With spring comes the promise of bluer skies and warmer weather. Students begin to look forward to the close of school and summer activities. In the Gifted and Enrichment program we are winding up the year and finishing activities.
First Grade Enrichment: In the beginning of April, the first grade enrichment class began a new cycle and the study of weather. We have been exploring how water recycles from the ground to the sky. We are learning words that pertain to weather and constructing weather booklets. We begin each class with a critical thinking exercise.
Second Grade Enrichment: The second grade enrichment class begins each class with a critical thinking activity. They have learned how to map a story to begin writing a story. The story that was written was included in a pop-up-book.
Third Grade Enrichment: The third grade enrichment class constructed pop-up-books and had several exercises in critical thinking.
Third Grade Group Enrichment: The third grade group enrichment is a half hour class that meets each Monday. The enrichment lesson is taught to the whole grade in each third grade teacher’s classroom. During the month of April, the third grade group studied the poetry of Bruce Lansky. They created original poems based on the the theme “If I cooked lunch for my teacher” The students mounted and illustrated the border of their poem and a poetry reading was held in class. Currently they are studying bridge construction and are working in teams to build bridges from straws and marshmallows.
Fourth Grade Gifted: The students in the gifted program have been studying the basic principles of aeronautical engineering. Students have been collecting information and doing some basic experiments about flight principles. They have also learned to construct an icosahedron( a 20 sided mathematical figure) and have done some challenges with it.
Fourth Grade Language Arts: Students in this group focus their studies on language arts. They participate in critical thinking exercises. They have just finished a personality poster project which focused on identifying the parts of speech and writing fluently and correctly. They are currently working on a photo essay.
Fifth Grade Gifted: Students in the fifth grade gifted program have finished constructing their golf course holes and will test them. Students have practiced critical thinking and have made a large size icosahedron (20 sided mathematical figure) and participated in some classroom challenges with it.
Sixth Grade Gifted: Students in the sixth grade class have finished their reader’s theatre project. They created scenery and practiced acting skills and speaking skills. They have had weekly critical thinking exercises, and are currently working on a mathematical challenge.
Sixth Grade Language Arts: Sixth grade language arts have completed personality posters and are currently working on photo essays. They meet weekly and practice critical thinking challenges.
Seventh Grade Gifted: Seventh grade students completed their board game challenges and critical thinking exercises. They have completed their personality posters and are working to finish their photo essays.
Eight Grade Gifted: Eighth grade gifted are completing their board game construction challenges.
Barbara Leib Enrichment Teacher St. Susanna School