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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

a
Adjectives to describe Clarissssa's shedded skin
 
Here Ayden and Auria greet and share what they think the skin looked like or felt like. We collected 22 different adjectives and then using a T Chart sorted the adjectives into Factual or Opinion. That way the kids used a language arts activity and then got to think in a scientific way to sort the words.
There were some great descriptions-- damp, diamondy, thin, strange, and lightweight.
a
Jesper and Kyleigh testing the affect of the shape of paper on how it falls to the ground
 
The whole class worked with their job partner to follow the steps in the experiment, collect the data, and analyze their results. They did a good job following the procedure and working together. 
The reflection was fun-- 1 hour to prepare for the experiment and the experiment only took about 7-10 minutes! 
a
Recess Science with a Grass Spider
As we work through the Scientific Method or Process-- we started with a question. What kind of spider is this? (Step 1) Felicity brought this little critter over and we wondered about it and what we knew. (Step 2) Everyone had some experience with spiders and some information. I used my handheld mobile computer to look up images.
This was a great start to thinking about the steps in science and how everyday types of discoveries or things we share can be the start of deeper, and more systematic thinking.
a
Bring A Playful Attitude to New Things
In Morning Meeting, I challenged the kids with a fun task-- to balance an object with their partner and move with it. They had a great time talking together which is the cooperation that is needed when you do anything, especially something new. 
We circled up after everyone had been finding many new ways to balance the ball or item and discussed that they persevered and had fun at the same time. I asked them to take that attitude into all the work we do at school. 
It did give them pause and a moment to consider this new idea.
a
Latah Library Field Trip
 
We headed to the Public Transit Bus ready to take notes and check out books. The tour was terrific as usual and the kids learned a lot about how items are processed and what other types of things are available at the library.
They did great and we had time to play at Friendship Square!
 
 
a
Doing the Math Practice Standard #1-- Problem Solving and Persevering!
 
The kids at the board, Jesper, Sarah, Katie, and Zoe all showed good thinking and learning. They are getting to communicate Math which is a lot of talking and reading.
 
🦉
a
Fantastic Performers from the Cleo Parker Robinson Ensemble!
Festival Dance did it again bringing a suburb group to our community.
 
The kids learned so much about the language of dance on this first field trip!
Our second field trip is next Friday to the Latah Library. Details were sent on Sept. 2 by email and the kids will have info in their Planners when they come home to you tomorrow. Hope you can meet us there!
 
Thanks, Ms. Bonzo🦉
a
Former 4th Graders, now Middle schoolers, helped carry bags this morning!
We want to continue to spread the word to get this material recycled!
Thanks Josiah, Justin, and Trenton!
a
Making Observations and Asking Questions with Ms. Bonzo Beans!😂
 
The kids learned a lot about the garbanzo beans today and on Monday, we will do an experiment with them. here, Josilyn and Quinn write in their Science Notebook as they study the plant. The Palouse is filled with many things that are so interesting to study.
 
a
Practicing the math sentences (equations) for how the Place Value Chart works, then the kids started Lexia practice. 
 For math, each set of partners had to write the pattern of what happens to the value of each place when the value is one place to the left.
That means that 100 is 10 times greater than 10, or 10 x10 = 100.
Good Practice! Then more dissecting language with Lexia. It helps teach structure, vocabulary, and spelling. More Good Practice!
 
a
Writers Share Their Work-- Zoe and Jesper
 
Today was the first time in 4th grade that the kids shared their writing. They worked in pairs that were matched by me and then followed a criteria list by helping each other by asking a question, making a suggestion, or giving a compliment. 
We have worked on revision and what it takes to make our writing communicate what we want. 
a
Using our Google Classroom to take Math Readiness Test
 
The kids start with their Doceo Accounts to log in and then go to the 'waffle' by their name and click on the classroom icon. From there, they joined my 2022-2023 class. In this virtual space, we will be able to do all sorts of curricula. This is the support for the textbooks in our class.
Today they started taking the math assessment to see what they remember and what they need to learn. They use their math notebooks to do the work. They are learning to take notes as they work and see their notebook as a place that shows progress. We will get back to it on Tuesday.
 
 
a
4th Grade! First Days Together
 
We were in our Morning Meeting and had just made a Human Bar Graph to analyze our greetings! So fun to show them lots of ways to use math as a tool. 
We are off to a great start!
a
Clarissssa🐍 popped out to say "Hello"!
 
It is 'getting ready time' and even Clarissssa feels it as teachers have been back working in their rooms. 
 
🌼I am excited to welcome my new 4th-grade class! WELCOME!😊
We will get to build on all they did with wonderful Ms. Pyle!
 
Looking forward to seeing you all at the MCS Open House! You can bring in supplies and leave them here and then on the first day of school, we will get everything sorted.
 
See you soon! Ms. Bonzo🦉
a
Faboulous 4th Graders at the Parachute for 🦁MCS Field Day!🌞
 
It has been a very emotional, memorable, and beyond interesting year with these kids!
 
Thank you families! I have enjoyed getting to know your kids and you all. May our summer be filled with health and good times.
 
Onward to 5th Grade!
Thank you, Ms. Bonzo🦉
Check out my blogs from previous years:
2017-2018 School Year 
2016-2017 School Year
2015-2016 School Year
2014-2015 School Year