Trash to Treasure Ornaments

What could YOU make out of an old DVD?  Our GATE students are so creative!  I love their unique ideas!  I have been saving old DVDs that didn't work for years.  I KNEW there would be a good use for them!  We have recycled these old trash DVDs into works of art!

Each GATE student had two weeks to work with their families to create something unique.  Some are Christmas-y...some are funny....some decorative...I love each one of them!  Personalities of the students shine when they are able to create something with basically no rules!   The only rule for this project was to use the old DVD they were given.  They could add to it, cut it, paint it, glue on it...they did all of that and more!  Look at our colorful bulletin board outside our classroom!

If you look closely you will see a minion, fish, reindeer, and animals!

Check out the peppermint, dinosaur, decorative ornaments...and even a Christmas turkey!

4th grade slideshow

3rd grade slideshow

Letter from Alabama's First Lady!

Look what we received in the mail!  Mrs. Dianne Bentley, First Lady of Alabama, sent our classes a letter of appreciation for the ornaments we sent the mansion for Christmas tours in Montgomery!

Governor's Mansion Christmas

GATE students have been busy elves making Christmas ornaments!  Students will be able to take these ornaments home to decorate at their homes this holiday season....but we made extra ornaments to share with Governor Robert Bentley and his wife, Dianne, at the Governor's Mansion this year.  Heather Hannah who works with Mrs. Bentley is a former Albertville GATE student.  She sent an email to school systems in Alabama asking for handmade ornaments from students to decorate the trees in the mansion and in the John Blue Hill House next door to the mansion.

GATE students have made "BLUE DOG" ornaments inspired by the artist George Rodrigue.  Rodrigue, a Louisiana artist, is famous for his paintings of his BLUE DOG.  GATE students drew their own BLUE DOGS as well as painted dog bones blue...with blue glitter, of course....and hand-stamped "dog tags" with GATE 2012 on a "blue dog" collar.  Each student will take home their Blue Dog ornaments in BLUE tissue paper for their families to enjoy.  Our ornaments for the Governor's mansion were mailed to Montgomery today.  The Governor's mansion will be open for Christmas tours on Dec. 3, 10, 17 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. and admission is free.

Our GATE students along with the GATE students at Evans will be decorating the Christmas tree at the Albertville Board of Education office wishing everyone a "Merry BLUE DOG Christmas!"  Our tree will have blue lights, blue tinsel, and our blue dog ornaments!

Mrs. Dianne Bentley, the First Lady of Alabama, visited the Albertville Museum last spring.  Pictured with her are Betsey Adams, Lynn Ayer, Mrs. Bentley, Gayle Cribbs, and Dianna Adams.