Elizabeth White, Designer & Educator
Gifted and Talented Program
I have had the pleasure of serving as a District Gifted and Talented Coordinator as well as teacher for GT students K-12th grade. Here are some of our favorite projects.
I was honored to receive the Texas, TAGT Gifted and Talented Teacher of the Year for 2024.
Ancient Egypt
Students learned how to write in Heiroglyphics on real papyrus, then built a pyramid out of cardboard. The sarcaughagus had 3, nexted boxes (just like King Tut). Students even created a mummy out of clay and wrapped it in cotton. Students painted life size Sarcaughagus and made their own Canopic Jars, with accurate heads of the four sons of the Egyptain God Horus.
East Texas Academic Rodeo Science Fair
GT students participate in the East Texas Academic Rodeo Science Fair. This allowed each student to study a subject that was important to them in depth. Science Fair is a difficult contest as students are required to write a 15+ page report on their research and findings, prepare a three-panel poster, a physical model, and be interviewed by a judge on the scientific process. Hawkins had the highest number of students win the Science Fair from 2022-2024.
Computer Science
Most of my GT lessons focus on STEM and computer science. For example, students used Scratch (a coding language by MIT) to code interactive projects on various topics from chicken-egg development, to the geography of Texas, to bee pollination to medieval castles. These cross-curricular projects required students to (1) research (2) write (3) create original artwork (4) code the program and (5) record sounds and voice-overs. Click here for Lesson Plans
Physical Computing
Physical computing projects are custom, electronic inventions that combine a computer, electrical wiring, a form of user input/output and code to make everything communicate. The possibilities are endless, but my students have made electronic museum displays, digital pianos, electronic "Operation" games, hot drink checkers, and more. Hardware used are Makey-Makeys, Microbits, and Arduinos. Click on the PLAY button on below thumbnails to watch the videos of students explaining their work.
Circuits with Solar Bees
1st graders begin learning about circuits. Using electrical tape, single cell battery and a multi-color LED light, students created firefly bracelets. Students also created solar bees that are attached to a simple motor. Link to lesson.
Writing a Book- The Day the Dragons Came to Hawkins
Link to full book This is a book I designed with my GT 2nd graders- or rather- they created. It's a spin-off on the Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt. Each student had to create a dragon, design and write a postcard, find custom stamps, add all the photos- etc. I put it together and printed it for the class. We had a publishing party (photo above) where the children all made their own dragon costumes.