GATE Curriculum Overview 

Whole Group Enrichment (K-2)  

Kindergarten whole class enrichment activities and lessons are administered by a gifted facilitator and/or a classroom teacher trained in Talents Unlimited.

Grades 1-2 whole class enrichment activities are delivered by a certified gifted facilitator.

A certified teacher of the gifted collaborates with the classroom teacher to design an enrichment curriculum for the whole class.

Pull-out Program Resource Rooms (grades 3-4)

Gifted students participate in classes in which they receive instructional services different from those normally provided in the regular classroom.  Students have the opportunity to work at their level of ability and in their varying areas of interest.  A minimum of 150 minutes per week is required.

GATE Literacy and Math (grades 5-6)

Identified gifted students are provided an academically rigorous curriculum which is differentiated in content, process and product.  The curriculum focuses on higher levels of thinking and complexity.  Identified Students spend 500 minutes a week with the Teacher of the Gifted in the content area of literacy and/or math.  Also, the GT Facilitator serves as a consultant to the regular classroom teacher for 500 minutes per week.

Consulting (grade 7)

The GT Teachers push into 7^th grade Pre-AP core classrooms as a consultant to the Pre-AP classroom teacher.  The GT Facilitator/Consultant works with the teacher on differentiated instruction.  The GT Consultant also meets with identified 7^th grade gifted students on mastery of critical thinking skills, research and communication.  The GT Facilitator serves as a consultant to the Pre-AP Teacher for 500 minutes per week.

Pre-Advanced Placement Classes

Students in grade 7 have an opportunity to sign up for pre-advanced placement classes in Math, Science, Social Studies and Language Arts.  The curriculum in these classes focuses on higher levels of thinking and complexity.  Students are provided an academically rigorous curriculum which is differentiated in content, process, and product.  The Pre-advanced curriculum is designed to prepare students for Advanced Placement classes.  The teachers are certified in Advanced Learning Instruction.  (See appendix 14)

Pre-Advanced and/or Advanced Placement Classes

Students in grades 8-12 may sign up for advanced placement courses.  These courses prepare students for college level instruction or may include college credit for completion.  Students are provided an academically rigorous curriculum which is differentiated in content, process, and product.  The teachers are certified in Advanced Learning Instruction.  (See appendix 14)

Curriculum

In accordance with the Arkansas Department of Education Gifted and Talented Program Approval Standards, the curriculum of the Mountain Home gifted and Talented Education program 1) is an extension of the regular classroom, 2) is differentiated in content, process and/or product, 3) has a scope and sequence to assure continuity, and 4) uses materials and resources that are appropriate for differentiated learning.

Curriculum follows the Gifted and Talented State Frameworks:

Strand 1:  Creative Thinking

a)    Fluency
b)    Originality
c)    Flexibility
d)    Elaboration
e)    Curiosity
f)    Imagination

Strand 2:  Critical Thinking

a)      Analysis
b)      Synthesis
c)      Evaluation
d)     Problem Solving

Strand 3:  Research/Independent Learning

a)  Select/Develop Topic
b)    Data Collection
c)  Organizing/Analyzing Data
d)    Presentation and Evaluation of Product

Strand 4:  Communication

a)   Verbal
b)   Non-verbal
c)    Written
d)    Listening

Strand 5:  Affective Development

a)     Self Concept
b)     Interpersonal Relations
c)     Personal decision Making
d)    Risk Taking
e)    Leadership
f)     Survival Skills

A student learner should accomplish the Student Learning Expectation (SLE) purposefully at a particular grade level.  Furthermore, in a collaborative effort, GATE Teachers determine how the SLE is taught to vertically align grade levels. 

There are four levels of benchmarks: 

Introduce, Develop, Master and Extend.

*Differentiation takes place in the 7-12 Pre-AP and AP courses in content areas.  For more information, please refer to the course syllabus in each Pre-AP/AP teacherÆs classroom.  

The GATE program offered by Mountain Home Public Schools centers the curriculum on the context of real world challenges (outermost area).  The program targets five major performance skills (innermost area) û Information Processing, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Communication and Responsibility. In order to teach those skills, the program offers advanced, integrated curriculum that encourages creative thinking and incorporates technology and differentiation (first circle surrounding innermost area). Implementing the curriculum effectively requires setting up a supportive physical and emotional environment (second circle surrounding innermost area). The environment is designed to nurture individuality, promote self-confidence and enhance student capacity to learn from and impact the world around them.