Tronnes ClassrooM
GRADES 4 & 5
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ABOUT 4th AND 5th GRADE
Transdisciplinary Themes: As an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP) school, we will explore six transdisciplinary themes. Through these units of inquiry, students will engage with the content while asking questions and conducting research to deepen their understanding. Social studies and science are integrated across the units, allowing for a holistic approach to learning.
Who We Are
How the World Works
How We Organize Ourselves
Where We Are in Place and Time
How We Express Ourselves
Sharing the Planet
Literacy: Students will have whole group instruction as well as daily differentiated lessons to work on reading comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and expanding vocabulary. Students will have plenty of time to read-to-self, read-to-others in small groups, listen to reading, and practice writing or word work.
Mathematics: Students will have access to a variety of resources, including the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt curriculum, online tools, and math manipulatives, to support their understanding and mastery of 4th and 5th grade Minnesota math standards. In 4th grade, the focus will be on developing strategies for multi-digit multiplication and division, exploring fractions, and applying problem-solving techniques. In 5th grade, students will deepen their understanding through work on fraction and decimal conversions, interpreting equations and inequalities with variables, exploring surface area and volume of 3-dimensional figures, analyzing data, and continuing to refine problem-solving strategies. Throughout our units of inquiry, students will also develop and apply data analysis skills to explore and investigate real-world questions.
CLASSROOM NORMS
True to our IB philosophy, classroom discipline is focused on making good choices and effective problem solving. I am certified in Responsive Classroom which is a teaching approach that strives to bring together social and academic learning throughout the school day. We will use many strategies to maintain a positive and productive learning environment: morning meetings, interactive modeling, logical consequences, academic choice, guided discovery, collaborative problem-solving, and class-created rules. We will also learn about growth mindset and focus on embracing productive struggle to strengthen our brains.
ABOUT ME
This is my seventh year teaching at Highland Park Elementary. Before joining this community, I taught grades 5–8 in Bloomington, MN, where I coached the math team, led a writer’s club, and helped direct the spring musical. I am excited to learn more about your children’s interests so I can support them in their academic, social, and extracurricular pursuits.
I hold a Master’s in Elementary Education from St. Kate’s and am licensed in K–6 Elementary Education and 5–8 Mathematics. Teaching is actually my second career. After 17 years as a professional musician, I returned to school to follow my passion for teaching. These days, I sing and play flute and piano just for fun - and I’ll admit that I still get more nervous speaking in front of people than I do singing!
At home, I’m lucky to share life with my husband, who is a registered nurse and also a self-taught mechanic, stereo technician, chef, gardener, and woodworker. We have four kids - two in college and two in high school, so our home is always full of energy, music (violin, viola, banjo, french horn, drums, flute, piano, plus a record player or two), and plenty of activity. That lively spirit inspires me to embrace the energy and unexpected moments of learning in an active classroom.
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