McKinley Elementary Enrichment/Gifted Ms. Grady/GRC
MOODLE Enrichment Events Links Site Plan Ms. Grady McKinley NPS ParentConnect
Enrichment McKinley’s Gifted and Schoolwide Enrichment Programming offers students opportunities for using higher level thinking, being challenged, and development of problem solving skills and for showcasing creativity. All students are offered enrichment during “whole” class activities. “Small” group activities offer opportunities based upon interests and abilities. Individual letters will go home with students in Thursday folders when a student is involved in a small group activity. ”Whole” group lessons for the months of September through December are: « First Grade—Art—We will begin the school year by playing BLINK, an attributes, quick-thinking game, Make 7, a game similar to Connect 4 but involves math and strategy, and BLOKUS, the award-winning strategy game. « Second Grade—An exploration of Zoom and Rezoom, books by Istvan Banyai will take us on a mindbending journey full of twists, turns, and surprises and we will be learning about our communities and social studies. Each second grade student will create his/her own Zoom book. « Third Grade—Welcome to “This Place is a Zoo!!!” Students will assume the role of wildlife experts who design educational materials for animal exhibits. The students will study one type of natural habitat and will conduct research on an animal from that habitat and create a display presentation complete with a food chain, pictures of the animal, a map of where the animal lives, and pictures of the animal in its natural habitat. A challenge option is available in which students develop a model of the animal exhibit. We will share our displays and bring the Little River Zoo to McKinley in December. « Fourth Grade—We will explore electricity through the use of our Snap Circuit Boards. Next, we will do writing activities involving higher level thinking skills. We will also begin our Pioneer America/Legendary Westerners Unit—Fourth grade students will gain a sense of how individuals can impact history by focusing on legendary westerners during the period of westward expansion in U.S. history. In this lesson, students will research, in pairs, one legendary westerner. Each student pair will be tasked with scripting a television interview with the westerner, then performing it for the class. Students will also write an essay on four additional legendary westerners, outlining their specific contributions to history. « Fifth Grade—Fifth Grade Students will also explore electricity through the use of Snap Circuits. Fifth Grade Students will follow with an in-depth study of medieval times and then Colonial America. For each time frame, students will receive background information on the times. The students, in pairs, will research one aspect or time frame entry from our master timeline. Students will share their findings in a variety of ways: playacting, character portrayal, art pieces, powerpoint presentation, MovieMaker presentation, projects based on the time, food, or otherwise agreed upon products. In the creation of these products, students should keep in mind that they need to portray the language of the times, the dress and grooming of the people, the beliefs, customs, and foods of the times. We will culminate the activities with the completion of a large timeline and a comparison of medieval times, Colonial American, and today. Events Get the Lead Out!!! (GLO!!!) Is a festival for young authors and artists that will take place this winter at Longfellow Middle School. It is open to students in the 4^th-8^th grades. Check back for more information as the date approaches. SeeS Science Club Thursday, September 10th Thursday, October 8th Thursday, November 12th Monday Robotics Club Mondays, after school, 2:45-3:30, September 14^th-November 30th Tuesday Robotics Club Tuesdays, after school, 2:45-3:30, September 15^th-December 1^st Pee Wee Spelling Bee and Central Oklahoma Spelling Bee—January 12^th 4^th and 5^th grade, 8:45 AM in the McKinley Library 2^ndand 3^rd grade, 1:00 PM in the McKinley Library Toothpick Bridge Breaking Contest, (Fifth Grade) last week of school Share Fair and Invention Fair—May 6 and 7 Scrabble Contest—April 30 Links Gifted Organizations and parent resources: The Oklahoma Association of Gifted, Creative, and Talented http://www.oagct.org/ Norman Public Schools http://staff.norman.k12.ok.us/~donnaw/index.htm The Gifted Child Development Center http://www.gifteddevelopment.com The Gifted Child Society http://www.gifted.org The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/nrcgt.html National Association for Gifted Children http://www.nagc.org Prufrock Press’s Gifted Education Blog http://www.prufrock.com/client/prufrockBlog/index.cfm Hoagie’s Gifted World www.hoagiesgifted.org Oklahoma State Department of Education Gifted Page http://title3.sde.state.ok.us/gifted/ Duke University’s Gifted newsletter http://www.dukegiftedletter.com Davidson Institute for talent development http://ditd.org Sylvia Rimm http://www.sylviarimm.com Fun stuff for kids and parents!: NASA Kid’s Club http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html Brain teasers (lots of fun!) http://www.braingle.com/index.php The Oklahoma Writing Project www.ou.edu/special/owp Oklahoma Scholastic Chess (get updates on local tournaments) http://www.okschess.org/index.htm Set, Quiddler, and Exacta daily puzzles www.setgame.com Archimedes Lab http://www.archimedes-lab.org Mazeworks    http://www.mazeworks.com The Problemsite http://www.theproblemsite.com Suduko http://www.suduku.com Antarctic Connection        http://antarcticconnection.com Sooner Engineering and Science Club    http://www.coe.ou.edu/sees Aviation                   http://www.avkids.com National Geographic Bee   http://nationalgeographic.com/geographicbee Family Trips, etc.    http://www.museumtour.com Poetry                                   http://poeticpower.com Engineering and Architecture   http://www.jenzac.com Chess                       http://www.chesskids.com http://www.okschess.org Math 24                   http://www.24game.com Jigsaw Puzzles        http://www.jigzone.com Books for gifted readers sites: Sequoyah Book list for 2007: http://www.oklibs.org/sequoyah/0607/2007_Childrens_Annotations.pdf Battle of the Books: http://www.battleofthebooks.com/first.html Recommended reading  http://www.planetesme.com Gifted Girls Websites: http://www.twicegifted.net/gender.htm http://www.giftedgirls.net/giftedgirlsclub.html