AZ Merit Testing

It's upon us! Our "game day(s)" are here. While we sometimes have mixed feelings about standardized testing, we are mostly excited to show our best work and celebrate the year's learning achievements.

Next Week: 5th Graders take AZ Merit

• Tuesday, 4/3: Writing 
• Wednesday, 4/4: ELA & Math 1
• Thursday, 4/5: ELA & Math 2

The Following Week: 4th Graders take AZ Merit

• Tuesday, 4/10: Writing
• Wednesday, 4/11: ELA & Math 1
• Thursday. 4/12: ELA & Math 2

If students are wanting to prepare for the t
est, we say NO CRAMMING! Play outside, get fresh air, eat healthy meals, and get on a regular early-to-bed sleep schedule.

If you'd like to work through some sample test problems at home, here is the link to the AZ Merit Sample Test Site.

Sample Test Site

Thank you for sending in those healthy snacks! We're still accepting more. :) 

Now let's crush those tests!

Spring Portfolio Conferences

If you received a sheet about an optional conference use this link to sign up for a time to meet with Ms. Fisher or Ms. Baker.

https://doodle.com/poll/f7mehht5iy6bv7p3

If you received a conference sign up sheet with times on it, circle as many times as you're able, and return the sheet to school. We will send a confirmation sheet back to you with the time that you're officially sign up for. 

Week in Review 2/5-2/9

First of all, I am so sorry for the utter silence on the blog the last few weeks. I've got no excuse other than just plain falling out of the habit. But here we are, back at it, keeping you informed and up to date. Here's what's been going on this week in the F/B classroom:





This Week in Academics:

• We practiced area, perimeter, and missing angles
• We built words using prefixes, suffixes, and base words.
• The fifth graders learned lessons in grit, and pushing through the frustration of learning a tough new skill, skiing! We had a beautiful day on the mountain encouraging each other to try our best, falling down, and getting back up.
• The fourth graders discovered how to create a magnet using electricity--an elelctromagnet!
• The fourth graders learned about relative pronouns with our student teacher, Ms. Peterson.
• We found lines of symmetry on various shapes.
• We analyzed our findings from our food waste audit with Ms. C. and Ms. Melissa from Willowbend.

Looking Ahead:

NEXT WEEK:

• Next Week is Random Acts of Kindness Spirit Week!
• Monday: Pajama Day
• Tuesday: Tie Dye Day
• Wednesday: Pink and Red Day
• Thursday: Hawaii Day
• Friday: Crazy Hair Day

• On Wednesday afternoon, we will be celebrating our class's positive behavior in their specials with a Waffle Party! If you'd like to send in treats, make it something we can top on a waffle! It also just so happens to be Valentine's Day. We have 50 students (and 4 teachers). You're welcome to send in Valentines, but just without individual student names on them. It takes FOREVER to pass out 50 individually addressed valentines...trust us.

THE FOLLOWING WEEK:

• No School NEXT Monday 2/19 for Presidents' Day

• Our class's science fair projects are due on Wednesday, 2/21
• We've approved the plans of all of our students
• Science fair boards are on sale for 5 dollars at the front office
• Here are a few other resources if you're interested Science Fair Stuff

Keep it up on those science fair projects! Have a great weekend!

Week in Review 1/8-1/12

Good afternoon, fourth and fifth grade families!

With homework and a full week behind us, we seem to be back in the swing of lots of learning. Here's a bit of what went on this week:

This Week in Academics:

• We started learning about science topics to help prepare us for the annual science fair
• How are demonstrations and experiments different?
• What are the three diggerent categories of science?
• We learned two methods of dividing that are more visual than the typical long division algorithm. 
• t-chart division
• area model division
• We continued our Gary Paulsen book, Woodsong. Those dogs are always up to something!
• We learned how to properly punctuate possessive nouns. (cat's vs. cats')
• We learned about food waste and some of the ways people, distributors, and restaurants waste food with Ms. C. and Ms. Melissa from Willowbend

Overall, we had a lovely week in the Fisher/ Baker classroom!

Students of the Week

This week's students of the week are...

Emily, Shakira, and Brianna!

Emily did a great job bouncing back and catching up after being gone for a lot of time before the winter break.

