Sunday, November 27, 2016

Sunday, November 27, 2016


Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog


Feels good to be back...As some of you may know, I was out of the state last week visiting relatives on the east coast for the holiday. It was so great seeing family and old friends, and I am feeling more thankful than ever. 

I asked the kids before I left, how many of them had family in the Lower 48, and almost the entire class raised their hands. I am amazed at what a strong community we are and how we learn to live in camaraderie under extreme circumstances at times (temperatures, sun deprivation, and mosquitoes :) These are small samples of the bonds we share, and we often call each other our "Alaskan Family" without forgetting our roots, learning and teaching from our past, and appreciating every second we get to share with people we travel so far to see. 

On a lighter note: My substitute, Mrs. Wendy Kern, left a very nice note about the class and how wonderful they are. I would have to emphatically agree. I am so excited to see the kids tomorrow. 

Oh...While I was in New Jersey, I had the opportunity to meet our pen pal class, and facilitate some Alaska-based lessons. They were also very excited to talk about our correspondences and had many questions about their new friends. It was a great experience and should make for a more rich collaboration for the remainder of the year. Hopefully we will finish up our next round of letters these next few weeks. 

I apologize for missing last week's blog post...in addition to my planned travels, both my daughter and I became extremely sick prior to leaving. My concentration was with getting us better before flying cross-country. Besides being ill, I felt a bit off-balance not posting, but life moves forward. Above you will see a picture taken by Mrs. Kern on Wednesday, November 23, 2016 (Wacky Hair Day).

I hope that you and your families enjoyed your break, whatever you celebrate. I myself, am particularly thankful for family in both New Jersey and Alaska, my health, and for having such amazing students. 

This week, we will be back to some regular curricula items, and I am looking forward to catching up with the kiddos.

I am all over the place here...

PLEASE SEND IN $7 WITH YOUR STUDENT THIS WEEK FOR THE FIELD TRIP TO HERRING AUDITORIUM THIS FRIDAY. WE ARE GOING TO SEE THE NUTCRACKER AND ONE OF OUR OWN FROM THIS CLASS IS IN IT THIS YEAR (WAY TO GO ELLIE)! VOLUNTEERS ARE WELCOME, AND UNFORTUNATELY, ALSO COST SEVEN BUCKAROOS! WE PLAN TO LEAVE AT 9:15 AM.

A note from PTA...
Thank you Mr. Sassman's class for answering our call for volunteers for the reflective tape sew-on! Thanks to your strong response we were able to spread the load and finish by lunch. Couldn't have done it without you!




MATH: Mrs. Wendy Kern introduced Topic 7 last week and I will have a review of the lessons covered to make certain we are all on the same page. Check the homework section, there are some minor changes to this weeks assignments. This week should get us back on track.

Monday looks like:
9:00 - 9:10
Class Meeting
New Jobs
9:10 - 10:25
New Seats
DOL
Spelling
10:25 - 11:00
Library
11:00 - 11:40
Read Aloud - Cursive Handbooks
11:40 - 12:10
Lunch
12:10 - 12:40
Recess
12:40 - 2:00
Math Block
2:00 - 3:30
Intro to Current Events Reports - December's project
Pen Pal Letters

*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.

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.

IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENTS - QUIZZES - TESTS
By Friday, December 2, 2016 (WOW December?)
-- Cursive Letters "G" and "H"
-- Pen Pal Letters Rough Draft (perhaps final draft)

HOMEWORK (homeroom)
DUE Thursday, December 1, 2016 
-- Spelling Lesson 11 (Quiz Friday)
-- Pick a current events article

MATH HOMEWORK DUE THIS WEEK (only if your child is in my math class)
Homework due Tuesday, November 29, 2016
-- ONLY RETEACH 7-1 and 7-2 (NOT THE PRACTICE SIDES)
Homework due Wednesday, November 30, 2016
-- Practice 7-3
Homework due Thursday, December 1, 2016
-- Practice 7-4
Homework due Friday, December 2, 2016
-- Practice 7-5

*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. 

ONGOING INFORMATION
READING LOGS
Reading logs are a regular part of our class. Students will receive "points" for for each day that they read a minimum of 20 minutes at home. The purpose: for students to read each day (not 100 minutes over the weekend or 40 minutes on Tuesday to catch up for Monday).
The logs will be due on a rolling basis and should have dates read on them. I will give credit as they are turned in and filled out correctly (please initial these). The points students receive will be added to their overall reading grade, counting towards their final grade.
It is simple, if students read and turn in their logs, they will see their grade improve significantly while naturally benefitting in fluency and accuracy. If they do not, they will not be given a "0" on the assignment, they simply will not receive any points.
Please look for these to come home this week. I have a yellow folder by the classroom front door filled with new reading logs. Email me with any questions or concerns please.

