Georgia Association for Gifted Children

35th Annual Convention

March 9—10, 2015

Athens, Georgia

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Online Presentations, Handouts

Georgia Association for Gifted Children Convention

March 9—10, 2015

The Classic Center—Athens, GA

Perspectives on Creativity

Certificate of Attendance

This certifies that the bearer attended the 2015 Georgia

Association for Gifted Children Convention

Angel Cash Karen Higginbotham

GAGC President Dr. Beth Thornbury

GAGC Convention Co-Chairs

Cover Artwort: Juan Botello , Southeast Whitfield High School—Dalton, GA

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Welcome to Athens and the Georgia Association for Gifted Children’s Thirty-fifth Annual Convention. The focus of the convention this year is exploring creativity. We have a host of presenters sharing a wide variety of topics, as well as a number of exhibits to explore. Strands for this year’s convention include: creativity, curriculum, logical and creative problem solving, assessment, social emotional needs of gifted, leadership, and technology. Additionally, we have reserved an hour of the first afternoon for you to meet with other teachers and leaders

from your area to discuss current topics and share best practices and solutions. We encourage you to network with new and familiar colleagues, exchange ideas, and explore the creativity in our work. We wish you a wonderful conference and trust you will return home re energized and with plenty of new ideas!

Enjoy the Conference, and please take the time to complete the on-line survey that will be sent to you after the convention to give us feedback for next year’s program planning.

Karen Higginbotham & Dr. Beth Thornbury, GAGC Convention Co-Chairs

Welcome to the 35th Annual Georgia Association for Gifted Children Convention!

When I think about the annual convention, I can’t help but feel that if we can instill even one percent of the enthusiasm

we feel for learning new material, from exceptional teacher leaders, half of our work will already be done. I hope, that

when you return to your schools, you will think a little differently of the students who wake up early, get dressed, pack

the books, catch the bus or walk, take their seats, and prepare to learn. It is what happens next, that makes all the

difference. I trust that you will find the conference sessions valuable and motivating and that they will provide new

ideas to energize your teaching. As we build an awareness of the unique needs of our gifted and talented student, our

voices need to be heard. Our voices have the power to influence our legislators to swing the pendulum in favor of

those students that deserve experiences that meet their present and future academic needs.

It has been a distinct honor for me to serve as President for the Georgia Association for Gifted Children. Since this

organization was chartered in the fall of 1977, it has been a dominant force in advocating for the educational rights and

affective needs of gifted and talented children. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Executive Board of

GAGC for all of their support during my tenure as president. It takes many volunteers to make our organization a

success and many of these people work behind the scenes and never really receive the thanks they deserve.

I applaud you for your efforts in serving the education of our gifted and talented students, and I have seen firsthand the positive results of caring, dedicated, and motivated educators like each of you. Thank you for your dedication in helping students become successful learners. With Sincere Appreciation, Angel Cash, President Georgia Association for Gifted Children “What I know for sure about education is that inherently, educators are artists with innate talents that empower them to share in the design of individual masterpieces on a daily basis. Provided with pallets of strategies rich with color, and tools to help hone those in her charge, the ardent educator is no less a creative force than were DaVinci, Michelangelo or Kandinsky.” - Dr. Morgan Appe

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Keynote Speaker

2015 Convention Speakers

Dr. Richard M. Cash, has worked in the field of education for over 25 years. His range of experience includes teaching at the elementary and middle school levels as well as the college level, and more recently serving as Director of Gifted Programs for the Bloomington Public Schools, in Minnesota. He received his doctorate in Educational Leadership and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, MN. Dr. Cash serves on various boards and associations, such as the World Council on Gifted Education, ASCD, and The National Association for Gifted Children. Currently, he works as a private consultant to many school districts around the U.S. and internationally. Beside his work in the United States, he has presented in China, Spain, England, Canada, the Czech Republic, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Indonesia and Turkey. His areas of expertise are educational programming, rigorous and challenging curriculum development, differentiated instruction, 21st century

skills, and brain compatible classrooms. Dr. Cash authored the book Advancing Differentiation: Thinking and Learning for the 21stCentury, (2011). His newest book Differentiation for Gifted Learners: Going Beyond the Basics (2013) is a co-authored publication with Dr. Diane Heacox, a widely respected expert in differentiation and gifted education. Both books are published by Free Spirit Publishing, Inc. (freespirit.com).

Breakout Sessions:

Monday 11:10—12:00 Parthenon

Teaching Gifted Youth to Manage Stress: From Serious to Silly

Monday 2:30—3:20 Parthenon

Improv and Creative Dramatics to Develop Self-Confidence in Gifted Learners

Keynote Address: -

Developing Self-Regulated Gifted Youth: Critical Skills for Navigating Life

Self-regulation, the skills used to achieve success, is oriented toward facing challenges (promotion) or avoiding failure

(prevention). Students with promotion orientation approach tasks with confidence to succeed, even in the face of

obstacles and setbacks, whereas a prevention orientation is one of fear and averting risk. Some gifted students may

struggle, underachieve or be underrepresented in advanced level programs due to their desire to avoid failure. This

session will frame promotion orientation and growth mindset theories to provide techniques for teaching promotional

self-regulation strategies of greater levels of achievement.

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Featured Speaker

2015 Convention Speakers

David M. Schwartz, Ph.D., ABPdN specializes in Assessment and

Interventions in Learning and Educational Issues. Dr. Schwartz is a

Clinical Neuropsychologist in Atlanta, Georgia. He consults

nationally and in Canada with school districts, state departments of

education, provincial school boards, as well as clinical settings. Dr.

Schwartz holds a joint Ph.D. in Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psy-

chology, with a specialization in Neuropsychology. He is the

Executive Director and a Fellow of the American Academy of

Pediatric Neuropsychology. He is an Adjunct Faculty member at

Kennesaw State University, Georgia School of Professional

Psychology—Clinical Psychology Graduate Program at Argosy

University–Atlanta, and Georgia State University. Dr. Schwartz is actively sought out to provide

presentations on a variety of topics that include assessment, intervention, and strategies for

improving student and adult success. He has extensive experience in the area of assessment and

treatment, and serves the child, adolescent, and adult populations. Dr. Schwartz utilizes a

“consensus building” approach when working with individuals, families, professionals, and

community resources. He is known for his practical recommendations and his easy accessibility.

Dr. Schwartz’s Workshop Series:

Gifted and Talented students pose a challenge to educators. While they often exhibit advanced knowledge and

intellect, they often frustrate educators with their inconsistent academic performances and increased social-

emotional needs. Many educators question the inclusion of Twice Exceptional students in gifted and talented

programs. School often becomes a very frustrating experience for all of these gifted and talented students, their

teachers and their parents. The purpose of this series of workshops is to provide a structure for meeting the

diverse needs of this special population of gifted and talented children. A framework for identification and

implementation of appropriate functional strategies, including instructional and assistive technologies will be

provided.

Breakout Sessions:

Tuesday 9:00—9:50 Parthenon

Social-Emotional Needs of Gifted Children: Understanding the Rainbow

Tuesday 10:10—11:-00 Parthenon

Meeting the Needs of Twice Exceptional Students: Real Strategies for Success

Tuesday 11:10—12:00 Parthenon

Avoiding Educator Burnout: Who Ya Gonna Call? Stress Busters!

