Northwest Region continued from page 3

provide academic interventions for those who are not, and determine whether continued placement is appropriate for the student.

The elementary mathematics curriculum map pilot project continues to move forward. We are expecting to implement the map with any recommended additions in grades one through five in the fall, and will be piloting the sixth grade map next year at selected sites. The end-of-year math assessment for fifth grade students will be administered in late May. Data will be provided to fifth grade teachers as a means of assessing instruction, and to receiving sixth grade mathematics staff as a placement tool.

We have completed our eligibility testing of some 3,400 students and are in the process of interpreting the data. We implemented several significant changes to the eligibility testing process this year in an aggressive attempt to increase the identification of underrepresented populations of students. Preliminary findings are encouraging. We are also looking at instituting summer testing for students new to the district and expanding our testing to include eighth grade students for eligibility as academically highly gifted. Please check our website for updated information in all areas.  http://www.seattleschools.org/area/advlearning/index.xml

Private Schools/Star Struck continued from page 4

Students created various examples of their comprehension of Greek myths. Integrating geometry into this unit, they constructed boxes that displayed spilling evils over the box sides and hope remaining inside after reading Pandora's Box. They built a dodecahedron displaying each of Hercules labors on one face of the shape and crafted in the style of ancient Greek art. They also constructed line webs that demonstrated symmetry after reading Arachne and Minerva.

The unit often ends with a Greek style readers' theater complete with masks or sharing their myth books with their original celestial music recorded and played in the background. I hope this unit catches your eye and inspires you to explore the heavens with your students. I am always star struck by the depth of their interest, the creativity of their original myths and the enjoyment they display during this unit.

NASA Space Place continued from page 4

from the Earth at about 36,000 kilometers' altitude-
with the up-close, highly detailed view of satellites only 400 kilometers overhead.

If ST5 is successful, these little satellites could end up playing a big role in future exploration.

The ST5 Web site at nmp.jpl.nasa.gov/st5 has the details.  Kids can have fun with ST5 at spaceplace.nasa.gov, by just typing ST5 in the site's Find It field.


This article was provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.