Self-Contained Gifted Program

The Self-Contained Gifted Program located at Sonoran Sky Elementary School serves highly and profoundly gifted students in grades K through 6.

The Self-Contained Gifted Program is designed for high achieving, highly gifted students whose needs may not be met by the other gifted programs offered in the district. In this program, students generally work two or more years beyond grade level with intellectual peers.

Students in the Self-Contained Program participate in daily Special Areas with the other grade-level classes and are included in all grade-level activities and field trips.

Curriculum Highlights

• Shared Inquiry/Socratic Questioning
• Problem-Based Learning
• Latin-Based Vocabulary
• Elements of Reasoning
• Continental Math and Math Olympiad
• College of William and Mary Curriculum
• Speech and Debate classes
• Technology Integration

Sample Curriculum

Math Instruction:

Your child will utilize district-adopted curricula and materials for advanced learning along with higher level problem solving.

Literature Instruction:

Your child will participate in programs from Junior Great Books, curriculum from the College of William and Mary and a variety of novel studies involving the shared inquiry process. A common thread for perspective-seeking, Socratic questioning and reflective thinking is woven through various literary genre.

Language / Writing Instruction:

The Self-Contained Program will utilize language materials based on curriculum developed by Michael Clay Thompson for gifted learners. It represents a logical progression through the grade levels incorporating Latin word study as the building block to our English language.

Students will be guided through the reflective writing process and the state standards for writing.

Science and Social Studies Instruction:

State standards are met and embedded within the curriculum utilizing research processes, shared inquiry, perspective seeking and real-world problem solving. Opportunities will be provided for students to make worldly connections and concept exploration via a variety of materials.

Self-Contained Gifted Teacher Email Addresses:

Grades:

K/2 Karen Mensing kmensing@pvschools.net

3 Peggy Woodard pwoodard@pvschools.net

4 Susan Connell sconnell@pvschools.net

5 Dolores Salisz dsalisz@pvschools.net

6 Terri Abalos tabalos@pvschools.net