4th Grade Science: Plants and Animals

Hello and Welcome! 

Here at Step by Step, we take pride in providing your learner with engaging classes that will have them excited about learning. We are there to teach and encourage your learner every step of the way.  

Our Teachers:

*Sierra Cribbs*
Mrs. Sierra has many years of experience teaching elementary age children both in the classroom and virtually. She graduated from Georgia Southern University with a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education. Upon graduating, she received the "Top Eagle Teacher Award" for her professionalism, lesson planning, and teaching practices/strategies while in the program. Throughout college, she worked with all grade levels (PreK-5th) to gain classroom experience. Once she graduated, she became a 4th grade teacher for two years. She taught Math, Science, and Social Studies and loved it! With a wide range of learners in her classroom, it was essential for her to provide engaging lessons that met the needs of each of her students. Many of her students were most successful and engaged when she used hands-on approaches and manipulatives for math lessons. She also enjoyed making science lessons come to life by conducting experiments and letting her students deepen their understanding of the content. Many of her classes will be focused on essential math skills and fun, interesting science experiments for elementary students. Students will be given the chance to not only solve problems and conduct experiments but to discuss and elaborate on the activities we complete together. Being able to teach online allows her to pursue her passion and create her own lessons! She absolutely loves getting to know and teach students from across the world. She strives to be the best teacher that she can possibly be and to make each student feel successful in their learning! Learning should be fun and memorable, and she hopes to provide your child with that experience in her classes.

*Kate Hodnett*
Ms. Kate has 10 years of teaching experience in Science and English courses. She has received numerous 5 star reviews and was voted "Teacher of the Month/Year" on multiple occasions. She believes that education should be an engaging, fun, creative experience that students get to actively participate in. These values are reflected in her welcoming, outgoing, professional, and supportive teaching style. 

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Step by Step Classroom Policies:

1) Step by Step's goal is to always keep classes close to the scheduled amount of time. However, please know that classes with low enrollments may run a little shorter, and classes with full enrollments may run a little longer due to more conversation. 

2) If a one-time class has very low enrollment, we will make contact with you before class to discuss further plans. If a class is on-going or multi day, they MUST meet the minimum number of learners in order to carry forward. If within the day of the class, it does not meet the minimum, the section will be canceled and the parents will receive a full refund. 

3) ALL classes will begin at the scheduled time. If all learners are not in the classroom at the scheduled time, we will allow a 2 minutes grace period before beginning class. If there is a technical issue, we will wait for the learner. We will not contact absent learners during class time. This takes away from the learners that are present and need our full focus. If you are absent and did not make contact before the class began, we will not allow for a transfer or refund. This is taking a spot that could have been booked by someone else. However, if contact was made before class, we will be glad to transfer or refund. We completely understand that emergencies happen and plans can change quickly. Please just send us a message if this happens. 

4) If no learners are in the classroom, we will wait 10 minutes before exiting the classroom.

5) If anyone would like the class recording please reach out to us, and we will post it in the classroom. 

6) SEE BELOW FOR EXPECTATIONS DURING CLASS:
a. Learners will remain muted during instruction time to avoid any distracting or awkward background noises for both the learners and teacher. Learners will be provided many chances to share and speak in class, but will remain muted otherwise. During discussions, the teacher will unmute everyone at times to allow for meaningful discussion. Please be respectful to other learners by raising your hand to speak and not interrupting when someone is speaking. 
b. All learners are expected to be focused as much as possible. 
c. If any siblings/friends are going to participate, each one must be enrolled in the lesson individually. Siblings/friends cannot attend and participate in class with only one enrollment to the lesson. 
d. If a student cannot appropriately behave, participate, and respect others in a lesson, they will be given three warnings before being placed in the waiting room. The student will remain in the waiting room as long as the teacher best sees fit and will be readmitted to class when the teacher feels they are ready to rejoin. If behaviors are extreme enough, the parent will be contacted by the teacher and the OutSchool team will be notified as well.