4th-5th grade Gifted Curriculum Plan for 2015-2016

Time Frame / Unit / Curriculum Goals and Reasoning Skills
September- mid- October / Chemistry Science Unit- Plastics and Polymers / SCIENTIFIC REASONING (SCIENCE)
Students will apply the scientific method while engaging in activities related to chemical changes and physical science. Students will investigate properties of polymers and examine real-world applications and problems related to synthetic polymers.
Standards Guided Question (Gr. 4-5)- How does the structure of matter influence its physical and chemical behavior?
Mid- October-November / Pathology Unit / PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING (SCIENCE, ELA)
Students will investigate a complex, real-world issue relating to disease. Driven by issue-based questions, students will evaluate what they need to know for a specific problem and develop a plan for generating solutions.
Standards Guided Question (Gr. 4-5) How are plant and animals cells organized to carry on the processes of life?
November- December / Changing Tomorrow: Leadership Curriculum / LEADERSHIP (AFFECTIVE)
Students will explore the lives of prominent figures such as Walt Disney and Amelia Earheart by conducting biographical research, evaluating characteristics of leaders, applying leadership knowledge to real-world problem resolutions, and reflecting on their own leadership strengths and weaknesses.
TN Ready- RI 3 (Gr. 4-5) (interaction of individuals, events, ideas)
TN Ready- RI 7 (Gr. 4-5) (draw information from multiple sources)
December / Chess Instruction
(1 week) / CRITICALTHINKING
Students will develop social skills, memory, spatial skills, numerical abilities, verbal aptitude, creative thinking, problem solving, and reasoning skills by learning how to play the challenging game of chess.
January-February / Invention Convention / CREATIVE PROCESS (SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE)
Students will apply the creative process (fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration) to develop a product to solve an everyday problem. Students will apply marketing techniques and develop persuasive presentations to present before an authentic audience (MTSU).
Standards Guided Question (Gr. 4-5) How do science concepts, engineering skills, and applications of technology improve the quality of life?
March / Stock Market Intro (1-2 weeks) / DATA ANALYSIS (MATH)
Students will learn stock market concepts and participate in virtual trading of stocks. For the rest of the year, students will monitor their stocks and analyze trends for effective trade opportunities.
Math content- Ratios, percents, multiplication, graphing, trend analysis
March- April / Ecology Unit / PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING (SCIENCE/ELA)
Students analyze problem of a declining population of species within a river. They work to develop their own reasonable, real-life solutions to the identified problem. Students learn valuable research skills, practice critical thinking, and develop presentations to show their results.
Standards Guided Question (Gr. 4-5) How do living things interact with one another and with the non-living elements of their environment?
April- May / If the World Were a Village

*Math is also incorporated throughout the year through “Mensa Mind” time- Challenge Math Tasks (Ed Zacarro Challenge Math and Beyond Base 10. Math is also naturally embedded within the PBL units)

The units are appropriate for Grades 4-5 because the content addresses the Guided Questions and Standards addressed by both Grade 4 and Grade 5 (though Grade 5 may have more complexity within specific standards). Quality gifted curriculum incorporates additional depth and complexity to content standards.