Monday, December 14, 2020

 

Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

Weller Elementary School

 

 

Last week...

MAP tests were a success. Thank you so much for being committed to taking them seriously. I feel so proud of the kids. Almost every student grew from the last time they took the test (December 2019) a year ago. Your students have had a rough road since the spring, but they have persevered, and managed to learn, despite all of the changes and inequities. Now, what next? I have a baseline for this year, and I am hoping we can keep this same momentum for our round of spring 2021 growth assessments.

 

We have just about finished our unit on Figurative Language, we completed Out of My Mind, and started working through Topic 8 in math, long division. We also concluded our unit in Space. I normally culminate the achievement with a great art project, but I will save that for, if and when the students return (hopefully).

This week...

I have mentioned it several times, this is the last week of the semster. I would be extremely grateful if you could sit down with your kiddo this week and go through their TDL 2020 Q2 to see where they are at in their journey, and what can be dropped off/turned in this week for grading and credit.

 

We will focus on finishing up as many tasks as we can on our TDLs, I started reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain last week (the kid and school-friendly version), so I will try to finish one more book in before the break, and we will start (and hopefully finish) Winter Haikus to add to our Seasonal Haikus Google Doc. And of course, writing prompts and reading logs. 

 

In case you missed it: 

Here is a link to the "Master Copy" of our To-Do-List document: TDL 2020 Q2. The kids also have individual copies that are personalized and editable in their Google Classroom Classwork tab.  

 

The Second Quarter Plan:

New Additions

• Persuasive Essays
• State Reports and Posterboards
• Q2 Book Reports - Biography Book Reports and Google Slides Presentations
• Poetry - Winter Haikus, Diamantes, What I love about Winter, and more...
• Figurative Language - Similes, Metaphors, Personification, Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, and such... 
• Class Novel - Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
• Read Aloud - Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
• Art - Warm and Clod Trees
• Instructables - STEM stuff

The Staples

• Spelling Packets
• Cursive Handbooks
• Reading Logs - SSR
• EnVision Math
• Daily Oral Language (DOL)
• Weekly Geography

 

Monday looks like:

8:30 - 9:15 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Class Meeting - Go over TDL and state Reports

Winter Haikus

9:15 - 10:15 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Complete Writing Prompt

TDL

Snack

Break from a screen

10:15 - 11:00 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Math Topic 8

11:00 - 12:00 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

TDL

Lunch

Break from a screen

12:00 - 12:30 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Read Aloud - Tom Sawyer

DOL 3 sentences 1 and 2 (if we have time)

12:30 - 1:30 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Finish up the day's tasks

Check the Google Classroom Stream and TDL for tasks to complete

1:30 - till' tomorrow

Go outside

Play

Be a kid

Read for 20 minutes and record it in your reading log

20-30 minutes of TDL work

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/PERSON ASSIGNMENTS - QUIZZES - TESTS

--None for now! But hopefully not for long :)

HOMEWORK
-Reading Logs each night and record it online or on paper

-I have posted on our Google Classroom Stream our list of items that needed to be completed for the day and things we are working on over the week. Kids may have additional work to finish up from the day, and therefore would essentially become "Homework," for the evening.

MATH HOMEWORK DUE THIS WEEK

-I have sent home worksheets for the topics that we are working on. Please complete those and save them to turn in when we do pick up and drop off days.

*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

ZOOM

Here is our class' meeting ID and password:

https://zoom.us/j/6240846454?pwd=UmVuUHdUaWVKRFZmTTdqWVN0UmpDZz09

Meeting ID: 624 084 6454

Passcode: ROOM23

HOMEWORK?

Our Google Classroom "Stream" is a thing! I will post on our Stream at the end of our last session (12:00 - 12:30), a list of tasks that the kids need to finish up with for the day, and the things we have been working on. It has proven to be helpful, so I will keep on doing it. Some work may spill over into the evening and becoming essentially, homework...I promise, no tears!

Please have your child reading for 20 minutes a night. Then, have them record it on their reading logs. When the log is complete, you may either send it in, take a picture and email it to me, or enter it digitally in our Google Classroom.

CLASS WEBSITE

If you have not yet, please browse our class' website: www.wellerwhales.org. It has a lot of great resources and we will use this from time to time. I am currently making adjustments and enhancements on some pages, but the site is full and live.

READING LOGS (In-Person)
Reading logs are a regular part of our class and the students' overall reading grade. Students will receive 5 points 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). I have a yellow folder by the classroom front door filled with new reading logs or they can submit through our GC. If a student reads for 5 days or more, they will receive a ticket for the "Prize Box" drawing. We draw prizes weekly, on Fridays at the end of the day.

READING LOGS (Remote Learning)

Reading Logs are required and will count towards the students' overall reading grade. Kiddos will receive 5 points for each day that they read during the school week. They can be turned in either digitally in our GC or by paper during our drop off and pick up days.

ClassLink/GOOGLE CLASSROOM
ClassLink is the portal in which students can access their Google Classroom. Once they log into their Chromebook, kids can access the bookmarks folder on their Chrome browser and click on ClassLink. That will bring them to the apps page where they will find Google Classroom. 

