Fifth Grade
Fifth grade is a big year! In math and science, fifth graders are learning concepts such as the structures and systems of organisms. Through our Human Body Systems Informance, we integrate drama, dance, music and technology to bring the curriculum to life. In math we explore new concepts using the Investigations program and hands-on learning. We take fractions and decimals to a new level by exploring multiplication and division of fractions, decimals, and mixed numbers. In language arts and social studies, fifth graders explore Native American cultures and regions, European expansion into the Americas, The Revolutionary War, and beyond, integrating these topics with writing, reading, and the arts. At the end of the year, we take these concepts and present them to our community in an engaging and fun way during our “We the People” Social Studies performance! Field trips to the Asheville Art Museum, The Asheville Museum of Science, Diana Wortham Theatre, The Carl Sandburg Home, and beyond take our learning from the classroom and into the Asheville community.
About the Fifth Grade Staff
Heather began working at ArtSpace in 2008 as a Teacher Assistant, and has been teaching her own class since 2009. She taught seventh grade Language Arts for five years, before becoming the fifth grade Language Arts and Social Studies teacher. Heather holds a B.A. in English from Keene State College, in New Hampshire, where she is originally from. Heather holds NC teaching licenses in Middle Grade English Language Arts and Elementary Education. In 2009, Heather completed a NC Teacher’s Initiative Outward Bound program, where she gained experience with experiential learning and teaching. In 2015, Heather completed a National Endowment for the Humanities training in Concord, Massachusettes, focusing on the Crossroads of a Revolution, where she gained expertise on the eve of the Revolutionary War. Heather co-leads the GRITS program, where she fosters a love of science and builds community with girls in grades 5-7. She is a proud recipient of the AmeriCorps Education award for three years in a row. In addition to spending time with her family, she enjoys music, exploring the mountains, reading, and yoga.
Heather earned her B.A. in Geology from Bryn Mawr College and completed the teacher licensure program in middle grades science at UNC-Asheville. She began her career as an educator at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC before moving back home to the South to teach at an outdoor school, and later at a therapeutic boarding school. Outside of the classroom she enjoys hiking with her dog Luna, reading and listening to podcasts, making pottery, and volunteering with Asheville’s LGBTQIA+ youth advocacy group. Heather is excited to join ArtSpace’s creative, collaborative community and to form relationships with students and their families!
About Ms. Cassie
Cassie graduated from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and minors in Human Development and Biology. Before transitioning to in-classroom education, she taught Outdoor Environmental Education in California and Hendersonville, N.C. In her free time, she enjoys backpacking, trail running, and adventuring with her dog.
