Curriculum
Presentation
Gifted/Advanced Math & Reading
Mrs. Solberg-Ayers
Mrs. Solberg-Ayers
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Teaching experience in CA, Arizona and Connecticut, Classrooms taught
2nd-5th grades, Gifted and SEI.
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Home state of California – Family of Teachers
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Masters in Elementary Education, emphasis in Multicultural Education
from ASU
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Masters in Geographic Education, from ASU.
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Gifted Endorsement, K-8 Certification
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Family: Husband, two kids:20 & 18, one dog
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Love to travel, watch World Cup, learn languages, cook, hike in the
mountains, run on the beach, write and read.
Math
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Daily warm-up, to build math communication skills
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CGI (Cognitively Guided Instruction) –
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Promotes flexible thinking
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Students are challenged to find unique strategies
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Students verbally explain strategies to classmates/teachers
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Vocabulary, Vocabulary, Vocabulary!!!
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Problem Solving
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Engage New York, Investigations, Common Core sources
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Thinking Maps
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Games (24-Example, Logic Links, Make 7, Set), Hands-on Equations (For Algebra)
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Technology-Games, Thinking Maps, Microsoft Word
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Tests/Quizzes !
Homework
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15-30 minutes an evening
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3-4 nights a week
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Wide variety of assignments
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Projects are a possibility from time to time
Students should write homework in their planner every
night.
Literary Responses
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What is a Literary Response? The little voice in
your head that talks to you, things you observed,
feelings you had while reading.
Locus of control is with students not teacher
It’s natural and enjoyable, encourages
interaction with text, active reading.
Students write on sticky notes, transfer on to
paper, turn questions in: complete sentences and
paragraphs.
Use Self Evaluations, asking questions such as
“Did I complete reading on time? Did I write On
the Lines, Between the Lines, Beyond the Lines?”
GR program is about the last two.
Kinds of Responses: Practicing
Process Skills
Questions you had while reading
• Predictions
• Words you didn’t understand and what you think it
might mean (with page number)
• Words or phrases you liked and why
• Quotes with page numbers, what you think it meant.
• Use the author’s name when making observations (I
really like how Oscar Wilde said…)
• Write about the moral, or theme in one response.
• If it’s from the heart; there’s no wrong response.
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Reading Expectations
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Students must do the reading and write their responses. They cannot
participate if they don’t.
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Responses must be done neatly, with sentences written correctly, hand
written with pencil or typed.
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Papers should have proper headings.
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They will always have 2-4 days to complete reading and responses.
Vocabulary Development
WordSmith
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Vocabulary development
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Greek and Latin stems
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Master List : 2 – 3 year word cell list
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Instead of just prefixes, roots and suffixes. This gets at the meaning of those
parts or cells. (Hyphen placement is important to meaning).
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E.g., Tele- (from afar) Vis (see)
-Ion( -ing, act)
WordSmith
(Continued)
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Flash Cards – Great way to study
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Possible projects – creativity can come out, practice
presentation skills.
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Word-’O, Jeopardy – Review games we’ll play.
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Spelling comes from daily writing.
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Parents: Quiz using flashcards, practice at home on
words, ask about progress.
Wordly Wise –
Vocabulary and Comprehension
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Booster shot for vocabulary development
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Help students meet state standards for vocabulary and
reading comprehension
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Emphasizes learning from context
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Uses prefixes, suffixes, roots
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Uses graphic organizers and semantic maps
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Practice with dictionary skills, pronunciation, parts of
speech.
Writing
Daily writing
• Writing journal
• Teacher directed lessons on reading topics
• Note-taking
• Poetry
• Stories
• Grammar lessons
• Lessons pulled from Literature or text
books
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Projects
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High Interest Research
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Historical connection to classwork
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Science/Math related to lessons
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Poetry
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Others
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Research project on topic of personal interest.
Homework
 20-30
minutes a night
 3-4 times a week
 Assignment Calendar, filled out
daily
 Not prepared/missing assignments
– Parents notified.
Nonverbal
Students work in their classrooms for nonverbal.
Children placed in gifted for nonverbal
reasoning typically enjoy:
•Taking things apart and perhaps …putting
them back together
•Building things (Legos or blocks)
•Paper crafts (origami, paper airplanes,
Rube Goldberg books, etc.
•Puzzles (jigsaw or Rush Hour type)
•Technology!
Home-School Communication
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Conferences are two times per year to review progress and set goals
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Voice mail/phone (may take 24 hours to return, email is faster)
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Check grades on Genesis
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Email questions anytime:
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ssolbe@kyrene.org
Gifted Wish List
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Colored highlighters
Crayons, colored pencils
Colored gel pens
Pretty colored paper for publishing poems
Sticky notes in different colors
Large Baggies for books
College ruled writing paper, copy paper
¼” graph paper
Index cards
Clear sheet protectors for 3 ring binders
Schedule of Classes
MATH: 12:25-1:55,
M, T, TH, F
Wed: 9:45-10:45
Reading:
11:25-11:55 5th
 11:55-12:25 4th
M, T, Th, F
Mariposa is implementing a school-wide
PBIS program
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What is PBIS?
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Positive Behavior Intervention System
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Focuses on positive rewards for good behavior
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Creates a plan for “teaching” appropriate student behaviors
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Creates a plan to address undesirable student behaviors through teacher
and administrative interventions
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Lesson plans build on Mariposa Life Skills
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Consistency throughout the school
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All staff expectations are the same, using the same language and the
same series of rewards and consequences
BLAST
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Be Respectful
Lead with Integrity
Act Responsible
Safety Matters
Together We Achieve
School Store coupons (Blast Coupons)
 Miss Manner certificates (Blast Coupons)
 Principal’s Lunch guest
 Lifeskills (all Lifeskills are imbedded in BLAST)
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Looking forward to working
with you and your child.
Thank you!
Mrs. Solberg-Ayers
ssolbe@kyrene.org