Author: paulamz

Dear Families, September 6, 2024

What a first week and a half! Your children are amazing! They are so creative, caring and loving to each other and me! You all must be proud parents!

I will be sending posting the weekly newsletter most every Friday (or the end of the week) here on the school’s website under Classrooms, Fourth Grade, and Newsletter, if you should need to know where it is housed. Your students brought home their first Friday Folder for the year. Inside will be your child’s corrected work. There will be a half sheet with your child’s goal that they have written on it. It also will say if there are any missing assignments. Please have your child look for those assignments in his/her backpack, etc. Please have them finish it and turn it in on Monday. Also, please sign the paper that is attached to the folder. Thank you!

Next Wednesday, September 11th, will be Curriculum Night. If you would like to peruse the curriculum before we meet on Wednesday it is here on this link but also on the school’s website on my Classroom website. The curriculum will be discussed in detail. I look forward to seeing you again or meeting you for the first time!

Several parents (and MANY students) have asked about a weekend with Pebbles. Here is a SignUpGenius to sign up for a weekend. The students LOVE it!

Academics

Religion – Fourth Grade Theologians are learning about how the how the brains that God made for us work and how we can make them S-T-R-E-T-C-H! They also learned how making mistakes is important to learning to become the person God wants us to become!
Language – Fourth grade readers are researching Mythical Creatures. Students began spelling this week, learning about short vowel sounds. Finally in writing, fourth graders learned about editing as well as they wrote a letter to their future self (the end of the year).
Math – Mathematicians are reviewing place value to the millions digits along with comparing numbers and writing the three forms: standard, expanded and word forms.
Social Studies – Historians made a deep dive in their new Social Studies book, learning that they will be studying Washington state and U.S. history this year. They finished the week learning about different maps.

Science – Scientists got to STRETCH their minds by collaborating when stacking 6 cups in various ways, without touching them and using a rubber band and yarn. Lots of fun! We learned that collaborating is better when you communicate and listen!

Every Wednesday – 2:00 dismissal and casual dress uniform

Wednesday, September 11 – Curriculum night 6:00 start in the gym

Week of September 16 & 23– MAP testing on Tuesdays and Thursdays

Saturday, September 21 – Harvest Festival!

Tuesday, September 24 – Individual picture day – Free dress for pictures!

Specialists

Art – Class Expectations and End-of-Year Celebration – Students learned about who the Mona Lisa was and then drew self-portraits using correct proportions and space. We also discussed how they can earn a glowing art party at the end of the school year.

Physical Education – This week in PE students learned rules and procedures.  They worked on teamwork and cooperation while playing a game called “Crazy Card Challenge” and “Hula Hut Relays”. 

Dear Families, May 24, 2024

Your children have been working hard this week! They finished their Three-Dimensional city blocks for a STEAM project. They had fun displaying in the back of our classroom tonight.

We also had fun at the Multicultural Fair tonight. They have learned so much! I’m very proud of them!

We will be having our field trip on Wednesday to Marine Park! I have 8 people signed up for driving. If anyone wants to just meet us at the park and still chaperone because I have lots of space in other cars, please let me know. All are welcome to come. This field trip is a fun ending day for our class on a low tide so we can see lots of animals! 🙂 On Monday, I will email an itinerary and who will be riding in each car.

Fun at the Multi-Cultural Fair tonight! Thank you for coming

Academics

Religion – Fourth Grade Theologians continued learning about the Holy Spirit and are honoring students each day in our “Cele-YOU-brations!”
Language  – Fourth grade readers continued reading chapter books and writing about Native Americans. For spelling, we focused on compound words.
Math – Students finished a three-dimensional city block with a partner. They are learning about measuring with inches and converting them to feet and yards.
Social Studies – Students prepared for their Multi-Cultural Fair presentations.

Tuesday, June 4 12:30-1:15 pm – Good-bye luncheon for retiring teachers: Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. McClurg – Please come!

Wednesday, June 5 – Field trip to Marine Park – 9:30-1:30pm – all are welcome!