GOOGLE DRIVE
You can access all of your student's digital assignments online and work at home if you would like. Just go to www.gmail.com and type in their email address and password. Then find the Google Menu (where you will find the Drive, Docs, and Slides) icon in the top right corner (it is a nine square grid next to their s-number). This is where they will make their Google Slides Presentation for their Biography Book Reports. It is as follows:

Username: s#@student.k12northstar.org (for example: s123456@student.k12northstar.org)
Password: s#g (for example: s123456g)

DATES TO REMEMBER

THIS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016
Field Trip - The Nutcracker at Herring Auditorium

Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Field Trip - Alaska Room at Anne Wien Elementary 

Thursday, December 15, 2016
Field Trip - West Valley High School Performing Arts Center
"Amahl and the Night Visitors" - Two volunteers needed

Friday, January 27, 2016
Field Trip - University of Alaska - Davis Concert Hall
"A Children's Symphony" - Two volunteers needed

Thursday, February 2, 2017
Field Trip - Herring Auditorium
Versa Style Dance Company - Two volunteers needed

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Sunday, November 13, 2016


Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog


Our states pot luck is finally here (THIS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016 from 5-7 PM) and I am super-excited! This is the third year now, and it has become a bit of a fourth grade tradition. Please check out a recipe/dish from your student's state to bring, and share with other families. It will be held in the commons and we will hang state poster boards in a "Gallery" style for you to explore the kids' hard work over the past few weeks. 

Last week we were back to some regular classroom items such as spelling and DOL. We also learned about figurative language (Similes, Metaphors, and Idioms). Next up is Personification, Alliteration, and Onomatopoeia. I hear that our PenPal letters are in transit by the way! Finally for now, we started a new STEM topic that explores Astronomy and Aerospace Engineering. We will continue with that this week as well. 



MATH: Topic 6 comes to a close this week and we will possibly start Topic 7, which focuses on multiplying 2-digit numbers by multiples of 10, and using rounding/compatible numbers to estimate. It should be a fairly quick section, and good prep for the next chapter. Reminder: Please check PowerSchool to see any missing assignments as we are halfway through the second quarter already, YIKES!

Monday looks like:
9:00 - 9:10
Class Meeting
New Jobs
9:10 - 10:25
Spelling
Poster Boards
10:25 - 11:00
Library
11:00 - 11:40
Read Aloud - Poster Boards
11:40 - 12:10
Lunch
12:10 - 12:40
Recess
12:40 - 2:00
Math Block
2:00 - 3:30
STEM - Aerospace Engineering

*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.

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.

IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENTS - QUIZZES - TESTS
BY Friday, November 18, 2016:
-- State Research Reports Due

HOMEWORK (homeroom)
DUE Thursday, November 10, 2016 
-- Spelling Lesson 10 (This is a review lesson and we will not have a quiz)

MATH HOMEWORK DUE THIS WEEK (only if your child is in my math class)
Homework due Tuesday, November 15, 2016
-- Practice 6-5
Homework due Wednesday, November 16, 2016
-- Practice 6-6
Homework due Thursday, November 17, 2016
-- Topic 6 Review
Homework due Friday, November 18, 2016
-- Topic 6 Take Home Test

*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. 

ONGOING INFORMATION
READING LOGS
Reading logs are a regular part of our class. Students will receive "points" for for each day that they read a minimum of 20 minutes at home. The purpose: for students to read each day (not 100 minutes over the weekend or 40 minutes on Tuesday to catch up for Monday).
The logs will be due on a rolling basis and should have dates read on them. I will give credit as they are turned in and filled out correctly (please initial these). The points students receive will be added to their overall reading grade, counting towards their final grade.
It is simple, if students read and turn in their logs, they will see their grade improve significantly while naturally benefitting in fluency and accuracy. If they do not, they will not be given a "0" on the assignment, they simply will not receive any points.
Please look for these to come home this week. I have a yellow folder by the classroom front door filled with new reading logs. Email me with any questions or concerns please.

