Sunday, December 3, 2017

December 3rd - December 7th


We hope all our first grade families had a restful long weekend. It was lovely to see so many parents for our parent/teacher conferences last week. This was valuable time spent talking about the progress of your child's learning so far this year as well as talking about future learning goals they have for trimester 2 and beyond.  



WHAT WE WILL BE LEARNING THIS WEEK:

Readers Workshop

In readers workshop this week are continuing with our unit, Readers meet the Characters
Essential Questions:
  • How can I use what I know about the characters to help me read with expression.
  • How can I read in a way that helps me know how the characters are feeling.
Our first grade readers will be exploring what characters do in books and what this teaches us about them. We will also be paying close attention to character feelings and if they change in the book.

Teaching Point 14 - Readers will learn about how the characters feelings change throughout a story. Readers will ask themselves "how is my character feeling in the beginning? Do they feel differently in the middle of the story? Do their feelings change in the end?" 
Teaching Point 15 - Readers will think about how they would feel when put in the same situation as their characters. They will ask themselves if they would act in the same ways. Readers will talk with their reading partners about their thoughts on weather they would feel the same way or not.
Teaching Point 16 - Readers will learn that when readers think about how a character feels, they think about other characters in the story, too. They might ask, ‘Do I know another character who feels the same way?’ Then readers will compare their characters with their partners!”

Writers Workshop

In Writers workshop we will continue to write Realistic Fiction stories.

Essential Questions:
  • What makes a good story?
  • How can I use what I know about letters, sounds, and words to write words the best I can?
First graders will be doing lots of pretending, making up characters, thinking about settings and imagining realistic adventures these character can have.

Teaching Point 14 - Writers will learn about how they can show not just tell how a character is feeling. One way writers will do this is by adding lots of realistic details to their stories.
Teaching Point 15 - Writers will learn about using dialogue in their stories to bring their characters to life. They will learn about using speech bubbles and talk within their stories and explain how their characters spoke.
Teaching Point 16 - Writers will work together in their partnerships to help elaborate on what is happening in their stories.

Math

This week in math we will finish topic C. Students will practice strategies for solving change or addend unknown problems. Students will start topic D and focus on 1 ten as a unit by renaming representations of 10, they will also decompose and compose teen numbers as 1 ten and some ones.

Lesson 23: Solve add to with change unknown problems, relating varied addition and subtraction strategies.
Lesson 24: Strategize to solve take from with change unknown problems.
Lesson 25: Strategize and apply understanding of the equal sign to solve equivalent expressions.
Lesson 26: Identify 1 ten as a unit by renaming representations of 10.
Lesson 27: Solve addition and subtraction problems decomposing and composing teen numbers as 1 ten and some ones.

Topic C
Topic D

Social Studies

In Social studies this week we will continue investigating our essential question, How are families similar and different?
This week we will continue to talk about culture and heritage in familiesStudents will be sharing more about their own culture. We will also be investigating other cultures  and how they are different and similar to our own.

A special thank-you to the parents who have come to talk with grade 1 classes about their unique culture and customs, the students have throughly enjoyed this time.





Culture and Heritage in your family
Parents it is still not too late, if you have time and would like to come to class and share about your wonderful culture we would still love to have you. You could share things like music, food, clothes from your country.
Please let your child's class teacher know if you would be willing and they will arrange a date that suits you.

Winter Celebration

Thursday December 21st will be our winter celebration. Please let your classroom teacher know if you will not be here on that day as we need this information for catering purposes.

Specialist Blogs

Please make sure you are viewing specialist blogs to see all up-coming events and are aware of what is being learnt in class. 

Core Value Books

Starting next week each child will take turns bringing home the core value book of the month so that you at home can discuss and reinforce each value with your child. When your child receives this book please make sure that you read it with them and then have your child return this book the next day so that it can go home with the next child in class.