Thursday, June 6 – Eighth Grade Graduation

Specialists

Spanish – Una nota de Señora Anna- This week in Spanish, we learned about the cultures of some Spanish-speaking countries. We also prepared for the Multicultural Fair. Be sure to stop by the Spanish room to see what your student(s) has been learning!

Art – Grandmother Spider Brings the Sun – Adding Native American-inspired patterns to illustrations of “Grandmother Spider Brings the Sun” introduces students to the rich cultural heritage of Pacific Northwest tribes. These tribes, like the Coast Salish and Haida, use bold geometric shapes and motifs like animals and symbols from nature in their art. 

Dear Families, May 24, 2024

MAP testing is done! Yay! Your children did awesome! All students improved in at least three areas on their tests! I am beyond proud of them!

If you have not sent in when the edible creation will be brought in, please either send it in or email me the date. I will not accept any after June 6th!

The Multi-Cultural Fair is next Friday, May 31st from 7:00-8:30 pm. Our class is working on a collaborative assignment in which their group has been researching a particular Native nation from Washington state, answering questions that the students created as a class. They will be showing their information they have learned about in a variety of ways. Each student will be required to be at their station for 15 minutes of that time period to represent their group. They will also be required to go to the other classes’ presentations to learn about what they are presenting. If you would rather have your child/ren at an earlier or later time, please let me know. I will set the times on Tuesday and let you know via email. Thank you for your support on this! Your children are very excited to share what they have been learning and preparing for!

Since we have Native American groups from Washington, Libby Stark is has made a sign up genius to have parents sign up for Native American food to share at the Multicultural Fair. Here is the link for this.

The first six book reports were this week! We had some yummy creations!

Academics

Religion – Fourth Grade Theologians continued learning about the Holy Spirit and the state of graces that the Holy Spirit offers.
Language  – Fourth grade readers continued reading new chapter books. For spelling, we focused on the suffixes of -ment and -ness. We are writing our final paragraph of our five-paragraph essay about a pet!
Math – Students are building a model of a three-dimensional city block with a partner. They are very excited about this!
Social Studies – Students are now preparing for their Multi-Cultural Fair presentations.

Friday, May 31 – All school Mass – dress uniform

Friday, May 31 7-8:30 pm – Multi-cultural Fair

Specialists

Spanish – Una nota de Señora Anna- This week in Spanish, we revisited the Spanish-speaking country project. After researching their country, students wrote a postcard imagining they had visited their country. Student’s Spanish-speaking country projects will be displayed at the Multicultural Fair next Friday, May 31.

Art – Grandmother Spider Brings the Sun – Adding Native American-inspired patterns to illustrations of “Grandmother Spider Brings the Sun” introduces students to the rich cultural heritage of Pacific Northwest tribes. These tribes, like the Coast Salish and Haida, use bold geometric shapes and motifs like animals and symbols from nature in their art. 

Dear Families, May 17, 2024

MAP testing will be finishing next week on Tuesday and Thursday. There won’t be homework on the night before so students can get good sleep. Please send your child/ren in with good snacks!

I have sent home in today’s Friday Folder a half sheet that is to let me know when the date you/student would like to turn the last book report of an edible creation. Students must be done with the book, make something to share with the class that we could eat and use that creation to easily talk about the book they have read. It needs planning! Have fun!

Our students won the most sponsored numbers for the school! Great job, Team! To celebrate, the students have won a sub sandwich party! We will have it on Friday, May 24th! So, lunches don’t have to be fixed for the fourth graders next Friday!

We got to read to our Pre-K buddies this week!

Academics

Religion – To prepare for Pentecost on Sunday, Fourth Grade Theologians learned about the third person of the Trinity: the Holy Spirit!
Language  – Fourth grade readers began reading new chapter books. For spelling, we focused on the singular and plural possessive nouns. We are writing our final paragraph of our five-paragraph essay about a pet!
Math – Students are building a model of a three-dimensional city block with a partner. They are very excited about this!
Science – Scientists learned about land slides and erosion.

