News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 11/17 
Tuesday, 11/18  Picture Retakes; K & 5 CogAt Testing; Fall Book Fair; NTB Reading Day; 3rd Gr Musical Auditions, 3:30-5:30
Wednesday, 11/19  Fall Book Fair; Early Dismissal, 12:30
Thursday, 11/20  Fall Book Fair; SDMC, 3:30 p.m.; Family Night at the Book Fair, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Friday, 11/21   NTB Book Talk, 11:30-12:30

Saturday, 11/22  Fall Community Night, 6:00 p.m.

Monday, 11/24  Student Coalition Meeting
Tuesday, 11/25  PJ Day Fundraiser
Wednesday, 11/26  Thanksgiving Holiday
Thursday, 11/27  Thanksgiving Holiday
Friday, 11/28   Thanksgiving Holiday

Thursday, 12/4  2nd grade Performance, 6:30 p.m.


What is CogAT?
The CogAT, or Cognitive Abilities Test, will be administered this week to all Kinder and 5th grade students.  The CogAT is a nonverbal abilities assessment, and is used as part of the matrix for identifying students for Gifted and Talented.  

Please make sure your children are well rested, have a good breakfast and arrive at school on time next week.  


Spotlight on IB
What is Exhibition?
an excerpt from Exhibition Guidelines

Introduction
The Primary Years Programme (PYP) exhibition represents a significant event in the life of a PYP school and student, synthesizing the essential elements of the PYP and sharing them with the whole school community.  As a culminating experience it is an opportunity for students to exhibit the attributes of the International Baccalaureate (IB) learner profile that have been developing throughout their engagement with the PYP.

In the students' final year of the PYP, which occurs in some schools at age 10-11 and in others at age 11-12, there are five unity of inquiry and the exhibition... Students are required to engage in a collaborative, transdisciplinary inquiry process that involves them in identifying, investigating and offering solutions to real-life issues or problems. 

Purpose
The PYP exhibition has a number of key purposes:

• for students to engage in an in-depth, collaborative inquiry;
• to provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate independence and responsibility for their own learning;
• to provide students with an opportunity to explore multiple perspectives;
• for students to synthesize and apply their learning of previous years and to reflect upon their journey through the PYP;
• to provide an authentic process for assessing student understanding;
• to demonstrate how students can take action as a result of their learning;
• to unite the students, teachers, parents and other members of the school community in a collaborative experience that incorporates the essential elements of the PYP; and
• to celebrate the transition of learners from primary to middle/secondary education.

RE Exhibition

This year our Exhibition is part of the transdisciplinary theme, "How We Express Ourselves". Integrating our study of natural resources and the environment, with our study of forms of expression, was the perfect way to marry our IB Programme of Inquiry with our Fine Arts Program.  

Our 5th graders recently finished an in-depth study of problems associated with human use of natural resources, considering the multiple perspectives.  After small groups worked together to research various aspects of these global issues, each homeroom created an essay combining the information.

Last week the students began exploring the ways people have expressed themselves through time with regard to other conflicts and issues.  Students were exposed to various art forms, specifically drama, visual arts such as painting and sculpture, film, poetry, lyrics and books. For example, students were introduced to songs inspired by Medgar Evers, books written to educate about environmental issues such as The Lorax and The Giving Tree, and the art of Pablo Picasso, influenced by his response to civil war.   

With the help of visiting artists such as Charles Washington, local recycled artist, a local writer, an actor, visual artist, and a filmmaker, students were able to explore a variety of art forms to help them find a way to express their feelings about the global issue they researched and find connections between the problem they want to focus on and the forms of expression.

Central Idea:  People express themselves through the arts and in so doing, influence the world.

Please join us for our Community Exhibition on 

Wednesday, December 17th at 6:30 p.m.