Mrs. Kay

GATE Teacher

Tamarac, Nokomis, Cayuga

The fall units of study are off and running!

Check out below to see what's been going on in GATE.  

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Inventors and Inventions

(All "A" Groups)

GATE's young inventors recently learned about the invention process, and used this process to create a new invention designed to solve the problem of watering plants while not at home. Then, students learned about the six simple machines, as they are often used in inventions. Students learned how levers, pulleys, inclined planes, screws, wedges, and wheels and axles make work easier. Students also built a catapult to see a first-class lever in action. In the coming weeks, students will be applying their knowledge of simple machines to analyzing and designing "Rub Goldberg Contraptions."

After the winter recess, students will work on their very own inventions!

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The Environment

(Tamarac B, Cayuga B, Cayuga C)

The fourth grade GATE students have been studying a variety of environmental issues, such as waste removal and recycling, water pollution, air pollution, global warming and energy sources.

After the winter recess, these environmentalists-in-training will be choosing an environmental issue that is close to home, and planning and executing a way to improve their selected issue.

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Mystery

(Tamarac C, Nokomis B, Cayuga D)

The fifth grade GATE students have been involved in learning a variety of mystery solving skills. Students have learned how handwriting analysis, code-cracking, osteology, splatter anaylsis and fingerprinting can help detectives solve crimes. In our study of fingerprinting, students learned to take fingerprints from a suspect, and how to lift latent fingerprints using powders (we used baby powder and graphite powder...you can aslo try cocoa powder at home) and super glue!

Shortly, students will be learning about using footpri nts, and the work of police sketch artists, to help them solve crimes.

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Fifth Grade Independent Project

(Tamarac C, Nokomis B, Cayuga D)

This year, the fifth grade GATE students will be conducting an independent study in addition to their unit work. This independent study will allow the students to learn more about a topic they are highly interested in. Although students have until the first week of January to choose their topic, they shoudl start thinking about it now! When choosing a topic, keep in mind:

~It should be a topic of very high interest. Students will be spending several months on this project.

~It should be a topic that lends itself to long-term research. Again, students will be spending several months working on this project, so if students have a question that can be answered with a few minutes of internet research, it is probably not the best long-term research topic.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me!

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GATE Online!

Don’t forget to visit the GATE website, which can be accessed through Sachem’s home page.

Simply go to www.sachem.edu.

Then, click on “Departments” and then “GATE.”

You can even see the GATE schedule online! On the GATE website, click on “Program Teachers” to access the GATE schedule.