Wk 22 Jan 28th - Feb 1st.

Dear parents, thank you for taking the time to read our blog and stay informed on highlights and upcoming events. This past short week went by flying as the learning continued. It was good to see some familiar faces at the Math Parent Workshop held on Wednesday, we hope it was helpful, and we thank you for attending.
We want to remind you that the Core Value of the month is INTEGRITY, and we are sending home the book "The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade" by Justin Roberts. We want to get the conversation started at home about what integrity looks like in all the places where your children go. Thank you for all you do to support us at home.

From the Curriculum Corner:

Readers Workshop

Essential Questions:

- What reading strategies can we use to make sure our reading looks right, sounds right and makes sense?
- What can readers do to make sure they understand what they have read?

This week our first grade readers have big jobs to do. They are learning and reviewing skills that will help them to move from Learning to Read to Reading to Learn. They are reflecting on their weaknesses and strengths, setting goals, and using new strategies by themselves, but also coaching and being coached by partners. They will specifically learn word-attack strategies to solve tricky words such as: thinking about what kind of word would fit, slowing down to break up long words, and using words they know to solve unfamiliar words. It's going to be a week of discovery, where students will gain confidence as readers. You can support them at home by asking them what are they working on as readers, and what are their weaknesses and strengths.

First Graders in a fish bowl observing what partners do to help each other

Writers Workshop

Essential Question:

- How can I use writing to share my opinion

Last week ended on a great note with a mini celebration where students shared their best 2-3 pieces and were awarded with blue ribbons for their best piece by their own classmates. After celebrating their accomplishments, and setting a goal for their future work; students will continue this week to learn new skills. They will research other writers and find out what they used in their writing in order for it to be convincing, and they will try to do the same in their own writing. First grade writers will learn how to give a sneak peak at the beginning, provide more information, and tuck in personal anecdotes in their pieces. They will also learn to use a voice that talks right to readers and lastly, our writers will learn to compare their favorite item to other in order to convince their audience. It's all very exciting work! You can support them at home by having conversations about their favorite things: movies, books, restaurants; and by prompting them to give reasons and try to persuade you.

First we "judged" our partner's pieces using a checklist

Then we awarded a blue ribbon to the "Best in Show"

Lastly, we received feedback from our partner and we set goals

Math

Essential Questions:

- What are efficient ways to count?
- How does counting by tens and ones help you count larger numbers?
- What is place value?
- How does a digit's position affect its value?
- How can numbers be expressed and compared?
- In what ways can numbers be composed and decomposed?

This week our first grade mathematicians will begin Module 4, which will be the second of our three modules on place value. Students have learned all the basics and they will be building on what they learned on module 2. The concepts they will learn this week are: comparing the efficiency of counting by tens vs counting by ones; using the place value chart to record and name tens and ones within a two-digit number; interpret two digit numbers as a ten and some ones or all ones - which is the foundation for adding and subtracting bigger numbers; writing and interpreting two-digit numbers as addition sentences that adds tens and ones; identifying 10 more, 10 less, 1 more and 1 less than a two digit numbers; and by the end of the week they will learn about dimes and pennies as a representation of tens and ones.

Parent Tips Topic A

Interpreting a number either as a ten and some ones or all ones

Social Studies

Essential Questions:

- How do families grow and change over time?

This past week in social studies was fun. Students talked about important events in their life, learned how to order these events by date, and put together their timeline. We all enjoyed looking at each other's pictures, and listening to each other's anecdotes. This week we will learn other ways of recording family history such as journals, photo albums, and family trees. We will learn what a family tree is, and we will create our own.

It was so much fun to share out life stories and record them on a timeline!

CIRCLE SOLUTIONS:

1C This week we will continue our discussions about integrity and what that looks like inside and outside the classroom. We will also be playing games that build positive relationships and learning about each others strengths.

1M For the remainder of this month, and part of February, we will be working on the Core Value of the month: Integrity. Also we will continue with the Strength Gotcha cards' discussions and sharing that we have been doing for the last couple of months.