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Monday, March 9, 2015

Registration at The Classic Center 7:00 - 12:00

Exhibit Hours at The Classic Center 8:00 - 5:00

7:15 - 8:00 Coffee / Breakfast

8:00 - 12:00 Continuous Breakout Sessions / Visit Vendors

9:50 - 10:10 Refreshment Break

12:00 - 2:30 Opening Session and Keynote Luncheon—Athena Ballroom

Welcome / Orientation – Karen Higginbotham & Dr. Beth Thornbury,

Convention Co-Chairs; Angel Cash, President GAGC

Lunch

DOE Presentation: Dr. Bob Swiggum

Opening Keynote: Dr. Richard Cash,

“Developing Self-Regulated Gifted Youth: Critical Skills for Navigating Life”

2:30 - 4:30 Continuous Breakouts / Visit Vendors

3:20 - 3:40 Refreshment break

5:00 - 7:00 GAGC Reception, Graduate Athens – The Foundry

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Registration at The Classic Center - 7:00-9:00

Exhibit Hours at The Classic Center - 8:00– 12:00

7:15 - 8:00 Coffee / Breakfast

8:00 - 12:00 Continuous Breakouts / Visit Vendors

9:50 - 10:10 Refreshment Break

12:00 - 1:30 Closing Luncheon—Athena Ballroom

Closing Remarks, Angel Cash, Dr. Lisa Hackney

Installation of New Officers

1:30 Closing Remarks & Drawings

Thirty-fifth Annual Convention

Georgia Association for Gifted Children

Agenda

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~ Parent Day and Tote Bag Sponsor ~

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Athena B

Creativity

Middle, Elem

A Next Step for Ensuring

Equitable Creativity Assessment

in Georgia

C. Alex Alvarez, Anne Cardella, Donna Campa, Danielle

Gibbs, Lauren Whittaker ~ Valdosta City Schools

Join this hands-on session to learn about a new

research-based creativity performance assess-

ment. Participants will be provided an oppor-

tunity to review, use, and score the new A&W

Buttons Creativity Performance Assessment. This

new assessment can be considered as a second

measure opportunity for school districts that

does not require students to draw, write, or pos-

sess extensive vocabulary; thus supporting ESL

students and providing an alternative approach

to that of the Torrance Figural Assessment and

the Profiles of Creative Abilities (PCA).

Athena D

Creativity

Middle, Elem

Creative, Real-World

Independent Projects:

Differentiation That’s Fun!

Melanie Bondy ~ Mind Vine Press (Exhibitor/Vendor)

Gifted students need high-level choice-based

projects that inspire creativity and growth.

Teachers need clear student guidance that

differentiates in every aspect, structured check-

points and comprehensive assessments.

This teacher presentation will demonstrate the

creation and management of successful inter

disciplinary projects that incorporate choice

within a structure and allow teacher facilitation.

Learn to challenge and motivate your students

year-round while alleviating your workload.

View student portfolios, exhibits and photos.

Excellent handouts. Leave refreshed with

methods to implement right away!

Athena G

Creativity

All Levels

Craving Creativity?

Leigh Mason Hummell, Stephanie Sumner, Laura Fedorchuk, Ron McAllister, Lisa Stark ~ Forsyth County Schools

Be ready to walk away with multi-standard based lessons and project ideas infused with creativity! You will

learn to utilize creativity to push your students deeper into Bloom's Taxonomy and DOK through quadrant

D activities. Come experience projects on Bravery Through The Decades, the Trojan War, Shark Tank, Crea-

tivity Wars, Tech Fair, and many more.

Athena J

Mathematics

Middle, High

Real-Life Math Investigations That Require Insight, Collaboration and Creative

Thinking

Ed and Sara Zaccaro ~ Hickory Grove Press (Exhibitor/Vendor)

Nurture your students’ curiosity and creativity as you present them with real world situations/dilemmas

that require insight, intuition, creative problem solving and collaboration in order to reach effective and ac-

curate solutions. These investigations will allow students to (1) Simulate an engineering team as it searches

for solutions (2) Take on the role of lawyers who are analyzing how statistics have been manipulated (3)

Become a team of journalists trying to determine why the math in several news articles is incorrect and

what the consequences could be. Show students that math is much more than rote learning and formulas.

MONDAY 8:00—8:50 1

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Olympia 1 & 2

Creativity

All Levels

A Creativity Celebration: A Bizarre Bazaar – Double Session

Bonnie Cramond, Ph.D., Meg Easom Hines, Ph.D., Paul Tim Carr, Sarah Marie Catalana, Courtney DeRieux, Sonja L. Fox,

Octavia Fugerson, Laura Gary, Michele Hood, Leann M. Morris, Mikki Stinchcomb, Sureyya Yoruk ~ University of Georgia

Get your creative juices flowing and have fun while learning some strategies that you can incorporate

into your curriculum. We will have various interactive stations around the room where you can expe-

rience strategies for developing creativity. Each station will also have information on the strategy as

well as how the strategy may be used in different content areas and for different age groups. After 20

minutes, we will indicate that it is time to change, and you will be able to pick another station. This

bazaar of creativity strategies may result in some very bizarre sights, sounds, and products, but we

hope you will enjoy yourself and get some great ideas for developing creativity in your students.

Parthenon

Teachers, Admin

All Levels

SLDS Gifted Eligibility Form

Hubert Bennett, Ph.D. ~ Georgia Department of Education

NEW!!! This session will look at the FREE Gifted Eligibility Form that is available through SLDS. We will

demonstrate the process of entering a student's achievement results onto the form. These results

will then be stored with the student throughout the student's educational career - even if they

transfer to another school or school system. This session is for both the beginner and experienced

Gifted Eligibility Form user. Experienced users- please bring your questions, comments, and

suggestions. This application is available to all Georgia Public schools.

Monday 9:00—9:50

Athena A

Curriculum

Middle High

Building and Sustaining Advanced Academic Programs

Lynn Dennons, Brandi Sabb ~ College Board

The College Board strongly encourages educators to make equitable access a guiding principle for their AP

Programs by giving all willing and academically prepared students the opportunity to participate in AP, and

by eliminating barriers that restrict access to AP for students from ethnic, racial and socioeconomic groups.

Learn best practices from across the region to support a rigorous curriculum for all. You will be provided

research and online tools to help students and families aspire, explore, choose, and enroll in AP Courses in

your institution. You will also identify and develop strategies appropriate for the culture of your school or

district.

1 MONDAY 8:00—8:50

2

10

Athena B

Curriculum

Elementary

Creating Confident Orators

Teri McGraw ~ Fayette County Schools

Come learn some useful tips to hold an effective

orator's meeting that if incorporated in your

classroom will leave your students with an inval-

uable life skill - the art of public speaking! Par-

ticipants will learn a fool-proof formula for run-

ning an orator's meeting with multiple roles so

that each student is responsible for the

meeting’s success. Not only will your students

learn the components of an effective speech,

but also the many essential roles to run an

effective orator's meeting.

Athena C

Curriculum

All Levels

SOCRATIC INQUIRY: Addressing 21st

Century Standards with a Two

Thousand Year Old Strategy

Richard Courtright, Ph.D. ~ Duke TIP (Exhibitor/Vendor)

The implementation of Common Core State

Standards provides myriad opportunities for

differentiation to meet the needs of gifted learn-

ers. However, educators may wonder about the

best means to address the standards related to

speaking and listening. The solution lies in one of

the greatest teaching-learning models: Socratic

method of inquiry. This centuries-old approach

can be used effectively in today’s classroom, in

every subject, every grade. The basics of the So-

cratic seminar that will be presented in this ses-

sion can be learned in an hour and used through-

out a lifetime of teaching. This session will provide

the basic “how-to,” with step-by-step guidance in

how to set up and conduct a seminar, including a

rationale, teacher and student expectations/

behaviors, the physical environment and content

from specific academic disciplines that may be

used in the process of implementing Socratic

seminars in the classroom. Athena D

Creativity

Middle, High

Depth and Complexity? Meet

Differentiation

Carrie Simpson ~ Pieces of Learning (Exhibitor/Vendor)

We all know we need to differentiate for gifted

learners, but often do not recognize how differentia-

tion can help us strategically support enrichment,

extension and creativity in our classes. This session is

designed to make that connection by linking the

work of Sandra Kaplan and Carol Tomlinson. Come

view graphics that merge these concepts and en-

gage in discussions to reflect on how to apply this

information to your classes. GT students need to de-

velop and embrace creativity and effective differen-

tiation can be the start.

