Akhbar Al Dar

Akhbar Al Dar
2012-2013
Issue 1
Primary school
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The Learning Environment Speaks
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I am Knowledgeable
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Math at dar al marefa
PYP Upcoming Events
7, 8 Nov
Camp grade 5
15-18 Nov
Hijri break
29 Nov
UAE Day
2 Dec
Break UAE Day
4-5 Dec
PYP workshops for parents
20 Dec
PYP sports day
21 Dec—6 Jan End of term break
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Dear Parents,
A warm welcome again from your dar al marefa team and all the best for continuous improvements across the board. I would like to start by thanking all those parents
who took time to attend our back to school orientations on Sep 25th. We were pleasantly surprised by a full house and a very impressive attendance of committed mothers and fathers. The orientation introduced its new team, shared the vision and mission of dar al marefa and briefly tackled the recommendations of the school’s action
plan for the year 2012-2013. The PYP and MYP teams presented an overview about the two programs and established some common understandings.
Some updates and kind reminders:
Car park outside the school: the school is working with the RTA over permission to pave and organize the car park before the school. It is only a matter of time getting
the go ahead to finish it. Once done, all morning and after school traffic will become much more regulated and organized. In the meantime, please cooperate with our
security guards on where to park and kindly do not block entrances or double park. All gates are labeled for pick up and drop off, kindly abide by the drop off and pick up
instructions for safety and security.
Manageback : we are happy to announce that our parents portal is now ready and activated for you and your children. A step by step guide on how to access the portal
with a private username and password will soon be sent to you so you can access your child’s portal. The portal is a website linked with the school which I always liken
to your son/daughter e-school bag. You can access all information via this portal in terms of daily homework, email the teachers your questions, follow up on your children…etc. once the portal is launched we will be happy to receive any parents who need help in accessing and using their children’s portal. You will also be able to receive all circulars and report cards through this portal. Our upper grade students now have their own username and password to access their portals and to follow up on
their homework, tasks and meet all deadlines.
Cafeteria: the school is now working with a contractor over securing a cafeteria on the premises for upper primary students and middle school. In the meantime, we
have agreed with Bastakan to provide middle students daily with pastries and sandwiches that are made with fresh vegetables and are low in cheese and mayo to adhere
to healthy eating. We attach the menu for your kind review. All items on the menu are prepared in a healthy
KG Facilities: the KG is getting a complete furniture makeover so our little ones can enjoy new and up-to-date attractive facilities.
Attendance: attendance of students has been quite impressive so far. We kindly ask that you support the school by sending your children on time. We have been able to
raise attendance very effectively last year, we want to raise it further up this year with your support, God willing.
All the best for continued updates from all of us here at dar al marefa. May you and all your beloved ones have the blessings of Eid Adha Mubarak.
School principal
Shirine Al Khudari
dar al marefa a safe learning environment
The Learning Environment Speaks….
Children at dar al marefa Kindergarten are expanding their learning, their
knowledge, and their ability to communicate effectively. They explore, investigate, inquire and play through child freely-chosen activities as well as adultinitiated activities. The classroom learning environment gives children important messages about what they can do, how they can do it, where they can
do it and how they can work together. It provides engaging, stimulating and
challenging experiences to help the development of the child as a whole.
Loris Malaguzzi (a key figure in the development and promotion of the Reggio
Emilia early childhood centres) wrote in his poem “The hundred languages of
children“ that the learning environment needs to say to children… Yes! The
environment is where children can sing and understand, discover, invent and
dream, listen and marvel.
The child is made of one hundred.
Always a hundred
ways of listening
of marveling, of loving
a hundred joys
for singing and understanding
a hundred worlds
to discover
a hundred worlds
to invent
a hundred worlds
to dream.
And this is what our children at dar al marefa are exposed to because we believe that the learning environment is their third teacher.
