SK2 Weekly Updates! (Feb18 – Feb21)

As-salamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatu Allah Wa Barakatuhu

Dear Parents,

Here are our classroom updates:

Language Arts:

We have finished the review worksheets on long vowels in Jolly Phonics book 4. Sk2 did a wonderful job sounding out long vowel words, Masha-Allah. In addition, SK2 are practicing, reading, and sounding out new sight words posted on the classroom door. Next week, we will be starting Jolly Phonics Book 5, InshaAllah.

Reading: In our reading, we practiced reading long vowel words by taking turns. Also, Sister Madlein came to our class and read a book to us.

 

Literacy Tips: 

• Read for 20 minutes with your child everyday.
• Practice finding words with long vowels (ai, ay, oa, ie, ee, ea ) with your child while reading at home.
• Go to starfalls.com and reading bears.org to enhance your child’s reading skills.

 Math

This week, we did some more hands-on activities on area. On Friday evening, during the Student Led Conference, we covered our traced-out hand print with Froot Loops to see how many Froot Loops we need to cover the area of our hand.

Math tips:   

• Bake brownies or cake and cut pieces in a square or rectangular pan. Then, count the pieces to see how many pieces will cover the space/area inside the baking dish.
• Play board games like Chutes & Ladders, Sorry!, Dominoes, etc. as they promote the development of counting skills, understandings of patterns, and numeral recognition.

Social Studies

We finished our community helpers unit by making a cute craft about what we want to be when we grow up. Sk2 really enjoyed the craft and were really excited to show their parents on Student Led Conference night. Also, a big thanks to Sister Aisha for talking about working in Canada Post. She gave useful and fun information about mail service. In addition to this, we also did a group activity by making a 3D city out of paper bags. The paper bags were used to make various community buildings in the city. Sk2 did great job helping and working with each other as a group. Way to go, MashaAllah!

Visual Arts

We made a craft about “What I Want to Be When I grow Up”

Islamic Studies

We began learning about Salah (prayer).First we watched an educational video “Time to Pray With Zaki” and then took part in a quiz activity.

Student Led Conference:

Jazakallahu khairen to all of you for coming to the Student Led Conference. Sk2 students did a great job presenting portfolios to their parents.

Field Trip:

We will be going on a field trip to the Museum of Civilization on February 28, Insha-Allah.

Jazakumullahu-khaira for your co-operation and support!

SK2 Weekly Updates! (Feb10 – Feb14)

As-salamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatu Allah Wa Barakatuhu

Dear Parents,

Here are our classroom updates:

Language Arts

This week, we practiced long vowel sounds in order to thoroughly understand diagraphs. We made a vowel sound booklet, played long vowel bingo and did review worksheets from book 4, Ahumdulilah. We also started sounding out and recognizing new sight words. For more practice on long vowel sounds and other letter sounds, please go to this interesting website: http://www.readingbear.org/

Reading: In our read aloud time, we read the book called “My Mouth is a Volcano” by Julia Cook. This book teaches children the value of respecting others by listening and waiting for their turn to speak.  We also read “Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses”.  This story has a great lesson about looking for the good in every day. As well, we reviewed how to predict a story by going through a picture walk and took turns predicting. Also, Sister Madlein came to our class this week. She read a book to small groups of students to train them for the upcoming reading program. Jazaki-Allah-khairen Sister Madlein for her great work and for volunteering in our class.

 

Writing: We wrote a journal response to a question: What do you want to be when you grow up? Students wrote some interesting occupations, some examples are: Dentist, Astronaut, Firefighter, Teacher, and Doctor. Masha-Allah!

 

Literacy Tips: 

• Read for 20 minutes with your child everyday.
• Practice finding words with long vowels (ai, ay, oa, ie, ee, ea ) with your child while reading at home.
• Go to starfalls.com and reading bears.org to enhance your child’s reading skills.

Math

We started to learn what is area and how to measure “Area”  with non-standard units of measurement. We did lots of hands on exploration, Alhumdulilah! 

On Friday, we pretended to be bakers and the students helped stir the brownie mixture. After the brownie mixture was baked and ready to eat, we cut the pieces and counted how many pieces of brownie would cover the area or space inside the dish. Then, Sk2 enjoyed the fudge brownie!!!