Athena G

Reading / ELA

Middle, High

Captivating Captions

Leslie Giraldo ~ Ware County Schools

Creatively use captions from high-quality sources,

transforming a traditional close-reading activity

into an engaging event, like “The Zombie Zone”

and “Sugar Love: A Not So Sweet Tale.” Gifted

students will be challenged—and intrigued—as

they interact with items you’ve created in this

hands-on session from captivating captions.

MONDAY 9:00—9:50 2

“Creativity is intelligence

having fun.”

-Albert Einstein

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Athena J

Curriculum

All Levels

Enrichment Clusters: Using Technology to Streamline the Process

Virginia Stephens, Ed.D.; Mandy Guley ~ Columbia County Schools

Many schools in Georgia have implemented Renzulli's Schoolwide Enrichment Model and have had

great success engaging all students through the use of Enrichment Clusters. Come to this session to

learn how teachers in Columbia County are using technology to streamline the cluster selection

process. From interest inventories to sorting students, technology makes the process painless!

Olympia 1 & 2

Creativity

All Levels

A Creativity Celebration: A Bizarre Bazaar – Double Session

Bonnie Cramond, Ph.D., Meg Easom Hines, Ph.D., Paul Tim Carr, Sarah Marie Catalana, Courtney DeRieux, Sonja L. Fox,

Octavia Fugerson, Laura Gary, Michele Hood, Leann M. Morris, Mikki Stinchcomb, Sureyya Yoruk ~ University of Georgia

Get your creative juices flowing and have fun while learning some strategies that you can incorpo-

rate into your curriculum. We will have various interactive stations around the room where you can

experience strategies for developing creativity. Each station will also have information on the strate-

gy as well as how the strategy may be used in different content areas and for different age groups.

After 20 minutes, we will indicate that it is time to change, and you will be able to pick another sta-

tion. This bazaar of creativity strategies may result in some very bizarre sights, sounds, and products,

but we hope you will enjoy yourself and get some great ideas for developing creativity in your

students.

Parthenon

Teachers, Admin

All Levels

SLDS: Gifted Eligibility Form

Hubert Bennett, Ph.D. ~ Georgia Department of Education

NEW!!! This session will look at the FREE Gifted Eli-

gibility Form that is available through SLDS. We will

demonstrate the process of entering a student's

achievement results onto the form. These results

will then be stored with the student throughout the

student's educational career - even if they transfer

to another school or school system. This session is

for both the beginner and experienced Gifted Eligi-

bility Form user. Experienced users- please bring

your questions, comments, and suggestions. This

application is available to all Georgia Public schools.

Enjoy a morning

snack break

9:50—10:10

SNACK BREAK

MONDAY 9:00—9:50 2

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Athena A

Creativity

All Levels

Free Versatile

Curriculum Tools

Laura Magner ~ Gwinnett County

Public Schools

Money is tight and classroom tools are

scarce. Engage students by using familiar

items in creative ways. In this session,

participants will be shown multiple tools

that can be made from free materials!

Each material has several classroom ap-

plications. From egg cartons to paint

chips, learn how to use commonly dis-

carded materials to create fun, effective

learning tools. Participants will leave with

at least one free item!

Athena B

Curriculum

Elementary

Changing Perspectives About

Reflective Writing

April Keck DeGennaro, Ph.D. ~ Fayette County

Schools

Gifted children’s minds work at warp speed. Thoughts

come faster than children can write them leading to

frustration and dislike of writing. Capturing high-level

thoughts effectively is a skill requiring practice. Writing

allows less aggressively-verbal children to process and

share deep thoughts, preserves creative novelty, devel-

ops brevity, and preserves ideas for sharing & future

development. Participants will consider written reflec-

tion as an essential element of gifted pedagogy, receive

a document used to frame 1st-5th grade critical written

reflection of gifted curriculum, learn strategies to build

high-level thinking and writing abilities through inte-

grating short critical written reflections after curricu-

lum explorations.

Athena C

Social Emotional

All Levels

TIP-ical Kids: Social and Emotional Aspects of High Ability Children and Youth

Richard Courtright, Ph.D. ~ Duke TIP (Exhibitor/Vendor)

Thirty-five years of working with gifted students in Duke TIP summer programs has provided evidence of the

nature of the characteristics of gifted/talented students. While individual differences (and exceptions to the

rule) abound, there are strong tendencies among gifted kids regarding their social and emotional develop-

ment that can inform parents and teachers, helping them to understand the response they receive from

their children and students. Awareness of these characteristics can turn the “rough seas” of interactions in

school and in the home into “smooth sailing” for everyone involved.

Olympia 1

Mathematics

All Levels

Muggins Math: Aerobics for the Mind

Sue Shuler ~ Muggins Math (Exhibitor/Vendor)

Come experience math, higher-order thinking skills, and fun in this hands-on math workshop utilizing award

-winning math board games in the Muggins Math Series developed by two former Georgia teachers. Games

develop not only math skills but socialization skills as players compete in these challenging, multi-leveled

games for ages 5 to Einstein! Prize drawing for Muggins/Knock-Out game at end of session.

MONDAY 10:10—11:00 3

13

Athena J

Curriculum

Middle, High

AP in Georgia’s Future

Becky Chambers, Bonnie Marshall,

Georgia McSwain ~GADOE

The College and Career Readiness Team at the

Georgia Department of Education will present an

overview of a decade of Advanced Placement

growth in Georgia and will discuss the benefits of

Advanced Placement courses for Gifted students,

support and training for teachers, and critical areas

that need our attention.

Athena G

Curriculum

Elementary

"Qualities of Leadership" Instructional Unit

Ann Scott Hanks ~ Fulton County Schools

In chronological order through American history, this unit examines positive leadership in politics, sci-

ence, social justice, the arts, sports, and business. It includes a pre and post test, daily assessments for

both content and process, a variety of high impact research based instructional strategies, many pri-

mary sources, and technology for instruction and for student products. Science and Social Studies GPS,

Common Core Literacy Standards, and Problem-Based Learning projects are integrated throughout.

Attendees will leave this session with a complete unit for 11 full days of instruction for grades 4+5.

Athena D

Talent Development

All Levels

Que Bueno

Tommy Firesheets ~ Gwinnett County Public Schools; Lisa Hackney, Ed.D. ~ Dalton Public Schools

Que Bueno! … Successful programs for poor or minority children, especially gifted and high ability children,

must be multifaceted and flexible. We tend to construct programs aimed at certain groups and at the “typical”

low-income minority child. However, in reality there is no typical child, as the circumstances leading to poverty

are varied and multifaceted. How can educators help children who are culturally and linguistically economically

disadvantaged (CLED) meet classroom, school, district, and state expectations in these times of testing and ac-

countability? Designing programs for gifted and high ability CLED students are vital to creating and fostering a

culture of success and equity, especially in high school AP and IB programs. It is never too early to look at your

class or school’s data and design appropriate programming options which will afford CLED students every edu-

cational opportunity and advantage. Join us as we share the stories- obstacles and successes of programs in

CLED districts- small and large.

MONDAY 10:10—11:00

Stop by to

Visit our Vendors!

Collect Vendor

Autographs to enter

drawing for an

ipad Mini!

3

14

Athena A

Creativity

All Levels

A Creative Take on

Critical Thinking

Laura Magner ~ Gwinnett County Public Schools

Participants will discuss the basic thinking

skills that are part of critical thinking.

What does a room full of critical thinkers

sound like, look like? These questions will

be addressed. Multiple short thinker

tasks will be explored. These thinker

tasks, in all four core areas of math, lan-

guage, science, and social studies, get

students critically thinking. They can be

stand alone lessons or an impetus to a

full day's lesson.

Athena B

Curriculum

Elementary

Creating Global Kids Across

Grade Levels with Current

Issues

April Keck DeGennaro, Ph.D.; Teri McGraw ~ Fayette

County Schools

Gifted learners love to discuss current issues.

