Monday, September 28, 2015

Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

School Newsletter
Please sign up for the Pearl Creek eNewsletter by clicking on this link below.  You can sign up as many accounts as you want, and cancel at any time.  The newsletter will be sent each week, with timely information, helpful for reminders, and news of school events.  Don't let important information get lost in your child's backpack - let us deliver important news directly to YOU!

Click on this link:  Pearl Creek eNewsletter Subscription

Pillow Making 

We will be making pillows Monday, October 5, 2015. This has started to become an annual tradition at Pearl Creek and the students really enjoy it. Can you please pick up materials and have the kids bring them in by this Thursday, October 1, 2015? Each student will need ONE full yard of fabric, which can be bought at Michaels or Joann Fabric here in town. Kids will also need one package of pillow stuffing. I have included pictures below. Thanks so much. Currently, we have about 2 volunteers, but we need some more help and sewing machines. I anticipate this project running from 9:00 - 11:00, and our goal is to get them all done in one day. I would also ask that you pick up ONE ADDITIONAL FULL YARD OF FABRIC, so we can make grocery bag holders as a class fundraiser. Perhaps we can get all the sewing done in one day for those. I believe they are fairly simple and look like the picture below.

Example pillow fill. You can find at
 Fred's, Wal-Mart, Sam's...

Final pillow example.

Fundraising for our class trips and activities.

AS ALWAYS, PLEASE check your child's planner for homework and correspondence!   

Tuesday looks like:

9:00 - 9:10

Planners

Class Meeting

9:10 - 11:00

No Excuse Spelling Words Grade 4

StoryTown Lesson 2

Read Aloud - My Side of the Mountain

11:00 - 11:40

Library

11:40 - 12:10

Lunch

12:10 - 12:40

Recess

12:40 - 2:00

Math Block

2:00 - 3:30

Recess Part II

Time for Kids: Searching for Sharks

Social Studies: States and Capitals 26-50

*Please note that Math, Specials, Lunch, and Recess are Intermediate schedules and stay in blocks. At times, curriculum instruction will be shuffled to accommodate different initiatives. For example, Monday 8-24-15, we had a special Pearl Creek Garden Tour at 10:20 am - 10:50 am, so English/Language Arts was moved to the afternoon.

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please feel free to call or email me anytime to discuss things further. I hope you find this information helpful and useful.

DUE BY Friday, October 2, 2015:
-- StoryTown Lesson 2 (in-class)
-- States and Capitals 26-50 (in-class and at home if not finished)
-- No Excuse Spelling Words List One
-- Time for Kids: Searching for Sharks
-- Planners signed by parents/guardians 

MATH HOMEWORK DUE THIS WEEK (only if you are in my math class)

Homework due Wednesday, September 30, 2015

-- TOPIC 2 REVIEW PART 2
Homework due Thursday, October 1, 2015
-- Reteach/Practice 3-1
Homework due Friday, October 2, 2015
-- Reteach/Practice 3-2

*Please keep in mind, projects or tests we have in class may have to be brought home to be finished or to study. Please ask your child if they have completed their work before you have signed their planner. 

Dates to Remember: 

Monday, September 28, 2015
Teacher In-Service Day (No School)

Monday, October 5, 2015
Pillow Making - Volunteers and Sewing Machines Needed Please!!!
9-11 am

Monday, October 26, 2015 and Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Parent/Teacher Conferences

If you are interested in attending or helping out as a chaperone on a field trip, you must be cleared with the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District...see me for a packet. If you would like to simply help out in class or volunteer, just let me know!

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

So here we go!!! I gave the kiddos a little talk last week about homework and getting work in on time. I realize that fourth grade is a big step for many kids and my expectations are high...I believe that we have made real progress already, and I am happy overall, but we definitely need some improvement! Please go on to PowerSchool and check grades/assignments. If there are any missing, students are able to turn in late work. Also (just a friendly reminder), if a student earns a less than desired outcome on an assignment, they may fix and return such assignment for additional credit.

We had a nice week together...Pearl Creek Olympics, Hokusai Japanese Insect Art, STEM books, Time for kids! Book reports are in full swing. This week the kiddos have two Retolds due by Friday. 

A BIG THANK YOU to Mr. Scott Dunavin and all the wonderful volunteers that helped out with the Olympics in the cold and rain! It was a special time that concluded with a great ceremony in the gym!

Wonderful job to all the students that participated in the sporting events last week, from the preliminary rounds to the finals, you're all awesome!!!

Picture day for our class is this Friday, September 25, 2015 at 10:20 am. 

Don't forget: NO SCHOOL on Monday, September 28, 2015 (Teacher in-service day)!

I am starting to think about pillow-making and considering Monday, October 5, 2015 as a potential date. Please mark your calendars, especially if you have a machine or can help. This is usually a very fun activity, but we need a lot of hands to help. We will most likely do this in the morning, and I am hoping we can get extra material to make bags to sell at the Halloween Carnival (we will talk more and keep posted for more info and specifics about all of this)!

Next week we will start our states projects...This week we will start learning our states and capitals! GET READY - it's a bit painful, but necessary!

