West Point Elementary DEEP Enrichment Groups
Welcome to DEEP
This program is designed to provide students with challenging activities and curriculum that will enrich their traditional classroom experience. The purpose of the DEEP program is to provide complex, in-depth, rigorous learning opportunities tied directly to student strengths, interests and abilities.
Masters of the Month
Each month in DEEP we learn about two people that have greatly contributed to their fields of study. These people can be scientists, human rights activists, mathematicians, philosophers, authors, etc. Students are told stories about each master and given clues about who these people are. Then, they must determine what facts will help them identify who the master is and take notes. Later, after they leave DEEP groups, they research who these people might be. The following week students are encouraged to guess who the masters are. If they guess correctly, they win a small prize. Not only does this exercise help students to identify important details in a lecture, but it also incorporates the Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Glass Door Theory. Students are able to see themselves in the stories. This helps them to realize they have immense potential, and can accomplish great things.
Wonder of the Week
Curiosity is an essential part of learning. In DEEP, we begin each class with a Wonder of the Week designed to get the students asking questions and engaged in the learning process. Students are encouraged to ask the following two questions. What do I notice? What do I wonder? When students are curious their minds are actively working. Through the art of being curious, students in DEEP are provided with opportunities to explore new ideas, research new possibilities, and evaluate challenges using multiple perspectives. Ask your students about their favorite Wonder of the Week.
In DEEP, we use the eleven Depth and Complexity icons as tools to teach students to look at a topic in a new way. These icons are designed to assist students with applying critical thinking skills. All of the material we learn in DEEP can be tied to these icons. We use them to examine subject material in a deeper more complex way.
Resources
Student sites
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Parent sites
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School forms
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