Parkland School District, Allentown, PA

Student Services - Gifted Program

Gifted Curriculum : Gifted Services Resources

Philosophy: The overall aim of Parkland ’s gifted services is to provide educational opportunities and experiences to help students extend their learning, develop individual potential, enhance their self-concept, and become independent learners.

Overview: The Parkland School District provides differentiated activities and opportunities through which students discover and develop their unique and individual needs, interests, talents, and abilities.

Identification: The Gifted Identification Process is a scaled multi-step process based on: student achievement, standardized test scores, teacher evaluation, parental input, IQ test scores. If you think your child is mentally gifted and in need of services, contact your school’s guidance counselor.

American Association for Gifted Children (AAGC)
www.aagc.org

Association for the Gifted (TAG-Council for Exceptional Children)
www.cec.sped.org

National Association for the Gifted
www.nagc.org

PA Association for Gifted Education
www.penngifted.org

Services:

Kindergarten: The teacher of the gifted collaborates with the classroom teacher for observations and informal enrichment activities.

Grades 1 and 2: The teacher of the gifted services students on a weekly basis. This may include: pullout with flexible groups to develop creativity and individual talents and whole group instruction.

Grades 3-5: The teacher of the gifted services students through a pullout program for half a day per week. The program addresses critical and creative thinking through activities integrated with the regular education curriculum. The teacher of the gifted also collaborates with the classroom teacher to enrich the regular education curriculum in order to meet the needs of the gifted students.

Grade 6: The teacher of the gifted services students through a pullout program for two periods per cycle. The program addresses critical and creative thinking through activities integrated with the regular education curriculum. The teacher of the gifted also collaborates with the classroom teacher to enrich the regular education curriculum in order to meet the needs of the gifted students.

Grades 7 and 8: Gifted/High Potential courses are offered in the core subject areas of English, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. Gifted students are given the opportunity to choose from these courses to enhance their strengths and abilities.

High School: Advanced Placement, Honors, and Gifted classes are offered. For more detailed information on courses offered refer to the high school course catalog.

Gifted Curriculum

Kindergarten: Various activities are used to develop thinking and
problem solving skills through literature and content areas.

1 st Grade:

Problem solving strategies are explored through patterns and puzzles.

Different types of thinking skills are explored.

Imagination and flexibility of thinking are encouraged through literature.

2 nd Grade:

Research is emphasized through the organization of factual knowledge and applying this knowledge in creative ways.

Critical thinking skills are used to arrive at logical conclusions.

3 rd Grade:

The inventive process is extensively explored through various activities including the building of original inventions and research of a famous inventor.

Greek Mythology is investigated through literature, research of gods, goddesses or heroes, and drama.

4 th Grade:

Creative problem solving and critical thinking skills are developed through the analysis of geometric concepts.

Higher lever thinking skills are applied through the scientific method.

An integrated topic from the social studies curriculum is investigated.

5 th Grade:

Critical and creative thinking are developed through a simulation based on an interdisciplinary topic. Research and presentation of information could include the following topics:

The Stock Market Game
Voyage of the Mimi
Colonization
Other Integrated 5 th Grade Curricular Areas

6 th Grade:

Knowledge of cultural universals is demonstrated through the creation of an original culture.

Architecture is explored through the construction of a toothpick bridge.

Force and motion are investigated through the design of a mousetrap-powered car.

Facets of the mystery genre are explored through the solving and creation of mysteries.

7 th & 8 th Grades: In seventh and eighth grades

Gifted/High Potential Courses are offered in: Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies.

Math Courses are offered in Mathematics, Pre-Algebra, Algebra, and Geometry, which is teleconferenced from the high school.

High School: In ninth through twelfth grades

Advanced Placement, Honors, and Gifted Courses are offered in Core Subject Areas and Foreign Languages.

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