Winter Service Celebration: 


Dear Parents,

As a part of the Service Learning Office activities for the Elementary school and with the cooperation of the Students Council team, we will start a Warm Clothing Drive and Toy Drive to be donated to Stabl Antar Dreams School. The collection of the donations will begin on Wednesday, December 6th, 2017. Elementary school students will have boxes for donations in their classrooms.  Middle and High school students will be able to donate in the boxes at Eagle Plaza (The front gate).

Pass the Parcel
Winter Community Service

December 21, 2017
10:30 - 12:00 PM

What is it -Pass the parcel is a 'child 2 child' initiative that seeks to empower children through giving. The initiative was founded by a group of CAC elementary students (who are now middle school students) with a taste for kindness, and it is dedicated to passing on pre owned belongings- such as backpacks, stationary, clothes, books, and toys- from one child to another one less fortunate. Driven by CAC’s core values Pass the Parcel is not about de-cluttering our rooms, but about giving something we still value to others, which also means giving our precious time and effort.

Winter Community Service Activity- This year we want to use some of our time while celebrating together, to do something joyful and meaningful for others who might not have the same access to resources and joy.  

What are we doing?
  • There will be a table for each class (21 tables on the lawn).
  • Materials for wrapping, cleaning and fixing will be provided.
  • Students leaders will move from station to station to provide each table with a box of toys/clothes.
  • Pre - K students will stamp the wrapping paper and cards.
  • KG, Grade 1, Grade 2 students will fold and cluster the warm cloth.
  • Grade 3, 4, and 5 students will wrap the toys.
  • On each table there will be a chart with the steps and instructions and a checklist to monitor each step.

Grade
Task
No. Classes/ Tables
Pre- K
Stamping Wrapping Papers/ Join their buddy table/ Cards making
1 Class
KG
Warm Clothes Station
3 Classes
Grade 1
Warm Clothes Station
3 Classes
Grade 2
Warm Clothes Station
3 Classes
Grade 3
Toy Wrapping
4 Classes
Grade 4
Toy Wrapping
3 Classes
Grade 5
Toy Wrapping
4 Classes

1. Steps for Warm Clothes Stations:
Steps
Materials needed
Duration
Cluster according to Items.
None
15 minutes.
Cluster according to size.
None
15 minutes.
Cluster according to Gender
None
15 minutes.
Fold Cloth and store them in boxes by Items
Boxes, tapes, and pens
45 minutes

2.Steps for the toys wrapping stations:
Steps
Materials needed
Duration
Cleaning Toys
Towels, Cleaning Spray, Wipes.
15 minutes.
Fixing and changing batteries
Screwdrivers, Batteries
15 minutes.
Sorting by age group and Gender
Boxes
15 minutes.
Wrapping
Wrapping papers, tapes, scissors, Ribbons
45 minutes

3. Card Making Station:
There will be a card making stations for the students who finish their part of their station.
Materials needed:
Poster paper, Colored paper, Stickers, crayon and colors.


The Importance of Routines For Your Child:


Children at the Grade 1 age enjoy routine and the safety and reassurance it provides to their emotional development. Please click on the below link to read more about how you can provide a consistent routine at home for your child so that they can feel safe and confident with what to expect on a day to day basis:

Going Home Arrangements

If your child's going home arrangements change please let your child's classroom teacher know so that we can ensure your child heads in the right direction.


After School Activities  

This week, Sunday & Wednesday: Gr.1-5 students go directly to their ASA
  • Monday December 4h : No ASA
  • Thursday December 7: Gr.1-5 students go to the lunchroom to meet their ASA teachers

Important Dates to Remember

December 4 - Early release day (All students released at 11:30)
December 19 - will be a Thursday schedule
December 21 will be the winter assembly on the ES lawn at 2pm - 3pm
December 22 - January 13th Winter Break. School resumes January 14th

If you have any questions or feedback for the first grade team please don't hesitate to contact us.

Your Partners in Learning
Taryn Carr (tcarr@cacegypt.org)
Gaby Morales (gmorales@cacegypt.org)
Charlie Saunders (csaunders@cacegypt.org)


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