Monday, January 28, 2019

Monday, January 28, 2019


Mr. Sassman's 6th Grade Class Blog

Woodriver Elementary School



A couple of notes...
Early dismissal this Thursday and no school on Friday. All teachers across the district have to finish ALICE training during this time. I sure hope we never need it, but it is important to be prepared in the event that we do!

I hope you had a nice weekend! Last week the kids worked and studied hard! We ware well underway with our third quarter academic campaigns and pretty soon we will begin our reflections on all the work we have accomplished this year in preparation for student-led parent-teacher conferences. Please be sure that your student is present during our meetings, as they will be an integral part of the process. Thanks.

A Note from Mr. Ribbens:

Hello Parents,

Can you believe that it's already the fourth week of the new semester!  Today, I will be leading the class in preparation for my full-time student-teaching.  The last two weeks of the third quarter and the first week of the fourth quarter, I will be taking over the room.  During that time, I will be planning all of the lessons and managing every aspect of the classroom.  I am extremely excited about this opportunity and I can assure you that much of our established routines will be maintained. Please feel free to contact me at joel.ribbens@k12northstar.org or Mr. Sassman via email/phone as he will be in school and here to help if the need should arise.

--Joel 

This week the students will start to make updates to their Q3 TDLs via Google Sheets. Last quarter, each student was introduced to the program and made their own working spreadsheet. They will make modifications to coincide with their most current (individualized/personalized) To Do Lists!

We will continue our class novel - My Side of the Mountain, our read aloud - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Literacy Circles, and Writer's Workshop, all while sprinkling in a little GeoNotes (Global Edition) and spelling. Spelling this week will be personalized as well. Kids will pick twenty words from the Sitton Spelling 1,200 High-Frequency Words List. Then they will choose from a list of tasks (provided) to demonstrate their mastery of said words. And yes, I will be checking to make sure the words are challenging enough :)

Lastly, Literacy Circles have been our third quarter book reports and the kids have been meeting every Friday to discuss and share with their groups, their thoughts using prompts they have been given. The kids have been matched with appropriately leveled classmates and books per their MAP Lexile Ratings.

Ongoing info...in case you missed it...
Every student is strongly encouraged to participate in the optional school Science Fair. Packets are available at the office. All participants will receive a full letter grade bonus (+10%) in both Writing and Science grades for the third quarter. Please visit Woodriver’s Science Fair website for details at https://www.wolfpups.org/science-fair.html

Please turn in your Box Tops for Education. Each Box Top is worth ten cents for our school and you would be amazed at how quickly it adds up. Thank you. 

The Sixth Grade Team is planning multiple field trips for the third and fourth quarters. To participate, every student must have exhibited excellent behavior, maintain passing grades in every class, consistently follow instructions, and strictly adhere to all safety requirements. A student who earns two or more formal detentions or discipline referrals may be excluded from participating.

For Social Studies this quarter, Mr. Kinder will be teaching the students about the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas. He will finish the Greeks in the second half of the quarter. I will be teaching the students about the Romans. Due to the two Social Studies classes, there will not be a STEAM class this quarter. For Science, Mrs. Clark will be teaching the students about Classification and Ecosystems.

Monday looks like:
9:00 - 9:20
10-Minute writing prompt: Where would you go if you could teleport somewhere/places?
Class Meeting
New Jobs
9:20 - 10:30
Walk to Math
10:30 - 10:40
Break - Snack and Read Aloud - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
10:40 - 12:00
GeoNotes
Spelling
TDL
12:00 - 12:30
Eat
12:30 - 1:00
Play
1:00 - 1:40
Class Novel - My Side of the Mountain
1:40 - 2:15
Gym
2:15 - 3:30
Literacy Circles Session 3
Writer's Workshop

THIRD QUARTER AGENDA AND TDL (some of these have not been introduced yet)
Literacy Circle
Spelling
Superhero Narratives
Expository Book
DOL
Word Work
Paragraph Development
Read Aloud
Class Novel - My Side of the Mountain
Winter Haikus
Zentangles
Owl Pellets
Diamante Poetry
What I love About Winter???

