Archive
November is open house season at magnet schools
If you’re thinking about sending your child to a magnet school in 2014-15, it’s time to start planning your open house visits.
Magnet schools typically hold parent tours in November. Some schools have application deadlines in December, so it’s important to start early and look into the admissions schedule of any school you’re considering. Early action is especially crucial for fine arts magnet schools that require an audition.
All the magnet schools I’ve found in my research are listed within the school system pages under the “Gifted Ed in Local Schools” heading. Some schools have posted their open house dates on their web sites, but many haven’t, so I suggest calling the school to ask.
Preview days for Advanced Academy early college at UWG
This Sunday, Oct. 27, will be the first preview day of the season at University of West Georgia in Carrollton, home of the Advanced Academy of Georgia.
Advanced Academy is an early college program for high-school juniors and seniors — and occasionally an extraordinary sophomore. Students live on campus in their own dormitory and take college classes. Advanced Academy is one of the few residential programs in the nation that allows students to earn both high-school credit and college credit for their coursework.
You can register online for this weekend’s preview until tomorrow, or register onsite when you arrive. If you miss this one, there will be additional days to visit the campus on January 26 and March 30, 2014.
Science competition encourages study of natural world
Students in grades 7 through 12 are invited to take part in the Young Naturalist Awards, a science fair of sorts sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
Participating students conduct research on a scientific topic of their choice and submit an essay about their research and findings. The winners receive cash awards.
The competition is open to all students, regardless of whether they are in public, private or home school. The rules state that students can work together on a project, so long as they write their essays individually. Sounds like it could be a viable project for a science class to do in small groups.
Entries must be submitted between Dec. 1, 2013, and March 1, 2014.
Sparticl launches site to nurture STEM curiosity
Sparticl, a new web site focused on science and technology, has emerged from beta and is now available for public use.
The site features articles, videos and activities designed to nurture teens’ curiosity in STEM topics at an age when, unfortunately, many kids lose their natural interest in science.
Topics being covered on Sparticl right now include space junk, concussions, the physics of baseball, DNA fingerprinting, tornadoes, enzymes, and the science of chocolate. The site is well organized so visitors can browse the area that interests them most.
Teens can browse the site, comment on the content, even earn points and badges for their participation in the site.
Gifted Atlanta 