August 17, 2015
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First Grade News August 17, 2015 Curriculum Highlights • Writing Workshop: Rituals, routines and procedures for writing • Review vowels and consonants – Why are they important? • Reading workshop: Who are we as readers? How to choose a book? • Who are we as Mathematicians? What do mathematicians do? • Student Learning Results – Think Creatively, Reason Critically, Learn Enthusiastically, Communicate Effectively, Collaborate Constructively, Live Ethically Reminders • There is a lost property box in the hallway between the playground and art/ music rooms where you can check for missing items. If items are labeled with name and class it makes for an easy return. • If your child is regularly buying lunch or snack you may need to top up his/ her account. You can do this by going directly to the main office with a cheque and your child’s name. Melawati is a cashless campus so please do not send cash to school. • Friday August 21 – Hari Raya Dress Up Day • Thursday August 27, 6:30pm, - Open House – Melawati Studio and then after up to the first grade common area. Please be aware that the time scheduled with the first grade team is about 20 minutes for a team presentation and 10 minutes to visit classrooms. This is a short amount of time with a lot to cover so we really want to talk about what is most important and relevant to all. If you have any questions you would like specifically addressed please send them to your child's teacher so that we can prepare to cover what many parents are interested in. This is not a time to talk about individual student's progress. Parent conferences are coming up in October when you will have individual time with the teacher and further questions may be answered. If your child's teacher has any urgent concerns about your child he/ she will contact you directly. News from Ms. Tindall’s class This week we are talking about predictions and continue to discuss the possibility of many solutions to one problem. You can reinforce this at home by talking with your child about many solutions to a problem and ways of solving a problem. Point out that there is usually no one right answer. For example, you have a problem in your family where the family is rarely ready on time for school and work in the mornings. Brainstorm ways of solving that problem. Big sister might decide to put her clothes out and pack her bag the night before, little brother might decide to set his alarm earlier, mom might decide to eat breakfast in the taxi on the way to work and dad might decide to exercise after work instead of before. Each person has a valid solution. There is no one right answer. This also ties in with our behaviour expectation of: Solving Problems Positively. In class we have been working very hard to come together as a team and cooperate in the classroom. Research tells us that the best learning environment for children is a cooperative one, with little or no competition. Students in first grade are not compared against one another, but instead against themselves and the progress they have personally made. I have seen much progress already. Students are helping each other and asking other students for help when needed, they are encouraging others both when they make a mistake or do something great, and they are beginning to express themselves in terms of how it feels to support each other, rather than compete. The students are overcoming their fear of making mistakes and are beginning to see them as a way to make learning plans and opportunities to learn. Please help to reinforce these ideas at home. Not only does it make for a more productive learning environment, it also makes for happier children. In partnership, Ms. Tindall
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Newsletter and possible follow-up home activities
Transcript of August 17, 2015
First Grade News August 17, 2015 Curriculum Highlights Writing Workshop: Rituals, routines and procedures for writingReview vowels and consonants Why are they important? Reading workshop:Who are we as readers?How to choose a book? Who are we as Mathematicians? What do mathematicians do? StudentLearningResultsThinkCreatively,ReasonCritically,LearnEnthusiastically, Communicate Effectively, Collaborate Constructively, Live Ethically Reminders There is a lost property box in the hallway between the playground and art/ music rooms where you can check for missing items. If items are labeled with name and class it makes for an easy return.If your child is regularly buying lunch or snack you may need to top up his/ her account.You can do this by going directly to the main office with a cheque and your childs name. Melawati is a cashless campus so please do not send cash to school. Friday August 21 Hari Raya Dress Up Day ThursdayAugust27,6:30pm,-OpenHouseMelawatiStudioandthenafterupto the first grade common area.Please be aware that the time scheduled with the first grade team is about20minutesforateampresentationand10minutestovisitclassrooms.Thisisashort amountoftimewithalottocoversowereallywanttotalkaboutwhatismostimportantand relevant to all. If you have any questions you would like specifically addressed please send them to your child's teacher so that we can prepare to cover what many parents are interested in.This is notatimetotalkaboutindividualstudent'sprogress.Parentconferencesarecomingupin Octoberwhenyouwillhaveindividualtimewiththeteacherandfurtherquestionsmaybe answered.If your child's teacher has any urgent concerns about your child he/ she will contact you directly. News from Ms. Tindalls class This week we are talking about predictions and continue to discuss the possibility of many solutions to one problem.You can reinforce this at home by talking with your child about manysolutionstoaproblemandwaysofsolvingaproblem.Pointoutthatthereis usuallynoonerightanswer.Forexample,youhaveaprobleminyourfamilywherethe familyisrarelyreadyontimeforschoolandworkinthemornings.Brainstormwaysof solving that problem. Big sister might decide to put her clothes out and pack her bag the night before, little brother might decide to set his alarm earlier, mom might decide to eat breakfastinthetaxionthewaytoworkanddadmightdecidetoexerciseafterwork insteadofbefore.Eachpersonhasavalidsolution.Thereisnoonerightanswer.This also ties in with our behaviour expectation of:Solving Problems Positively. In class we have been working very hard to come together as a team and cooperate in the classroom.Researchtellsusthatthebestlearningenvironmentforchildrenisa cooperativeone,withlittleornocompetition.Studentsinfirstgradearenotcompared against one another, but instead against themselves and the progress they have personally made.Ihaveseenmuchprogressalready.Studentsarehelpingeachotherandasking other students for help when needed, they are encouraging others both when they make a mistake or do something great, and they are beginning to express themselves in terms of how it feels to support each other, rather than compete. The students are overcoming their fearofmakingmistakesandarebeginningtoseethemasawaytomakelearningplans and opportunities to learn.Please help to reinforce these ideas at home.Not only does it make for a more productive learning environment, it also makes for happier children. In partnership, Ms. Tindall Thi nk before you pri nt! Do you real l y need a hard copy of thi s? Monday Reading:Askanadultaboutwhenheorshewasachildlearningtoread.Whatwasthe hardest thing about learning to read? What stories did they love to hear? Read? Math: Play UNO or any other card game you know. Discuss with your game partner why it is important to follow the rules and what makes a good sport. Tuesday Reading:Discusswithanadultyourfavouriteplacestoread.Askyourfamilymembers where their favourite places to read are. Why do you like to read there? What makes them good reading spots? Math:PlayUNOoranyothercardgameyouknow.Continueyourgoodsportdiscussion. What do people do and say who are good sports? Wednesday Reading: Tell an adult what types of books you like to read. Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?Why?Doyouenjoylovestories?Drama?Adventure?Funnystories?Booksabout planes, animals, fairies? Ask an adult what types of books they enjoy reading and why. Math:Goonacountingspree.Choosesomethingallfamilymembersown(suchasshoes, socks,underwear!)andcounthowmanyeachpersonhas.Writedownthenumbersthenput them in order from the least to the most. Thursday Reading:Tell an adult how you chose a book today.What were you thinking about? What made you pick that book? Ask an adult how they choose the books they read. Do they take recommendations? Share books with friends? Are they part of a book club? Math: Write the numbers 1 20. Check. Did you write them tall and around the write way? (Use the resource sent in your folder this week to check your form) Friday Reading:Tellanadultwhatisajustrightbook.Askanadulthowdotheychoosejust right books. Poem Collection:Read poems and songs from the poem collection.Put your finger on each word. Return the poem collection to school on Monday.
