Summer Exploration Institute Lessons Learned and Experience Gained

 Education students working on gifted endorsement  Summer program for children ages 8-10 who would benefit from a gifted program  Living in the Black Hills  Coordinated the dates with other programs  Four half day sessions and one full day  Focus on critical and creative thinking skills

 Community support  Volunteers  Curriculum book  Homework assignments  $40 per child charge covered transportation, materials and SEI T-shirt  Forty percent of fees went to Educational Outreach Office

 Marketing  Too many smaller units  Teachers were isolated from each other  Secondary teachers were not comfortable or experienced with age group  Homework  Forty percent of the fees went to the Educational Outreach Office

 Participants had an amazing experience  Teachers learned so much about planning, teaching, and being prepared  Parents were very supportive  Community was very supportive  Requests for older group session  7 teachers and volunteers  17 participants

 Curriculum was developed earlier in the summer  Added an afternoon group for ages  Fewer, larger units  Added technology with GPS units  Different drop off points for parents  Assistant Director  Marketing  No homework – expansion activity  Separate Parent Information Book

Drop Off Pick Up Location Lesson Location Drop Off Time Pick Up Time Special Notes MondayBHSU 9:00 AM12:00 PM  Wear SEI shirt  Bring snack  Check Expansion activity Tuesday Western Heritage Center 9:00 AM12:00 PM  Wear SEI shirt  Bring snack  Bring water bottle  Check Expansion activity Wednesday Western Heritage Center Western Heritage Center & Black Hills Pioneer 9:00 AM12:00 PM  Wear SEI shirt  Bring snack  Bring water bottle  Check Expansion activity ThursdayBHSU 9:00 AM12:00 PM  Wear SEI shirt  Bring snack  Bring water bottle  Check Expansion activity FridayBHSUOutdoor Campus West 8:00 AM5:00 PM  Wear SEI shirt  Wear close toed shoes, pants, hats, and sunscreen  Bring snack  Bring lunch  Bring water bottle Morning Group

 Better time management  Assistant Director  Communication with parents  9 teachers and volunteers  26 participants  Expanded field trips  Parent Information Book

Funding!!!!

 Purchased materials for the program  53 attendees for Open House  All day field trip out of town  More diverse topics  12 teachers and volunteers  37 participants  Participants brought friends

 Recruit, recruit, recruit  Nature and Needs of the Gifted  Nature of Creativity  Gifted Curriculum  Summer Exploration Institute (practicum)

 Lesson Plan Format  Explore, Examine, Explain  Materials  Information sheet  Not a classroom lesson!!  Edited and provided recommendations for improvement

 Ghost towns and mining camps from the past hold many clues to the daily life of the families and residents who lived and worked in the towns. How do they compare to life today for families and residents of towns?

Discuss the following comparisons: 1.Ghost towns: What makes a town thrive and survive? What makes a town become a ghost town? What services are needed to sustain a town? What kinds of events could lead to a town becoming a ghost town?

2.Compare Daily life: Would it be more difficult or simpler to live in an historical time period? Does it cost more now to survive than it did in the past?  School house was built for $135 and $25 extra work.  First Galena school teacher was paid $55 per month  Last Galena school teacher was paid $90 per month in Compare and contrast gender roles of the past and present.

 Many areas in the Black Hills have abandoned towns that at one time were booming places. What makes a town thrive and survive? What makes a town become a ghost town? We’ll find some answers and ask more questions in a real ghost town!

 Extreme Weather Back up Plan  Students will create a ghost town model indoors using available supplies.

 No additional funding  Addition of a full day program for older participants in June  More students working on endorsement  No independent studies  Strong middle school recruitment  Assistant teachers  Curriculum online

 Game design  Coding  Sustainability  Archeology  Robotics  Exercise Science and Healthy Living  Free Form Art

 Circuitry  Heraldry  Origins of Language  What Does a Super Hero Look Like?  Music in Nature  Designing and Making Games  Exercise Science and Healthy Living

 Community resources  Volunteers  Family commitment  Participant commitment  Teaching experience  Follow up on participant suggestions  Always be looking for learning opportunities  Farewell tour