Academically or Intellectually Gifted: Gates County Schools
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Please use our website as a resource to keep up with current legislation, our local program and plan, resources,
​and most importantly - what our AIG students are up to! Enjoy!

GCS AIG: October and November '22

11/10/2022

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elementary: the zip line challenge

Last month, our students began a timeless AIG tradition - the Zip Line Challenge. Requested year after year, our students love the task of creating a mechanism that will quickly carry a ping pong ball safely to the bottom of a “zip line” without damage. Our students built their zip line carriers using limited supplies, ran tests and made adjustments, then competed in a timed race. Keep scrolling to see slideshows from each school of the design process and of the finished product on race day!

T.S. Cooper

Buckland elementary

Gatesville elementary


CMS: You Can Do the Cube!

As we wrap up our Rubik's Cube sessions for the first nine weeks, it's safe to say our students had a blast challenging themselves with these timeless toys. Check out those proud smiles - showing off their white daisies, white and yellow crosses, solved corners, and solved cubes!

CMS: shark tank, but make it aig

Our Shark Tank students have been hard at work! Over the last few weeks, they have:
  • developed an innovative business or product proposal,
  • created a business plan or product model to go along with their novel idea,
  • created a presentation to present to a panel of investors, and
  • presented!
They have learned what it takes to build a successful business - customer needs, location, competition, advertising, and more. We had great success with our "Shark Investors" - thank you to CMS staff for showing up for our kids! The first slideshow includes photos from the planning process, while the second slide show contains photos from the pitch presentations. Great work!

cms: AIG book club

The AIG Book Club just finished up "Refugee" by Alan Gratz, which follows the journey of three children torn from their homes at three different times in history - Josef, a Jewish boy in 1930s Nazi Germany; Isabel, a Cuban girl in 1994; and Mahmoud, a Syrian boy in 2015. The club has been reading on their own and meeting once a week to talk about the novel (and have a few snacks here and there!). We've loved making connections between the characters, learning about the life of a refugee, and discovering more about the real-life events mentioned in the novel. Overall, our club really enjoyed this book. "Refugee's" overall rating of the CMS Book Club - 4 out of 5 stars! We can't wait for the next Book Club starting next week!

CMS: aig Lego engineering

The Lego Mindstorms technology has challenged our Engineering kids to really stretch their brains this nine weeks! They have tackled technology (and a program with a crazy learning curve!) to create and code motorized robots that perform tasks and accomplish challenges.
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Gates County High School Updates

  • Our freshmen and sophomore had an awesome visit with a representative from The North Carolina School of Science and Math will be at GCHS in October. 9th and 10th graders who are interested in learning about educational opportunities and admission to NCSSM should plan to attend.  Parents are also invited to attend.  If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Bundy.
  • November signaled the start of our optional monthly 15-minute Zoom conferences. During this time we discuss academics, opportunities, and more. If your child is planning on participating in monthly 15-minute AIG Zoom conferences, please have them note the following dates: December 8th, January 12th, and February 9th.  Zooms will be held after school hours, from 4:00-4:15.
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  • ​​If your student is a senior this year and would like for me to proofread any scholarship or college application essays, just let me know. I am also open to writing letters of recommendation.
  • If your student took the PSAT/NMSQT at GCHS last month, I first want to say how proud I am of them for sitting and taking that long, OPTIONAL test! You and your students may be wondering when scores will come back. According to the College Board's website, students should receive their scores on December 6th. Mrs. Bundy or I may receive your scores in late November - if we do, we will send them out immediately. Click on this link to see information about score release dates. Per this site, if your child provided an email address on their answer sheet on test day, they will receive an email notifying them of when scores are available. The email will have a unique access code that will connect them to their scores online. If they didn’t provide an email address on their answer sheet on test day, they can still access scores online.​
​PLEASE REMEMBER - if your child is identified as AIG in both Reading AND Math and makes:
  • 26 OR a composite score of 460 for Evidence Based Reading and Writing
  • AND 24.5 OR 510 in Math
They must contact Ann Harrell no later than 12/9 if they are interested in taking CCP classes! I will send a reminder email to those students who qualify when scores are released. Contact should only be made by the student - not the parent.
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GCS AIG: September and october '22

10/14/2022

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Elementary - What makes me AIG?

