Fourth GradeNOTE: If you are interested in enrolling your student at Pacific School, please complete the appropriate Interest Form. More information about our enrollment procedures is Here.
Ms. Hettenhausen ("Ms. Hett") teaches fourth grade. and is assisted by classroom aide Natalie Bennett. The class meets from 8:30 a.m. to 3:10 p.m., except on Wednesdays, when students are dismissed at 1:10 p.m. Independent study students attend school on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays only, while five-day students attend Mondays through Fridays. After School Recreation is available Monday-Friday.
Educational Practice “Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin I strive to create a nurturing learning environment where everyone feels safe and valued while providing challenging, child-centered activities. Students are active participants in their own learning by engaging in hands-on-minds-on experiences, reflecting on the learning process, and setting personal goals. Art, music, and movement will be integrated throughout the curriculum to help bridge connections and honor learning styles and interests. Students explore, investigate, connect, reason, analyze, communicate, justify, and support each other in our quest to learn about the world around us. Family participation is encouraged! Participation opportunities range from volunteering in the class to supporting your child at home. Weekly class notes and monthly newsletters allow families to stay connected with at-school learning. Special Activities Life Lab: Learning comes to life outdoors in our Life Lab garden where students work and study. Students study earth and life science while maintaining and harvesting the garden for use in the school cafeteria. Reading Buddies: Students improve reading fluency and self-confidence while reading with our younger school partners. Computer Literacy: Through weekly instruction with media/technology instructor Jennifer Konicke, students develop their knowledge of technology and how to use it safely while using problem-solving skills to accomplish tasks. Science and Engineering: Students investigate science through hands-on activities. As scientists, students observe phenomena, think about how they relate to what is known, test their ideas in logical ways, generate explanations based on evidence, then ask more questions. Students will put their innovative thinking to the test as they research and develop solutions to their own problems, then present them at our school science and engineering fair. Theater: Students connect subject area content of the California Gold Rush to theater in our very own class rendition of Gold Dust or Bust musical. In this play, students build on their "readers' theater" experiences from third grade and learn to memorize lines and choreography. Over the years, the original script has been adapted to recognize various perspectives and include students' own family connections to the gold rush. Additionally, students and family members have been known to add their musical talents by providing the background music to the songs. The process of putting on "Gold Dust or Bust" has become a fond memory for many past students. In addition, every year students are encouraged to make a short film for Pacific School's annual Student Film Festival. GATE (Gifted and Talented Education): All fourth graders are assessed for placement in Pacific School's GATE program, run by Jennifer Konicke. Math Math is taught at the same time in first through sixth grade. Students who are accelerated in math are evaluated and placed in leveled math groups as appropriate. Math Goals. Homework
Fourth-grade reading homework consists of 30+ minutes of nightly reading and practicing math facts. In addition, optional skill practice homework will also be available for families who would like to help their child with fourth-grade content at home. Homework serves as a way to help students build executive functioning skills (working, memory, planning, time management, organization). Additionally, there will be a few class projects students will complete at home throughout the year. Examples of these projects include memorizing lines to a class play or completing the final parts of a science project. Communication
Bridging home and school activities is a great way to make a measurable impact on student learning. A weekly newsletter is emailed at the end of each week. The newsletter aims at keeping your family in the loop about what our class is working on so you can enrich school learning at home. Also, good communication between families and school staff is key to student success. Please feel free to reach out to me anytime about your enrolled student*. Email: mhettenhausen @ pacificesd.org* *To allow teachers to focus on the education of their current students, prospective families are asked to direct all questions to the office, not to teachers.
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Ms. Monica Hettenhausen, Fourth Grade Teacher
Fourth graders performing their annual "Gold Rush or Bust" class play.
Third and fourth graders celebrate progress in the school orchard as part of their weekly Life Lab garden class.
Ms. Hett playing basketball with students
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