Shakira was kind to a classmate by returning something to them when she noticed they left it.

Brianna has been involved in class discussions and staying on top of her notes. 

Thanks for setting a great example and starting 2018 with kindness, positivity, and healthy work habits!

Week in Review: 1/2/18-1/5/18

Happy New Year,  all!

We hope the winter break was restful and filled with quality time together. Now that the crazy pre-holiday season has passed, we're feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the coming months of Marshall events. Here's how we've begun our year together.

This week in academics:

• We began reading another great Gary Paulsen book, Woodsong.
• We had a week filled with FUN-ctuation. We punctuation dialogue, direct addresses, question tags, and intro words. We sure do love commas around here. 😀
• We practiced distinguishing between multiplication and division when facing word problems.
• We practiced a shortcut we call basic fact division involving crossing off zeroes when faced with a problem like, 600 ÷ 30.
• We began learning geometry terms (line, point, collinear points, ray, line segment, parallel, perpendicular, intersecting)
• We started using Front Row, a math practice website that is individualized based on each student.

Looking Ahead:

• Next week, we'll start expert's homework back up.
• Next week, we'll send home the traveling folder, to be signed and returned by Friday.
• Head's up: Science Fair projects are due the last week of February, so we'll begin prepping at the end of this month. 
• NO SCHOOl on MLK day (Monday, January 15th...one week from this coming Monday.)

The Magic School Bus: Ancient Adventures

Here it is! Wishing you a joyful holiday together!

Watch HERE!

Ms. Baker and Ms. Fisher

Students of the Week 12/8

This week's students of the week are...

Chloe, Julian, and Nathanial!

Chloe has done a great job calmly solving problems and keeping such a positive attitude.

Julian has a quiet kindness that is such a positive influence on those around him. Thanks for being such a pleasant kid!

Nathanial has done a great job staying on top of his work and being responsible. 

Week in Review 12/4-12/8

Hey, there Fisher Baker families! Apologies for the silence over here on the blog. I have been away the last couple of Fridays, leaving our blog a bit neglected. Sorry! Here's what we've been up to in the Fisher Baker class.

The Last Two Weeks in Academics:

• We concluded the book Race to the Moonrise.
• We finished our math unit on multiplication and moved on to division.
• We began our unit on animal adaptations.
• We began researching animals and national parks for our reports.
• The 5th graders visited the middle schools.
• The 4th graders experimented with circuits.
• We took our second round of Quest ipad testing to check in on our progress of math and language arts skills.

Looking Ahead:

• Ms. Gearhart (our awesome student teacher) is graduating from NAU, and her last day with us will be on Tuesday. We will miss her!
• Our Movie Premiere will be next Thursday, 12/14 at 10:00 or 11:00. We hope to see you there!
• Last day before winter break: Friday, 12/15
• First day back after winter break: Tuesday, 1/2

Enjoy your weekend! 

Ms. Baker and Ms. Fisher

Week in Review 11/13-11/17

Hi, Fisher Baker Families!

November is always  a crazy ride here in the Fisher Baker classroom. This week's madness was the filming of our Maya, Inca, Aztec Magic School Bus episode. We are happy to report that, as a class, these kiddos were patient, polite, and professional actors. Our episode is done being filmed! That being said, it won't be ready as a final product until just before Winter Break. We plan to have our official premiere the week before winter break. Keep an eye out for upcoming announcements about that.


Looking Ahead:

• No school next Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for Thanksgiving break.
• 5th Graders will be visiting MEMS on Wednesday, 11/29. We will not be sending home permission slips for that. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Students of the Week

This week's students of the week are....

Lexi, Jake, and Lana!

Lexi is such an involved student! She doesn't depend on others to do things for her. She is such a great example of what it looks like to take charge of your own learning. Way to go, Lexi

Jake has shown kindness and patience when working in his RTI reading group. He is a great leader when it comes to welcoming others who are different from him.

Lana has been super kind and helpful to others. In Girls on the Run practice, she cheers others on and sets a great example for positivity.


Way to go, ya'll!

Week in Review 10/30-11/3

Halloween, am I right? What a week! We had a mixture of celebrations and learning this week. Our students earned the "marble party" for this quarter's good behavior in their specials classes. Woohoo! That means we're now working toward a second one. We also celebrated our 5th graders' completion of their Taiko program. They put on two great performances this week. Thanks for coming out to support them on Thursday.

