Lower School Update - September 30, 2019

Managing Technology at Home

Please join us tomorrow, October 1, for our parent coffee about managing technology at home. We will be sharing guidance, some tools for support and discussing how to keep your child safe.  We look forward to seeing you at 8:30 am in the Black Box Theatre.   

Learning Community D Assembly

This Thursday, October 4, Learning Community D has invited grandparents and special friends to a special assembly. We hope to have many community members on our campus for this special event. Please remember this is only Community D this week, students from other communities will have their own event (and as such, please do not remove children from their homerooms to attend this assembly as they will miss learning). The assembly will take place from 8:15-8:50 and classroom activities with grandparents/special friends from 9:00-9:30. 

Intellectual Curiosity

Every month, the Lower School focuses on one of the Graded Core Values.  Our value for October is intellectual curiosity. Sometimes, this is described as having a “hungry mind.”  Here’s an article about how to nurture curiosity in your child. In addition, “The Kids Should See This,” is a great website for kids to explore some new ideas. 

Upcoming Important Dates

October 1	8:30 am LS and MS Parent Coffee: Managing Technology at Home (Black Box Theater)
October 3	8:15 am LS Community D Assembly (Auditorium) Grandparents and Special Friends
October 8	5th Grade Field Trip - Jardim Botanico (Kitto & Gehrels)
October 10	5th Grade Field Trip - Jardim Botancio (Wilganowski, Wolfe & Gaines)
October 11	Professional Learning Day for Teachers  (No school for students)
October 14	4:00 pm Report Cards 0nline
October 16	No school - Parent-Teacher Conferences
October 17	No school - Parent-Teacher Conferences
October 18	Graded Run Against Cancer (Night Run)
October 21 to 25	PTA - Teacher Appreciation Week
October 24 to 30	Visiting Author - Peter Reynolds
October 29	8:30 am LS Parent Coffee: Visiting Author - Peter Reynolds (Innovation Studio)

Around the Lower School 

Field Trip on Thursday, September 27

Good afternoon 1D Families,

As you know we have our field trip tomorrow to Dorina Nowill.  The class is SO excited!  Teachers are too :)

Students should NOT go to the classroom or playground like normal when they are dropped off.  We will all meet in the Student Center no later than 8:00am.  We will take attendance, go to the bathroom and get settled on the buses.  The buses will leave the parking lot at 8:15am sharp.  It is difficult to get out of Morumbi at that time due to traffic, so we need to leave early and promptly.  Thank you in advance.

Students DO NOT need to bring backpacks tomorrow.  Any homework can be turned in on Monday.  We will be inside during the trip, so students do not need to bring big coats---a simple sweater that could be tied around their waist should be sufficient. 

If your child needs to bring something for an after school activity or event (tennis racket or sleepover bag), it can go on the bus with us.  Please label the bag with their name.  After the trip, I will make sure that they don't forget their bag.  We will return to Graded in time to eat lunch at school.  Snack will be provided at Dorina Nowill.

Lastly, if your child has a Graded shirt or Graded colors, tomorrow would be a good day to wear it.  If not, don't worry.

Thank you and please let me know if you have any questions.

Ms. Wilker

Lower School Update - September 23, 2019

Managing Technology at Home

On Tuesday, October 1, our parent coffee discussion will revolve around managing technology at home.  We would love for you to join us on this very relevant topic. There’s been a lot of research about devices and screen time in the past few years. Here’s an article from Psychology Today that discusses the effects and some practical tips and tools for parents.  

Learning Community C Assembly

This Thursday, September 26, Learning Community C has invited grandparents and special friends to a special assembly. We hope to have many community members on our campus for this special event. Please remember this is only Community C this week, students from other communities will have their own event (and as such, please do not remove children from their homerooms to attend this assembly as they will miss learning). The assembly will take place from 8:15-8:50 and classroom activities with grandparents/special friends from 9:00-9:30. 

Students After School

For your child’s safety, we kindly ask you to ensure that all Lower School students are with an adult after school. This includes around the Lower School but also in the Student Center.  Sometimes, our students are choosing to play with friends while drivers wait and this is not allowed. If students are not with an adult, they will be asked to go to the Lower School Office, where an adult will be contacted. 

Upcoming Important Dates

September 23	LS Special Rotation Day A
September 24	LS Special Rotation Day B
September 25	LS Special Rotation Day C 1st Grade Field Trip - Fundação Dorina Nowill (England & Heineberg)
September 26	LS Special Rotation Day D 1st Grade Field Trip - Fundação Dorina Nowill (Wilker & Burnquist) 8:15 am LS Community C Assembly (Auditorium) Grandparents and Special Friends
September 27	Professional Learning Day for Teachers (No school for students)
October 1	8:30 am LS and MS Parent Coffee: Managing Technology at Home (Black Box Theater)
October 3	8:15 am LS Community D Assembly (Auditorium) Grandparents and Special Friends
October 8	5th Grade Field Trip - Jardim Botanico (Kitto & Gehrels)
October 10	5th Grade Field Trip - Jardim Botancio (Wilganowski, Wolfe & Gaines)
October 11	Professional Learning Day for Teachers  (No school for students)
October 14	4:00 pm Report Cards 0nline
October 16	No school - Parent-Teacher Conferences
October 17	No school - Parent-Teacher Conferences
October 18	Graded Run Against Cancer (Night Run)
October 21 to 25	PTA - Teacher Appreciation Week
October 24 to 30	Visiting Author - Peter Reynolds
October 29	8:30 am LS Parent Coffee: Visiting Author - Peter Reynolds (Innovation Studio)

Around the Lower School 

Curriculum Update

Literacy- In reading, students are discovering strategies for solving hard words. Some of the strategies including looking at the picture, looking at the parts of the words, thinking about the meaning and seeing if the word makes sense, and trying the word two ways (with a short vowel sound and a long vowel sound). While working on writing, students have been studying mentor texts and craft moves. Some of these include making key words bold to emphasize and using interesting verbs to help describe emotions. Additionally, students have been learning about action verbs and being verbs (linked for you to practice at home with your child).

Math- Students continue to work on computation strategies.They are counting on to find the “mystery number” in missing addend equations such as 6 + _ = 9. They are understanding the meaning of the equal sign by pairing equivalent expressions and making true number sentences. They are representing the same story scenario with switched expressions (3 + 2 = 2 + 3), as well as identifying other equivalent expressions (4 + 4 = 2 + 6), building the foundation of their understanding of the commutative property. Students are still working with number bonds and number sentences.

Science- Students are beginning to learn what plants need in order to live. They will be going to the innovation hub in to coming weeks to create plant homes. Then, they will plant beans and observe its’ growth.

Portuguese- Estamos trabalhando com os nomes dos alunos da classe para refletirmos sobre os sons das letras e das sílabas em Português.

And the winner is...

...The Secret Life of Pets 2!

We can't wait to see you on Friday night!  Remember, snacks start at 3:30 pm on the Lower School playground.  Movie will start at 4:15 pm in the Lower School gym.

Conecte os Pontos

Lower School Update - September 16, 2019

International Dot Day

We are excited about the author visit from Peter Reynolds in October.  One of his books, The Dot, has inspired International Dot Day, which occurs every year around September 15th.  You can celebrate with your children by drawing a dot and letting your imagination take over.  Here’s a video to get you started!  If you’d also like to sing along to The Dot, Emily Arrow has created this fun song. 

Lower School Movie Night

Join us this Friday after school for some fun on the playground and a movie in the LS Gym! There will be snacks and drinks available at 3:30, with the movie starting at 4:15. If you haven’t already, please RSVP here and vote for your movie selection. The winning movie will be posted on the blogs on Wednesday. 

Learning Community B Assembly

This Thursday, Learning Community B has invited grandparents and special friends to a special assembly. We hope to have many community members on our campus for this special event. Please remember this is only Community B this week, students from other communities will have their own event (and as such, please do not remove children from their homerooms to attend this assembly as they will miss learning). The assembly will take place from 8:15-8:50 and classroom activities with grandparents/special friends from 9:00-9:30. 

Time Outs

This past weekend, the BBC news site had an article about giving children time outs as a consequence for inappropriate behavior. If you would like to learn more about what the article reported, follow this link: 'Time outs' don't do any harm, parents told

Upcoming Important Dates

September 18	3rd Grade Field trip - Museu da Imigração.
September 19	8:15 am LS Community B Assembly (Auditorium) Grandparents and Special Friends
September 20	Lower School Movie Night
September 23	LS Special Rotation Day A
September 24	LS Special Rotation Day B
September 25	LS Special Rotation Day C 1st Grade Field Trip - Fundação Dorina Nowill ( L.England & D. Heinberg)
September 26	LS Special Rotation Day D 1st Grade Field Trip - Fundação Dorina Nowill (S. Wilker & S. Burnquist) 8:15 am LS Community C Assembly (Auditorium) Grandparents and Special Friends
September 27	No school for students
October 1	8:30 am LS and MS Parent Coffee: Managing Technology at Home (Black Box Theater)
October 3	8:15 am LS Community D Assembly (Auditorium) Grandparents and Special Friends
October 8	5th Grade Field Trip - Jardim Botanico ( N. Kitto & P. Gehrels)
October 10	5th Grade Field Trip - Jardim Botancio (C.Wilganowski, J. Wolfe & L. Gaines)
October 11	No school for students
October 14	Report Cards online
October 16	No school - Parent-Teacher Conferences
October 17	No school - Parent-Teacher Conferences
October 18	Graded Run Against Cancer ( Night Run)
October 21 to 25	PTA - Teacher Appreciation Week
October 24 to 30	Visiting Author - Peter Reynolds
October 29	LS Parent Coffee - Visiting Author - Peter Reynolds

Around the Lower School