East Brunswick Public Schools_____
TRUDY A. ATKINS
Supervisor of Science and
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)
760 Route 18
East Brunswick, New Jersey 08816-4911
732-613-6764
FAX 732-390-9307
E-mail address: tatkins@ebnet.org
Elementary Gifted and Talented Program –
Information for Educators, Students, and Families
•
Students who qualify for enrichment through multiple measures of criteria outlined below and
participate in the Gifted and Talented program leave their regularly scheduled classes to attend
their Gifted and Talented programming for 80 minutes per week in a set schedule. Field trip
and school-wide events may pre-empt Gifted and Talented scheduling at certain times during
the school year.
•
The Grades 3, 4 and 5 Gifted and Talented program is taught by two teachers who travel
between the eight elementary schools.
•
The Grade 5 Math Prime class is taught by each elementary school’s Math Specialist
•
Grade 6 and 7 Gifted and Talented replacement classes are offered in Language Arts and
Mathematics at Hammarskjold Middle School
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Grade 3 Talented and Gifted (TAG)
Selection criteria for the Grade 3 TAG program include:
Grade 2 Common assessment data in Language Arts and Mathematics
Grade 2 4th Quarter Running Record Reading Level
Grade 2 Teacher’s recommendation
Each of the above scores receives a value between zero and five- the sum of these scores is the
student’s Matrix Score. Descriptive statistics are calculated and those students scoring 1.5 Standard
Deviations above the Mean score for the current cohort of students qualify for the Gifted and Talented
program. Notification comes in the form of a letter sent from my office. Upon receipt of the letter,
parents have the option to refuse participation in the program for their children if they wish. Students
are reviewed annually for inclusion in the next grade’s program.
Grade 3 TAG Studies include:
Unit 1: Problem Solving:
A. Wordles and Stories with Holes
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An introduction to study for the year including ice breakers, to facilitate group dynamics. In this
subunit students learn how to solve word puzzles and story puzzles. Students will also learn how to
create their own puzzles and stories. This will be ongoing and used as class introductions.
B. Elementary Science Olympiad:
In this unit, students will submit proposals to solve authentic problems through elementary Science
Olympiad activities. Students will learn to work as a cohesive group, independently, in partnerships,
and in small groups
Unit 2: We are the Jury:
In this unit students read and solve mysteries and mock court cases. Students will solve cases within a
whole class setting as well as in small groups. The students will compose the verdict for each court
case. A culminating activity will be reenacting a scripted court case with an alternative outcome.
Unit 3: Kids in Action:
In this subunit the students will brainstorm a variety of school/family issues in need of solutions. The
focus of this unit is to empower the students to apply their problem solving skills to benefit and change
their world.
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Grade 4 Talented and Gifted (TAG)
Selection criteria for the Grade 4 TAG program include:
Grade 3 Common assessment data in Language Arts and Mathematics
Grade 3 4th Quarter Running Record Reading Level
Grade 3 Teacher’s recommendation
Each of the above scores is given a value between 0 and 5; these scores are totaled for the student’s
Matrix Score. Descriptive statistics are calculated and those students scoring 1.5 Standard Deviations
above the Mean score for the current cohort of students qualify for the Gifted and Talented program.
Notification comes in the form of a letter sent from my office. Upon receipt of the letter parents are
given the option to refuse participation in the program if they wish. Students are reviewed annually for
inclusion in the next grade’s program.
The Grade 4 TAG Curriculum includes:
Unit 1: Budding in Business:
A. Introduction to Business
In this sub-unit, students become familiar with basic business concepts, and learn key skills related to
business success.
B. Applying Business Concepts
In this sub-unit, students will use what they have learned to develop a virtual lemonade-stand business
in order to emphasize proper strategizing skills.
C. Business for a Benefit
In this sub-unit, students will apply their business skills to benefit the community through charitable
action
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Unit 2: Stock Smarts:
A: Vocabulary Acquisition
In this sub-unit, students will learn new vocabulary specific to finance through reading and discussion,
by focusing on companies that are supporters of Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation charity.
