Mt. Laurel schools have been focusing on their science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs over the past few years at the middle school level.
Now, the district is looking to filter more of this curriculum into its gifted academic program from elementary school students.
Sharon Vitella, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, said the district spent a portion of the summer revamping its pre-GAP and GAP curriculum for first through fourth grades. Not only did the district want to align the curriculum closer to the Common Core standards, but it also wanted to incorporate themes from the middle school STEM program.
“The new curriculum is technology-based and geared to the 21st century way of thinking,” Vitella said.
Students in the program will engage in more critical thinking and independent study exercises. Students in first and second grade will analyze their talents and look at how they can impact people in their community.
In third and fourth grades, students will perform a “My Place in This World” independent study where they will participate in projects putting their analysis from first and second grade into practice.
Vitella said these projects could range from global events to economics. The goal is to teach students how to apply their knowledge to fix the problems in the world.
“We want to focus on their responsibility in the community,” Vitella said.
Technology will be a huge part of the new curriculum. Students will have the opportunity to communicate with other students around the world.
Vitella said the students will also do some beginner computer coding to prepare them for middle school. The district added a computer coding class for all eighth-grade students this year.
“The new performance task is going to open up a wide range of technology,” Vitella said.
The GAP changes will extend to the middle school level, as the district will hold a “learning symposium” in place of the invention convention held in previous years. Vitella said the symposium will retain a lot of the same themes the convention had. More details about the symposium will be released in the coming months.
