Mrs. Fine’s Fourth Grade GATE

I have discovered this cool site – Wordle- via one of my gifted education buddies. Go to it. Play with it. I used it to create a new header for our page.

I promised my students that I would share my vacation with them via pictures. My new travel blog can be found here.

GIFTED

by Judith K. Schulze

Golly! I just took a test
That says I’m different from the rest.
What am I? Well, I must confess…
I’m “gifted.”

The psychologist said right from his heart,
“I fear that you are rather smart
And from this day you are to start…
Being gifted.”

I think I turned six shades of green
And developed pains down to my spleen.
I asked, “Whatever does it mean?
This word ‘gifted’?”

He said, “You have a high I.Q.
I wish, my child, that I were you!
Why I’d give an arm or leg or two
To be gifted.

My thoughts immediately went adrift
And each idea I did sift.
At last I said, “Give me my gift.
Then I’ll be gifted!”

He laughed for all that he was worth
And nearly doubled up with mirth.
“This gift you have you’ve had since birth.
You’ve BEEN gifted!”

I thought and then when he was done
I asked, “Am I the only one
In this whole school or under the sun
Who is gifted?”

He named the two or three percent
Of students who to classes went.
And then I knew just what this meant,
About gifted.

It could be the best news I’d heard,
But then I thought about a word
And screamed, “But, must I be a nerd
If I’m gifted?”

He laughed again when I was through.
“My child, you’ll always be just you
But smarter than all except a few
‘Cause you’re gifted.”

“Will I be perfect? Get all A’s?
Make the Honor Roll? Get lots of praise?
Have no homework nights and easy days?
Well, I’m gifted!”

“No, others may expect such things;
Just do your best. Be sure it brings
True joy to YOU! You’ll soar on wings
And enjoy being
Gifted.”

Are you looking for more resources for your child to delve deeper into what they are learning in class? I am compiling videos based on the Alabama Course of Study (Grade 4). Just go to the Video Assignment page and choose the objective. There you will find videos related to the subject and recommended websites for reading. Please let me know if you have any questions.

This past year I wrote two proposals that were funded by generous donors. One grant was for books for our Time Trek Unit. The other one is for a set of class books called The Egypt Game. These books will come in this fall. If you donated for either of these projects, I want to thank you.

I have recently written another proposal called Teach Me About our Past. I am hoping to get this funded so that we will have digital cameras available so my students can take photos of their research on the history of Birmingham and put them into a digital storytelling format.