R.J Wollam 4th Grade Classroom

Mrs. Tracy Kubicki and Mrs. Kim Murphy

Welcome! 

We are so excited for a great 2021 -22 year.  

Tracy Kubicki

I have had 26 years of teaching experience, with the last 5 in Santa Fe ISD.  I graduated from Oklahoma State University and University of North Texas.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have this year. (email: tracy.kubicki@sfisd.org) 

"A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say." 

- Italo Calvino

Kim Murphy

I have had 20 years of teaching experience, with the last 3 in Santa Fe ISD.  I graduated from Lamar University.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have this year. (email: kimberly.murphy.sfisd.orgLinks to an external site.)

Year at a Glance 2021-2022

 1st Nine Weeks - Interpreting Characters: The Heart of the Story, children study the complexity of characters and explore themes while developing skills such as inference and interpretation.  They begin the year writing realistic fiction and learn to develop rich characters and stories.

In Math, students will study Number sense, including place value to the Hundred Thousands Place and Decimal numbers to the Thousandths place.

Science lessons the first nine weeks revolve around Lab safety, scientists, matter, mixtures and energy.

In Social Studies, we will be thinking like geographers, thinking like historians, and Native American life in Texas.

2nd Nine Weeks - In the second unit, Reading the Weather, Reading the World, children form research teams to delve into topics about extreme weather and natural disasters while developing their skills in cross-text synthesis, practicing close reading, comparing and contrasting, and evaluating sources to determine credibility. The second writing unit brings students step-by-step toward increasing proficiency with these genres: thesis-driven persuasive essays.

In Math, students will study all operations, fractions and data representation.

Science lessons the second nine weeks revolve around Force, motion and natural resources.

In Social Studies, we will be studying European exploration, the Empresario system, and the Texas Revolution.

3rd Nine Weeks - In this nine weeks, Historical Fiction Clubs, children practice reading analytically, synthesizing complicated narratives, comparing and contrasting themes, and incorporating nonfiction research into their reading. In writing, students will complete historical research reports.

In Math, students will study Measurement, Geometry, and Financial Literacy.

Science lessons the third nine weeks revolve around the changing Earth, weather and water cycles, and patterns of the Sun, Earth, and Moon System.

In Social Studies, we will be looking at Texas as a republic, statehood, Texas during the Civil War, and settling the Texas frontier.

4th Nine Weeks: Unit on poetry, short stories, and folklore. Students will be writing about fiction in literary essays in the final unit.

In Math, students will study making connections, essential understanding of fractions, and all operations.

Science lessons the fourth nine weeks revolve around energy flow in living systems, structure and behaviors of organisms, and life cycles.

In Social Studies, we will be looking at the economic development of Texas, Texas and the Worlds, as well as Texans making a difference..