Welcome to Mrs. Vassaux's classroom! Welcome to the new school year 2020-2021! We are guaranteed a very interesting and changing year--and I look forward to spending this year with all of my families. I will be working on updating this website in the weeks to come. I'm very fortunate to be your teacher and am glad to be working with you all at Anasazi! Previous Updates 1-26-18 Well, yesterday all of your students got a tattoo.
OF COURSE, the tattoos were temporary and came from the FunRun festivities. The students are already in the thick of preparing for our annual FunRun, an event that raises a significant amount of money for Anasazi. Thank you, PTO, for coordinating this HUGE effort. We started with a school assembly on Monday and will conclude the event on Wednesday, January 31st. The 4th and 5th grades are scheduled to run from 10-11. The PTO would welcome many parent volunteers to help with the run. An email blast went out earlier. The students named our team: Mrs. Vassaux’s Vicious Vipers (creature, not vehicle) and are creating illustrations for our epic banner. Fingers crossed for good weather. Stay tuned for more information from PTO about a Dad’s Group!
What we’ve been doing:
Science: Exploration of mixtures and separating mixtures. Next: Compounds, molecules, atoms, and a great activity with polymers (joint effort with Mrs. C)
Social Studies: The Road to the American Revolution! Reasons for seeking independence
Math: Concluding Multiplication and Division of Fractions
WIN Math Groups: Decimal Operations. Next: Adding and Subtracting Fractions (especially fractions requiring regrouping)
ELA/Writing: Poetry for 2 Voices, Opinion/Argument Writing
Coming Up:
On Monday, the fifth grade will begin the Timeline Report. Each fifth grade student will become an expert on a person or event from our American History focus: 13 Colonies, American Revolution, Westward Expansion, and the Civil War. Students will write a “traditional” report, but the presentation will be very different. We will present over 4 days, one day per time period, and each student will dress as their person or a person from their event (or their actual event—think Constitution!) and make a very brief speech to the entire 5th grade. At the end of 4 days, the students will have experienced close to 300 years of history! Details to follow. Students start by turning in a proposal with 3 possible topics. If the proposal is not turned in on time, the students risk losing their preference. No topics are repeated which means only one George Washington, one Abraham Lincoln, etc. This is a chance for students to discover and share some of the unsung heroes and little known events of our history.
Our first field trip is on Friday, February 9th to the Phoenix Liberty Festival for interactive American History experiences. The permission slip is in the Friday folder and is due back to school by Tuesday, January 30th. There is no cost associated with this trip, thanks to those who generously donated tax credit money.
We will have a “Friendship” card exchange on Wednesday, February 14th—which is an early release day. This will be a very low key event. Students may bring a card to share with everyone in class (and this year, they may also share candy). If students receive candy, they may not eat it at school, but must bring it home to be reviewed for allergies/etc. I will send out a name list shortly.
Need your assistance: If possible, please have your student bring a set of inexpensive earphones/buds to school. Students use them for Edgenuity, the individualized math program. Also, we are in great need of more Kleenex and Clorox wipes!! If you have an extra box or container, we would be so grateful!
Upcoming dates: Jan 31 – Fun Run: 10-11am 4th and 5th Grade Feb 1 – Strings Concert 6pm – Cafeteria Feb 7 – Student Council Meeting 7:30am Feb 8 – Gifted to Taliesin Feb 9 – 5th Grade to Phoenix Liberty Festival Feb 14 – Early Release Feb 14 – PTO Meeting 8:45am Feb 15 – PTO Family Game Night Feb 16 – Crazy Hair/Sock Day Feb 16 – Stargazing Gifted – 7-9pm Feb 19 – Presidents’ Day – No School Feb 21 – 2nd Trimester Ends Feb 21 – Parent Forum DMHS 9-11am Feb 27-Mar 1 – Early Release Parent-Teacher Conferences
Thank you for your support and your students! Pat Vassaux
12-22 Have a wonderful break and a Happy New Year! Hi all, Your students did very well on this, arguably the toughest day of the year! We worked on a real-life performance task with fractions this morning (training for a triathlon :) ), continued with their weekly writing for the Yellow Folder, and concluded by setting up their planner and organizing their desks! Oh, and a very wonderful classroom celebration in the midst of their hard work. Thank you so much to the parents who were able to come and assist at the party. Bingo and cookie decorating could end up less than successful without plenty of help! Thank you all for contributing to my classroom gift! It is perfect: reading material and warm beverages (and the ability to acquire more). To me, this will be heaven. Thank you all for your students. I look forward to helping them grow in our new year! Please have a refreshing and healthy break and a very happy new year. See you on January 8th, 2018. Pat Vassaux
12-20 Update from the Classroom Hi all! Just a few updates before the end of the week. The students are doing quite well, in spite of the distractions of the break to come. I’m there with them!
