Water is one of our trimester's unit of study. The students are learning the various sources of water within our environment and the states of water as it moves throught out the cycle.
Students in grades 1-6 recently took a field trip to Arizona Falls. They compared how early pioneers in the Phoenix area made use of the area to how it is presently used. Prior to the field trip students learned that Arizona Falls is considered a renewable energy resource. They also learned the historical significance of canals and how water moves through the turbine to generate electricity. AZ Falls photos

Common Gifted Education Myths
Myth: That student can’t be gifted; he’s receiving poor grades
Truth: Underachievement describes a discrepancy between a student’s performance and his actual ability. The roots of this problem differ, based on each child’s experiences. Gifted students may become bored or frustrated in an unchallenging classroom situation causing them to lose interest, learn bad study habits, or distrust the school environment. Other students may mask their abilities to try to fit in socially with their same-age peers. No matter the cause, it is imperative that a caring and perceptive adult help gifted learners break the cycle of underachievement in order to achieve their full potential. See ERIC digests on underachievement in gifted boys; underachievement of minority students.

Myth: This child can’t be gifted, he/she has a Disability
Truth: Some gifted students also have learning or other disabilities. These “twice-exceptional” students often go undetected in regular classrooms because their disability and gifts mask each other, making them appear “average.” Other twice-exceptional students are identified as having a learning disability and as a result, are not considered for gifted services. In both cases, it is important to focus on the students’ abilities and allow them to have challenging curricula in addition to receiving help for their learning disability.

Myth: Gifted students are happy, popular, and well adjusted in school
Truth: Many gifted students flourish in their community and school environment. However, some gifted children differ in terms of their emotional and moral intensity, sensitivity to expectations and feelings, perfectionism, and deep concerns about societal problems. Others do not share interests with their classmates, resulting in isolation or being labeled unfavorably as a “nerd.” Because of these difficulties, the school experience is one to be endured rather than celebrated. It is estimated that 20 to 25% of gifted children have social and emotional difficulties, about twice as many as in the general population of studen