What makes me GIFTED?
​Our elementary kids spent our first week of pull-outs talking about what it means to be AIG. What exactly does it mean to be gifted? Our awesome kids explored the common characteristics of gifted children, as well as characteristics that make them unique. Check out their posters!

CMS AIG Book Club - REfugee by alan gratz

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The AIG Book Club will has been reading "Refugee" by Alan Gratz. (My Book Club kids know how much I LOVE Alan Gratz!)

Check out the teaser: Three different kids. One mission in common: ESCAPE. Josef is a Jewish boy in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration camps looming, he and his family board a ship bound for the other side of the world. Isabel is a Cuban girl in 1994. With riots and unrest plaguing her country, she and her family set out on a raft, hoping to find safety and freedom in America. Mahmoud is a Syrian boy in 2015. With his homeland torn apart by violence and destruction, he and his family begin a long trek toward Europe. All three young people will go on harrowing journeys in search of refuge. All will face unimaginable dangers–from drownings to bombings to betrayals. But for each of them, there is always the hope of tomorrow. And although Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud are separated by continents and decades, surprising connections will tie their stories together in the end.

The club has been reading on their own and meeting once a week to talk about the book... and do some fun and interesting activities! Stay tuned for more!


You Can Do the Cube!

We’ve brought back an oldie but goodie - the Rubik’s Cube group! Have you ever wanted to learn how to solve a Rubik's Cube? Our kids have been learning how to master this task step by step. Who knows, maybe they’ll improve their patience while they’re at it!

CMS LEGO ENGINEERING

Our Lego Engineering kids have been using Lego Mindstorms technology to create and code motorized creations that perform tasks and accomplish challenges. I can't wait to see what they create!

Shark Tank - BUt make it aig!

Shark Tank, but make it AIG! These kids are creating a business plan or product model to present to a panel of investors. They’re learning what it takes to build a successful business - customer needs, location, competition, advertising, and more. Who will beat out the competition and sell to the investors?

ELEMENTARY Engineering with Lego WEDo 2.0

We are fostering creativity and STEM skills at our elementary schools through the use of Lego WeDo 2.0 kits! Students have been building and coding glow snails, satellites, "spy-bots," and more!

BUckland Elementary

Gatesville Elementary

T.S. Cooper Elementary


Gates County High School Updates

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No photos yet - but lots of updates!
  • Since our students have very busy schedules, AIG looks a little different at the high school. Instead of doing pull-outs, I offer 15-minute conferences once a month. During this time we discuss academics, opportunities, and more. Conferences will start in November!
  • The PSAT/NMSQT was given at GCHS on Wednesday, October 12. Scores should be back in 4-6 weeks. Keep an eye out!
  • Each year, Gates County Schools nominates a select number of students for application to the Governor's School of North Carolina, the oldest statewide summer residential program for gifted and talented high school students in the nation. We will be conducting interviews next week to determine those students. Wish them luck!
  • Attention freshmen and sophomores! A representative from The North Carolina School of Science and Math will be at GCHS on Wednesday, October 19 in the Media Center at 8:15.  9th and 10th graders who are interested in learning about educational opportunities and admission to NCSSM should plan to attend.  Parents are also invited to attend.  If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Bundy.

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September AIG Parent Update

9/27/2022

 
September 2022 AIG Parent Update

The last days of 21-22 AIG

5/16/2022

 
As we wrap up our 2021-2022 school year, our students seem to be all smiles! Check out photos from our last few activities of the school year.

Paddle Power Tests

The Challenge: Design and build a boat that will paddle itself across the water.  Use potential and kinetic energy to power your boat... with a rubber band!

Our elementary students stretched their brains (and a few rubber bands!) in order to build a boat that would paddle itself. Lots of our students had paddle power! This was a fun challenge!

Zip LIne Challenge

The Challenge: Use a limited amount of supplies to design/build a vehicle to carry a ping pong ball down a zip line as fast as possible.

In case you notice a few new faces... WELCOME Talent Development kids! We're happy to have you! Our elementary students have been busy building all sorts of crazy contraptions! We have been talking about friction and the distribution of weight as they race to see who can score the fastest zip-line run.
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Congratulations to "The Cupcake" for having the best time at Gatesville Elementary and "The Turkey" for having the best time at Buckland AND best overall time!