We have wrapped up The Phantom Tollbooth and our Adding and Subtracting Fractions focus, taken a couple of benchmarks (Math and ELA), and are meeting with our Buddy class for the first time!
On Friday our class will be having a Winter Break Party from 12:10 - 1:30 to kick off two weeks of holiday fun! We'll be decorating cookies, playing Winter Bingo, and learning a card game. If you would like to attend, I'd love some help, since our room mom will not be able to join us. Thank you!!
We are making a change to the Specials schedule, starting on this Friday—which is DAY 1. The students have updated their planner for the week after break with the new schedule and they will place a full schedule in their planner.
We are closing up the year after our party with planning and organizing. Please don’t check your students out early—if possible. Thank you very much! Pat Vassaux 12-12 Update from the Classroom Hi all, Some quick updates:
We are scheduled to visit the Holiday Shop this Thursday from 10:30-11:15. Thanks for making arrangements to help your students shop!
The students will be taking benchmark tests next Monday and Tuesday—the 18th and 19th. Please let me know if your plans will take your student out of school early.
We will have our first field trip on February 9th at the Phoenix Liberty Festival which is a living history experience. Because of changes in chaperone training and screening this year, we can only bring parents who have been previously approved. If you are already an approved chaperone and are interested in supporting the fifth grade students for this trip, please let me know! I have two spots for chaperones.
We will have a much larger opportunity for chaperones with our trip to JA BizTown in May. We have time for new chaperones to complete the updated training and screening. I will keep you posted. We will need around 20 chaperones from the whole fifth grade for the trip. We will also need close to 20 parents to help out with student interviews prior to the trip. Very exciting!
Students are completing their “Parallel Universe” book report at home (due Monday, 12/18) and are working on a short 13 Colonies research report in school. There are definitely undercurrents of excitement as we approach Winter Break, but I am proud of their level of focus!
Thanks so much, Pat Vassaux
12-7-17 News from the Classroom Hi all, Thanks to all who were able to “come on down” to the annual Anasazi Western Day. I am so pleased and proud of our 5th graders. They demonstrated perseverance, collaboration, and focus, as well as thoughtfulness, as they expertly executed their square dance. The only downside to this day is that I can’t seem to get the “Hinky Dinky Parlez Vous” song out of my head!
In math, my students have entered the fraction units. We began with a review from 4th grade: Greatest Common Factor, Least Common Multiple/Denominators, and Comparing Fractions. The students are constantly using math facts to create equivalent fractions, so please encourage them to keep their facts fluent. This week, we are working with adding and subtracting fractions.
We have begun a study of The Phantom Tollbooth. The book is full of wonderful figurative language as well as a journey that changes the main character. The book recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, but remains contemporary and thought-provoking.
In writing, we continue to work with narratives, but are beginning a focus on informational and persuasive writing. Writing will be integrated into Social Studies (as well as reading!) as the students begin work on a group Colony project.
We will start a short study of basic chemistry with Mixtures and Solutions soon.
The book report is due on Monday, December 18th. I checked in with students today, and most seem to be finishing up their reading and planning to begin work on the writing and illustrations this weekend. Good planning! **We are working with our computers regularly so it would be very helpful for each student to have an inexpensive pair of headphones. Unfortunately, wireless headphones do not work. Thank you for helping students find a pair to use this year.
Upcoming dates: Dec 8 – Student Council “Team Day” Dec 12-14 – Holiday Shop We visit the shop on Thursday, December 14 10:30-11:15am Dec 13 – Student Council Meeting 7:30am Dec 14 – Choir Concert 6:15-7:00pm Cafeteria (Holiday Shop Open in the evening) Dec 20 – Early Release Dec 20 – Scoop and Joy PTO Fundraiser Dec 25-Jan 5 – Winter Break As always, thank you for your support and your students! Pat Vassaux November 21, 2017 Hi all, Your students are not bringing new homework home over Thanksgiving Break so that they may focus on the important subject: family. I still expect them to read at least 20 minutes every day, however!
I have assigned a book report which will be a great application for this daily reading. Unfortunately, our copiers left early for the break, so I do not have hard copies for the students yet. The book report is available on Google Classroom and my website, and I will attach the instructions to this letter. The book report is called: “Help, My Book Went to a Parallel Universe!” It will be due Monday, December 18th. I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving. Enjoy your students and your families.
November 17, 2017 Thank you to all who were able to participate in conferences this week. We had beneficial conversation about the best subjects: your students.
