11/25/2008 - I hope you're enjoying your week off. I've put a brain teaser on the Out of the Box
page. Email me your answers. Happy Thanksgiving! (P.S. We are thankful for YOU. Yours, Mrs.
Smith & Mr. Hobgood).
10/20/2008 - Most of these announcements are for our students. However, this announcements is
for all the adults in your home and all the adults you know. - Please see the Announcements page
and the Helpful Links page and MAKE SURE YOU VOTE !!!
10/2/08 - Please see the Announcements page for an exciting announcement from Dr. Gray at UAB.
9/27/08
I've put the link the for 2008 Olympics Webquest on the Helpful Link page. We hope to have it
finished by Friday so that we can begin the Election Process on 10/6.
8/23/08 - Please email me to confirm you received this. If you are a former ICS student and no
longer wish to receive these, please let me know. Thanks, Mrs. Smith
6/5/08 - Check out the "Out of the Box" page and email me your answer!!
5/23/08 - Check out the Announcements Page, please!
3/21/08 - Check out the new "Out of the Box Puzzle" !!
2/8/08 - Check out the new "Out of the Box Puzzle" !!
1/25/08
We have added over 20 new students to our Gifted Program since school has
begun. Welcome to
everyone! Please feel free to email me or Mrs. Graffeo should you have any
questions or need any
information.
The children have started our software programming. You can download the
free software at home
at www.alice.org. We will attend the UAB Alice Competition in March (more
info on that later!!)
Have a great weekend!
1/24/08 - I've posted a new Logic Problem on the "Out of the Box" page.
Please email me your
solution - first correct answer gets a treasure! Mrs. Smith
1/14/08 - Please see the announcements page for this 9-Weeks Project!
11/11/07 - Hello! I've posted a new Out of the Box and a little info about
our chess unit on the announcement page.
10/27/07 - Good morning from Fairhope, AL. We're here for a soccer
tournament but I wanted to let you know that we will be starting our Chess
unit this week. You can work on it at home if you'd like (or take a look to
get familiar with what it will entail and how it will be evaluated). Go to
the "Gifted Ed Links". It's the last one on the page.
I don't mind if you're so excited about it that you work ahead. HOWEVER, I
don't want you to complete it and then not have enough to do in class :-)
Have a great weekend.
Mrs. Smith
10/23/07 - Didn't hear from anyone today....The answer is "Color".
Here's another one:
Barbara is a young lady with decided tastes. She likes khaki but not brown;
she likes rendezvous but not meetings; she likes mousses but not jellies.
Does she like jodhpurs or riding pants?
10/23/07 - Congratulations to Christian D in Mrs. Short's class. The horse's
name is "What-do-you-think". It wasn't a question after all, but a
statement. Christian said his clue was the hyphens in the name. (Good try,
Tabitha).
Here's another one ----
We capture light, and yet we don't.
We reflect rays of sun, and yet we don't.
Without us all the world is gray and dull for everyone.
What are we?
10/20/07 - I didn't hear from ANYONE yesterday!! Here's another puzzle:
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
There once was a race horse
That won great fame.
What-do-you-think
Was the horse's name.
10/19/07 - Here's a puzzle for you. Please email with your answer - I'll
tell you later where I got the puzzle from.
Unscramble the below 4 words.
O M M E - Memo
M I D I O - Idiom
A L A R I D - Radial
S T A M Y G N - Gymnast
P.S. To my "OLD" students, please let me know if you'd rather not receive
these anymore. I miss and love you all - please keep in touch!
10/18/07 - It's hard to believe that not only has another year started, but
that the first 9-weeks are already over. We should have Gifted Report Cards
out soon - thank you for your patience!
We will be starting our Chess Unit the week of 10/29.
As always, please feel free to let me or Mrs. Graffeo know if you have any
questions or need additional information. You can email us by using the
email link on this page.
5.30.07 - School may be out, but please don't turn your brain off!! Visit
the Out-of-the-Box
page for some interesting questions a friend sent me by email. Email me with
your answers if you
dare! Love, Mrs. Smith
5.20.07 - Please read Announcements and note Schedule for this week. Have a
great summer! Love to all, Mrs. Smith & Ms. Kelley
3/30/07
More great stuff from NASA - Check out Jupiter's Northern Lights!!
New Gifted Rotation posted.
(All forms in for field trip & T-Shirts have been ordered!!!
Also, check out the calendar for important testing information!!
Be sure to read over the weekend.
Let me know if you'd like any practice probes to help with your testing.
Just email me at the link above. Let me know if you'd like an overall probe
or need work on a specific topic in reading and/or math.
3/22/07
This just in from NASA. Go to the link page and check out "Solar Flares".
It's way cool!!
Also, I need the field trip permission/t-shirt order forms by tomorrow!!!
Please send your money if your form had a pink highlight on it!!!!
Thank you!
Mrs. Smith & Ms. Kelley
3/12/07
Our new four-week schedule has started (please check the schedule page) and
the end of the 3rd-
nine weeks is upon us. Please also check the announcements page for
important field trip
information!
2/1/07
Can you believe it's been almost FOUR weeks since we've been back from
Christmas break?!
The new rotation starts Monday. I've made a couple of changes to the
schedule. (Please click on
the schedule link). And, 3rd grade will start coming 10-1 (unless they have
a special before 1m
pm). This will keep all the classes going to their specials together in an
effort to keep our
classes running as smoothly as possible!
If you haven't turned in your RSVP for the field trip, I need it tomorrow to
get a headcount.
The money is due by 2/23. (Remember, chaperone space is limited and will be
reserved for paying
parents on a first-come/first-served basis.)