This Week in Academics:

• We practiced two new methods of multiplication. 
• partial products
• the algorithm
• We began an art project centered around Maya, Inca, and Aztec gods.
• We began a new historical fiction book called Race to the Moonrise 
• We practiced the right way to paraphrase
• We finished Maya and Inca Scavenger Hunts

Looking Ahead:

• No school Friday, 11/10 for Veteran's Day
• No homework again next week (We'll be starting our movie prep process.)
• Picture Retakes are on Thursday, 11/9.
• Fill out your Parent University registration form if you're interested in taking a class. Ms. Baker will be teaching Intermediate Math: That's Not How I Learned it As a Kid."
• Parent University is on Wednesday, 11/15 from 5:00-7:15

Have a great weekend!

Students of the Week 10/27

This week's students of the week are...


Raine, Jasmine, and Luisa!

Raine has been very helpful to her classmates this week. Helping others with their work great way to practice your explanation skills and is also a kind and considerate thing to do! Thanks, Raine!

Jasmine has also been helpful to her classmates as well. One of her peers didn't understand something we were learning, so she took the time to help. Thanks, Jasmine!

Luisa has been super on top of participating this week. Way to get in there and take charge of your learning, Luisa!

Week in Review

Hey there, Fisher Baker Families!

We've had a great week of learning here at Marshall! Here's what we've been up to:

This Week in Academics:

• We delved into the agricultural aspects of the Maya, Inca, and Aztec people.
• We compared the effects of water erosion on sloping sand to water erosion's effects on stone-reinforced terraces.
• We learned to list all of a  number's factor and discussed a few divisibility rules.
• An even number always has a factor of 2.
• Every number has a factor of 1.
• A number has a factor of 3 if its digits add up to a number you can divide by 3.
• We learned to multiply using the area model method for when numbers are too large to repeatedly add or draw dots on an array.
• We took the area model a step further and learned to multiply using the distributive property.
• We are improving our writing by practicing how to vary our sentence structure within a paragraph.
• 5th Graders continued to diligently practice their Taiko drumming routine.

Looking Ahead:

• No homework next week!
• MARBLE PARTY! Tuesday 10/31 we are celebrating our good behavior in specials classes. If students choose to wear costumes, they must be non-violent, mask-free, and non-restrictive for P.E. and Taiko drumming. Treats are welcome! 
• Next Thursday 11/2 is the evening Taiko drumming performance. 5th Graders will need to be at Marshall to get their costumes on and organized no later than 5:00. The performance will begin at 5:30.
• Next Friday 11/3, the 5th graders will be performing for their peers at an assembly at 9:30 am. Fifth graders, please be present for this performance!
• No School on 11/10 for Veteran's Day.
• GREAT NEWS! Our class was the top fund-raiser for the Mustang Gallop! This means that we will be receiving a free field trip to Lowell Observatory sometime this year. We'll keep you updated as we work to plan for this awesome prize!
• 11/15 @4:30 SAVE THE DATE for Parent University! 
• I (Ms. Baker) will be teaching a class on demystifying common core math. If 4th and 5th grade math techniques are puzzling to you, and you'd like to know more about why we teach math the way we do, come to my class!  Flyers will be heading home in the next week or so. 

My goodness! So many exciting things to look forward to! Enjoy your weekend.

Ms. Baker, Ms. Fisher, Ms. Gearhart, and Ms. Vikki

Students of the Week 10/20

This week's students of the week are...

Sophia, Robert, and Sean!

Sophia has been super on top of her participation lately! In math especially, she has been sharing her thinking. Way to go, Sophia!

Sean has also been enthusiastically engaged in math. Way to lead by example, Sean!

Robert has done a really nice job staying on task and showing his best both in groups and independently. Nice work, Robert!

Week in Review 10/16-10/20

Hello there!

We had a nice first week back from fall break here. We've been focusing on implementing goals we made at conferences since we have a fresh start with a second quarter. This has meant working on writing things in our own words, contributing more to class discussions, and taking more responsibility for homework. Here's a bit more of what we've been up to this week.