Creating a curriculum for multiple grade levels

is exceedingly easy because one current issue

can meet the needs of multiple grade levels

when different universal theme lenses are

used to frame the discussion. The news is nat-

urally engaging and gives authentic real-world

discussion starters for students to create high-

level thoughts. Learn easy online resources

and leave with a “set of universal theme

lenses” that make your current issues curricu-

lum a robust program-wide favorite! Athena C

Creativity

Middle School

How to Infuse Creativity in a STEM

Program of Choice

Michele Hood, Lori McBride, Laurie Ecke, Kathy Mellette,

Sonja Neville ~ Hall County Schools

Parthenon

Teachers

Administrators

Regional Representatives: Reaching Out Across Georgia for the Gifted

Emily Wilson ~ Muscogee County; MaryJean Banter ~ Peach County; Ruth Cowan; Angie Green ~ Murray County;

Jan Jacobsen ~ Houston County

GAGC Regional Representatives will meet to network and brainstorm ideas to get the word out about

gifted education throughout the state. Experienced Regional Reps will share ideas and successful

strategies to serve as a springboard for new projects. The goal of this session is to bring clarity of pur-

pose, unity of mission, and support for new and veteran Regional Reps. The workshop will also include

an opportunity to network and connect with other Reps from surrounding areas to plan and support

each other in this work.

MONDAY 10:10—11:00

3

Monday 11:10—12:00

4

E2 Academy teachers will be sharing some of our best lessons, websites, tips and strategies we use to devel-

op critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication into our STEM program of choice. E2 is now

in our second year and despite challenges we are successfully integrating 21st century skills across the cur-

riculum in an interdisciplinary manner. Our presentation will help you see new possibilities and perspectives;

in order to bring creativity to your classroom.

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Athena G

Creativity

All Levels

Creative Problem Solving

Saves the Future

Marion M. Sebastian ~ Gwinnett Public Schools; Mary

Jean Banter ~ Peach County Schools

Give students a new perspective for using cre-

ative thinking to solve real-world problems in

their community now or extrapolating world

issues into the future. The Future Problem

Solving Program trains students to use a prob-

lem solving process that can be applied within

the curriculum, in challenging competition,

and throughout their lifetime. This exciting

international program meets common core

standards and is highly adaptable to many

contents, delivery models, and grade levels.

Our world needs for students to develop

these skills.

Athena J

Mathematics

Elementary

Math: It's Elementary!

Gail Fiddyment ~ Clarke County Schools

Many elementary teachers admit that they lack a

deep understanding of math and are ill-equipped

to teach Common Core standards. In this session,

teachers will explore new strategies and tools used

to develop number sense and place value, includ-

ing number talks, non-algorithmic problem-solving,

and hands-on activities utilizing tools such as tape

diagrams, area models, number disks, and draw-

ings. The presenter will provide teachers with sug-

gestions for enriching and extending math for gift-

ed students and resources, including books and

websites.

Olympia 1

Curriculm

High School

Honors Mentorship in Hall County: A balanced approach to fostering

rigor and creativity.

Jennifer Killingsworth ~ Hall County Schools

This session will focus on fostering creativity in a career-focused mentorships for gifted juniors and seniors.

You will see how to use blended learning approaches for students, while still providing a curriculum that is

rigorous and fosters creativity for the individual. Participants will learn about curriculum approaches used,

management of the program using technology, and see student outcomes for those who have successfully

completed the program. Join us to see the amazing opportunities afforded gifted students in this program!

Athena D

Creativity

Al Levels

Creativity Outside the School Box

Sarah Kessel, Katherine Williams ~ Cobb

County Public School District

Are you looking for a creative, learner-centered,

constructivist approach to your gifted classroom?

Project-based learning and problem-based learning

address this need. Creative problems and projects

can serve as the catalyst for jumpstarting inquiry

and enthusiasm. Participants will learn how collab-

oration with creative agencies outside the school

system can boost hands-on PBL experiences, too.

MONDAY 11:10—12:00 4

“It takes courage to be creative. Just

as soon as you have a new idea, you

are a minority of one.”

-Dr. E. Paul Torrance

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GENERAL SESSION

KEYNOTE LUNCHEON

12:00—2:30 Athena Ballroom

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Richard M. Cash

Olympia 2

Teachers, Admin

Assessment

CogAT: Cognitive Abilities

Test

Tara Mathis, Jinny Hurdle ~ Houghton-Mifflin

Harcourt / Riverside (Exhibitor/Vendor)

CogAT Form 7 reflects the most up-to-date

research on how best to measure cognitive

abilities and learning styles. CogAT 7 intro-

duces a variety of enhancements, including

new item types, a reduced language load to

make the instrument even more appropri-

ate for ELL children, an expanded instructor

support package, a choice of methods of

administration, and more. Demonstration

of the new online administration and re-

porting options to understand how to best

identify cognitive ability and learning style.

4

Developing Self-Regulated Gifted Youth: Critical Skills for Navigating Life

Self-regulation, the skills used to achieve success, is oriented toward facing challenges (promotion)

or avoiding failure (prevention). Students with promotion orientation approach tasks with confi-

dence to succeed, even in the face of obstacles and setbacks, whereas a prevention orientation is

one of fear and averting risk. Some gifted students may struggle, underachieve or be underrepre-

sented in advanced level programs due to their desire to avoid failure. This session will frame pro-

motion orientation and growth mindset theories to provide techniques for teaching promotional

self-regulation strategies of greater levels of achievement.

MONDAY 11:10—12:00 Parthenon

Social Emotional All Levels

Teaching Gifted Youth to

Manage Stress:

From Serious to Silly

Richard Cash, Ed.D. ~ nRich Educational

Consulting, Inc.

From exaggerated expectations to a fixed mindset,

gifted youth are impacted by stress and anxiety.

Neuroscientific research has revealed the negative

impact of stress on learning for all students. For

gifted youth, the outcomes of unmanaged stress

can be devastating both emotionally as well as edu-

cationally. This session will frame the causes of

stress and provide strategies to reduce its effects.

Be prepared to participant; we will work through

traditional types of relaxation techniques as well as

get silly to reduce anxiety. Participants will receive

a list of resources to assist gifted youth in managing

stress and anxiety.

17

Athena B

Creativity

All Levels

Integrating Performing Arts

to Teach Creativity

Ami Ray ~ Hall County Schools

Performing Arts and Drama forces participants

to solve problems creatively. Integrating Per-

forming Arts and Drama into classroom curricu-

lum, delivery and products can assist in the de-

velopment of student creativity.

In this presentation, attendees will learn the

theory of an integrated performing arts class-

room. Further, attendees will receive a practical

guide in creating such a classroom environ-

ment.

Athena A

Social Emotional

Middle School

Helping Students Discover Their

"Element"

Kathy Melette ~ Hall County Schools

I believe THE most important work accomplished

in a classroom is a young person discovering their

unique ability, talents and passions. It is important

to help our students develop a vision for their fu-

ture and the confidence (and willingness)to ex-

plore opportunities. My interactive presentation

will offer participants new perspectives, engaging

lessons and resources to help young people dis-

cover their strengths and passions.

Athena C

Creativity

Middle School

Student Inspired Projects: Crea-

tive, Authentic, Service Based,

Michele Hood, Sonja Neville ~ Hall County Schools

Do you want to inspire your students to create

authentic projects that weave their interests with

ELA, Technology, and Science standards and then

add Service Learning and Critical Thinking compo-

nents? Leave today with everything you need to

facilitate middle school projects that will motivate

your students to learn and create! A panel of

teachers and middle school students will detail

their journey of creative, inspired learning and

then answer your questions!

Athena D

Creativity

All Levels

Odyssey of the

Mind....Beyond the Box

Lisa Hackney, Ed.D. ~ Odyssey of the Mind

Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem solv-

ing competition for problem solvers from 5 to ?

Odyssey of the Mind is a creative and innova-

tive way to address state and national stand-

ards while having FUN. This hands-on for kids

and hands-off for adults program helps stu-

dents look for the question behind the problem

to create multiple solutions.

