• AIG Parent Handbook Spanish Version

• AIG Parent Handbook 25-28

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During nurturing lessons, students in grades K-3 work with a lead teacher to learn about and practice critical-thinking skills using the PETS (Primary Education Thinking Skills) program. These lessons use story characters, puzzles, and activities to teach advanced thinking strategies that help students develop logical, creative, visual/spatial, evaluative, scientific, and inventive thinking. Explore the information below to learn about the thinking skills emphasized at each grade level, along with a brief description of related activities.

Kindergarten:

Students in Kindergarten will get an introduction to critical thinking skills. They will have a chance to meet the PETS characters as they learn all about visual/spatial thinking with Max the Magician. 

1^st Grade:

Students in 1^st grade will explore creative thinking with Isabel the Inventor and Yolanda the Yarnspinner. They will practice their visual/spatial thinking as they tackle Max the Magician's tangram puzzles. Also, students will work with one of their favorite characters, Dudley the Detective, to practice logical thinking and use clues to find the correct answer to a problem.

2^nd Grade:

Students in 2^nd grade will focus on preparing to take the CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) in the spring.  During lessons, AIG lead teachers will teach students how to think critically and look for relationships between pictures, figures, and numbers.

3^rd Grade:

Students in 3^rd grade will think logically to help their canine friend, Dudley the Detective, uncover the identity of the culprit who stole his detective badge.  Also, students will discover ways to organize information logically with Dudley and his friends, Sybil the Scientist and Max the Magician. 

Encourage your child to share all of the fun and exciting stories and activities with you from their nurturing lessons this year

AIG students in grades 4-5 will participate in a modified pull-out group(s) according to their area of identification. Students may be served in the areas of reading, math, and/or intellectual giftedness (IG). Parents received a letter from the AIG Area Lead Teacher explaining this opportunity. Please find below a brief explanation for each group.

IG: This year students will be working on strengthening critical thinking and problem-solving skills by engaging in a variety of puzzles, riddles, and challenges. As students navigate the mythical world of Silverquicken, they will be presented with a series of quests designed to challenge their way of thinking and promote productive struggle. Each quest will include a fun and engaging story that presents a problem to solve. Students will also learn how to play the game of SET. This fast-paced and quick-thinking game presents a challenge to find "sets" based on various characteristics. 

**Note: Students who receive IG support scored in the 96th percentile or above on an aptitude screener.

Reading: This year students will be building on their reading, writing, and communication skills through fun and challenging activities. We will kick things off with creative thinking and writing exercises inspired by famous quotes, helping students express their own ideas in thoughtful ways. Throughout the year, they will explore a variety of texts, learn how to look at ideas from different angles, and grow their vocabulary. Students will also practice active listening and take part in friendly debates with their classmates, giving them a chance to speak up, think critically, and work respectfully with others.

Math: This year students will be tackling a variety of interactive and challenging problems using mathematical reasoning skills. Along the way, they will develop strategies for solving tasks involving "productive struggle," where the answer is not immediately obvious. Students will use creative and logical thinking to solve Open Middle problems, where they are given the parameter of only using the digits 0-9 one time as they work through possible solutions. Students will also need to apply logical and mathematical thinking to crack a series of clues in Math Mystery detective cases. They will also learn how to apply strategies and computational fluency skills to play a math game by thinking through possible pathways to reach a solution of 24.

Culminating Event: At the end of the year, students will participate in a district-wide culminating event entitled the AIG Olympics. This will be a unique opportunity for our AIG students to demonstrate their mastery of the critical thinking games they are learning in modified pullout groups and to collaborate with other AIG students from across our district.

In MPO sessions, students will apply and expand critical and creative thinking—convergent, divergent, cooperative, and reflective—through modified pullout lessons. They will engage in fun and challenging activities, working both independently and in teams, while reflecting on their experiences to strengthen problem-solving, collaboration, and perseverance. Each session ends with a moment of reflection, helping students grow as independent and thoughtful learners.

Encourage your child to share what they have accomplished during the MPO time this year

Don't miss out on our upcoming AIG Department Saturday Enrichment Events for the 2025-2026 school year. 

Please click on the link below to view our Saturday Enrichment Event Catalog for 2025-2026:

2025-2026 Saturday Enrichment Event Catalog

• RSS AIG Parent Wakelet
• 2025-2026 Newsletters
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• 2024-2025 Newsletters
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  • Issue 2
• 2023-2024 Newletters
  • Issue 1
  • Issue 2
• 2022-2023 Newsletters
  • 2nd Quarter Parent Newsletter
  • 1st Quarter Parent Newsletter

The North Carolina Governor’s School is a multi-week residential summer program for gifted and talented high school students. Students are invited to apply during the fall of their sophomore or junior years and are notified of their acceptance/non-acceptance in early spring. Students spend four weeks on a North Carolina college campus where they live, go to class with content-expert teachers, and experience life as independent learners. Courses range from fine and performing arts to highly advanced academic disciplines. Information about the Summer 2026 Governor’s School is published and available online. All high school guidance departments have been updated with the most current information and application documents.

Rowan-Salisbury School System has committed to paying Governor’s School tuition for all selected students who attend the summer session. 

For more information on the North Carolina Governor’s School, visit the DPI website or contact Brian O’Shea, AIG Lead Teacher serving Secondary Schools (osheabp@rss.k12.nc.us)