Dreams

by Langston Hughes

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.

Dear Students and Families,

Every child deserves the opportunity to learn and reach for his/her dreams.This is what I learned from my favorite poet, Langston Hughes, and it is the philosophy of my classroom. Welcome to the fourth grade!

My name is Claire Lowe. I have been very lucky to have taught fourth grade at Woodrow Wilson school since 1999. Previously I taught at Coast Academy School in Mombasa, Kenya. I love to travel and explore the world.

ThinkMath is our new math curriculum.It is a wonderful program that focuses on understanding of mathematical concepts.The program covers Number & Operation, Geometry & Measurement, Patterns & Algebra, and Data Analysis & Probability.

Reading is an integral part of fourth grade. Reading ability is improved through practice, so students are required to read independently in school and at home.Guided reading allows students to focus on specific reading strategies.In literature circles, students treat a book as a piece of literature and show their higher level thinking skills.

We use the Lucy Calkins writing program in fourth grade. Children are able to write about their own experiences through personal narratives.We also write essays, literary essays, and poetry.

Structures of the Earth, Structures of Life, and Simple Machines are our science units.We build models of the inside of the Earth, perform mineral scratch tests, grow bean plants in hydroponics, observe crayfish, and build models of simple machines.

Maps and Globes, Immigration, Regions of the U.S., North America, Canada, Mexico, and Massachusetts are studied in the fourth grade.We design a map of our own imaginary world, create posters of family immigration history, look at primary source photographs, analyze maps, research and create projects about areas of the U.S., build inuksuks, and even hold our own fiesta at the end of the year.

Sincerely,

Ms. Lowe

updated 5/7/13