Second Graders  meet on Wednesday mornings and Third Graders meet on Thursday mornings in pull-out Math classes after the first mid-quarter report.   They work on exercises that integrate math concepts into real life experiences. For example, during a discussion about "time", students might decide that there should always be time for family and friends, hugs and smiles, pizza, and soccer games. There should never be time for bullying or being afraid, for being sick, or for loneliness, and the best time of all is the time for  grandma's hug and prayer time.  The children analyze the components of a word problem and decide what the keys are to answering the questions asked.  Then they write math stories and word problems for holidays to share with other grade levels.   They continually find uses for "numbers" in their lives!  They use technology tools to chart, graph, calculate and design.  The students show great interest in logic and mathematical puzzles such as Mind Benders, "Shut the Box",  and Sudoku.  They have the chance to discuss their personal approach to problem-solving in a creative way!

The fourth grade ZOOM pull-out class meets on Thursday afternoons for seventy minutes. The curriculum follows the design of the Purdue Model for Gifted Education which incorporates creative and critical thinking, problem-solving, and independent study. They learn the thinking vocabulary of "positive self-concept" and the components of creativity such as intuition, tolerance for ambiguity, perceptiveness, elaboration, and problem-solving.  Students enjoy taking a leadership role for the annual ZOOM Christmas Creativity Convention which challenges them to design and implement activities for the children in grades K-3 based on the levels of thinking that are developed in Bloom's Taxonomy .  They role play as detectives and use logic skills to solve the mystery of "The Great Chocolate Caper". In the spring students work on multi-media presentations using the technology in the  G E S U  Communications Center and the Gerald J. Breen Family Media Labs.  

• Grades K-3ABC Class         

• Grade 4 TBS Study Skills Class

• Grade 5 Communications Class

• Grade 6 Language Arts Seminar

• Grade 7/8 Humanities Class

• ZOOM

For information, please contact Jean Ann Sexton, M.Ed.,  Gifted/Enrichment Teacher