GAM 2024 Conference (Gifted Association of Missouri)

Teaching gifted and highly capable middle schoolers can be entertaining, exhausting, and exhilarating. Are you ready for some practical ideas to light up your classroom of tweens and teens? This fast-paced interactive session will share 8 ready-to-use lesson plans that are connected to MO-GLOs and provide hands-on challenges to ignite curiosity, joy and learning in middle school. Experience an interactive piece of each lesson and complete a tournament style bracket to determine which winning lessons you want to apply in your own classroom.

National History Day (NHD) is a program that allows students from across the United States and affiliate territories to participate in a scholastic competition and develop critical thinking and research skills. Students in grades 6-12 identify a topic of their choice, conduct research, and present their findings as either a paper, exhibit, performance, documentary, or website. These projects are evaluated by professional historians, professors, teachers, and information professionals as they rise through contest levels, eventually making their way to the National competition in Maryland.

NHD is an excellent opportunity for gifted children to develop their project management and communication skills, as well as preparing for higher education by learning how to do scholarly research and compile primary and secondary sources. With purposefully broad annual themes and limited project requirements, students are free to make their projects about topics that interest them personally. Ultimately, this results in products of a higher caliber than their typical school report.
In our presentation, we will examine the way NHD ties into the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Missouri Gifted Learner Outcomes (MO-GLOs), how NHD is implemented in gifted classrooms in the central Missouri region, as well as how the Missouri State Archives can support students statewide with their research and project development.

Aided by the application of music theory and fundamentals of music composition, each “band” will create original compositions. Along with the music, we will study the graphics that are used to package and advertise the music we love, including album art and band logos. Students will delve into math, economics, and marketing to figure out how to survive on the road, conserving resources and charting out their trip across the nation. This session will show you how to utilize a unit that not only teaches students about a variety of musical styles with rigor and critical thinking skills; but, also allows students to use their creativity to make music and art.

Service learning can help gifted middle and high school students identify their strengths and passions as they consider their roles in school and local communities. With support, students learn to communicate effectively with members of their communities to address unmet needs they have identified through observation and research. This session will explore the benefits of service learning and provide examples and resources for implementation in the gifted classroom. 

Creativity is a vital aspect of gifted education, yet it often remains overlooked or misunderstood. This presentation aims to shed light on the significance of fostering creativity in gifted students and provide practical strategies for educators to unleash their creative potential. Drawing from research and real-world experiences, attendees will gain insights into the unique needs of gifted learners and explore innovative approaches to cultivate creativity in the classroom. From promoting divergent thinking to encouraging risk-taking, this session will empower educators to create environments that nurture creativity and inspire gifted students to reach new heights.

This session discusses an after school enrichment program called “Think Like an Engineer” that taught students in grades 3-6 the Engineering Design Process. Grandview R-II School District used this as a fundraiser for the gifted program.  In the 6-week course, students participated in various hands-on engineering challenges.  Engineers in the workforce recorded short videos for the class. The focus was critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration and growth mindset. In the session, the structure of the course will be explained and attendees will have the opportunity to participate in some of the activities!

Show-Me Green Schools is a suite of programs that challenge schools to become more sustainable in student-driven initiatives that positively impact their community. Come and learn about the Green Schools Quest, Missouri Green Schools, and the US Department of Education's Green Ribbon Award. Dr. Deborah Rogers Curtis, currently the Green Schools Coordinator for these programs and former school administrator, understands the challenges schools face and will speak to practical ways to incorporate sustainability into your curriculum as well as special project-based learning. The focus of this presentation is incorporating community into a school-based project and understanding how connected we are to the natural world.