Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

 

 Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

Weller Elementary School
 
 
 

 
This week...
Introducing Poetry and Pie this Friday...the kids will be reciting their "I am" poems about an object, and then about themselves. This unit covers many 4th grade learning standards including: Self-reflection, drafting, editing, revising, sustained writing, figurative language, writing conventions, and finally, presentation. I will be picking up a variety of pies, yes pies (apple, key lime, chocolate cream, ect...) for us to celebrate our accomplishments and the conclusion of National Poetry Month! Even though NPM will be over, we will be working on diamante poems, summer haikus, and lantern poems in May.
 
We finished up The Indian in the Cupboard yesterday and have started the sequel, The Return of the Indian...We are also on the last chapter of Island of the Blue Dolphins, so that will be completed this afternoon. Next up for our class novel, The Big Wave, by Pearl S. Buck.

Wednesday looks like:
8:00 - 9:10
Arrival/Breakfast
Writing Prompt
Class Meeting
TDL
9:10 - 9:40
Library
9:45 - 10:00
Snack
Read Aloud – The Return of the Indian
10:00 - 11:00
Class Novel – Island of the Blue Dolphins
TDL
11:00 - 11:30
Math Block
11:30 - 12:05
Lunch
12:05 - 12:35
Current Events Presentations
12:35 - 1:05
Recess
1:05 - 1:10
Clean up
Pack up
Dismissal

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

MATH HOMEWORK
None to take home this week...

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

ACCESS TO PowerSchool (GRADES AND REPORT CARDS)
To view your child's current assignments and grades that have been recorded, report cards, and other grade book information click the following link and log in using your parent credentials: PowerSchool Log In
 
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.

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. You can find the landing page for ClassLink right here: ClassLink

DATES TO REMEMBER
Thursday, May 20, 2021
-Last day of school. Can you believe it? We are 4 weeks from the end of the school year!

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman
Posted by at

Monday, April 19, 2021

Monday, April 19, 2021

 

 Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

Weller Elementary School
 






Last week... 
Four groups were successful in working together and completing their "Tower" successfully...We finished our final testing session of the year, PEAKS (Performance Evaluation for Alaskan Students = Standardized State Tests), and some students have started their "Create an Island" projects. I have 12 out of 18 kiddos done with their I AM poems...

This week...
We will mostly be working on TDL:
1. Current Events
2. Cereal Box Book Reports
3. State Reports and Posters
4. Spring Haiku
5. Emotions Art
6. Horizon Art
7. Superhero Story
8. Create an Island (Poster, Flag, and Scroll)
9. I AM Poems
10. Diamonte Poetry

We will continue with The Indian in the Cupboard and Island of the Blue Dolphins. Next up for our class novel, The Big Wave, by Pearl S. Buck.

Monday looks like:
8:00 - 9:10
Arrival/Breakfast
Writing Prompt
Class Meeting
New Jobs
9:10 - 9:40
Mrs. Dershin - School Counselor
9:45 - 10:00
Snack
Read Aloud – The Indian in the Cupboard
10:00 - 11:00
Class Novel – Island of the Blue Dolphins
TDL
11:00 - 11:30
Math Block
11:30 - 12:05
Lunch
12:05 - 12:35
Current Events Presentations
12:35 - 1:05
Recess
1:05 - 1:10
Clean up
Pack up
Dismissal

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

MATH HOMEWORK
None to take home this week...

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

ACCESS TO PowerSchool (GRADES AND REPORT CARDS)
To view your child's current assignments and grades that have been recorded, report cards, and other grade book information click the following link and log in using your parent credentials: PowerSchool Log In
 
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.

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. You can find the landing page for ClassLink right here: ClassLink

DATES TO REMEMBER
Thursday, May 20, 2021
-Last day of school. Can you believe it? We are 4 weeks from the end of the school year!

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman
Posted by at

Monday, April 12, 2021

Monday, April 12, 2021

 

 Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

Weller Elementary School
 


This week...
PEAKS (Performance Evaluation for Alaskan Students = Standardized State Tests) are this week. On Tuesday, the kids will be taking the English/Language Arts section of the exams, specifically Reading and Vocabulary. On Wednesday, the kids will have the Writing section, and on Thursday, the final portion will be Math. This will take up most of the mornings, and I will keep it light in the afternoons: art, read aloud, lunch, recess, and TDL.

Last week we finished up our Space Art projects and they came out beautifully. I have them hanging in the school at the moment, and they will come home soon. I think that you'll love em. We also finished up Sign of the Beaver last week and will start The Indian in the Cupboard today. "I am" poems are coming along nicely, with just about half of the class finished with both their objects and then their self-reflective versions. Again, you're gonna love em'. Next up for our class novel, The Big Wave, as we are almost done with Island of the Blue Dolphins. Finally, Diamante poems will be next in our line-up for National Poetry Month.
 
Is spring finally here?

