Monday, November 14, 2016




GT LEADers in Action!November I edition

Thank you, veterans and family members, for your honored and selfless service!
SAGE Parents Organization is hosting a special lunch TOMORROW, Tuesday, November 15 at 11:30 at the PDEC (Professional Development Center) with Becky Manning, Director of GCISD Advanced Academics.  She will share the E2 Initiative:  Enrichment and Extension efforts of GT specialists in the district supporting regular classroom teachers.  Please make plans to bring your sack lunch for this informative session.



GT LEAD KINDERGARTEN TESTING INFORMATION: 
There is a video of the parent information meeting from Nov. 10 on the Advanced Academics website for those who were not able to make it.  The deadline for parents to refer their child(ren) for gifted testing is November 30.  Please contact your child's homeroom teacher if you are planning to do so.  Classroom teachers will contact me about sending parents a digital parent inventory and permission-to-test.  
Kindergarten testing will occur January 4-13th. 

5TH Grade GT LEAD/ASPIRE MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENT INFO MEETING: 


Tuesday, December 6 at  6:00 pm 

Professional Development Center, 5800 Colleyville Blvd., Colleyville  76034

This meeting is for parents who are interested in Middle School GT program for their:
  • current 5th grader (non-GT identified) student testing for the gifted and talented program
  • current 5th grader (Identified GT) student testing for the Aspire Academy
  • current 5th grader (Identified GT) student looking for their placement options for Middle School 
There will only be one district-wide meeting, but then a video of it will be put on the Advanced Academics website for those who cannot make it. 
The referral window for parents to refer their child(ren) for gifted testing is December 1-12.  
Please contact your child's homeroom teacher if you are planning to do so.  Classroom teachers will contact me about sending you a digital application to test.   
The actual Fifth Grade testing will occur January 4-13th. 


Grades 1-4 GT LEAD/Aspire Academy Testing Information:
First, Second, Third, and Fourth Grade parents, please stay tuned for more details. However, below you will find dates for GCISD's GT testing windows. 


  • 1st - 4th GT Identify Parent Info Night, February 2, 2017 
  • 1st- 4th Parent Referrals, February 13 - February 28, 2017
  • 1st- 4th Gifted and Talented Testing, February 27 - March 10, 2017 


Here's the blueprint of our classroom:

1st grade is the only crew I know that can complete a draw start, transfer it to a puzzle board, and then challenge their classmates to solve their puzzle.  Scholars also focused on logic challenges with deductive reasoning from clues.  And math problems kept their brains fully active!

2nd grade showed their thankfulness by considering the "perspective" from a non-living thing.  For example, microscopes are thankful for soft eyelashes that brush against the eye piece.  3D printers are thankful for filament to print models.  Scholars drew double draw-starts to reveal the connection and wrote thank you letters showing that appreciation.
Apparently, Legos can be thankful for solar energy, primary colors, flat surfaces and clean toddler hands.
3rd grade opened their hearts and talents to creating holiday cards for the seniors at GRACE.  Scholars were challenged to add something original or innovative to their design.  They painted lovely watercolor messages that I know will warm hearts.  They also concluded their academic discipline study by writing a letter to their future self.  
4th grade studied critical elements of famous monuments, like the Statue of Liberty.   They recognized that she portrays liberty, freedom, enlightenment, etc.  Students then self-reflected on critical characteristics of their own identity.  Please talk about that list with them to help narrow it down. 
Really cool Jack and Rowen photobomb
5th grade is thrilled to announce that it's SPARK Talk time!  Dr. Robin Ryan, Superintendent of GCISD School District, created a video for these students, encouraging them to better the world through their independent study.
Ask your child what this "messy web" reflects when one student forgets their responsibilities.
3D puzzles

HAVE A FANTASTIC THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
WITH YOUR FAMILY!




Friday, November 4, 2016


GT LEADers in Action
November I edition

GT LEAD KINDERGARTEN PARENT INFORMATIONAL MEETING:
Thursday,  November 10  at  6:00 pm
Professional Development Center, 5800 Colleyville Blvd., Colleyville  76034

This meeting is for parents who are interested in having their kindergarten child(ren) tested for the gifted and talented program.  There will only be one district-wide meeting, but then a video of it will be put on the Advanced Academics website for those who cannot make it.

The deadline for parents to nominate their child(ren) for gifted testing is November 30.  Please contact your child's homeroom teacher if you planning to do so.  The actual testing window for Kindergarten is January 4-13.  


Parents, please always feel welcomed to email, meet or call me if you have any questions or concerns about how things are going in the LEAD classroom.  I'm happy to help you any time!   
-Melanie Gable


What a proud welcome this mighty mustang was to the scholars at Cub Dash!!!
#GHSMustangs

1st Grade took its first attempt at grid logic, and the results were impressive.  These scholars brilliantly focused on given clues and inferred the information masterfully.  To reward their awesome efforts, they were challenged with creating a jigsaw puzzle from a simple draw start challenge.
Boo!

2nd Grade experienced critical problem solving where they were faced with "archeological artifacts/remains" and had to analyze which extinct species they might have belonged to.  Students considered the species' structure, natural tendencies and how it might have become extinct.  Which of its needs was eliminated....water, food, shelter, air, sun.....to cause the extinction?

3rd Grade previewed various pamphlets from universities across the country and took virtual field trips "across campuses" to locate schools that have programs in their selected academic disciplines.  Students were thrilled to find colleges that hosted engineering programs, medical schools, art and design schools, etc. in their own areas of interest.
Researching colleges to support our academic disciplines
4th Grade did not have LEAD class this week due to their field trip and half day for student conferences.  Not to worry...we'll accomplish twice as much next week!
Spontaneous creativity is the best.
5th Grade
Shark Tank came to Cannon, as classmates selected the top three app presentations, and visiting "sharks" evaluated the quality of the app and the pitch of their presentation.
Would you believe the winners won a 100 Grand???  (chocolate bar, of course!)
Presenting our Apps to the "sharks" in our Shark Tank simulation
Come on, Sharks, what will you offer me?

Is there any location these scholars won't work?  They are truly amazing!