Kipps Gifted Resource Update

Hello Families,

Students are getting into a great learning flow in the Resource room! It has been wonderful to see students actively participating, challenging their brains, reminding one another of the importance of having a growth mindset (especially for those who are learning Algebra), and successfully collaborating in group activities.

We had several new second grade students join the Resource Room this month. For those new families, the purpose of this newsletter is to inform you of what we have been working on in the Resource Room. I also include information on upcoming opportunities for students and resources for parents. My goal is to send a newsletter every other week.

As always, please feel free to reach out if you have questions. Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Lisa Green

Students have been reviewing Critical & Creative Thinking Skills (CCT). The students LOVE to practice these thinking skills. Check out the Critical & Creative Thinking section below for more information and resources you can use at home.

The goal of our weekly resource time is to enrich your child’s educational experience. This supplemental time is geared toward strengthening students’ problem solving, reasoning, and thinking skills. Lessons were implemented that encouraged students to “stretch” their brains, become risk takers, and develop reading and math skills beyond grade level expectations. Second grade students meet with Mrs. Green 2 hours per week.

Second Grade: Problem Based Learning Unit-The Penguin Predicament

Students have started a Problem Based Learning unit entitled, “The Penguin Predicament.” In this interactive unit, students act as apprentice zoologists working at a zoo in Wellington, New Zealand. The zoologists have received an email from a little girl named Fatima Vasquez. She had discovered a penguin wandering down Paraparaumu Beach. She was enchanted by the animal and wrote to ask how and whether she can keep it as a pet. She hoped that her swimming pool and a diet of peanut butter sandwiches would be sufficient to keep the penguin happy and healthy. Over the next nine weeks, students will engage in an investigation of issues relating to penguins and their habitat so that they can help Fatima. Students will synthesized what they know, what they needed to know, and what they must do to learn more. Second graders are so excited about this unit! They will be discover where Paraparaumu Beach is next week using Google Earth.

The goal of our weekly resource time is to enrich your child’s educational experience. This supplemental time is geared toward strengthening students’ problem solving, reasoning, and thinking skills. Lessons were implemented that encouraged students to “stretch” their brains, become risk takers, and develop reading and math skills beyond grade level expectations. Third grade students meet with Mrs. Green 3 hours per week.

thinkLaw

Students practice analyzing multiple perspectives with the thinkLaw curriculum. thinkLaw lessons build critical thinking skills through an analysis of real-life legal cases. Through thinkLaw lessons, students learn: how to argue both sides of cases, conduct investigations, settle disputes, and make difficult decisions based on evidence and the law. Third grade students finished the case we are referring to as "Very Hot Coffee" this week. In this lesson students examined a case with missing information and selected witnesses, physical evidence, and questions necessary to discover the key factual details. It is based on a real life lawsuit in which a woman spilled hot coffee on her lap and sued McDonald's. Students had to decide if she should win her case. Ask your child about the real world outcome of this case.

Hands on Equations

Students have begun an algebra unit with the Hands On Equations Program. Hands On Equations uses the visual and kinesthetic instructional approach developed by Dr. Henry Borenson to teach young learners abstract algebraic concepts. Concepts include: the concept of an unknown, how to evaluate an expression, how to combine like terms, the relational meaning of the equal sign, the meaning of an algebra equation, how to balance algebra equations (using the subtraction property of equality), the concept of the check of an equation, the ability to solve one and two-step algebra equations, how to evaluate algebraic expressions involving x and (-x), ​additive property of inverses, and ​the concept that subtracting an entity gives the same result as adding its opposite. Students took a pre-assessment before the start of this unit to see which level would be most appropriate for their learning. The unit will culminate with a post-assessment to reflect on what students had learned. Third graders can't wait to learn Algebra each week!

CS First Coding Clubs

Third grade students love coding! CS First is a program created by Google in which students learn how to block code using the program Scratch. Students have been given a choice of which Coding Club to join.

Coding Clubs included:

• Sports: Students use computer science to simulate extreme sports, make their own commercial, and create commentary for a sporting event.

• Game Design: Students learn basic video game coding concepts by making different types of games, including racing, platform, and launching.

• Fashion & Design: Students build fashion-themed programs including a fashion walk, a stylist tool, and a pattern maker.

• Art: Students create animations, interactive artwork, photograph filters, and other exciting, artistic projects using code.

Passion Projects

Third grade students are starting a Passion Project unit. Passion projects are student driven, independent studies based on each student's interests and passions. Students will be guided through six steps (we called the 6 Ps) as we work on these projects. The steps include: passion, plan, pitch, project, product, and presentation. Students will go through the process of identifying a passion, pitching their ideas to their peers, and reflecting on constructive feedback. During the passion project process, mini lessons on ethical research, trustworthy sources, and computer skills will be taught as needs arise. Students will create a product and a presentation to share what they learned with an authentic audience.

What is iLEAD?

iLEAD stands for innovation with Leadership Education through Academic Design. Through iLEAD, gifted students in multi age groups learn and work together during the school week, outside of their homeroom classrooms. The key skills of communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and citizenship shape student learning. Students will build leadership skills through interaction with community resources and P-based (passion, project and problem) studies to make learning meaningful.

