Laura Gerlach

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4th Grade Advisor

Reading, ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies

Email Ms. Gerlach

School Office: 229-931-8667

BIOGRAPHY

          Ms. Gerlach received her Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education from Valdosta State University in 2000.  As of 2005, she completed her Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education with a Reading Endorsement.  In 2008, Ms. Gerlach became Gifted Certified. She has also been Georgia Work Ready Certified through South Georgia Technical College.  Her latest certificate upgrade is the Math Endorsement obtained from RESA.

          With a start in 3rd grade at Sumter County Elementary School in January of 2001, Ms. Gerlach's dream of teaching took off.  She remained with 3rd grade for 11 years before moving to 4th grade in 2011.  In 2012 she went in a new direction and started leading students in 3rd. 4th, and 5th grades through investigative science in the SCES Science Labs!  Her current classroom resides in Room 222 on the Yellow Hall of Furlow Charter School with 4th and 5th graders!  

          Ms. Gerlach was voted as runner up for Teacher of the Year several times at SCES before earning the title in 2009.  Then, she served as Sumter County's District Teacher of the Year in 2010.  She was also recognized by the Georgia State Department as a Master Teacher that same year.  Ms. Gerlach was a Top Ten 2011 Georgia Teacher of the Year finalist.  She served on the State Superintendent's Teacher Advisory Council and has served on the leadership team of the Georgia Teachers of the Year Association.  In 2012 she was chosen to serve on the Governor's Teacher Advisory Council.  Ms. Gerlach was Furlow's first Teacher of the Year in 2016 and moved into the Top Ten of Georgia's State Teacher of the Year again in 2017.  She has been inducted into Valdosta State University's Educator Hall of Fame, too.  In 2020, Ms. Gerlach was selected as a Georgia Southwestern State University Teacher of the Week.

          With a knack for cross-curricular instruction, Furlow's Project-Based Learning approach is a perfect fit for Ms. Gerlach's teaching style.  She has a passion for hands-on learning, critical thinking, rigorous discussions that make you think, and honest reflection.  Much of her teaching was shaped by her 9 years as a co-director of the Southwest Georgia branch of the National Writing Project where she worked with teachers of all grade levels and subjects as they journeyed through an adventure with writing and the teaching of writing.  

          Sewing, painting, and reading are her most time-consuming leisure activities.  You will often see her pulling these hobbies into her teaching and sharing her love of learning with her scholars through these avenues.  The most surprising part of her educational journey has been the travel opportunities tied to professional development.  Ms. Gerlach has been to California, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Florida, and Tennessee to participate and present in various conferences!

4th Grade Syllabus
Click the link below to access a PDF of Ms. Gerlach's expectations, schedule, instructional pacing guide, and other such pertinent information.