MATH HOMEWORK 
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
--Practice 8-5
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
--Practice 8-6
Thursday, January 31, 2019
--Topic 8 Review (Test) 

Please regularly check your child’s grades in PowerSchool and update the Web and Technology Use forms. I would appreciate it if you gave permission for your child’s picture to be published on the class blog. The forms are located under the Registration section. Please refer to this link for details: https://www.k12northstar.org/Page/3162  

DATES TO REMEMBER (more field trips to be posted soon)

Thursday, January 31, 2019
Early Dismissal - Staff Training Day

Friday, February 1, 2019
No School - Staff Training Day

Monday and Tuesday, February 18-19, 2019
Student-led Parent-Teacher Conferences

"It's a good life."
--Mr. Sassman

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Tuesday, January 22, 2019


Mr. Sassman's 6th Grade Class Blog

Woodriver Elementary School



A couple of notes:
I mailed second quarter report cards last Friday. Some students were not bringing them home, so that is that...Please review the report cards with your child. The number one reason students have low grades is due to missing or incomplete assignments. 

Every student is strongly encouraged to participate in the optional school Science Fair. Packets are available at the office. All participants will receive a full letter grade bonus (+10%) in both Writing and Science grades for the third quarter. Please visit Woodriver’s Science Fair website for details at https://www.wolfpups.org/science-fair.html

Please turn in your Box Tops for Education. Each Box Top is worth ten cents for our school and you would be amazed at how quickly it adds up. Thank you. 

The Sixth Grade Team is planning multiple field trips for the third and fourth quarters. To participate, every student must have exhibited excellent behavior, maintain passing grades in every class, consistently follow instructions, and strictly adhere to all safety requirements. A student who earns two or more formal detentions or discipline referrals may be excluded from participating.

For Social Studies this quarter, Mr. Kinder will be teaching the students about the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas. He will finish the Greeks in the second half of the quarter. I will be teaching the students about the Romans. Due to the two Social Studies classes, there will not be a STEAM class this quarter. For Science, Mrs. Clark will be teaching the students about Classification and Ecosystems.

Tuesday looks like:
9:00 - 9:20
10-Minute writing prompt: What did you do over the 3-day break?
Class Meeting
New Jobs
New Seats
9:20 - 10:30
Walk to Math
10:30 - 10:40
Break - Snack and Read Aloud
10:40 - 12:00
"S" Groups - Rome
12:00 - 12:30
Eat
12:30 - 1:00
Play
1:00 - 1:40
Class Novel - My Side of the Mountain
1:40 - 2:15
Gym
2:15 - 3:30
Literacy Circles Session 2
Writer's Workshop

THIRD QUARTER AGENDA AND TDL (some of these have not been introduced yet)
Literacy Circle
Spelling
Superhero Narratives
Expository Book
DOL
Word Work
Paragraph Development
Read Aloud
Class Novel - My Side of the Mountain
Winter Haikus
Zentangles
Owl Pellets

MATH HOMEWORK 
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
--Practice 8-1
Thursday, January 24, 2019
--Practice 8-2
Friday, January 25, 2019
--Practice 8-3

Please regularly check your child’s grades in PowerSchool and update the Web and Technology Use forms. I would appreciate it if you gave permission for your child’s picture to be published on the class blog. The forms are located under the Registration section. Please refer to this link for details: https://www.k12northstar.org/Page/3162  

DATES TO REMEMBER (more field trips to be posted soon)

Thursday, January 31, 2019
Early Dismissal - Staff Training Day

Friday, February 1, 2019
No School - Staff Training Day

Monday and Tuesday, February 18-19, 2019
Student-led Parent-Teacher Conferences

"It's a good life."
--Mr. Sassman

Sunday, January 13, 2019

Sunday, January 13, 2019


Mr. Sassman's 6th Grade Class Blog

Woodriver Elementary School

Many kids have been coming in unprepared to go out for recess.
Most importantly, in the event that we have to evacuate
the school, kids need to have warm clothes for their own safety.
Please make sure your kiddo has all these items at school. Thanks!
A couple of notes:
I mailed second quarter report cards on Friday. Some students were not bringing them home, so that is that...Please review the report cards with your child. The number one reason students have low grades is due to missing or incomplete assignments. 

Every student is strongly encouraged to participate in the optional school Science Fair. Packets are available at the office. All participants will receive a full letter grade bonus (+10%) in both Writing and Science grades for the third quarter. Please visit Woodriver’s Science Fair website for details at https://www.wolfpups.org/science-fair.html

Please turn in your Box Tops for Education. Each Box Top is worth ten cents for our school and you would be amazed with how quickly it adds up. Thank you. 

The Sixth Grade Team is planning multiple field trips for the third and fourth quarters. To participate, every student must have exhibited excellent behavior, maintain passing grades in every class, consistently follow instructions, and strictly adhere to all safety requirements. A student who earns two or more formal detentions or discipline referrals may be excluded from participating.

There is no school on Monday, January 21st, to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. 

