The ELP Program for Grade 6

Parent Orientation & Back to School Night

August 16, 2011

5.30 pm

Ames Middle School

ELP Program Philosophy

Extend and support the learning opportunities of the sixth grade curriculum.

Provide enriched curriculum reading, writing application and technology integration using a project-oriented (research focused) approach.

Meet with students on a regular basis in cluster learning groups and regular classroom.

Identification for Services 1. Identification at 15% (State Guidelines) 2. Comprehensive Assessment Plan (CAP)

ITBS: 95-99 IPR Grade 5 and history DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment): Mastery (4) Local Math (problem solving and math skills/concepts):

Mastery Level (25-28 raw score)

3. Other available assessment information Math Olympiads, Word Masters, Geography Bee, and

Continental Math League (CML)

Identification for Services 4. DEP report - Recommended to continue

services or assess appropriate services at fall interview.

5. Classroom teacher referral or recommendation. 6. Other unique considerations (e.g., exceptional

motivation/effort and time management skills) or placement on watch list pending further information.

DEP Report on Infinite Campus

Identification for Services

Student interviews are conducted in the fall during the first two weeks to review eligibility for services and placement in a math or humanities group.

Eligible for humanities and/or math ELP services then placed in cluster group.

Evaluation is ongoing with feedback based on use of rubrics, and narrative comments.

Group content evaluation assessments are given (e.g., probability/survey skills, questioning assessment, student developed Greek or Roman knowledge bowl).

DEP report is provided at conference time and end of the year. (Infinite Campus or Word document)

Application Forms Not required if receiving ELP services in

the ACS grade 5 program. YES, complete the application form if: Informal ELP services (no DEP report) was

provided. New to the district or arriving from a school

outside the ACS district. New to the district and received TAG services

outside the district.

Language Arts and Humanities Cluster Group

Ancient Early Civilizations - Prehistoric man and Ice Age information web topic search for poster paper.

Ancient Egypt - Hieroglyphic card game and sand writing activity.

Ancient Greece - Greek ruins and Turkey (PowerPoint), Greek Knowledge Bowl (student developed questions), Greek plays, Cleopatra and Alexander the Great computer timelines.

Ancient Rome - Roman PowerPoint, Roman Knowledge Bowl, historical fiction story web page and game board development.

Learn and Develop Question Writing Strategies

Language Arts and Humanities Cluster Middle Ages and Medieval Period - Medieval

castle model construction with historical fiction prose writing based on information gathering (i.e., web and text sources).

Culmination Project - Research biography of famous world mathematician (BCE - Renaissance) and create web site for posting information.

Mathematics Cluster Group

Probability Unit - Evaluating outcomes, experimental and theoretical probabilities, simple and compound events, sampling with/without replacement, likelihood and study of data (e.g., outliers).

Correlates with math skills in developing understanding of fractions, percent, ratios, geometric polygons, graphing data, decimals, prime numbers, quartiles, and introducing statistic concepts (e.g., mean, median, mode and range).

Mathematics Cluster Group Survey Research Project and Statistics Select a topic of interest related to grade six

curriculum Process of research including:

The research question of interest Write a report on the topic (literature review) Develop a questionnaire and survey a sample Graph using TinkerPlots data analysis with statistics Evaluating hypotheses or research predictions Report findings for display on a poster board.

Mathematics Cluster Group MicroworldsEX Program - Learn

primitive commands and programming procedures to construction geometric based projects.

Develop programming skills to include modular, variable, recursive and animating procedures.

Classroom Instruction Rotation in Sixth Grade

MicroworldsEX - Students learn turtle commands, degrees, geometric concepts, an introduction to programming, and tool procedures.

Reasons students decline services: Feeling academically challenged or

differentiated group in the classroom meeting student needs.

Adapting to changes in the new middle school.

Involvement in other activities or clubs (e.g., focus on music lessons, chorus/orchestra, and foreign language).

Other Gifted Considerations

Types and degrees of intelligence Linguistic: Acute verbal memories,

vocabularies, and tell elaborate stories Logical-Mathematical: Logical use of

number patterns and perform complex calculations

Visual-Spatial: Strong graphic memories and discern visual changes.

Other Gifted ConsiderationsOther types and degrees of intelligence

Bodily-Kinesthetic: Exquisite body and motor skills evident in sports or dance

Inter(Intra-)personal: Empathy for other people or keen insight into oneself

Naturalist: Affinity and appreciation for nature Creative: Art skills and appreciation Practical: Administrative skills and found among business

leaders.

Other Gifted Considerations• Some gifted characteristics and degrees of

intelligence would tend to lend themselves more readily to ELP service model and be typically displayed in academic performance and achievement in the classroom.

• Other gifted characteristics would tend to be best served in other AMS areas through classroom differentiation or projects, art/music/P.E. classes, after school sports and extension activities (e.g., chorus, orchestra, strings and band programs).

Other Gifted ConsiderationsReferences

Gardner, H. (1993). In frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligence. New York: Basic Books.

Sternberg, R. (2007). Waking up from the night of the living dead: A new approach to gifted identification. NCTM 54th Annual Convention Final Program.

AMS Grade 6 ELP Program of Study (POS) Grade 6 ELP Web Information

Refer to the web site for a listing of the curriculum program of study.

Located at the ACSD web site @ http://www.ames.k12.ia.us/

Current ID, Prep and Info Reviewing CAP, DEP, and applications Interviewing students Developing a schedule for groups meeting

twice a week Submitting a schedule to the media center Starting groups in September Web newsletter update and information @

http://tomwalsh.pbworks.com/ (updated)

ELP Teaching Assignment

At AMS on a part time assignment Scheduled at the Middle School on

Tuesday, Wednesday (a.m.) and Thursday

Easiest to reach by e-mail twalsh@ames.k12.ia.us

Thank-you for attending the Parent Orientation (Back to School Night) program.

Best wishes,

Tom

Thomas Walsh Ph.D.