Apply to audition for Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra
Talented musicians in middle school and high school are invited to audition for the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra. The ASYO, which operates under the umbrella of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, gives young musicians an opportunity to play masterworks in Atlanta Symphony Hall. The orchestra will perform three concerts in its 2013-14 season.
To qualify, a student must be at least 13 years old. The final date to apply for an audition is August 23, 2013.
Fall computer programming classes at START:CODE
START:CODE, a computer programming lab in Decatur for kids and teens, has opened registration for its fall sessions.
Here’s what they’re offering:
- Elementary lab for 4th and 5th graders, starting in early September. This is a six-week program in the Scratch programming language.
- Starter labs for students in grades 6-12. This is an ongoing program that teaches kids to work in Scratch, Python and Java. You can enroll anytime.
- Homeschool labs, which meet in early afternoons, starting next week. Students begin by learning Scratch and Python; those who complete the first class can continue to a class in Java.
See the stars and build a rocket at Tellus this weekend
The Tellus Museum observatory will be open to guests this Friday, July 12, 2013, from 9 to 11 p.m. Visitors can view the planets, double stars, nebulae and more — weather permitting. Admission is free for members and just $5 for non-members.
On Saturday, July 13, the museum will host another session of its popular “Build and Blast” model rocketry workshop. The class is for kids 8 and up. Cost is $15 for members and $30 for non-members. Advance registration is required. Call 770-606-5700, ext. 417 to sign up.
Movies and moonlight walks at Fernbank Museum
Hot days outside are the perfect time to visit the Fernbank Museum of Natural History.
This summer’s IMAX movies are “Titans of the Ice Age” (through Aug. 15, 2013) and “Under the Sea” (through Sept. 5). Note that there is an additional charge for IMAX theater films.
Also this summer, through Aug. 18, the museum is hosting “Extreme Mammals,” an exhibit showcasing some of the biggest, smallest and most amazing mammals on Earth. The exhibit is included with admission to the museum.
Other special events at Fernbank this summer include Reptile Day on July 20 and a night walk in the Fernbank Forest on July 5.
Fossils and fireworks at Tellus
Summer boredom setting in? Check out the calendar of upcoming events at Tellus Museum in Cartersville:
This Saturday, June 22, 2013: Paleontology / fossil workshop. Registration required.
June 26: Lunch and Learn: Chemistry of fireworks
July 24: Lunch and Learn: Magic of science
New STEM web site seeks teen input
As I wrote in my most recent post, I recently attended the Global Finals of Destination Imagination. While I was there, I met some folks who are building a new STEM web site for teens, especially those ages 13 to 15.
The site, called Sparticl, will feature articles, videos, games and activities. Teens can earn points and badges for participating in the site, sharing content with friends, and contributing content of their own. It’s a project from Twin Cities Public Television.
Sparticl is still in beta right now, which is where you can help. The site’s creators are looking for teenage beta testers to test drive the site and give their feedback about what works — and what needs work. Go to the site if you’d like to sign up.
My experience with Destination Imagination
I’ve just returned from Knoxville, Tenn., where I attended the Global Finals of Destination Imagination (D.I.), an organization that encourages kids to solve open-ended challenges that require technical skill, artistic talent, interpersonal skills — or maybe all of that and more.
This year, I’ve managed a team of kids as they’ve learned new skills, foremost among them the ability to cooperate and work together as they navigate the creative process. This week, I’ve watched as kids from all around the world came together to celebrate the ingenuity and creativity of the work they’ve done this year.
What kids do in D.I. is hard to explain. Sometimes they create a performance. Sometimes they build a structure designed to hold hundreds of pounds. Sometimes they build vehicles that run a course to earn points. Sometimes they conceive and implement community service projects. The specific details of the challenges vary from year to year, but what is always true is that the kids use their own minds and hands to solve them. All the ideas must come from the kids, and they have to translate those ideas into a performance, a project, a structure, whatever their challenge requires, without interference from parents, teachers, or anyone outside the team.
I’ve watched this concept in action, and it works. It teaches the kids to be self-reliant and independent, and in the end, the teams have tremendous pride in knowing what they’ve achieved, on their own.
Here in Georgia, D.I. does not draw as many teams as a similar organization called Odyssey of the Mind, and in my opinion, that’s a shame. My team and I are refugees from the Odyssey program, and while Odyssey loyalists can disagree, my personal experience has been that D.I. is more supportive, more positive, and more fun than Odyssey ever was.
If you’re interested in creating a team at your school, in your neighborhood, with your Boy Scout troop, or anywhere, check out the Destination Imagination web site. Registration for new teams won’t open until August, but now is a great time to start planning. The Affiliate Director for Georgia, Dave Lohrmann, is a terrific resource who can answer questions and help you get started. Please tell him Dori sent you.
Contact senators now about gifted education policy
According to a bulletin from the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), a bill that would call for greater support of education of gifted children will be introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in the next few weeks.
The bill, known as the TALENT Act (S.512), requires that states release the data they have collected about gifted students’ achievement, allowing the public to better understand how we are serving gifted students from various socio-economic groups. It also would require professional development for teachers in identifying and serving gifted students; allow the use of Title I funds to be used for training teachers in gifted education; and provide funding for continued research into the most effective methods of teaching gifted students.
How can you help? Contact our U.S. senators, Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, and ask that they sign on as co-sponsors of this legislation.
National education policy has not made gifted education a priority. Let’s make our voices heard!
Summer courses for kids who crave more math
The Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science is offering a summer special on its online series of math courses for highly talented students.
Order the three-course series before June 1 and you’ll receive the discounted price of $134.95.
IMACS is intended for middle-school students whose high intellect enables them to learn foundational concepts of math, which are then applied to topics in the standard high-school math curriculum. Completing the Elements of Mathematics: Foundations coursework in middle-school will enable these kids to take IMACS’ college-level math courses during high school.
300 followers — thank you for reading!
Today, this blog hit a major milestone: 300 followers.
I am flattered and humbled. Three hundred people think what I am doing here is valuable and worthwhile. I never imagined, when I started this web site several years ago, that it would be so well-received.
In honor of this achievement, I’d like to take a moment to say thank you to my followers. Your decision to subscribe tells me that my work is helping you give your gifted child a better experience. And that’s why I do this. To help.
I receive no payment for my research and writing time. I accept neither advertising nor paid announcements. My only reward comes from knowing I’ve aided other parents like me in meeting the challenges inherent in raising gifted children.
Thank you for your support.
Gifted Atlanta 