We wrapped up our Early Release week with the rotations for Math University and the challenge of Novel in a Day. We will be holding our class Spelling Bee to determine the finalist for the Anasazi Spelling Bee on December 1st. On Monday, Mrs. V’s math class will test on Chapter 6: Multiplying and Dividing Decimals. We have been reviewing for the test by studying from the math notebook and continuing to practice. We will begin our work with fractions after Thanksgiving.
Next in Social Studies is European Exploration and American Colonization which we will frame with Discovery, a simulation of the colonization process. I will also assign a book report to support our studies in the elements of literature.
We are concluding our novel study of Blood on the River. Our next novel study is a short, two-week read aloud for the book, Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman. This book is a part of our District Units of Study. I am including a letter about the book. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Hello 5th Grade Parents,
One of SUSD's 5th grade Units of Study for Language Arts is Seedfolks, winner of many awards. We will be reading and discussing the book in class. The students would likely not have chosen the book independently (we always select books that they would not necessarily select, but work to expose them to many books of all different genres), but they always love it, and it leads to some wonderfully rich discussion as they share their annotations (connections, favorite parts, questions or confusing parts, surprising parts, etc.) All 5th grades at Anasazi are planning on reading this book once we return from Thanksgiving break.
The book is set in urban Cleveland in modern times. There is a garbage filled vacant lot that becomes a community garden. Previously, it was a neighborhood of strangers where no one seemed to care. One day, a young Vietnamese girl clears a space and begins the garden. The story is told through thirteen very different voices -- young, old, Haitian, Hispanic, Asian, White, tough, haunted, and hopeful and tells the story about how the garden transforms and unites the neighborhood. It's wonderfully written and great literature.
We want to advise you that one chapter contains sensitive material. It is the story of Maricela, a 16 year old pregnant girl, and the chapter focuses on her emotional struggles. There is no mention of how she becomes pregnant or of childbirth. It is her back story just as everyone in the neighborhood has a back story. We will NOT focus on her emotional struggles or ambivalence toward the baby, but instead will be discussing the impact the garden and being a part of the community has on her. We just want you to be aware so that you can have your own discussions at home if it comes up (it may not) or as you deem appropriate.
You are welcome to stop in and read the chapter (6 pages). 5th Grade Team Ms. Jenkins, Mrs. Zolikoff, Mrs. Vassaux, Mrs. Martin
Important dates: 11/22-11/24 Thanksgiving Recess 11/28 am Assembly: The Human Calculator 11/28 pm Mountainside Admin visits 5th grade for a Middle school overview 12/1 9am Spelling Bee 12/6 BBQ Lunch and Western Day from 1-2 pm 12/14 10:30-11:15 Holiday Shop visit 12/25-1/5/18 Winter Break
November 12, 2017 First of all, thank you very much to all who helped with the amazing hairspray booth during the Fall Carnival, and especially to our room parents for coordinating all of your efforts! Thank you all for supporting our students and the PTO.
This week is conference week and I am looking forward to meeting with you all. Please let me know if the times scheduled don’t fit your schedule. We can arrange alternate times. Continuing in the classroom:
Moon phase observations at home
Finishing Funland map and advertisement with our Geography focus
Final weeks of Blood on the River, our anchor novel in this current literature unit of study
In Mrs. Vassaux’s class, we are continuing multiplying and dividing decimals
To use our early release days well, the 5th grade team has set up two focus days. Following math on Wednesday, we are holding Math University where students will rotate through all 4- 5th grade classes and work with review standards from different angles. Following math on Thursday, we will embark on a Novel in a Day where students will read, present, and reflect on an entire novel. In a day!
Important Dates: Friday, 11/17 Thanksgiving Feast during our lunch around 11:45-12:10 Wednesday-Friday 11/22-11/24 Thanksgiving Recess
Please contact me with any questions. Thank you for your support and your students!
September 29, 2017 Thank you all for your participation in Curriculum Night and your support of the Book Fair! As we come up to Fall Break, your students are wrapping up the first part of their math focus on decimals—adding and subtracting—and beginning their review and extension of division. After break, students will continue to expand their application of the basic operations through multiplication and division of decimals. In English/Language Arts, students continue to interpret Figurative Language and understand Text Structure of non-fiction. Below, please find a link to our Curriculum Night Presentation. 2017-18 Curriculum Night Presentation
January 2016 Well done! Welcome to the second half of the year and the push to Middle School!