Monday/Wednesday

7:30 - 8:00 (30 min) Morning Work

8:00 - 8:05 (5 min) Announcements

8:05 - 8:50 (45 min) Small Groups: Gerlach, Williams

8:50 - 9:15 (25 min) Social Studies

9:20 - 10:05 (45 min) Bridges - Music, PE, Art, PE

10:05 - 10:25 (20 min) Recess

10:30 - 10:40 (10 min) Number Talks

10:40 - 11:30 (50 min) Math

11:35 -12:10 (35 min) Lunch

12:10 - 1:00 (50 min) Reading Whole Group

1:00 - 1:25 (25 min) Science

1:25: - 2:15 (50 min) Small Groups: G., D., Campbell

2:15 - 3:05 (50 min) Small Groups: Gerlach, Davis

3:05 - 3:10 (5 min) Clean up and pack up

Tuesday/Thursday

7:30 - 8:00 (30 min) Morning Work

8:00 - 8:05 (5 min) Announcements

8:05 - 8:50 (45 min) Small Groups: Gerlach, Williams, Edmonds

8:50 - 9:15 (25 min) Social Studies

9:20 - 10:05 (45 min) Bridges - Music, PE, Art, PE

10:05 - 10:25 (20 min) Recess

10:25 - 10:55 (30 min) World Languages

10:55 - 11:30 (35 min) Math

11:35 -12:10 (35 min) Lunch

12:10 - 1:00 (50 min) Reading Whole Group

1:00 - 1:25 (25 min) Science

1:25: - 2:15 (50 min) Small Groups: G., D., Campbell

2:15 - 3:05 (50 min) Small Groups: Gerlach, Davis

3:05 - 3:10 (5 min) Clean up and pack up


Friday

7:30 - 8:00 (30 min) Morning Work

8:00 - 8:05 (5 min) Announcements

8:05 - 8:50 (45 min) Weekly Assessments

8:50 - 9:15 (25 min) Social Studies

9:20 - 10:05 (45 min) Bridges - Music, PE, Art, PE

10:05 - 10:25 (20 min) Recess

10:30 - 10:40 (10 min) Number Talks

10:40 - 11:30 (50 min) Math

11:35 -12:10 (35 min) Lunch

12:10 - 1:00 (50 min) Reading Whole Group

1:00 - 1:25 (25 min) Science

1:25: - 2:15 (50 min) Small Groups: G., D., Campbell

2:15 - 3:05 (50 min) Small Groups: Gerlach, Davis

3:05 - 3:10 (5 min) Clean up and pack up

4th Grade Links

4th Grade Science

Earth Science

4th Grade Social Studies

Westward Expansion

Economics/Budgeting

4th Grade Math

Place Value

Fractions

Addition/Subtraction

Measurement/Data

Multiplication/Division

Fruit Shoot (Prime/Composite game)

Monkey Drive (Prime/Composite game)

Prime/Composite Games

Pumpkin Multiples (game)

Multiples Frenzy (game)

Factors and Multiples Game Grid

Crazy Taxi M-12 (Factors/Multiples game)

Top Marks Kingdom (Factors/Multiples) game

Pirate Multiplication (interactive)

 Math Magician Multiplication (interactive)

 Math Magician Factors (interactive)

 Grand Prix Multiplication (racing fluency game)

 Subtraction Knock Down (angry birds game)

 Grand Prix 2

 Bus Driver Multiplication

 Undercover Number (game)

 Math Monster Multiplication (game)

 Math Antics Multplication video Multidigit x single digit

 Math Antics Multiplication video Multidigit x multidigit

Mrs. Greenlee video Multidigit by Mutidigit

Mathnook Multidigit by Multidigit video

Interactive Sites: (Division games)

Woodland's Junior School (Division games)

Fun for the Brain (Division games)

Math Playground (Division games)

4th Grade Interactive Math Skills (Division activities)

Division Test Practice (online quiz - requires paper)

Snork's Long Division

Math Frog Dividerama!

Division Millionaire

SoftSchools.com Long Division

Drag and Drop Division

FLASH CARDS (online practice)

Geometry

Fun Shape Game for Kids (sorting)

Angle Games for Kids (squirt the item)

ABCYa Shapes Geometry (build the shape)

Area Blocks (Math Playground)

Party Designer (drag the shapes to form a room)

Angle Games 

Origami Frog video

Origami Box video

Fun Shape Game for Kids (sorting)

Angle Games for Kids (squirt the item)

Grid Games for Kids (coordinate grid)

ABCYa Shapes Geometry (build the shape)

Area Blocks (Math Playground)

Party Designer (drag the shapes to form a room)

Khan Academy - Geometry (all content)

Khan Academy - Measurement

Measuring Angles with Protractor

Sal's Sub Shop - measurement

Area and Perimeter Builder

4th Grade Reading/ELA

5th Grade Links

5th Grade Science

Life Science

Earth Science

Physical Science

K-Bears Virtual Microscope

UD Virtual Compund Light Microscope

Bitesize Science

Virtual Electron Microscope

Fact Monster: Science

Animal Diversity and Classification

The Science Spot Kid Zone:  Biology - Cells & Microorganisms

The Science Spot: Biology Lesson Plans

Biology4Kids

KidsBiology

Animal Classes Teacher's Domain

Kids' Corner Animal Classes

BrainPopJr. Animal Ideas

Plant Hall of Fame

A Touch of Class

Classifying Life

Invertebrates (cartoon)

Taxonomic  Information System

Animal Classification Song

Magic School Bus Cellular Video

Vascular v Nonvascular Plants (video)