Math tips: 

• Bake cake or brownies and cut pieces in a square or rectangular pan. Then, count the pieces to see how many pieces will cover the space/area inside the baking dish.
• Play board games like Chutes & Ladders, Sorry!, Dominoes, etc. as they promote the development of counting skills, understandings of patterns, and numeral recognition.

Social Studies

We started a mini-unit on community helpers. We watched a video, did some fun worksheets, and played a riddle game about different community helpers and what they do. On library day, Tr.Nancy talked about what she does as a librarian. Jazakallahu Khairun to Sister Rabia for coming in our class and giving an informative talk about what she does as a dentist.

Visual Arts

We started to make an “All About Me” booklet for portfolio night.

Islamic Studies

We reviewed the steps of Wudu and watched the teacher doing the proper way of Wudu. Then, some of the students volunteered to model how to do Wudu after watching the teacher. We finished learning Wudu, and will insha-Allah start Salah lesson next week.

Gym

We have been playing and participating in skill building exercises such as warm-up drills, soccer and running. We also played co-operatively with our new giant parachute.

Field Trip

We will be going to the Museum of Civilization on a field trip on February 28, Insha-Allah.

Jazakumullahu-khaira for your co-operation and support!

Read With Me program - Message from Tr. Nancy

Dear Parents,

Assalamu Alaikum

Your child received the Read With Me program reading log along with other information. Please note that the program starts on Monday, the 17 of February and not before. In addition, the forms must be returned  on Mondays. If the child does not return the reading log on time, he or she will receive the following week’s reading log and will not get the current one. For instance, if he or she returns the reading log #1 on the Thursday, February 27, the child will receive the reading log #3. Please make sure to return the reading log sheets on time.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan for your cooperation.

Happy Reading!

Nancy-Ann Brethour,

Abraar School Librarian

SK2 Weekly Updates! (Feb 03 – Feb 07)

As-salamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatu Allah Wa Barakatuhu

Dear Parents,

Here are our classroom updates:

Language Arts

Last week, we learned how to differentiate between long and short vowel sounds. Differentiating between short and long vowel sounds is an essential skill in learning how to read. We also participated in different activities in order to learn and identify vowel digraphs. SK2 did a great job playing bingo to practice identifying and sounding out words that contain different digraphs, Alhumdulilah. For more practice on long vowel sounds and other letter sounds, please go to this interesting website: http://www.readingbear.org/

Reading: 

In reading, we re-read the books  “The Mittens “ and “The Hat” by Jan Brett. Then, we compared these books and made a Venn diagram. SK2 did a great job recalling  and comparing the similarities and differences between two books.

Also, Sister Madlien came to our class to read a book and students did an activity that goes along with the story. Jazaki-Allah-khairen sr. Madlien for your great work and volunteering in our class!

 Writing: This week, we practiced writing using words that contain long vowels. The students wrote the sentence “I like to eat peach” or “I like to eat pie.” Good job Sk2!

Literacy Tips:

·  Read for 20 minutes with your child everyday.

·  Practice finding words with long vowels (ai, ay,oa, ie, ee, ea ) with your child while reading at home.

·  Go to starfalls.com and reading bears.org to enhance your child’s reading skills.

Math

We practiced a little more measuring with non-standard units and did lots of hands-on learning activities. On Friday, we traced out our hand and cut it out.  Then, we measured the length of  our hand with “Froot Loops.” We counted how many Froot loops long our hand is and, finally, we ate those yummy Froot Loops. Yum!

Math tips:   

• Use play dough to roll out two ‘snakes' of different lengths. Talk about one snake being ‘shorter' and the other ‘longer.'
• Compare the heights of family members and discuss who is shorter, taller and the tallest in the family.
• Play board games like Chutes & Ladders, Sorry!, Dominoes, etc. as they promote the development of counting skills, understandings of patterns, and numeral recognition.

Science 
In Science,  we learned how to care for birds in winter who don’t migrate and adapt to the winter weather using their feathers. We did a little experiment on how bird feathers protect the birds in the cold winter. Then, we started to make bird feeders using juice cartons, in order to feed the birds.

 

Visual Arts

In Visual Arts, we did a free art activity using bingo dabbers. Sk2 really enjoyed the activity and produced some creative art work, Masha-Allah!