AS ALWAYS, PLEASE check your child's planner for homework and correspondence!   

Monday looks like:

9:00 - 9:10

New Jobs

Class Meeting

9:10 - 11:00

DOL WEEK 3

Spelling Lesson Week 3

StoryTown Lesson 3

Read Aloud - Shiloh

11:00 - 11:40

Library

11:40 - 12:10

Lunch

12:10 - 12:40

Recess

12:40 - 2:00

Math Block

2:00 - 3:30

Recess Part II

Time for Kids: Dinosaur Hunter

Social Studies: These United States

*Please note that Math, Specials, Lunch, and Recess are Intermediate schedules and stay in blocks. At times, curriculum instruction will be shuffled to accommodate different initiatives. For example, Monday 8-24-15, we had a special Pearl Creek Garden Tour at 10:20 am - 10:50 am, so English/Language Arts was moved to the afternoon.

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please feel free to call or email me anytime to discuss things further. I hope you find this information helpful and useful.

DUE BY Friday, September 25, 2015:
-- Book Report: "Retold" 2 and 3
-- StoryTown Lesson 3
-- Time for Kids: Dinosaur Hunter
-- Summer reflections final copies (in-class)
-- Planners signed by parents/guardians 

-- PLEASE SEND IN $5.00 WITH YOUR STUDENT FOR THE FIELD TRIP (CREAMER'S FIELD IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY, WE WENT TWO WEEKS AGO :)

MATH HOMEWORK DUE THIS WEEK (only if you are in my math class)

Homework due Tuesday, September 22, 2015

-- Reteach/Practice 2-4
Homework due Wednesday, September 23, 2015

-- Reteach/Practice 2-5
Homework due Thursday, September 24, 2015
-- Reteach/Practice 2-6
Homework due Friday, September 25, 2015
-- Reteach/Practice 2-7

*Please keep in mind, projects or tests we have in class may have to be brought home to be finished or to study. Please ask your child if they have completed their work before you have signed their planner. 

Dates to Remember: 

Friday, September 25, 2015
Intermediate Picture Day
10:20 am

Monday, September 28, 2015
Teacher In-Service Day (No School)

Monday, October 5, 2015
Pillow Making - Volunteers and Sewing Machines Needed Please!!!
9-11 am

Monday, October 26, 2015 and Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Parent/Teacher Conferences

If you are interested in attending or helping out as a chaperone on a field trip, you must be cleared with the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District...see me for a packet. If you would like to simply help out in class or volunteer, just let me know!

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

ANNUAL PEARL CREEK HARVEST FESTIVAL!!!!

A HUGE SUCCESS and a BIG THANK YOU to the Pearl Creek PTA and Garden Committee for organizing such a wonderful evening. The weather was perfect and food was even better! 

We had a great week in class! Creamer's Field was a highlight and we capped off the week with a pancake breakfast on Friday morning. The kiddos worked hard and the benefits were well deserved!

Our class caterpillars have left the larvae stage and entered the pupae stage!!! They will go through a process called metamorphosis and become young adults in the next 7-10 days. After they shed their chrysalides, they will emerge as beautiful "Painted Lady" butterflies and we will set them free just before the fall ends!  

Pearl Creek Olympics this week: Mr. Scott Dunavin has been working hard to organize and coordinate this special week, so a big THANK YOU to him!!!

Fourth grade has preliminary rounds from 9:30-11:00 am on Wednesday. Semi-finals happen on Thursday morning for those that move on, and the finals will be on Friday from 9:30-10:30. Awards and ceremony will be on Friday in the gym from 2:00-2:45 pm. PARENTS ARE WELCOME TO COME AND WATCH DURING ANY OF THESE EVENTS!

AS ALWAYS, PLEASE check your child's planner for homework and correspondence!   

Monday looks like:

9:00 - 9:10

Planners

Class Meeting

9:10 - 11:00

DOL

Summer Reflections - Essays

Snack

Book Reports - Quilts and Retolds

Read Aloud - Shiloh

11:00 - 11:40

Library

11:40 - 12:10

Lunch

12:10 - 12:40

Recess

12:40 - 2:00

Math Block

2:00 - 3:30

Recess Part II

GeoNotes Week 3

Time for Kids: The Answers Issue

*Please note that Math, Specials, Lunch, and Recess are Intermediate schedules and stay in blocks. At times, curriculum instruction will be shuffled to accommodate different initiatives. For example, Monday 8-24-15, we had a special Pearl Creek Garden Tour at 10:20 am - 10:50 am, so English/Language Arts was moved to the afternoon.

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please feel free to call or email me anytime to discuss things further. I hope you find this information helpful and useful.

