Newsletter-October 2015

Dear Parents-

We are off to a great start this year! One of the things we have been striving for in our Gifted Laboratory is to keep the focus on our learning process and not the final products.  Many of the strategies we use in one inquiry will be needed in another and it is my hope that by focusing on the process of learning rather than final products, strategies will transfer. Don’t get me wrong, we are not sacrificing quality, we are attempting to stress if you plan and execute quality throughout you are more likely to produce a quality final product with less stress.  With that theme in mind, we spent some time both exploring and learning to use The Scientific Method. Students worked in small groups to design experiments using bubbles and other materials in the classroom. There were many discussions about the need for measurable data, it is okay for a hypothesis to be wrong, and other elements of the process. There are plans for a lot more Science Technology Art and Math (STEAM) this year in the program.

We have also begun to explore the topic of Genius Hour, which is  based on a business practice that Google uses with their developers.  They are allowed to use 20% of their time, provided that work has the potential to advance the company.  Like everything else we do in our program we will be focusing on the process. There will be mini lesson on strategies such as: choosing an appropriate topic, note taking, developing a quality product and other items that may appear throughout. Our guidelines/rules for Genius Hour are as follows:

-You must start with a real-world question or problem. 

-You answer/solution must require research. It must require more than a Google Search.

-Your final project must be sharable. 

I am really looking forward to seeing where these students take these projects. 

We have also begun to explore the idea of Grit, as a personal trait. Grit is defined as “perseverance and passion for long-term goals.” The research on Grit has shown it contributes to long term success. The research propose that individuals who possess a drive to tirelessly work through challenges, failures, and adversity to achieve, set goals and are uniquely positioned to reach higher achievements than others who lack similar stamina, no matter their intelligence level. We have spent time defining, listening to experts, holding group discussions and writing reflections on the role Grit plays in our person success. These types of exploration throughout the year encourage students to own their own growth process.  One thing, as a parent, you can do to help encourage and/or develop this mindset in your child is focus your praise on process, learning, and effort (You really worked hard on this and have learned a lot. You did a great job of developing a plan and following it through. You’ve really developed as a musician.), as opposed to ability (You’re so clever. Look how smart you are; you did that so fast. You’re good at math. You’ve got a lot of talent.)

This quarter has brought us some good news as well. Thanks to Donors Choose and some friends of mine, we were able to purchase locks and other supplies for our Break Out Room. Our Breakout Room activities will teach teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking, and troubleshooting by presenting participants with challenges that ignite their natural drive to problem-solve. These materials will be used several times throughout the year. Also, we received a three hundred dollar grant from the Manatee Education Foundation entitled “Creative Engineering”. These hands on materials will be utilized throughout the this year to provide inquiry based STEAM (Science, Technology, Arts and Math) Activities. I am looking forward to getting these materials into the students’ hands as soon as possible. If you know an organizations or any individuals who donate to the Manatee Education Foundation please be sure to thank them for what they are doing, not only our gifted laboratory, but so many other classrooms across the district. 

I try my best to ask for very little supplies throughout the year and only ask for things that we use a great deal of. I want to personally thank the four or five families who have sent in the items I requested and please know the extra help goes a long way. If you have not already done so we could still use your help. Thank you in advance

Supply List:

-2 reams of white copy paper

-4 sharpened pencils

Thank you, 

Frances M. Snyder (Francie)

August 2015 Newsletter

Dear Parents-

I would like to welcome you back for the 2015-16 school year.We have several exciting things planned for this year. First, we will be participating in Rock Our World (R.O.W.) which is a global collaboration project where students create music with GarageBand, Video Conference and learn with other students from around the globe. We will also be utilizing technology available to connect with literature and other classes from around the globe through Virtual Literacy Circles.  STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) explorations will be occurring often at all grade levels.  In everything we do the Florida State Grade Level Standards will be infused - with our main focus continuing to be on goals/standards that come from Florida's Framework for K-12 Gifted Learners.

Supply List

-2 reams of white copy paper

-4 sharpened pencils

If you need to reach me, the best way is through email at snyderf@manateeschools.net.

Thank you,

Frances M. Snyder (Francie)

Educator of the Gifted

January 2015

Parents-
It is hard for me to believe that this school year is already half way over and we have been very busy with several activities. In December we participated with 91,755,200 others from around the world in the Hour of Code. This is a program put on by Code.org and serves as an introduction to computer programing. The students loved these activities and will be continued with other coding activities throughout the rest of the year.

We also worked really hard to complete and share our biography reports on our heroes. While projects were being presented we participated in a thinking routine entitled,”Step Inside”. This routine consists of the following four questions to guide student to think deeper about what was presented. These questions were written about and discussed.

What did this person see, notice or observe?
What did this person understand, know or believe?
What did this person care deeply about?
What did this person wonder about?
A fourth grader after participating in “Step Inside” for the first time said,”Before I was looking at what he did, but now I am really seeing who he truly is."

During the third quarter our fourth and fifth graders will begin using the Challenge Based Learning (C.B.L.) Framework to guide our invention process. I for one am looking so forward to seeing what problems they will choose to solve with their inventions. The primary students will be participating in a CBL challenge entitled “Germs Make Us Sick”. They be exploring the topic through research and science experiments. From there students will work together to build a campaign to prevent the spread of these germs. 