DATES TO REMEMBER

Friday, December 18, 2020

-Final day of the first semester (Q2)

-Winter break until January 6, 2021

 

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman

Sunday, December 6, 2020

 

Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

Weller Elementary School

 

MAP Testing is Monday and Tuesday

 

But really...just sayin'!

Last week...

Ms. Nuss got us started with a unit on Figurative Language. Specifically similes, metaphors, and hyperbole. She will also be integrating them into our daily writing prompts. We will continue this week with alliteration, onomatopoeia, personification, and puns!

 

We are almost done with Out of My Mind and I am trying to narrow down which read aloud we will squeeze in before our winter break. More to come on that.

 

Thank you for attending our mini-conferences last week. I think we are ready-to-go for our MAP assessments this week.

 

This week...

As you know, we have MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) assessments on Monday and Tuesday. MAPs are progress monitoring test that the District has been using for the last 4 years now. This year, the district has required me to administer them even though we are in a remote learning status. Yes, I pushed back (a little bit) about the need to do Standardized Assessments? I was informed that the FNSBSD needs to have test results for federal funding, and well...We need funding so...While I don't like the amount of time they take and the undue stress it brings to all of us, they are necessary. I usually find great value in MAP testing because it helps me monitor how well (or not well) my students are growing academically, so I am curious about how this is going to play out. What does this mean now?

We will not be having "Regular" Zoom sessions on Monday and Tuesday! 

 

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, we will continue our unit on Figurative Language, finish Out of My Mind, and keep working through Topic 8 in math. I would also like to finish our unit on space, but we will see how far we get!

In case you missed it: 

Here is a link to the "Master Copy" of our To-Do-List document: TDL 2020 Q2. The kids also have individual copies that are personalized and editable in their Google Classroom Classwork tab.  

 

The Second Quarter Plan:

New Additions

• Persuasive Essays
• State Reports and Posterboards
• Q2 Book Reports - Biography Book Reports and Google Slides Presentations
• Poetry - Winter Haikus, Diamantes, What I love about Winter, and more...
• Figurative Language - Similes, Metaphors, Personification, Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, and such... 
• Class Novel - Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
• Read Aloud - Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
• Art - Warm and Clod Trees
• Instructables - STEM stuff

The Staples

• Spelling Packets
• Cursive Handbooks
• Reading Logs - SSR
• EnVision Math
• Daily Oral Language (DOL)
• Weekly Geography

 

Monday looks like:

9:00 - TBD (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Class Meeting

MAP Testing

11:30 - till' tomorrow

Go outside

Play

Be a kid

20-30 minutes of TDL work

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/PERSON ASSIGNMENTS - QUIZZES - TESTS

--None for now! But hopefully not for long :)

HOMEWORK
-Reading Logs each night and record it online or on paper

-I have posted on our Google Classroom Stream our list of items that needed to be completed for the day and things we are working on over the week. Kids may have additional work to finish up from the day, and therefore would essentially become "Homework," for the evening.

MATH HOMEWORK DUE THIS WEEK

-I have sent home worksheets for the topics that we are working on. Please complete those and save them to turn in when we do pick up and drop off days.

*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

ZOOM

Here is our class' meeting ID and password:

https://zoom.us/j/6240846454?pwd=UmVuUHdUaWVKRFZmTTdqWVN0UmpDZz09

Meeting ID: 624 084 6454

Passcode: ROOM23

HOMEWORK?

Our Google Classroom "Stream" is a thing! I will post on our Stream at the end of our last session (12:00 - 12:30), a list of tasks that the kids need to finish up with for the day, and the things we have been working on. It has proven to be helpful, so I will keep on doing it. Some work may spill over into the evening and becoming essentially, homework...I promise, no tears!

Please have your child reading for 20 minutes a night. Then, have them record it on their reading logs. When the log is complete, you may either send it in, take a picture and email it to me, or enter it digitally in our Google Classroom.

CLASS WEBSITE

If you have not yet, please browse our class' website: www.wellerwhales.org. It has a lot of great resources and we will use this from time to time. I am currently making adjustments and enhancements on some pages, but the site is full and live.

READING LOGS (In-Person)
Reading logs are a regular part of our class and the students' overall reading grade. Students will receive 5 points 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). I have a yellow folder by the classroom front door filled with new reading logs or they can submit through our GC. If a student reads for 5 days or more, they will receive a ticket for the "Prize Box" drawing. We draw prizes weekly, on Fridays at the end of the day.

READING LOGS (Remote Learning)

Reading Logs are required and will count towards the students' overall reading grade. Kiddos will receive 5 points for each day that they read during the school week. They can be turned in either digitally in our GC or by paper during our drop off and pick up days.

ClassLink/GOOGLE CLASSROOM
ClassLink is the portal in which students can access their Google Classroom. Once they log into their Chromebook, kids can access the bookmarks folder on their Chrome browser and click on ClassLink. That will bring them to the apps page where they will find Google Classroom. 

DATES TO REMEMBER

Friday, December 18, 2020

-Final day of the first semester (Q2)

-Winter break until January 5, 2021

 

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman

Sunday, November 29, 2020

 

Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

Weller Elementary School

 

Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours!

