2nd grade GT students have recently completed their Texas Performance Standards Projects on rare animals. These are independent research projects. The students took notes on index cards and categorized their information into the following pockets in their research folders:

• Physical Description
• Habitat
• Young
• Food
• Survival
• Fun Facts

They recorded their sources in a bibliography. Then it was time to create a product that showed off their new expertise! Each student created a powerpoint presentation on his/her animal. We look forward to posting these on the blog. You may also check out these presentations at Open House!

3rd grade GT students are finishing the wonderful novel called The Tale of Despereaux. Along with learning to read with increased expression and with appropriate "voices" for each character, these students have examined and written about the following elements of Depth & Complexity:

• Multiple Perspectives -- with "I Am..." poems written from the point of view of a character, object, or location in the book! The students also wrote letters to the main character and received letters back written from his perspective! We were suprised Despereaux wrote back to the students, as busy as he is trying to save the princess and all!
• Ethics -- We categorized quotes and events in the book into Light vs. Darkness, or Good vs. Evil (a major theme of the novel)
• Big Idea & Details -- Students summarized each chapter and division of the book, recounting important supporting details.

As a culminating activity for this unit, students will create a Photo Story on the computer that includes a photo and sentence for every letter of the alphabet... somehow related to... you guessed it... A Tale of Despereaux! These will be posted on the blog as well as available for you to view at Open House!

4th grade GT students are nearing the completion of their Texas Performance Standards Projects. The study of enigmas has been intriguing for all! Each student is creating a Photo Story on the computer that will focus on the following aspects of his/her chosen enigma:

• Description
• History
• Claims/Sightings
• Theories
• The Student's Theory Based on Research
• Fun Facts
• Unanswered Questions

The students are exploring new aspects of technology as knowledge and creativity meet in their outstanding products. Get ready for some awesome Photo Stories... coming soon... to a blog near you! You can also view your child's Photo Story at Open House!

5th grade GT students are finishing their reading of the exciting novel Call it Courage by Armstrong Sperry. We have examined what true courage means to us as individuals. Students located and summarized two articles for our class -- one in which courage was shown and one which clearly showed a lack of courage. They created icons for courage and will soon be creating Photo Stories that display their personal interpretation of COURAGE through photos, music, and narration.
Check them out on the blog as soon as they are ready... or view these creative interpretations at Open House!