With testing over, Target classes resumed the week of January 29. We now have three new first graders and they have joined our second graders for the Monday class. We also have two new third graders and one new fifth grader. Tuesdays is third grade day, Wednesdays are for fourth graders, and Thursday and Friday are fifth grade days.

"Stepping Into Target" is a unit that is designed to welcome first grade students into the Gifted Program and to acclimate them to the vocabulary used in this classroom. Students will become aware that when they are in their gifted class the focus will be on higher level thinking and problem-solving using fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration. Through the use of thematic fairy tales, particularly Cinderella, and exploring the history of feet, these stories and information provide the material we will use to apply new thinking methods and research skills.

Ophidiphobia is a new word for third graders. With this unit, the intention is to "Reverse the Fear" of SNAKES! This is an interdisciplinary unit which will increase their knowledge of snakes and use both text and online resources to locate information related to snake anatomy, defense and snake products. Students will learn about the scientific classification of snakes and their unique characteristics that make them a fierce predator. They will also learn how snakes can be helpful to man.

The excitement level for this unit. "Gadgets & Gizmos & Robotics" will take these students on a journey of exploration of the future technology of robotics. They will be engaged in the design process to solve relevant, authentic, real-world problems. Student teams apply and reinforce their science as well as mathematics, social studies, technology, and language arts content knowledge through an open-ended design process that results in an original solution. The focus of this unit is engineering and technology as well as research. Students will explore the field of engineering and technology as they learn to build and program a robot that will perform specific behaviors.

Debbie Jackson

Gifted Education Specialist

Sedalia Park Charter School

770-509-5162