Hello families, and welcome back to Fridays in Fourth! I’m Mrs. Raymee, here with Oliver Bennett and James Mitchell, ready to give you an inside look into our first stretch of fourth grade this year. I have to say, this second week—wow, your kids have been incredible! They’ve handled a new schedule, new routines, so many little changes—and already, I’m seeing new friendships blossoming all over the classroom.Absolutely, Mrs. Raymee. I’ve overheard quite a few students chatting about their favorite books or which math game they enjoyed the most. There’s a lovely energy in the room, much like what we noticed during the first week, if you caught our last episode—all those Bergen Values really setting the tone! And, of course, some of the routine tweaks are keeping us all on our toes. We’ll have a couple more small adjustments next week, especially once band and orchestra start up, but the kids have adapted like pros so far.Yeah, I’m not sure I ever adjusted that quickly when I was a kid—honestly, it took me at least a month to figure out where my classroom was! Speaking of adjustments, thanks to everyone who joined us for Back to School Night. It was such a pleasure seeing so many faces and talking about what this year will look like. If you couldn’t make it, don’t worry—the slides are up and if you have any questions feel free to email us. We still need room parent volunteers so click the link in the Back to School Night slides if you are interested. We absolutely want you in the loop.Right, and on that note, parents, be sure to check those Friday folders that came home a little early this week because of our testing days. I gotta share this sweet moment—I saw one of our students after dismissal, absolutely lighting up while showing her folder to her mom. She was explaining, piece by piece, what she’d worked on—every worksheet had a little story. It sparked this wonderful conversation between them. That’s exactly what we hope for. Those folders aren’t just paperwork; they’re a chance to talk about learning, frustrations, little moments of pride, all of it. Just a reminder—if you haven’t looked through it with your child yet, there’s still time. And folders are due back on Wednesday, September 3rd!So, next week brings a big milestone: band and orchestra kick off with Mr. Weedman! Quick rundown for anyone with budding musicians—beginning band meets Mondays from 1:50 to 2:20, and Wednesdays bright and early, from 8:40 to 9:10. Orchestra is right after band both days—Mondays 2:20 to 2:50, Wednesdays 8:05 to 8:35. Make sure instruments come to school those days, so no one's running back home last minute, like I used to—seriously, my mom still teases me about all the saxophones I left by the door.Brilliant, James. And can we just take a moment to appreciate how exciting it is to see the kids’ faces light up about music? Mr. Weedman is a fantastic director, and he’ll be meeting with students in the SELS room each Monday and Wednesday. Definitely reach out to him by email if you have any logistical questions or concerns about instruments. It might sound a bit chaotic on the first few days, but it always sorts itself out quickly. And not just band and orchestra—we’ve already had our first library adventure this week, and students visited SELS for the first time, too.Yes, and I loved seeing Mr. Brooks read Skippy John Jones to the students before letting them peruse the library to check out their books. We've had several students read their books this week and ask to return and check out more. This is simply amazing! Reading truly is the key to success.Speaking of growth, let’s zoom in on what the kids are tackling right now, curriculum-wise. In math, we’re deep into Unit 1 on factors and multiples. The students are revisiting rectangles and area, building on what they learned in third grade about multiplying side lengths. Now, they’re sorting out factors, figuring out multiples, really digging in to whether a number is prime or composite by looking at factor pairs. It’s brilliant—these problems aren’t just abstract, they’re connected to real-world situations, like how you could lay out chairs for an assembly or split up teams for a class party.Exactly, and those real life connections make everything so much more memorable. If you want more info, the Unit 1 Family Support Video is on our website—just a quick plug there in case you missed it! You can probably expect a test over unit one in the Wednesday or Thursday after next. On the reading front, the kids just started Module 1, all about personal identity—"What Makes Us Who We Are?" They’re getting to analyze different genres, point of view, figurative language, even narrative poetry and photo essays. It’s pretty special seeing students reflect on their own stories, too—we’re drafting personal narratives these next couple weeks, working on bringing those memories to life with dialogue and descriptive language.And we can’t forget science! This week, the classroom got a little bit prehistoric. We started by researching the Grand Canyon—asking questions about Earth’s systems, layers, and what stories rocks can tell us. The big goal: figure out how patterns in rock formations and fossils give us evidence for how the landscape has changed over time. Next up, we dive into some hands-on fossil labs. The curiosity in the room is contagious! The hands-on element really is key, isn’t it? Not just reading about how things work, but seeing and touching and investigating—the Grand Canyon isn’t just a photograph on a PowerPoint anymore, it’s a puzzle waiting to be solved. I think that spirit of discovery is what keeps the classroom buzzing throughout the week.Couldn’t agree more, Oliver. And that curiosity spills into everything—math, reading, science, you name it. Families, thank you for trusting us with your kids’ learning adventures. We’re just getting started, and we can’t wait to share more milestones and memories with you each week. Be sure to check our website for updates and, as always, reach out if you have questions.Thanks for listening, everyone! We’ll be back soon with more classroom stories and snapshots. Have a fantastic weekend.Take care, all. And Mrs. Raymee, James—see you bright and early Wednesday morning!See you then, Oliver, James! Goodbye families—enjoy the weekend!

Episodes

Diving Into Fourth Grade