Grade Level Expectations For Identified Gifted andTalented Students

Highland Park Elementary

Grades K-5

For Printing: HP GT Expectations 

HP Future Problem Solvers Program

 

To Be Gifted…

 

Federal Definition of Gifted - U.S. Department of Education (1993)

Children and youth with outstanding talent perform or show the potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experience, or environment. These children and youth exhibit high performance capacity in intellectual, creative, and/or artistic areas, and unusual leadership capacity, or excel in specific academic fields. They require services or

activities not ordinarily provided by the schools. Outstanding talents are present in children and youth from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor.

 

Texas Definition of Gifted - Texas Education Code, Subchapter D. Educational Programs for Gifted and Talented Students (1995)

…”gifted and talented” students means a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who:

1. exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area;

2. possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or

3. excels in a specific academic field.

 

The Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students indicates five categories of giftedness: general intellectual ability, specific academic aptitude, creativity, leadership, and visual/performing arts. Currently, Austin ISD serves students who are identified as advanced intellectually and academically. Their giftedness may surface as an outstanding aptitude in one or more of the areas of language arts, math, science, and social studies or in their ability to process information more rapidly with greater depth and complexity.

 

General Intellectual Ability

• formulates abstractions

• processes information in complex ways

• observant

• excited about new ideas

• enjoys hypothesizing

• learns rapidly

• uses a large vocabulary

• inquisitive

• self-starter

 

Specific Academic Aptitude

• good memory

• advanced comprehension

• acquires basic-skills knowledge quickly

• widely read in special-interest area

• high academic success in special-interest area

• pursues special interest with enthusiasm and vigor

 

HP Grade Level Expectations

Highland Park Elementary teachers, in partnership with the campus Gifted and Talented Advocate, GT Nomination Committee, and GT Parent Advisory Committee, have created expectations for gifted and talented students at each grade level. It is our hope that these expectations will guide students and teachers at each grade level to find ways to challenge not only GT students, but all students. Keep in mind that this document serves as a basic overview only; more detailed information should be discussed with your child’s teacher(s).

 

KINDERGARTEN EXPECTATIONS

Across Subject Matter

• Student elaborates

• Draws inferences

• Manipulates Information

 

FIRST GRADE EXPECTATIONS

Language Arts

• Must spell bonus words on spelling tests

• Required to participate in Reflections

• Write more sentences in their journal

• Read higher level texts, including non-fiction books

 

Math

• Work in math enrichment folders

• Participate in Math Explorers pullout program

• Be a part of the Accelerated Math program

 

Social Studies/Science

• Required to enter the Science Fair

• Must work on one project or presentation each nine weeks

 

SECOND GRADE EXPECTATIONS

Demonstrate the ability to:

• Understand and work with more complex subject matter than other students

• Comprehend and respond to in greater depth to subject matter than other students

• Generate questions to guide their own study

• Think creatively in responding to assignments

• Assume leadership in directing their own work and on small group projects

 

Students will also:

• Complete alternate assignments or steps beyond the regular class assignments

when they demonstrate a mastery of the regular class assignment

• Demonstrate the ability to assess their own progress and products using rubrics

• Develop a plan (with teacher assistance) to address organizational or work study

skill habits that may affect their productivity

• Submit an entry to science fair

 

The curriculum and instruction in second grade are differentiated within the classroom for each gifted student based on the student’s individual strengths and needs. This means that in the classroom the teacher will:

• Teach advanced learners at an appropriate pace and depth for the gifted student

• Give students full credit for what they already know

• Provide extension activities to replace the grade level work students have already mastered

• Utilize critical and creative thinking activities

• Teach students how to self-evaluate their own learning

 

THIRD GRADE EXPECTATIONS

Across Subject Areas:

• Negotiate alternate assignments when assigned tasks prove un-motivating

• Products and/or performances will in some way exhibit at least one of the following:

• More complex subject matter than other students

• Greater depth of subject matter than other students

• Creativity beyond that of other students

• Higher level thinking

• Leadership

• Write justifications for their grades on projects

 

Science

• Submit an entry to the Science Fair

 

Math

• Learn and teach others Math Pentathalon Games

 

Language Arts

• Submit Reflections entry

 

FOURTH GRADE EXPECTATIONS

Students will demonstrate the ability to:

• Understand and work with more complex subject matter than other students

• Comprehend and respond to (in greater depth) to subject matter than other students

• Generate questions to guide their own study

• Think creatively in responding to assignments

• Assume leadership in directing their own work and on small group projects

• Participate in Future Problem Solvers

 

Furthermore, identified students will:

• Complete additional tasks or steps when they demonstrate a mastery of the regular assignment

• Demonstrate the ability to assess their own progress and products using rubrics

• Develop a plan (with teacher assistance) to address organizational or work study

skill habits that may affect their productivity

 

**GT students who consistently do not meet these expectations may be exited from the GT program.

 

FIFTH GRADE EXPECTATIONS

Across All Subject Areas:

Though the standard curriculum will be enhanced to better meet the needs of the GT student, all students will participate in similar units and activities. The identified student, however, will:

• Be expected to complete assignments with greater depth and complexity

• Will be given directions and expectations for each assignment as it becomes

available.