Monday looks like:
8:00 - 9:10
Arrival/Breakfast
Writing Prompt
Class Meeting
New Seats
New Jobs
9:10 - 9:40
TDL
9:45 - 10:00
Snack
Read Aloud – The Indian in the Cupboard
Emotions Art or Horizon Art
10:00 - 11:00
TDL
11:00 - 11:30
Math Block – Topic 15
11:30 - 12:05
Lunch
12:05 - 12:35
Class Novel – Island of the Blue Dolphins
12:35 - 1:05
Recess
1:05 - 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, Geo Notes...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.
 
The Fourth Quarter Plan:
  
New Additions/Finishing Up
  • State Reports and Posterboards (yes, still!)
  • Poetry - April is National Poetry Month, so hold on! One of my favorite units to teach!
  • Class Novel - Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
  • Class Novel 2 - The Big Wave 
  • Read Aloud - Matilda by Roald Dahl
  • Read Aloud 2 - Indian in the Cupboard
  • Art - Space Art, Horizons, and Mt. Fuji
  • Advice to a fourth-grader
  • Long Division
  • Fractions
  • Units of measurement
  • The Rock Cycle
  • Cereal Box Book Reports (yes, still!)
  • 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)
  • Geography Notes

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

MATH HOMEWORK
None to take home this week...

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

ACCESS TO PowerSchool (GRADES AND REPORT CARDS)
To view your child's current assignments and grades that have been recorded, report cards, and other grade book information click the following link and log in using your parent credentials: PowerSchool Log In
 
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.

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. You can find the landing page for ClassLink right here: ClassLink

DATES TO REMEMBER
Friday, May 21, 2021
-Last day of school. Can you believe it? We are 6 weeks from the end of the school year!

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman
Posted by at

Monday, April 5, 2021

Monday, April 5, 2021

  

 Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

Weller Elementary School
 
Happy Easter from mine to yours...


Just when we thought spring was coming...



This week...
How about that snow day? We will be back at it tomorrow and from here on out, it is going to be a bit of a steady push to finish up projects. I have a few kiddos that are ready for their final project, Create an Island! With only seven weeks left to the end of school, Current Events Projects/Presentations are well underway. Also on the agenda are: Space Art (we started these last week), Spring Haikus (we will add on to our Autumn and Winter Haikus), I Am poems, and PEAKS preparations.

Speaking of PEAKS (Standardized State Tests). These are different from MAP tests. MAPs are for progress monitoring. PEAKS are required by the state and federal governments as an accountability measure. The kids will be taking them the following week on the Tuesday, April 13th, Wednesday the 14th, and Thursday, the 15th. There are three sections Reading, Writing, and Math. They are "shorter" than the MAP tests, but more formal...so please make sure your kiddos are on time and well rested. I will add more about this to next week's newsletter.
 
Our class novel, Island of the Blue Dolphins is almost done and we finished our read aloud Matilda. We also started our newest read aloud, The Sign of the Beaver. During read aloud and snack time, the students can work on their Emotions or Horizons art projects.

In math, we will be reviewing adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators, converting mixed numbers to improper fractions, and the reciprocal. We will conclude by simplifying. In our next topic, we will start geometry!

Tuesday looks like:
8:00 - 9:10
Arrival/Breakfast
Writing Prompt
Class Meeting
New Jobs
TDL
9:10 - 9:40
Library
9:45 - 10:00
Snack
Read Aloud – Matilda
Emotions Art or Horizon Art
10:00 - 11:00
Introduction to "I am" Poems
11:00 - 11:30
Math Block – Topic 15
11:30 - 12:05
Lunch
12:05 - 12:35
Class Novel – Island of the Blue Dolphins
12:35 - 1:05
Recess
1:05 - 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, Geo Notes...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.
 
The Fourth Quarter Plan:
  
New Additions/Finishing Up
  • State Reports and Posterboards (yes, still!)
  • Poetry - April is National Poetry Month, so hold on! One of my favorite units to teach!
  • Class Novel - Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
  • Class Novel 2 - The Big Wave 
  • Read Aloud - Matilda by Roald Dahl
  • Read Aloud 2 - Indian in the Cupboard
  • Art - Space Art, Horizons, and Mt. Fuji
  • Advice to a fourth-grader
  • Long Division
  • Fractions
  • Units of measurement
  • The Rock Cycle
  • Cereal Box Book Reports (yes, still!)
  • 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)
  • Geography Notes

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

MATH HOMEWORK
None to take home this week...

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

ACCESS TO PowerSchool (GRADES AND REPORT CARDS)
To view your child's current assignments and grades that have been recorded, report cards, and other grade book information click the following link and log in using your parent credentials: PowerSchool Log In
 
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.

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. You can find the landing page for ClassLink right here: ClassLink

DATES TO REMEMBER
Thursday, May 20, 2021
-Last day of school. Can you believe it? We are 9 weeks from the end of the school year!

It's a good life!

Mr. Sassman
Posted by at
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