Athena J

Social Emotional

Middle, High

Creative Acceleration

Adriana Stanley, Kate Theobold ~ The Advanced Academy of Georgia

Your gifted students often need experiences beyond the traditional K-12 classroom. Join a conversation

about the many resources that are available through partnering with university systems and other pro-

grams tailored to meet gifted students’ academic needs. For middle and high school age students, the op-

portunities range from supplemental instruction to summer programs to full-time residential programs.

Learn how to navigate the options and determine the possibilities for your student.

MONDAY 2:30—3:20 5

18

Olympia 2

Curriculum

All Levels

Embracing Education Tech-

nology: The Next Generation

of Adaptive Learning for Ad-

vanced Learners

Matthew Mugo Fields ~ GiftedandTalented.com

(Exhibitor/Vendor)

This session featuring Matthew Mugo Fields,

President of GiftedandTalented.com, will ex-

plore the complex educational needs of gifted

learners and explain how innovative educa-

tional technology, along with decades of Stan-

ford research in the area of adaptive learning,

can be used to meet gifted student’s needs

and insure they reach their full potential.

Building on over forty years of research, Gifte-

dandTalented.com was chosen by Stanford to

co-develop and offer the next generation of its

adaptive digital curriculum and blended

learning implementation programs.

Olympia 1

Curriculum

Middle, High

Internships That Change Their

(and Our) Worlds: Infusing the

Career Internship with a

Curriculum of Creativity!

Carol Graham ~ Fulton County Schools

The high school gifted internship course proves to

be the pinnacle of the K-12 gifted education

experience when viewed through the lens of the

creative learner! Borrowing from Gardner's

Creating Minds, Maslow's theory of the creative

personality, Renzulli's Multiple Menu Model, A

Parallel Curriculum (Tomlinson, Kaplan, Renzulli,

Purcell, Leppien, Burns 2002), the CPS matrix

(Treffinger and Isaksen), and studies in epistemic

cognition (Costa), this presentation demonstrates

how to infuse an internship program with a

curriculum of creativity. The end product is career

defining and life changing!

Athena G

Curriculum

Elementary

The Art and Science of

Wonder

Kara Gazaway, Julie Anderson ~ Gwinnett County

Public Schools

Participants will learn how to guide students

through the process of inquiry. Student

Inquiry has the possibility of opening minds

to unexplored worlds through wonders,

research, trial and error, and communication

skills. Wondering can encourage natural

uriosity and classroom engagement. Students

can greatly benefit from this hands-on

learning experience and take ownership of

their own learning. These students can help

build lasting curiosity in their community and

become the leaders of tomorrow.

MONDAY 2:30—3:20 5

Parthenon

Creativity

All Levels

Improv and Creative Dramatics to

Develop Self-Confidence in Gifted

Learners

Richard Cash, Ed.D. ~ nRich Educational Consulting, Inc.

Improv and creative dramatics is an enjoyable and

effective way to build communicative language, critical

reasoning, creative thinking and problem solving skills.

It can also be a great way to build the self-confidence

of gifted learners, because there are “no wrong an-

swers.” Join Dr. Cash, an academic and theater trained

teacher, as he takes you through interactive practices

of improve and creative dramatics. Participants will

experience how gifted learners can become more self-

confident, expressive and articulate through improv

and creative dramatics.

“The creative adult is the child who has

survived.” -Ursula K. Le Guin

19

MONDAY 3:40—4:30

6

Regional Networking Sessions

Athena A Athena B Athena C Athena D

North

Northwest

Open room for

overflow groups

Central Savannah

First District

Chattahoochee, Griffin,

Oconee, West

Athena G Athena J Olympia Parthenon

Heart of GA

Middle

Coastal Plains

Southwest

Okefeookee

Northeast

Pioneer

Metro

Enjoy an afternoon snack break 3:20—3:40

SNACK BREAK

For the final session of the day, we will hold a NETWORKING SESSION. This is a time to meet

with peers from your area of the state to connect, brainstorm, share ideas, make plans to

meet or speak later, and reflect. Groups have been divided based on the number of registered

attendees in relation to RESA locations. Each room will have a moderator to help facilitate

conversations.

Regional Representative and Past President Breakfast

Tuesday, March 10 — 7:30 AM

Empire 1

GAGC Regional Representatives & Past GAGC Presidents

are invited to attend a breakfast meeting.

Sponsored by Duke TIP

20

GAGC Reception Sponsor

21

22

Athena A

Social Emotional

Elementary

My Favorite Day of the Week: How to creatively design a gifted

resource environment where students thrive and teachers survive!

Pat Owens, Cathy Dial ~ Hall County School District

What makes a gifted resource program a student’s favorite day of the week? How do you personalize

and organize a large gifted program where each student thrives and the teacher survives? Ideas we

will share include student organization, parental communication, and activities to meet the affective

needs of students. Gifted resource teachers will have time to collaborate in this session to share suc-

cessful ideas.

Athena B

Creativity

All Levels

Engaging Gifted Learners Through Brain Bites

Sheila L. Walden, Ph.D. ~ Clayton County Public Schools / MindwoRx Educational Services (exhibitor / vendor)

Participants will learn how to engage and motivate gifted learners through "Brain Bites" a year round

student choice program that can be used to supplement a gifted resource pull-out program. By giving

students a choice in assignments it boosts their creativity and motivation (Lasley, 2013). The activities

in Brain Bites focus on the common core state standards and are crosswalked with the gifted strands.

When we teach to student's strengths and interests we promote creativity and critical thinking.

Athena C

Curriculum

Elementary

Order in the Court!

Gail Fiddyment ~ Clarke County Schools; Diane Swann ~

Rockdale County Schools

Mock trial allows students to assume the roles of

attorneys and witnesses as they learn about the

judicial system. As students study materials and

develop a case, they practice critical thinking,

creative problem-solving, fact-finding, and public

speaking. In addition, they learn about relevant

legal principles and the role of the government

in making and enforcing laws and protecting the

rights of individuals. The presenters will share

ideas and resources for implementing mock trials

for gifted students.

Athena D

Curriculum

All Levels

Friendship Elementary: Advanced

Scholars’ Program

Guy Cassels, Jr; Brian Johnston, Mary Brandes, Nichole Hill,

Kristin White ~ Hall County Schools

The Advanced Scholars’ Program at Friendship is an

innovative approach to achieving growth within our

gifted/higher students. In this program the 9 weeks

curriculum is compacted into a 7 week instructional

period. The last 2 weeks are reserved for student

chosen, project based inquiry that is designed to take

the curriculum taught much deeper and make it

more lasting and impactful for the students. In this

session, we will be doing a brief overview of what the

program is, how it is designed and lessons learned

from our first full year of work.

TUESDAY 8:00—8:50 7

23

Athena G

Creativity

Elem / Admin

Fostering Creative Productivity Through Enrichment Clusters

Catherine Schreiber, Ph.D.; Carla Montgomery, Ed.D. ~ Henry County Schools

Enrichment Clusters enable creative productivity to blossom in all segments of a school’s population.

Our school, Luella Elementary, has been engaged in this endeavor for the past two years with out-

standing results. From inception to implementation, this session will take you through the process of

successfully developing school-wide enrichment clusters without outside funding.

Olympia 1

Creativity

All Levels

Infusing Creativity into the STEM Classroom

Scott Chandler, Ben Fouts ~ Muscogee County Schools

This presentation is based on the ideas and principles of Harvard’s Project Zero Classroom. It will focus

on several of the strategies and activities that are used to integrate the development of both creative

and critical thinking into the upper elementary and middle school classroom. These strategies devel-

oped by Howard Gardner, Dave Perkins and other researchers are techniques that can easily be inte-

grated into your everyday classroom instruction. Participants will be actively engaged in several hands

-on activities you can take back and use with your students tomorrow to help develop divergent think-

ing skills. Through the use of art and mechanical objects students will begin considering the contradic-

tions and relationships that exist around them. Through these fun and engaging activities, we have

been able to enrich and enhance the reasoning and problem solving skills our 4th and 5th grade gifted

students.