1S  This week we will continue to talk about our new core value of the month: integrity. We will continue to talk about what this looks like both inside and outside the classroom. We will also play some fun games to build classroom community and foster positive friendships between students.

Dealing with “I'm Not Tired”

Just about every parent, at one time or another, has heard the old "I'm not tired" line when it was time for their child to go to bed. And while hearing it may be something all parents go through, how you handle it will set the stage for many other "I'm not tired" nights to come!
Children and Sleep at Bedtime
There are many reasons why a child may claim they are not tired when it is time to go to bed. Sometimes, they really aren't tired. But that doesn't mean it should provide them with a "get out of bedtime free" card! If you let your kid stay up simply because they claim they are not tired, you will likely hear them exclaim it on many nights thereafter. If children really are not tired when it is time to go to bed, it is a good idea to look at what may be causing it. Perhaps they are falling asleep during the day, going to bed a little early for their age, or have been eating too much, too close to bedtime. Children in elementary school, typically go to bed around 8:00 p.m., give or take an hour. But if your child has been going to bed at 7:00p, perhaps it is time to change the bedtime to 7:30 or 8:00, and so on.

Winning the Bedtime Battle
When your child first says they are not tired, that's the time to nip it in the bud. Respond by explaining that they still need to go to bed and follow their bedtime routine. One of the best ways to encourage a healthy sleeping pattern and beat the "I'm not tired" battle is to establish a bedtime routine that you consistently follow. Even if your child says they are not tired, still follow their normal bedtime routine. If it is an isolated incident, it is not much to worry about. However, if it is a recurring problem, and they really are having difficulty, you will need to determine what is causing it and then address that issue. If you can't pinpoint a reason and are still having problems with it, be sure to bring it up with your physician.

Article link: Dealing with "I'm not tired" at bedtime

Important Dates to Remember:

January 30: 1C Assembly
February 7: ES Family Math Night (4:15 - 5:15pm)
February 8: ES Family Picnic (12:10 - 12:50pm)
February 13th: Field Trip


If you have any other questions or concerns about this week, please don't hesitate to contact your classroom teacher.

Your Partners in Learning,

Taryn Carr (tcarr@cacegypt.org)
Gaby Morales (gmorales@cacegypt.org)
Charlie Saunders (csaunders@cacegypt.org)

Week 21 Jan 21st. - 25th

Dear parents, thank you for taking the time to read our news for the short week ahead of us. We had a great first week back from the holiday, and a great start to our new units in Social Studies, Reading and Writing. This week we will be finishing up our Module 3 in math, students have really enjoyed learning about measurement and data collection. The house event on Tuesday was super fun, and our first graders did a great job in the tug of war, by persevering and also showing respect for other houses.

House event

 From the Curriculum Corner

Readers Workshop

Essential Questions:

- What reading strategies can we use to make sure our reading looks right, sounds right and makes sense?
- What can readers do to make sure they understand what they have read?

This week our first grade readers will be planning and setting goals for their reading. They will reflect on the things that they are doing already as good readers, on the skills that they need to work on; and they will set goals. They will do this by themselves, but also with the help of their partners. A skill they will be practicing this week will be to stop and think about the story/subject they are reading to solve tricky words, or parts they are wondering about. Thinking about the story and not just looking at the picture is a great resource for understanding what we are reading. 

Writers Workshop

Essential Question:

- How can I use writing to share my opinion?

This week our first graders will take their opinion writing to the next level. They will learn that writers don't always have to write about their favorite thing, or the best thing, they can also write about their least favorite or worst thing. Students will also cite other people that share their opinion to make their argument stronger, and they will learn that they can also persuade others to share their opinion. For this unit, since our first graders are already experienced writers, they will use checklists to check their writing on the go.

Selecting their favorite item in a collection

Writing about their "best in show" scarf

Math

Essential Questions:

- How can different strategies be helpful when solving a problem?
- In what ways can operations (subtraction and addition) affect numbers?
- How are 10s helpful when adding and subtracting?
- How can I compare and contrast objects to understand measurement?
- In what ways organizing data be helpful when answering questions about size, length, quantity?

