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Lesson Plans


Re: Gifted education

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
Christine Merriam (ktwnldy.az.us)
Thu, 22 Oct 1998 20:29:12 -0600

Hi!
Just wanted to share a little about the gifted program where I am. Students
in our school, grades 3-5, are given several tests, and the Raven is used to
identify "non verbal cognitive abilities". There are 3 areas of giftedness
tested: Verbal or language skills; Nonverbal or visual skills; and
Quantitative or Math skills. The Raven is basically a test of visual
recognition of patterns on 5 themes. (this is from our gifted coordinator,
who is also a classroom teacher).

Anyway, the students who are rated as gifted in these areas are then given a
choice of seminars and exploratory extra project type classes, ranging from
science, writing, to photography and painting. This semester I am teaching a
group of 7 students, mainly those designated non - verbally gifted. We are
documenting the murals in our school, interviewing the artists, and with the
help of a parent, photographing the murals. The students will share this
information on a web page. We have been evaluating web pages for layout,
content, just about anything you can think of. Tomorrow the students will be
interviewing one of the artists. Last week we sat down in front of his mural
and developed questions to ask him. The students will then write up the
responses. It is a real growing process for all of us... I have never made
and posted a web page, am learning how to teach a little about photoshop... it
is a big undertaking! The kids are very enthusiastic... they come to school
early so we can use the computers in the library to examing web pages from
other schools and museums.

I must say that not all the kids who would benefit from this program are in
it, but I feel our school is recognizing and encouraging the visual and non
verbal learners. A step in the right direction?

Christine Merriam
Kayenta Intermediate School