Olympia 2

Research All Levels

Promoting Equity & Excellence through University-School Partnership for Achievement,

Rigor & Creativity: Project U-SPARC - Double Session A

Meg Hines, Ph.D., Tarek Grantham, Ph.D., Jeremy Pina, Brittany Anderson, Octavia Fugerson, Sarah Marie Catalana, Stephanie

Franks

In schools both at the local and national level, culturally and linguistically diverse or low-income students

are underrepresented in gifted programs. In many of these gifted programs, educators and parents who

advocate for equity are faced with negative attitudes, unbalanced access, inappropriate assessment, and/or

insensitive accommodations. As a result, recruiting and retaining students from under-represented groups

in gifted programs remains a challenge. This session is devoted to highlighting key findings from a partner-

ship called U-SPARC (University-School Partnerships for Achievement, Rigor and Creativity) between a team

of faculty and students in the Gifted and Creative Education program at the University of Georgia and a lo-

cal Clarke County School District elementary school. Panelists will highlight ways in which structures de-

signed to establish the partnership help to increase sustainability and advance equity and excellence in

school.

TUESDAY 8:00—8:50 7

24

Parthenon

Teachers, Admin

All Levels

Coffee With Gail

Gail Humble ~ Georgia Department of Education

Come have a cup of coffee or tea with Gail Humble, Gifted Education Specialist for the Georgia Depart-

ment of Education. This session will offer participants an informal setting to discuss the education of

high-ability and gifted learners in Georgia. The session will also provide opportunities to network and

problem solve with other professionals who have similar interests and challenges.

Athena A

Creativity

Elementary

The Gifted Teacher's Depot:

You Can Do It. We Can Help.

Kim Allen, Deanna Fawcett, Hall County Schools

This workshop will provide great tools for

building an extraordinary elementary gifted

classroom. Not your ordinary tools...but we

will present a variety of tools to enhance the

use of technology, communication, collabora-

tion, creative and critical thinking, and prob-

lem solving. Some tools included are: STEM,

Lego Engineering, Interdisciplinary Units, en-

gaging web tools, research methods, CPS, and

much more. Join us in filling your "Gifted

Teacher Toolbox".

Athena B

Creativity

All Levels

What's In The Box?

Sheila L. Walden, Ph.D. ~ Clayton County Public Schools

Session participants will learn how to engage gift-

ed students through a collection of object-driven

logic riddles designed to promote critical thinking

and problem solving skills for all ages. They are

fun and challenging puzzles that require students

to think about what's in the box or should we say

"think outside the box". The object-driven riddles

can be used to teach: listening skills, divergent

thinking, associative thinking and inference.

Through these riddles students will learn to rec-

ognize important ideas, clues and to examine ide-

as from different points of view.

Athena C

Creativity

All Levels

iFlipped My Urban Math Classroom: Tech Tips for Paperless Classrooms

Katrina Stanfield ~ Atlanta Public Schools ; Nikkita Warfield ~ Newton County

Tired of notebook paper littering your desk waiting to be graded? Do you want to convert your classroom environ-

ment into a paperless student-led class setting? Participants will receive technology tools that can improve student

and teacher creativity and communication. The tools will help enhance instructional interdisciplinary connections, in-

tegrate engaging teaching strategies, and help differentiate the learning environment. The participants will gain a con-

nected classroom guide to flipping their instruction, which supports nurturing the creative nature of many gifted stu-

dents.

TUESDAY 8:00—8:50

7

TUESDAY 9:00—9:50

8

25

Athena D

Science

Elementary

Engage, Create and Innovate: The Science/Quirkles Link

Sherry Cook, The Quirkles / Creative3, LLC (Exhibitor/Vendor)

"Do the questions at the end of your chapter." That’s no way to engage gifted students! Storytelling,

inquiry and hands-on science will though! And inquiry based science does more. It develops skills that

foster creativity and innovation. Come prepared to have fun and learn lots too!

This presentation looks at traits of gifted innovators. Many of these traits can be enhanced. And, the

very things the Quirkles® teach—through integration of inquiry-based science and literacy—helps de-

velop those skills. Who knows? You may be nurturing the next Steve Jobs!

Athena G

Creativity

All Levels

Put on Your Thinking Caps: Creativity in the Classroom

Tonya Hampton, Stephanie Tyler ~ Rockdale County Schools

The Six Thinking Hats tool developed by Dr. Edward deBono is used to teach creative and critical think-

ing in all content areas. In this session, participants will learn about Dr. deBono's powerful thinking

strategy and how it can be utilized in the classroom. The six colored hats can be used to help students

see things from a different perspective and allows for more creative thought. Teachers will walk away

with a new perspective and resources to use in the classroom.

Athena J

Curriculum

Middle, High

Creative Conversations: Incorporating Innovative Classroom Discussion for the Gifted

Learner

Eleta Morrison, Christie Wall ~ Houston County Schools

Why are classroom discussions such an attractive, yet daunting classroom strategy? When it comes to class-

room conversations, the full classroom, one-size-fits-all model is not the only mode of discussion. There is

an art and a science to choosing pairs, small groups, and large groups for varied topics, no matter your con-

tent area. This active presentation requires participation, so get ready to immerse yourself in new strategies

to take home to your classroom.

Olympia 1

All How to Start & Sustain A Local Chapter

Karen Higginbotham ~ Clarke County Schools

Local Chapter representatives and those interested in starting a Local Chapter are cordially

invited to join the GAGC Local Chapter Chair, and other Local Chapter leaders for this opportunity to swap

ideas, discuss concerns, and share tips, tools, and techniques for starting and/or sustaining enthusiasm and

support for your Local Gifted Program and Association Chapter.

TUESDAY 9:00—9:50 8

26

Parthenon

Social Emotional

All Levels

Social-Emotional Needs of Gifted Children: Understanding the Rainbow

David Schwartz, Ph.D.

Normally developing gifted and talented students have social-emotional needs. The problem is, they

may not have the skills and abilities to recognize and cope with them. This session will focus on identi-

fying these social-emotional needs and providing applied strategies for teaching and nurturing their

development.

Olympia 2

Research All Levels

Connections for Change: University-Community Partnerships to Promote Minority

Student Talent Development – Double Session B

Brittany Anderson, Meg Hines Ph.D., Octavia Fugerson, Tarek Grantham Ph.D., Jeremy Pina, Sarah Marie Catalana,

Stephanie Franks

Many educators want to collaborate with universities to support gifted education programming, yet

few are successful sustaining engagement with students. Project U-SPARC (University-School Partner-

ships for Achievement, Rigor and Creativity), represents targets for local school improvement initia-

tives that aim to increase student achievement, enhance rigor in the curriculum, and develop creative

potential in students. University of Georgia faculty and students and Stroud Elementary administra-

tors and teachers work together in a freshman seminar designed as a service-learning course where

students gain experience with local schools, community groups and organizations to develop talent

among ethnic minority youth and close the achievement gap.

Athena A

Creativity

Elem, Middle

I-Create

Susan Minton, Jeremy Pirkle ~ Hall County Schools

Participants will learn how to effectively use technology to enhance student opportunities for creativity.

Presenters will share various apps and web-based applications that can be used in the classroom to pro-

mote creativity and problem based learning as well as meet curriculum standards.

SNACK BREAK

Enjoy a Snack Break 9:50—10:10

TUESDAY 9:00—9:50 8

TUESDAY 10:10—11:00

9

27

Athena B

Creativity

All Levels

Taxonomies of creativity and related questions: Evaluating one’s own creativity

David Monetti, Ph.D.; Natalie Spencer, Ph.D.; Haley Dowling, Camille Gonzalez-Acevedo, James Reffel, Ph.D. ~

Valdosta State University

Williams (1969), Stahl (1980), Nilsson (2012), and the revised taxonomy of Bloom (2001) give the crea-

tive thinker frameworks to evaluate his or her own creativity. The authors have collectively taken the

taxonomies and combined them with specific questions into a rubric to provide the creative thinker

with a contrivance for evaluation. This session will demonstrate how the rubric can help gifted and

talented learners better explore their creativity.

