Third Grade

Meet the 3rd Grade Team:

Ms. Perez
Lourdes Perez is ecstatic to be teaching at WISH! Ms. Perez earned her BA degree from Mount St. Mary’s University. She decided to become a teacher because of her love for learning and working with children. Her favorite subject to teach is Science and Social Studies because she enjoys encouraging students to work in groups and become problem solvers. In her free time she enjoys to hike, bike ride, and bowl. She thinks WISH is the best place to work because of the countless opportunities to develop her profession and the family feel that exist amongst the faculty, staff, and families of WISH!

Ms. Tobias

Samantha Tobias is thrilled to be teaching third grade at WISH! Ms. Tobias received her BA in Education with a focus in Early Childhood and her teaching credential from Loyola Marymount University. She knew she wanted to be a teacher from an early age and has always loved fostering a love of learning in the people around her. Her favorite subject to teach is science because it is a passion she shares with her dad and because she loves to watch kids’ curiosity and knowledge grow through experiments. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, cuddling with her cat Tori, and spending time outside with her dogs Tucker and Lily. She thinks WISH is the best place to work because of its incredibly supportive community of people who are dedicated to the students’ growth, both academically and emotionally.

Ms. Morizono

My name is Kendall Morizono and I’m so excited to begin my journey teaching at WISH. I received my BA at California State University of Fullerton and am currently finishing my Masters in Education at National University. I come from a family of educators and found my passion for education when I began working in the autism program in 2017. I was given the opportunity to watch my students in the program grow from kindergarten to 5th grade, and watching this growth from all students has become my favorite part of the job. My favorite subject to teach is English, because I love hearing the various interpretations students have throughout the grades. In my spare time I hang out with my cats, read books, and enjoy time at the beach. I can’t wait to begin my journey at WISH Charter! I look forward to meeting everyone soon.

Ms. Gjerman

Karalani Gjerman is so excited to be teaching 3rd grade at WISH! Ms. K earned her BA degree, MA degree, and teaching credential from Loyola Marymount University. She decided to become a teacher because she loves positively impacting students and fostering a love of learning. Her favorite subject to teach is math because she loves making it fun and engaging for students! In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, exercising, and exploring new places. She thinks WISH is the best place to work because of its supportive and inclusive community!

Ms. Lauryn

Lauryn Muraida is so excited to begin her first year as a Special Education teacher at WISH Elementary, supporting both kindergarten and third grade. She earned her Master’s in Special Education through the Alder Graduate Program and completed her student teaching at El Segundo High School. With a creative background in the performing arts, she has performed as a Disneyland parade performer, appeared in musical theater productions, and designed costumes for youth theater programs, and she loves bringing that creativity and joy into the classroom. A proud Harry Potter fan herself, she is especially excited to connect with fellow fans on campus while beginning her educational journey at one of the best elementary schools in the South Bay.

Learn more about the 3rd Grade Program:
The third grade program incorporates the constructivist learning theory into everyday instruction, engaging students in hands on, project -based learning. Students are provided differentiated instruction to fit their particular needs. They participate in cooperative and collaborative learning activities designed to develop their social and academic skills. In addition, technology, art, music, and PE are important, integral components of the third grade curriculum.

The language arts curriculum provides students an opportunity to solidify literacy skills. This includes: fluency, comprehension, critical thinking, predicting, drawing conclusions, inference, and constructing genuine responses to literature. The writing program, one of the hallmarks of the third grade curriculum, is integrated throughout all subjects. Students practice the writing process through a variety of genres, such as, narratives, compare and contrast, summary, and a persuasive letter. Along with the writing process, vocabulary, spelling, and grammar are taught in context in order to be more meaningful to the students.

In math, third grade students begin to delve into complex mathematical concepts that utilize their higher level thinking skills. Students begin to learn and master place value to the hundred thousandths place, rounding, adding and subtracting whole numbers, geometry, multiplication concepts and facts, division, fractions, measurement, metric measurement, perimeter, area, volume, decimals, data and probability. Digital curriculum and manipulatives are both utilized to help students grasp concepts.

In social studies, third graders learn more about our connections to the past. There is an emphasis on the physical and cultural landscape of California, including the study of American Indians, the subsequent arrival of immigrants, and the impact they had on our contemporary society.

In science, third graders study matter and energy, structures of life, and the climate patterns. Students utilize the Scientific Method through hands-on science experiments and record their hypothesis, data, and conclusions in a science notebook.