2014 Saturday Enrichment Program at University of Virginia
The University of Virginia's Curry School of Education offers a Saturday Enrichment Program for both gifted and high-ability students. The upcoming deadline for applications is December 1, 2013. For more information and an on-line application, follow this link:
http://curry.virginia.edu/community-programs/student-enrichment/sep/saturday
The University of Virginia's Curry School of Education offers a Saturday Enrichment Program for both gifted and high-ability students. The upcoming deadline for applications is December 1, 2013. For more information and an on-line application, follow this link:
http://curry.virginia.edu/community-programs/student-enrichment/sep/saturday
2nd-Grade
We are building "mental math" skills by playing some math games that loop from one student, to every student in the classroom, and back to the beginning student. Our 2nd graders are solving word problems using addition and subtraction, and are playing math games "Doubles Plus One," "Doubles Minus One," and Kakooma to practice their skills.
In 2nd-grade classrooms, we have used selections from the Jacob's Ladder Reading Comprehension Program. Our focus is having students explore and explain sequencing, cause and effect, implications, basic literary elements, inferencing, and general themes and concepts, based on some fable, short story and poetry selections that students will be reading.
3rd-Grade
Our 3rd graders are working with deductive reasoning, in combination with math skills, to complete some Math Perplexors. We have played "Difference Add" to see who can create the largest difference, using four digits dealt them, then adding these differences to see who can reach 500 first. Ask students to tell you about the Eight-Digit puzzle in which no consecutive numbers can be placed next to one another on a grid, either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.
Our 3rd-graders have worked with Touchpebbles stories, part of the Touchstones Discussion Project curriculum. Typically, students meet together at the beginning of our class time as we introduce a topic or theme for discussion, break into small groups to problem solve or reach a conclusion, and then rejoin the larger group to share outcomes from their small groups. Next, we read a folktale or fable, and tie together our theme with what we have read. As they practice critical reading skills, students will learn to clarify their thoughts and improve speaking skills through the small-group and whole-group discussions. With just a few ground rules for conducting group discussions, this dynamic encourages students towards deeper questioning, making inferences, determining their own opinions, and respecting the opinions of others.
Our 3rd-graders have worked with Touchpebbles stories, part of the Touchstones Discussion Project curriculum. Typically, students meet together at the beginning of our class time as we introduce a topic or theme for discussion, break into small groups to problem solve or reach a conclusion, and then rejoin the larger group to share outcomes from their small groups. Next, we read a folktale or fable, and tie together our theme with what we have read. As they practice critical reading skills, students will learn to clarify their thoughts and improve speaking skills through the small-group and whole-group discussions. With just a few ground rules for conducting group discussions, this dynamic encourages students towards deeper questioning, making inferences, determining their own opinions, and respecting the opinions of others.
4th-Grade
We have been working with some word problems using the strategies of "guess and check" and "make a table or chart" to solve them. To extend the concepts of rounding and estimation, students had to estimate the number of words on a given page of text, applying what they had learned. We also tried our hand at some Magic Squares.
Our 4th-graders continue with the Touchstones Discussion Project curriculum as part of their literacy study each week. We started with a discussion about taking advice from others, feeling sometimes that we may not want the advice of others, and encouraging someone to take our advice when we feel they may be headed towards trouble. A folktale about a magic pillow that made a young man willing to accept the advice of an older, wiser man provided some interesting interpretations and discussion.
Electives Courses
Our 4th-grade students are all participating in Electives Courses, taught by wonderful volunteer parents and teachers here at Venable. We are offering these courses again this year, after the positive response we had last year. During eight consecutive Friday mornings, students are engaged in problem solving and reaching conclusions on topics of interest, some of which include: our criminal justice system, interior design, acting, conservation, environmental science, urban planning, public speaking, photography, and the writing process. Through these electives, students make connections among what they are learning in the classroom, their interests, and possible career choices in the future.
Our 4th-graders continue with the Touchstones Discussion Project curriculum as part of their literacy study each week. We started with a discussion about taking advice from others, feeling sometimes that we may not want the advice of others, and encouraging someone to take our advice when we feel they may be headed towards trouble. A folktale about a magic pillow that made a young man willing to accept the advice of an older, wiser man provided some interesting interpretations and discussion.
Electives Courses
Our 4th-grade students are all participating in Electives Courses, taught by wonderful volunteer parents and teachers here at Venable. We are offering these courses again this year, after the positive response we had last year. During eight consecutive Friday mornings, students are engaged in problem solving and reaching conclusions on topics of interest, some of which include: our criminal justice system, interior design, acting, conservation, environmental science, urban planning, public speaking, photography, and the writing process. Through these electives, students make connections among what they are learning in the classroom, their interests, and possible career choices in the future.