Fourth Grade Teacher

Hello! My name is Mrs. Orijel and I am proud to be part of the Dolores Street Elementary community. I am the fourth grade GATE teacher. I have been a teacher for 21 years, with the last 16 years spent here at Dolores Street, where I have had the joy of working with so many wonderful students and families.

I am a National Board Certified Teacher, which reflects my dedication to growing as an educator and providing the best learning opportunities for my students.

Outside of the classroom, I love spending time with my family and exploring the world together. We enjoy traveling to new places, trying exciting foods, and seeking out adventures like river rafting, zip lining, kayaking, and paddle boarding.

I look forward to another year of learning, discovery, and growth with my students

Contact Information: [email protected]

You can reach me via email. Please give me up to 24 hours to respond to your inquiry, not including weekends.

Welcome to fourth grade! This year is an exciting step in your child’s learning journey. The Common Core State Standards guide what students should know and be able to do by the end of the school year. Here’s what you can expect in reading, writing, and math:

In fourth grade, students move beyond learning to read, they begin reading to learn. They read a variety of stories, informational texts, and articles, and are expected to explain what they read in their own words. Your child will practice identifying the main idea, comparing different texts on the same topic, and using evidence from the text to support their answers.

Writing becomes more detailed and organized this year. Students will write opinion essays, informative reports, and narratives with clear paragraphs, supporting details, and proper grammar. They will also work on revising and editing their writing, just like real authors do.

Fourth grade math focuses on building a strong foundation for advanced skills. Students will work on:

Multiplication & Division – mastering facts and solving multi-step problems
Fractions – comparing fractions, finding equivalent fractions, and adding or subtracting them
Decimals – understanding place value and relating decimals to fractions
Geometry & Measurement – working with angles, lines, shapes, and measurement conversions
Word Problems – applying math to real-world situations, often requiring multiple steps

The big goal in math is for students to not just “do” math, but to explain their thinking and show multiple strategies for solving problems.

Classroom Expectations