News from our Elementary Principal, Ben Voborsky
Hello GAA Community,
In my newsletter last week, I welcomed everyone back from a wonderful winter vacation. Well, I want to report back on this! The first episode in 2017 of Wildcat News came out and featured photographic contributions from our students and teachers as to where they went over vacation. It was amazing to see the quality of experiences and the places that our community members visited. I added my family photo from Germany to this three plus minute slide show.
Then this morning, we also had our first session of Community Share in 2017. Grades 3, 4, and 5 participated and it was led by our Arabic, Islamic, and UAE Social Studies/Civics Students; basically everyone contributed! After seeing the photos in the Wildcat News about winter vacation travels, I held a little impromptu survey. I started by asking who had a fantastic vacation in the UAE. Many Hands. Then, I asked who travel outside the UAE. Many Hands. I knew if I started asking for countries we could be here a very long time so I went through the continents. For every continent at least six hands were raised!
It never ceases to amaze me how our students are such global minded citizens and have such enhanced intercultural understandings. But realistically they have to… Go figure, me being in an auditorium filled with students who literally had been on every continent of the world just two weeks ago! It is truly a special environment that your children help create at GAA.
This was only the beginning of cool at GAA this week. Erik Smith, Elementary Drama PYP Teacher, wanted to share some of the ideas he took on board at a recent professional development. He was engaging his students with Nearpod. Nearpod enabled him to craft his own lessons specifically tailored to his classes learning objectives, conduct formative assessment, check for understanding, and collect student input. This is just another example of innovation and how technology at GAA authentically enhances learning.
I know we will have another exciting week at GAA ahead but first…
Enjoy your weekend,
Ben Voborsky
Elementary Principal
In my newsletter last week, I welcomed everyone back from a wonderful winter vacation. Well, I want to report back on this! The first episode in 2017 of Wildcat News came out and featured photographic contributions from our students and teachers as to where they went over vacation. It was amazing to see the quality of experiences and the places that our community members visited. I added my family photo from Germany to this three plus minute slide show.
Then this morning, we also had our first session of Community Share in 2017. Grades 3, 4, and 5 participated and it was led by our Arabic, Islamic, and UAE Social Studies/Civics Students; basically everyone contributed! After seeing the photos in the Wildcat News about winter vacation travels, I held a little impromptu survey. I started by asking who had a fantastic vacation in the UAE. Many Hands. Then, I asked who travel outside the UAE. Many Hands. I knew if I started asking for countries we could be here a very long time so I went through the continents. For every continent at least six hands were raised!
It never ceases to amaze me how our students are such global minded citizens and have such enhanced intercultural understandings. But realistically they have to… Go figure, me being in an auditorium filled with students who literally had been on every continent of the world just two weeks ago! It is truly a special environment that your children help create at GAA.
This was only the beginning of cool at GAA this week. Erik Smith, Elementary Drama PYP Teacher, wanted to share some of the ideas he took on board at a recent professional development. He was engaging his students with Nearpod. Nearpod enabled him to craft his own lessons specifically tailored to his classes learning objectives, conduct formative assessment, check for understanding, and collect student input. This is just another example of innovation and how technology at GAA authentically enhances learning.
I know we will have another exciting week at GAA ahead but first…
Enjoy your weekend,
Ben Voborsky
Elementary Principal
Elementary Community Share
On Thursday morning, students from Grade 3, 4 and 5 shared some of their learning from their native and non-native Arabic classes. The event was a mix of all levels of Arabic learning, with beginners sharing some information about themselves, others sharing what they did over the Winter Break and a great song performed by Grade 5 students that symbolized their love for their mothers. All students performed with a great amount of confidence and it was easy to see how they have been committed to learning Arabic. The Community Share was completed with the celebration of the students who received a Star Student award this week from their Arabic teachers for their demonstration of PYP attitudes and/or IB Learner Profile attributes. You can see more photos of the event here.
On Thursday morning, students from Grade 3, 4 and 5 shared some of their learning from their native and non-native Arabic classes. The event was a mix of all levels of Arabic learning, with beginners sharing some information about themselves, others sharing what they did over the Winter Break and a great song performed by Grade 5 students that symbolized their love for their mothers. All students performed with a great amount of confidence and it was easy to see how they have been committed to learning Arabic. The Community Share was completed with the celebration of the students who received a Star Student award this week from their Arabic teachers for their demonstration of PYP attitudes and/or IB Learner Profile attributes. You can see more photos of the event here.
KG Kitchen Lab
This week in the KG Kitchen-Lab we have been making Cheese Crackers. These are probably our most popular food.
When make cheese crackers we are learning how to:
· Measure dry ingredients
· Operate a cheese grater
· Use a pastry cutter
We observed how the dough is crumbly when it is just butter, cheese and flour. Then we saw how it all sticks together when water is added. We learned that rolling it out makes the ball of dough get larger and flatter.
Here is the recipe so that you can try these at home.
When make cheese crackers we are learning how to:
· Measure dry ingredients
· Operate a cheese grater
· Use a pastry cutter
We observed how the dough is crumbly when it is just butter, cheese and flour. Then we saw how it all sticks together when water is added. We learned that rolling it out makes the ball of dough get larger and flatter.
Here is the recipe so that you can try these at home.