This week will be a lot of fun. Our first grade mathematicians will learn how to collect, sort and organize data in a way that we can count more efficiently, by using tally marks and tables. Students will be able to ask and answer questions to interpret the data they collected. Questions such as how many fewer than, and how many more than will be answered by comparing three data points in the tables that they will create. First graders will realize that using the same rules that they used when they were learning about measuring (no overlaps, no gaps) will be helpful as they compare the information they gathered. By the end of the week, students will take the End-of-module assessment, and then enjoy the long weekend to get ready to start our Module 4 next week.

Collecting and sorting data

Parent tips Topic D

First Grade mathematicians measuring

 



Social Studies

This week we will be talking about family history, and ways to record it. First graders will learn that one way to do this is by using journals, diaries, photo albums; and by the end of the week we will learn about family trees. We encourage you to talk at home about your family history and family members.

Core Value Book:
This month's core value is: Integrity. We have already started to send home the book: The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade. Each day a different student will recieve this book to take home and read with you at home. Please discuss this book with your child and then have them return it the next day so the next child can take it home, thanks for your support with this.

CIRCLE SOLUTIONS:

Circle Solutions is a way of building healthy relationships, resilience and responsibility in our classrooms at CAC. It promotes a positive learning environment and builds student wellbeing. Just like before the winter break we will continue to include a summary of what first grade classes have been doing so that you can continue these conversations at home.

1C This week we will continue our discussions about integrity and what that looks like inside and outside the classroom. We will also be playing games that build positive relationships and learning about each others strengths.

1M For the remainder of this month, and part of February, we will be working on the Core Value of the month: Integrity. Also we will continue with the Strength Gotcha cards' discussions and sharing that we have been doing for the last couple of months.

1S  On Sunday we will talk about our new core value of the month: integrity. We will talk about what this looks like both inside and outside the classroom. Last week students talked about the importance of doing what is right even when no one is looking so we will look to go deeper with this conversation tomorrow.

7 Ways to Foster Creativity in your Kids 

By Christine Carter

Many people assume that creativity is an inborn talent that their kids either do or do not have: just as all children are not equally intelligent, all children are not equally creative. But

actually, creativity is more skill than inborn talent, and it is a skill parents can help their kids develop.
Because it is a key to success in nearly everything we do, creativity is a key component of health and happiness and a core skill to practice with kids. Creativity is not limited to artistic and musical expression—it is also essential for science, math, and even social and emotional intelligence. Creative people are more flexible and better problem solvers, which makes them more able to adapt to technological advances and deal with change—as well as take advantage of new opportunities.

Many researchers believe we have fundamentally changed the experience of childhood in such a way that impairs creative development. Toy and entertainment companies feed kids an endless stream of prefab characters, images, props and plot-lines that allow children to put their imaginations to rest. Children no longer need to imagine a stick is a sword in a game or story they've imagined: they can play Star Wars with a specific light-saber in costumes designed for the specific role they are playing.

Article Link: 7 Ways to Foster Creativity in your Child

Important Dates to Remember:

January 24th: Early Release Day (ERD) - All students dismissed at 11:30
January 24th: 8-9am Grades 1- 5 Math Workshop for parents - Part 2 (1st. floor common room)
January 25th: Police day holiday - no school
January 30th: 1C Assembly
February 13th: Field Trip. More details to come later.

If you have any other questions or concerns about this week, please don't hesitate to contact your classroom teacher.

Your Partners in Learning,

Taryn Carr (tcarr@cacegypt.org)
Gaby Morales (gmorales@cacegypt.org)
Charlie Saunders (csaunders@cacegypt.org)

January 14th - January 18th

Welcome back to school everyone! We hope everyone had a wonderful winter vacation and enjoyed time with family & friends. The teachers are excited to see all the students and to hear about what everyone got up to during their winter vacations.

