Audience: Gifted Resource Teachers/Gifted Cluster Teachers (Elementary)

Presenter: Jessica Earley, GRT – Windsor Oaks, ES

Description: “Thinking Like a Lawyer” means thinking critically, examining both sides of an issue, often an issue that doesn’t directly involve the learner, but recognizing that questions that apply to an individual case also represent bigger questions for society. Based on the work of Colin Seale, participants will see how this can be used in the classroom to increase rigor and critical thinking.

Audience: Gifted Resource Teachers/Gifted Cluster Teachers (Secondary)

Presenter: Brian Allen, GRT – Great Neck MS

Description: If you want to give students the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills, then this is the course for you. Based on the work of Colin Seale, this engaging lesson gets students looking at issues from multiple perspectives as they drill down to the root cause of the guiding question. While this particular lesson is suitable in an English or Social Studies environment, I will show you how the frame of the lesson can be easily duplicated to engage students in other class settings as well. Full suite of lesson plans and instructional materials will be provided at the end of the session.

Audience: Gifted Resource Teachers/Gifted Cluster Teachers (Secondary)

Presenter: Laura Purvis, GRT & Elise Tessitore, Cluster Teacher – Independence MS

Description: While there are many ways to package water, they all have a negative environmental impact. Avoiding packaged water is part of the solution, but this isn’t possible during an emergency. This problem-based learning experience was designed around the skill that our students have historically tested lowest on, volume and surface area of 3D objects/changing dimensions. Learn how one middle school tapped into resources from Virginia Tech, supported English and Earth Science, and built in both direct instruction and SOL review at our busiest time of year. We’ll share resources, student work, and what we learned along the way.

Audience: Gifted Resource Teachers/Gifted Cluster Teachers (All levels)

Presenter: Meghann Scott, Gifted Instructional Specialist

Description: Robert Sternberg developed a theory of intelligence which includes creative, analytical and practical intelligences. Participants in this session will get an introduction to Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligences and see how it can apply to the classroom. Real-life examples of the Theory being implemented with schools will be shared.