💡G1FT3D Newsletter💡
Gifted Classroom - First Semester (2024-2025)
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This semester has been exciting, filled with many projects, engaging challenges, and competitions for our gifted learners. I am proud of their innovation and very impressed with the work that they are doing through all learning opportunities!
~Dr. Schucker
G1FT3D Website: https://sites.google.com/schuylkillvalley.org/svgiftedprogram/home
G1FT3D Highlights: Gifted student projects and guest speakers:
Fifth Grade's 'Rube and Reading' Playground Submission for the Miracle Machines Rube Goldberg Playground Design Contest
Fifth Grade's 'Rube and Reading' Playground Submission for the Miracle Machines Rube Goldberg Playground Design Contest
In collaboration with Miracle Recreation, students and designers submit their detailed design pitch decks in the hopes the playground equipment of your dreams will actually be built! This contest serves as the first of a three-phase implementation plan, whereby the winning designs will move to the next phase for community approval and eventual construction. To create the perfect playground, a designer must balance creativity, inclusivity, and functionality all in an open outdoor public space. Not to mention, the playground should of course be Rube Goldberg-themed to inspire children to explore the world of STEM learning!
Phase 1 of the competition: We submitted our blueprints and plans and recieved word that we are in the TOP 40!!!! Stay tuned!🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
Programming is hard work!
Research and blueprints for the Miracle Machines Rube Goldberg Design Contest
Math Challenge -Deductive Reasoning! Who destroyed the New Year's Eve Ball Drop?
The 5th grade team has worked hard to submit their plans for the Playground Design Contest.🤞🏻
Meet B.O.B., a 'Little Bits' coded Roomba built to clean up the playground for the Miracle Machines Rube Goldberg Playground Design Contest! (Built by Jack and Quinn)
The Engineering and Design Process
The eighth-grade gifted team earned a 'Spotlight' on the PAGE website for their Future City award!🏆
Fifth grade beginning their designs for the Rube Goldberg Playground Contest
It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well.
– Rene Descartes
Sixth and Seventh-grade students completed their own Mock Trials: 'Historical Figures on Trial!' Courtroom Challenge
Sixth and Seventh-grade students completed their own Mock Trials: 'Historical Figures on Trial!' Courtroom Challenge
Have you ever wondered what would happen to historical figures if they were accused of crimes according to today's standards and statutes? Welcome to a very creative and innovative courtroom challenge where students recreate characters from history who have hypothetically been accused of a crime according to PA state law in the 21st century! Students wrote their scripts, conducted high levels of research, and reenacted the entire courtroom scene, along with the help of the other gifted students (grades 5-8). Through debate, preparation, and creativity, the accused were found innocent, or guilty!
A witness takes the stand...
The multi-grade level jury shares their verdict!
The judge makes some tough decisions!
General George Washington (role played by Cassie) gives a testimony.
"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth..."
a multi-age jury shares their perspective on the facts of the case.
Making some tough decisions about these historical figures!
The defense attorney (Lilly) shares her side of things...
The plaintiff shares his side of things... (Ryan)
Sheamus considers all the facts shared.
Carson takes his turn as a defense attorney.
Vienna takes her turn as the honorable judge!
Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.
– Ronald E. Osborn
Sixth grade's Unless Contest Philadelphia Zoo Animal Awareness Campaign
Sixth grade's Unless Contest Philadelphia Zoo Animal Awareness Campaign
The award-winning Albert M. Greenfield Foundation UNLESS Contest has empowered thousands of K-12 students to take action for wildlife. This year-long, project-based contest encourages students to create real solutions to environmental issues in their lives. Join us to cheer on our sixth grade team as they get started with their project animals!
The team has selected the Golden Lion Tamarin as their project animal. The tamarin is endangered due to many factors related to habitat, and the species needs our help! Our sixth-grade team called, 'Monkey Business' is working to bring awareness to the fact that technology (specifically AI) is affecting our environment in a negative way. The student team is conducting research, and working with Nolde Forest to provide an 'Outdoor Classroom' experience for Nolde Guests to enjoy, as we are reminded to "Get off the tech... take a walk instead!"
The sixth-grade team will be hosting a day of education in their 'walking classroom' at Nolde Forest
('Monkey Business' Walking Classroom at Nolde Forest - tentative date: May 9th from 9:00 am-1:30 pm)
The Unless Contest project through the Philadelphia Zoo... Together we can save them!💪🏻💪🏻
The Unless Contest project through the Philadelphia Zoo... Together we can save them!💪🏻💪🏻
The students will visit the zoo to learn more about the devastating affects of habitat loss for the tamarin.
The students will visit the zoo to learn more about the devastating affects of habitat loss for the tamarin.
Through the zoo's efforts, and our students teams' awareness campaigns, we are making a difference for the future of these amazing creatures!
Through the zoo's efforts, and our students teams' awareness campaigns, we are making a difference for the future of these amazing creatures!
Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your actions.
-Dalai Lama
Seventh grade's capstone project: 'What's So Cool About Manufacturing' Video Production Contest
Seventh grade's capstone project: 'What's So Cool About Manufacturing' Video Production Contest
Welcome to the 2023-2024 What's So Cool About Manufacturing Contest!
The seventh-grade gifted students are halfway through their unique storytelling challenge as they work with MRC (Manufacturer's Resource Center) 'What's So Cool About Manufacturing' contest! https://www.whatssocool.org/
This PBL opportunity invites teams from around the state in county-wide competitions to use digital media to tell the story of the company, include highlights that make the company a stand-out leader in manufacturing, as well as allowing students to present a theatrical, unique, and creative video, which will be evaluated by the MRC judging team! Last year, our student team was phenomenal, and we were very proud of the product they produced.
This year's seventh-grade team took on the challenge and they have many skills to apply! The students are partnering with EasyPak, located near Leesport, PA. https://www.easypak.com/
The themed video is modeled after 'Shark Tank'. Their reimagined video called 'Container Tank' aims to bring awareness to how cool the manufacturing process is at EasyPak, as well as all manufacturing in PA!
The final video is due in March, with voting for 'Fan Favorite' shortly afterwards. Way to go, team!
Guest Speaker: Mr. Matthew Sienzant
Guest Speaker: Mr. Matthew Sienzant
Mr. Sienzant shares his experience with freelance editing and motion design work with our 7th-grade students through a guest speaker experience in coordination with the 'What's So Cool About Manufacturing' Contest.
Manufacturing Company Mentor: Mrs. Alexa Wojiechowski
Manufacturing Company Mentor: Mrs. Alexa Wojiechowski
Guest speaker Alexa Wojiechowski works with 7th-grade students to find solutions for manufacturing-based real-world problems. The students are challenged to be a part of making those real solutions!
Our 7th grade 'What's So Cool About Manufacturing' team checks out the EasyPak Facility... and we were rocking the hairnets!🤣
The 7th grade's 'Container Tank' videography production team is working hard!
Welcome to the team of judges/sharks on 'Container Tank!'🦈
We have had so much fun with all of our scenes! We can't wait for everyone to see the final video!
Filming and learning how to use the 3-point lighting
Working with camera angles and audio settings
The scene that everyone enjoys, "Did someone say good containers?"
The videographer is doing a great job!
Whatever you can do or dream you can begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Future City Award Winners!
Future City Award Winners!
Future City is a hands-on cross-curricular educational program that brings STEM to life for students in grades 6 through 8th grades. This is the SV Gifted Program's third time competing in this global agency-based challenge! Using the Engineering Design Process and project management skills, students showcased their solutions to a city-wide sustainability issue. This year's challenge asked students to address climate change mitigation efforts in their newly created and futuristic city, along with the bonus of designing features that show how a city can float! Team website: https://futurecity.org/
Our team created 'Recycland's Treasure in the Trash' to create a floating city that is innovative, yet also keeps its citizens safe. With its unique 'trashberg' designed to harvest trash from the Atlantic and Pacific Garbage Patch, the team created multiple levels of city sectors and even had a moving water wheel, which was built in partnership with junior designer, Quinn Becht! The team also submitted a lengthy and detailed essay, as well as blueprints, and pictures of the build. The team earned an award for innovation and teamwork! Well done 8th grade!!
Welcome to 'Recycland'!
Feeling proud of the hard work during the Future City Contest!
Deep in concentration during the final judging round.
Enjoying the experience of sharing the design elements with all the visitors!
Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.
-Albert Einstein
This latest episode on 'The Gifted Learner and Perfectionism' may be found on our PAGE website, or at: https://vimeo.com/1051582351?share=copy
Professional Learning through the Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE)
Professional Learning through the Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE)
'Turning the PAGE Podcasts: https://www.giftedpage.org/podcasts/
Teacher to Teacher Webinar Sessions: https://www.giftedpage.org/teacher-2-teacher-program/
Parent to Parent Webinar Sessions: https://www.giftedpage.org/parent2parent/
🧠💡PAGE Website: www.giftedpage.org
Speaking on behalf of gifted education at our state conference (PAGE) in Pittsburgh and at the national level (National Association for Gifted Children, NAGC) in Seattle, WA 🫶🏻🧠
Pennsylvania will be the host for our national gifted conference next year (NAGC) and we were proud to represent PAGE at the conference in Seattle, WA!
Speaking to many dedicated teachers, administrators, and parents at the PAGE Conference in Pittsburgh.
Vice President of PAGE, Dr. McDonald, and I presenting at Millersville University on January 25th during a Dyslexia Conference, to shed light on the superhero skills of twice-exceptional students!
A true fan-girl moment! I was able to meet one of my favorite authors, Kelly Yang, who was the keynote speaker at the NAGC conference (children's novel: Front Desk)
Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade?
– Benjamin Franklin
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