QUEST Curriculum

WHAT DO QUEST STUDENTS LEARN?

Continuum: The skills taught in QUEST are structured in a spiraling curriculum, from Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, focusing on four key areas:

• Creative Thinking Skills - what they are and how they are used to enhance learning

• Critical Thinking Skills - what they are and how they apply to problem solving, decision making, and more in-depth learning

• Research Skills - what they are, how they are used to explore issues and problems, and how findings or results are presented or reported to others.

• Communication - clarity in written and spoken language to become effective communicators for a variety of audiences and purposes. Students experience these skills at an increasingly sophisticated level throughout the grades. The QUEST-G/T curriculum is interdisciplinary in nature, addressing students’ strengths and interests in the four content areas. Students’ interests and strengths are expanded through their ability to apply the skills to all disciplines. They are also given individual choices in selecting areas to study within the QUEST-G/T curriculum, including structured independent studies.

Grades K-5 participate weekly in various interdisciplinary, project-based units of study under the direction and facilitation of the campus QUEST-G/T specialists. They also have access to support from the QUEST-G/T teachers through QUEST Lab, as available. • Grades 6-8 is a daily interdisciplinary gifted curriculum plus access to support from the QUEST-G/T teachers through QUEST Lab, as available.

High School QUEST/GT includes Pre-AP English QUEST, QUEST Lab, and QUEST Independent Study Mentorship (ISM) facilitated by the QUEST-G/T Facilitator Teacher. • High School G/T students are encouraged to participate in Advanced Courses through open enrollment Pre-AP, AP, and IB courses as well as specialized advanced courses in Career Tech and Fine Arts. 2. Array: An array of learning opportunities is offered to meet students’ various interests and abilities and strengths.

Grades 2-5 students with advanced abilities in language arts and mathematics may be served through PACE Language Arts and PACE Math, which provide flexible grouping patterns, differentiated curricula, and accelerated or advanced curricula. • Grades 6-7 students with advanced abilities in mathematics may be identified for PACE Math classes. • Grades 7-8 students may apply to participate in the STEM course, Gateway to Technology. They may also apply to participate in AVID, a college and career preparation class.

Grades 7-8 students may participate in advanced courses in Fine Arts, as available. • Grade 8 students may be identified for Pre-AP Algebra. • Grades 6-8 students may choose to participate in Pre-AP Language Arts. Enrollment is open to interested students.

Grade 8 students may enroll in Pre-AP Social Studies and Spanish. Enrollment is open to interested students.

9-12 students may enroll in a variety of Pre-AP/IB, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) classes, Fine Arts, Career Tech and other courses in various foundation and enrichment areas. For more information on these programs, please contact your campus counselor.

HOW DO ALL STUDENTS LEARN SKILLS TAUGHT IN QUEST-G/T?

1. The skills taught through the QUEST-G/T curriculum are not only for QUEST-G/T students. Classroom teachers incorporate these skills into the regular curriculum in an age-appropriate manner. The difference is in when the skills are introduced and in the pacing and depth at which they are applied. Training in the teaching of these skills and processes are available to all teachers.

2. The QUEST-G/T teacher is available to serve all students through assisting classroom teachers in planning instruction, in presenting demonstration lessons or workshop sessions, in working with groups on special projects or skills and other areas as determined by campus need and QUEST-G/T teacher availability.