http://www.bsu.edu/web/jamargison/articles_about_gifted_girls_and_.htm http://www.talentdevelop.com/Page1.html www.terc.edu/wge/rgpsychology.html Site Plan The Norman Public Schools Gifted Education Model: A Site Based Approach Appropriate Schoolwide Pacing Enrichment Affective Support The mission of the Norman Public Schools gifted program is to provide educational opportunities which foster the development of each individual's maximum potential. A. Appropriate Pacing: Appropriate pacing includes instructional/organizational strategies that allow students to advance at a pace, which provides steady challenge. B. Enrichment: Enrichment includes experiences or activities that are above or beyond the "regular curriculum". Type I - General Exploratory Activities: Type I enrichment consists of experiences and activities that are purposefully designated to expose students to a wide variety of disciplines (fields of study), visual and performing arts, topics, issues, occupations, hobbies, persons, places and events that are not ordinarily covered in the regular curriculum and in which students may have or may develop a sincere interest. Type II - Enrichment Process Skills: Type II enrichment consists of materials, methods and instructional techniques that are purposefully designed to promote the development of thinking, learning, feeling processes (cognitive and affective skill training) which prepare students to initiate and pursue further study in their areas of interest. These processes include higher level thinking skills such as critical thinking, creativity or divergent thinking, problem solving or questioning techniques. Also included are information and research skills and advanced communication and production skills. Type III - Advanced Level Investigation and Production: Type III activities are student initiated, centered on a real purpose and product and ultimately presented to a real audience. C. Affective Support: Affective support includes the identification, monitoring and provision of support services. D. Professional Development Ms. Grady Hello, I’m Michelle Walsdorf Grady (Ms. Grady). I am the GRC at McKinley—the Gifted Resources Coordinator. I have a full time position. My free time is spent with my three boys, Ian, Nate, and Luke. I also enjoy music, art, cooking, gardening, reading, experimenting, learning and playing games! I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with emphases in Environmental Education and Math from the University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point. I taught in Wisconsin before moving to Oklahoma. (Oklahoma has come to feel like home. We really enjoy the people and the state!) I currently serve on the board of the Oklahoma Association of Gifted, Creative, and Talented. My job is to provide enrichment opportunities for all of McKinley students as well as to identify students as gifted and to make sure that those students identified as gifted are being appropriately paced in their classrooms. Please contact me if you have any questions, comments, or concerns or if you would like more information about gifted children. I have many books and articles on subjects dealing with gifted children that you are welcome to borrow. By email: mwalsdorfg@norman.k12.ok.us By phone: (405)366-5914 Or drop by the school.	Enrichment Websites: Arctic Website: http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/tundra.html Second Grade: Mixed Media Messages http://pbskids.org/eekoworld/index.html http://www.kdheks.gov/kdsi/pg10_symbols_defined.html http://www.justthink.org/going-green/?gclid=CKyEj4a0vZ4CFQjyDAod5x66nQ http://42explore.com/recycle.htm Fourth Grade Japan and Origami: http://www.amphi.com/~psteffen/fmf/ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja.html http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/ http://www.worldalmanacforkids.com/WAKI-Home.aspx http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/hall/index.html http://kids.asiasociety.org/stories http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchresult.cfm?parent_id=137176&word= Folk Tales/Kenya: http://pbskids.org/africa/ http://www.geographia.com/kenya/ Folk Tales/Wales: http://www.travelwales.org/server.php?show=nav.8874 http://www.britishcouncil.org/wales/ http://www.castlewales.com/home.html Third Grade Lemonade Stand: http://www.ae4rv.com/games/lemonade.htm Spelling Bee Study Link: http://www.spellingbee.com National Geographic Bee Link: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee/ Stock Market Websites for Fifth Grade: History of the Stock Market Mechanics of the Stock Market Securities Dictionary of Financial Terms Mutual Funds Education Center Comics Websites for Fifth Grade: Comic Art & Graffix Gallery© your place on the web for comics... http://www.comicbookresources.com/ http://www.emaki.net/ http://www.reuben.org/ http://scottmccloud.com/ Penguin Websites for First Grade: Penguin--Treasure Hunt Index of Penguin Pages Volcano Websites for Third Grade: http://www.volcano.si.edu/ http://www.avo.alaska.edu/ http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/HCV/loihi.html http://www.nps.gov/havo http://whyfiles.org/ (Type volcanoes in search window) Planning a Trip Websites for Third Grade: TravelOK.com:  Events Search Norman Convention & Visitors Bureau Welcomes You to Norman, Oklahoma Oklahoma State Parks, Resorts & Golf http://www.otrd.state.ok.us Walt Disney World Resort Wonderworld Websites for Fourth Grade: NOVA Online | Fall of the Leaning Tower | Pisa Panorama NOVA Online/Pyramids—The Inside Story http://www.tic.ab.ca/~granson/welcome.shtml Greatstructures.Info - Great Structures of the World The Panama Canal - El Canal de Panamá - www.PanCanal.com Destination: The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World World Heritage Centre - World Heritage List Pioneer America/Legendary Westerners Websites for Fourth Grade http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/ http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/ http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/figures.htm Other Websites: http://www.artcyclopedia.com/ http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/students/
Enrichment Events Links Site Plan Ms. Grady McKinley NPS ParentConnect We have made every reasonable attempt to insure that our web pages are educationally sound and do not contain links to materials that violate the District's Student Policy on Internet and Internet Safety for the Computer Network. Contact Ms. Grady Last updated on 11/15/2007