Who I am: Judi Thomas Teacher of the Gifted and Talented Program at Diamond Path School of International Studies
The best way to reach me is by email at, Judi.Thomas@district196.org. However, if you prefer you may call the Diamond Path office and leave a message for me. The DP office phone number is, 952-423-7695.
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When does my child have GT?
Second Grade: Cycle Day 3 from 9:30-10:30 Cycle Day 5 from 10:30-11:15
Third Grade: Cycle Day 2 from 9:30-10:30 Cycle Day 4 from 9:30-10:30
Fourth Grade: Limesand Cycle Day 1 from 2:45-3:30 Cycle Day 5 from 1:30-2:30
Wilson/Currie Cycle Day 3 from 1:30-2:30 Cycle Day 5 from 2:30-3:30
Fifth Grade: Cycle Day 1 from 1:45-2:45 Cycle Day 3 from 2:30-3:30
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Areas of Focus: In the GT classes, we develop the skills of creative thinking, critical thinking, problem solving, and research. The majority of the time we will be doing this within the context of a particular unit or area of study. Goals for the GT Class include: providing additional challenges for academically able students, providing a small group setting in which students can interact with others of similar abilities, and supporting students in expanding their special interests, knowledge, and skills.
Second Grade: The GT students will focusing on creative thinking skills through the humor unit. They will be reading and writing humorous stories, jokes, and riddles, learning about idioms and other figures of speech, and creating cartoons.We will also focus on learning and practicing the creative thinking vocabulary: fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality.
Third Grade: Third grade GT students will begin the year with a unit on creative and inventive thinking. We’ll review the key words in creative thinking: fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality and then do a number of activities that are designed to practice these skills. We will learn creative brainstorming as students try to: 1) go for fluency (many ideas), 2) turn on imagination, 3) turn off judgment, and 4) hitch-hike on the ideas of others. The unit will conclude with two “invention challenges” in which all the creative thinking skills practiced will be put to the test!
Fourth and Fifth Grade: This year fourth and fifth grade GT students will be learning about the Brain with a unit titled, “The Brain: Uncovering the Mysteries of the Mind.” The main goal of the unit is to empower the students by making them experts on their own brains.The unit will provide opportunities for students to learn about how they learn and to appreciate the precious resource that each of us possess.
