It's testing season!

Hi Parents,

   We're looking forward to qualifying some new Target students through our testing process. During the testing process, there will be no regular Target classes.
    The following link is very helpful in answering any questions you may have about the gifted eligibility process.
     http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice/academics/teachinglearning/assessment/advancedlearning/resources.aspx

    Thanks for your support,
              Mrs. Parsons and Mrs. Sanders

November 2017

Dear Parents, 



     Sadly, our fall units are drawing to a close! We have had so much fun with all of our grade levels.

    First graders have done a wonderful job learning to become "Target thinkers" with Amelia Earhart! They had the opportunity to complete STEM activities and develop critical thinking skills based on the work of one of history’s most famous aviators. We are so proud of them!

    2^nd graders have had a blast with our Audrey Aims Unit. They especially enjoyed seeing the artwork we have studied in real life at the Carlos Museum.

    Our 3^rd graders have quickly become Chess masters! They loved designing their own castles complete with defense mechanisms. We’re looking forward to designing our own themed chess sets next week!

    Our 4th grade survivors have honed their survival and critical thinking skills with "Survival: Wit Meet Wilderness". The students really enjoyed our “Eat or Be Eaten” STEM activity in which we designed a device to keep food safe from animals when camping.

   5th graders have been learning about the Engineering design process and famous inventions. They will soon begin developing their own inventions! INVENTURE here we come!

   

     Target progress reports will go home with reports card sent in early January.



     We're looking forward to having some new Target friends in January. Our testing window will begin the week after Thanksgiving break. 1^st, 3^rd and 5^th grade parents of students who would like additional information about the testing process can come to our parent testing meeting in the Media Center at 8:30 am on Wednesday, November 15^th.



                          Thanks for your support, 



                                        Mrs. Parsons & Mrs. Sanders

October 2017

                                                         

Dear Parents,

     We’ve had lots of laughter and learning in our classrooms this month!    

 

      1st Grade Target/Talent Development is excited to be learning so much about Amelia Earhart's life and adventures as a pilot!  We are enjoying STEM activities, researching, and learning map skills.  Each week we sharpen our convergent thinking skills with many activities to challenge our brains!

      2^nd graders tracked down art conservator Audrey Aims in Egypt. We are helping her by making papyrus to replicate the Book of the Dead. Before making the papyrus, we studied acids and bases using cabbage juice as a pH indicator. It was stinky, but fun! =) Our field trip to the Carlos Museum will be November 1st. Please return the field trip forms as soon as possible.

    Our 3^rd graders are on their way to becoming chess masters! We had a visit from KidChess to teach us the basics. We have also been learning about the fascinating (and mysterious) origins of the game of Chess. We’ll soon being studying castle construction for an upcoming STEM activity!



   4^th graders have what it takes to survive! We’re enjoying our new unit Survival: Wit meets Wilderness. We’ve been reading ‘A Week in the Woods’ and learning what it takes to survive the wildness – both physically and mentally. We’re looking forward to our field trip to Red Top Mountain on Oct. 5^th!



    5^th graders have been practicing their engineering skills and learning about the engineer design process (EDP). They have done an excellent job of collaborating and using evaluative thinking to create products. We’re looking forward to diving into the Inventure program with Georgia Tech very soon!



    All grade levels will be participating in the famous Target Buck Bash during conference week! Please send in old toys (or new dollar store toys) for our auction items.



    As a reminder, students will be receiving progress reports for the 1^st nine weeks on an as-needed basis.







           Thanks for your support,



                          Mrs. Parsons and Mrs. Sanders

September 2017

                                                           

Dear Parents,

    We’ve had a great start to Target! We enjoyed seeing new faces and old friends at our parent meeting. If you missed it, we will hold another orientation meeting mid-year for new or existing Target parents.

    Please be sure to check your child's tally each week. We often include assignment info or reminders and requests. You may want to check your child's tally as soon as your child gets home from their Target day to avoid those night-before surprises. =)

    We are excited to have a new first grade unit for our youngest Target students - Amelia Earhart! Students will work in the cognitive and affective domains while building algebraic thinking skills and completing STEM activities. Of course, we will also be studying the science of flight and the legendary aviator, Amelia Earhart!

     Second and third grade students began the year with a mini-STEM unit called ‘Pollution Solutions’. Students investigated the real-world problem of waste management and used the engineering design process to create solutions. We disposed of toxic popcorn, created a mini-landfill, made a litter-grabber and even cleaned up an oil spill! 

     Following our STEM mini-unit, second graders will begin a problem-based learning unit called Audrey Aims: Art Conservator. As an art conservator, Audrey Aims works to showcase objects from all over the world. But how do they get there? Why are they important? And what if the people whose lives they represent want them back? We’re about to find out! Students will investigate the art and science of art conservation while traveling the globe to learn about ancient cultures.

