Historical Fiction as a Gateway to the Past

by Hannah Sunshine, grade 4 teacher I recently listened to a segment on NPR, in which Lois Lowry and Christopher Paul Curtis were interviewed.  Both are authors who have written historical fiction geared toward elementary aged students.  Though they have…

Building Literacy and Friendships

By Hannah Sunshine, grade 4 teacher The beginning of reading buddies was a highly anticipated event in the 4th grade classroom.  The students had participated in buddy partnerships in the past, but always as the younger students. Partnering with the…

Student-Led Conferences

By Hannah Sunshine, grade 4 teacher This spring, 4th graders took a big step in taking ownership over their own learning.  When it came time to confer with parents and share work from the year, students took the lead.  This…

Fun with Fluency…and Beyond!

By David Jordan, grade 4 teacher A great deal of children’s math experiences at PDS are constructive, experiential and built around meaningful contexts. Mathematics is treated no differently than other content areas in that we believe it should be inquiry-based…

I Wish You More

By David Jordan, grade 4 teacher This blog post shares its title with a popular children’s picture book created by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld. The premise of the story, I Wish You More, is a parent sharing with…