Monday, February 1, 2021

Monday, February 1, 2021

 

Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

Weller Elementary School





 
 
This week...
We had a good start this morning. As the kids arrived, I noticed that they are starting to get the routine down. Put stuff away (cubbies and desks), settle in, eat breakfast (if applicable), work on the daily writing prompt (in our Google Classroom) for about 15 minutes, class meeting, ELA or sometimes independent work...and the rest of the day continued!
 
The kids are kinda all over the place with what they are working on. I mean that in a good way! Some kids are finishing up book reports, persuasive essays, and state reports while others have started their poster boards, superhero stories, and cereal box book reports. These will be our main projects for the third quarter, so independent work time is dedicated for these assignments. Of course we will still progress through our "Staples" like Math, DOL, spelling, and GeoNotes.
 
As the kids seem to be settling in more and more, I will start pressing a bit more to see: Cursive Handbooks, Paper Reading Logs (please sign these parents), and Student-Led Parent-Teacher Conference Prep. Speaking of conferences. I will send out a link, directions and a tutorial on how to sign up for them as soon as the District open it up. It shouldn't be much longer, and if you have done this before, it is the same as last year. Oh and...I am going to start sending math homework home this week. It should equate to about 20 minutes at the most. Please let me know if it is taking your kiddo more than that.
 
I wanted to make slime last week, but it looks like it will have to come this week.  
 
The Third Quarter Plan:
  
New Additions/Finishing Up
  • State Reports and Posterboards
  • Poetry - Winter Haikus, Diamantes, What I love about Winter, and more...
  • Class Novel - My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
  • Read Aloud - Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
  • Art - Warm and Clod Trees, Space Art
  • New Year Resolutions and goal-setting
  • Advice to a fourth-grader
  • Student-led Parent-Teacher Conferences
  • Long Division
  • Fractions
  • The Rock Cycle
  • Cereal Box Book Reports
  • Superhero Stories
  • Newton's Laws of Motion
  • STEM Kits
  • Current Events
The Staples
  • Spelling Packets
  • Cursive Handbooks
  • Reading Logs - SSR
  • EnVision Math
  • Daily Oral Language (DOL)
  • Weekly Geography
 
Tuesday looks like:
8:00 - 9:10
Arrival/Breakfast
Writing Prompt
Class Meeting
DOL
Independent Work
9:10 - 9:40
Library - Ms. Brice will come to our classroom
9:40 - 10:15
Snack
Read Aloud - Where the Red Fern Grows
10:15 - 11:30
Math Block - Topic 10-2
11:30 - 12:00
Lunch
12:00 - 1:00
Class Novel - My Side of the Mountain
Recess
1:00 - 1:10
Clean up
Pack up
Dismissal

*******Please note now that we are back to in-person instruction***********
-Kids should be reading for 20 minutes every night, and recording it in their reading logs. I will have a folder filled with them by the door. They may also continue with their digital reading logs too. Either one works for me. If they fill 5 days a week, they will get a ticket for the weekly prize box drawing on Fridays.
-Kids will receive about 20-30 minutes of classwork to complete each night that we have school.  This can include math, spelling, GeoNotes...Please work with them on this if they need help. I would like for students to have no more than 40-50 minutes of work each night. Please let me know if this expectation is beyond reach and we can talk about how your child can be successful. Please again, I don't want tears along the way or any surprises at the end of the quarter!

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.


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


MATH HOMEWORK
Due Wednesday, February 3, 2021
--Topic 10-3 (Practice side, evens only)
Due Thursday, February 4, 2021
--Topic 10-4 (Practice side, evens only)
Due Friday, February 4, 2021
--Topic 10-5 (Practice side, evens only)
 

ONGOING INFORMATION
ZOOM
Here is our class' meeting ID and password:

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 Google Classroom 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
Monday, February 15th, 2021 - Tuesday, February 16th, 2021
-Parent/Teacher Conferences (No school)
These are student-led so your kiddo will need to be present as well. More to come on this.

Wednesday, February 17th, 2021
-Teacher Professional Development Day (No school)

Monday, March 8, 2021 - Friday, March 12, 2021
-Spring Break (No school)

 
It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman
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