Higley Unified School District
Kindergarten
Higley's THINK! Highly Gifted Academy is now open. The program offers education in Kindergarten at Bridges Elementary School, located at 5205 South Soboba Street, Gilbert, AZ 85298
Kindergarten THINKers are guided through their day by inquiry based thematic units of study that integrate reading, writing, math, science, social studies, art, and movement. Through the integration of the content areas students are provided an environment that differentiates content, process, and product.
The Day In the Life of a Gifted Kindergartner
8:10 Arrival
Students arrive to open-ended, high interest challenges in which they explore various materials and methods to solve a driving question.
Students arrive to open-ended, high interest challenges in which they explore various materials and methods to solve a driving question.
8:30 Thematic Inquiry through Project Based Learning
Teacher presents content instruction to guide and facilitate student’s work in various high interest stations of learning. Students use a driving question to guide their thinking toward solutions of real world problems.
9:30 Mathematics Workshop
Students work in small groups based on personalized levels of understanding in specific component of mathematics: Operations and Algebraic Thinking, Number and Operation in Base Ten, Measurement and Data, Geometry, and Mathematical Practices.
Students work in small groups based on personalized levels of understanding in specific component of mathematics: Operations and Algebraic Thinking, Number and Operation in Base Ten, Measurement and Data, Geometry, and Mathematical Practices.
10:30 Special Area
Students attend specials areas classes of art, music, physical education, media center, and makers space weekly with their general education peers.
Students attend specials areas classes of art, music, physical education, media center, and makers space weekly with their general education peers.
11:30 Lunch
Students attend lunch with their general education peers.
Students attend lunch with their general education peers.
12:00 Writer’s Workshop
Students become strong writers through continuous, repeated exposure to the process of writing. Teacher provides instruction in ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. One component of a balanced literacy approach to learning.
Students become strong writers through continuous, repeated exposure to the process of writing. Teacher provides instruction in ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. One component of a balanced literacy approach to learning.
1:00 Recess
Students attend recess with grade level peers.
Students attend recess with grade level peers.
1:20 Reader’s Workshop
As a component of balanced literacy, students interact with authentic pieces of literary and nonfiction text in whole group, small group, and independent tasks specific to the individual needs of each reader.
As a component of balanced literacy, students interact with authentic pieces of literary and nonfiction text in whole group, small group, and independent tasks specific to the individual needs of each reader.
2:30 Class Meeting
Direct instruction of social and emotional skills appropriate to the specific needs of the students.
Direct instruction of social and emotional skills appropriate to the specific needs of the students.
3:00 Dismissal