Social Studies – Students took a test on Washington history and are now preparing for their Multi-Cultural Fair presentations.

Sunday, May 19 – Good bye to Mr. Anderson!

Tuesday, May 21 & Thursday, May 23 – Last week of MAP testing – Language Arts and Math

Friday, May 24 – All school Mass – dress uniform

Specialists

Spanish – Una nota de Señora Anna- This week in Spanish, we learned sports vocabulary. Then, students practiced speaking in Spanish while asking about and explaining their favorite sports and activities.

Last week, we had a visit from a traveling Our Lady of Fatima. Students learned that there will be a Marian Shrine built in Washington to create a permanent home for Our Mother. In their Friday folders, students will receive a packet asking for their ideas for the Marian Shrine. Please complete the parent’s ideas on the last page, and help your student complete their ideas on the other pages. Packets are due back by May 23^rd. Thank you!

Art – Students will illustrate scenes from “Grandmother Spider Brings the Sun” while incorporating patterns inspired by Native American art, fostering an understanding of cultural symbolism and artistic expression.

Dear Families, May 3, 2024

Happy Mother’s Day, Moms! We greatly appreciate you! Thank you for all you do for your child/ren to be successful, rounded students!

For students in the Missoula Children’s Theater next week, they will not have homework. Hope they join!

MAP testing will be finishing the week of May 20th on Tuesday and Thursday. There won’t be homework on the night before so students can get good sleep. Please send your child/ren in with good snacks!

Finally, the last book report is set for June 6th for an edible creation. However, if your child is done earlier with his/her book, then they are welcome to present it earlier for our palate delight! I figured if ALL the students bring in their edible creation all on June 6th, we will be overwhelmed with food! Please have a discussion with your child about what he/she (with support from you) is going to make. Discuss time line of finishing the book and time line of when it would be good to bring it in. Have them then report to me and we can set up a date for the book report prior to June 6th.

I did not send home Friday Folders this week due to taking the MAP test on three of the days and having limited homework. I will send them home next week.

Brainstorming ideas on how to prevent a landslide from hitting a town.

Academics

Religion – Fourth Grade Theologians worked on Mother’s Day presents and started our Cel-YOU-bration!
Language and Social Studies – Fourth grade readers are reading about how Washington was formed. For spelling, we focused on the words related to the calendar. We are working hard on our five-paragraph essay about a pet!
Math – We took MAP tests during our math times or we reviewed with Daily 5s.
Science – Scientists learned about land slides and erosion.

May 13-17 – Missoula Children’s Theater

Friday, May 17 – All school Mass – dress uniform

Tuesday, May 21 & Thursday, May 23 – Last week of MAP testing – Language Arts and Math

Specialists

Spanish – Una nota de Señora Anna- This week in Spanish, we learned vocabulary to describe our favorite sports and activities. Then, we played charades to practice! We also had a visit from a traveling Our Lady of Fatima. We prayed and learned about her message to the children of Fatima.

Art – The students will assemble all the pieces to create their final composition: a futuristic city.

Dear Families, May 3, 2024

Thank you SO much students (and parents for supporting them on this) for all the wonderful flowers, cards, food, chocolate, jokes and love! I felt it all week long and loved it! Thank you, again!

Wow! We had a FABULOUS Fun Run! Thank you, families, for supporting on this fun day! We are SO glad that we had great weather too!

We will be MAP testing on Tuesday and Thursday next week. There won’t be homework on the night before so students can get good sleep. Please send your child/ren in with good snacks!

Academics

Religion – Fourth Grade Theologians learned about Family Life. We had great discussions of growing older and various stages of God’s gift of Life!
Language and Social Studies – Fourth grade readers are reading about how Washington was formed. For spelling, we focused on the suffixes of -less and -ful. We are working hard on our five-paragraph essay about a pet!
Math – Mathematicians are learning about how to measure angles with a protractor and classify them one these three: right, acute or obtuse.
Science – Scientists are learning about volcanoes.