This week in Academics:

Aztec Glyphs

• We began our unit on the Maya, Aztec, and Inca cultures
• We created codices with information about each group's writing/ communication tools
• We learned to distinguish between primary and secondary sources. 
• We FINISHED Hatchet! Be sure to ask your child about the exciting conclusion.
• We learned some multiplication basics.
• groups of things
• arrays
• repeated addition
• properties of multiplication
• a shortcut method we use in our class "triangling basic facts"
• We practiced arranging events in chronological order on a timeline

Looking Ahead

• Next week we will have expert's homework. (Our last week of expert's before we switch to spelling for a couple of weeks.)
• Next Friday is October Birthday Friday!
• Save the Date: Taiko Drumming performance Thursday, 11/2 @ 5:30
• Save the Date: NO SCHOOL Friday, 11/10 (Veteran's Day)
• Save the Date: Parent University Wednesday, 11/15 @ 4:30

Have a lovely fall weekend!

Ms. Baker & Ms. Fisher

Students of the Week 10/6

This week's students of the week are...Raine, Jonathan, and Joseph.

These three stood out this week because they represented Marshall and the F/B class so well on the field trip yesterday. They worked well with others, were respectful of Elden Pueblo's staff, and were ready for directions. These awesome behaviors make us want to go on more and more field trips. Way to go, Raine, Jonathan, and Joseph!

Students of the Week 9/29

I (Ms. Baker) made an oopsie and forgot to post last week's students of the week! Well here they are...better late than never. 

Peyton, Dominique, and Jake! All three of these students have been stepping up, joining in our class discussions and taking responsibility! Way to go, you three.

Peyton has been super on top of his homework and classwork. Even when he was sick, he came back ready to get caught up. Nice job, Peyton. 

Jake is getting more and more involved in class discussions. Way to get your voice out there, Jake!

Dominique has really been stepping up and taking responsibility for herself academically. She's been setting a great example for others in how to be in charge of yourself when it comes to her job as a student. Nice, Dominique!

Week in Review 10/2-10/5

Hey there, F/B Galaxy!

With the start of conferences, a field trip to Elden Pueblo, and the Mustang Gallop, it's been a whirlwind of a week over here. We've been doing a lot of authentic learning and certainly having fun!

This Week in Academics:

• We took Quest Language and Math iPad Tests for the end of quarter 1.
• We practiced counting by tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, hundred thousands, etc. 
• We practiced finding endpoints and midpoints.
• We practiced rounding on  vertical and horizontal number lines.
• We began a final map project.
• We learned about the Sinagua people by observing artifacts at Elden Pueblo
• We practiced presenting our portfolios to one another in preparation for our parent teacher conferences.

Looking Ahead:

• Next week's schedule is shortened due to conferences.
• Monday: Half Day Dismissal @ 12:25
• Tuesday: Half Day Dismissal @ 12:25
• Wednesday: SUPER Half Day Dismissal @ 11:10
• Thursday: NO SCHOOL (FALL HOLIDAY)
• Friday: NO SCHOOL (FALL HOLIDAY)
• No homework next week!
• Fifth Graders: Bring your Taiko permission slips signed by next week! We'll be starting Taiko drumming the week after fall break. 

Have a great weekend!

Ms. Baker and Ms. Fisher

Week in Review

We had a pleasant week in the Fisher Baker classroom. As a team, our fourth and fifth graders earned all 12 of their marbles for their great behavior in specials this week! We are getting very close to earning our camp out themed party! Keep it up, Fisher Baker kids!


This Week in Academics:

• We learned the difference between renewable and nonrenewable resources. 
• Ms. Baker did a water demonstration to show the surprising amounts of water in different water sources in our world. 
• We reviewed measurement and data skills and took an assessment on them.
• We continues to survive in "Hatchet."
• We practiced adding appropriate transitions to our paragraphs (First of all, next, then, on the other hand...)

Looking Ahead:

• Our field trip to Elden Pueblo is on Thursday. Make sure your child has return all permission slips ASAP!
• Mustang Gallop is on Friday. Continue collecting pledges and bring a black t-shirt to paint for our class costume ASAP!
• There will be no homework next week. 🙂
  

Have a lovely fall weekend!

Ms. Fisher and Ms. Baker