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2015-16 Elementary GT Early American History/Bio Cemetery In depth description of Bio Cemetery: CPE (3rd & 4th grade) GT Bio Cemetery. It was quite successful! The students enjoyed dressing up like whichever historic person they chose to research from the passenger list of the Mayflower. They shared their biographical information with passers by, friends and family at parent teacher conferences and again at the fall festival. That way the kids tonight had a chance to break the ice with a smaller crowd. Mr. Allen and Mrs. Box stopped by and listened to each GT student tell them all about the Historical Figure they researched and were representing. 2015-16 Early American Unit of Study Pilgrims Colonial America Revolutionary War Early Pioneers "Moving Out West" Civil War Reconstruction
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Skill OneEvery week GT students write an opening reflection about what they already know about a topic of focus for the day in their journal (that they've personalized and that's on google slides). Then after the lesson, they write what they've learned that day in GT.
Not only is this a skill builder through simply applying written communication but it gives me a chance to see what they already know and differentiate instruction for those who may already know a lot about a particular topic. It also allows me to help them improve their writing skills through my input (I respond back under comments). |
Skill TwoStudents learn how to write a research paper. They also learn critical thinking skills in connection to this skill: Analysis (through examining ideas, identifying arguments, reasons and claims), Interpretation (what does this mean?, categorize, decode significance, clarify meaning), Self-Regulation (how good is your evidence?, self monitor, self correct), Inference (question what the evidence implies, query evidence, conjecture alternatives, draw conclusions), Explanation (how you came to that conclusion, state results, justify procedures, present arguments), Evaluation (do we have the right facts?, assess credibility, asses argument quality).
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Skill ThreeGT students are encouraged to read, read, read!! They have access to all my books and can borrow books each week. They check them out and in their self and return them to the shelf when they are finished. Each GT class period part of our rituals and routines are to read for the first ten minutes of class (SSR/ Silent Sustained Reading). They read while others arrive and I take attendance. They keep a reading log and those who read the most each semester earn a prize form the treasure box. I tell them that the more you read the better you write and visa versa.
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