      Third graders will explore the lands of castles and queens while learning the finer points of Chess in our new unit, Every Move Matters. We will learn about how to game of chess evolved over time and in different cultures. The affective component becomes important as students learn about how delayed gratification and patience can be the keys to a win! The unit also incorporates divergent thinking and STEM into a unit our students are sure to love!

      The Solar Eclipse gave us the perfect STEM unit to start the year with our 4^th and 5^th Graders, Solar Survivor: Path of the Eclipse. Dr. E. Clipse and Dr. O. Ccultation led students along the path of the Solar Eclipse as they competed in teams to complete STEM challenges.

We even thought of our furry friends by designing eclipse glasses for pets. We finished our adventure with a “campfire” and solar snacks while sharing stories and reflections.

      For our Fall semester unit, 4^th graders will be using evaluative, critical, and affective thinking skills in a unit called Survivor- Where wit meets wilderness!   We will explore what it takes to endure the wilderness through STEM activities, a novel study, and an exciting outdoors field trip.  We will strengthen our critical thinking skills as we find our way through problem based learning lessons as well as recognize how important courage is in all facets of our lives.

     We’re very excited about the upcoming opportunity for 5^th graders in our InVenture unit. We’ll be partnering with Georgia Tech to participate in a program that allows younger students to participate in the InVenture prize competition. Students will work to design a unique product or invention, prototype and tri-board. They will then “pitch” their idea to a panel of judges in a series of competitions, beginning with our local school competition. We are excited to open the world of innovation to our fifth graders!

    As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

                       Thanks for your support,



                                        Mrs. Parsons and Mrs. Sanders

Welcome Back!
     We are so excited for the 2017-2018 school year! We have been hard at work selecting units and planning for a challenging and fun year in Target.
    Target classes will begin on August 7th. Please be on the lookout for our beginning of the year letter, supply list and invitation to our parent orientation meeting (date and time TBA).
                  See you soon!
                                Mrs. Parsons and Mrs. Sanders

April 2017

                                                               
                                                                           
Dear Parents,
   Wow...is it almost the end of the year already?!?! Our students have done such a phenomenal job in Target this year. We are so proud of them.
    We're looking forward to seeing Genius Hour Projects! We know the students have been working hard on finalizing their research and creating their products at home. Please be sure your child is ready to present on their due date.
     5th grade is eagerly anticipating the culmination of our STEAM mini-unit! High Touch High Tech will be here April 17th to lead us in dissection. All students need to get 100% on their shark anatomy tests to be able to dissect. In past years, the High Touch High Tech teachers have complimented our students on how well they know the shark anatomy as they are dissecting. The studying pays off!
    4th graders will culminate the year with the Shakespeare festival on April 11th! We are looking forward to a feast and entertainment from the bard!
    1st graders will be wrapping up the year with a STEM activity called the Fuzzy Zoo Challenge! We are very proud of our youngest Target students. They have grown into Target thinkers this year!
   2nd and 3rd graders will complete our Cubism unit by creating their own Picasso-style sculpture. The students have done a wonderful job in both the math and creativity components of the unit. We’ve also made great strides in solving the Rubik’s cube! 
   Kindergartners who qualify for testing will be tested in early May. This will affect Target schedules for all grade levels. Please check your child’s tally for schedule changes. Testing results will be mailed in late May.
     As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
                Thanks for your support,
                          Mrs. Parsons and Mrs. Sanders

March 2017

March 2017

Dear Parents,

    We have been very busy in Target!

    We are so proud of our fifth graders, Last week, they competed in our local school Inventure competition. Every group did a phenomenal job! The winners are.....

1st Place: The Smasher Ladder; Julian F., Holden C., Foster W.

2nd Place: Smart Stand; Aarush P., Ronnie F., Meryl G.

3rd Place: Hot Heads: Aidan L., Avery P., Anna H.

People's Choice: The Third Arm; Aiden W., Gannon M., Will L.

    The winning team will be going on to the state finals at Georgia Tech on March 15th. Good luck!

    5th Grade will now begin the much-anticipated ‘Sharks: Predators of the Underwater Biome’ unit! Dissection field trip forms have been sent home. Please return them as soon as possible. Also, please be aware that students are required to pass a shark anatomy test before dissecting. Study guides will go home prior to the quiz. This is great practice for the studying and memorization that will be needed in middle school and beyond.

