About the apex program
APEX is a academic pull out program for gifted and talented students as identified by the State of Tennessee's criteria.
Following identification as intellectually gifted, students come to the APEX classroom once a week for above grade level curriculum. There is emphasis on the four aspects of critical and creative thinking; elaboration, fluency, originality and flexibility. We work on expanding our vocabulary and our communication skills. In 3rd grade we begin a series of algebra lessons called Hands on Equations. This is a sequential, manipulative based, set of activities that develop algebraic thinking skills and an understanding of the equation. This series extends to fourth grade with level 2 lessons. In fourth grade we add a series of algebra lessons called "The Language of Algebra" developed by Ed Zaccaro. These lessons develop an understanding of how algebra can be used to solve word problems. In fifth grade we continue our Language of Algebra lessons and add our Active Algebra curriculum. To develop our comprehension skills we do novel studies. Each grade is assigned a novel to begin the year. In 3rd grade we read "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett. "Indian in the Cupboard" by Lynn Reid Banks is the 4th grade novel and 5th reads "Savvy" by Ingrid Law. After we complete our study of these novels we select and read other novels during the year.
Following identification as intellectually gifted, students come to the APEX classroom once a week for above grade level curriculum. There is emphasis on the four aspects of critical and creative thinking; elaboration, fluency, originality and flexibility. We work on expanding our vocabulary and our communication skills. In 3rd grade we begin a series of algebra lessons called Hands on Equations. This is a sequential, manipulative based, set of activities that develop algebraic thinking skills and an understanding of the equation. This series extends to fourth grade with level 2 lessons. In fourth grade we add a series of algebra lessons called "The Language of Algebra" developed by Ed Zaccaro. These lessons develop an understanding of how algebra can be used to solve word problems. In fifth grade we continue our Language of Algebra lessons and add our Active Algebra curriculum. To develop our comprehension skills we do novel studies. Each grade is assigned a novel to begin the year. In 3rd grade we read "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett. "Indian in the Cupboard" by Lynn Reid Banks is the 4th grade novel and 5th reads "Savvy" by Ingrid Law. After we complete our study of these novels we select and read other novels during the year.