 

Last week...

Was a short, but productive one. Thank you for making it to the school for drop off and pick up day on Wednesday. If you could not, there will be a folder waiting here for your student.

We worked on:

-The Solar System: Mars and Jupiter

-Persuasive Essays: 6 students have turned in their "Final Copies" so far.

-State Reports: Kiddos should be completing their research packet. We will probably not start the posters until January with the way our pacing is looking like at the moment.

-Warm/Cold Trees: Phase 2

-Book Reports: 4 kiddos have completed this project so far. About 8 other kids are well on their way.

-Out of my Mind: We are on Chapter 25 as of now.

-Topic 7 for math. The online test will be opened up this week.

-Writing Prompts: This is arguable one of my favorite things!

-Spelling: Kiddos should be finished with Lesson 6.

-DOL: Didn't get to this yet :(

-Weekly Geography: Kiddos should be finished with #6.

This week...

Ms. Nuss is on the agenda again, but this time she will be teaching some lessons in Figurative Language. Specifically similes, metaphors, and hyperbole. She will also be integrating them into our daily writing prompts. This is part of her University requirements, and a unit I teach every year, so it should be a nice fit. I will continue with alliteration, onomatopoeia, personification, and puns!

 

I realize that I have sent a lot of work home this quarter, and we still have to get a lot done. Unfortunately, three 45-minute sessions a day are simply not enough (sigh) to get through everything that I would like. We will get through as much as we can before winter break. I have so many more things that I want to do with the kids, and I want to make a push for these next 3 weeks. I will not (most likely) be sending home more work as we have enough lined up for the rest of the semester, but I hope you will be able to drop off any completed assignments you whenever it is convenient for you.

 

Monday, I will try to set up individual meetings with kiddos, to start this Tuesday. I have been advised to preemptively troubleshoot any computer issues we may have for our upcoming MAP assessments. I would also love to take some time to talk about where each student is at with their TDLs. It would be awesome if you could be there for the meeting as well...Almost like another Parent-Teacher-Student Conference!  

 

On the horizon...

MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) assessments are progress monitoring tools that the District has been using for the last 4 years now. This year, the district has required me to administer them even though we are in a remote learning status. Yes, I pushed back (a little bit) about the need to do Standardized Assessments? I was informed that the FNSBSD needs to have test results for federal funding, and well...We need funding so...While I don't like the amount of time they take and the undue stress it brings to all of us, they are necessary. I usually find great value in MAP testing because it helps me monitor how well (or not well) my students are growing academically, so I am curious about how this is going to play out. What does this mean now?

We will not be having "Regular" Zoom sessions on our scheduled assessment days. Day 1 will be math and Day 2 will be ELA (BTW and FYI)! Sorry, I couldn't resist, not sorry :)

I am thinking we will take them the week of December 7th, but I am not sure yet which days. I have to confer with the other 4th grade teacher here at Weller.

 

In case you missed it: 

Here is a link to the "Master Copy" of our To-Do-List document: TDL 2020 Q2. The kids also have individual copies that are personalized and editable in their Google Classroom Classwork tab.  

 

The Second Quarter Plan:

New Additions

• Persuasive Essays
• State Reports and Posterboards
• Q2 Book Reports - Biography Book Reports and Google Slides Presentations
• Poetry - Winter Haikus, Diamantes, What I love about Winter, and more...
• Figurative Language - Similes, Metaphors, Personification, Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, and such... 
• Class Novel - Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
• Read Aloud - Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
• Art - Warm and Clod Trees
• Instructables - STEM stuff

The Staples

• Spelling Packets
• Cursive Handbooks
• Reading Logs - SSR
• EnVision Math
• Daily Oral Language (DOL)
• Weekly Geography

 

Monday looks like:

8:30 - 9:15 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Class Meeting

The Solar System - Saturn

Figurative Language - Similes

9:15 - 10:15 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Complete Writing Prompt

Snack

Break from a screen

10:15 - 11:00 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Math Topic 7 Review

11:00 - 12:00 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Math Topic 7 (Test)

Lunch

Break from a screen

12:00 - 12:30 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

TDL Check-ins

Setting up individual conferences (It would be great if you could be at those conferences too)

Read Aloud/Art - Out of My Mind

12:30 - 1:30 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Finish up the day's tasks

Check the Google Classroom Stream and TDL for tasks to complete for the day

1:30 - till' tomorrow

Go outside

Play

Be a kid

Read for 20 minutes and record it in your reading log

20-30 minutes of TDL work

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/PERSON ASSIGNMENTS - QUIZZES - TESTS

--None for now! But hopefully not for long :)

HOMEWORK
-Reading Logs each night and record it online or on paper

-I have posted on our Google Classroom Stream our list of items that needed to be completed for the day and things we are working on over the week. Kids may have additional work to finish up from the day, and therefore would essentially become "Homework," for the evening.

MATH HOMEWORK DUE THIS WEEK

-I have sent home worksheets for the topics that we are working on. Please complete those and save them to turn in when we do pick up and drop off days.