KG Coordinator
Lama Kalash
،
،
n
soo
Grade
4,5,6,7 camp with
Ecoventure
7th , 8th November
www.ecoventureme.com
We have learnt about healthy and
unhealthy lifestyles during our
first unit. Part of our investigation
took place in the Science lab during English and Arabic sessions
s
New
We are now a member in Middle East
International Baccalaureate Association
http://meibaschools.org
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School Trips in October
Grade 5 trip to Organic Foods and Café
Grade 2 trip to KidZania
Grade 2 classes went on a field trip to KidZa-
As part of their unit of inquiry about "Wellbeing", Grade 5 students
visited Organic Foods & Café at Dubai mall where they learned more
about healthy food and how to eat "slow food” instead of fast food.
nia for reinforcement of the Unit of Inquiry,
“Workplace”. Our Central Idea focuses on how
After the tour in the supermarket, our students took the role of the
chef as they prepared their own healthy vegetarian burgers!
people share responsibility towards a common
purpose. KidZania allowed grade 2 students to
do what comes naturally to them: role-playing
It was an informative and interesting field trip; Grade 5 students
came back to school full and with interest to start eating "slowly".
by mimicking traditionally adult activities. “Roleplaying promotes creativity, critical thinking,
communication, confidence, and collaboration.
As in the real world, students performed "jobs"
and were either paid for their work (as a pediatrician, chef, fireman, doctor, police officer,
shopkeeper, etc.) or paid to shop or to be entertained. Grade 2 students picked an occupation, learned about their job, put on a uniform,
and started earning and spending KidZos; KidZania money! Personal experience is a powerful learning tool. Through each job and activity,
grade 2 students learned about how society
functions, as well as financial literacy, adult
professions, team work, independence, selfesteem and real-life skills they will need to succeed as adults.
Grade 1 trip to More Café
To end their unit on “Healthy Lifestyle” Grade 1 enjoyed a trip to More
Cafe’ . Students were involved in several hands-on activities. They learned
where different foods grow, sampled a variety of spices and herbs, and
then made their own delicious sandwich. They even had a surprise guest …
the head chef! The students left Café More on a full stomach and a complimentary goody bag.
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Math at dar al marefa
This year we are focusing on incorporating strong concrete understanding of Math. Mathematics requires ample time to play
and fiddle and figure out how things work. Real life hands-on math is very important to ensure that students understand the
abstract concepts that math problems represent. In the PYP classrooms, the students were participating in loads of challenging
hands-on activities to explore and inquire new concepts. The grade one students enjoyed the sorting by color and shape activity. The grade two students discovered how to create the same pattern in a variety of ways. They had fun creating and playing
with patterns. The grade four students took part in a treasure hunt incorporating multiplication problems. The grade five students were associating place value with objects that they are familiar with e.g. balls to understand the difference in place values. Students were actively involved in all math learning activities. We are looking forward to growing understanding in all math
concepts throughout the year. Well done to all of our students enjoying these activities.
Grade 1 Sorting by color and
shape
Grade 2 Patterns
Grade 3 Multiplication
Grade 5 Place Value
Grade 3 B – Role models: Claude Monet
Grade 3 students have been learning about different role models in the world. They specifically inquired
about the artist: Claude Monet. They were really interested in all his paintings and the talent he had to
paint such lovely pictures. They liked the way the paintings made them feel and the colors he used.
Each student could choose a painting they want to try and paint. The students were really amazed about
how difficult it was to paint such beautiful pictures but that did not stop them from trying. They really enjoyed the painting and the end result of their paintings was stunning and very creative.
PE unit integration activities
In physical education we integrated three units of inquiry
Grade 3 students found their role model in their favorite sport and collected
information about him/her. They also specified certain points they need to
change in themselves to become somehow like their role model.
Grade 5 integrated “Wellbeing” unit of inquiry with PE where
students read an article about pulse then used the consensus
chart to define pulse and how it can be measured, later they
presented their definition in front of the whole class. Students
found out how pulse changes after exercising .
Students also prepared their
own circuit training and
shared it with the whole class
showing the name, the description and the muscles
used for each station.
They chose their suitable equipments for the stations ,and
demonstrated them.
Grade 4 talked about technology and its impact on
our daily lifestyle.
Students conducted a research about an exercising
machine which can be used in the gym or at home,
and they found its advantages and disadvantages.
Grade 4 students compared between the new electronic games like Wii , X box and Play Station and discovered that some of
them help us move
and exercise while
others focus on our
concentration only.
After school activities
I love the fact that the Arabic is
integrated into an IB curriculum, I also
like the mix of students.
The children are encouraged to
research, including emphasis on Arabic
and Islamic studies
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