1/26/07 - We have finally gotten our field trip to Huntsville arranged! We
will be going to the
US Space & Rocket Center on Friday 5/11/07. We will leave at 7 AM and return
around 5PM. The
cost is $59.00 per personal (including chaperones).
Please check with your child - we gave out the information/RSVPs today.
Please return them by
2/2/07 so we can get a headcount. If you want, you can go ahead and pay on
that day. If not, the
payment deadline is Friday, 2/23/07.
Thanks!
Maria Smith & Ruth Kelley
11/28/06 We are half-way through the 2nd 9-Weeks. Our students are working
hard on their ABC Book of New World Explorers. We have also been writing
descriptive stories (along with the school-wide writing curriculum) and this
week, will try our hand at narratives. These are generally the children's
favorites as it is just good, old-fashioned storytelling!
Also, if your child does not have a folder for RLC, please send one as soon
as possible, or send me a note and I'll see about ordering a few. And, if I
could please ask, cold season is upon us and we are in desperate need of
hand sanitizer. We'd appreciate any donations.
As always, please feel free to contact us at any time regarding any
questions, comments or concerns about our program. We love to hear from you!
11/19/06 - New information on Announcements Page - Mrs. Smith/Ms. Kelley
11/09/06 - Please read important information on the announcements page.
Also, if you have not sent your child's supplies, please do so as soon as
possible, especially a folder and paper. Thank you! Mrs. Smith
10/20/06 - Ancient Explorers' Report - I have as many as 15 students who
have NOT turned in their report. As you know, it was due by 10/11 (unless
you asked for an extension). The extension period has passed. I must have
your report by Monday, 10/23 or you will not receive any credit for it.
Thank you!
Mrs. Smith/Mrs. Kelley
10-13-06 Dear Gifted Students,
As many of you know, I am taking a class at the University of South Alabama
called "Teaching Children with High Potential". I have learned many great
ways to teach you better.
Now I need YOUR help. One of my homework assignments was to develop an on-
line assessment tool. Please go to the response page and fill in your name
and email address, then answer the 10 True/False Questions and the 2 Short
Answer questions. The first 7 questions are the same questions you will find
on your Gifted Progress Reports.
The results of your answers will not be made public and will only come to me.
Thank you in advance for your time and assistance.
Mrs.Smith
10-13-06 Please check the announcements page for important news and a great
new link.
Have a safe and fun Fall Break,
Mrs. Smith & Mrs. Kelley
10-04-06 The votes are in - We'll be going on a same-day trip. More details
as soon as I have
them!!
Thanks,
Mrs. Smith & Ms. Kelley
09-26-06
Please check the very important field trip information on the announcements
page. Also, if your
child has not brought his/her supplies for RLC, please do so as soon as
possible. Thank you!
09-16-06
Hi. Please check out the announcements page for information about our
Ancient Explorers research project.
09-10-06
Good morning,
Please check out important announcements on the Announcements page and this
week's puzzle on the "Out of the Box" link. Thanks, Mrs. Smith/Ms. Kelley
09-04-06
Welcome, everyone to Gifted Education at Irondale Community School. Mrs.
Kelley and I are working hard every day to ensure your child's gifts are
nurtured and their needs encouraged.
I'm so impressed with the growth and maturity that occurred over the summer.
The children have returned eager to learn and filled with a sense of
personal responsibility. Thank you, parents, for your help with this, and
for your support on those rare occassions where I've need to call on you for
assistance.
ALL 55 Gifted Students have learned the "Irondale Way" - we'll be
celebrating with a little free time next week (they ARE still kids and do so
love a little recess!).
We've started our research projects. This quarter's focus is on Ancient
Explorers. Be sure to ask your child about the Ancient Egyptians, the
Phoenicians, the Vikings and Genghis Khan!
The children are learning how to use the encyclopedia to read about their
subjects as well as getting books from the library. This report with be
handwritten (or typed) but we won't do any powerpoints for this one. I want
them to get the hang of research before they move on to creating
presentations.
Now for a little housekeeping:
If you haven't sent your child's supplies, please do so at your first
as soon as possible.
Thank you again for your support of our policies. The children
are given ample opportunity to make good choices before they're given a
slip. However, should they get a conduct slip, they are expected to fill it
out honestly and have you sign it. Should they get two slips, they will need
to miss 1/2 of their P.E. time and come to my class to write an essay on an
appropriate topic. (Failing to bring back a signed slip the next school day
is cause of getting a second slip.)
Please feel free to call me or Mrs. Kelley at 379-4200 or email me at
mariasmith@jefcoed.com if you have any questions or need more information.
Have a great day, Irondale!!!
08-06-06
Only 3 more days before still starts! I'm very excited to be working with
all
of you again and in welcoming our new 3rd graders!
We are also welcoming a new ADDITIONAL Gifted Teacher, Ms. Ruth Kelley! Ms.
Kelley will be at Irondale on Fridays.
07-13-06
The 2006-2007 School Year will be starting in less than a month. 3rd and 4th
Grade students will be getting new GEPs to show changes in hours and-or
schools. These will be good until they go to 6th Grade.
Please sign and return these as soon as possible.
ALL Gifted students will be sent the 2006-2007 Curriculum. Please keep this
for your information.
We are hoping to go on at least one fabulous field trip this year - probably
the Huntsville Space and Rocket Center (Dauphin Island doesn't have
accommodations for our huge group.)
We'll start classes on Monday, August 14th!
Hope to see you on August 9th for Meet the Teacher day - Bring your
supplies then.