Welcome to MOSAICS!Welcome to MOSAICS!

OverviewOverview

One designated weekday per grade level Students attend lunch, recess, and specials

with their general education class. Students will receive over 200 minutes of

gifted instruction per week. The state requires 150 minutes.

Push-in lessons will be provided to grades K-1 at least 3 times per year in the general classroom setting.

Gender Ratio Gender Ratio (as of Aug.09)(as of Aug.09)

0123456789

10

1stgr.

2ndgr.

3rdgr.

4thgr.

5thgr.

BoysGirls

Weekly ScheduleWeekly Schedule

Mondays – 1st GradeTuesdays – 4th Grade

Wednesdays – 5th GradeThursdays – 2nd Grade

Fridays – 3rd Grade

Sample Schedule Sample Schedule (ex: 4(ex: 4thth grade) grade)

9:05-10:10 Specials (attend with regular class)10:10-10:40 Thinking Skills activity10:40-11:40 Special Unit lesson or project11:40-12:10 Affective Needs lesson12:10-12:40 Spanish12:40-1:05 Math or Vocabulary1:05-1:40 Lunch/Recess1:40-2:05 Literature and/or Writing2:05-2:30 Choice Time (choice of thinking game)2:30-3:35 Students in regular classroom

(This is my screening and K-1 push-in lesson time.)

Parkway’s Gifted FrameworksParkway’s Gifted Frameworks

Logical ThinkingCreative Thinking

ResearchAffective Thinking

For more information, please visit: http://www.pkwy.k12.mo.us/CandD/Curricul

umAreas/Gifted/index.html

Student EvaluationStudent Evaluation

Student understanding will be assessed each trimester according to the following areas:

• Research• Communication• Creative and Critical Thinking• Affective Thinking / Responsibility• Work Habits

CurriculumCurriculum

Math – challenge math, mystery math Thinking Skills – Stories with Holes, strategy

games, logic puzzles, etc. Social/Emotional lessons – various sources Language Arts – pertinent and award-

winning literature, projects that go along with readings, advanced vocabulary, analogies, creative writing

Research projects Beginning conversational Spanish

Units of StudyUnits of Study

An example of units each grade level will complete at some point during the school year…

1st grade: Friends Around the World2nd grade: Inventors and Inventions3rd grade: Really Seeing Art4th grade: Ancient Egypt5th grade: Architecture

All units are cross-curricular and include research components!

Make-up DaysMake-up Days

Because we are absent from school on certain days more than others, we have come up with a plan to even out the number of days each grade level attends MOSAICS per school year. Please note these changes on your calendar.

1. Tuesday, October 6 will be 1st grade2. Wednesday, November 11 will be 3rd grade3. Thursday, November 19 will be 3rd grade4. Tuesday, December 1 will be 2nd grade5. Tuesday, February 16 will be 1st grade6. Wednesday, February 17 will be 3rd grade7. Thursday, March 25 will be 3rd grade

Class RulesClass Rules

1) Respect others.2) Don’t talk over the teacher.3) Always follow directions.4) No inappropriate words or stories.5) Share your ideas knowing that we

are all friends.6) Have fun!

Behavior SystemBehavior System

When rules are broken, the sequence of consequences is as follows…

1st time: Warning – name goes on chart2nd time: Thinking time – sheet is filled out

by student3rd time: Lose choice time, get a second

thinking time, fill out another sheet4th time: Mrs. Zurmuehlen calls home5th time: Talk with Mr. Dutton or Mr. Schultz

Rewards SystemRewards System

Every day that a student does not get his or her name on the behavior chart, a sticker is given. Stickers are for exceptional behavior and it is expected that every student will have off-days and lose his/her sticker at some point. Students can save these up for the following rewards…

1 sticker: one piece of candy5 stickers: 15 minutes of extra choice time8 stickers: school supply prize12 stickers: teach the class a 20 minute

lesson of choice (with teacher approval)

Supplies NeededSupplies Needed

1 package of pencils to share 2 spiral notebooks (with holes for binder) 1 two-pocket folder to take home papers

A box of tissue, Ziploc bags, and paper towels are also much appreciated but not required!

More information will be sent home if the need arises.

What I believe in…What I believe in…

Expanding on academic areas studied in the general classroom

Incorporating student interests into the classroom Allowing students to be creative and implementing their

ideas as well as parent ideas Giving parents the opportunity to play an active role in our

gifted community Creating cultural awareness and helping give students a

vehicle for making a difference in our community Differentiating the curriculum - The goal is to challenge, not

to completely overwhelm. Addressing the affective needs of my students, as they are

an at-risk population with differing emotional needs

Open Door PolicyOpen Door Policy

My classroom door will always be open to parent visitors. No appointment is

necessary!

If you wish to visit us and introduce a special lesson, please contact me and I would be thrilled to include you in our school day!

Contact InformationContact Information

Please feel free to contact me anytime…

At Barretts Elementary: 314-415-4025Via email:

jzurmuehlen@pkwy.k12.mo.us

Parent OrganizationsParent Organizations

• GAM (Gifted Association of MO) www.mogam.org• NAGC (National Association for Gifted

Children) www.nagc.org• SAGE (St. Louis Association for Gifted

Education) www.giftedsage.com• Parkway PAGE (Parents Advocating for

Gifted Education) http://parkwaypage.edublogs.org/ Contact me about joining!!!!

Thank You…Thank You…

for your continued support!