We have a busy first week back at school as we are starting 3 new units of work in reading workshop, writing workshop, and social studies. Please read below to find out what the students will be learning about this week at school:

Curriculum Corner

Readers Workshop

Essential Questions:

1) What reading strategies can we use to make sure our reading looks right, sounds right and makes sense? 

2) What can readers do to make sure they understand what they have read? 

This week in readers workshop students will be learning how to be the BOSS of their own reading. They will be learning to stop at the first sign of trouble and use their toolbox of strategies. We will be revisiting strategies that readers use when they encounter problems in their books such as tricky words or confusing parts. Not only will students be using strategies such as sounding out words and using the illustrations to help decode meaning but students will also use their reading partners to help them understand their books better. Students will work on recognizing what they do well to solve tricky parts in their books and identifying what strategies they can develop more to become better readers. 

Writers Workshop

Essential Question:
1) How can I use writing to share my opinion?

This week in writers workshop students will learn about sharing their opinions in their writing either through "I like", "I dislike" or "I think that.." students will learn that once they have stated their opinion they need to reinforce this with many reasons stating why they like, dislike, or think the way they do. Students will begin to understand that the more examples and reasons they share with their readers the more likely their reading audience will be convinced of their arguments or opinions.

Math

This week students will get an introduction to the idea of a length unit, taking the concepts of longer than and shorter than to a new level of precision. We will lay centimeter cubes end to end along the length of an object with no gaps or overlaps. Then we will learn that the total number of cubes represents the length of that object in centimeters. Finally, we will compare lengths by using statements such as, “The pencil measures 10 centimeters. The crayon measures 6 centimeters. So the pencil is longer than the crayon.” 

You can expect to see homework that asks your child to do the following: ▪ Measure objects by using centimeter cubes, and then complete comparison statements about the relative lengths of the objects. ▪ Measure objects by using centimeter cubes, and order the objects from shortest to longest. ▪ Use the RDW process to solve word problems about length.

Topic B Parent Tip Sheet

Topic C Parent Tip Sheet

Social Studies

Essential Question:
1) How do families grow and change over time?

Our new unit for social studies is called: "Families Past and Present". During this unit students will come to understand that families are diverse in where they live and how they live. Students will learn that family structures grow and change over time. Students will recognize that how families lived in the past is different to how they live now and these past lifestyle experiences can be passed down from generation to generation to help how we live and operate today.

This week students will be learning about timelines and how a timeline shows how families or groups of people change over time. Students will have opportunities throughout this week to make a class timeline showing how their class has changed since the start of the year to now, school wide timeline showing important events in the life of CAC, and personal timelines showing the events in their own life and when they happened.

Social Studies Homework:
As we are learning about timelines we would like for each student to write down at home important events that have happened to them - for example: birthday, moving country, starting school, important holidays, swimming medals, soccer trophies etc. Please have your child bring this to school with them on Sunday, January 21st in their take home folder.

Science Up-date:

During our last week of school, before the winter vacation, we had a small science celebration to highlight all the students hard work maintaining and caring for their plants outside. The students had an opportunity to pick some tomatoes and basil and then eat this on some crackers outside in front of our Grade One plant boxes. The students had a lot of fun reminding themselves of what they had learnt during our first science unit and they really enjoyed getting to eat and enjoy the 'end product' of what they had planted:

ASAs Resume This Week:

Just a reminder that ASA will resume  this week. Gr.1-5 students go to their ASA locations just as they did before the break.

Important Dates to Remember:

January 16th: ES House Event - Please wear your house colors
January 24th:  Early Release Day - All students dismissed at 11:30am.
January 25th: Public holiday - no school.
January 30th: 1C Assembly

Again welcome back to school, we look forward to catching up with you all throughout the week.

If you have any other questions or concerns about this week please don't hesitate to contact your classroom teacher.

Your Partners in Learning,

Taryn Carr (tcarr@g-cacegypt.org)

Gaby Morales (gmorales@g-cacegypt.org)

Charlie Saunders (csaunders@g-cacegypt.org)