05/09/25 - Today we had high school biology students for a lesson on Caddisfly & macroinvertebrates. Students had the opportunity to examine water samples under a microscope and interact with high school students.

05/08/25 - This morning we spent time on the floating dock collecting water samples and counting macro invertebrates to determine the water quality of our pond. They could have stayed out there for hours collecting & counting their little [and not-so-little] finds. Ask your child what they hauled in in their net, they're probably not telling you a fish tale.

05/05-06/25 - Tis the season to get out on the water. For two days our students are fortunate enough to spend time on the pond canoeing with their classmates, thanks to Mr. Koppang's dedication to ensuring our students have fun & enriching activities they can use for a lifetime. On our first day we practiced paddling, turning & backing up. On day two we put those skills to the test with a little friendly competition. The PE teachers tossed tennis balls into the water with a variety of letters and numbers. There was a coveted prize for whichever team collected tennis balls to come up with the secret word. While no one from our class was able to get it, it wasn't for lack of effort.

Thanks, fourth graders for reminding me why I love teaching you so much!

03/07/25 - As a hockey fan, I always look forward to the floor hockey tournament. In some ways it rivals the energy of the state tournament and this year did not disappoint. It goes without saying that their goal scoring was electric, but what really made me proud was watching both teams of students working together. They knew the rules, they respected their opponents, and they all worked as a team for a common goal. You can see by their faces they played hard. They were so proud. And they should be. I'm proud of you, too!

03/10/25 - Today we paint! Students used their 2D planning maps to bring their salt clay maps to life with color according to the landscape's elevation. Ask your child what was the most challenging and the most satisfying part of today's part of the project!

02/13/25 - We were fortunate to have the Choice Ambassadors visit us this afternoon and share with us a message on respecting others advocating for kindness with our words and our actions.

02/07/25 - This afternoon we visited our first grade buddies to view their habitat projects and listen to their writing. It always puts a smile on my face watching the fourth graders ask questions, give compliments and patently listen to the first graders share their projects. I heard many of the fourth graders discussing the animals they researched when they were in first grade. It was a treat for both the fourth & first graders!

01/17/25 - Today we kicked our rock unit into gear with students panning for rocks much like anyone panning for gold or other precious stones. Students could keep whatever they found, and then used a set of properties and tools to identify their jewels. 

A big thank you to Scientist Adam from The Science Crew for bringing this experience to us here at Jeffers Pond. And thank you to the PTC for funding this opportunity for our fourth grade students!

11/19/24 - This week is American Education Week and this morning our school was visited by a few members of our school board. While chatting with Vice Chair Amy Bullyan, she asked how she could support students, so I invited her in to meet with them. The timing was perfect; so today instead of focusing on Word Work, this group of fourth graders had a board director's ear. Vice Chair Bullyan heard all about the perks of recess and PE - overwhelmingly their favorite part of the day. I would like to think she also walked away recognizing, whether these kids realize it or not, they are learning and growing every day. It's clear we have built a community where we laugh, learn and support one another along the way. Every year a new group of kids enter my classroom and I think I can't possibly enjoy this group as much as the last.... And then I do. I feel honored every day to be part of their learning & growth. And whether they know it or not, I learn just as much from them as I hope they learn from me.

10/11/24 - It was the perfect afternoon to leave the school behind and take our books to the woods and read! While a few of the kids struggled with focusing, a few more had a hard time resisting the temptation to talk, and a few others took awhile to get comfortable, many of them were able to find their focus and read. It is scientifically proven that spending time outside, literally touching nature is good for our health. It is unscientifically proven that taking a group of 9/10 year-olds outside in nature sets them free and livens their spirits! I'm not sure how much reading they got in as a collective whole, but each of them had a smile on their face being outside on this perfect autumn day. Enjoy them while they last!

10/11/24 - In Science we have been learning about magnetism. Students did an investigation at home to determine whether or not objects in their house that they thought may be magnetic actually were. Everyone was surprised by at least one of the items on their list! This morning students did some hands on exploration of how magnets work with and against one another and how effective different magnets are at collecting iron fillings. We even had a chance to test the earth's magnetic north with a compass. Ask your fourth grader what their take-away was from working with magnets today.

10/01/24 - It was a beautiful morning to be outside for today's Science lesson! Not only did the kids enjoy seeing what they planted in 3rd grade, but they also got a sneak peak at the Three Sisters Garden we will be planting in the spring.

Today each student chose a single flower to illustrate in their scientific notebook for us to label just like scientists do!

9/24/24 - This morning the fourth graders engaged in a little friendly competition, to see which class could get through their stack of corn first. Some of the kids came to the competition corn-shucking experts, others learned on the fly. It was a nail-biting tie between our class & Mrs. Kraushaar's class.!

The real winners, however, are everyone who will be enjoying sweet corn Thursday for lunch. Thank you to Casey's for the sweet corn, and thank you to the fourth graders for all of your hard work prepping it!

9/13/24 - Students did their annual bus safety training today with a reminder of all the rules and expectations for staying safe on and around the school bus. As fourth graders are now some of the oldest students on the bus, they're reminded of their role to help all students safely exit the bus in case of an emergency, which is why we have students help with the evacuation practice out of the back of the bus.

Ask your child if they remember how many feet they should be away from the bus when they are waiting for their school bus to arrive. [Answer: 10 feet, or 5 giant steps.]

9/10/24 - This morning we collaborated to come up with a list of what it should look like, sound like, and feel like when we are walking in the hall. Fourth graders are really good at creating a list of expectations, so they worked in their table groups to come up with expectations for different learning areas and parts of our day. On Friday we will use the posters we created today to build a class constitution, much like the document our country uses to guide its success.

9/05/24 - Everyone survived the first day of school! The beauty of fourth grade is that by now kids are comfortable with the routines in school, it's learning the routines in a new class that can sometimes be nerve-wracking. We had a great day making PlayDough sculptures to represent our summer, then guessing & sharing with classmates. We got our school supplies labeled and organized, and the students had time to chat with classmates & play outside with the other fourth graders. It may be a little tight in the room at times, but I can confidently say this is going to be a great year!