​CMS AIG Sessions

CMS kids have had great AIG experiences this school year! We started something new - AIG sessions. Each nine-week grading period, our AIG kids signed up for a new "session" to attend. This year we have:
  • Solved mysteries at the CMS Private Eye School
  • Traveled back in time to relive the Black Death
  • Read an amazing book about 9/11 in the CMS Book Club
  • Coded out hearts out during our Coding with Spheros session
  • Attacked all sorts of challenges in CMS Engineering and Design
  • Created unique challenges in our CMS Escape Room session
  • Attempted to solve the most famous puzzle in the world in our Rubik's Cube session
I'm not sure what next year will hold for our CMS students but one thing is for sure - we will continue these sessions! They have been amazing! Enjoy a few photos from our 4th nine-weeks sessions.
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Congratulations to Semiyah and Zoey/Lacey for building the most protective cases in our lastest challenge, the Egg Drop Challenge!

Spring '22 AIG Happenings

4/14/2022

 

Governor's School acceptance... Check!

Congratulations to AIG Barons Xavier Silvers and Ashton Spruiell for being accepted into The Governor’s School of North Carolina! Xavier was accepted for Natural Science and Ashton was accepted for Instrumental Music!

Elementary Paddle Power Prep

Our elementary students have been hard at work creating boats. Here are sneak peeks of the prep process. Stay tuned to see who has paddle power!

The Challenge: Design and build a boat that will paddle itself across the water.  Use potential and kinetic energy to power your boat... with a rubber band!

Engineering snapstacks at T.S. Cooper

T.S. Cooper students have been working with Engineering Snapstack Kits (think big kid Legos) to create simple machines and other creations. What would you build?

CMS Design an Escape Room (4th 9 Weeks)

A true hit, the Escape Room session is BACK! Our students will be designing their own Escape Rooms. They must contain five math problems that increase in complexity and use a variety of skills. Last rotation’s groups came up with a jewelry store heist, an iPhone escape, a video game escape, and a creepy basement escape. What will our kids come up with this time?

CMS Design an Escape Room Presentations (3rd 9 Weeks)

CMS You Can Do the Cube!

Can you do the cube? The Rubik’s Cube, that is! A group of CMS kids are currently learning what it takes to solve a Rubik’s Cube. They are learning correct terminology for all of the parts of the cube, the algorithms involved, and testing their skills through tutorial videos and brochures. In the coming weeks, they will learn some of the history surrounding the Rubik’s Cube through a breakout box activity. There’s nothing like a good challenge!

CMS Viking Voyage - Coding with Spheros

This group will embark on an interesting adventure soon… CODING! Sphero kids have been experimenting with some of the basic features offered by Sphero Sprk+ robots including colors, speed, aim, and more. Next, we will be using tablets and compatible software to learn how to incorporate drag and drop coding blocks to make our Spheros move, draw, make sounds, and more!

CMS Engineering and Design Challenges

The Challenge: Using $100 budget construct a device that will safely catch and cushion an egg when dropped. The egg can be cracked, but must NOT have any yolk coming out.
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Students had "$100" to spend on a table full of materials, including cotton, cardboard, pipe cleaners, balloons, straws, and more! The catch - the egg ​could not be removed from the plastic bag - it had to be easily accessible.​ They had time to brainstorm, budget, sketch a drawing of their device, and then they got to work!

winning in Winter '22 - aig highlights

3/11/2022

 

Elementary: *reverse* Egg Drop Challenge

The Challenge: Using $100 budget construct a device that will safely catch and cushion an egg when dropped from TWO different heights. The egg can be cracked, but must NOT have any yolk coming out.

Our elementary kids had "$100" to spend on a table full of materials, including cotton, cardboard, pipe cleaners, balloons, straws, and more! The catch - the egg ​could not be removed from the plastic bag - it had to be easily accessible.​ They had time to brainstorm, budget, sketch a drawing of their device, and then they got to work!

