Wrapping Up November

 

Goodbye, November! Hello, December!

Though there are still a few weeks left before the semester is over, I wanted to extend a thank you all for a wonderful first semester of fourth grade. Despite the challenges of quarantines, our fourth graders have maintained a positive attitude and an incredible work ethic. Thank you for supporting them at home. I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving and are able to look forward to a relaxing winter break full of family and rest. 

Where We've Been
November has been a very busy month in our class! We've started and finished a unit on multiplication, we've learned about the fossil hunter Mary Anning and earthquakes, and we have transitioned from a science focus to a social studies emphasis. We're starting to dig deep into the cultures of the ancient Maya, Inca, and Aztec people.

Where We're Going
As we finish up this first semester, we will be working hard on our division skills and some geometry. Our social studies unit on ancient Central and South American cultures will continue, and we'll begin our new literature study called Race to the Moonrise by archeologist and author Sally Crum.

Traveling Folders and Report Cards/Portfolios
Expect Traveling Folders to come home later this week and portfolios and report cards to go home the week we return from winter break. If you missed them a few weeks ago, please take a peek at the other assignments as well before signing them and returning them to school.

Other "Stuff"
Please help students remember water bottles for school each day or to keep at their desk for the week. There are no drinking fountains available and I'm running low on my "loaner" water bottles. If you'd be interested in donating old water bottles you have around the house, we'd gladly take some. Thank you so much! 

Homework has felt a "low priority" this year, and it is doubtful we will have any before winter break. If you're interested in helping out with school work at home, practicing multiplication facts to build fluency is a huge help in fourth grade math. Also, don't forget to have your child read each day or show you the skills they've been working on in math.

Upcoming Dates to Remember
Thursday, December 9 - Early Release For Students
Tuesday, December 14 - Gov Board Mtg
Friday, December 17 - End of 2nd QTR
Monday, December 20- Friday, December 31 - Winter Break
Monday, January 3 - Begin 2nd Semester!  Hello 2022!!

Finishing Up October

What we've been up to:

Our class has been learning a lot about earthquakes in science and ELA. We've also spent time in the science lab designing solutions for how humans can live safely in flood zones, with earthquakes, and what a healthy forest looks likes. In math, we are beginning a unit on multiplication. Be sure to practice those math facts at home! No homework for another few weeks. I'll let you know through text when we start up again!

Red Ribbon Spirit Week This Week!

• Monday (PJ Day!)              
• Tuesday (Crazy Hair!)
• Wednesday (Wear Red & Fancy Footwear)
• Thursday (Marshall Pride)
• Friday (Costumes)
• HALLOW-BIRTHDAY-FRIDAY-WEEN celebration in our class!
• Feel free to send healthy treats to share.

A Note From Mrs. Reason on Halloween Costumes at School:

• If costumes are in any way unsafe students will be required to remove them.  
• No attire may be worn which would in any way impede the student from moving safely and quickly out of the building in the event of an alarm.
• If students do not have a change of clothing, they will be required to stay in the office until parents arrive.
• Costumes must not obstruct vision or movement or in any way present a hazard to the student or other classmates. 
• Halloween masks may not be worn.  Not even outside the classroom.
• No fake knives, swords, or guns of any kind may be used as a part of any costume. 
• Such items will be confiscated and may result in disciplinary action including but not limited to suspension from school.
• Costumes must not be overly gruesome and overtly violent.

Coming Up!

• Friday, November 5 -  School Photo Retakes
• Thursday, November 11 - Veterans Day Holiday - No School
• Friday, November 18 - Marshall's Native American Heritage Day
• Wednesday, November 24 - Friday, November 26 - Thanksgiving Break

Class Updates and Conferences!

Hello Families! 

Find the link below to our class's Zoom link for conferences. You may also find the link on your student's Canvas account. Once the conference prior to yours is completed, I will invite you in from the waiting room. Thanks for your patience! I'm looking forward to meeting with you and your child (if they are able to join) soon.

