Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Science in an IEP anyone?

So glad to be back on the forum!! My DS7 started second grade with an IEP in place for reading and math. Yippie!

Now we are trying to get science added as well. We have the IEP review meeting next week. DS7 took the second grade IOWA test last year as a first grader and scored SS 210 and in the 99th percentile.

Has anyone had any luck getting their child acceleration in science in the elementary grades? If so what did it look like? I'd like to have some ideas to go in with.

You're right. In reality, I'd like more depth which would in itself be and acceleration. The only problem is our elementary program isn't likely to do that. The depth in our system comes in the form of going to the next level. I cross-referenced the 2nd grade skills with the 3rd grade. About 1/2 of them overlap with the 3rd grade just going into more depth. Ugh! Middle school seems to do a much better job of going ito true depth and provides actual hands on learning on a more regular basis.

So I'm thinking that if I accelerate him through this elementary stuff then he'll be able to get to the good stuff earlier.

I wish I could blink my eyes and create the perfect program for him. Dreams

You aren't alone, we are considering asking for DS8, starting 3rd, to be accelerated in science, but we don't want to do it until the math acceleration part is nailed down and that may happen today or in the next week or so. We are trying to decide whether to ask for the science this year, or wait until he takes Explore this year and see how the math acceleration goes and then, assuming both of those are working well, ask for him to do 6th grade science in addition to math when he starts 4th (since he will have to be at the jr. high anyway - I suspect the scheduling issue will be horrendous and that will be the reason behind any denial).

Leaning toward not asking until next year. Since we are new to all this, we don't want to ask for too much, or push him too hard (and his writing skills are not strong, which could cause issues with the science perhaps?).

And I agree with Dottie, elementary science is ridiculous, at least here. Last year in second grade DS brought home a science sheet - it required him to name the parts of a flower. So you are probably thinking stamen, etc. Nope, the only labels required were, get this: stem, petal, root!

Cat

Cat - I think that same lesson is in our DS7's curriculum! LOL

DS7 is just ready for sooooo much more!! Our state does have some protections although they are currently being whittled away right under our noses. It's just so frustrating to see what needs to be done and feel like your hands are tied. DS7 will be taking the John Hopkins talent test in a couple of months. Maybe that program has something in the form of science acceleration?

In the meantime, I guess we stick with Brain Pop movies and wait on the IEP next week.

On a good note.... DS7 went to a fantastic science camp this summer

Here's to hoping the school gets it!!!!

The nice thing about science at this age is that you can go for either breadth or depth and supplement very easily. We found an awesome set of chemistry and biology books at the public library, for example. While they are talking about plants on a very basic level in his grade, he is happily thinking thoughts about what he has read, and relating them to the things the teacher is saying. Sometimes this results in oddly advanced or off-topic contributions to the class discussion, but that hasn't been a huge problem in the scheme of things.

I find this quite different from math, where it's mastered or it isn't. Obviously, it would be better for them to offer the deeper curriculum across all subjects, but for our very science-oriented DS the science has been less of a frustration than the math has been.

DeeDee

I was able to get science put into my DS7's EP. It was not easy. Let's just say I had to insist on it. However, it was put in with no measurable objectives and no acceleration. His teacher last year was actually very good with the science and so was the gifted teacher. Still, my expectations are low for any science he will get through grade school. We are doing a lot of science at home. My two older ones are not science obsessed so it's new to me.

Some resources:
www.stevespanglerscience.com
www.hometrainingtools.com
www.lyricallearning.com

Mama Bear, What are Brain Pop Movies? Catalana, I bet you could get the school to allow for writting skills (as a modification) since it is possible to demonstrate knowledge of material in other ways beside writing. Auditory presentations,graphs ,charts, tape recorded presentations, research projects,drawings that are labled, are a few ways. We do projects at home and go to bookstore and let him buy books that have awsome art graphics. Lesson plans that identify learning style and allow child to select from a variety of ways to do the lesson allow child to learn more retain the information and support the child emotionally. The school is called A+ Schools. It's designed using Howard Gardner's Multible Intelligence Theory and incorporates art and music into thelessons.

Thanks for all of the ideas re: resources. It looks like we are not going to worry about science this year, we do a lot of stuff and home and while he complains about science (I haven't learned anything sort of stuff), he gets a lot of it in other places and as DeeDee said, it isn't a huge source of frustration the way math is. I definitely need to check out some of the science videos - I wonder if they are on Netflix? Cat

Elisa - I'm going to check out those resources. Thanks!

Cat - we decided not to ask for anything other than math and reading the first year too. Well, actually we asked and we had decided ahead of time that wouldn't be a deal breaker. After all, we didn't have any documentation on science at that point. And in our area once you get an IEP half the battle is over. So this year we have the documentation on science so are trying it.

FYI- Brainpop.com is a web based site with videos and lessons that are designed to supplement the classroom instruction. It correlates to national science standards. DS7 "plays" Brain Pop once a week. He loves it.

Brainpopjr.com has fun little videos for K-3 that go over a simple concepts and then give a 4 question quiz. I can't remember the cost. Maybe $70 for the year. DS7 went through all subjects in Brainpopjr.com in 3 months so we got our subscription changed over to Brainpop.com. Probably should have just started with the higher one to begin with.

Before paying for a subscription, check with your school or library. Some have subscrptions that include at home log-ons for people within a certain area.

Am doing the brainpop free trial right now. My DS8 likes it, but isn't in love - I can see it being a really good supplement however and he certainly wouldn't complain about doing it. My DD5, however, adores it. She is mostly watching Brainpop right now, not brainpopjr, and she can't do the quizzes, but she loves the way she can click on related subjects. I haven't actually sat down to study the differences between jr and regular, but it is a hit so far.