Target

Parents,

Thank you for your wonderful support! You have been so generous with supplies from our wish lists.

Could you help again by sending in some of the following items for classroom projects?
empty paper towel/toilet paper rolls, empty cereal boxes, string, cardboard, uncooked spaghetti noodles, newspapers

Do you know any speakers who would be able to come talk to our students? Fouth/Fifth graders are studying bridges (includes forces) and Second/Third graders are studying stars (space).

Thank you!

Parent Education

Please click the link below for an opportunity to learn how to help support your gifted child.

Download Parent education -games flyer

Continuation Criteria Forms

Parents,

Your child will be bringing home a new Continuation Criteria form for you to sign because the requirements for staying in the program have changed.  Please read it carefully and return the white copy of the form to us with your child.  The yellow copy is yours.

Thank you!

Week of August 27, 2012 Third Grade

 

 

 

 

 

This week, we began our day with Hands On Equations.  We learned how to use the manipulatives and actually completed the first lesson.  Equations are fun!

We then worked on a logic puzzle to further develop our convergent thinking skills, particularly deduction.

In our process of self-evaluating, we looked at all the qualities we have as Target students.  After talking about how advertisements are written and looking at some examples, we each wrote a "Target Kid for Sale" ad for ourselves.  Some of us will need to finish our final copies for homework.  We discovered that our gifts and talents are many and we are very valuable to our Target teacher.

We began our study of the unit by discussing the roots, "geo" and "helio" and brainstormed words which contained those roots.  We used dictionaries to help us.  After watching a videostreamed movie and reading a book, we discovered our ideas about space and earth's place have changed over the years from a "geocentric" view to a "heliocentric" one based on mankind's discoveries over time.

Homework:  Complete the logic puzzle or "Target Kid for Sale" assignments as needed. 

 

 

 

Fourth and Fifth Grades Week of August 27th

We are so excited to be teaching our students again! Thank you to those parents who were able to join us at Open House. We had a great turnout, but if you were not able to attend and have questions, please let your Target teacher know. We reviewed the new ALP standards as well as our brand new Target Progress report. 

Last week, our students completed a self-evaluation of how well they believe they know the elements of the ALP standards. As we teach these elements, our students will be able to see their growth throughout the year. Each week, your children will also be exposed to various activities involving the different types of thinking (convergent, divergent, evaluative) as well as affective lessons.

This week our fourth and fifth graders were given a pretest for Hands-On Equations. The Target teachers will use this pre-assessment to place students on their appropriate level. We also gave them their first logic puzzle of the year and were impressed with how well they remembered the strategies. Our students also participated in a simulation showing how bridges impact the lives of people. They were members of a society and, in order to "survive," had to trade their product or service with other societies. In our post-discussion/reflection students realized that bridges are a necessity for societies to thrive. 

Week of August 27, 2012 Second Grade

Target day is Monday each week.  Because it is the first day of the week, please help your child prepare on Sunday, so Monday morning is just a matter of grabbing the Target bag and heading off to school.  We know it takes some getting used to for the kids, so your help for the first few weeks is greatly appreciated!

This week, we started our day by discussing what an equation is (a number sentence) and talking about the fact that both sides of an equation need to be balanced.  We used some Math balances to prove this fact.  We were given half an equation and an = sign, and had to come up with the other half.  It was exciting to see how many different and equally correct answers we could find!  We used our convergent thinking skills to come up with our answers.

We then talked about our talents, and the things that make each one of us unique and special and what gifts we each bring to the Target class.  We examined ads to see what types of words and convincing arguments were used to convince people to buy the product they were selling.  We used our divergent thinking and brainstormed our talents and wrote rough drafts of a "Target Kid for Sale" ad about ourselves.  We will do our polished, final copy for homework.

In keeping with our theme of space, we made brainstorm lists of words with the roots "helio" (sun) and "geo (earth).  We talked about how the early peoples viewed the earth and how different civilizations and astronomers over centuries developed the idea that the sun was the center of the galaxy rather than the earth. We watched a video or read a book about how these ideas came about over time.

HOMEWORK:  FINISH TARGET KID FOR SALE FINAL COPY AND BE READY TO SHARE.

NO TARGET CLASS NEXT WEEK DUE TO LABOR DAY!  HAVE A FUN AND SAFE HOLIDAY! 

 

Please remember to sign your child's Target Tally sheet each week. He/She should be bringing it to you each week to share their progress!

TARGET OPEN HOUSE

Please plan to attend the Target Open House this year. 

You are cordially invited to an Open House/Morning Coffee

for the Sope Creek Target Program on

 

*Thursday, August 23, 2012 *

From 7:00 A.M. – 8:00 A.M.

In the Sope Creek Cafeteria

 

Please join us to meet the teachers and to learn more about the activities in which your child will be participating when he/she goes to Target. There are some new and exciting county-level changes in the Target program, so we hope everyone can make it!

 

Welcome Back to Target

Welcome back to Target!  We are so excited to be back and are looking forward to a fabulous year with our students.

There are lots of new things going on in our program.  We will be sending home packets of information next week with our students, so please be on the lookout for those.

We look forward to seeing you at Meet and Greet!