*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

ZOOM

Here is our class' meeting ID and password:

https://zoom.us/j/6240846454?pwd=UmVuUHdUaWVKRFZmTTdqWVN0UmpDZz09

Meeting ID: 624 084 6454

Passcode: ROOM23

HOMEWORK?

Our Google Classroom "Stream" is a thing! I will post on our Stream at the end of our last session (12:00 - 12:30), a list of tasks that the kids need to finish up with for the day, and the things we have been working on. It has proven to be helpful, so I will keep on doing it. Some work may spill over into the evening and becoming essentially, homework...I promise, no tears!

Please have your child reading for 20 minutes a night. Then, have them record it on their reading logs. When the log is complete, you may either send it in, take a picture and email it to me, or enter it digitally in our Google Classroom.

CLASS WEBSITE

If you have not yet, please browse our class' website: www.wellerwhales.org. It has a lot of great resources and we will use this from time to time. I am currently making adjustments and enhancements on some pages, but the site is full and live.

READING LOGS (In-Person)
Reading logs are a regular part of our class and the students' overall reading grade. Students will receive 5 points 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). I have a yellow folder by the classroom front door filled with new reading logs or they can submit through our GC. If a student reads for 5 days or more, they will receive a ticket for the "Prize Box" drawing. We draw prizes weekly, on Fridays at the end of the day.

READING LOGS (Remote Learning)

Reading Logs are required and will count towards the students' overall reading grade. Kiddos will receive 5 points for each day that they read during the school week. They can be turned in either digitally in our GC or by paper during our drop off and pick up days.

ClassLink/GOOGLE CLASSROOM
ClassLink is the portal in which students can access their Google Classroom. Once they log into their Chromebook, kids can access the bookmarks folder on their Chrome browser and click on ClassLink. That will bring them to the apps page where they will find Google Classroom. 

DATES TO REMEMBER

Friday, December 18, 2020

-Final day of the first semester (Q2)

-Winter break until January 5, 2021

 

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman

Friday, November 20, 2020

 

 Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

Weller Elementary School

 

 

This week...

I posted to the classroom stream a new TDL in a read-only Google Spreadsheet for your (and your child's) reference. It has a list of assignments that we have completed to date, and some ongoing assignments (projects). I will be updating this list weekly for you to follow. This is something new that I am trying, and I hope that it is helpful. It is becoming hard to keep track myself, as the kids are doing a lot of work (which makes me proud), so I can only imagine what it means for you (and your student).

Here is a link to the "Master Copy" of the document: TDL 2020 Q2

 

The kids have individual copies that are personalized and editable in their Google Classroom Classwork tab. 

We worked on:

-The Solar System: The Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Earth.

-Difference between a million and a billion!

-Persuasive Essays: 4 students have turned in their "Final Copies" so far.

-State Reports: Kiddos should be completing their research.

-Warm/Cold Trees: I introduced this on Friday (Today).

-Book Reports: 2 kiddos have completed this project so far. About 8 other kids are well on their way.

-Shiloh: We finished reading the book and are working through the packet currently. We just complete Quiz 4 together.

-Out of my Mind: We are on Chapter 22 as of now.

-Topics 6 Test was released. A retake option was also published. We are halfway through Topic 7.

-Writing Prompts: WOW! They have been awesome.

-Spelling: Kiddos should be working on Lesson 6.

-DOL: Didn't get to this yet :(

-Weekly Geography: Kiddos should be working on #6.

Next week...

We will keep going with our current trajectory. As you know, it will be a short week due to Thanksgiving on Thursday and Friday no school (like every year). It is a pick up and drop off week (Wednesday, November 25, 2020), so I will have a list of items for you on Monday. I only have two things to send home as of now, a Figurative Language Packet and Math Races 21-40. 

 

On the horizon...

MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) tests are progress monitoring tools that the District has been using for the last 4 years now. This year, the district has required me to administer them even though we are in a remote learning status. Yes, I pushed back (a little bit) about the need to do Standardized Tests? I was informed that the FNSBSD needs to have test results for federal funding, and well...We need funding so...While I don't like the amount of time they take and the undue stress it brings to all of us, they are necessary. I usually find great value in MAP testing because it helps me monitor how well (or not well) my students are growing academically, so I am curious about how this is going to play out. What does this mean now?

I will need to set up 20 minute conferences with kiddos to prep their computers (pre-test troubleshooting), and guide them to a practice log-in, so when the day of testing comes, we don't have any issues. We will not be having "Regular" Zoom sessions on those days or on our scheduled testing days. Day 1 will be math and Day 2 will be ELA (BTW and FYI)! Sorry, I couldn't resist, not sorry :)

I am thinking we will take them the week of December 7th, but I am not sure yet which days. I have to confer with the other 4th grade teacher here at Weller.