As a reminder, I have an open door policy and if you have any questions and/or concerns please contact through email snyderf@manateeschools.net.

October Newsletter 2014

Dear Parents-


We spent the first quarter getting to know each other and exploring the definition of a true hero. Each students also explored an individual real life heroes; such as Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Buzz Aldrin, Ceasar Chavez... When these projects are complete we will be spending some time comparing and contrasting a few based on their characteristics of these heroes.


Also, this quarter we participated in a couple of quick projects to get our creative juices flowing. First students had a blast building spaghetti and marshmallow towers. In teams they were given the challenge to build the highest tower they could using a set number of dried spaghetti and marshmallows. Some were very successful and everyone learned a great deal. The other creative activity we engaged in was entitled What's in the Bag?. This idea came to us via some friends from The DiscoveryEducator's Network (The DEN). Each student was given a bag filled with a variety of art supplies with the following directions: Inside this bag you will find a variety of items. Please create something using as many of these items as you can. You may only use the items in your bag scissors, a stapler and glue. We truly ended up with some wonder ideas.

Finally, starting this quarter we will begin to explore ways to be heroic on Prine’s Campus and in our community. To help us with that process we will be using the Challenge Based Learning (CBL) framework. With CBL students are required work collaboratively to solve a real world problem. Through CBL many Florida State Grade Level Standards are infused into this process. However, our main focus in goals/standards will continue to come from Florida's Framework for K-12 Gifted
Learners, which the CBL framework also covers effectively.
 
Since I am only on Prine’s Campus on Monday and Tuesday the best way to contact me is through email snyderf@manateeschools.net.

Thank you,
Frances (Francie) M. Snyder
Educator of the Gifted

Spaghetti Towers

       This week we had a blast building spaghetti and marshmallow towers. Students were placed in teams and given the challenge to build the highest tower they could using a set number of dried spaghetti and marshmallows. Several tips to aid them in the challenge were shared and teams were given time to plan their strategy. Some were very successful and everyone learned a great deal. 
 
     Please enjoy some pictures of our fun! 

Writing Our Own Rules

Like everywhere else on campus our Gifted Laboratory has rules and here the students worked to help develop them. Before we put our heads together to establish a set of rules we first explored the reasons why rules exist. 

We spent some time discussing what it means to be a Prine Hero, which calls us all to:  
Have Respect
Exhibit Responsibility
Remember Safety
Open Our Minds to Learning

We then participated in a thinking routine entitled Chalk Talk.  During a Chalk Talk there is a piece of chart paper with an open ended questions in the center of the group and students are asked to respond to the prompt in written form only. They may respond directly the question or they can respond to another person's thoughts. On our Chalk Talk questions were:

-Why should rules be followed?
-What would happen if there were no rules? 
-Why do we need rules?

After completing and discussing our Chalk Talk, we used the Frayer Model  to explore what things would look like, sound like and feel like with and without rules. 

Finally, we spent time writing a set of rules for our time in gifted and signed them in agreement. 

 

August 2014-Newsletter

 Dear Parents-

Hello my name is Frances (Francie) Snyder and I would like to welcome you for the 2014-15 school year. I am so excited about this year and really can’t wait to get started. I have been teaching here in Manatee County for over eighteen years with the last seven of which working with the Gifted Populations at Oneco, Tara, Manatee and Palm View. This year, I will be here at Prine Elementary on Monday and Tuesday with the rest of my week being spent at Oneco Elementary.

Throughout this year we will be exploring ways that we as individuals can be a heroic and promote others to do the same.  Before we will be exploring literature and current events to help us define exactly what a hero (heroine) is and what characteristics are needed to make up a true hero. From there we will be exploring ways to be heroic on Prine’s Campus, in our community, and within the worldwide digital community.  To help us with that process we will be using the Challenge Based Learning (CBL) framework.  With CBL students are required work collaboratively to solve a real world problem. This framework consist of the following elements:

-Big Idea: a broad concept that can be narrowed down by asking questions and exploring its different aspects.
-Essential Question(s): Comes out of the Big Idea and helps identify what is important and helps narrow down the topic and define the idea.
-The Challenge: Comes out of the essential question(s) and students are asked to create a solution that can result in a measurable action or actions.
-Guiding Questions: These questions are generated by the students and are based on what they need to know to solve the problem.
-Guiding Activities: Activities to help students solve their problem and to gather resources.
-Solution(s): Should be student generated, require student action, be thoughtful, clear, concrete and publishable in one form or another.

 Through CBL many Florida State Grade Level Standards are infused into this process. However, our main
focus in goals/standards will continue to come from Florida's Framework for K-12 Gifted Learners, which the CBL framework also covers effectively.

If you need to reach me, the best way is through email, the best way is through email snyderf@manateeschools.net. 

Supply List
-2/ 70 page spirals
-2 ream of white copy paper
-4 sharpened pencils
-8 AA batteries (Energizer, Duracell and Marks Brands preferred)

Thank you,
Frances (Francie) M. Snyder
Educator of the Gifted