For Social Studies this quarter, Mr. Kinder will be teaching the students about the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas. He will finish the Greeks in the second half of the quarter. I will be teaching the students about the Romans. Due to the two Social Studies classes, there will not be a STEAM class this quarter. For Science, Mrs. Clark will be teaching the students about Classification and Ecosystems.

Monday looks like:
9:00 - 9:20
10-Minute writing prompt: Write about the person you admire the most...describe them and why. 
Class Meeting
New Jobs
9:20 - 10:30
Walk to Math
10:30 - 10:40
Break - Snack and Read Aloud
10:40 - 12:00
Introduction to Expository Writing
Brainstorming: What am I an expert on?
12:00 - 12:30
Eat
12:30 - 1:00
Play
1:00 - 1:40
Literacy Circles Session 1
1:40 - 2:15
Gym
2:15 - 3:30
Class Novel - My Side of the Mountain
Writer's Workshop

THIRD QUARTER AGENDA AND TDL (some of these have not yet been introduced)
Literacy Circle Session 1
Spelling
Superhero Narratives
Expository Book
DOL
Word Work
Paragraph Development
Read Aloud
Class Novel - My Side of the Mountain
Winter Haikus
Zentangles
Owl Pellets

MATH HOMEWORK 
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
--Practice 7-4
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
--Practice 7-5
Thursday, January 17, 2019
--Topic 7 Review
Friday, January 18, 2019
--Topic 7 Review Part 2 (Test Today)

Please regularly check your child’s grades in PowerSchool and update the Web and Technology Use forms. I would appreciate it if you gave permission for your child’s picture to be published on the class blog. The forms are located under the Registration section. Please refer to this link for details: https://www.k12northstar.org/Page/3162  

DATES TO REMEMBER (more field trips to be posted soon)

Monday, January 24, 2019
No School - MLK Day

Thursday, January 31, 2019
Early Dismissal - Staff Training Day

Friday, February 1, 2019
No School - Staff Training Day

Monday and Tuesday, February 18-19, 2019
Student-led Parent-Teacher Conferences

"It's a good life."
--Mr. Sassman

Monday, January 7, 2019

Monday, January 7, 2019


Mr. Sassman's 6th Grade Class Blog

Woodriver Elementary School




First and foremost, THANK YOU very much for the cards, candies, and gifts before the break. I am so lucky to have a great group of kiddos and this is a direct reflection of their lives and families at home. I hope you had a nice and restful holiday season and are ready to send your students back to school. We have a rather ambitious agenda for the second half of the year and just like the first semester, it will be over in a blink.

The first week back will be a short one, however, we have already started some of our third quarter assignments, so the kids will hit the ground running with their Super Hero Fictional Narratives. We will also be starting Expository Writing this quarter, where kids will choose to write a book about something they are an expert on. We will then publish both pieces in individual books for the kids to keep.

For reading, we will have a class novel, a read aloud, literacy circles, and the kids should have an SSR book. In short, each student will be engaged in four different books in four different ways this quarter.

"S" groups will continue this quarter. I will be teaching the students about Ancient Rome, while Mr. Kinder will go through Ancient Greece, and Mrs. Clark will take charge of the science curriculum. 

Tuesday looks like:
9:00 - 9:20
Class Meeting
New Jobs
9:20 - 10:30
Walk to Math
10:30 - 10:40
Break - Snack
10:40 - 12:00
"S" Groups - Ancient Rome
12:00 - 12:30
Eat
12:30 - 1:00
Play
1:00 - 1:40
Class Novel
1:40 - 2:15
Library
2:15 - 3:30
Writing Assignments - Super Hero Stories and Expository Books

IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENTS - QUIZZES - TESTS
None yet

MATH HOMEWORK 
Tuesday, January 9, 2019
--Practice 7-1
Wednesday, January 10, 2019
--Practice 7-2
Thursday, January 11, 2019
--Practice 7-3
Friday, January 12, 2019
--Practice 7-4

Please regularly check your child’s grades in PowerSchool and update the Web and Technology Use forms. I would appreciate it if you gave permission for your child’s picture to be published on the class blog. The forms are located under the Registration section. Please refer to this link for details: https://www.k12northstar.org/Page/3162  

DATES TO REMEMBER (more field trips to be posted soon)

Monday, January 24, 2019
No School - MLK Day

Thursday, January 31, 2019
Early Dismissal - Staff Training Day

Friday, February 1, 2019
No School - Staff Training Day

Monday and Tuesday, February 18-19, 2019
Student-led Parent-Teacher Conferences

"It's a good life."
--Mr. Sassman