Trumann Middle School

What services are offered for middle school students?

Middle school students that are identified as being gifted or talented receive at least 150 minutes of instruction each week. During this time students will think creatively, research, share, and foster other important skills. There is a very thorough curriculum that students are immersed in, which can be found linked on our home page.

In addition to weekly instruction, students can also participate in extracurricular activities connected to our G/T program. We currently offer Chess, 4-H, Elementary and Jr. High Quiz Bowl, and Odyssey of the Mind to each student.

What will students be doing in GT this year?

4th-6th Grade GT

This year, our three classes have engaged in differentiated, project-based learning to explore the intersections of history, science, and the humanities. We began our journey by mastering the art of visual storytelling through comic development, followed by an exploration of American folklore where students engineered their own legendary figures.

Our first semester challenged students to think critically and analytically across several domains:

Literary Analysis & Science: We transitioned from the rhythmic metaphors of Robert Frost to the biological realities of the natural world, dissecting owl pellets to aggregate data on local ecosystems.

Historiography & Inquiry: Students flexing their "skeptic muscles" by investigating Arkansas eerie lore to determine source credibility and analyzed the Salem Witch Trials to understand the social ramifications of mass hysteria.

Synthesis & Performance: Students engineering with history by designing data-backed Thanksgiving floats and concluded the semester with an immersive study of Victorian England through a performance-based reading of A Christmas Carol.

This spring, students will shift their focus toward the stars and the foundations of our society. Our curriculum will includes:

Astrobiology & Civics: Students designing scientifically-accurate planetary systems based on stellar data and have recently completed an in-depth study of the 27 Amendments.

Classical Literature & Strategy: Students participating in a classroom RPG, using their knowledge of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey to navigate the challenges of Ancient Greece.

Artistry & Law: Students exploring the precision of Pointillism before moving into a mock trial that requires students to apply legal reasoning to a familiar pop-culture mystery.

We will conclude the year by looking toward the future, researching career pathways, and practicing civic advocacy by writing formal proposals to state officials. Throughout every unit, our primary focus remains on strengthening descriptive and persuasive writing, ensuring students are equipped with the rhetorical tools necessary for success in both state testing and their future academic careers.