Athena C

Creativity

Elem, Middle

Teach Problem-solving with

Chess

Dennis Jones ~ Championship Chess (Exhibitor/Vendor)

Chess is a great way to present students with

challenging problem-solving activities. Even with

no chess experience, you can challenge bright

minds to solve problems that address complex

spatial tasks and relationships, provide collabo-

rative or competitive challenges, and allow stu-

dents to intuit and explain reasoning.

Athena D

Creativity

All Levels

Animation Nation: Engaging

Gifted Learners With

Technology

Kia Stephens ~ Atlanta Public Schools

Are you looking for a way to increase rigor, en-

gage students and and work less? If the answer is

yes, Animation Nation is for you. In this session

Kia will share how she utilized Stop Motion

Animation, Digital Animation, and Web 2.0

websites to reach minority gifted and non gifted

learners. Through project based learning geared

towards producing original animations, she saw

increased student engagement, academic com-

petition winners, and an increase in gifted

identified students.

Athena G

Creativity

Elementary

Fostering Creativity through

Interactive Learning Stations

Kendra Chambless, Danice Talbert, Bibb County

Experience interactive learning stations first-

hand. Participants will be exposed to several

different strategies to foster creativity and inde-

pendence in the classroom. Fluency, flexibility

and originality will be highlighted through the

use of technology, open-ended questioning, and

group collaboration. Guidance will be given to

develop rigorous activities to meet the needs of

individual classrooms, including creating re-

search based infographics, utilizing elaborations

with non-fiction texts and innovative problem

solving.

TUESDAY 10:10—11:00 9

“Creativity is as important now in education as literacy and we should treat it with the same status.” -Sir Ken Robinson

28

Olympia 1

Creativity

Assessment

The Torrance Tests of Creative

Thinking: A Basic Introduction

and Classroom

Sarah Sumners, Ph.D. ~ UGA Torrance Center for

Creativity and Talent Development

You’ve heard of the “Torrance Tests”, but what

are they exactly? How are they used? What are

the practical applications for their use in

schools? Well here’s your opportunity to find out

more about the Torrance Tests of Creative Think-

ing (TTCT’s) and how to use them in your class-

room. This workshop is purposed to introduce

teachers, administrators, and parents to the un-

derlying constructs of the TTCT’s and strategies

for creating an optimal atmosphere to foster cre-

ative thinking in your classroom.

Parthenon

Social Emotional

All Levels

Meeting the Needs of Twice

Exceptional Students: Real

Strategies for Success

David Schwartz, Ph.D.

It is often said that Twice Exceptional students

take twice the effort and cause twice the head-

aches. However, they often deliver twice the

product when directed. This session will focus on

applied strategies for teaching the Twice Excep-

tional student to succeed. The goal would be to

develop a skill set that the student can use flexi-

bly and independently.

Athena J

Science

Middle, High

Mechanisms of Solar Energy: Exploring the fundamentals of waves, energy,

circuits, and solar cells

Tyson Harty, Ph.D. ~ Jasper County Schools

Solar energy is vital for humanity’s future, yet its fundamentals can be confusing to students. Explore

hands-on methods to integrate waves, circuits, and energy through classroom demonstration and lab

activity ideas. Free NASA resources and access to “Sun Power for Schools” lessons. This workshop is

conducted by a NASA Astrophysics Educator Ambassador and science teacher at Jasper County High

School. It was developed in conjunction with Georgia’s “Sun Power for Schools” program of Green

Power EMC of Tucker, GA.

9 TUESDAY 10:10—11:00

Olympia 2

Research All Levels

Using Frasier’s Four A’s and the Traits, Aptitudes, and Behaviors (TABs) Referral Tool to Identify Under-represented Culturally Different Gifted Students – Double Session A

Brittany Anderson, Octavia Fugerson, Meg Hines, Ph.D., Tarek Grantham Ph.D.

Educators who advocate for equity in gifted education are confronted with negative attitudes, unbalanced access to opportunity, inappropriate assessment, or insensitive accommodations. Frasier's research on identification and as-sessment addresses these issues and provides guidance on how to overcome barriers that inhibit the pursuit of equity in gifted programs. Through a discussion of Frasier's Four A's, and her Traits, Aptitudes, and Behaviors (TABs) Assess-ment Tool, this session will provide support for educators to understand practical techniques and strategies to recruit culturally different students for gifted and advanced programs.

29

Athena A

Creativity

Elementary

Project Based Learning: How

to do it all and have fun.

Cindy Poundstone ~ Fulton County Schools

Project Based Learning is the engaging way to com-

bine common core, standards, tec

hnology, and teach across the curriculum without

breaking a sweat. Students will remember and be

able to apply their learning after they know learning

matters in the creation of products that are based in

relevant real world projects. PBL is a research based,

kid challenging, and teacher approved approach to

content areas and student growth.

Athena B

Creativity

All Levels

Using games and riddles to

inspire creativity in gifted

learners

James Reffel, Ph.D.; Natalie Spencer, Ph.D., Camille Gon-

zalez-Acevedo, Haley Dowling, Katharine Adams, Ph.D. ~

Valdosta State University

School curricula should be inspiring and provide

time for learners to think, create, and imagine

(Banaji, Cranmer, & Perrotta, 2010). Educational

games, riddles, and challenges provide flexibility and

time to focus on the unique aspects of ideas and

content. The use of games enhances creativity (Ott

& Pozzi, 2012). Various creativity games and creativ-

ity challenges may produce desired outcomes in gift-

ed and talented learners. This session will demon-

strate multiple games, riddles, and challenges to

inspire creativity in the classroom.

Athena C

Creativity

Elementary

Healthy Changes,

Soaring Perfor-

mance

Ashley Rhye, Jamie Grainger ~ Hall County

Schools

A new perspective on the role of wellness

and physical activity in our school has

transformed our culture. Our goal: in-

crease physical activity for students be-

fore, during, and/or after school for 30

minutes every day. The outcome: in-

creased brain activity translating into the

ability to think more clearly and a healthi-

er, high achieving school within a healthi-

er community. Come learn how we shift-

ed our thinking and creatively used our

time/resources with significant results!

Athena D

Creativity

Elementary

Evidence of Giftedness In Underrepre-

sented Populations Using Portfolio Arti-

facts: "I've Got Proof!"

Sonja Fox ~ Gwinnett County Schools

Looking for alternative ways to document Creativity, Motiva-

tion and Mental Ability in students from underrepresented

groups? The strategies presented in this session support pro-

duction of student portfolio artifacts which document these

abilities for referral and evaluation of students for gifted pro-

gram placement. The session will include examples of how

strategies are applied in class sessions with students.

Athena G

Curriculum

All Levels

The Young Economist

Sherilyn Narker ~ Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta

Your students face choices every day. Each of these choices involve costs and benefits. Help them become better de-

cision makers with resources from the Federal Reserve. In this session, you will discover a treasure trove of free les-

sons, print materials, and digital tools you can use to engage your students in economic thinking. Our lessons and

materials are aligned to K-12 standards. Each participant will receive a bag of educational materials and a flash drive

filled with electronic resources for the classroom.

TUESDAY 11:10—12:00 10

30

Olympia 1

Curriculum

Elementary

HeroesMatter:Project Based

Service Learning

Kristin Siembieda, Laura Martin ~ Fulton County Schools

Heroes Matter is a non-profit educational initi-

ative empowering kids to make their world a

better place through creative problem solving

and storytelling. In this service project based

learning program, students will read a mentor-

ing text about heroes in Haiti and will then

write and illustrate a hero adventure of their

own, using creative problem solving to address

global issues. Curriculum is available allowing

students to fulfill core requirements in literacy,

social studies and science.