    4th graders are wrapping up our Problem-Based Learning unit, Reinventing Shakespeare, by creating a modernized version of a scene from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. We have begun focusing on research-based questioning for our Genius Hour Products. We're looking forward to some awesome presentations in April and May! As always, if you have any questions about Genius Hour, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

     2nd and 3rd graders are learning about the art and science of Cubism. We’ve begun the first stages of solving the Rubik’s cube – it’s not easy, but we’re going to get there! We’ve also been using our divergent thinking skills to create artwork in the style of Pablo Picasso. 2^nd and 3^rd graders will also be presenting Genius Hour products in April and May.

     1st graders have been doing a wonderful job with PACE. We have been learning about the multiple intelligences and completing self-assessments to determine strengths and areas for growth. We’ve been putting on our detective badges to work on solving logic puzzles and other convergent thinking activities. 1^st graders will be presenting their very first Genius Hour Jr in the Spring! We can’t wait!

     Keep checking back on our blog for information and announcements!

               Thanks for your support,

                       Mrs. Parsons and Mrs. Sanders

February 2017

Dear Parents,

      We enjoyed meeting many of our new parents at the Orientation meeting! If you weren’t able to attend the meeting and would like the PowerPoint presentation, please let us know. We’ll be happy to send it to you.

       Our 1^st grade Target students have had a great start! We have been working on building a Target community which includes recognizing individual strengths and weaknesses, listening to the input of others and taking shared responsibility for group activities. They are doing such an amazing job with our STEM activities. I think we have some future engineers in this group!

       Speaking of future engineers, our fifth graders are working very hard on Inventure! Inventure is an annual STEM competition sponsored by Georgia Tech. We are entering the planning and creating phase of the engineering design process. Be on the lookout for information about our local competition on February 15^th, where you will have the opportunity to see your child’s project on display!

       Tuesdays have been very dramatic! Our 4^th grade students have embraced the ‘Reinventing Shakespeare: Problem Based Learning’ unit. They showcased their individual strengths during the Shakespeare Tic-Tac-Toe project. Thanks for your support in helping ensure the projects were completed and turned in on time. We have been honing our divergent thinking skills through Tableaux. A Tableaux is a group of models or motionless figures representing a scene. Shakespeare was a master at the mannequin challenge!            

      2^nd and 3^rd grade students are about to begin our cubism unit. Part of the cubism unit involves practicing visual-spatial skills through solving the Rubik’s cube.  If you happen to have a Rubik’s cube lying around, we would love to borrow it!

       Genius Hour presentations for will be due the weeks of April 17^th, 24^th and May 8^th. Letters and calendars for Genius Hour will be going home for 3^rd and 4^th grades soon. 1^st and 2^nd graders will be doing Genius Hour Jr. Their letters will go home at a later date.  

      As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

                     Thanks for your support,
                             Mrs. Parsons and Mrs. Sanders

     

ALP Parent Newletter

Please click the link below to see the ALP parent newsletter.

Target Parent Newsletter

                                                                  January 2017
Dear Parents,
    We are excited to have new friends joining our Target classes! Due to the snow days, we will need to re-schedule our new parent meeting. We will send home information about the new date shortly. Please attend if you are able. We’ll have some information about our program curriculum, routines and expectations to share with you. For now, new students need to bring 2 pocket folders and a composition book. 
    We’re also excited to have our old friends back after a long break. We are looking forward to continuing the fun and learning with our spring units.
     5^th grade will continue with Inventure, focusing on the latter stages of the engineering design process. We’re excited to put our plans into action! Please be on the lookout for information about our local competition and needed supplies for prototypes.
     4^th graders will be Reinventing Shakespeare! This unit is an interactive introduction to Shakespeare - his work, his times, and his continuing impact. It is also an exploration of the 21^st Century 4 C’s – Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity.  Students will actively engage in Shakespeare’s works and creative responses to his work. They will read, write, discuss, recite, perform, and create.
      It’s getting chilly on Fridays! 3^rd grade students will be completing a STEM mini unit called The Great Arctic Circle Challenge. Each team will be completing weekly STEM challenges to help a stranded arctic exploration team get back to safety.
      1^st and 2^nd grader graders are Sailing the STEM-y Seas with our pirate-themed STEM mini-unit. Weekly challenges include building a floating pirate ship and creating water-proof treasure chests. STEM can be challenging, but our youngest Target students have shown that they are very capable!
     After our STEM mini-units, 2^nd and 3^rd graders will be exploring our new problem-based learning unit, Cubism. We will study art (mosaics) and art history (Cubism), while incorporating math-based lessons about perimeter and area.  
      1^st graders will be working through our introductory Target unit, with a focus on convergent and critical thinking and primary algebra. We will also be completing additional STEM mini-units as an extension.
   2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th graders will receive information on Genius Hour expectations soon.
   As always, please feel free to contact us with questions or concerns.
              Welcome back!
                  Mrs. Parsons and Mrs. Sanders