Enrichment Program

 The purpose of this program is to meet the needs of advanced learners in grades 1-5 by providing challenging problems and projects that enhance the curriculum. Grades 6-8 will have the opportunity to advance themselves within the new Engineering classes. Grades 7 and 8 participate in the National Engineers' Week Future City Competition during the 1st Semester. They rejoin the other Engineering classes for 2nd Semester with the potential to work on advanced content as deemed appropriate.

Objective:  The overall objective is to enhance the regular classroom curriculum with logic, analytical thinking, and problem solving skills and to offer real life situations in which to apply these skills.  More specific information for each grade level can be found through the links below.

Statement from the teacher:  Failure is not considered a bad thing in this program.  Many students who are enrolled have never or have rarely experienced difficulty in the regular classroom.  This program pushes the limits.  The students are told quite often that they will fail the first time, the second time, the third time, even the 7th time they try something.  But eventually, they are going to get it.  That’s when the real learning happens for these students

Participants:  Students are evaluated based on test scores or benchmarking, grades, teacher evaluations and parent surveys.  Some of the criteria the teachers look for are:  above grade level work, high motivation, high level thinking, organizational skills, etc.  The teachers are given a questionnaire to complete that ultimately gives a “score”.  This score is used in conjunction with other age appropriate criteria to determine whose needs might be met by this program.

General expectations:  
1.  The students will receive a folder in which they will keep the work they do in their respective classes.  They also use this folder for homework and home correspondence.  
2.  Homework will be assigned almost every class period and is expected to be completed (or attempted) for the next class session.  The problems given for homework are typically very difficult.  It is not as important for them to get the “right answer” as it is to show their work and what they tried.
3.  Inappropriate behavior is not tolerated.  In the event that a student is disruptive in class, he/she will be sent back to their regular classroom.  Continued issues will result in withdrawal from the class.

Classes begin in 2nd semester, meets 30 mins/wk. 
The teachers need to evaluate the students during the 1st semester to determine who would benefit from the program.  The focus at this level is problem solving in various ways.  We do activities with numbers, categorizing, and math functions.  The primary goal of 1st grade is to become accustomed to more difficult problems and to a different way of thinking.

Classes will begin after grade level testing, meets 30 mins/wk.
2nd grade continues with various types of problem solving.  We focus a lot on money and adding multiple digit numbers mentally.  This provides them with a strong foundation to use their skills without having to use paper and pencil as much.

Classes will begin after grade level testing, meets 45 mins/wk.
3rd grade continues with various types of problem solving.  We focus on measurement at this level.  The students use their measurement skills to find area and surface area.  Then we move on to scale.  We also do a lot with deductive reasoning.

Meets 80 mins/other wk
4th grade does continue with various types of problem solving.  However, the focus turns away from “traditional math” and toward hands on problem solving.  The primary focus at this level is how machines work and inventions.  The students do a little bit of research and design their own inventions.  Technology starts to be incorporated, as well.

Meets 80 min/other wk
5th grade does continue with various types of problem solving, also.  However, the focus is now on “Colonizing Mars”.  We explore a wide range of concepts from hydroponics to flight to sanitation.  Students are required to do some research.  Independence and responsibility become a huge part of the program.

 6th-8th grade is an every day Engineering class. 

Future City Competition
7th and 8th grades are combined in the 1st semester because they participate in the National Engineers’ Week Future City Competition.  This competition has five components: a virtual city, a research essay, a project plan, a model and a presentation.  It uses real life situations and problem solving skills in multiple disciplines.  We begin as early as possible so we can accomplish all the tasks.  The regional competition is held in Chicago in January.  Either one or two teams are allowed to compete in the regional competition.  Therefore, we hold a school competition which provides practice as well as decides which teams represent Montini.  More information about the competition can be found at www.futurecity.org.