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)