Letter from teacher
Dear Parents,
Welcome to Pikes Peak School of Expeditionary Learning!
It is so exciting for me to teach 4th grade this year! The first few weeks we will be learning routines/procedures and coming up with classroom expectations. We will work on getting to know each other so as to build a strong community in our classroom. My goal as a teacher is to foster an environment that encourages children to take responsibility for their own learning. The students and I will be discussing this as well as how we are going to work together as a "crew...not passengers" (we all have to do our part and are not just along for the "ride") during this school year.
SIncerely, Margaret Rudin
Class Information
Mrs. Rudin's (formerly Hatch) Class
Reading
In the classroom, we focus on reading "just right" books. We do this through book groups, one-on-one conferences, and small strategy groupings. Students are responsible for choosing books that help them grow as "good readers" with guidance from caring adults. In class, children are challenged to dig deeply into their texts through making connections, character studies, and thematic studies of a series and/or author. We discuss our passions which encourages us to reach into nonfiction readings and practice note-taking. By the end of the year, students are prepared to design their own reading project such as choosing an author to study or a cross study of a character in a book series.
Our anchor text is often used to connect us to our expedition.
Math
In Ms. Rudin's class, we follow Saxon's Math Curriculum. With various math manipulatives available, we study how to solve problems that may require a formula with critical thinking skills. Our hands-on activities provide an environment that have students actively engaged in learning math concepts. Math games offer a time for children to learn basic facts and concepts while having fun.
Writing
We follow the 6+1 Traits writing framework. Writing across the curriculum can vary according to what we may be studying in our expedition or the specific genre we are focusing on. Children are encouraged to write about things going on in our daily lives. At first the students are introduced to writing in a pocket memo pad that they can carry around with them. They are told to record anything that happens during their day. When it is time to begin writing entries into their writing journals, those previously documented memories of their day provide authentic experiences to reflect on and write about. Furthermore, those entries give them several choices when it's time to choose one to use in the writing process.
As with reading, our expedition is connected to our writing.
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Margaret Rudin
Teacher - 4th |
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