By Julie Keys on 9/28/2007

Hello again! Well, another week of fun and learning has come and gone, and another one is upon us. Just a quick update - I still am unable to edit the Language Arts and Math tabs on the team's homepage, so I have again updated those classes' happenings here. Now, on to the important stuff! One of the many exciting, and challenging, features of teaching gifted students is our ability to find a topic fascinating enough as to throw us onto a different track. THEME: So it went last week in our Theme class, when we became caught up with atoms and elements. As part of this study, students have been assigned to complete two projects from the Matter Experiments worksheet at home. These experiments are due this Wednesday. Our study of this topic will then draw to an end in the classroom; however, by the middle of the week, students will have been assigned an atom on which to report in the mini-project I Am an Atom. Students will be expected to research the features and history of an assigned atom. Research ... Read More »

By Julie Keys on 9/20/2007

What a fun week last week was! After shaking off the effects of jet lag, I was able to really get to know my students. They are truly an outstanding group of young people! Now, of course, we have finished with the preliminaries, and the real work can begin! Just a quick note - the edit function on my Language Arts and Math tabs is a bit dysfunctional, so these updates will be listed here along with our theme update! Our theme class this week will conclude our unit on matter, and continue focusing upon inventors and inventions. Be on the lookout for the Inventors project information, which should be introduced late this week or early next week. On the social studies side, we will be examining the early roots of representative government, and how these roots influenced early colonial governments. Students have been preparing in-class reports on a specified colony to present as newscasts. The Language Arts class has begun its study of vocabulary; our root words this week are hyper and super (or supr, sur ... Read More »

By Julie Keys on 9/16/2007

Hello again! I hope last week treated you well, and this week is even better! As many of you know, I went to Florida to spend time with my family over the holidays. Unfortunately, I ran into a bit of a snag on my way home. It seems that the plane upon which I was to travel was missing a piece of the wing. All thought it was best to delay the flight, but the result is a one day delay in my return. My apologies for this, as I much rather be with my students than on a plane! However, life, and school, does go on! So, this week will see many new beginnings. In honoring Constitution Day on Monday, September 17, our Theme Social Studies class will begin the week with a quick glance at the roots of the U.S. Constitution. Our Theme Science class will focus more on inventions, and our trimester project should be introduced towards the end of this week. In Math, our class will begin its unit on money and related mathematical functions. Math books will be going home on Tuesday. Please make sure that your stu ... Read More »

By Julie Keys on 9/8/2007

Welcome to Week 3. I'm sure as the past weekend began, your students came home and finally exhaled, relieved to have another round of testing complete. I congratulate each and every one of these students, who behaved and performed admirably over these past two weeks. Now, we move on to a more normal schedule. Wednesday of this week will see the beginning of our Literacy and Math groups. In our social studies-based theme class, we will embark upon a review of the colonization process in what would become the United States; our science-based Theme class will also commence this week, as we begin our study of matter. (Associated homework can be found on my calendar.) Just a quick note - I will be out of school Thursday, September 13 and Friday, September 14 to observe the Jewish holidays. If you have any questions, I will make sure to do my best to answer them; however, I will be out of contact for those two days. Thanks for all of your support and assistance; have a wonderful week!

By Julie Keys on 8/31/2007

***By Friday, September 7, each student should choose a book appropriate to his or her own reading level and bring it to class for silent, sustained reading.  Also, please make sure that your student has a planner ready to go no later than Friday, September 7!

By Julie Keys on 8/29/2007

Hello to all!  I hope you had a wonderful long weekend.  After the tremendous amount of effort put forth by the students this past week, I'm sure the students enjoyed their break as well.  Now, on to the important information...  This week will be spent performing diagnostics in order to place students into their appropriate needs-based groupings for literacy and math classes.  However, our Theme class will get underway with a review of map skills.  This means, of course, that some homework can be expected.  If there are any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch.  I look forward to another great week!

By Julie Keys on 8/28/2007

Hello to all!  Well, I must say that so far, this week has been a rousing success!  I have truly enjoyed meeting and getting to know all of my students.  They are all so energetic and enthusiastic!  It's absolutely contagious!  While I could go on and on, raving about how wonderful your children are, this posting is just a quick update for the end of the week!  Tonight, your student will be coming home with a quick questionnaire for you to fill out.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it is you, the parent, who has homework.  Please try to return this to me by tomorrow.  Late assignments will be penalized!  :)  (Just kidding - this time!)  This document governs our classroom, as it clearly spells out the rights and reponsibilities of the students, as well as those of the teacher.  Well, enough for now.  Have a wonderful three day weekend!

By Julie Keys on 8/20/2007

Hello to all! Welcome to the 2007 - 2008 school year! I am so very excited to have been given this wonderful opportunity, and I look forward to a thrilling, yet challenging, school year. Let's begin with a little about me! While I was born in New York, I spent the majority of my formative years here in Denver, attending Cherry Creek schools. I was then dragged, kicking and screaming, to South Florida, where I first attended the University of Florida (go Gators!), and then graduated with degrees in both Social Studies Education and Political Science from Florida Atlantic University. I spent the first nine years of my career teaching both middle school and high school social studies, as well as developing nationally recognized Debate and Forensics programs. For the last three years, I taught the gifted and advanced 6th and 7th grade program at Silver Lakes Middle School in the Broward County Public Schools; it was here that I also obtained my gifted and talented endorsement. With this endorsement in pla ... Read More »