Posted in French

Joyeuse Hanukkah!

Posted on by emouchou

Salut les parents!

What an exciting month December has been!!! It is so interesting to observe different celebrations and spend quality time with our loved ones. In class, we worked on the theme, Hanukkah. The students got familiar with the new vocabulary through games, stories, songs, word searches, mazes, decoding sentences, bingo games and writing activities.  Finally they did once again a wonderful presentation and they sang beautifully during the school event. In addition,we keep working on our letters and  vowels and I must admit that I am very happy with their progress. The more they read and practice, the better they become. After the holidays, they will get their Je lis accounts so they can start reading simple stories which  will help them improve their fluency and remember vocabulary.

Posted in General Studies, Grade 1 Reading

Happy Hanukkah!

Posted on by jbennett31

The children had a great week getting ready for Hanukkah. They made beautiful chanukiahs with Morah Andy. Morah Ada and the classes got into the spirit by making spinning dreidels, lego chanukiahs, and dreidel snowflakes

Grade 1 and 2 lit the candles virtually with schools from all over Canada and Israeli through our Etzbah Hagalil Partnership!

                                     Kitah Alef Shabbat

Both 1A and 1B love celebrating Shabbat together each Friday.

 

 

 Reading

 

What is Amplify reading?

Amplify is the new reading platform (the umbrella company) that the OJCS purchased licenses for this year to use as a pilot project to enhance our current reading programs. We bought three programs for our school through Amplify, each explained below.

 

1. mClass – DIBELS 8 assessment 

2. Boost Reading (K-3)

3. Boost Close Reading (Gr. 4-8)

Why did we choose Amplify? 

This program aligns with the ‘Science of Reading’. The Science of Reading research shows the need for students to have word recognition skills (such as phonemic awareness, decoding skills through phonics, and reading fluency) and language comprehension (including knowledge of vocabulary, morphology, and syntax) to read and comprehend text. 

1. mClass is the system that allows us to run the DIBELS 8 Assessment with all of our students in Grades K-3. 

What is DIBELS?

DIBELS ® (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) is a set of procedures and measures that assesses the acquisition of literacy skills. They are short (one-minute) fluency measures used throughout the year to monitor the development of early literacy and reading skills. In Grade One, the DIBELS 8 assesses different skills, such as letter names, phonemic awareness, letter sounds, decoding, word reading, reading accuracy, and reading fluency. The classroom teacher does the assessment individually with each child.

Results of these assessments help us identify who is below, at, or above grade level in each skill. We can tailor our instruction in small groups and resource support accordingly. 

2. Boost Reading is the reading program license we purchased for students K-5. Boost Reading is a literacy acceleration and remediation program that uses adaptive technology to deliver personalized learning instruction for K-5 students. The engaging world of Boost Reading adapts to each unique reader. 

Can my child use this program at home?

Yes, please! Boost Reading adapts to your child’s needs, so you don’t need to, and you should NOT assist them with their learning. Once they log in, they’re ready to start using the program. Some students will begin with a placement activity that helps the program match them to the best content. To ensure the most accurate placement, students must complete each activity independently. Your child can have fun playing the Boost games and improve their reading skills.

Posted in General Studies, Jewish Studies, Ruach

A peek into Grade One

Posted on by jbennett31

On Tuesday, the Grade One classes took part in a Let’s Talk Science workshop called the Tree of Life. Science students from the University of Ottawa taught us about the different characteristics of animals. We then had fun sorting and classifying the plastic animals. This was the perfect introduction to an upcoming research project about animals in the winter.

We also had the chance to make our own Tree of Life.

In a unit on Data Management we have been making graphs and interpreting the data. Corn seems to be the favourite vegetable in Grade One. Cherries are a favourite fruit in 1B while 1A seems to prefer peaches.

 

 

The children are very excited to visit the Scholastic Book Fair next week. The flyer with some of the featured books came home in the note totes yesterday. 1A and 1B will visit the Book Fair on Thursday December 7th.

Save the date for our Family Chanukah Celebration. We have already started to practice the song we will be singing. It is a terrific one.

Posted in French

Videos speak louder than words!

Posted on by emouchou

Salut les parents!

Another 2 and a half exciting weeks full of learning and fun is over.  The students proudly recited the poem “Voici mon coquelicot” during the Remembrance Day ceremony.  Apart from that, they also learned the song ,”Mon beau coquelicot”.  We did different exercises where the students had to put the missing first letter of the word after hearing me say the word.  That exercise develops both their listening and writing skills.  In addition, I was reading different sentences to them with already familiar vocabulary and expressions, and they had to match them with the correct photo. Regarding the vocabulary,they started learning the shapes so now when they describe an object,they can give me more details.We also continued practicing the vowel A combined with other letters and last week they learnt another poem related to numbers “Un,deux,trois”.Poems are catchy,repetitive and help students learn vocabulary and pronunciation. In addition, I love how they describe photos from the Taoki book.What makes me really proud is to see them fully engaged with a huge enthusiasm to learn.That drive for taking risks and acquiring new knowledge is what makes my GRADE 1 so so special! Je vous adore mes anges!Enjoy the videos.

IMG_6698 (1)

IMG_6697

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xhuYpPqDwGv9fl59e7KL7ow8InOqRlUS/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17ehtaPcQUdgvKz0zxnMoZl3vDGb83s86/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sguASh_ZU7BoDBx2-5JpKp7ZdoAjHXce/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ucNqmUCaL9uYnYScG0Wlr_zDhOY-tkXs/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OpVwjR6mCJ44l029GF_jzgAqE1cpD0rZ/view?usp=sharing

Posted in French

Tell me,and I forget,teach me,and I may remember,involve me and I LEARN!!!!

Posted on by emouchou

Salut les parents,

This week we continued practicing the colours, as well as fall vocabulary.  We have added verbalizing numbers and reciting 3 poems about the colours. The students also made beautiful cards for one school in Israel  with french wishes.  We also kept on practicing the vowels A,O,I,E,U  and we learnt the expression ‘Il y a’ (there is)  which the kids used along with the sentence “Je vois” (I see) in order to describe what they see in a picture that I showed them.I was so proud to hear them using these two sentences with the vocabulary they already know like colours,numbers school and fall.Doing puzzles,playing french games and wordwall games with their reading buddies help them practice,learn and have fun.

This week’s challenge: To learn a poem for Remembrance Day!

Posted in French, General Studies, Jewish Studies

Special days in Grade One

Posted on by jbennett31

Global Maker Day

This past Tuesday was Global Maker Day 2023. The students loved taking part in a day full of collaboration and creativity with schools from around the world. 

1A and 1B loved using their design thinking skills on Global Maker Day. There were four different STEM challenges to choose from: make a monster, a game, a new playground, or build a 3D school model. Special thanks to everyone who sent in all the recycled materials. There was more than enough cardboard and containers for the building.

There was a buzz in the room as the students chose their groups and started to brainstorm. With materials and tape in hand, the building began, and absolutely everyone was engaged and having so much fun.

Morah Ada and I were amazed at all the different building that was going on in the class. The students collaborated as they tested and adapted the designs to meet with success. Students presented their STEM challenges to the class. They were so proud of their final products. Global Maker Day was a success. We were inspired to be innovators, problem-solvers and share our work globally. 

A visit with Ottawa Firefighters

The JK, SK, and Grade One classes had special visit yesterday afternoon. A group of Ottawa firefighters from our local Station 23 came to talk about fire safety with the children. Firefighters discussed their roles as community helpers. The students also learned about making fire exit plans at home.

The children were excited to go outside and get an up close look at a real firetruck and learn about all the gear firefighters need to use.

One of the firefighters just happened to be the father of a SK student, which made the visit extra special.

 

 

 

 

Posted in Jewish Studies Reading

Hebrew Homework Begins

Posted on by aaizenberg

HOMEWORK IS HERE AND WE ARE EXCITED (and a little nervous)

laptop reading

Really! You should have seen the excitement when I told them they will be bringing homework home this coming week. 

Let’s do our best to 

keep up this kind of RUACH (SPIRIT). 

We have started working at school on our reading, and as of this week, I would like the children to begin practicing what we do in class at home.  I believe that to become a good reader you need to practice regularly, and reading at home allows for that.

Also, having some homework encourages the learning of how to be responsible, manage time and plan ahead; a skill that will assist them throughout their careers as students, and later in life.

THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT:

Now that we have practiced reading and recording on Classkick at school, we are ready to begin our homework. 

As mentioned during our Back to School Night, the homework this year will be on Classkick. On page 1 there is an attachment to a PDF file if your preference is for your child to read it from printed pages. You can print the 

booklet and use that for homework. If you do, please sign the page he/she read and send it to school with him/her. You can also email me and I am happy to print the booklet for your child to take home daily. If you are not a Hebrew reader and cannot support your child in reading correctly, I encourage you to use the classkick for them to listen and read along with me, while their eyes are on, and finger/pointer is under, the written word.  

The links for the homework will always be found in the Weekly Homework Slide on the blog.

This week we begin with 3 pages:

  • Tues: P. 7 (ב/ו)

  • Wednesday: P. 8 (ג)

  • Thursday: P. 9 (ד)

1A CLASSKICK Code: ZKWEFD

1B CLASSKICK Code: 54N25I

There is a recording at the bottom of the page to help review it. In order to use it best, encourage your child to use their finger to follow along as s/he listens and repeats the sounds and words. 

The children are encouraged to record themselves as they read daily; however, the requirement is to record twice a week.

Know that if it takes your child too long, they do not require to read the whole page, but rather a few lines. If that is the case, please mark up to where they read.

If your child does not record daily, I ask that you sign the page on the Classkick. Click on the T (Text) or use the pencil option. You bring it to the Signature line and type/sign with a stylus or finger. Once homework is done (includes recording or signature), remind your child to press on the green hand to show me it is complete. 

There is an explanation about using CLasskick under the Back to School Videos in our blog. 

Finally, I want to remind you, this should not take more than 5-10 minutes at the most. Please let me know if it is taking too long. 

Happy Reading,

Morah Ada. 🙂

Posted in French

Learning French is so much fun!

Posted on by emouchou

Hello Parents,

More than one month has gone by and lots of interesting and fun things have been happening in our French class. As you already saw, I sent home the booklets we created with the kids regarding the classroom vocabulary and the vowel A. Please practice reading the new words with them and the expressions (Je vois). The students benefit considerably from the older kids during reading buddies.As you can see from the photos, not only do the little ones read some syllables to them and the booklets we prepare in class but they also write some words.  We are also learning to sing 2 songs “Salut bonjour”and “Dans mon sac à dos”.The highlight of these last 2 weeks was the Terry Fox Day when the kids learnt to say “Terry fox est Brave”and on Orange Dress Day the kids learnt to say “Je compte””.I am so so  proud of the amount of french my kiddos use every day.I think the photos talk for themselves!

IMG_6265 Terry Fox est brave

IMG_6305

IMG_6343

IMG_6348

IMG_6304

Posted in French

My busy bees are Buzzing!!!!

Posted on by emouchou

Dear grade 1 parents!

Joyeux Yom Kippur!

 

Another 2 weeks of fun and educational activities for our kiddos.While we continue applying our routine and rules, kids seem to be adjusting beautifully, showing great enthusiasm for learning.The focus during these 2 weeks was the colors,the numbers 1-10 and the french greetings.We also talked about Rosh hashanah and learnt some of the food we consume that day like apples,honey,fish,pomegranate.Of course part of our daily work is revising the letters by playing games,writing words and reading syllables.Here is the song “Bonjour,Salut” in case the kids would like to practice singing at home.

https://youtu.be/KnvAjx3uTUA?feature=shared