Tuesday & Thursday, May 7 & 9 – First week of MAP testing

Friday, May 10 – All school Mass – dress uniform

May 13-17 – Missoula Children’s Theater

Specialists

Spanish – Una nota de Señora Anna- This week in Spanish, students practiced telling time and reading a schedule. Students also showed their telling time skills with a short quiz.

Art – The students will build a city in space by stamping designs with LEGO pieces and creating a stunning dark sky. 

Dear Families, April 26, 2024

This week, we began our “Family Life” curriculum. We have skipped the first four chapters because those lessons are covered in our other religion curriculum. So we started on Unit 3, Lesson 5 on page 33 and read as a class through page 44. Words such as conception, unborn baby, puberty, preteen, teenagers, growth, healthy habits, and marital love came up while we were reading. The terms are general in the book with very few specifics. However, in fifth grade, the lessons will go into details. The books were sent home today in your child’s Friday Folders. I invite you and your child to go over it together and answer questions they might have and introduce more details that we did not cover in fourth grade. If you have not begun any discussions like this, this is a time in which would be natural to begin. I have emphasized to your children sometimes uncomfortable conversations with parents is really important to develop that relationship before teen years. Please let me know if you need assistance or need some questions answered. Thank you to Valkyrie Rosetta and her mom (from Michael and Matthew’s family) for coming in so we could see her development at five months old. We also got to see my granddaughter, Clara, and her mom, to see a one years old’s development. Please do not write in the books and send them back on Monday morning please!

Many students presented their book reports yesterday and today. They will continue on Monday!

Academics

Religion – Fourth Grade Theologians learned about Family Life. We had great discussions of growing older and various stages of God’s gift of Life!
Language and Social Studies – Fourth grade readers are reading about Native Americans in Washington. For spelling, we focused on the suffixes of -er.
Math – Mathematicians are learning about geometry this week.
Science – Scientists presented information about Mt. St. Helens and other volcanoes.

Tuesday, April 30 – Bring flowers for the May Crowning for May 1st!

Wednesday – May 1 May Crowning – Bring flowers in on April 30th for it!

Thursday, May 2 – Fun Run – Bring in sponsorships!

Friday, May 3 – Mass – dress uniform

Tuesday & Thursday, May 7 & 9 – First week of MAP testing

Specialists

Spanish – Una nota de Señora Anna- This week in Spanish, students practiced telling time. Students read and listened to times in Spanish, which they translated to English.

Dear Families, April 19, 2024

Your children did a fabulous job for the Mass today! They were well spoken as well as processed excellently for the Procession of Species to celebrate Earth Day. I was very proud of them! Thank you to Julia Gage for helping with the rehearsal yesterday and the Mass today!

We had a WONDERFUL time at the Mt. Baker Theater field trip for the rendition of Frindle! Our discussion afterwards was fabulous as well. About half the students liked the book better and half liked the play better. It was a great critical-thinking discussion, comparing the two forms of art! Your children are amazing! Thank you to all the chaperones and a VERY special thank you to the unanimous donor for all the tickets!

The second to the last book report due on April 25th. Last Friday, students were given a list of options for the project book report in their Friday Folder. They are to choose one of these options with you this weekend so that plans are made! Most students have told me which project they are doing. Please check in with your child to confirm and support them in this endeavor!

Blessings,

Paula A. Martin-Zender

Academics

Religion – Fourth Grade Theologians rehearsed and worked on preparing for our Mass for Earth Day.
Language – Fourth grade readers finished reading Frindle as well as we went to the play! We are writing a five-paragraph essay about our pets! For spelling, we focused on prefixes of re-(meaning “again”), pre-(meaning “before”) and un-(meaning “not”).
Math – Mathematicians are learning about geometry this week.
Science – Scientists are researching Mt. St. Helens and other volcanoes.

Friday, April 26 – Mass and talent show – dress uniform

Wednesday – May 1 May Crowning – Bring flowers in on April 30th for it!

Thursday, May 2 – Fun Run – Bring in sponsorships!

