technologies

    Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts

       R1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when

      writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.           

       R2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

       R4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and

      analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

      W2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the

      effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

      W4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and

       audience.

      W7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject

      under investigation.

      SL4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose and audience

    National Science Education Standards

    A.  Science as Inquiry

    • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
    • Understanding about scientific inquiry

    B.  Physical Science

    • Motion and forces
    • Properties of objects and materials
    • Light, heat, electricity, magnetism

    D.  Earth and Space Science

    • Properties of earth materials
    • Structures of the earth system
    • Objects in the sky

    E.  Science and Technology

    • Abilities of technological design
    • Understanding about science and technology

    F.  Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

    • Populations, resources, and environments
    • Risks and benefits
    • Science and technology in society
    • Types of resources
    • Changes in environments
    • Science and technology in local challenges

    G.  History and Nature of Science

    • Science as a human endeavor

    Common Core State Standards for Mathematics

        3.NF.3. Explain equivalence of fractions in special cases, and compare fractions by reasoning about their size.

        3.MD.2. Measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using standard units of grams, kilograms, and liters.

        4.NF.6. Use decimal notation for fractions with denominators 10 or 100. rewrite.

       4.G.1.Draw points, lines, line segments, rays, angles (right, acute, obtuse), and perpendicular and parallel lines. Identify these in        two- dimensional figures.

        4.G.3. Recognize a line of symmetry for a two-dimensional figure as a line across the figure such that the figure can be folded along    the line into matching parts.

       5.G.2. Represent real-world and mathematical problems by graphing points in the first quadrant of the coordinate plane, and interpret    coordinate values of points in the context of the situation.

       6.SP.2. Understand that a set of data collected to answer a statistical question has a distribution which can be described by its center,    spread, and overall shape.

     

    Ridgewood Avenue School

    Component 1

    GT Pull-Out Program

    The GT Program aims to develop personal knowledge while developing creative thought processes.  

    ·         Identified students in grades 3, 4, 5, and 6

    ·         Meet with instructor 1 time every six days

    ·         Work on three distinct units of theme based activities

     

    Unit A

    Students in grades 3-5 will explore a unit in the “Engineering by Design” curricula, an Integrated Stem Approach, based on one of the 14 Grand Global Engineering Challenges. Students in grade 6 will explore the biological interconnection of living things and modern day technology.

    Grade 3: Providing Access to Clean Water – Every Drop Matters.

    Grade 4: Making Solar Energy Economical – The Power of Solar.

    Grade 5: Restoring and Improving Urban Infrastructure – Community Challenges and Connections.

    Grade 6: Utilizing Nature as the Inspiration for Design-Biomimicry and Nanotechnology

     

    Unit B

    Students will delve into one Literature based exploration focusing on the topics listed below.

    Grade 3: The American Dust Bowl

    Grade 4: Revolutionary Spies

    Grade 5: Components of a Documentary Novel

    Grade 6: Refugees

     

    Unit C

    Exploration of a new topic based on student interest and/or focus needs will change every year as opportunities become available and ideas are developed.

    Topics have explored the world “Beyond the Rubik’s Cube,” focused on environmental issues aboard “Clearwater, the Floating Classroom,” and discovered mathematical and computer information in “Bits and Bytes.”

     

    Component 2

    Grade Level Enrichment

    ·  Open to students in grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 seeking challenging opportunities

    ·  Topics compliment grade level curriculum

    ·  GT teacher will meet with the students for introductory lessons, activities and feedback.

    ·  GT teacher will provide self-directed activities to be done at home.

    Time permitting, two major themes will be developed per year.

                                                           Cycle 1

    Grade 3- Weather/Environment: We Can Weather Anything.

    Grade 4- Magnetism: Magnetic Personalities.

    Grade 5- Scientific Method: Marshmallow Madness.

    Grade 6- Astronomy: The Stars Come Out at Night.

                                                           Cycle 2

    Grade 3- Lunar Exploration: To the Moon, Alice.                                                                                                           

    Grade 4- Invasive Species: Hop to It!        

     

    Grade 5- Nanotechnology: What is Nano?     

     

    Grade 6- Semi Permeable Membranes: Diffusion.

     

    Differentiated Instruction

    Differentiation within each classroom is an essential component in our plan to support students who are seeking higher-level challenges and enrichment opportunities.  Within each classroom, the teacher implements a variety of differentiated strategies for students.  Often, they begin with pre-assessments to help determine mastery of skills and then design alternate lessons, projects and instructional opportunities so the students can learn at a different level and pace than the rest of the class.  Whenever possible, students are grouped together based on their abilities and they will complete learning tasks together.  These partnerships and opportunities to share insights, questions and learning with their peers is just one of the many successes we see when differentiating instruction.

    Each teacher maintains an "enrichment section" on their webpage as a resource to both students and their parents. The conversation between the teacher, the student and the parent is critical when working on a differentiated plan.  Making sure everyone involved is aware of expectations and opportunities will further the teacher's ability to continue offering these higher-level learning experiences for the student.  If a parent ever feels their child needs more challenges and is ready for advanced work, they should not hesitate in contacting the teacher to initiate that discussion.

    Component 3

    School Enrichment

    ·  Open to students grades 3, 4, 5, and 6

    ·  Competitive in Nature

    ·  Three distinct Challenges

    1. National Geographic GEOGRAPHY BEE (grades 4, 5, and 6 only)

    2. RAS School Spelling BEE

    3. “24” MATH Competition