MEETING THE NEEDS OF

GIFTED STUDENTS
Objective:
Faculty and administration understands
the GT program is a mandated response to the
specific needs of a special needs population of
students.

Focus:
Use of 21st Century Skills to help meet the needs
of gifted students in the regular classroom
Staff Development
8-10-15
Presenter:
Pam Hopkins
Omaha School Gifted and Talented Coordinator

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
1. NAGC Video- Common Myths
2. Omaha School GT Web Page (PGP- to Update and
Improve)
3. 21st Century Skills Outline
4. *GT Scope and Sequence Based on 21st Century
Skills
5. *Rubric for GT Scope and Sequence Based on
21st Century Skills
6. Use of 21st Century Skills to Help Meet the Needs
of Gifted Students in the Regular Classroom and
Provide Simplified Differentiation Documentation
with Assessment for TESS
7. *Grades 9-12 Differentiation Forms
8. Resources

21st Century Skills

Omaha School District

Gifted and Talented Scope and Sequence
Outline
Based on Standards from 21 st Century Skills
STRAND 1: LEARNING AND INNOVATION SKILLS
STANDARD 1 Creativity and Innovation
STANDARD 2 Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
STANDARD 3 Communication and Collaboration
STRAND 2: INFORMATION, MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY SKILLS
STANDARD 1 Information Literacy
STANDARD 2 Media Literacy
STANDARD 3 Information, Communications and Technology Literacy
STRAND 3: LIFE AND CAREER SKILLS
STANDARD 1 Flexibility and Adaptability
STANDARD 2 Initiative and Self-Direction
STANDARD 3 Social and Cross-Cultural Skills
STANDARD 4 Productivity and Accountability
STANDARD 5 Leadership and Responsibility

Omaha School District

Gifted and Talented Scope and Sequence
Outline
Based on Standards from 21 st Century Skills
CHECKLIST FOR CURRICULUM: CORE SUBJECTS
CORE SUBJECT 1 Literacy (Reading)
CORE SUBJECT 2 Literacy (Writing)
CORE SUBJECT 3 Literacy (Speaking and Listening)
CORE SUBJECT 4 Literacy (Language)
CORE SUBJECT 5 - Math
CHECKLIST FOR CURRICULUM: 21ST CENTURY THEMES
THEME 1 Global Awareness
THEME 2 Financial, Economic, Business, and Entrepreneurial Literacy
THEME 3 Civic Literacy
THEME 4 Health Literacy
THEME 5 Environmental Literacy

Omaha School District

Gifted and Talented Scope and Sequence
STRAND ONE: LEARNING AND INNOVATION SKILLS

STANDARD 1 Creativity and Innovation

Students will think creatively and work creatively with others to implement innovations.

K-2

3-6

7-9

1.A.1
1.A.2
1.A.3

Use a wide range of idea creation techniques (such as brainstorming)

Create new and worthwhile ideas (both incremental and radical concepts)
Elaborate, refine, analyze and evaluate their own ideas in order to improve and maximize
creative efforts

I
I
I

D
D
D

E
E
E

E
E
E

1.B.1
1.B.2

Develop, implement and communicate new ideas to others effectively

Be open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives; incorporate group input and feedback
into the work

I
I

D
D

E
E

E
E

1.B.3

Demonstrate originality and inventiveness in work and understand the real world limits to
adopting new ideas

1.B.4

View failure as an opportunity to learn; understand that creativity and innovation is a long-term,
cyclical process of small successes and frequent mistakes

1.C.1

Act on creative ideas to make a tangible and useful contribution to the field in which the
innovation will occur

10-12

STRAND ONE: LEARNING AND INNOVATION SKILLS

STANDARD 2- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Students will utilize critical thinking to learn problem-solving skills to apply to real-life situations.

Problem Solving

K-2

3-6

7-9

10-12
E

2.A.1

Use various types of reasoning (inductive, deductive, etc.) as appropriate to the situation

2.B.1

Analyze how parts of a whole interact with each other to produce overall outcomes in complex
systems

2.C.1

Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence, arguments, claims and beliefs

O.U.R.EducationalCo-op,DRAFT2013I-IntroduceD-DevelopE-Extend

21st Skills Standards Rubric

Learning&Innovation
CreativityandInnovation
WorkCreativelywithOthers

1.A.1 . Use a wide

range of idea
creation techniques
(brainstorming etc)

1.A.2. Creates new

and worthwhile
ideas using both
incremental and
radical concepts

1.A.3. Elaborates,
refines, analyzes and
evaluates their own
ideas in order to
improve and
maximize creative
efforts

4
Exceeds Standard
Engages in multiple
idea creation
techniques and
fully participates by
offering insightful
questions and
listening well to
others in the group.
Consistently
develops new and
valuable ideas
using both existing
and new
knowledge, as well
as existing and new
resources
Extensive reflection
of own ideas and
incorporates
changes in creative
efforts
demonstrating an
understanding of
the value of
analysis and
implementation of
change

3
Meet Standard

2
Approaching Standard

1
Not at Standard

Engages in idea
creation techniques
and participates by
offering ideas

Did not offer ideas during

the idea creation, but
listened actively to other
group members

Did not actively

participate in idea
creation

Develops new and

valuable ideas
using both existing
and new
knowledge, as well
as existing and new
resources

Develops new and

valuable ideas using
existing knowledge and
resources

Does not attempt

to develop new
and valuable ideas

Reflects on own
ideas and
incorporates
changes in creative
efforts to improve
the value of their
work

Reflects on own ideas

and attempts to
incorporate changes in
creative efforts to
improve the value of
their work

Attempts to reflect
on own ideas

INSTRUCTION DESIGNED TO MEET

THE NEEDS OF GIFTED LEARNERS

CAN BE DIFFERENTIATED IN

Content-

What of teaching

Process- How of teaching

Product- End Result of learning

RESOURCES
NAGC National Association of Gifted
Children, Common Myths,
http://www.nagc.org/
The Differentiated Classroom: Responding
to the Needs of all Learners, Carol Ann
Thomlinson, 1999
Differentiating Instruction in the Regular
Classroom, Diane Heacox, 2002
Making Differentiation a Habit, Classroom,
Diane Heacox, 2009
Special Thanks to:
Sandra Johnson, O.U.R. Educational Co-op
GT Specialist

YOUTH ENTREPRENURE SHOWCASE

Y.E.S. FOR ARKANSAS

TOP 25 STATE FINALISTS

OMAHA SCHOOL
2009-2015

2009-2010

2009-2012

2012-2013

2013-2014

2014-2015

O.U.R. CHESS TOURNAMENT

OMAHA SCHOOL
1ST PLACE
2014-2015

O.U.R. INVENTION CONVENTION

OMAHA SCHOOL
1ST PLACE
2014-2015