Kristin Siembieda is involved in the first pilot of

the Heroes Matter initiative, using it to teach

writing, art, social science and science and in-

volving STEM projects. Along with non-profit

director, Laura Martin, they will present ex-

citing results from this project, showing stu-

dents actively engaged in learning that forms

the foundation for creating global leaders who

have the capacity to bring creativity and effec-

tiveness to address environmental and social

issues.

Olympia 2

Curriculum

All Levels

Beyond Deficit Thinking to Engage and Connect: Utilizing Community Problem Solving (CmPS) to Develop Talent in Stu-dents from Under-represented Minority Groups – Double Ses-sion B

Meg Hines Ph.D., Stephanie Franks, Octavia Fugerson,

Brittany Anderson, Jeremy Pina, Sarah Marie Catalana,

Jeremy Pina, Tarek Grantham, Ph.D.

Teachers advocate for increased engagement by ad-

vanced students from under-represented minority

groups. In the partnership between the University of

Georgia’s Gifted and Creative Education Program and a

local school, teachers, graduate students and faculty

helped to establish a Community Problem Solving

(CMPS) team of twelve, fourth grade students. In Com-

munity Problem Solving, students are challenged with

using the six-step creative problem-solving model to

identify, solve and carry out a plan of action to address

a problem in their community. Project members will

highlight how they used professional development ex-

periences, student data and Mary Frasier’s TABs instru-

ment to upstart the team, as well as, key supplemental

CmPS activities for the team of students.

Parthenon

All

Avoiding Educator Burnout:

Who Ya Gonna Call? Stress

Busters!

David Schwartz, Ph.D.

Educator Burnout is a serious problem in Tal-

ented and Gifted Educators. The success of

your program is often dependent on you and

that puts a lot of stress on you. This session

will focus on realistic things you and your col-

leagues can do to avoid burnout and remain

creative.

Athena J

Science

Middle, High

NASA Powers of Ten: Scaling

the Universe

Tyson Harty, Ph.D. ~ Jasper County Schools

How big is big? How small is small? Help students

understand the concept of size scaling and pow-

ers of ten as we investigate the Universe. A

presentation of recent NASA missions searching

for distant objects will preface a hands-on activity

using photo cards to sequence objects from the

subatomic to the astronomical. Participants will

receive a free copy of a 64-page Scaling and Pow-

ers of Ten activity guide, as well as various NASA

mission materials.

10 TUESDAY 11:10—12:00

31

THANK-YOU

Vendors and Exhibitors

The Quirkles/ Creative 3,

LLC quirkles.com

Usborne Books Usbornebooks.com

UGA Torrance Center coe.uga.edu/directory/units/torrance-center

UGA - Georgia 4-H Enviro

Education georgia4h.org/ee

Teacher Retirement

System trsga.com

Summer Institute for the

Gifted giftedstudy.org

Space Camp and Aviation

Challenge spacecamp.com

Scholastic Testing Service ststesting.com

Pieces of Learning piecesoflearning.com

New Ebenezer Retreat

Center newebenezer.org

Mind Vine Press mindvinepress.com

MindwoRx Educational

Services mindworxedu.com

McWane Science Center mcwane.org

Camp Invention campinvention.org

Huddletrip, LLC huddletrip.com

Hickory Grove Press hickorygrovepress.com

HMH—Riverside hmhco.com

GT Ignite gtignite.com

GiftedandTalented .com giftedandtalented.com

Green Power EMC greenpoweremc.com

GAMES

mga.edu/games

Duke TIP tip.duke.edu

Discovery Toys junithstoys.com

Championship Chess championshipchess.net

Muggins Math mindvinepress.com

32

1977-1978 (Organizational)

1978-1979 Edmund Martin 1994-1995 Judy Jackson

1979-1980 Delores Wyckoff 1995-1996 Bette-Lou Brown

1980-1981 Al Chassereau 1996-1997 Sally Krisel

1981-1982 Joanna Jackson 1997-1998 Brenda Smith

1982-1983 Ruth Cowan 1998-1999 Elaine Bolton

1983-1984 Les Garber 1999-2000 Priscilla George

1984-1985 Betty Sloop 2000-2001 Sandi Gollmar

1985-1986 David Coggins 2001-2002 Ethyl Ault

1986-1987 Karen Wolbrink 2002-2003 Amy Barger

1987-1988 Paula DeWeese 2003-2004 Letty Rayneri

1988-1989 Gerri Milliard 2004-2005 Ann Richardson

1989-1990 Karen Lowe 2005-2007 Linda Andrews

1990-1991 Dwight Ferguson 2007-2009 Vicki Krugman

1991-1992 Marian Sebastian 2009-2011 Gyimah Whitaker

1992-1993 John Adams 2011-2013 McCall Govignon

1993-1994 Ruth Cowan 2013-2015 Angel Cash

GAGC PRESIDENTS

33

Regional

Representative School System RESA District

Khrista Kent Henry McDuffe Central

Savannah Traci Wasden Columbia

Meghan Knobloch Muscogee Chattahoochee

-Flint Carole Mashburn Muscogee

Donna Marshall Colquitt Coastal Plains

Julie Howard Bryan

First District Dr. Beverly Strickland Camden

Patti Ward Bulloch

Anne Hertzog Fayette Griffin

Becky Ryckeley Fayette

TBA Heart of GA

Sarah Kessel Cobb Metro

Teresa Reddish Cobb

Mary Jean Banter Peach Middle GA

Jan Jacobsen Houston

Regional

Representative School System RESA District

Tiffany Merriweather M GA RESA Middle GA

Angie Green Murray North GA

Phyllis Thompson Whitfield

Dr. Katherine Brown Clarke Northeast GA

Allison Espy Floyd Northwest GA

Apryl Hawkins Floyd

Carol Goings Baldwin Oconee

Paige Coker Ware Okefenokee

Cindy Hilt Ware

Martha Cantrell Habersham Pioneer

Laurie Ecke Hall

Trina Robinson Dougherty Southwest GA

Renee Smith Early

Robins Kilgore-Kelly Douglas West GA

Molly Beaty Douglas

REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Awards Chair: Leigh Brown, Hall Membership Chair: Tawanna Prince, Echols

Local Chapter Chair: Karen Higginbotham, Clarke Historian: Amanda Lynch, Atlanta

State Department Liaison: Gail Humble University Liaison: Dr. Meg Hines, UGA

Regional Representatives Chair: Emily Wilson, Muscogee

EXECUTIVE BOARD

President: Angel Cash, Muscogee Convention Co-Chair: Karen Higginbotham, Clarke

President-Elect: Dr. Lisa Hackney, Dalton Convention Co-Chair: Dr. Beth Thornbury, Murray

Secretary: Emily Wilson, Muscogee Legislative Liaison, Tommy Firesheets, Gwinnett

Treasurer: Becky Bethel, Savannah-Chattam

GEORGIA ASSOCIATION FOR GIFTED CHILDREN

SUPPORT PERSONNEL/STAFF Kathy Kennedy, Executive Assistant

1579F Monroe Dr., #321, Atlanta, GA 30324 404-875-2284; www.gagc.org

34

PLANNING GRID

Monday Session 1 8 – 8:50

Session 2 9 – 9:50

Session 3 10:10 – 11

Session 4 11:10 – 12

Session 5 2:30 – 3:20

Session 6 3:40 – 4:30

Tuesday Session 7

8 – 8:50

Session 8

9 – 9:50

Session 9

10:10 – 11

Session 10

11:10 – 12

Notes:

35

THE CLASSIC CENTER

Thanks to Duke TIP for sponsoring the

Regional Representative / Past President Breakfast.

36

Thank you for attending the 35th Annual GAGC Convention!

2015 Convention Evaluation

An evaluation will be available after the convention. Participants

will receive an email from GAGC providing a link to the survey.

Please complete the survey to assist us with plans for future

conventions. Thank you for attending!

2016 GAGC Convention

Athens, Georgia

March 14—15, 2016

Save the Date