1. Welcome to the Gifted Support Program
Back to School Night
Welcome to the Gifted Support Program

2. Introduction KVMS Professional Background 15th year of teaching
Certified Language Arts and Social Studies
3 years teaching middle school in Philadelphia
2 years teaching high school in Clayton, NJ
8th year teaching in Hatboro Horsham School District
Masters in Education and currently in Grad School at PSU
Various advisory and coaching positions
National Junior Honor Society co-advisor
KVMS

3. Curriculum
Grades 7 and 8 will be utilizing the PACE period at the beginning of the day for enrichment class.
This year the students will choose two/three of
units of study for enrichment. The classes will be a mixture of 7th and 8th graders grouped by interest.
Students will still be pulled out of class TWICE a month by grade level for independent study and for social and emotional goal management.
KVMS

4. UNITS OF STUDY MOCK TRIAL PHILOSOPHY/PSYCHOLOGY KVMS
The students are assigned a historical case (Rosenberg Trial is one example) and pick roles to assume. They are the lawyers, the witnesses, and in the past the members of the jury. The students learn about the legal process and the rules of criminal and civil trials. They also learn about courtroom decorum. The students engage in a great deal of research regarding the case and the people involved. The culminating activity is a visit to the District Courthouse to engage in a MOCK TRIAL with Judge Paul Leo presiding.
PHILOSOPHY/PSYCHOLOGY
The students study a myriad of philosophers, opening up each student’s views about the facets of present situations and the potential for the future. Socratic seminars are held in response to readings and “case studies” presented to the students. The culminating project is to create a “Personal Philosophy” statement about the “Big Issues” (life, friendship, love, knowledge, reality, spirituality). They will use quotes from philosophers and their writings to support their own philosophical notions. The students will also engage in an overview of psychology with a focus personality types and preferences and brain development.
KVMS

5. 3. FUTURE CITY (STEM)
 This year the 7th and 8th grade Gifted Support Program students will be offered the opportunity to engage in a STEM based unit of study.  The Future City Competition is a national, project-based learning experience where students imagine, design, and build cities of the future. Students collaborate with an educator and engineer mentor to plan cities using SimCity™ software; research and write solutions to an engineering problem; build tabletop scale models with recycled materials; and present their ideas before judges at Regional Competitions in January. For more information click here:
KVMS

6. 4. National History Day Project
Students will conduct higher-level research based on the theme “Leadership & Legacy in History”
Creation of one of five end products: historical research paper, a website (Weebly), a documentary, a historical exhibit, or an original dramatic performance.
Higher level resources will be made available by teacher, media specialists. In the past we visited the Free Library of Philadelphia (Central Branch) and the Horsham Library as part of the research process
End product to be displayed at the end of the year Enrichment Fair and may be entered into the National History Day Regional Competition on 3/28/15 (Last year it was held at Ursinus College. There were 500 entries from Bucks and Montgomery County)
Website for more information:
Be sure to check out Student Project Examples and Creating an Entry for Rules and Regulations for project submission.
KVMS

7. Video Game Design (Gamestar Mechanic)
Gamestar Mechanic is currently supported by a partnership between the Institute of Play and E-Line Media. The game was originally developed by Gamelab in partnership with the Institute of Play and the Academic Advanced Distributed Learning Co-Lab (AADLC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Initial funding for the game and companion learning guides came from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Gamestar Mechanic differs from other game creation tools by focusing on game design rather than computer programming. Knowing how to put together a successful game involves system-based thinking, creative problem solving, art and aesthetics, writing and storytelling.
For more information please visit the webpage at:
(be sure to check out the links for the parent and teacher pages)
KVMS

8. 6. Video Game Design II
8th grade unit for those who completed GSM or have prior knowledge of gaming design. This is a rigorous and difficult unit if student does not engage in tutorials
Unity3D is a software application and 3D game development environment (also known as a “game engine”) that allows users to create immersive, interactive, 3D games and simulations. It currently runs only on the Mac OS. However, the games and simulations that are created with Unity can be easily played on Linux and Windows computers, using either a web-browser plug-in, or running a self-contained executable program.

9. Unity (continued) www.unity3d.com
Requires parent permission and signature on revised AUP
Students will learn through a series of tutorials then begin designing independent games
Final product to be evaluated will either be
A Civil War simulation
A game tied to 8th grade curriculum content
An original game proposed by student (packet to be provided) and approved by teacher and administration

10. copyright 2006 www.brainybetty.com
7. Writer’s Workshop
Guided yet independent unit where the focus is on writing for pleasure and bolstering writing skills
Students will conference with teacher and peers and receive tips for writing polished end products
Portfolio to be published, bound, and sent home
Work can be published on either:
Teen Ink: requires signed parent consent
Edmodo: closed and secure online community made up of only other students in the writing group
11/18/2018
copyright

11. JOHNS HOPKINS CTY
Website for all the information you may need to learn about the programs
SAT Information:
KVMS

12. Schedule
Students will be placed in groups comprised of 7th and 8th graders based on interest and unit of study.
Students will meet with members of their “Interest” group every three days during PACE period
EX: Chris is taking part in the NHD Unit. I will see Chris on Monday and again on Thursday this week. Next week I will see Chris on Tuesday/Friday…the schedule will constantly be rotating and posted online and outside of my room. This allow for me to meet and hold class with three groups twice within a six day cycle
KVMS

13. Gifted Support Schedule
Students will still be pulled out of class by grade level twice a month to work independently on projects. In most cases this means they will only miss each class two/three times the ENTIRE first semester
Bi-Weekly pull out class sessions will also be used to support social/emotional needs and to mentor students in “interest” unit projects
KVMS