Gifted Science Exploration Self Paced (Grades 2-8: 6 Weeks)

6 Week Self Paced

Instructor: Collins

This gifted science course was created to engage gifted learners to help show their potential using project based learning. The course will feature mini units/labs over Forensics, Life Science, Earth Science, Anatomy, and Environmental Science so students can experience several types of science. 

Class experience-Most highly intelligent students love to experience a wide variety of science at an early age. This gifted science course will provide mini lessons so gifted students can experience Forensics, Earth Science, Life Science, Physical Science, Anatomy and Environmental Science.

This course will be offered using a flex format. By using this format families can enjoy a low stress environment, that doesn't involve live sessions but a more flexible approach to learning. It will also allow our gifted learners the option of moving at their own pace during the course. For younger students, parents can use the self paced curriculum to teach from or help with assignments. Older students can work on assignments independently. 

This course is available at 3 levels. The following courses are available for enrollment-Grades 2-3, Grades 4-5, Grades 6-8.

Week 1: Earth Science

-layers of the Earth clay/play doh project

-create a tsunami water table

-make a volcano cup bubble up 

-cut out the continents and then place together as we explore plate tectonics

-lesson on the layers, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, and plate tectonics

Week 2: Life Science

-learn the parts of a flower

-pollination lab

-flower dissection

Week 3-4: Anatomy

-body systems cut out foldable project

-in depth study into each both system

-body system clay projects and diagrams

Week 5: Forensics

-learn about how investigators solve crimes using fingerprints and handwriting

-create a handwriting analysis

-collect a set of fingerprints

-create your own scenario for a classmate to solve

Week 6: Environmental Science

-research water pollution

-create an environmental poster

-research the garbage patch in the ocean

Advanced content will be infused within the science curriculum to help students develop expertise in science based on research standards. Unit content has been aligned to national standards and meets national grade level standards as well as standards for grades that are two to three levels above the current grade.

Goals for science units include the following process and concept goals in addition to essential understandings of specific content areas:

1) To understand the concept of systems or change

2) To understand and apply the basic principles of experimental design and investigation

3) To develop reasoning skills with real-world applications to science.

Problem-based learning is a primary vehicle to help students develop scientific understanding in an in-depth, sophisticated way, by experiencing the processes and tools a scientist may use when presented with a difficult problem. This course will introduce real-world problems to initiate scientific investigation. All units incorporate a problem-based learning scenario as the catalyst for initiating the discussion of content and scientific investigation.

Students not only focus on specific content learning in science, but they also develop scientific investigation skills as a way to develop the thinking skills of a scientist. Students pose questions, then conduct experiments to answer those questions. They also identify independent and dependent variables, constants, and controls as a guide for quality investigations.

Projects: Students will learn how to create a science journal using a spiral notebook to use in the class and future classes as a reference guide. Each student will pick a topic to research further, with teacher assistance to complete during the six week class period.