St. Mary School of Rockwood at 32447 Church St., Rockwood, MI 48173 US - Fourth Grade

Fourth grade is an exciting year for the students. Not only are they in a new classroom – they are in a different building! They are now considered the “big kids who change classes”. These children have an advantage over most middle school students. By the time they are in 5th and 6th grade, which are the most commonly accepted middle school grades, they are used to the demands of changing classes and getting used to more than one teacher and teaching style.

My name is Laurel Nadeau. I attended St. Mary Magdalen grade school, St. Francis Xavier High School, and the University of Detroit (before it was U of D Mercy!). My daughter attended St. Charles grade school and St. Mary's Catholic High School. We both have our teaching degrees from Eastern Michigan. As you can see Catholic education is paramount in my life. I love teaching at a school that promotes living in God's grace through our actions, beliefs, and strong, Catholic values.

I have earned a Master's in the Art of Teaching and have recently completed classes in Reading Fluency and Authors on the Internet. I have been teaching fourth graders for nine years, and they have been the best education of all.

Classes

Handwriting (cursive) is practiced each morning in the fourth grade homeroom and is required for every assignment starting with those assigned in second quarter. A final handwriting sheet based on a verse from the Bible is handed in each week.

Vocabulary units are completed each week. Students practice spelling, usage, parts of speech, context, synonyms, and antonyms. Pages are also done on the computer using the cd from the publishers and their internet web site, www.sadlier-oxford.com.

English lessons are incorporated into Vocabulary and Reading. We also use an English text to reinforce grammar lessons and practice writing skills. We are working with the Six Traits of Writing in both fourth and fifth grade language arts.

Religion (Grades 4 and 5) We are using the Faith and Life series. In fourth grade the students study from Jesus Our Guide, a simple introduction to the Bible stories and teachings of Faith. The children work through their Activity books for homework and reinforcement of the lessons. The fifth graders learn about our Catholic faith in their text and Activity book called, Credo: I Believe. The art work provided in these texts greatly enhance the emotions and beauty of our Catholic history and traditions. We take turns with the other grades and plan weekday Mass, prayer service each morning, and Friday para-liturgy. The students discuss the Sunday readings to be better prepared for Sunday Mass. Bible study and family community service are included in the curriculum. Thursday is Peacework day. The fourth and fifth graders practice real life conflict solving practices. We build a real sense of community by learning peacemaking skills and non-violent conflict resolutions. 

Reading (Grades 4 and 5) Foundations in Analysis and Synthesis Training (F.A.S.T.) class will be on Mondays. We are using the Treasures reading text books. The students will read stories from different genres. Each lesson will provide practice in fluency and reading skills. These skills include summarizing, predicting, inferring, and evaluating. Book reports, projects, plays, and Readers' Theater are among the extra reading activities that are assigned. We visit our school library several times a month. Use of your neirghborhood library is also encouraged. This is a multi-faceted program that encourages students to become successful, motivated, and confident readers and writers who love to read!

Social Studies begins with the study of the Regions of the United States. We study the landforms, natural resources, climate, economy, and crops of each of the five Regions. According to the State of Michigan standards, the study of Michigan may be divided between the 3rd and 4th grade. Mrs. Sisung, the third grade teacher and I work together to provide the children with a thorough study of Michigan. We study the history and development of the State. We cover its land use, environment, and resources. We include the development the executive, legislative, and judiciary systems. The fourth graders learn the 50 States and Capitals to prepare them for the study of the United States in fifth grade.

If you have any questions about the information on our web page, please feel free to contact me via email at nadeaul@catholicweb.com.