ELEMENTARY: Straw Tower CHALLENGE

Oh, this one is an oldie but a goodie! :)

The Challenge: Our students were provided with 50 straws, one roll of masking tape, a pair of scissors, and a few guidelines in order to build the tallest tower that would support a variety of loads. We tested them out and in true AIG fashion were able to award multiple towers with unique awards (the tallest tower, the tower that held the most tennis balls, the tower that held the most pennies, most creative tower, etc.) Before starting, we discussed slip, lap, and butt joints as well as the reinforcements they provide to structures. Kids had time to brainstorm, budget, sketch a drawing of their device, and then they got to work!

ELEMENTARY: Spheros and STEM Stations

Elementary students have been doing ALL the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) things this winter! Our kids have been experimenting with some of the basic features offered by Sphero Sprk+ robots (https://sphero.com/products/sphero-sprk-plus), including colors, speed, aim, and more. We have been using tablets and compatible software to learn how to incorporate drag and drop coding blocks to make our Spheros move, draw, make sounds... even create games!

As we came to a close with our Sphero unit, we incorporated some STEM stations into our time. Students experimented with different kinds of hands-on puzzles and manipulatives, played SET (a critical thinking card game), dove into engineering kits, and more!

CMS: Design an Escape Room​

Our "Design An Escape Room" group dove head first into PBL, or Problem Based Learning. This strategy requires students to use thinking skills to solve a real life problem, typically divided into mini-tasks. Our students have been designing their own Escape Room. These creative contraptions must contain five math problems that increase in complexity and use a variety of skills. We have a jewelry store heist, a group who is trapped in their iPhone (say it ain’t so, right?), “Welcome to the Jungle” - a group of avatars working to blast their way out of a game, and a creepy basement escape. This is our last week creating the rooms - kids will present next week!

CMS: STEM Challenges and Coding with Spheros

We kicked off this group with the Egg Drop Challenge - students had a $100 budget construct a device that will safely catch and cushion an egg when dropped from TWO different heights. The egg could be cracked, but NOT have any yolk coming out. Next, kids were tasked with creating a contraption to carry a ping pong ball down a zip line as fast as possible. We talked about friction and the distribution of weight. Currently, we are coding Spheros. Our kids have seen the Sphero groups in action and didn’t want to miss out on the fun! They will experiment with some of the basic features offered by Sphero Sprk+ robots (https://sphero.com/products/sphero-sprk-plus), including colors, speed, aim, etc. Kids will use tablets and compatible software to learn how to incorporate drag and drop coding blocks to make our Spheros move, draw, make sounds, and more!

CMS: The Black Death

This session was so much fun last nine weeks that I knew I wanted to offer it again. Our CMS AIG students are (safely!) traveling back to medieval times to learn about the Black Death and its effect on European society. Our “Elders” have designed their own village, been assigned an occupation, and have calculated the amount of time they have before the plague reaches their home. Most recently a few unfortunate souls were “infected”  and everyone learned the guidelines of the local doctor vs. priest. This was VERY interesting - ask the kids about it!

"fall" into AIG - October and November Highlights

11/5/2021

 

elementary AIG: Egg Drop Challenge

The Challenge: Using $100 budget construct a device that will safely hold an egg to be dropped from TWO different heights. The egg can be cracked, but must NOT have any yolk coming out.

Our elementary kids had "$100" to spend on a table full of materials, including cardboard, pipe cleaners, balloons, straws, and more! The catch - the egg ​could not be removed from the plastic bag - it had to be easily accessible.​ They had time to brainstorm, budget, sketch a drawing of their device, and then they got to work!

Congratulations to Madison, Ann, Bailey, Raylen, Ella and (T.S. Cooper winner coming soon!) for having the most successful egg drops at their schools!

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CMS Mystery PBLS: Design an Escape ROom

Mystery PBLs (Project Based Learning) are in full effect at CMS this grading period. First up - design your own escape room. We know that many students learn by doing, so what better way to spark inspiration than by participating IN an escape room? Because, you know... research!

The Challenge: Design your own escape room. There must be a clear theme and contain at least five math problems using a variety of skills. The math problems must increase in complexity. Ready, set, GO!

Stay tuned for more on our student-created escape rooms!


