December 17th - December 21st

Welcome to another busy week in first grade. As we lead up to the winter holiday students will have great opportunities this week to celebrate all they have learnt in Reading, Writing, and Social Studies. 

First Graders at the Book Fair

WHAT WE WILL BE LEARNING THIS WEEK:

Readers Workshop

In readers workshop this week readers will be preparing for our reading celebration. Readers will work in partnerships to compare and contrast each others characters. Together they will discuss the similarities and differences between characters from one book to another and compare these to books we have read in the past.

Writers Workshop

In Writers workshop we will focus on editing and publishing our Realistic Fiction stories. Writers will have the opportunity to get together with their writing partner to share their stories and check they all have believable characters, settings, problems and solutions.  Writers will have the chance to create author pages for their stories and lastly our writers will get to celebrate all their hard work during our Realistic Writing unit by sharing their wonderful stories with their buddy class at the end of the week.

First Grade Writing partners in action

Math

This week we are starting a new math unit about measurement. Students will learn about comparing lengths. We will learn how to make direct comparisons, for example, the crayon is shorter than the paper. We will also learn how to make indirect comparisons, for example, the rabbit is shorter than the dog, and the dog is shorter than the cow, so the rabbit must be shorter than the cow. Students will use the terms "shorter than", "longer than", "taller than" to describe the objects they are measuring. 
Lesson 1 Compare length and directly consider the importance of aligning end points
Lesson 2 Compare length using indirect comparisons by finding objects that are longer than, shorter than, and equal in length to that of a string.
Lesson 3 Order three lengths using indirect comparison.
Lesson 4 Express the length of an object using centimeter cubes as length units to measure with no gaps or overlaps.

Topic A Parent Tip Sheet
Topic B Parent Tip Sheet

Social Studies

This week students will be learning about how families have fun together. Students will learn about the different games/dances/songs that families do together to have fun. If you are still interested to come and share the games you do as a family then please contact your class teacher to make a time to come and share these ideas with your child's class this week.

How You Can Encourage Your Child To Read Over The Winter Holiday:

As the holiday season moves into full swing and kids are home from school, it's easy to get lost in the preparation and forget to keep children on a regular reading schedule. Please click on the below link to find out how you can encourage your child to read during the winter break:

https://www.education.com/magazine/article/Ed_Keep_Your_Reading/

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.

If your child's home arrangements change during the day please let your teacher know before 1:45pm (as that is when we come back to the classroom from third recess) as most times we don't have time to check our emails before students leave. Also please copy Mary Greiss mgreiss@cacegypt.org  in the office and Lucy Hany lhany@cacegypt.org, as they can call us in case we don't see the email.

First Grade practicing for the Winter Assembly, we hope to see you all here!

Important Dates to Remember

Tuesday December 19th is a Thursday schedule, there will be no assembly on this day.

December 21st - ES students will have a combined house event with MS students. Please have your child come dressed in their house colors and appropriate footwear for some fun activities.

December 21st - Winter Celebration - Parents are invited to join their child's class from 1pm - 1:50pm for some fun classroom activities. At 2pm all parents are invited to join us on the ES lawn to enjoy our winter assembly.

December 22 - Winter Break Begins

January 14 - School Resumes

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)

December 10th - December 14th

Welcome to another busy week in first grade. We are very excited about the book fair and all the other learning opportunities each day this week. Please take time to read what is happening this week both inside and outside of the classroom:

Book Fair

CHRISTMAS BOOK FAIR

This year's Christmas Book Fair begins on Sunday December 10th in the Middle School Back Courtyard! Your child will be passing by the book fair with their class between Sunday the 10th and Thursday the 14th - the schedule for first grade is below. If you would like your child to shop during this time, please send cash (suggested: 300 LE) with them. Otherwise, the fair will stay open Sunday-Thursday after school from 3-5 so you can accompany your child or purchase for yourself. The book fair will feature 5 local book vendors with English and Arabic books for all age groups. Keep an eye out for posters about our after school book signing events ('Happy Belly' author Yasmine Nazmy on Wednesday!!) On Thursday the 14th, a Mini Christmas Bazaar will open up alongside the book fair and the Booster Club will join us with hot chili from the snack restaurant and CAC gear on Sale!

First Grade Classes Will Attend The Book Fair On:

1C:  9:00 - 9:30 on Tuesday, December 12

1S:  10:00 - 10:30 on Tuesday, December 12

1M: 8:30 - 9:00 on Tuesday, December 12

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 17 - Readers will discuss in partnerships how their characters are feeling throughout their stories and then show evidence in their books where these feelings can be found.

Partnership work - Partners will continue to work together to understand each others character's feelings and actions through discussion about the main events that happen in their stories.
Review - Readers will review all they have learnt so far about making connections to their characters through their feelings and actions. Readers will refocus on reading actions and feelings with expression in their voice.

    

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.

This week writers will be focusing on adding more details to their beginning, middle and end of their story. Writers will review:
*  Who their characters are, are they believable?
* Where their setting is, have you added enough details?
* What their problem is, is the problem believable?
* What was the outcome/solution to their problem? Is it believable?

Lastly writers will make sure they have added enough details to describe these parts of their story making sure their reader is not confused, they will do this in their partnerships.

Math

This week in math we will finish topic D. Students will be counting on or taking from ten to Solve Result Unknown and Total Unknown Problems. This week we will be finishing module 2 so students will spend some time reviewing what they have learnt in this math unit so they are prepared for their end of unit assessment.

Lesson 28: Solve addition problems using 10 as a unit and write 2 step solutions.
Lesson 29: Continue to solve addition problems using 10 as a unit and write 2 step solutions.
Review: Students will review module 2.
End of Unit Assessment

Topic D Parent Tips

Social Studies

Thank you to those families that have been having "dinner plate conversations" at home, we have all been enjoying very rich conversations in class about what students have discussed with you at home. A special thank-you to the parents who have come to each of our classrooms to share and explain about their culture to the students, we know that all our students have enjoyed this learning time. We will still be learning more about student's cultures next week as we look forward to hosting more parents in our classrooms to share more about their wonderful cultures and heritage.

As well as learning from parents students will have the opportunity to research using books, computers and pictures about different cultural heritages around the world. They will answer questions such as:

- Where do families come from (countries, regions)

- What languages do they speak there?

- What special celebrations do they have?

- What foods are eaten there?

- What special songs are part of that culture?

- What clothes do people wear there?

Next week we will be learning about how families have fun together. If you would like to share different games/dances/songs you do as a family to have fun then please contact your class teacher and make a time to come and share these ideas with your child's class.

How Can You Slow Down & Be More Content As A Family?

Now days we are so busy with our day to day schedules and after school/work commitments that it can easily become overwhelming for children and parents alike to find time to just 'be' together. With a few simple changes to your daily routines you can find more unhurried time to be together. Please click on the below link for more tips on how you can do this:

Slow down - be happy

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.

Important Dates to Remember

Sunday 10th December - Thursday 14th December: CAC Book Fair MS back courtyard.
Tuesday 19th December - Thursday Schedule

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)

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 families. Students 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:

Routines and why they matter.

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)