News from 1C
January 14, 2015
A Note from Mrs. Thexton
Another busy week in 1C! Lots of important information in today's newsletter and don't forget that next week is a 4 day week with a full day Tuesday.
We ended the week with a lot of excitement about bringing home DragonBands! This afternoon we practiced swiping out and using the turnstile and swiping in through the Guard House. The kids were pros! They did a great job!
Please remember, that starting Sunday, ALL STUDENTS must swipe in and out using their DragonBand. Please find a special place to house the band when it arrives home today and get in the routine to putting it on as you leave the house for school each day. In addition, Gate 5 will now be accessible in the mornings for STUDENTS ONLY. Parents may enter via Gate 8 or 10, but domestic staff will not be admitted onto campus in the mornings. While swiping in and out helps to increase security, it is also a measure to build independence in learners of all ages. Pick-up procedures will remain the same, parents will be able to enter and exit the campus through Gate 5 from 2:45 - 4:15 PM. Pick up procedures for PACT Tuesdays and our Pre-K Students will also remain the same; parents will be able to enter through Gate 5 at 12:15 PM.
We kindly ask parents and guests to enter through Gate 8 during the school day.
We thank you for your continued patience and cooperation as we work to keep our school safe and continue the improvements to the ASD campus.
MAP Testing
Next week, 1C and 1F will taking the MAP literacy and math tests for mid-year data collection. Most days we will do this during the 10:45 - 11:30 time frame, with the exception of Tuesday, which will be held after lunch. Each assessment block runs between 20-40 minutes and the assessment is completed online. As with each school day, please be sure your child has plenty of good rest and comes to school ready to his or her very best!
Reminder: Let's Do the Math
Just a gentle reminder that Math Coordinator, Carol Little will host a "Let's do the Math" Workshop on Sunday, January 17 from 8:10 - 9:00 in the Upper Elementary Presentation Room. If you have yet to sign up, please e-mail Mrs. Little at: clittle @asd.edu.qa and let her know that you plan to attend. This workshop will be very helpful as we work through our current unit, addition up to 40. Mrs. Little will be teaching YOU the strategies that we will be teaching your child. I think you will be quite impressed!
Reminder: Principals’ Coffee
Our next Lower Elementary Principals’ Coffee is scheduled for January 19, 2016. Our music teachers will be hosting a music education session to introduce parents to the Elementary music curriculum and the role of music in a child’s life.
In addition, we will be introducing a new component to our Principals’ Coffees and that is a Parent Forum. There will be time devoted at every Principals’ Coffee for the remainder of the school year for a Parent Forum, during which the principals will address general themes raised by parents, which have been submitted in advance. Please attend the Principals Coffee for more information.
Social Studies Project
1st grade students continue to work their Social Studies project. Students are creating either a poster or a diorama about 1 of 4 different ecosystems: Tundra, Desert, Grassland and Rain Forest. Students will represent the weather/temperature, the types of homes found in that ecosystem, what clothing people would wear there, what plants, food, and animals are found there. These projects will be completed at school, however, students are welcome to bring in materials from home that they might like to use for their project. Materials might include:
*Legos people or other small action 'people'
*Sugar cubes and/or cotton balls for students researching Tundra
*Small plastic animals appropriate for your child's selected ecosystem
*Clay or play-doh
*Other craft items as needed.
I have colored paper, craft sticks, and a variety of craft materials for students to choose from, but students are welcome to bring things you already have at home. It is not necessary to go out and purchase any materials for this project! Thanks in advance!
January Birthdays!
Jan 6 - Farah (celebrating on Sunday, Jan 17!)
Jan 8 - Miss Raina
Jan 19 - Andrew (celebrate on Tuesday, Jan 19!)
Jan 22 - Lucas (celebrating on the 20th!)
Jan 25 - Vivian G and Tristan (celebrate in Feb)
Jan 31 - Sara
We will also set dates to celebrate Vivian R (Dec 29) and Mohammed (Dec 30)
Important Dates
January 17-20 - MAP Testing for 1C and 1F
January 19 - *Full Day of School*
January 21 - No School
January 24-28 - Visiting Artist – Danny Gregory PK/KG – 8:30-9:00, Grade 1 & 2 – 9:00-9:30
January 26 PACT – Half Day of School
Coming up next week in 1C
Reading
New Unit: Informational Readers Learn About the World
- Comparing fiction to nonfiction
- How to select Just Right Nonfiction books
- Sorting nonfiction books into topics
Writing
New Unit: Informational/All About Books
- Introducing nonfiction writing
- selecting topics/brainstorming
- planning for nonfiction writing
Math
Addition Within 40
- Identify 10 more, 10 less, 1 more, 1 less
- connect place value to dimes and pennies
- begin to identify greater and lesser numbers based on place value
Social Studies
Children plan a vacation and pack a suitcase full of clothing appropriate for their destination. (desert, grassland, tundra, rainforest)
Work on Project
Plants and food found in various ecosystems
Word Study
- -ed inflectional ending (-ed /t/, -ed /ed/, -ed /d/)
now, us, of, yet
Technology
- Use Edu Puppet to compare Fiction to Nonfiction
- Logging in to Myon to research ecosystems (user name: 27, 1st initial, last name ie, 27kthexton. password: 123456)
Full Day Tuesday
Tuesday, Jan 19, 2016, 08:00 AM
American School of Doha
NO SCHOOL
Thursday, Jan 21, 2016, 08:00 AM
American School of Doha
Kelli Thexton
Email: kthexton@asd.edu.qa
Location: American School of Doha, Al Bustan Street, Doha, Qatar