Frenship’s Amy Mitchell is a GT for Legacy, Westwind and Oak Ridge elementary. She said that the SYSTEMS theme will help students apply their understanding of body systems like cells and DNA, simple and complex machines, the Rube Goldberg contraptions, and community and economic systems.

“On day one, students worked as a collaborative SYSTEM to successfully escape a complex escape room,” Mitchell said. “Students acted as the embodiment of a system while solving clues related to the systems we will study this year, which served as a nice introduction. As they worked, they gained an understanding of how the parts of a system, themselves, work together by solving clues for a purpose, which is to unlock all of the boxes and escape.”

Mitchell explained that currently students are conducting science experiments to see how the brain interacts and communicates with the body through the nervous system.

“Some of our upcoming lessons will include learning about the parts of the brain, creating a giant inflatable cell that students can go into and engage in a ‘cell circus,’” Mitchell said. “Later in the year, we will analyze how Rube Goldberg contraptions are systems so that students can creatively construct their own Rube Goldberg.”

The students will even be able to participate all year long in the STEAMbuck economic system. Mitchell explained that within the GT classroom students will earn STEAMbucks for various reasons and once per month a student banker will run the “bank” so that students can exchange currency.

“At the end of the year, we will provide a store of merch in which students can purchase fun items with their STEAMbucks,” Mitchell said.

The different GT themes each year allows for an interconnected method for activities and concepts. Mitchell said that research shows that thematic units are beneficial because of their cross-curricular nature.

“The lessons build on prior-knowledge and provide opportunities for creative thinking, critical thinking, and more rigorous application,” Mitchell said. “Besides gaining an introduction to many specific systems, I hope students leave understanding that every part of a system is important.

Mitchell hopes that the lessons about different systems will also help her students grow in their personal lives.

“One generalization of a system is that when one part of a system fails, the system fails,” Mithcell said. “When students are part of a team, class, family, social group, they need to understand that they matter, and their contributions are important.”

Mitchell said she wants her students to embrace the theme this year and to have fun with learning how different systems are part of our lives each day.

“I also hope they leave with a deep understanding of what a system is, how it works,” Mitchell said, “and how they can change systems with their inspired, creative ideas!”

On September 16, from 6:00-7:00 p.m., the Frenship Gifted and Talented program is hosting an Open House for all parents of current elementary GT students. The meeting will take place at the Casey Professional Building in room 200.

On October 7, from 6:00-7:00 p.m., all parents of students in grades K-11 are invited to attend a Parent Information Meeting about the Frenship Gifted and Talented program. This meeting is designed to answer questions for parents who may be interested in referring their children in grades K-11 to be tested for qualification into the district’s Gifted and Talented program. The meeting will take place at the Casey Professional Building in room 200.