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 

Ms. Keane's Community B Assembly

I wanted to thank everyone for coming to the assembly and spending time with all the kids during our activities with special friends. In case you missed the assembly here is a video. They were very excited to express how we are working so hard on building a positive classroom community and developing relationships with each other.

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 

G2 Curriculum Update - September 20th

Here is what is coming up in Grade Two.

Reading: The second graders have been working hard to say the tricky words in their books, and to determine the meaning of these tricky words.  In the coming weeks the students will focus on determining the intention of an author, and thinking about what the author is trying to teach them.

Writing: The students have been working hard observing craft moves by some of their favorite authors, and then trying out those moves in their own writing.  In these last weeks of our narrative writing unit students will work on using specific language in their own writing, editing their writing for spelling and punctuation, and offering feedback to peers.

Social Studies: Students are beginning their social studies unit on "Community." They are expanding their knowledge from what they learned in first grade about the Graded community to the further surroundings of Sao Paulo. They will begin exploring how Sao Paulo has rural and urban communities and focus on describing the similarities and differences between the two. Furthermore, students will be attending a field trip to learn about the city and how it impacts them, so please fill out the field trip form and send it back.

Math: Eureka Module 2: Addition and Subtraction of Length Units (continuation)

Key Vocabulary:

Overlap: Extend over, cover partly.

Centimeter (cm): Unit of length measure

Hash mark: The marks on a ruler or other measurement tools

Number line: A line marked at evenly spaced intervals

Estimate: An approximation of the value of a quantity or number

Benchmark: Round numbers like multiples of ten

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.

2A Assembly, the Golden G and Charity Drive

Thank you to all of the families who came to our assembly last week!  You can see the slideshow that was presented by clicking here, or a video of our presentation above.

This week started in a very exciting way for our class - we won the Golden G for how well we follow the Eagle Way in the hallways!  You can ask your child what they do to help make sure our class moves quickly and safely through the hallways.

Finally, Graded is helping with a community service project.  Second graders are invited to donate paper towels and disposable cups to help those who are less fortunate.  You can see more information about this project here.

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