The Black Death comes to cms

We’re (safely) launching back to medieval times at CMS! Some of our AIG kids are exploring the Black Death this grading period - last week they checked out some medieval art and began planning their own towns. It’s important to understand the living conditions in order to understand the spread of the plague. We’re excited about this immersive experience! Stay tuned!

Robberies and Rubik's cubes - casual aig days

We have two additional AIG sessions in full swing at CMS - "The Private Eye School" (back by popular demand!)  and "You Can Do the CUBE!" These sessions both have our kids using unique thinking skills and strategies (logic puzzles, algorithms, and more!) to exercise their brains each week. There will be more on these sessions later... so be sure to check back!

Book Studies, Windmills, and Blood Spatter - just another day at CMS

10/22/2021

 

AIG Book CLub

The CMS Book Club just finished up “Ground Zero” by Alan Gratz - an amazing read about the children of 9/11. Check out of some their thoughts on the text - ideas that they gathered, questions they had, connections they made and more! We had a small group for our last session - so Kahoot it was! 

Engineering + Design

Our CMS Engineering + Design group have been constructing simple machines all grading period. They were presented with one final challenge - to construct a creation of their own choice. The only stipulation was that it has to serve a purpose. Check out a couple of the creations below!

CMS Private Eye School

Before our AIG students rotate to their new session for the upcoming grading period, our Private Eyes had to solve one final mystery. It involved quite a bit of forensics - including how height and angle can affect blood spatter. Well done, gumshoes! 

lock Boxes, Rubik's Cubes, and Wormy Pizza

10/22/2021

 

Hey Elementary AIG - You can do the cube!

Lock boxes have been a hit at the elementary schools this school year. When some of the kids asked for more lock box challenges, I knew just what to bring them - the Rubik's Cube Lock Box Challenge! In order to complete the challenge, students had to use a Rubik's Cube and manual along with a special set of clues to solve fractions, read up on the history of the cube, and more. Who knows... this may not be the last they see of the cube!

Buckland Elementary

Gatesville Elementary

T.S. Cooper Elementary


CMS and the Pizza Delivery Joke Mystery

Picture this - you have just called in a pizza. You're starving. When it arrives to your house, you open the box to find... WORMS? Our CMS Private Eyes were on the case to catch the culprit. They read up on alibis, examined locker evidence, cracked a code or two, and analyzed soil samples. Case closed!

2021-2022 AIG is in full swing!

9/30/2021

 
Welcome back! AIG is in full gear - check out what we have been up to!
Also, check us out on Instagram at @gates_aig!

Elementary: Pirate's Plunder LockBoxes

Our elementary students having been flexing their mental muscles for sweet treats over the past two weeks! Each "Pirate's Plunder" lockbox is secured with three locks. In order to open those locks, our kids have had to solve math problems, crack a code or two, complete a reading passage... and more! Guess what though? There was another locked box within the box - meaning one last challenge to get the treasure!

Gatesville Elementary

Buckland Elementary


CMS Engineering and Design 

Our CMS student engineers have been hard at work using Rokenbok engineering sets construct simple machines. We began with the inclined plane, and some of our students have opted to challenge themselves by constructing a wheelchair and accompanying ramp. Other chose to move on to the next simple machine - the lever - and challenges it presents. It’s been interesting to watch them calculate and construct!

CMS PRivate Eye School

Our CMS Private Eyes had a crash course on the critical thinking skills that it takes to be a great detective (deductive reasoning, making inferences, keen observing, and more). After that, they jumped right in to figure out who robbed the Groaning Board restaurant through a series of logic puzzles. Most recently, we have been analyzing evidence (soil sample analysis coming soon!) and cracking codes to determine who put worms on a mysterious pizza delivery. 

OUr elementary students got a taste of the detective life, too!


CMS BOOK CLUB: "Ground Zero" by alan Gratz

Our Book Club kids are reading “Ground Zero” by Alan Gratz, the story of 9 year-old Brandon, who is trapped in the World Trade Center on 9/11. Through the chaos, he must find his way back to his father, who is working on the 104th floor in one of the towers. This book also tells the story of 11 year-old Reshmina, who is navigating life in Afghanistan while the Taliban’s presence makes it all that more dangerous. This book is amazing and we’ve had some great conversations!
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