Fabulous 4th Grade

Dear Parents and Students,

My name is Mrs. Rebecca Yates. I am excited to announce that I will be your child’s new 4^th grade teacher beginning March 19, 2012. American Leadership Academy has been my school home since September 2011. Since my hiring, I have been a support to the school as long term substitute, Student Lighthouse Team Advisor, Journalism teacher, and instructional aide.

Although each opportunity has brought enlightening learning experiences, I am glad to be returning full time to the classroom in familiar territory. I am an experienced teacher of six years: five years in 4^th grade and one year in 6^the grade. It has been my privilege to be a part of the implementation of best research practices. Some of these include, Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), Response to Intervention (RTI), classroom management, teacher mentoring, and Common Core development.

From my early childhood I have had a great passion for teaching with its contagious learning experiences. It is magical to help children explore the world of reading adventures, mathematical puzzles, captivating historical events, science discoveries, art creations, and everyday wonders. I find in return I am a student to their enchanting ideas. I love watching the twinkles of growth in my students as they change throughout the year.

It has been my privilege to work with students with autism, physical disabilities, gifted and talented abilities, speech and language disabilities, and learning disabilities. My heart has been touched by their courage, strength, and love. These experiences have shaped my belief that every child can learn. I look forward to learning and growing with your students each and every day.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Rebecca Yates

byates@alaschools.org


Weekly Curriculum Focus:
Math: Fractions & Mixed Numbers: Meaning of, Compare & Contrast, Order
Spelling: Apply and use spelling rules, phonograms, and syllables 
English: Complex sentences, expository essays
Reading: Compare and contrast with in nonfiction text
Science: Animals adaptations & environments 
Social Studies: Arizona geography & history


Weekly Homework:
Math: practice math facts for speed and accuracy (x, /, +, -) 
           workbook pages or worksheets -see planner for details
Spelling: Spelling Packet due Thursday
English: Book Report (Mrs. Yates')
Reading: Reading Log (due April 1st) 

Amazing Adaptations

Dear Parents and Students,

It is hard to believe school has been in session for 4 weeks. Our learning adventures have escalated this past week in so many ways. Together we are growing in a variety of ways.

Students eyes glow with many connections to their world around them. We have been investigating Utah's environments, plants, and animals. I love their creative insights and determination. It is neat to see their brain make connections between new vocabulary words like adaptations and everyday observations. Some amazing adaptations we have studied are camouflage, types of feet, eye positions, and breathing strategies.

Throughout the week we will continue to discover Utah's spectacular environments. Students will explore forests in science and language arts activities. I hope you will make conversation and connections with students about the exciting world around them.

This week our 4th grade core curriculum include the following goals:
Reading: Predicting and Questioning
Spelling: Patterns
Writing: Introductions & Conclusions

Math: Comparing and Contrasting Numbers

Science: Utah Environments: Classification

Social Studies: Regions of Utah

Thank you to all of your for your support with sending classroom supplies, volunteering, and supporting your students. It is a joy to work with your students!

Sending Pixie Dust,

Mrs. Yates

Dazzling Deserts

Dear Parents and Students,

I just want to say a special thank you for all the sweet emails, encouragement, and support with this surprising change in life. Thank you!

Each day is magical with your students. I love teaching and learning with them each day. When the time comes, I will be sad to leave them. I appreciate how much they have taught me in the short time we have been together.

I love their creative insights and determination. This week students were amazed and little "grossed out" to discover the adaptations plants and animals have to live in a desert. We explored the way a cactus has small pores, waxy surface, and wide spread roots to capture and hold the greatest amount of water. Together we even dissected an Aloe Vera cactus plant. Their eyes were surprised to see the green goop inside. :)

Throughout the week we will continue to discover Utah's spectacular environments. Students will explore forests in science and language arts activities. I hope you will make conversation and connections with students about the exciting world around them.

This week our 4th grade core curriculum include the following goals:
Reading: Questioning
Spelling: Patterns
Writing: Writing process

Math: Place Value

Science: Utah Environments: Forests & Elevation

Social Studies: Maps and globes

Thank you to all of your for your support with sending classroom supplies, volunteering, and supporting your students. It is a joy to work with your students!

Sending Pixie Dust,

Mrs. Yates

Wonderful Wetlands

Dear Parents and Students,

I just want to say a special thank you to all who have donated school supplies to our classroom. Every little bit helps. Thank you!

I hope your students are loving our daily learning activities celebrations. There is not doubt I know I am!! I love their creative insights and determination. This week one student made a clever connection between line graph increase trends and gas prices. Wow!! You sure have bright students. I am lucky to be their teacher.

Utah is a spectacular place to live. Students are exploring our three environments in science and language arts: wetlands, forests, and deserts. This week we did a few experiments to demonstrate the purpose of our wetlands. Students can tell you that wetlands serve to protect the land from flooding, filtering the water, and providing a home for animals, especially migrating birds. Splashing in the water was a great way to discover these sacred habitats.

This week we jump into the beginnings of our 4th grade core curriculum with the following goals:
Reading: Questioning
Spelling: Patterns
Writing: Writing process

Math: Graphs

Science: Utah Environments: Wetlands & Forests

Social Studies: Maps and globes

Thank you to all of your for your support with sending classroom supplies, volunteering, and supporting your students. It is a joy to work with your students!

Sending Pixie Dust,

Mrs. Yates

Hoot Hooray for Wise 4th Graders!

Dear Parents & Students,

Welcome to a new school year! It is so exciting to start a new school year with each of you. I am excited to be your 4^th grade teacher and am looking forward to a fun year. We are going to have some great learning adventures together!

I thought I would let you know a little bit about me. The most important thing to know about me is I love being a Butterfield Canyon Bobcat. I have taught 4^th grade at Butterfield Canyon for 5 years, and 6^th grade before that at Riverside Elementary. I believe 4^th grade is the BEST grade! I love teaching and working with kids. They are always teaching me something new. I know we will grow lots together this year.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, writing, gardening, playing outdoors, and traveling. My favorite treats are chocolate milk (through a straw), homemade cookies, and ice cream. I love reading, especially children’s books. It is hard to choose one favorite book, but some of them are: The Sister's Grimm Series, Tale of Despereaux, Fablehaven, and The Princess Academy.

In 4^th grade, we will be exploring many fiction and nonfiction books; writing creative and true stories; discovering new math tricks like multi-digit multiplication, long division, fractions, decimals, measurement, and geometry; traveling through Utah history with Native Americans, Spanish explorers, trappers, and pioneers; and investigating our state’s water resources, weather, rocks and minerals, soils, and environments. I can’t wait to start our learning journey!

I am excited to meet all of you on the first day of school on July 25 beginning at 8:55.

See you soon!

Mrs. Yates

2010-2011 Slideshow

It has been my honor and pleasure to teach your students this year. We have shared some really great memories this year.

This poem I sent home earlier this week expresses some of my feelings of appreciation for allowing me to be your students’ teacher this year:

I give you back your student, the same child you confidently entrusted to my care last fall. I give them back inches taller, months wiser, more responsible, and more mature then they was then.

Although they would have attained their growth in spite of me, it has been my pleasure and privilege to watch their personality unfold day by day and marvel at this splendid miracle of development.

I give them back reluctantly, for having spent one year together in the narrow confines of a crowded classroom, we have grown close, have become a part of each other, and we shall always retain a little of each other.

Ten years from now if we met on the street, they and I, a light will shine to our eyes, a smile to our lips, and we shall feel the bond of understanding once more, this bond we feel today.

We have lived, loved, laughed, played, studied, learned, and enriched our lives together this year. I wish it could go on indefinitely, but give them back I must. Take care of them, for they are precious.

Remember that I shall always be interested in them and their destiny, wherever they goes, whatever they do, whoever they become. Their joys and sorrows, I’ll be happy to share.

I shall always be their friend.

Love,

Mrs. Yates

Fun, Fantastic Fourth Graders

It is hard to believe only two weeks are left for the year! WOW! I have enjoyed each learning experience, laughing moment, and magical memories I have made with your students. I will miss them as they leave for 5th grade, & hope they will visit often:D. Thank you for sharing your children with me this year. They have been "mine" for the year, which makes it difficult to let them go. I am so proud of their hard work and progress!

Children have always brought such great joy into my life. Their genuine, innocent love is contagious. I love that my job is surrounded by little people with such big hearts.:D

I love teaching and learning from my students. The magic of learning is found in their innocence and simplicity. Trust, faith, and hope glimmer in their eyes. Children remind me that the present is playful and the future is attainable. I am amazed at their sense of trust and malleability to change. This is an excellent quality essential to growth.

Each day my students help me continue to develop important traits of love, kindness, friendship, joy, risk, and trust. I love the way they help me laugh and take time to play.

A teacher once said, “Children are the epitome of innocence, they are the epitome of purity, they are the epitome of love, they are the epitome of hope and gladness in this difficult and troubled world." Thank you for sharing your students with me this year.

Our curriculum goals for the week include:

Reading: Greek Gods & Goddess
Writing: "How To" Writing
Math: Geometry & Algebra
Science: Nutrition
Social Studies: Economics

We also have a full week of end of school adventures. The following table outlines some of the highlights, which will also be sent home on Monday:

Monday: Softball, Create Bottle Rockets

Tuesday: Water Day

Wednesday: 6th Grade Softball, Awards Assembly

Thursday: Field Day

Friday: Autograph Books, Bottle Rockets

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
6 NUTRITION PRESENTATION 1:OO	7 DARE 11:00 RECYCLING PRESENTATION 1:00 WATER DAY 2:30	8 AWARD ASSEMBLY 10:00-11:00 NUTRITION PRESENTATION 1:OO 6TH GRADE SOFTBALL GAME 2:30	9 FIELD DAY 9:20-11:20 HOW TO PRESENTATIONS 1:45 BOTTLE ROCKETS 2:30	10 AUTOGRAPH BOOKS