Katherine Grove
4th-6th grade
Kathrine Grove
530-822-9667 EXT 213
Room 11
At YCCS I have taught students in the 4th through 8th grades. This year I have the joy and pleasure of teaching a 4th, 5th, and 6th grade homeroom class. My aide, Mr. Law, and I have been blessed with a great bunch of kids. Each day our students have the opportunity to earn a prize by completing at least four goals before lunchtime. Fridays are my favorite day of the week. Every Friday is Three Goal Friday—students may earn a prize for completing three goals, and two prizes for completing four (or more) goals. At YCCS the focus is on inspiring and motivating students.
Mr. Law and I will be reinforcing multiplication tables in the classroom. The main focus will be on memorizing and reciting multiplication up through 12 x 12. However, some of our more advanced students may enjoy the challenge of memorizing up through 15 x 15 or 20 x 20. Students can only benefit from having their multiplication tables memorized.
Each day during Math Lab I teach Algebra I to 8th grade and high school students. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays we focus on those in the first half of Algebra I; Tuesdays and Thursdays we focus on those in the second half of the Algebra I curriculum. I’ve taught 6th grade and 7th grade (pre-algebra) in past years, but teaching Algebra I is particularly enjoyable for me. I had a wonderful math teacher, Mr. Brown, for Algebra I and Algebra II. Mr. Brown could explain Algebra to anyone, and had the patience of a saint. My hope is that, like Mr. Brown, I will be instrumental helping young minds understand Algebra.
During 5th period on Mondays and Wednesdays I teach a Bob Ross style high school Art/Painting class. We focus on acrylic and watercolor painting. My grandmother learned to paint in her seventies from an amazing teacher, Carolyn Huff. Grandma Grove introduced me to painting while I was a teenager. I took oil painting in college, but I also had the express advantage of taking private lessons from Carolyn Huff in acrylic, oil, and a bit of water color.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays I teach a 5th period high school Needle Arts quilting/sewing class. When I was a pre-teen my Aunt Dorsey helped me sew my first quilt—out of polyester squares! Since then I’ve completed a few cotton quilt tops, as well as an Around the World quilt I use as a bedspread. Many students begin with little or no prior sewing experience and complete the semester with a working knowledge of operating a sewing machine. Last year we made crib sized strip quilts. This year we are working on quilted table mats. We will soon be embarking on flannel-backed jeans quilts. Please save your old jeans for us. I am accepting fabric donations, including all of your old jeans.
I’ve taught both 6th and 7th grade English Composition at YCCS. My 6th graders are particularly excited about English Comp. On Mondays and Wednesdays it thrills me to hear, “Yeah, we have English today!” I’ve discovered the benefits of journaling on a personal basis, and I’ve incorporated that into English Composition. We begin each class period with a minimum one-page journal write. We are currently exploring the joys of creative writing. I’ve also introduced my students to my favorite poet, Ogden Nash, an American comedic poet.
Twice a week students practice their reading comprehension skills with SRAs (Silent Reading Activity). Students select leveled short stories and answer vocabulary and comprehension questions. SRAs support reading fluency and comprehension, skills that are essential in the independent learning environment. I also recommend reading aloud at home. Each of my 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students will benefit from reading aloud for fifteen to twenty minutes each day.