Still need to sign up for a conference time? Please contact me at efisher@fusd1.org or use this link to choose a time: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F49ACAB2CAAF8C16-fall

Emily Fisher is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Quarter 1 Conferences

Join Zoom Meeting
https://fusd1-org.zoom.us/j/82976678241?pwd=OVVudHZGbjRUWGJqNjExNXo4TldLUT09

Meeting ID: 829 7667 8241
Passcode: 902190

What's been going on in class? Lots of science and vocabulary work!

Over the past several weeks, students have been studying Earth's spheres and how they interact. We just finished up stream tables, and we've been able to visit the pond to inspire Haiku writing. Keep an eye out for this work in your child's portfolio! We are also looking forward to several guest speakers from the Festival of Science to learn about Volcanoes and Flagstaff watersheds. In math, we've been focusing on metric measurements, and in ELA we've finished James and the Giant Peach and started an informational text on skeletons.

Congratulations on our students of the week from the past 2 weeks!

Thanks for THINKing like a Mustang, Sophia and Carson!

Don't forget these dates!

Monday (10/11), Tuesday (10/12), Wednesday (10/13): 12:25 release time for conferences

Thursday (10/14) & Friday (10/15): NO SCHOOL 
Friday (10/29): Hallow-Birthday Friday-Ween (Students may dress up!)

Happy Fall!

Happy Fall!

What a busy week we have coming up!
Take a peek below to see what's going on and to find a few reminders.

Water Bottles: With drinking fountains shut down, please makes sure students come to class each day with a full water bottle. Students are also welcome to keep water bottles at school and bring them home to wash on the weekend. I have a limited number of water bottles each day that students may borrow if they forget their own.

Spelling Homework this week!

Tuesday Trip to the Pond: We will be walking to the pond Tuesday afternoon 9/21 to continue our study of Earth's different spheres and to seek inspiration for some poetry writing.

Traveling Folders: Red Traveling Folders will be coming home on Tuesday 9/21 with a writing assignment, a math exit ticket, a spelling quiz, and a practice vocabulary test. Please look through and keep the work. Sign and return the folders by Friday 9/24. Thanks!

Picture Day this Thursday 9/23!

Conferences Coming up! 
Keep an eye out for Zoom conference sign ups in the next week or so. Conferences are scheduled October 11, 12, and 13 (half days of school for students) followed by fall break October 14 and 15 (no school). 

Students of the Week: 9/6 and 9/13
Congratulations, Andres and Kiomi!
Thanks for being such great partners to students in our class.

September Has Arrived!

Dear Families,

I'm so excited to finally be getting the blog set up for the year! Your fourth graders have already been learning so much both academically and about each other. We've been practicing daily connection circles, reading James and the Giant Peach, and working on place value.

Traveling Folders Coming Home This Week

This week, students will be coming home with their red "Traveling Folder." Inside of it you will find several exit tickets (end of lesson checks) and concept "quests" (quizzes). Take a look at and discuss your child's work with them. Once you are finished, keep their work, sign the folder, and send the folder back to school for me!

Spelling and Vocabulary Homework Starting Soon

Starting next week, students will be working on spelling and vocabulary "home"work. Besides building their spelling skills and vocabulary, they will be working on time management skills in a daily study hall.  During this study hall, students will have the chance to collaborate and get much, if not all, of their "home"work completed at school. Many students struggle with this freedom at the beginning of the year, so we will be focusing a lot on responsible study habits during this time. Students will showcase their learning on a weekly spelling and vocabulary test.

August's Students of the Week
Congratulations, Addy, Joey, Paige, and Carlos for THINKing like a Mustang!

