GT Newsletter October 2018

INSIDE:


CCISD AP
Scholars
page 1


Alpha Learning
Opportunities
page 2


Tools for
Elementary
GT Learners

page 3

Team CCISD
page 4

OCTOBER 2018



Clear Creek ISD Students Earn AP Scholar Award



Students who enroll in AP Ahona Jabbar Clear Lake High School:
courses are able to take AP Andrew Liu Travis Baylor
exams upon completion of Payton Lynn Andrew Borrell
the course. College credit Akhil Majmudar Nicholas Chu
is then given to the student Wyatt Miles Matthew Davis
depending on the score Gabrielle Mills Mariam Ghattass
The College Board earned on the exam. The Angela Nguyen Kaitlyn Guhl
announced the names of 495 highest possible score is a 5. Bhargav Parthasarathy Gayathri Krishna
Clear Creek ISD students Taylor Presley Matthew Levens
who earned outstanding Additionally, 50 CCISD Hunter Smith Monica Martinez
achievement on their 2018 students were granted an Jacob Strickland Jacob Mccalla
Advanced Placement (AP) AP Capstone Diploma Nikita Valluri Alexander Morris
exams. These students for scoring 3 or higher in Karina Muffoletto
received the AP Scholar the AP Seminar and AP Clear Creek High School: Yanran Qi
Award for earning scores of Research courses and on Hannah Brandon Youcef Sahnoune
3 or higher on three or more four additional AP exams of Caroline Coco Dylan Theriot
AP exams. their choosing. Scott Lindberg Meghan Truong
Chandini Muthukumar Jarred Xiong
The prestigious distinction Listed below are the 2018 John Sammons
was awarded to 82 students students who earned an AP Alexia Telios Clear Springs High School:
from Clear Brook High Capstone Diploma: Bianca Zamora Blake Cellum
School, 88 from Clear Creek Valerie Stewart
High School, 116 from Clear Brook High School: Clear Falls High School:
Clear Falls High Schools, Nicholas Balletto Samantha Bielat For more information
11 from Clear Horizons Erin Brownfield Clayton Hinson about Advanced Placement,
Early College High School, Bailey Buchanan Sydney Holland visit the Clear Creek ISD
110 from Clear Lake High Rachel Christman Divya Sashital Advanced Academics
School and 88 from Clear Saad Durrani Julia Sheaffer webpage.
Springs High School. Smiti Gandhi
Braden Hoefer





1

Alpha Learning Opportunities





ALPHA kicked off on September 21st with CCISD’s fifth grade GT students.
This semester we added several new and exciting classes. Here are a few of
the many enrichment opportunities students have through ALPHA:

ARTventure: Journey through Time
Venture through time and space to find yourself in various cultures and
artistic pastimes! Discover what it’s like to create your own prehistoric cave
paintings, unimaginable inventions, vessels/totem poles from around the
world, graphic/video game design, space landscapes, and more! We will
apply principles and elements of design that are found within each specific
period, using a plethora of mediums!

MOVE IT! MOVE IT! MOVE IT!
Crash! Bang! Thud! Ever wonder why things fall? What keeps us stuck to
Earth? In this course, we will explore these things and much more. You will
investigate energy, force and motion through a series of hands-on activities.
Discover the science behind roller coasters and carnival games. Come see
that there is energy, force and motion in everything we do!

Eureka! An Exploration in Creating Mathematical Ideas
When you think of math, do you think of sandwiches, shooting hoops,
play-dough, or newspaper? This course will challenge your understanding
of math as we peer into some of the greatest minds in the world of
mathematics. We will explore and test the ideas of math superstars and
then work on creating and testing our own mathematical theorems. Come
learn what it takes to be a mathematician, and, just like Archimedes, you
too will shout, “Eureka!”

Wildlife Warriors of Field Biology
Do you have a passion for nature and studying animals in the wild? In this
course, we will experience field study with various topics: habitats, zoology,
ecology and biodiversity. Besides working outdoors at UHCL, students
will visit Armand Bayou Nature Center for field activities. In a culminating
activity, teams of students will do a research presentation of the entire
semester’s activities. Come join us and let’s get “WILD” together!!!

Wildlife Warriors in actionildlife Warriors in action
W

WAVE Learning GT Book Nook


Corner This edition of the GT Book Nook brings


you two award-winning books on
Progress reports and report cards will be parenting gifted students:
coming out soon. This can be a stressful
time for many WAVE students as they “Why Smart Kids Worry: And What
are facing a level of challenge and change Parents Can Do to Help” by Allison
that they may not have ever experienced Edwards
before. It is often the first time they have
earned a grade that is lower than they “Smart Parenting for Smart Kids:
Nurturing Your Child’s True
2 may typically earn. If you have questions Potential” by Eileen Kennedy-
about your child’s grades, you are
encouraged to reach out to the teacher. Moore and Mark S. Lowenthal
2

What our Teachers Goal Setting for


are Learning Gifted Learners




This summer CCISD teachers spent time With the school
learning more strategies for supporting GT year back in full
learners. Sessions covered topics such as swing, many of
breakout boxes, creativity, understanding gifted us are talking
learners, and depth and complexity. Many AP about goals with
teachers attended the AP Summer Institute our students.
for their content areas. We were fortunate to No matter what
have the AP Annual Conference right here in
Houston this summer so many of our teachers grade or age level,
were able to participate in this amazing goal setting is an
learning and collaboration opportunity. important life skill. Here are a few tips to help
your learner build goal setting skills:


• Determine the goal
• Make sure the goals are specific
• Set a deadline for the goal
• Make sure goals are sincere
• Write the goal down
• List the steps needed to reach the goal
• Monitor progress


Read here to learn more about these tips.

Tools for Elementary


GT Learners





Elementary GT students have been learning to use new tools to assist them in thinking in deeper and more
complex ways. Developed by Sandra Kaplan in 1995, the 11 Dimensions of Depth and Complexity differentiates
curriculum in a way that assists students with utilizing a more sophisticated thought process. These tools are
illustrated using picture representations or icons. Here are two of the tools that your child has been learning
about:

Questions Questions
What theory or general statement applies How would others see the situation
to these ideas? How do these ideas differently?
relate to broad concepts such as change,
systems, chaos vs. order, etc? What is the Examples
main idea? Different roles and knowledge opposing
viewpoints
Examples
Draw conclusions based on evidence, make generalizations,
summarize, theory, principle, main idea




2018 National Merit Scholarship Program Semifinalists
3

Looking for more resources to support your gifted learner? Save the date and join us on Saturday,
November 10 at Team CCISD. Sessions will be offered on Gifted and Talented resources for parents.
Click here for more information.


Connect with your GT Team
Upcoming Events


Glenda Holder

Director of Advanced Academics and Gifted and Talented
[email protected]
OCTOBER 16
Follow us on the CASE Meeting

CCISD GT Facebook group! at Westbrook
Intermediate
featuring The 6
Types of Gifted
Children
6:30 p.m.


NOVEMBER 10
TEAM CCISD
at McWhirter
4 Elementary
8:30 a.m.