 

The Second Quarter Plan:

New Additions

• Persuasive Essays
• State Reports and Posterboards
• Q2 Book Reports - Biography Book Reports and Google Slides Presentations
• Poetry - Winter Haikus, Diamantes, What I love about Winter, and more...
• Figurative Language - Similes, Metaphors, Personification, Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, and such... 
• Class Novel - Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
• Read Aloud - Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
• Art - Warm and Clod Trees
• Instructables - STEM stuff

The Staples

• Spelling Packets
• Cursive Handbooks
• Reading Logs - SSR
• EnVision Math
• Daily Oral Language (DOL)
• Weekly Geography

 

Monday looks like:

8:30 - 9:15 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Class Meeting

The Solar System -Mars

Warm/Cold Trees Art

9:15 - 10:15 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Complete Writing Prompt

Snack

Break from a screen

10:15 - 11:00 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Math Topic 7-1 through 7-4 Review

11:00 - 12:00 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Math Topic 7 (TBD)

Lunch

Break from a screen

12:00 - 12:30 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Persuasive Essays Check-in

State Reports Check-in

Shiloh Packet Work

Read Aloud/Art - Out of My Mind

12:30 - 1:30 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Finish up the day's tasks

Check the Google Classroom Stream and TDL to make sure kiddos are on track

1:30 - till' tomorrow

Go outside

Play

Be a kid

Read for 20 minutes and record it in your reading log

Finish up any work from the Google Classroom Stream for the day

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/PERSON ASSIGNMENTS - QUIZZES - TESTS

--None for now! But hopefully not for long :)

HOMEWORK
-Reading Logs each night and record it online or on paper

-I have posted on our Google Classroom Stream our list of items that needed to be completed for the day and things we are working on over the week. Kids may have additional work to finish up from the day, and therefore would essentially become "Homework," for the evening.

MATH HOMEWORK DUE THIS WEEK

-I have sent home worksheets for the topics that we are working on. Please complete those and save them to turn in when we do pick up and drop off days.

*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

ZOOM

Here is our class' meeting ID and password:

https://zoom.us/j/6240846454?pwd=UmVuUHdUaWVKRFZmTTdqWVN0UmpDZz09

Meeting ID: 624 084 6454

Passcode: ROOM23

HOMEWORK?

Our Google Classroom "Stream" is a thing! I will post on our Stream at the end of our last session (12:00 - 12:30), a list of tasks that the kids need to finish up with for the day, and the things we have been working on. It has proven to be helpful, so I will keep on doing it. Some work may spill over into the evening and becoming essentially, homework...I promise, no tears!

Please have your child reading for 20 minutes a night. Then, have them record it on their reading logs. When the log is complete, you may either send it in, take a picture and email it to me, or enter it digitally in our Google Classroom.

CLASS WEBSITE

If you have not yet, please browse our class' website: www.wellerwhales.org. It has a lot of great resources and we will use this from time to time. I am currently making adjustments and enhancements on some pages, but the site is full and live.

READING LOGS (In-Person)
Reading logs are a regular part of our class and the students' overall reading grade. Students will receive 5 points 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). I have a yellow folder by the classroom front door filled with new reading logs or they can submit through our GC. If a student reads for 5 days or more, they will receive a ticket for the "Prize Box" drawing. We draw prizes weekly, on Fridays at the end of the day.

READING LOGS (Remote Learning)

Reading Logs are required and will count towards the students' overall reading grade. Kiddos will receive 5 points for each day that they read during the school week. They can be turned in either digitally in our GC or by paper during our drop off and pick up days.

ClassLink/GOOGLE CLASSROOM
ClassLink is the portal in which students can access their Google Classroom. Once they log into their Chromebook, kids can access the bookmarks folder on their Chrome browser and click on ClassLink. That will bring them to the apps page where they will find Google Classroom. 

DATES TO REMEMBER

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

-Drop off/Pick up day

 

Thursday, November 26, 2020

Friday, November 27, 2020

-Thanksgiving Break (no school)

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman

Monday, November 16, 2020

 

 

          

 Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

Weller Elementary School

 

 

Last week...

Was a short one. School was cancelled on Monday due to the icy roads and abundance of snow we got. Friday was an in-service day that flopped (kinda) due to the district's decision to close access to schools for the next few weeks. However, we got some good lessons in.

This week...

Is a peculiar one. I am supposed to be working at home, but I have been granted special permission to our classroom for limited periods of time (during our Zoom meetings), due to the latest COVID-19 restrictions from the school district. I apologize that this blog post comes a bit late. I was not allowed in the school Friday to get access to my stuff. I am also catching up quite a bit on grading that came in through our Google Classroom and those envelopes (of students' work) that were dropped off last week. I am getting there though. Today, I showed the kids a new way of checking for their grades and feedback in our Google Classroom. If you want to explore as well (or help them find it if they cannot), simply (LOL) go to our Google Classroom, then click on Classwork, then click on the link at the top left that says See My Work. On the next page, you should see all of your kiddos assignments. On the left side column, you will see: 

All (all assignments in a list format)

Turned In (completed, but not yet graded and returned from me)

Returned (completed work, graded and returned with comments and feedback)

Missing (not completed or turned in)

I also posted to the classroom stream a new TDL in a read-only Google Spreadsheet for your (and your child's) reference. It has a list of assignments that we have completed to date, and some ongoing assignments (projects). I will be updating this list weekly for you to follow. This is something new that I am trying, and I hope that it is helpful. It is becoming hard to keep track myself, as the kids are doing a lot of work (which makes me proud), so I can only imagine what it means for you (and your student).