Islamic Studies

We reviewed the steps of Wudu and did a group activity by sequencing the Wudu cards in order and made a beautiful poster about it. Sk2 did an excellent job interacting co-operatively within their groups and working together to complete the task. Way to go SK2!

Gym

We have been playing and participating in skill building exercises such as warm-up drills, soccer and practice running. We also played co-operatively with our new giant parachute.

Field Trip

We will be going to the Museum of Civilization on a field trip at the end of February, Insha-Allah. The details of the trip will be sent home soon.

Jazakumullahu-khaira for your co-operation and support!

Message from Tr. Nancy - Read With Me program

Dear Parents,

Assalamu Alaikum

For the past few years now, the school library has been running the Read With Me program. In fact, the program is starting Monday, February 17, 2014. For more information, please go to www.abraarlibrary.com.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at school or via email.

Sincerely,

Nancy-Ann Brethour,

Abraar School Librarian

SK2 Weekly Updates! (Jan 27 – Jan 31)

As-salamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatu Allah Wa Barakatuhu

Dear Parents,

Here are our classroom updates:

Language Arts

Last week, we learned the digraphs ee (long E ). We have finished “Jolly Phonics” workbook 4 but we will be reviewing and practicing long vowel sounds further in the future, Insha-Allah. Differentiating between short vowel and long vowel sounds is the essential skill in learning how to read. Students will be engaged  in a variety of vowel activities, so they will practice and learn to differentiate between the long and short sounds of the vowels, Insha-Allah!

For more practice on long vowel sounds and other letter sounds, please go to this interesting website: http://www.readingbear.org/

Reading: 

In reading, we read another book "The Hat" by Jan Brett. First, we did a picture walk and then took turns predicting about the story. SK2 did a wonderful job predicting about “The Hat” using picture clues.

Also, we role-played again based on the book “Time to Sleep”. Students played the role of animals in the book and pretended to hibernate. On Friday, we wore silly socks and read "Fox in Socks" by Dr.Seuss which has lots of tongue twisters. Students really enjoyed the book and finally, we made a graph to see who is wearing a silly sock and who is not.

 

Writing: We wrote a writing response for the question: Do you like your silly socks? Great work! SK2.

Oral Communication: One of the expectations for students in oral communication is to present their show & tell using proper presentation skills (tone, volume & eye contact). Alhumdulilah, we have finished the presentations of Allah's Creation living things diorama. SK2 did an excellent job in their presentation, Masha-Allah.

Literacy Tips:

·                     Read for 20 minutes with your child everyday.

·                     Practice finding words with long vowels (ai, ay,oa, ie, ee,ea ) with your child while reading at home.

·                     Go to starfalls.com and reading bears.org to enhance your child’s reading skills.

Math: 

Last week, we used non-standard units of measurement such as small paper clips, large paper clips, and counters to find the length of our feet. Then, we discussed why it's important to use units that are the same size when comparing objects based on their size! Also, the numbers were different so we asked the question: Why are the numbers different? It was a good discussion, and the students got it pretty quickly, Alhumdulilah!

On Friday, we brought our stuffed animals from home and sorted them from largest to smallest. Then, we used linking cubes to measure the height of our stuffed toys. Here are the photos of some of the stuffed animals and the tallest and shortest bear:

Math tips:   

• Use play dough to roll out two ‘snakes' of different lengths. Talk about one snake being ‘shorter' and the other ‘longer.'
• Compare the heights of family members and discuss who is shorter, taller and the tallest in the family.
• Play board games like Chutes & Ladders, Sorry!, Dominoes, etc. as they promote the development of counting skills, understandings of patterns, and numeral recognition.

Science 

In Science, we reviewed and made a poster on "Where do animals go in winter?"
Here is our classroom cave. SK2 was very excited about the idea of having our own cave and enjoys hands-on-activities about hibernation.

               

Visual Arts

In Visual Arts, we completed our snow globe activity using q-tip painting. It was a very fun and exciting project. SK2 loves this activity and had a lot of fun.

Islamic Studies

We are still learning about Wudu to make the steps of  our Wudu perfect. Wudu is an essential part before learning Salah and SK2 will be learning Salah in the coming weeks, Insha-Allah.

Jazakumullahu-khaira for your co-operation and support!