1. A Training Model for Volunteers
Kids Into Thinking:
Keeping
Instruction
Topnotch!
Kids
Into
Thinking
Stretch your Mind
A Training Model for Volunteers

2. Mission Statement Stretch your Mind
Our mission is to design model extension tasks that will assist classroom teachers in effectively differentiating instruction for the highly able students in his / her class. Additionally, KIT will develop each student’s potential through active participation in the learning process.
Kids
Into
Thinking
Stretch your Mind

3. Digging Into the Treasure Recognition and Reflection:
Essential Questions:
What “jewels” did you discover?
What are the different components of this resource?
What subject / topic(s) did you find?
Volunteers would be given KITs
This is a time of exploration and discussion
Allow time for reflection
Kids
Into
Thinking
Stretch your Mind

4. What Does It Look Like? Homes & Habitats Stretch your Mind
Read stories about houses. Collect pictures of different houses in the US and around the world.
Create a Venn diagram to show how houses are alike and different.
Select at least one adult and some friends as your audience Share what you learned.
Kids
Into
Thinking
Stretch your Mind
Homes & Habitats
WCPSS, 2002
Application/ Analysis
Adventure 1
Point out that the adventures are not in any certain order & that books can be substituted.

6. How Is It Evaluated? Adventure Insufficient = 1 Progressing = 2
Proficient = 3
Exemplary = 4
Criteria
· Incomplete
· Lacks complexity
· Seldom or rarely meets expectations.
· Limited elaboration
·  Meets expectations
·  Understandable
·  Adequate complexity & elaboration
·  Exceeds expectations
·  High level of complexity & elaboration
·  Significant originality
Adventure 1
Date:
The teacher will be evaluating the products, but they can help the students understand the idea of “complex” compared to “simple” and “elaboration” as “having lots of details.”
There is a back this year that is new – it shows what the cards were for the parents.

7. What do You Need? Goals / Objectives Adventures Materials Resources
Notes/Comments
Science Goal 4: The learner will build an understanding of actions of objects.
¨         Observe the many ways in which things move such as straight, zigzag, round and round, back and forth, and fast and slow.
¨         Describe the motion of objects by tracing and measuring the motion over time.
Adventure 4
Analysis
Synthesis
Paper, Pencil
Crayons / markers
Movement books
Alphabet chart
Adventure 5
Paper
Pencil
Samples of concrete poetry
Materials – must haves, Resources – nice to have.
It will be good for the parents to help with gathering the resources, if the teacher wants it.

8. Levels of Cognition: Stepping Stones to Excellence
Remember
Rote memorization
Understand
Understanding the facts
Apply
Correct use of the facts,rules, or ideas
Analyze
Breaking down info
Evaluate
Judging the value or worth of information
Create
Combining parts to make a whole
Use with the sentence strips to explain the kinds of thinking. The KITs are application or higher, and most are analysis or higher.

9. A Closer Look! What thinking skills are addressed?
Identify verbs aligned with each thinking skill.
Let them find the words on the cards that clue them into what type of thinking is expected.

10. What is my Role? Gather materials. Work with the students.
Challenge the students.
Support the teacher.
Be flexible!
The next several slides go over these bullets.

11. How do I Gather Materials?
Look in the KITs at the cards.
Look in the KITs for books/resources.
Keep your eye out!
Use the media center.
Ask the teacher/assistant.
Be aware of what is needed for the KITs. Do you need more copies of any of the materials such as rubrics, Venn Diagrams, Home Pieces, etc.

12. How do I Work With and Challenge the Students?
Small groups
Questions - Good questions engage student thinking and promote analysis of the situation
NOT CENTER WORK! The quality should reflect a longer effort and more thorough thought process.
Facilitate learning – materials, resources, attitude!
Keep our Mouths shut - Don’t give them answers! HELP them think things through! (my personal challenge )
Discuss classroom formation options.
Share question stems.
Talk about ways to encourage high quality products. Use rubric to encourage students. Talk about how to have the students consider their audience.
Most kids have a natural drive to discover, our goal is simply to smooth the way a little as they work. Having some materials ready at a table or helping them locate resources in the media center, or modeling a great attitude towards learning & how to handle challenges.
Finally, we have a tendency to want to “help” too much – let the students strive to find their own solutions and approaches. Almost all of the cards are open ended & allow for a variety of right answers. Be careful that expectations/help for your child (if in the group) is equal to the other students.

13. How do I Support the Teacher?
Talk to the teacher about expectations.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Make sure the students see the adults as a team.
Watch “outside conversations.”
Have fun!
This is a flexible position. Different teachers will have different levels of expertise and comfort.
This is a year-long program. Don’t rush in at first and then get lax. The students will be expecting you!
Make sure the students know that you and the teacher share expectations.
PLEASE be aware that these are not appropriate for everybody and teachers are looking at many factors when they select students. Be sensitive to this issue in the neighborhood conversations.
Have fun with the kids! Challenge them and watch what they come up with! You and the teacher will be amazed!

14. To rear the tender thought, To teach the young idea how to shoot.
Delightful task!
To rear the tender thought,
To teach the young idea how to shoot.
James Thomson