Plants Rock Song

Parts of a Plant Song

Parts of a Flower Song

Parts of a Seed Song

Photosynthesis Song

Parts of Cells Rap

Genes Rap by Mr. Lee

Heredity and Traits

BrainPOP DNA with Tim and Moby video

BrainPOP Heredity with Tim and Moby video

Glenco Virtual Punnett Squares

Genetics - Punnett Square Games

Furry Family - Genetics Game

McGraw-Hill Virtual Tour Punnett Squares

Genetics - Crazy Plant Shop Game

Genetics Practice Problems online

Color Blindness Test

DNA Song - Mr. Parr

DNA, Fantastic!  Mr. W's DNA Rap

Mutations Song Mr. Parr

The Children's University: Microorganisms

Science Kids: Microorganisms interactive

NeoK12: Microorganism Videos

M.I.High Bitesize Microorganisms game

Mocomi.com:  Microorganisms activities

Simple Science:  Microorganism Song

Micro Organisms video 1

Pathogens SoHow a Virus Works video

The Invisible World Video

Micro Organisms video 2

Germ Wars: Protect, Don't Infect! video

Germs Movie - Virus and Bacteria

Germs Buster - Wash Your Hands video

CLEAN GENE Hand Hygeine activities

Sid the Science Kid Super Antibodies

Disease Detectives game

Keep Safe and Healthy - Everyschool interactives

FETCH! - Germinator game

Illsville - Fight the Disease activities

Tim and Moby Germs video

NOVA - Making Vaccines

An Intro to Cells (Sanger Academy) video

Ducksters Info

Cells Cells Parts of Cells Rap

Cells and Organelles video

Sheppard Software Cells Interactive

Bioman Cells Quiz

DNA Brain Pop video

Heredity Brain Pop video

Herdity and Traits webquest

Mr. Lee Genes rap

Mr. Parr DNA song

Gorilla DNA heredity activity (play video to see how it works)

Furry Family (go through tutorial)

Observable Traits info

Micro Organisms Song 

Simple Science: Microorganisms

Flu and Flu Vaccines byTim and Moby

Cells Rap

Cell Organelles

M.I. High game

Germinator game

Anatomy of a Cell interactive

Virtual Labs: Using a Microscope

Children's University: Micro-Organisms

5th Grade Social Studies

1975-2001

5th Grade Math

Adding and Subtracting with Decimals

Football decimal place value game

Comparing Decimals game

Adding and Subtracting Decimals

Khan Academy add/sub decimals

Soccer Game add decimals

Soccer Game, too sub decimals

Soccer Game again rounding decimals

Treasure Quest Decimals

Decimal Number Bonds

Baseball subtracting decimal game

Adding Decimals Sheppard's Software game

Decimal Subtraction Sheppard's Software game

Decimal Pop least to greatest game

Decimal Pop level 2

Scooter Quest decimal place value game

Matching Math decimals and base ten blocks

Decimal Patterns game

Problem Solving adding and subtracting decimals

Decimal Number Names quiz tenths

Decimal Addition quiz

Decimal Number Name quiz hundredths

Decimal Number Names quiz thousandths

Subtracting Decimals quiz tenths

Adding Decimals quiz hundredths

Subtracting Decimals quiz hundredths

Adding Decimals quiz with money

Multiplying and Dividing Decimals

Geometry and Coordinate Plan


Grid Games for Kids (coordinate grid)

Other Math
Mystery Numbers (guessing game)

5th Grade Reading/ELA

OLD CONTENT

3RD GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES

European Voyages of Exploration (interactive map)

Exploration of North America (interactive map)

Early Voyages of Exploration (interactive map)

Enchanted Learning Explorers Facts (info and pictures)

American Journeys (documents linked)

Biographies

European Exploration WebQuest

All About Explorers 

European Explorers Biography

History of Roanoke - How Stuff Works

Search for the Lost Colony

National Geographic - Have We Found the Lost Colony?

 The Daily Beast: What Happened to Roanoke?

Fox News: New Clue to Mystery

Harvest of History

Discovery Education: Understanding Slavery

Colonial Williamsburg

Meet the Daggetts

Social Studies for Kids - Colonial Times

Kid Info - Colonial Life in Early America

An Ongoing Journey

America's Story from America's Library

GPB/PBS Liberty! Daily Life in the Colonies

European Exploration

Think Quest: Colonial Kids

Colonial Map Collection

Dutch Colonies

French Colonies in America

GPB/PBS - Colonial House

Unearthing Secret America

Africans in America

Virtual Jamestown

Plymoth Colony Archive Project

Wampanoag Tribe History in English Colonies

History of French Colonial America

History of Spanish Colonial America

A Colonial Family and Community

Toys and Games in Colonial America

Think Quest: Colonial Choices

Quia: Games for REviewing Colonial America

Famous Moments in Early American History

TimePage: 13 Colonies

Colonial Currency

Fact Monster: Thirteen Colonies

Georiga's Early Years

Big Apple History

Think Quest: Mid Atlantic Region

America's Story: Explore the States

Enchanted Learning; Pennsylvania

The First Thanskgiving

Plimoth Plantation Homework Help

Pilgrim Story

13 Colonies Clickable Map

Mr. Nussbaum's 13 Colonies

American Colonies Chart

Name the 13 Colonies on a Map

3rd Grade Earth Science
3rd Grade Life Science
3rd Grade Physical Science