Here is a link to the document: TDL 2020 Q2

We will work on:

-The Solar System

-Persuasive Essays

-State Reports

-Warm/Cold Trees

-Book Reports

-Shiloh

-Out of my Mind

-Topics 6 and 7 for Math

-Writing Prompts

-Spelling

-DOL

-Geo

The Second Quarter Plan:

New Additions

• Persuasive Essays
• State Reports and Posterboards
• Q2 Book Reports - Biography Book Reports and Google Slides Presentations
• Poetry - Winter Haikus, Diamantes, What I love about Winter, and more...
• Figurative Language - Similes, Metaphors, Personification, Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, and such... 
• Class Novel - Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
• Read Aloud - Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
• Art - Warm and Clod Trees
• Instructables - STEM stuff

The Staples

• Spelling Packets
• Cursive Handbooks
• Reading Logs - SSR
• EnVision Math
• Daily Oral Language (DOL)
• Weekly Geography

 

Tuesday looks like:

8:30 - 9:15 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Class Meeting

The Solar System - The Sun

Warm/Cold Trees Art

9:15 - 10:15 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Complete Writing Prompt

Snack

Break from a screen

10:15 - 11:00 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Math Topic 6 Review

11:00 - 12:00 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Math Topic 6 Review

Lunch

Break from a screen

12:00 - 12:30 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Persuasive Essays

State Reports

Shiloh

Read Aloud/Art - Out of My Mind

12:30 - 1:30 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Finish up the day's tasks

Check the Google Classroom Stream to make sure kiddos are on track

1:30 - till' tomorrow

Go outside

Play

Be a kid

Read for 20 minutes and record it in your reading log

Finish up any work from the Google Classroom Stream for the day

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/PERSON ASSIGNMENTS - QUIZZES - TESTS

--None for now! But hopefully not for long :)

HOMEWORK
-Reading Logs each night and record it online or on paper

-I have posted on our Google Classroom Stream our list of items that needed to be completed for the day and things we are working on over the week. Kids may have additional work to finish up from the day, and therefore would essentially become "Homework," for the evening.

MATH HOMEWORK DUE THIS WEEK

-I have sent home worksheets for the topics that we are working on. Please complete those and save them to turn in when we do pick up and drop off days.

*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

ZOOM

Here is our class' meeting ID and password:

https://zoom.us/j/6240846454?pwd=UmVuUHdUaWVKRFZmTTdqWVN0UmpDZz09

Meeting ID: 624 084 6454

Passcode: ROOM23

HOMEWORK?

Our Google Classroom "Stream" is a thing! I will post on our Stream at the end of our last session (12:00 - 12:30), a list of tasks that the kids need to finish up with for the day, and the things we have been working on. It has proven to be helpful, so I will keep on doing it. Some work may spill over into the evening and becoming essentially, homework...I promise, no tears!

Please have your child reading for 20 minutes a night. Then, have them record it on their reading logs. When the log is complete, you may either send it in, take a picture and email it to me, or enter it digitally in our Google Classroom.

CLASS WEBSITE

If you have not yet, please browse our class' website: www.wellerwhales.org. It has a lot of great resources and we will use this from time to time. I am currently making adjustments and enhancements on some pages, but the site is full and live.

READING LOGS (In-Person)
Reading logs are a regular part of our class and the students' overall reading grade. Students will receive 5 points 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). I have a yellow folder by the classroom front door filled with new reading logs or they can submit through our GC. If a student reads for 5 days or more, they will receive a ticket for the "Prize Box" drawing. We draw prizes weekly, on Fridays at the end of the day.

READING LOGS (Remote Learning)

Reading Logs are required and will count towards the students' overall reading grade. Kiddos will receive 5 points for each day that they read during the school week. They can be turned in either digitally in our GC or by paper during our drop off and pick up days.

ClassLink/GOOGLE CLASSROOM
ClassLink is the portal in which students can access their Google Classroom. Once they log into their Chromebook, kids can access the bookmarks folder on their Chrome browser and click on ClassLink. That will bring them to the apps page where they will find Google Classroom. 

DATES TO REMEMBER

Thursday, November 26, 2020

Friday, November 27, 2020

-Thanksgiving Break (no school)

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman

Friday, November 6, 2020

 

          

 Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

Weller Elementary School

 

 

This week...

Well how about that snow this week (today really)? Despite the frigid temperatures and blizzard, we got a lot done! Ms. Nuss did a nice job with her Social Studies Unit and her final lesson will be this coming Monday. Yesterday, she asked the kids to interview a family member about their (or someone they know) about their migration experiences, so feel free to ask about how that is going/how it went! Side note: A lot of "Things" were put on hold for the morning sessions with Ms. Nuss, but it was worthy and worthwhile. I think that the kids enjoyed it and learned quite a bit. However, that means we have to get going on the rest of our work. Yesterday, I sent out an email explaining where we are at and what our TDLs are staring to look like as I self-reflect and make improvements (I think improvements).

Typically it (the kids) will start with daily work/assignments and be indicated with "***."

Then it will list ongoing work and assignments that the kids should be chipping away at.

Then it will finish with reminders and notes (reading log), and check out the blog with a family member.

I think I am going to try to stick to this format!