GOOGLE DRIVE
You can access all of your student's digital assignments online and work at home if you would like. Just go to www.gmail.com and type in their email address and password. Then find the Google Menu (where you will find the Drive, Docs, and Slides) icon in the top right corner (it is a nine square grid next to their s-number). This is where they will make their Google Slides Presentation for their Biography Book Reports. It is as follows:

Username: s#@student.k12northstar.org (for example: s123456@student.k12northstar.org)
Password: s#g (for example: s123456g)

DATES TO REMEMBER

Thursday, November 17, 2016 from 5-7 PM
States Reports Pot Luck - Sassman and Hammer  

Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Field Trip - Alaska Room at Anne Wien Elementary 

Thursday, December 15, 2016
Field Trip - West Valley High School Performing Arts Center
"Amahl and the Night Visitors" - Two volunteers needed

Friday, January 27, 2016
Field Trip - University of Alaska - Davis Concert Hall
"A Children's Symphony" - Two volunteers needed

Thursday, February 2, 2017
Field Trip - Herring Auditorium
Versa Style Dance Company - Two volunteers needed

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog


WINTER IS HERE!







I have to say...I left here on Friday with an amazing feeling of Joy. This class has grown so much already and they continually make me proud and with their academics, but also their willingness to help their fellow classmates. 

Our Brooklyn Bridge K'NEX STEM lesson was a big hit and at one point, the kids stacked 22 dictionaries on their bridges. We will have one more session this week to finish up. Next will be Exploding Canisters - STEM Style. We will learn about Newton's Laws of Motion and create demonstrations. 

Back to business...Spelling Lesson 9 this week, DOL (Figurative Language), and some TFK. Thanks for sending in reading logs...I am catching up on grading today. We will also be making a good push on our State Research Report Poster Boards. 

MATH: Similar to my homeroom, we explored building bridges and learned about the Brooklyn Bridge last Friday. One of the main activities was keeping a budget and pricing out the different designs. Students were able to choose from a variety of structures including but not limited to: Truss, Suspension, Cantilever, and Beam bridges. We will finish up with that lesson this week and begin Topic 6, which focuses on multiplying using Expanded Algorithm across 4 digit numbers (partial products), and Standard Algorithm (the way we learned to multiply :)

Monday looks like:
9:00 - 9:10
Class Meeting
New Seats
9:10 - 10:25
DOL
Spelling
10:25 - 11:00
Library
11:00 - 11:40
Read Aloud
11:40 - 12:10
Lunch
12:10 - 12:40
Recess
12:40 - 2:00
Math Block
2:00 - 3:30
State Research Reports
Fictional Narratives
Poster Boards

*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.

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.

IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENTS - QUIZZES - TESTS
ON Friday, November 11, 2016:
-- Lesson 9 Spelling Quiz 

HOMEWORK (homeroom)
DUE Thursday, November 10, 2016 
-- Spelling Lesson 9

MATH HOMEWORK DUE THIS WEEK (only if your child is in my math class)
Homework due Tuesday, November 8, 2016
-- Practice 6-1
Homework due Wednesday, November 9, 2016
-- Practice 6-2
Homework due Thursday, November 10, 2016
-- Practice 6-3
Homework due Friday, November 11, 2016
-- Practice 6-4

*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. 

ONGOING INFORMATION
READING LOGS
Reading logs are a regular part of our class. Students will receive "points" for for each day that they read a minimum of 20 minutes at home. The purpose: for students to read each day (not 100 minutes over the weekend or 40 minutes on Tuesday to catch up for Monday).
The logs will be due on a rolling basis and should have dates read on them. I will give credit as they are turned in and filled out correctly (please initial these). The points students receive will be added to their overall reading grade, counting towards their final grade.
It is simple, if students read and turn in their logs, they will see their grade improve significantly while naturally benefitting in fluency and accuracy. If they do not, they will not be given a "0" on the assignment, they simply will not receive any points.
Please look for these to come home this week. I have a yellow folder by the classroom front door filled with new reading logs. Email me with any questions or concerns please.

GOOGLE DRIVE
You can access all of your student's digital assignments online and work at home if you would like. Just go to www.gmail.com and type in their email address and password. Then find the Google Menu (where you will find the Drive, Docs, and Slides) icon in the top right corner (it is a nine square grid next to their s-number). This is where they will make their Google Slides Presentation for their Biography Book Reports. It is as follows:

Username: s#@student.k12northstar.org (for example: s123456@student.k12northstar.org)
Password: s#g (for example: s123456g)

DATES TO REMEMBER

Thursday, November 17, 2016
States Reports Pot Luck - Sassman and Hammer  

Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Field Trip - Alaska Room at Anne Wien Elementary 

Thursday, December 15, 2016
Field Trip - West Valley High School Performing Arts Center
"Amahl and the Night Visitors" - Two volunteers needed

Friday, January 27, 2016
Field Trip - University of Alaska - Davis Concert Hall
"A Children's Symphony" - Two volunteers needed

Thursday, February 2, 2017
Field Trip - Herring Auditorium
Versa Style Dance Company - Two volunteers needed

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman