Word of the Month - CARING and EMPATHY

Our words of the month for December are CARING and EMPATHY. 

As a class, we brainstormed the answers to 'How can I be CARING?' and 'How can I show EMPATHY?'  Below are some of the ideas that the students came up with.

We watched a few short videos about empathy - and how it is important to understand how other people feel. It is important to be kind to others, especially other students.

To practice at home: Ask your child to tell you the ways that they can show empathy and be caring in their lives.

Spelling Words - This Week

Due to the short week before the holiday (school ends at 9:30 on Wednesday for all students in Grade 1) there will be NO sight words for this week.

The spelling test will be done on Monday, January 11th - once the students come back from Winter Break.

Spelling Words
bad, can, hat, bat, ran, yam, back, sack, pass, add

To practice at home: Please study with your children!     

Marks in Homework Diary

Parents, I wanted to share some of the students most recent grades with you.

Today the students wrote their English exam for this semester (it was a test on grammar - nouns, verbs and adjectives). Since we do not send the exams home with the students, I wrote their mark in the Homework Diaries. The exam was out of 20. You will find it on the most recent page of the Homework Diary, written in red pen.

I also included another mark in the Homework Diaries. This is the mark from the comprehension quizzes that students do on each of the books that we read. This lesson has been about 'Gus Takes the Train'. This is a mark out of 15 and has also been written in the Homework Diaries, on the same page as the English exam mark.

Please check the Homework Diaries for more information. Just wanting to keep you all informed!

Library Tomorrow

Remember that tomorrow is Library Day for both 1C and 1N.

Students need to bring their English and their Arabic books to school so that they can return them and get new ones.

Please send your child's books to school in their bag tomorrow!

Spelling and Sight Words - This Week

Spelling Words - the test will be on Sunday, December 13th
dug, jug, mug, rug, tug, gut, bun, sub, yum, hut

Sight Words - the quiz will be on Thursday, December 10th
only, day, zoo, luggage, give, window, into, just, new, train                   

To practice at home: Please study with your children!     

Bulletin Boards - Second Quarter

Outside our classroom is our bulletin  boards where 1C and 1N can share their learning. The boards highlight a theme/topic that covered in class.

Our theme for the second quarter was based on UN Week that we had at school. In Grade 1 week focused on looking at the 'Rights of the Child'. Each student had to pick which Right of the Child (food, water, shelter, family, school) that they thought was most important. They made a small poster which shared their ideas, and they drew a picture to illustrate their choice. All of their interpretations are celebrated on the walls outside our class.

Students also worked on a writing activity about the Rights of the Child. They wrote out sentences about the things they need (food, water, shelter, family, school) to survive and how lucky they are to have all of these things.

If you did not get to see the art work and writing samples in person during GBS Parent-Teacher Conferences - then please take a look at the photos below. The boards will be changing after the winter break.

Word of the Month - RESPECT

Our word of the month for November is RESPECT.

As a class, we brainstormed the answers to 'What is Respect?', 'How can I be respectful at school?' and 'How can I show respect to others?' Below are some of the ideas that the students came up with.

To practice at home: Ask your child to tell you the ways that they can show respect.

Picture Day!

Yesterday was picture day for all of Grade 1. Students who ordered packages will be receiving their photos soon.

I was with 1C (my tutor class) when we were called down to take photos. Here is a sneak preview of the shots!

Smile for the camera! :)

Spelling and Sight Words - This Week

Spelling Words - the test will be on Sunday, December 6th
up, bug, mud, nut, hug, tub, cub, rub, cup, pup  

Sight Words - the quiz will be on Thursday, December 3rd
friend, hold, full, many, good, pull, kids, could, wagon, by                    

To practice at home: Please study with your children!     

Spelling and Sight Words - This Week

Spelling Words - the test will be on Sunday, November 29th
wed, led, fed, den, gem, vet, set, pet, jet, bet

Sight Words - the quiz will be on Thursday, November 26th
book, sea, library, garage, wide, fire, square, saw, neighbor, none                 

To practice at home: Please study with your children!

Field Trip - Scientific Center and Aquarium

Last Thursday Grade 1 went on a field trip to the Scientific Center and the Aquarium in Kuwait.

We saw lots of really cool animals at the aquarium. We saw snakes, spiders, turtles, penguins, jellyfish, sharks, seahorses, and many types of fish. The students wrote an entry in their journals about the field trip.

In the Scientific Center we went to an interactive exhibit all about 'light'. Students were able to run around and explore, while also learning.

Here are a few photos from our adventures.

Verbs!

We are learning about verbs in grammar. A verb is an 'action word'. It is something that you do!

Students had a great time brainstorming different verbs in the class. After we made a big list of them, we acted them all out to show how they are 'doing words'.

Here are the brainstorming lists that we have come up with.

To practice at home: Ask your child to name some verbs (or action words) that they are doing at home. If you ask them during dinner they should be able to tell you that they are eating, drinking, talking, breathing etc. We are always doing something!

Spelling and Sight Words - This Week

Spelling Words - the test will be on Sunday, November 22nd
yet, web, pen, wet, leg, hen, men, let, hem, net

Sight Words - the quiz will be on Thursday, November 19th
all, me, does, my, here, who, goal, baker, home, street                  

To practice at home: Please study with your children!

Library Tomorrow

Remember that tomorrow is Library Day for both 1C and 1N.

Students need to bring their English and their Arabic books to school so that they can return them and get new ones.

Please send your child's books to school in their bag tomorrow!

Spelling and Sight Words - This Week

Spelling Words - the test will be on Sunday, November 15th
sob, cob, won, nod, rod, cop, mop, hog, pot, rot

Sight Words - the quiz will be on Wednesday, November 11th (because of field trip on Thursday)
out, we, curious, monkey, give, up, jump, now, teacher, ask

To practice at home: Please study with your children!

Green Day!

Today was Green Day at GBS. Students were decked out in green clothing and did a lot to celebrate being good to the earth.

All Grade 1 classes planted a small plant at the front of the school. I was with 1C during this time. Here are some photos of them planting.

We also had a lot of fun in the classroom in our green outfits. Here is 1C.

And 1N.

Have a great weekend - and remember to take care of the earth everyday - not just Green Day!

Spelling Words and Sight Words - This Week

Due to the school cancellation on Wednesday and Thursday - 1C and 1N will be having last week's Sight Word quiz on Sunday, as well as the regularly scheduled Spelling Test.

Spelling Words - the test will be on Sunday, November 8th
log, dog, top, hot, ox, lot, fog, pod, box, jog

Sight Words - the quiz will be on Wednesday, November 4th
do, sing, find, no, funny, they, school, job, mess, paint

To practice at home: Please study with your children!

Word Builders

One of the centers being introduced in 1C and 1N is called 'Word Builders'. This center helps students work on their spelling.

In this center students are given plate cards and a pile of letters. They work individually to build 3-letter words. For inspiration, students can use our weekly spelling words, words from the homework stories, word wall words or others words they see around the class.

1C being 'Word Builders'

1N being 'Word Builders'

UN Week

This week is UN Week at GBS. The UN is the United Nations. The UN is an international organization that deals with maintaining international peace and security. The UN also focused on development work and giving humanitarian aid to those in need.

In Grade 1 we chose to focus on the Rights of the Child. In English class, we watched short videos, brainstormed and had discussions to come up with a list of things that children need to survive.

The 5 things that all children around the world need are: food, water, shelter, family and school.

Students completed a writing activity where they declared the 5 needs that they have. Students also illustrated a small poster titled 'The Most Important Right of the Child'. They had to choose 1 of the 5 rights of the child and draw a picture.

To practice at home: Ask your child about the 5 things that children need to survive. They should be able to tell you about them (and draw you a picture to represent each).

Spelling Words and Sight Words - This Week

Spelling Words - the test will be on Sunday, November 1st
it, bin, tin, dig, pig, kit, dip, lip, sip, hit

Sight Words - the quiz will be on Thursday, October 29th
storm, the, afraid, color, red, orange, black, pink, gray, purple

To practice at home: Please study with your children!

Pink Month at GBS

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month across the world and at GBS..

GBS is raising money and awareness through the sales of roses and pink ribbons. If your children have not made a donation yet, and it is something that you are interested in - please send them with money next week.

Here are some of the Grade 1 students with their roses.

Bulletin Boards - First Quarter

Outside our classroom is our bulletin  boards where 1C and 1N are able to showcase their learning. The boards will always share a theme/topic that we are covering in class.

Our theme for the first quarter was looking at how 'Grade 1 is Great'. It offered students strategies of how to be successful in the first few weeks. Student work is also displayed on our boards. Students illustrated the caption 'My First Week - Grade 1 is Fun!'. All of their interpretations are celebrated on the walls outside our class.

If you did not get to see the art work in person during GBS Open House - then please take a look now. The boards will be changing for the second half of the first semester.

Naming Nouns

We are learning all about nouns! There are 4 different groups of nouns:
- people
- places
- things/objects
- animals

Students have been brainstorming different examples of nouns. Here are some of the lists which we have created.

Also, we are labeling different nouns around the classroom that students can see (the door, the clock, the white board, the alphabet etc).

To practice at home: Ask your children what the 4 groups of nouns are and have them give you an example for each :) (for example - a person: brother, a place: the chalet, a thing: a bed, an animal: a horse)

Word of the Month - RESPONSIBILITY

This month we are working on understanding RESPONSIBILITY.

As a class, we brainstormed various ways that the students can show responsibility in their lives. Below are some of the ideas that they came up with.

To practice at home: Ask your child to tell you the ways that they can be responsible.

Spelling Words and Sight Words - This Week

Spelling Words - the test will be on Sunday, October 18th
if, is, him, rip, fit, pin, hip, kid, wig, fig

Sight Words - the quiz will be on Wednesday, October 21st
for, what, boat, look, have, too, hid, hug, run, under

To practice at home: Please study with your children!

Teacher's Day

Thank you!

Dear Parents,

Thank you for thinking of me on teacher’s day!

Ms. Carlee 

Our Classroom

Here are some photos of Ms. Carlee's classroom. This is where the English learning takes place!