Gifted Services Grades 3-5

The gifted cluster classroom, self-contained gifted classroom, or single-subject self-contained services are the common service models used in our elementary classrooms.

Gifted Self-Contained Classroom - All students are identified as gifted in reading, math, or superior cognitive thinking.  The classroom teacher is a gifted intervention specialist and serves as the teacher of record for students in all subject areas.  In this setting, the classroom looks like it functions the same as the other elementary classrooms.  However, the teacher can differentiate for each learner and typically go deeper with the material. The classroom focus is on higher level thinking skills, the classroom pace is generally faster and student achievement scores typically go up.  In addition, critical thinking, service learning, real world problem-solving, and creative thinking are emphasized. All gifted students served in this setting are on a Written Education Plan that outlines the goals for the student.

Single-Subject Self-Contained Classroom - All students in the classroom are identified as gifted in reading, math, and/or superior cognitive thinking.  The classroom teacher is a the gifted intervention specialist and is the teacher of record for students with specific subject area identification.  The teacher can differentiate for each learner and typically go deeper with the material.  The classroom focus is on higher level thinking skills, the classroom pace is generally faster and student achievement scores typically go up.  In addition, critical thinking, service learning, real world problem-solving, and creative thinking are emphasized. All gifted students served in this setting are on a Written Education Plan that outlines the goals for the student. In this setting, students may move to a traditional classroom for instruction outside of their identification area. 

Gifted Cluster Classroom - Students who are identified as gifted in reading, math, and/or superior cognitive ability  are deliberately placed together in a classroom.   A general education teacher serves as teacher-of-record for all students in the classroom.  As a designated provider of gifted services, this teacher receives ongoing professional development in teaching gifted students. The teacher can differentiate for each learner and typically go deeper with the material for gifted learners.  The classroom focus is on higher level thinking skills, the classroom pace may be faster for some students and student achievement scores typically go up for all students.  In addition, critical thinking, service learning, real world problem-solving, and creative thinking are emphasized. All gifted students served in this setting are on a Written Education Plan that outlines the goals for the student and overseen by the district gifted coordinator/supervisor.