Here are some of the next areas of focus:
Math--Fractions: comparing, adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing; Measurement and Data Analysis; Geometry
Social Studies--American History: 13 Colonies, American Revolution, Westward Expansion, Civil War, and the 50 States
ELA-- Hatchet, Love That Dog (poetry), and additional Literature Studies
Writing--Expository, Argument (persuasive), and Narrative
Science--Basic Astronomy: Earth and Moon +
Projects--Timeline Report and Presentation; State Report and Presentation
AZ Merit!
JA BizTown coming May 1st (bringing our Economics standards in Social Studies to life!)
The FunRun was a wonderful success! I am very proud of the students' efforts on FunRun day, and I am so very thankful for the amazing pledges of support that families gave to our PTO and our Anasazi students! This is our largest fundraiser for the year and the PTO has done incredible work with your support. We have two laptop carts for 5th grade through this fundraising support. The PTO works effortlessly behind the scenes to make sure that our students have what they need to learn. Thank you for this support!
**The final day to turn in the money pledged for the FunRun is Friday, February 10th. Thank you.
Thank you for your support and your students, Pat Vassaux
2/3/17 Hi all, It is that time of year when we all recognize that our 5th grade students have reached a new level of social/physical development! (Yes, puberty approaches.) This time can be rocky, but, based on my personal experience, I know that all shall be well. Here’s how this development is affecting us in the classroom and here are some ways we are working on these changes!
The positives: I am proud of how your students are collaborating and cooperating in group work. Leaders are learning how to delegate, rather than control. Colleagues are learning how to be supportive, rather than just complaining. While I still require independent work times and always require individual accountability, I am pleased with the ability of students to think more we, than just me. A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THIS IS: The students’ support, with their families, of the FUN RUN. With your guidance, students found pledges, but on the Fun Run day, students ran with excitement because they knew they were helping their school. Thank you for all of your help. ANOTHER EXAMPLE: Students finished individual note taking of our 13 Colonies focus and formed groups to create class lessons. Because of their collaboration and great efforts, the students are close to being finished with a project I was expecting to take another week! Excellent! ALSO: Students know each other well and readily participate in small group and whole group discussions. They encourage one each other, but they also do not hesitate to respectfully question each other when they hear incorrect information or a different opinion is being shared. Not a day goes by without me hearing some type of profound insight from students. Wow!
The negatives: The students know each other well! Sometimes they ignore procedures in the classroom, which include attentive listening to me, as well as their classmates. Perhaps you have seen something of this at home? We have been reviewing procedures and expectations, but we should not have to do this much more! Basically, I have had to clamp down hard on unwanted behavior. EXAMPLE: Time for “transitions” has increased because of chatting. Transitions are any time we move from one idea to the next: morning arrival in classroom, listening to announcements, transitioning to circle, math, ELA, planner, lunch, etc. We have been reviewing procedures and sometimes timing ourselves. ANOTHER EXAMPLE: As students physically grow, their brain actually changes also. Sometimes organization is affected or confused in the process. We have had MANY more incidences of missing homework and even worse, no name on papers—both homework and classwork. (I will be contacting families of repeat offenders.) To counter this, we set aside 15 minutes before lunch for students to update their planners and place homework in their portfolios. Students keep their portfolios until all work or information that needs to head home is in their portfolios. We have added a new step to writing first name, last name and date on their papers: students will highlight the name and date on every paper. This is a suggestion from Ms. Jenkins, who implemented this in August and has seen a remarkable reduction to this problem. Strong organizational skills are a basic predictor for middle school success! We have also cleaned out our desks twice with the goal of no loose papers. We will go through portfolios soon.
How to help your students!: Ask to look at their planners. I do not always have a chance to check everyone, every day. I appreciate your help. Our assignments are posted next to the daily agenda on the white board as a reference. When checking for homework, avoid the yes/no question: Do you have homework? Rather, ask what homework they have. Students typically have nightly math homework, if not—they should note that in their planner. Students have the chance to use their library time on Wednesdays as a “study hall”. If a student says they did their homework in class, the procedure for that is: Take your homework home and review it after school. Homework is meant to be a brief practice of skills and concepts learned each day. Without the chance to look at the skill again, long term memory doesn’t always have the chance to form. Students also have weekly homework like Time for Kids, Greek and Latin Vocabulary, or WordMasters assigned Monday and due Friday.
Looking forward: Students received confirmation of their topics for the Timeline Project today. I will be guiding them through process. Students will have some time to research and work in class, but I expect them to complete much of their report and the practice for their one minute presentation at home. Many of the topics they chose are new to this project! I am excited about the new information your budding historians are preparing to share with the fifth grade!
Thank you for your patience with this lengthy note. Thank you always for your continued support AND your students! Pat Vassaux