B: Scavenger Hunt
In this sub-unit, students will engage in a Scavenger Hunt activity that will familiarize them with the
manufacturers of common products that are found in their homes.
C: Company Analysis
In this sub-unit, students will analyze the financial stability of companies in various industries, and
determine their profitability as a precursor to selecting stocks for purchase into their Stock Market
Game portfolio.
D: Sample Portfolio
In this sub-unit, students will create a sample portfolio in the Stock Market Game and invest in 3-5
companies from different industries to minimize risk while maximizing potential profit.
E: Final Persuasive Essay
In this sub-unit, following the completion of the Stock Market Game, students will reflect on their
participation in the game by completing and submitting a persuasive essay to the Invest Write contest
through the Stock Market Game.
F: Reflection
In this sub-unit, students will reflect on their participation in the Stock Market Game by asking
themselves questions, and then writing a summative essay.
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Grade 5 Verbal Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)
Selection criteria for the Grade 5 Verbal GATE program include:
Grade 4 Common assessment data in Language Arts
Grade 4 4th Quarter Running Record Reading Level
Grade 4 Language Arts Teacher’s recommendation
Each of the above scores is given a value between 0 and 5; these scores are totaled for the student’s
Matrix Score. Descriptive statistics are calculated and those students scoring 1.5 Standard Deviations
above the Mean score for the current cohort of students qualify for the Gifted and Talented program.
Notification comes in the form of a letter sent from my office. Upon receipt of the letter parents are
given the option to refuse participation in the program if they wish. Students are reviewed annually for
inclusion in the next grade’s program.
The Grade 5 Verbal GATE curriculum includes:
Unit 1: Learning Through Service:
This unit will have students engaged in Learning through Service and will be actively answering the
question, “When are we ever going to use this in the real world?” Students will use their skills and
knowledge in real life situations to extend their learning and thinking beyond the classroom and into
the community. Learning through service gives our students the opportunity to demonstrate leadership
while reflecting on academic components, and exhibit what they have learned in a way that involves
their peers outside of this program.
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Text: Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman and Judy Pederson
Unit 2: Developing Empathy Through Reading and Writing (Social Issues):
This unit allows students to learn about different periods in history and help them understand how
discrimination came about and impacts people. Students will analyze characters’ motives through the
use of textual evidence. Students will also begin to develop empathy for the different populations who
have experienced social injustices.
Text: Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Unit 3: Fantasy in Literature:
In this unit students will become more aware of the details involved in their observations. Students will
also analyze their texts for language elements and then write about their reading, demonstrating
proficiency in the writing process and the use of descriptive and figurative language. The students will
work to study the elements of fantasy and be able to distinguish the critical pieces making fantasy
writing work.
Text: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster and Jules Feiffer
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Grade 5 Math Prime
Selection criteria for the Grade 5 Math Prime program include:
Grade 4 Common assessment data in Mathematics
Grade 4 Math Teacher’s recommendation
Each of the above scores is given a value between 0 and 5; these scores are totaled for the student’s
Matrix Score. Descriptive statistics are calculated and those students scoring 1.5 Standard Deviations
above the Mean score for the current cohort of students qualify for the Gifted and Talented program.
Notification comes in the form of a letter sent from my office. Upon receipt of the letter parents are
given the option to refuse participation in the program if they wish. Students are reviewed annually for
inclusion in the next grade’s program.
Grade 5 Math Prime Curriculum includes:
Unit 1: Set Theory:
A. Concepts & Problem Solving
B. Operations & Problem Solving
Unit 2: Geometry:
A. Basic Terms
B. Concept of line & the relationship between points & lines
C. Concept of plane & the relationship between plane, line & point
D. Operations
Unit 3: Discrete Math:
A. Data Analysis
B. Vertex-Edge Graphs
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