Next week...

We will be back to our "Normal" agenda items.

-GeoNotes 5  

-Spelling Packet 4 and 5

-DOL 3 (Daily Oral Language - sentence editing)

-Daily Writing Prompts

-Finished with Math Art yet? (Parabolic Curves and Repeating Patterns)

-Cursive Handbooks

-Mystery Science

-Shiloh

-Out of My Mind

-State Reports

-Persuasive Essays

-Intro to Bio Book Reports

-Warm and Cold Trees

The Second Quarter Plan:

New Additions

• Persuasive Essays
• State Reports and Posterboards
• Q2 Book Reports - Biography Book Reports and Google Slides Presentations
• Poetry - Winter Haikus, Diamantes, What I love about Winter, and more...
• Figurative Language - Similes, Metaphors, Personification, Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, and such... 
• Class Novel - Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
• Read Aloud - Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
• Art - Warm and Clod Trees
• Instructables - STEM stuff

The Staples

• Spelling Packets
• Cursive Handbooks
• Reading Logs - SSR
• EnVision Math
• Daily Oral Language (DOL)
• Weekly Geography

Monday looks like:

8:30 - 9:15 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Class Meeting

-Intro to Biography Book Reports

-Weekly Geo

-Spelling Packets

9:15 - 10:15 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Complete Writing Prompt

Snack

Break from a screen

10:15 - 11:00 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Math Topic 6-4

11:00 - 12:00 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Math Topic 6-4 RETEACH numbers 1-8

Lunch

Break from a screen

12:00 - 12:30 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Persuasive Essays

State Reports

Shiloh

Read Aloud/Art - Out of My Mind

12:30 - 1:30 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Finish up the day's tasks

Check the Google Classroom Stream to make sure kiddos are on track

1:30 - till' tomorrow

Go outside

Play

Be a kid

Read for 20 minutes and record it in your reading log

Finish up any work from the Google Classroom Stream for the day

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/PERSON ASSIGNMENTS - QUIZZES - TESTS

--None for now! But hopefully not for long :)

HOMEWORK
-Reading Logs each night and record it online or on paper

-I have posted on our Google Classroom Stream our list of items that needed to be completed for the day and things we are working on over the week. Kids may have additional work to finish up from the day, and therefore would essentially become "Homework," for the evening.

MATH HOMEWORK DUE THIS WEEK

-I have sent home worksheets for the topics that we are working on. Please complete those and save them to turn in when we do pick up and drop off days.

*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

ZOOM

Here is our class' meeting ID and password:

https://zoom.us/j/6240846454?pwd=UmVuUHdUaWVKRFZmTTdqWVN0UmpDZz09

Meeting ID: 624 084 6454

Passcode: ROOM23

HOMEWORK?

Our Google Classroom "Stream" is a thing! I will post on our Stream at the end of our last session (12:00 - 12:30), a list of tasks that the kids need to finish up with for the day, and the things we have been working on. It has proven to be helpful, so I will keep on doing it. Some work may spill over into the evening and becoming essentially, homework...I promise, no tears!

Please have your child reading for 20 minutes a night. Then, have them record it on their reading logs. When the log is complete, you may either send it in, take a picture and email it to me, or enter it digitally in our Google Classroom.

CLASS WEBSITE

If you have not yet, please browse our class' website: www.wellerwhales.org. It has a lot of great resources and we will use this from time to time. I am currently making adjustments and enhancements on some pages, but the site is full and live.

READING LOGS (In-Person)
Reading logs are a regular part of our class and the students' overall reading grade. Students will receive 5 points 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). I have a yellow folder by the classroom front door filled with new reading logs or they can submit through our GC. If a student reads for 5 days or more, they will receive a ticket for the "Prize Box" drawing. We draw prizes weekly, on Fridays at the end of the day.

READING LOGS (Remote Learning)

Reading Logs are required and will count towards the students' overall reading grade. Kiddos will receive 5 points for each day that they read during the school week. They can be turned in either digitally in our GC or by paper during our drop off and pick up days.

ClassLink/GOOGLE CLASSROOM
ClassLink is the portal in which students can access their Google Classroom. Once they log into their Chromebook, kids can access the bookmarks folder on their Chrome browser and click on ClassLink. That will bring them to the apps page where they will find Google Classroom. 

DATES TO REMEMBER

Thursday, November 26, 2020

Friday, November 27, 2020

-Thanksgiving Break (no school)

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

          

 Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

Weller Elementary School

This week...

At the beginning of the week (Monday - Wednesday), we started diving into Persuasive essay outlines and State Reports a little more. Here is a link to the outline and an example!

Thank you for signing up for PT Conferences Thursday and Friday...I have had several questions about how we will meet. I can teleconference or we can Zoom. I will open our classroom up during our scheduled time. Just follow the link below to get in:

Zoom Meeting Link

Meeting ID: 624 084 6454

Password: ROOM23

 

We are just about finished with Topic 5 and the Topic 5 Online Test is now open for kids to take. I would love it if they could do that before the end of next week.

In case you missed it! I hope to see you there!

Next week...