Hands on Equations

Students are continuing an algebra unit with the Hands On Equations Program. Hands On Equations uses the visual and kinesthetic instructional approach developed by Dr. Henry Borenson to teach young learners abstract algebraic concepts. Concepts include: the concept of an unknown, how to evaluate an expression, how to combine like terms, the relational meaning of the equal sign, the meaning of an algebra equation, how to balance algebra equations (using the subtraction property of equality), the concept of the check of an equation, the ability to solve one and two-step algebra equations, how to evaluate algebraic expressions involving x and (-x), ​additive property of inverses, and ​the concept that subtracting an entity gives the same result as adding its opposite. Students took a pre-assessment before the start of this unit to see which level would be most appropriate for their learning. The unit will culminate with a post-assessment to reflect on what students had learned. We currently have students working at all levels including an Algebra unit with fractions.

Fourth Grade: Lost Tribe of Tocowan

Fourth grade students are participating in a math enrichment simulation game called The Lost Tribe of Tocowan. Teams utilize advanced multiplication and division skills in a scenario in which they have to discover what happened to the imaginary Lost Tribe of Tocowan in Bahacan. Students are awarded pictograph clues as they correctly solve math problems. Students utilize the clues to decipher a code in order to solve the mystery at the end of the game.

Virginia Stock Market Game

Fifth grade students are continuing to play in the Virginia Stock Market Year Long Game. Each week fifth graders are engaging in discussions with their stock market teams about which stocks they believe would be wise to invest in. The focus of this last week's lesson was on risk analysis. Students were given scenario cards that described a characters age and current life situation and had to determine if the character was ready for a high, moderate, or low risk investment strategy. This week students will be practicing reading the financial news page on Yahoo Finance to see how current events can influence the Stock Market. Fifth graders are also beginning a novel study with the book The Short Seller by Elissa Brent Weissman. We will be connecting the lessons learned from the story to our learning about the Stock Market.

8 Habits for Happy Kids

Based on the work of Stephen Covey and his 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Habits for Happy Kids explains the habits in kid-friendly terms. We began the year learning each of the habits and spent the remainder of the year practicing them. Our goal is for students to become leaders in their classrooms. This week we have been discussing how we can "sharpen our saws" and find the balance between work and play.

1. Be Proactive - you are in charge of you

2. Begin with the End in Mind - have a plan

3. Put First Things First - work first then play

4. Think Win-Win - try to make everyone a winner

5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood - listen to others

6. Synergize - work together

7. Sharpen the Saw - do things to keep you happy and healthy

8. Find Your Voice - find your passion

CS First Coding Clubs

Students enjoy developing coding skills through CS First. CS First is a program created by Google in which students learn how to block code using the program Scratch. Students were given a choice of coding clubs to join including:

• Game Design- Students learned basic video game coding concepts by making different types of games, including racing, platform, and launching.

• Sports- Students used computer science to simulate extreme sports, make their own commercials, and create commentary for a sporting event.

• Fashion Design- Students built fashion-themed programs including a fashion walk, a stylist tool, and a pattern maker.

Passion Projects

iLEAD students are starting a Passion Project unit. Passion projects are student driven, independent studies based on each student's interests and passions. Students will be guided through six steps (we called the 6 Ps) as we work on these projects. The steps include: passion, plan, pitch, project, product, and presentation. Students will go through the process of identifying a passion, pitching their ideas to their peers, and reflecting on constructive feedback. During the passion project process, mini lessons on ethical research, trustworthy sources, and computer skills will be taught as needs arise. Students will create a product and a presentation to share what they learned with an authentic audience.

Fourth and fifth grade students in iLEAD study inspirational quotes and try to exhibit the leadership qualities embedded in each quote's meaning. At the end of every two weeks, we have a "Quote Vote." Each student completes a confidential survey to select the peer who best demonstrated that quote. Students also give a reason or an example to justify their votes. Congratulations to these representatives!

Registration is now open for Camp Invention and we are excited to share that MCPS Gifted is once again a host site.

Where: Falling Branch Elementary School

Date: June 2-6, 2025

Time: 9-3:30

There are a limited number of spots so if you are interested in your child attending, I encourage you to register soon. Below is a flyer that has a discount you can use at registration as well as a short video to share what Camp Invention looks like.

• The Math Kangaroo Contest will be hosted by Southwest Virginia Governor's School (SWVGS) and held on the Dublin campus of New River Community College on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

• Students may arrive between 11:30 and 12:45 for registration; the contest will begin at 1:00.

• Students are welcome to bring a packed lunch and eat before the contest begins.

• There is a contest designed specifically for each grade level 1-12.

• Practice materials are available on the Math Kangaroo website.

• Interested students and parents must visit mathkangaroo.org to register between September 15, 2024 and February 1, 2025.

• The registration fee is $18 per student through December 31, 2024. Afterward, the fee will increase to $35 per student.

• Participants will receive a mathematical gift and a participation ribbon/badge.

• Top winners will receive medals and other awards.

• Anyone with questions is welcome to contact spugh@swvgs.us.

On our MCPS Gifted Website, we have a resource outlining student opportunities throughout the state of Virginia. You can check those out HERE or attached below.

The Office of Gifted Education in Montgomery County Public Schools is fortunate to be able to share an important resource with families of our students. We have compiled a Parent Resource Collection of books, reference materials, and critical thinking games that we offer on a check-out basis. It is our hope that this collection of current educational and parenting resources will strengthen home and school connections. We would like to encourage our parents to participate effectively in their child’s educational development and gain knowledge about gifted learners and other topics by using the materials available through our collection.

You can view the Parent Resource Collection Catalog catalog online.

Order requests may be submitted via email to: giftedresource@mcps.org. Books will be checked out through the school library system in your child’s name and are to be returned to the Gifted Resource Teacher in their school.

Email: lisagreen@mcps.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/mcps.org/mcpsgiftedprogram?scrlybrkr=cb84d12f
Location: Kipps Elementary, Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg, VA, USA
Phone: (540) 951-5760