Summer Learning with your iPad

Hello Cannon Parents!

It’s hard to believe that our school year will be ending soon!  It has been a terrific year of learning at Cannon and we want to make sure our students have the opportunity to continue to engage in great learning experiences throughout the summer.

We have designed a Summer Learning Calendar for our K-4 Cannon students that will provide them with information about how to participate in fun summer reading challenges, math practice, engineering and design challenges, and even brain-based physical fitness activities!  This calendar will also include FUN events that are going on right here in the Grapevine community throughout the summer that your family can participate in for FREE!! 

Although it will be possible for all K-4 Cannon students to participate in our fun Summer Learning Calendaractivities, we are encouraging our students to complete the activities in a “digital way” if possible.  As a result, we would like to allow all Cannon students that are planning to return to Cannon next year to keep their school-issued device throughout the summer. 

ALL PARENTS MUST DO THE FOLLOWING SO THAT YOUR CHILD CAN KEEP THEIR iPAD THIS SUMMER:

• Click on this link to let us know whether or not you give permission for your child to keep their iPad throughout the summer. 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1cTjswqGRQ6bkzUQAOknaF9YwyvqvTbibAYpNvmXz2fU/viewform?usp=send_form

 

• All students who receive permission to keep their iPads during the summer will have the Summer Learning Calendar and any related apps downloaded on their iPad next week. Parent Information will also be sent home, so that you know how to help your child throughout the summer.
• All students who do NOT receive permission to keep their iPad during the summer will receive a paper copy of the Summer Learning Calendar to bring home to share with parents next week and their iPad will be collected next week to be safely stored for the summer.

We hope that you will allow your child to keep their iPad for the summer and take advantage of our Summer Learning Calendar Fun!! All students that participate and complete summer challenge requirements will be eligible for fun prizes and recognition when they return to school next year.  Help us keep YOUR  child engaged in learning…..in a FUN way, all summer long!​

Hola Padres de Cannon

 

Es difícil de creer que nuestro año escolar terminará pronto. Ha sido un gran año de aprendizaje en Cannon y queremos asegurarnos de que nuestros estudiantes tengan la oportunidad de seguir participando en las experiencias de aprendizaje durante todo el verano.

 

Hemos diseñado un Calendario de Aprendizaje de Verano para los Kinder – 4th estudiantes de Cannon que les proporcione información sobre cómo participar en retos divertidos  de lectura en el verano, practicar las matemáticas, la ingeniería y los desafíos de diseño e incluso actividades de acondicionamiento físico basadas en el cerebro. Éste calendario también incluirá eventos DIVERTIDOS que estarán ocurriendo aquí en la comunidad de Grapevine durante todo el verano en las que su familia puede participar de forma Gratuita.

 

A pesar de que será posible para todos los Kinder-4th estudiantes de Cannon participar en nuestras divertidas actividades del Calendario de Aprendizaje de Verano, estamos alentando a nuestros estudiantes a completar las actividades de una"manera digital", de ser posible. Como resultado de ello, nos gustaría que todos los alumnos de Cannon que planean regresar a Cannon el próximo año escolar mantengan su dispositivo expedido por la escuela durante todo el verano.  

 

FAVOR  DE  HACER LO SIGUIENTE:

 

·      Haga clic en éste enlace para hacernos saber si usted le da permiso a su hijo o no para mantener su iPad durante todo el verano.

 

https://docs.google.com/a/gcisd.net/forms/d/1cTjswqGRQ6bkzUQAOknaF9YwyvqvTbibAYpNvmXz2fU/viewform

 

·      Todos los estudiantes que reciban el permiso para mantener sus iPads durante el verano tendrán el Calendario de Aprendizaje de Verano y las aplicaciones relacionadas descargados en su iPad la próxima semana. La información para los padres también será enviada a casa, para que usted sepa cómo ayudar a su hijo durante todo el verano.

 

·      Todos los estudiantes que NO reciban permiso para mantener su ipad durante el verano recibirán una copia en papel del Calendario Aprendizaje de Verano para llevar a casa para compartir con los padres la semana que viene.

 

Esperamos que usted permita que su hijo/a mantenga su ipad durante el verano y tome ventaja de nuestro Divertido Calendario de Aprendizaje de Verano. Todos los estudiantes que participen y completen los retos de verano requeridos serán elegibles para premios divertidos y el reconocimiento a su regreso a la escuela el próximo año. Ayúdenos a mantener a su hijo ocupado en aprender..... de una manera divertida, durante todo el verano.

¡Gracias!​

Choir Concert

Our 1st and 2nd grade choir performed tonight for parents and friends at our Family STEM Night. They were fabulous! Don't they look great?

Awards Day

Mark your calendars! Charge your camera batteries!

2nd grade Awards Day 

Tuesday, June 3rd @ 8:30 a.m.

Other grade level awards ceremonies are as follows:

June 2     Kindergarten 8:30 a.m.

June 3     3rd Grade 9:30 a.m.

June 4     1st Grade 9:00 a.m.

                4th Grade 1:45 p.m.

June 5     5th Grade 8:30 a.m.

Fraction Art

In math we have been studying fractions. A fraction is a whole something divided into equal groups. We have learned about halves, fourths and eighths. We helped Coach V. solve the problem of dividing the playground for Field Day. Today we folded and cut paper, shared a fraction of our paper with other groups, then created a poster to welcome Dan Yaccarino, an author who will be. Visiting us on Wednesday. Who knew fractions could be so much fun?

Summer Learning

It's hard to believe there are less than 30 days of school left!  Where has the year gone?  Our district has created a location filled with great resources to help you and your child support second language learning over the summer. Click here to go directly to a page filled with games for your child to play over the summer.

Earth Day 2014

What a great day we had at DFW Airport's 2014 Earth Day Celebration. Students learned about erosion, saw live butterflies, and even pet some unusual animals. Have you ever gotten to touch a hedgehog? How about high-5 a tarantula? Those are a few of the great things our students were able to experience today. We had lunch from Which Wich Sandwich Shop and enjoyed a concert by Vocal Trash. They really do play "trash"! Check out their website at www.vocaltrash.net to see more. Thanks to DFW Airport for this great day!

2nd Grade Leaders

Several of our 2nd grade girls are a part of Brownie Troop 1456. They recently used the engineering design process to build a new trashcan for the Cannon playground. This project was a result of their Leadership Journey in their Brownie Quest. The brownie quest laid out three keys to becoming a leader: discover, connect, and take actions. The brownies discovered a need for less pollution, made the connection to their school, and took action by building the new trashcan structure. Check out the great pictures below. We are so proud of our girls!

Important Parent Meeting

Dual Language Parent Meeting

Attention Parents

We would like to invite you to attend a GCISD Dual Language Parent meeting in the Cannon cafeteria. 

Thursday, 4/24 at 6:00 p.m.  

This meeting is for parents who currently have a child enrolled in the Dual Language program.  

At this meeting, district personnel will be sharing information about exciting changes that are being made to the district's dual language model.  As more special programs and opportunities for students are becoming available in GCISD, the district is committed to evaluating all new and existing programs to ensure that they are aligned with the district's strategic plan, LEAD 2021, as well as the district's goals for academic excellence.  We look forward to seeing you there! 

The T-Shirt Factory

Students have been participating in a math unit titled "The T-Shirt Factory". The unit began with the story Grandma Eudora's T-Shirt Factory.  The story is in the "Dropbox" folder on your child's iPad. Feel free to read it again with your child. Students were divided into "companies". They collaborated together to create a company name, logo, phone number and website address. Each company created a flyer and all "Vice Presidents" created their own business cards. They used their poetry skills we studied in Language Arts to write a jingle for their company using Haiku Deck and iMovie. We are covering many of our math skills in context through this unit - addition, subtraction and place value to the thousands place. This week the companies will be shipping t-shirts (subtraction), replenishing their inventory (addition), and keeping track of the total number of t-shirts in their warehouse. Have a look at the flyers for our companies.

Brain Breaks

Did you know that movement helps the brain work better? Thanks to a generous donation by Cooks Children's, we have access to a program called GoNoodle. GoNoodle has short (less than 5 minutes) videos that get kids up and moving for a "brain break". Check out our picture from today as we had fun with "freeze dance math" and zumba dancing to Wipeout.

Fort Worth Museum Field Trip

What a great day we had Friday at the Fort Worth Museum! It was a beautiful day and our scholars were able to experience all of the special exhibits during Engineers Week. We even saw a 3D printer at work. Thanks to all of our parents who went as chaperones. We could not have done it without you!

Historical Figures

We will start our historical figures filming on Friday, February 14th. I will begin filming with the students who have finished their scripts and have had time to practice them. Because we have been conferencing to go over the scripts to ensure the information is correct and that it is quality work, some students may still not be done.  Filming will continue throughout next week as well.  Costumes should be ready by Friday to ensure that your child has everything they need when it is time to film. Costumes do not have to be elaborate. Please use things you already have at home or make costumes out of materials that you have available to you.  Thank you for all of your help with this fun and exciting project. I can't wait to start filming!!! 

Sharing our Learning

Today our class was able to participate in a video conference with Mrs. Taylor's 2nd grade class at Gordon-Barbour Elementary School in Virginia. Both of our classes read the book Snowmen at Work. Students imagined what job their snowman could have, designed a snowman and wrote 3 clues to their snowman's job. We have been working on inferring and this was a great chance to apply this new skill. It was great fun to partner up, hear their clues and try to infer what jobs their snowman had. We saw fashion designers, doctors, police officers and even a few super heroes!

iPads

Sadly, student iPads did not go home this weekend. Earlier this week we found that students were loading gaming apps onto their iPads and having the iPads out on the bus ride to and from school. In addition, quite a few students have had trouble turning in homework. We will be looking through iPads this weekend to check downloaded apps, pictures and internet history. We have reviewed the iPad expectations in the classroom, but we would appreciate your help in reinforcing those expectations at home as well. Just as a reminder:  

iPads should:

* remain in student backpacks until student is at home

* be free to any non education/productivity apps

* be kept clean

Students should:

* be monitored at all times - at home or at school

* fully charge the iPad every night, and bring the charger to school each day in their backpack

* never be alone or isolated when using the iPad for any purpose - at home or at school

Remember, iPads are school tools, not toys. Taking iPads home is a privilege and can only happen when students are responsible with their iPads.

Thank you for your support.

Materials Engineering

We are in the middle of our newest engineering unit -- learning about materials engineers. Students are engineering a mortar to hold together a rock wall. Check out some of our pictures from today. We will test our walls on Monday using the "demolition ball". You won't want to miss seeing our walls at Open House in March!

Package Engineering and the Super Bowl

In our last engineering unit, students learned about package engineering. Each team designed a package for a plant. The package had to meet the needs of the plant as well as the needs of the consumer. At the end of our unit, Mr. Nathan Loftice, one of our great Cannon 2nd grade parents, shared how he engineers packages for FedEx. Students learned that FedEx ships all kinds of items -- even whales!

On Friday, we found out that Mr. Loftice and FedEx also had an important role in this weekend's Super Bowl! The Denver Broncos mascot is making his way to New York via FedEx and Mr. Loftice engineered the solution to the problem of how to get the stallion safely to the game. Check out this link to see the full story. http://www.fox21news.com/news/story.aspx?id=1000696#.UurbU7eA3cu

Las Rocas

Las últimas 3 semanas estuvimos aprendiendo todo acerca de las rocas y sus propiedades. Vea los vídeos que hicimos para demostrar lo que aprendimos. !Somos estrellas¡

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Onc11J8ztN8&list=PLGU-HlcJPVfPtWPOoqIpwVHsWl7Chd4aS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nGqUO0xiHc&list=PLGU-HlcJPVfNUV6eg6E9DP72dZJ98rfNb

Show Your Artistic Side

All Cannon Cubs are invited to submit artwork for the cover of the Summer Enrichment Brochure. All details are on the flyer below. Deadline is Friday, February 7.