We will have a full week. On the agenda is Ms. Nuss. She will be implementing a Social Studies unit on Russian migration and cultural integration in Alaska as part of her university requirements. She has spent a good amount of time planning and preparing, so it should be good. Here is a little note from her about the matter:

Dear Parents and Guardians:

I am writing this note to say that I am going to be teaching a social studies unit on human migration next week during our Zoom sessions. This will most likely be taking place in the mornings, and it is part of my student teaching requirements for UAF. My unit will be focusing specifically on Alaskan history with migration, and it will highlight Russian culture as it has integrated into some of our landscapes and cultures. For the conclusion, the students will be asked to interview an adult in your family and/or household (or outside, if no one is available) about the topics we will explore. Please talk to your child ahead of time in case you will need to make arrangements. I have enjoyed and appreciated working with your children, and I look forward to more collaborations in the future. 

-Ms. Nuss

The kids will be also working on the following:

-GeoNotes 5  

-Spelling Packet 4

-DOL 3 (Daily Oral Language - sentence editing)

-Daily Writing Prompts

-Finished with Math Art yet? (Parabolic Curves and Repeating Patterns)

-Cursive Handbooks

-Mystery Science

-Shiloh

-Out of My Mind

-State Reports

-Persuasive Essays

The Second Quarter Plan:

New Additions

• Persuasive Essays
• State Reports and Posterboards
• Q2 Book Reports - Biography Book Reports and Google Slides Presentations
• Poetry - Winter Haikus, Diamantes, What I love about Winter, and more...
• Figurative Language - Similes, Metaphors, Personification, Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, and such... 
• Class Novel - Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
• Read Aloud - Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
• Art - Warm and Clod Trees
• Instructables - STEM stuff

The Staples

• Spelling Packets
• Cursive Handbooks
• Reading Logs - SSR
• EnVision Math
• Daily Oral Language (DOL)
• Weekly Geography

Monday looks like:

8:30 - 9:15 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Class Meeting

Ms. Nuss Migration Lesson 1

9:15 - 10:15 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Complete Writing Prompt

Snack

Break from a screen

10:15 - 11:00 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Math Topic 5 Review

11:00 - 12:00 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Math Topic 5 Review

Lunch

Break from a screen

12:00 - 12:30 (Synchronous - With the teacher)

Persuasive Essays

State Reports

Read Aloud/Art - Out of My Mind

12:30 - 1:30 (Asynchronous - Independent Work)

Finish up the day's tasks

Check the Google Classroom Stream to make sure kiddos are on track

1:30 - till' tomorrow

Go outside

Play

Be a kid

Read for 20 minutes and record it in your reading log

Finish up any work from the Google Classroom Stream for the day

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/PERSON ASSIGNMENTS - QUIZZES - TESTS

--None for now! But hopefully not for long :)

HOMEWORK
-Reading Logs each night and record it online or on paper

-I have posted on our Google Classroom Stream our list of items that needed to be completed for the day and things we are working on over the week. Kids may have additional work to finish up from the day, and therefore would essentially become "Homework," for the evening.

MATH HOMEWORK DUE THIS WEEK

-I have sent home worksheets for the topics that we are working on. Please complete those and save them to turn in when we do pick up and drop off days.

*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

ZOOM

Here is our class' meeting ID and password:

https://zoom.us/j/6240846454?pwd=UmVuUHdUaWVKRFZmTTdqWVN0UmpDZz09

Meeting ID: 624 084 6454

Passcode: ROOM23

HOMEWORK?

Our Google Classroom "Stream" is a thing! I will post on our Stream at the end of our last session (12:00 - 12:30), a list of tasks that the kids need to finish up with for the day, and the things we have been working on. It has proven to be helpful, so I will keep on doing it. Some work may spill over into the evening and becoming essentially, homework...I promise, no tears!

Please have your child reading for 20 minutes a night. Then, have them record it on their reading logs. When the log is complete, you may either send it in, take a picture and email it to me, or enter it digitally in our Google Classroom.

CLASS WEBSITE

If you have not yet, please browse our class' website: www.wellerwhales.org. It has a lot of great resources and we will use this from time to time. I am currently making adjustments and enhancements on some pages, but the site is full and live.

READING LOGS (In-Person)
Reading logs are a regular part of our class and the students' overall reading grade. Students will receive 5 points 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). I have a yellow folder by the classroom front door filled with new reading logs or they can submit through our GC. If a student reads for 5 days or more, they will receive a ticket for the "Prize Box" drawing. We draw prizes weekly, on Fridays at the end of the day.

READING LOGS (Remote Learning)

Reading Logs are required and will count towards the students' overall reading grade. Kiddos will receive 5 points for each day that they read during the school week. They can be turned in either digitally in our GC or by paper during our drop off and pick up days.

ClassLink/GOOGLE CLASSROOM
ClassLink is the portal in which students can access their Google Classroom. Once they log into their Chromebook, kids can access the bookmarks folder on their Chrome browser and click on ClassLink. That will bring them to the apps page where they will find Google Classroom. 

DATES TO REMEMBER

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

-Our next materials/assignments drop off/pick up day

Thursday, November 26, 2020

Friday, November 27, 2020

-Thanksgiving Break (no school)

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman