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Ms. Kathryn Bonzo » About Ms. Bonzo

About Ms. Bonzo

 Welcome to 4th Grade!   Raise the Roof!
 
     A little background: My teaching career started in St. Augustine, Florida, after graduating from the University of South Alabama. Then, my husband and I lived, taught, and traveled overseas for almost a decade in Algeria, Singapore, and the Dominican Republic before coming to Idaho.  We moved here in 1994 with our daughter and have really enjoyed being involved in the community and participating in all kinds of outdoor opportunities. 
 
    I have taught and coached kids from preschool to high school. I graduated with a Master of Arts in Teaching majoring in History from the University of in 1999 and have always continued to add to my professional and content knowledge.
 
     A little about the present at MCS: The students in 4th Grade get to integrate what they have learned from K-3. It is a special year developmentally because kids at this age want to be active and make a difference in the world. One way that I like to help grow their curiosity and interests is to take them off campus for field trips and do my best to bring in experts (which are often parents:)).
 
 

Classes

Posts

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4th Grade Bakers!! Steam(ed) Bread
 
They did a fabulous job following the steps that they wrote in their notebooks yesterday! They appreciate the yeast, know a lot more about wheat, and are ready to have some baked bread. Medora, Benja, and Ely are all working well-- no loafing around! Haahaahaa!
It will be fun to talk to them tomorrow!
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Bread is not only life but ART!
 
Today during our STEAM(ed) Bread Unit, we studied sayings and the paintings, and other beautiful and imaginative ways that humans are connected to bread through art. Then the kids picked the quote that they liked from the ones we studied and created a drawing to go with it. This photo shows some of the students during a Gallery Walk where they get to see all the work by their class and discuss the criteria list of what was expected. Plus, it was just fun too!
 
Today, we follow the steps and make the dough that you all will get to bake this afternoon or evening!  
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STEAM(ed) Bread!🍞
 
We started our STEAM project today that will last until Spring Break looking at the meaning of the words bread, meal, flour, and cereal. There were some great discoveries about something so familiar that we are analyzing and will be creating. 
The picture here is of Benja and Spencer doing some of the math we did to find out the square inches in one slice. We did the math model-- line segment-- to total up how many years sliced bread has been around. Be sure to ask about that! 
We looked closely at yeast and gluten today and know what they do. That was a lot of cool science.
By Thursday, they will be making their own bread and you will be able to bake it when they get home. 🍞 It will be a yummy evening treat!
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Spanish taught by the 7th and 8th Graders-- twice a month
 
These wonderful middle schoolers led a fabulous lesson for the 4th grade. And, the 4th grade is so excited to get a foreign language to explore and learn, add to what they know, and get to work with these older kids! Magnifico!!
P.S. 6 of these kids were once in this class!! Fabuloso!!
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Wednesday Storyweavers Share!
 
          There is a job during our Morning Meetings where the Story Weavers pick a story to share. Eliza and Lila were excellent examples of how real cooperation works.
They started talking last week when they realized this would be their weekly class job. They discussed two books because each wanted to read something that they really liked.  They agreed on one and exchanged ideas and planned ahead by reading over it.
It was a terrific example of how the class has grown because the kids listening allowed the story and made connections that were shared after the reading.
As I reminded them, they are learning to be a good audience just as much as being presenters. YAY!! 
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Making the Dog and Cat Toys for HSoP
 
The discussion and lessons from the Human Society were so exciting and interactive that we didn't even make the toys.  So, yesterday morning, we took an hour and did the whole project from cutting up the t-shirts or pants, to making the strips and braiding.  You can see Medora and Max in the first step of the project.
With only 7 kids that knew how to braid, it was good to share that skill and help others learn that and knot tying.
The kids finished about 30 toys that will last seven days for one dog. They felt really good about doing something to help the animals at the shelter.
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Humane Society of Palouse talks about helping their animals!
 
The kids wanted to help out in our community so we contacted the HSoP who came in and had a great discussion with the kids and helped them learn what they can do-- like how to volunteer or donate items. It was so neat to hear how much the kids want to learn about what they can do.
 
Thank you Lauren and Sierah!
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Library Books (Please look around your homes and see if you have one of the class library books.)
Report Cards and Classwork Examples
 
Hi Families,
 
    It's the start of the 3rd Quarter!  The kids have grown so much!
Today, lots of items will be coming home that show some good examples of things we did in the 2nd Quarter.
    I wrote a note on every report card, plus a reminder--- please-- turn in 3 Reading Logs. That is an expectation for each quarter and it teaches responsibility for the kids to fill out the log and get it signed by a family member. 
    Also, there is some helpful Lexia information included too.
    You may see work coming home to be finished. We are at the place in the year where the kids know the criteria for what they are doing and need to meet getting things done in 4th-grade time too. They are ready and they are excited together.
Plus, we are talking about a project for the Humane Society of the Palouse. Stay Tuned!
Thanks, Ms. Bonzo
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Testing Minerals for Hardness and Streak
 
These two kids are deeply studying minerals!  It is a good sign when you only see the tops of their heads! :)
Using one of the kits that have 15 minerals and the tools to learn how to test the minerals inside for hardness, luster, streak. Working together, they figured out which minerals are harder than our fingernails, but not as hard as a nail or glass. It is a a process to see that doing the science has steps for discovery.
 
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Karissa and Clarissssa finally meet!
 
Karissa has been so excited all year and finally when January started, she knew this was the month. Every day she has asked, "When are we going to hold Clarissssa?"
You can tell that Karissa is reallllllly happy!!! 
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Meeting our class pet, Clarissssa!
 
The kids have been ready to meet her and now that they are all used to each other, today was the day!
With the help of Ms. Miller, the kids pet and then held this lovely creature.
During our Morning Meeting, the kids shared thoughts and emotions about snakes, being scared, and what they learned. It was interesting as usual and eye-opening for all of them.
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The ideas that are connected to MLKJr.
 
         We started Social Studies listening to excerpts from the 1963 I Have a Dream Speech and discussion about the people and ideas that have to do with freedom and human rights. They clapped many times during the speech.
          Then I put six words up on the board MLKJr, Rosa Parks, Equality, Civil Rights, or Abraham Lincoln that they could research in Newsela. They had time to read a bit, and then brought the article title forward on the web of ideas.
          Each student had a chance to share what more they learned about one of the articles.   
          Learning to use Newsela as a research tool specifically for certain ideas is important because they saw the connections of the ideas.
From the Mountain of Despair a Stone of Hope.
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5007 Pounds of Plastic Film so far!!
 
Emily and Spencer are the Trex Kids this week and have been busy as more of our school families are dropping off material. This picture shows them from one morning gathering and weighing the plastic. They are holding 19 pounds.
 
 
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Sums and Differences Crossword Puzzle
 
The kids worked with their job partner to practice math facts doing 4 digit equations. Then after they had filled in the puzzle, they go over their work practicing with a calculator.
Here, Clover and Karissa discuss their work. It is important for them to have time to work through problems and figure out how to talk about them. 
 
 
Check out my blogs from previous years:
2017-2018 School Year 
2016-2017 School Year
2015-2016 School Year
2014-2015 School Year