Tuesday & Thursday, May 7 & 9 – First week of MAP testing

Specialists

Spanish – Una nota de Señora Anna- This week in Spanish, students completed their travel project.  Then, we reviewed numbers and began telling time in Spanish.

Art – WA529 Art Contest for a Chance to Boost Your Education Funds!

Students will create artwork reflecting their dream job, providing a glimpse into their aspirations. This project offers them the opportunity to submit their creations to an art contest with enticing rewards:

• Grand Prize: $529 in a GET or DreamAhead 529 education savings account for the lucky winner.
• Additional Rewards: Three schools with the highest participation rates (relative to their enrollment) will each receive a $500 Amazon gift card for their school library!

I’ll be guiding the students in developing their creative ideas, while Maggie Kim will be responsible for communicating with parents about how to submit their artwork.

Dear Families, April 12, 2024

Happy Spring! We are on full throttle with the many things we are learning to the research and projects we are working on! It’s an exciting time of the year! We started this week with celebrating Easter with our Pre-K buddies! Thank you Libby Stark for doing the work behind this!

The second to the last book report due at the end of this month: April 25th. Students have been given a list of options for the project book report. They are to choose one of these options with you this weekend so that plans are made!

Next Thursday is our field trip to Mt. Baker Theater to watch the play: “Frindle.” Currently we are reading the book for our literature. Students are enjoying learning how words are created and put into the dictionary. Many parents have signed up. We have enough tickets for all of us, thank you to an anonymous donor! If you did sign up, you will be receiving an email shortly with the procedures and protocols to chaperoning.

Next Friday is our Mass which will be Earth Day celebrations. We are preparing for them as I write! Please come and celebrate Mass with us! It is the last one we will be planning for the year.

Blessings,

Paula A. Martin-Zender

Academics

Religion – Fourth Grade Theologians celebrated Easter and are planning our Earth Day Mass.
Language – Fourth grade readers are reading Frindle, a book about a boy making up a new word! We are writing a five-paragraph essay about our pets! For spelling, we focused on irregular plural nouns.
Math – Mathematicians finished chapter 9 about decimals and took a test on Thursday. Next week: Geometry
Science – Scientists learned about the solar eclipse and are researching Mt. St. Helens and other volcanoes.

Tuesday, April 16 – Class pictures – dress uniform

Friday, April 19 – Our Mass – dress uniform

Friday, April 26 – Mass and talent show – dress uniform

Specialists

Art – The students will create a fantastical scene of a city in space that is surrounded by looming planets in the background and a harsh terrain in the foreground.

Spanish – Una nota de Señora Anna- This week in Spanish, students “packed” a suitcase for a trip to a Spanish-speaking country by using their research on weather and things to go in their country. They wrote in Spanish about each item in their suitcase.

Dear Families, March 22, 2024

We are moving from fractions into decimals this week in math. The students are making connections from one to another, as you have seen in their homework this week. They are seeing the patterns! They also did some problem solving in pairs then evaluating each other’s work to see how they can explain their thinking more clearly. Parent helpers are invaluable for these kinds of lessons!

We also had fun on Pi Day with our scientists and mathematicians!

Blessings,

Paula A. Martin-Zender

Academics

Religion – Fourth Grade Theologians solidified the Ten Commandments and worked on an artistic version of them!
Language – Fourth grade readers are reading Shiloh, a book about a family living in West Virginia. We are finishing up with writing summaries and moving to five paragraph essays. This week we finished planning it to work next week with writing it. For spelling, we focused on homophones.
Math – Mathematicians finished the chapter about multiplying fractions and took a test on them. They are beginning a unit on decimals.
Social Studies – We are diving into Native American in Washington asking the essential question: “How did God’s Creation affect Native peoples of Washington?”

Thursday, March 28 – Holy Thursday

Friday, March 29 – Good Friday Retreat Day – early release

April 1-5 – Spring Break

Specialists

Spanish – Una nota de Señora Anna- This week in Spanish, students chose a Spanish-speaking country and researched its geography and weather. Students also created a “passport” and designed a stamp for their country.