Innovative Thinkers September

All three levels will explore various art mediums, artists, and ways art can communicate and express deeper thoughts, emotions, opinions, the way art can be used to represent community and beautify spaces and more.

IT1 (6th grade):

We are currently engaged in our Art unit. Students are creating self-portraits that also shows who they are inside; what they care about, and what they find meaningful and important. Students began by exploring various art mediums and evaluating famous self-portraits for symbolism and artist choices. They chose a famous artist to research who works in the medium they want to create their own self-portrait in and planned out their art piece. Hopefully they were having good conversations at home, with you about these choices. Tuesday, they will need the supplies related to the medium they chose to work on their art piece in class. Depending on the medium they choose, they may need to work outside of class as well. Students will present in class to their peers when they are finished.

They will also present to you at our GT Parent Showcase on October 7th.

If you are new to our NISD GT world, students participate each year in a GT showcase where they present to an audience outside of the classroom. For this showcase, students will curate and set up a small exhibit with their art piece and some personal affects. They will stand next to their exhibit as parents and guests walk around, gallery style, to view and ask questions, allowing students to present to you as you move through the GT gallery.

IT2 (7th grade):

We are exploring how art is used in communities to represent culture, bring people together, beautify spaces, etc. They are working together to create collaborative, community art pieces. Students will explored examples of community art and the mediums used. Students decided as a class on community art pieces to create for our school. These projects will be displayed in the Library. Check them out when you are here for their GT Parent Showcase in November!

7th graders will also begin a game called the Stock Market Game. This month we will start laying the foundation with some preliminary lessons and learning how to log in, research and purchase stocks as well as how to monitor gains and losses and make trades. The game will begin in October and run through February. Students will work with a partner to invest $100,000 in the stock market, while learning to diversify, research, buy and sell. They will earn points in the game and class based on their research, explanations, diversification and progress. They will compete with other 7th grade GT students from across NISD.

IT3 (8th grade):

We have begun our speech unit. They have been learning techniques for public speaking and practicing and implement these techniques in games and random, student-choice speeches. After our speech unit, they will begin their art unit. 8th graders will research and investigate how art is used for various purposes such as therapy, commerce, game design, activism and more. We will make Artist Trading Cards, try some of the art techniques used in some physical therapy, etc. Then they will work to create an art piece for a purpose of their choosing. Like the 7th graders, they will be working together in groups. They will compromise and collaborate. They also may need to collect some supplies from home, depending on the medium and piece they choose to create.

Student agency/choice is very important. Students will have a choice in the mediums they use, including performance art, digital art, sculpture, and more. They will also have a choice about the artists they research, the purpose for their art and the ideas they choose to convey with their art. I do have some supplies here, but if your child chooses a medium outside of the supplies I have, they may need help gathering those supplies at home. Students will have time to work in class, but depending on their project, medium, etc. they may need to work on the final product outside of school as well.

Please note, that there are some supplies students can't use at school, like oil paint and spray paint. They should discuss their plans with me and also with you, as their parent so we know we can support them with resources.

ART UNIT SUPPLIES

These will vary from project to project. Please talk to your child to help them think about what supplies are accessible. For example, If your child wants to do a sculpture, perhaps you have access to welding supplies and know-how, and that would be cool, but if not, perhaps they can pick a medium such as paper Mache which only requires newsprint/paper towels, water, and glue/flour.

Please remember that 6th-grade projects are individual. 7th and 8th grade are group projects so they may need to collaborate and decide what supplies they can work to gather together.

More info to come.

• Pencils - kept by student
• 1 GT folder - kept in student's backpack, this can be reused for all three years
• Student Planner (recommended)
• 1 box of tissue (preferred) or 1 24 oz bottle of hand sanitizer

Throughout the year, students will need various supplies for projects. These are usually recycled trash items, household items, and/or craft items. I will let you know what and when to bring these supplies. Students will be given notice and time to gather these supplies when they are needed and I will put it in the Smore/email letting you know too, so you aren't caught off guard.

• 6th grade - 10/7 - in the Cafeteria - Self-Portraits

• 7th grade - 11/10 - in the library - Community Research Floats

• 8th grade - 12/8 - in the library - Entrepreneurship

• Make-up Date - 12/15 - In my classroom - varied as needed

If a child is sick or can't make it on their showcase date, they can come to the subsequent grade level's showcase as a make up option. If you know ahead of time that your student can not make the date of the showcase for their grade level, let me know. If we plan ahead they could possibly even present an alternate GT project at an earlier showcase date if needed.

Date: Friday, October 30, 2026
Where: Available at Panda Express locations nationwide
How: Online orders only -- apply code 9016407 in the Fundraiser Code box during online checkout at www.pandaexpress.com or via the app

28% of all sales will be donated directly to the NISD Gifted, Talented & Enrichment Advisory Council! Your purchase helps raise funds for the grants and scholarships we provide to GT students throughout NISD.

Please note that orders must be placed for pickup or delivery on Friday, October 30th and the fundraiser code must be applied at checkout in order for the donation to count.

Destination Imagination is an amazing STEAM, creative thinking, problem solving, collaborative, student driven learning experience. It is for ALL children but it is particularly beneficial for creative gifted kids.

This is a competitive, team activity and requires commitment to the team. It is an after school activity that could involve travel, and does involve fundraising so parents MUST attend the meeting in order to sign up your children, even if your child has participated in the past.

Meeting Details:

5:30 - 6:30pm

In the Briscoe Library

September 9th

• students are respectful in GT- of the class, themselves, and others.
• students are responsible for their materials, their best-quality work, their grades, having a positive attitude, and taking ownership of their learning.
• students act in a safe manner at all times.
• students engage in and strive toward the Habits of a Scholar expected of all NISD GT students in grades K-12.
• phones, earbuds, and all other non-district-issued techs will be kept off and in the student's backpack throughout the duration of the class.

Email: mary.cedio@nisd.net
Phone: 210-398-1100
Twitter: @BriscoeGT_Cedio

FB: @BriscoeGT

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