4th Grade

welcome

Our Fourth Grade Team strives to make school an interactive learning experience. Hands on experiences both in and out of the classroom define our philosophy of the best way to learn. We will challenge your students with new ideas, new skills, and new opportunities while spiraling what has been learned in previous grades. We strive to get the kids out of the classroom and into our regional and local communities through numerous field trip opportunities! Some of our field trips include Starsmore Discovery Center, Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, Western Museum of Mining and Industry, and the State Capitol Building!

Our Reading and Writing Curriculum is Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA). This curriculum creates incredible opportunities for us to learn about different cultures, world history, American history, famous writers and inventors, and different sciences! Our Math curriculum, Math In Focus (part of Singapore Math), offers dynamic hands-on, represtational, and abstract instruction catered towards the fourth grade Colorado Academic Standards. We love to use FOSS Kits to teach our four unique units: Ecosystems, Variables, Rocks & Minerals, and Electricity! For Social Studies, we have the pleasure of teaching about our beautiful state -- Colorado! Following The Colorado Story curriculum, we explore the topics of map skills, our land regions, western expansion, Colorado’s early fur and mining industries, and modern government and economics. Students leave fourth grade as Colorado EXPERTS! Please see our general Curriculum Map below for more information.

schedule


Let’s talk… FIELD TRIPS!

4th grade is lovingly known as the “Field Trip Year”. In a typical year, we go on anywhere from 5-8 field trips. To facilitate easy paperwork, we total up the field trips in the beginning of the year and have families sign one permission slip and pay the total amount in one payment (payment plans are available).

Here is a complete list of field trips we have taken in the past:
Pikes Peak (science & social studies)
Starsmore Discovery Center (science & social studies)
Florissant Fossil Beds, Hornbeck Homestead, Florissant Quarry (science & social studies)
Western Museum of Mining and Industry (science & social studies)
Woodland Park Rock Shop (economics & science)
Garden of the Gods (science)
State Capitol Building (history & civics)
History Colorado Center (social studies)
Littleton Museum (social studies)
Denver Museum of Nature & Science (science & social studies)
End-of-the-Year Pool Party @ Manitou Pool


Fourth Grade Teachers

Ms. Madeline Goldman:
I grew up in a small town outside of Boston, Massachusetts and moved out to Colorado many years ago to attend Colorado College here in Colorado Springs. I graduated with my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Elementary Education. While I was an undergrad, I spent several years volunteering in a 1st/2nd grade classroom near my college, so upon graduating I decided to pursue a career in teaching because I loved it SO MUCH! I have taught 1st grade, 2nd grade, worked as a reading and math interventionist, and am now settled in as a 4th grade teacher. I have been teaching here at MSES since 2017, and I am not planning on leaving anytime soon. This school is one of (if not) THE BEST! When I am not at school, I love to cook Italian food, go on hikes around Colorado, read, travel, go skiing, and spend time with my friends and family. I have the cutest pets in the world – a mischievous kitten named Basil and an old half-Border Collie/half-horse, Zyggi (he’s 100 lbs). I am also happy to announce that 2021 is the year I will be getting married to my incredible fiancé (and also elementary teacher), Justin. It is my teacher’s promise that your child will always be invigorated, challenged, and most importantly, loved deeply, in my classroom. Not to mention, there will be tons of laughter, guaranteed. I cannot wait to get to know your young learner and welcome them into our Fourth Grade Mustang herd!

Mrs. Jessi Larsen:
Although not a Colorado native, I have been here for almost two decades! I am originally from Wisconsin and love all things Wisconsin (Go Pack Go!). I live in Colorado Springs with my husband, Karl and daughter, Elizabeth. We spend our summers camping, travelling and laying by the pool. During the winter, you will find us on the sledding-ski hills or curled up with a good book. I originally received my BA in Elementary Education from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. Then later I earned my MA in Special Education from UCCS. I have taught four years of 5th grade, three years of Special Education and many, many years of 4th grade. The first seven years I bounced around in different schools searching for my teaching home. Well, I have found it in MSES. There is a feeling and specialness that exists here. It is unlike any other school I have been a part of. Fourth grade is a special year for so many reasons, my favorite being the kids. I think 9-10 year olds are simply fantastic. They are witty, have tons of background knowledge, sweet, and still tender-hearted. We spend our day learning and laughing here in fourth grade. Come join us!

Mrs. Christi Marquardt:
I have lived in Colorado since 1982! I attended Widefield Elementary for 6th Grade, Emerson Jr. High in District 11 for Middle School, and graduated from William Mitchell High School ALL the way back in 1989! I love Colorado! My College Majors are in Speech and Human Communication and Elementary Education. I have a minor in French and was fortunate enough to study in France my final semester of college in 1992! I also hold a Masters in Elementary Education from Regis University. I love to learn! My husband and I have two sons, 2019 and 2021 Manitou graduates. We love Manitou! We are residents up the Pass in District 14 as well. I entered our district as a new teacher in 2004 after nearly a decade in the business industry in areas of management for a Senior Center, the Antlers Doubletree Hotel Front Office, and Men’s Formalwear. My background is vast! I love people, simply put. My favorite people are about 10 years old. Manitou has been my only teaching home, and I am well aware how lucky I am to have been in this district as an employee or student teacher since 2002. I have been teaching at Manitou Elementary since 2004. It is my honor and privilege to teach here in Manitou! I support all levels of our District Robotics teams in addition to my position in fourth grade. Come, check out all Manitou- especially Fourth Grade- has to offer! We love to learn!