DUE BY Friday, September 18, 2015:
-- Book Report: "Retold" 1
-- Time for Kids: The Answers Issue
-- Summer reflections final copies (in-class)
-- GeoNotes Week 3 (in-class)
-- Planners signed by parents/guardians 

-- PLEASE SEND IN $5.00 WITH YOUR STUDENT FOR THE FIELD TRIP (CREAMER'S FIELD IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY, WE WENT LAST WEEK :)

MATH HOMEWORK DUE THIS WEEK (only if you are in my math class)

Homework due Tuesday, September 15, 2015

-- Topic 1 Review (TEST TOPIC 1 TUESDAY)
Homework due Wednesday, September 16, 2015

-- Reteach/Practice 2-1
Homework due Thursday, September 17, 2015
-- Reteach/Practice 2-2
Homework due Friday, September 18, 2015
-- Reteach/Practice 2-3

*Please keep in mind, projects or tests we have in class may have to be brought home to be finished or to study. Please ask your child if they have completed their work before you have signed their planner. 

Dates to Remember: 

Friday, September 25, 2015
Intermediate Picture Day

Monday, September 28, 2015
Teacher In-Service Day (No School)

Monday, October 26, 2015 and Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Parent/Teacher Conferences

If you are interested in attending or helping out as a chaperone on a field trip, you must be cleared with the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District...see me for a packet. If you would like to simply help out in class or volunteer, just let me know!

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman

Monday, September 7, 2015

Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

Place-based learning at its best!!! Thanks so much to the parents and volunteers who helped out. Also, special credit to my AK Statewide Mentor Teacher and friend Mrs. Kathleen Wright, for helping and taking such good pictures during the day!

HAPPY LABOR DAY! 

Labor Day: The first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

For more information about Labor Day, follow the link below! Some interesting stuff!

http://www.dol.gov/laborday/history.htm

I hope you enjoyed your long weekend! My family and I took in the sights of the Parks Highway down to Wasilla to visit family. We saw the amazing colors of Alaska in the unofficial fall. This is my favorite time of year and the drive was quite beautiful! Zemra, Meagen and I had a wonderful time!

Last week was full of greatness! We enjoyed some time in the garden again, this time harvesting potatoes for our Harvest Festival...FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 by the way...is our annual celebration at Pearl Creek. Please come out to support our school and wonderful PTA from 5-7 PM.

We also hiked to Ballaine Lake for a science excursion. We had four stations: Aquatic Insect Exploration, Photojournalism, Watercolor Art, and Boreal Forrest Leaf Collection. We will be working more with our findings and creations this week.

Technology is in full swing. The students signed on to their PowerSchool accounts, set up their Google Drive accounts, and finished out strong with Typing Agent. We will work more with the laptops and computer lab this week as well. 

This week, we will change speeds a bit. We have a short week and a bit less homework. For students in my math class, we have our first test of the year on Friday (Topic 1). 

We will start our StoryTown curriculum for English/Language Arts. I would like to have all students finished with their final copies of their Summer Reflections! 

We will also be starting our first book reports of the year and students should have a book picked out no later than Friday. This first report will feature a fictional chapter book of choice. I have discussed with the class about how to choose appropriate books and we will talk about that again this week. 

Lastly for now, we will study bird migration and take a field trip to Creamer's Field on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2015. It should be great. As always, feel free to come along if your morning is free! We will leave at 9:10 on the dot!

PLEASE SEND IN $5.00 WITH YOUR STUDENT FOR TRANSPORTATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

PLEASE check your child's planner for homework and correspondence!   

TUESDAY looks like:

9:00 - 11:40

CREAMER'S FIELD AND BIRD MIGRATIONS

11:40 - 12:10

Lunch

12:10 - 12:40

Recess

12:40 - 2:00

Math Block

2:00 - 3:30

Science: Bird Migration

Intro to the 50 States!

*Please note that Math, Specials, Lunch, and Recess are Intermediate schedules and stay in blocks. At times, curriculum instruction will be shuffled to accommodate different initiatives. For example, Monday 8-24-15, we will have a special Pearl Creek Garden Tour at 10:20 am - 10:50 am, so English/Language Arts will be in the afternoon.

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please feel free to call or email me anytime to discuss things further. I hope you find this information helpful and useful.

ON Friday, September 11, 2015:
-- Summer reflections final copies (in-class)

DUE Friday, September 11, 2015:
-- Pick book for first book report of the year 
-- Planners signed by parents/guardians
-- Bird Migrations 
-- PLEASE SEND IN $5.00 WITH YOUR STUDENT FOR THE FIELD TRIP THIS WEEK

MATH HOMEWORK DUE THIS WEEK (only if you are in my math class)
Homework due Wednesday, September 9, 2015

-- Reteach/Practice 1-9
Homework due Thursday, September 10, 2015
-- Reteach/Practice 1-10
Homework due Friday, September 11, 2015
-- Topic 1 Review (TEST TOPIC 1 FRIDAY)

*Please keep in mind, projects or tests we have in class may have to be brought home to be finished or to study. Please ask your child if they have completed their work before you have signed their planner. 

Dates to Remember: 

Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Field Trip - Creamer's Field (two parent volunteers needed please)

Friday, September 11, 2015
Harvest Festival 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm @ Pearl Creek Garden

If you are interested in attending or helping out as a chaperone on a field trip, you must be cleared with the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District...see me for a packet. If you would like to simply help out in class or volunteer, just let me know!

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman