January Newsletter for Madeira’s Gifted Program

Fifth Grade

Parents,

Hello! I hope you had a nice holiday weekend. We have lots of new projects for second semester happening in our fifth grade gifted resource room. Please read the descriptions that follow this letter.

In the gifted program, we have an annual research fair where students showcase research on a particular topic. Our research fair this year will be held on Friday, April 29th from 9am-11am in the MES gymnasium. All students and teachers in grades 1-4 visit the research fair for thirty-minute intervals. We encourage all parents, relatives, and community members to attend the event as well. Each child in the gifted program in grades 2-5 (53 students) will showcase research on their topic. Please save the date!

As fifth graders, students will begin their day at MES instead of MMS. When they arrive for the research fair, I will call the MMS office to remind them that they are with me for the entire morning. More details will follow as they date approaches!

Students need a tri-fold display board for the research fair. We start decorating the boards in February. You can purchase the 36”x 48” boards in any color, but we need the boards to be the same size. You can purchase the boards at United Art and Education in Sharonville, Staples, Michaels Crafts, Plaza Artist Materials (by Chipotle on Montgomery Rd.), and many other locations.

The first semester progress reports (E2 report card) will be e-mailed to you today or tomorrow. After you receive the progress report, please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you!

Dr. Alley

Our exciting second semester projects are as follows:

  1. Research Fair – Students have a list of requirements in their schoolwork folder plus you can view the requirements on my website. All work is completed on Tuesdays with me.
  1. Mystery River – This is a great science and language arts problem-based learning unit for middle school students. The PBL is from the same company that produced “Mystery Disease” (our first semester simulation/PBL). Students are trying to solve the mystery of the disappearing mussels. They will receive weekly clues and present their findings this spring in a creative multi-media presentation.
  1. Entrepreneurship Business Project – The University of Cincinnati Economics’ Center will be our partner for this project. Dr. Val Krugh will be visiting to teach students about the garment industry around the world while teaching students how to run their own business. Students will learn the following: resume building, interviewing process, leadership skills, factory conditions around the world, behind-the scenes information about the t-shirts we wear daily, marketing and advertising skills, and much more!
  1. Coding – Students will be working on the website code.org to enhance their computer science knowledge in a fun and interactive way. There are free courses for students online. The courses get progressively more difficult. Each student works at their own pace.
  1. Challenges – We begin every Tuesday with challenges to warm-up our brains before our afternoon begins. We end our Tuesdays with lateral thinking puzzles.

Extra enrichment ideas for your family…

The Ohio Association for Gifted Children offers summer camp scholarships for gifted children of all ages. The deadline is February 15th. You can visit oagc.com for more information. I would be happy to complete the nomination form since it must be completed by an OAGC member. It is hard to believe that it is time to consider summer camp ideas. I have a list of summer camps on my website.

Cincinnati Fire Museum (200 years of firefighting history on display), Betts House (oldest brick house in Cincinnati – 1804), and Lloyd Library and Museum (started in 1864 by pharmacist John Uri Lloyd) – unique places to visit downtown on a cold winter’s day

Boonshoft Museum of Discovery in Dayton – This science museum is a wonderful place to spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Admission is ten dollars for children. Their phone number is 937-275-7431. They are open from 9am-5pm on Saturdays and noon until 5pm on Sundays. You can visit their website or call in case the times and admission prices have changed.

The National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton – This museum will amaze adults as much as children. There are all kinds of aircraft to explore plus a wonderful Omnimax to watch a film. You can call 937-255-3286 for more information or visit their website.

Cincinnati Observatory Center in Mt. Lookout– We are so fortunate to have the world’s oldest telescope in Cincinnati. You can visit cincinnatiobservatory.org for more information They have “Family Days”.

Perfect North Slopes in Lawrenceburg, IN is a wonderful place to ski and participate in snow tubing. My husband and I love both activities. It is close to Cincinnati and a fun family day trip. Their phone number is 812-537-3754 or visit their website at

SPRING BREAK CAMP AT THE CINCINNATI ZOO: 4 year olds to 8th graders can choose a fun spring break camp at the zoo! You can find out more information on the zoo website at

“Super Saturday” is an amazing program for gifted kids offered through the dynamic parent support group called PAGE (Parent Association for Gifted Education). Students get a chance to meet with other students who are gifted from around the county. Students choose various classes such as theatre, engineering, chemistry, veterinary science, chess, French, and more. The class offerings change each quarter (Fall, Winter, and Spring). The classes are held at the University of Cincinnati-College of Applied Science on Victory Parkway. There is a link on my teacher webpage, or you can visit the website for Super Saturday at

All four of the Cincinnati art museums offer great programs for kids so please check out – Weston Art Gallery, Taft Museum of Art, Contemporary Art Museum, and the Cincinnati Art Museum. All of the museums have free days so please check out their websites. We are so lucky in Cincinnati to have so many great museums.

The following children’s bookstores offer neat family programs so please checkout their websites: The Blue Manatee Children’s Bookstore in Oakley, The Blue Marble Children’s Bookstore in Fort Thomas, and Joseph-Beth Booksellers Children’s Department at Rookwood Commons.