Upcoming Events

• Monday, September 20: No School for Students
• Thursday, September 23: Picture Day
• October 6: Walk to School Day
• October 11-13: Conferences (1/2 days for students)
• October 14-15: Fall Break (No School)

September Check In 2020

What's Up in Fifth Grade

What a beginning to school! I think we've finally settled into a "school" routine with our expectations, learning, and technology issues. In the spirit of routine, I'm hoping to get into a more regular routine of class updates through the class blog. Please email me (efisher@fusd1.org) with any questions, concerns, or needs that may arise for your family during our flexible remote learning time.

Technology, Assignments, and Grades

The fifth graders (and me!) are becoming more fluent with our Canvas learning platform. At this point, students should easily be able to navigate our homepage and daily agenda where they can find their schedule and assignments for the day. We are working on completing and submitting assignments on time through Canvas. Students and families can see what work is missing by clicking on the "Assignment" button in their app. Student grades in Canvas are marked as complete or incomplete, while their "formal" report card grades (1, 2, 3, or 4) are available through ParentVue in the synergy system.

Canvas Parent Accounts

Have your fifth grader give you a Canvas tour if you haven't checked it out yet! Also, don't forget to get a parent account to observe your student's work on Canvas. Go to the FUSD website to create a family account. You must also have a pairing code to connect your account with your student's. Follow the steps in this link to get a pairing code. Once you are logged in, you are able to be an observer on your child's Canvas account.

Academics

MATH: In Math, we've been working hard on the names of place value spots as well as the value of numbers from the billions all the way down to thousandths. We've also been practicing how to convert between metric units of measurement and multiply whole and decimal numbers by exponents with a base of ten. Next week we will be working on rewriting numbers into expanded form and exponential form followed by comparing numbers.

ELA: In ELA, we've been reading Night of the Spadefoot Toads and practicing our comprehension skills. Expect your student to finish this book in the next several weeks. Much of our focus outside of comprehension has been on figurative language, specifically idioms, similes, metaphors, and personification. Students will be using this knowledge in a poetry project in the coming weeks. We will also be using our knowledge of nouns, verbs, and prepositions to write summary sentences of longer pieces of nonfiction writing.

SCIENCE: We've added science Friday to our week! This means that on top of students accessing their science curriculum through self paced work during their independent study time in the afternoons, we are also taking more time together as a whole class to emphasize science each Friday. Currently, we are working on genetics and will be transitioning to how humans impact the natural world.

DON'T FORGET!Spirit Week 9/14-9/18

Welcome to the 2020-2021 School Year!

     

Hello Fifth Graders and Families,

Welcome to the class blog where you can find weekly(ish) updates on what's happening with learning, important news, and who our student of the week is. Feel free to add your email in the space to the right to be notified when a new post has been made to the blog so you never miss a thing!

I know many families are figuring out how remote learning will look in their homes. Know that this experience will not only be full of great learning experiences but also one of flexibility. The schedule for our class is one that I will be following on a daily basis, but there is certainly flexibility with how you and your family interact with that schedule. Please don't hesitate to communicate with me if something isn't quite working out for your family. I'm here to help and to make sure that all families are able to access the learning that their fifth graders need.

Please take the time to look over and become familiar with the schedule for our class. As things get started and we figure out what is working or isn't working for our team, there may be adjustments made. If that happens, I will communicate with all students and families about those changes. A paper copy of the current schedule will be included in the beginning of the year papers that go home during the August 12th pickup. 

As we get started, I'm asking each family to fill out an information sheet. This will be coming home in the beginning of the year folder with iPad pickups, but a link to the digital copy can be found here: A Little Bit About Me. This form is very helpful for me and it's a chance for you to share unique information about your child and family that helps me get to know you a little bit better right from the beginning. Thank you so much for completing this brief but very important form.

More information will be coming your way from FUSD, Mrs. Reasor, and me as we get closer to "the first day." For now, know that I'm so excited to get started on this unique journey with you and your child!

Sincerely,
Ms. Fisher
(efisher@fusd1.org)

First Day Scavenger Hunt Clue

Your seventh clue is the letter: S