Codington AIG Newsletter
August 2025
Davidson Institute
This article by George Betts and Maureen Neihart offers a succinct chart that profiles 6 different "types" of gifted individuals:
- Successful
- Challenge
- Underground
- Dropouts
- Double-Labeled
- Autonomous
It includes their feelings, attitudes, behaviors, needs, adults and peers perceptions, identification, home and school support.
This is a great read. In Fifth Grade I have the students look at them all and teach one another about the different types. We start talking about what is to come in Middle School and High School and how can they start advocating for themselves.
https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-blog/profiles-of-the-gifted-and-talented/
Reading
Fourth Grade Reading: We are reading a Maya and the Robot. This is one of the many books that are in the Battle of the Books this year! It is about a girl named Maya.
Maya's nervous about fifth grade. She tries to keep calm by reminding herself she knows what to expect. But then she learns that this year won't be anything like the last. For the first time since kindergarten, her best friends Jada and MJ are placed in a different class without her, and introverted Maya has trouble making new friends.
She tries to put on a brave face since they are in fifth grade now, but Maya is nervous! Just when too much seems to be changing, she finds a robot named Ralph in the back of Mr. Mac's convenience store closet. Once she uses her science skills to get him up and running, a whole new world of connection opens up as Ralph becomes a member of her family and Maya begins to step into her power. In this touching novel, Eve L. Ewing melds together a story about community, adapting to change, and the magic of ingenuity that reminds young readers that they can always turn to their own curiosity when feeling lost.Students are answering comprehension questions and looking at vocabulary through this book. Once completed we will be doing some fun STEM activities. Please have your students consider joining the Battle of the Books Team! You can contact Ms. Mulls about how to do that.
Math
Fourth Grade Math: Design a Sneaker
Students will be working as engineers to design, market, and pitch a new sneaker
design. To design the best sneaker possible, you will need to research the structure and function
of different shoes. It will be important to understand the structure of your feet as well as to
research the various functions a shoe provides for different activities. They will then incorporate Math in how they are going to sell, market and make money on their new shoe design.
6 Profiles of Giftedness/Real World Resiliency/Growth Mindset and Ted Talks
Fifth Grade:
Students whether they are reading or math will be starting with a Social Emotional Unit of study. This unit first looks at the 6 profiles of giftedness (as shown above). They will be designing a poster and becoming and expert in one of the types and with a partner they will be teaching the class about their specific profile.
After that we will look at a situation that has happened in Bangladesh and how they are having to overcome Climate Change and have real work resiliency on how to solve a serious flooding problem.
All this is leading up to their big project of having to write and present a TED Talk. Students will pick a cultural figure who has had to overcome an obscale in their life and show perseverance, resiliency, growth mindset and GRIT to get through it and be the person they are today. Students will memorize and share thier TED Talk. These turn out so good and are amazing.
Fourth and Fifth Grade Schedules
Fourth Grade: 1:30-2:15
Mondays and Tuesdays: ELA Group
Wednesdays and Thursdays: Math Group
Friday: Nurture Groups
Fifth Grade: 12:45-1:30
Mondays and Tuesdays: ELA Group
Wednesdays and Thursdays: Math Group
Friday: Nurture Groups
Lindsay Wescoe
Email: Lindsay.Wescoe@nhcs.net
Phone Number: (910) 790-2236
Remind Class Codes:
@4AIG2025 (Fourth Grade)
@5AIG2025 (Fifth Grade)