Mrs. Adams Homepage
Welcome Fourth Grade Wildcats!
My name is Mrs. Adams, and I am thrilled to spend another year with fabulous fourth graders at Elmwood Academy! I teach ELA (English Language Arts), and am partnered with the wonderful Mr. Cowan, who teaches Math, Social Studies, and Science.
I grew up in York County and earned my bachelor's degree in Early Adolescent Education from Penn State University (WE ARE!). This will be my seventh year teaching in Mechanicsburg and my ninth year teaching since I graduated from Penn State. I previously taught third grade in Loudoun County, Virginia. I recently completed my Master's Degree in Literacy Education at Penn State Harrisburg in May of 2023!
Outside of school, I love to ride my bike, go on hikes, and go swimming. I was a competitive swimmer growing up, and I still teach swimming lessons! I also spend a lot of time reading. Some of my favorite books are: All the Light We Cannot See, A Man Called Ove, and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. My husband is a huge Premiere League fan, so I have spent a lot of mornings watching soccer and cheering for Liverpool! I am also a vegetarian, and I like to experiment with new plant-based recipes. I love to travel and explore new places. I have been to many states, Europe, and South America! This past summer I traveled to Iceland and Scotland!
Above (left to right): Iceland (2023), Santorini (2022), Athens (2022), and Colorado Springs (2021).
Above (left to right): Iceland (2023), Santorini (2022), and San Isabel National Forest (2021).
Fourth Grade ELA:
This year, you can expect to be immersed in reading, writing, talking, and reflecting. My goal is to instill a love and enthusiasm for reading and writing--to view these activities as gateways to unleashing our imaginations, to learn more about the world around us, and to experience powerful lessons about how to be kind, empathetic citizens. We have so many amazing texts to explore in fourth grade! Students will grow their reading and writing abilities through independent reading and reflecting, small group work, and whole class text analyses. We will grow our classroom as a reading community who shares books with one another and encourages each other to try new genres, build reading stamina, and find books that fit us as a reader. Our focus to develop these habits will help establish a reading routine that our readers can apply for the rest of their lives. I am excited to grow in our literacy learning together!
Building a Reading Life:
Some of my fondest memories of growing up are snuggling with my mom in bed each evening and reading Harry Potter aloud together. I attribute most of my passion for reading to her, who from a young age, encouraged reading as a part of our daily routine. Creating a space and time for reading each morning or evening outside of school is critical to developing your child's reading ability. Consider reading a favorite book together, having a set time for reading before bed, or making a reading nook or corner dedicated toward reading. There are many resources available for students to access books outside of school, including the Simpson Library, our classroom library, and online resources. Building a positive environment for reading will help encourage students to include reading as a habit for their lives.
I am looking forward to an incredible year together!
