• SAGE (Students Advancement through Gifted Education)

     Mrs. Tiffaney Ellis

     Room E 105

    (623) 445-3500

     E-mail: tiffaney.ellis@dvusd.org

     

    Scope and Sequence for Reading Grades 3-6

    The 好色导航SAGE Reading Curriculum meets and exceeds the Arizona State Standards as well as the Common Core Standards. Besides using the JGB Program (Junior Great Books), award winning novel studies, and Socratic Seminars.  SAGE Reading students use comprehensive language arts materials provided by the College of William & Mary along with acceleration into the district adopted ELA curriculum (Reading Street for 4th grade and Collections for 5th and 6th grades) along side our newly adopted curriculum, Jacobs Ladder, also published by the College of William & Mary. Literature studies are also designed and implemented, which provide for expectations of increased depth and complexity that commensurate with the academic abilities and potential of gifted and talented students.

    Scope and Sequence for Math: Grades 3-6

    SAGE math students participate in either enrichment and problem solving activities in homeroom classes or are taught at an accelerated rate, at least one year ahead of the basic curriculum through the Walk Up to Math program. 

    The SAGE math curriculum emphasizes problem solving and application of mathematics in real world situations as well as the examination of standard topics in greater depth. Students are expected to read, write, listen, speak and think mathematically with an appropriate degree of precision. They will develop multiple strategies to solve problems, reason, explain their thinking processes as well as defend their solutions by using precise academic vocabulary. This curriculum is intended to develop a greater understanding of mathematical concepts in an interesting way, by integrating technology, math investigations, novelty, student choice and interest, manipulatives and games. K-5th grade use Eureka Math as their core curriculum while 6th-8th grade use Illustrative Mathematics through Open Up Resources as their core curriculum.

     We will continue working on problem solving skills by using the ACE strategy (answer, compute, explain), Math Investigations, and Math Olympiads.

     Mastery Learning

    Students will be taking quizzes throughout units to assess knowledge as well as to give me the opportunity to pace lessons, reteach concepts, compact and accelerate the curriculum or refine teaching strategies. Students will be allowed to retake quizzes and final unit tests to ensure concept mastery after they've conferenced with me and have a goal and a plan in place to improve.

    Communication

    I believe that parents, students, teachers, and administrators are a team that has a common goal: your child’s educational success. Please contact me first(just as I would contact you) if you have a question, an issue, or need  clarification and I will do my best to accommodate you in a timely manner. If we are unable to resolve the matter at hand, we will follow procedure and take it to administration, specialist or counselor.

    E-mail-please check daily.

    Behavior

    I believe in building a safe learning environment for my students. I will be fair and use positive reinforcement to encourage learning, maximize on task behavior and student engagement, recognize effort and allow risk-taking – failure and mistakes often lead to incredible growth. I see myself as a lifelong learner, a facilitator of learning experiences, and a guide, and by the end of the year I will hopefully inspire my students to become lifelong seekers of knowledge and discovery themselves. Our class will be a collaborative learning community, where high expectations are seen as challenges and where respect and discipline are required in order to allow learning to take place.

    Please come to class prepared with a positive attitude and willingness to work.

    Website

    Please check the website daily if possible before emailing me.  Also, please give me until the end of the school day to list assignments, reminders and classroom happenings. I will post classroom happenings, upcoming events, as well as celebrations of learning on the website weekly.

     
    I am looking forward to an amazing year with your students,
     
    Tiffaney Ellis