GPS Newsletter

Dear Parents

What a week!  We kicked off the Dubai Fitness 30x30 challenge this week with everyone walking a mile in the fresh air.  Led by our very own fitness guru, Mr Darragh, we walked around the school before starting our day of lessons.

Tuesday we all became "Kung Fu Pandas" .  Children learnt basic movements and the history of Kung Fu.

Thursday we had "Spooks and Sparkles" and what a fun day we had.  Filled with spook-tack-u-lar activities, FS held our very first "Market Place" selling specially decorated cookies and treats.

On Friday we celebrated the UAE Flag day.  The students made the school an amazing Emariti corner and a giant UAE flag.  We were pleased to be joined by a member of the Jebeli Ali Police Station who honoured us by raising the flag.

Continuing our VERY busy time at school between now and the Winter Break.....

Save the Date: 

Monday 4th November - Desert Vipers Cricket Lessons (years 2-6) DFC activity

  Assessment Week (Years 1-6)

Tuesday 5th November -  Building tolerance & cultural awareness - Diwali (in-school activity)

Friday 8th November - DFC Dress-up Day in your favourite sports/team clothing

Monday 11th November - STEAM WEEK - special projects and competitions

Wednesday 13th November - KITE Beach DFC activity FS, Years 1 & 2

Thursday 14th November -  KITE Beach DFC activity Years 3-6

Friday 15th November - Book Fair in the garden (all invited)

Tuesday 19th November - UAE All Stars Cheerleaders visit to school

Wednesday 20th November - Parent-Teacher meetings

Friday 22nd November - Assembly on our value "Compassion" Year 2 (parents invited)

Tuesday 26th November - Camel Farm trip for FS & Yr 1

Wednesday 27th November - Camel Farm trip Yrs 2-6

Friday 29th November - National Day Celebrations (all invited - it was sooooo much fun last year!) 

Friday 6th December - FS Art Gallery Open at 11.00 am (all invited)

Thursday 12th December - X- Park trip (FS and Year 1)

Friday 13th December - Winter Festival and performance (all invited - singing mandatory 😁)

Have a lovely weekend

Ms Jan

Dear Parents,

This week, I thought about sharing some insights on a topic that’s incredibly important for all of us—finding happiness in our daily lives. As parents, it’s easy to focus on the needs of our children and forget about our own well-being. Here are some simple strategies to help foster happiness and well-being:

1.     Practice Gratitude: Take a few moments each day to reflect on what you’re thankful for. This simple act can shift your focus from challenges to the positive aspects of your life.

2.     Prioritize Self-Care: Carve out time for yourself, even if it’s just a few minutes each day. Whether it’s reading a book, taking a walk, or enjoying a hobby, self-care is essential for recharging your energy.

3.     Build Connections: Foster relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. Sharing experiences and supporting each other can create a sense of belonging and happiness.

4.     Stay Present: Practice mindfulness by focusing on the present moment. Techniques like deep breathing or meditation can help reduce stress and enhance your appreciation for everyday life.

5.     Set Realistic Goals: Aim for achievable goals, both personally and professionally. Celebrate your progress, no matter how small, and be open to adjusting your goals as needed.

6.     Encourage Playfulness: Embrace your inner child! Engage in activities that bring joy and laughter, whether it’s playing games, doing arts and crafts, or simply being silly with your kids.

7.     Promote a Positive Environment: Create a supportive atmosphere at home. Encourage open communication, kindness, and understanding, which can help everyone feel valued and connected.

8.     Seek Help When Needed: Don’t hesitate to reach out for support. Whether talking to a friend or seeking professional guidance, sharing your feelings can help lighten your emotional load.

Remember, happiness is not a constant state but a series of moments and choices. By nurturing yourself and those around you, you can create a happier, healthier environment for your family.

Wishing you all the best on your journey toward happiness.

Warm regards,

Ms Jikku

It's been a busy but extremely fun week! The whole school kicked off the Dubai 30x30 Fitness Challenge by walking around the school every morning for a mile.  The children really enjoyed having special guests this week who demonstrated a Kung Fu class. In Maths we continued focusing on addition and subtraction by practising with and without exchange using different methods such as the column method. Whereas in Science we have been focusing on food groups and created our very own plates showcasing different options for each of the 5 food groups. In English we looked at the features of instructional texts, like imperative verbs. The children created their own sentences using a wide variety of different imperative verbs. We then ended our week by dressing up and partaking in fun 'Spooks and Sparkles' activities such as scavenger hunts around the school. As well as celebrated UAE flag day by raising the flag and meeting a police officer. 

Amazing costumes! Year 3 having lots of fun for 'Spooks and Sparkles'. 

UAE Flag Day

What we've done

Another fabulous week!

In English this week, we have continued our topic of persuasive writing. We have started our plan of writing a persuasive letter to Ms Jan, asking for extra playtime! It has definitely been interesting to listen and read the students points of view and argument!

In Maths we have consolidated our learning methods of addition and subtraction, next week we will have an in-class revision sessions for our upcoming assessments.

In Science, we looked at the different states of matter in more detail and how the particles behave in solids, liquids and gases.

We ended our week celebrating UAE Flag day on with a lovely visit from the Police to raise the flag. 

Next week, we will be doing Diwali activities on Tuesday and our favourite sports gear on Friday!

Please keep your eyes peeled for updates on Seesaw.

Have a great weekend!

              السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

يسرني أن أقدّم نفسي لكم الأستاذة أسماء عبدالظاهر الشربيني، رئيسة قسم اللغة العربية في مدرسة الغاف. يشرفني التعاون مع فريق المعلمين المتميزين في المدرسة لتقديم أعلى مستويات التعليم في مواد اللغة العربية والتربية الإسلامية، بما يساهم في تعزيز الهوية الثقافية والدينية لطلابنا. نسعى دائمًا إلى تنمية مهارات الطلاب في القراءة والكتابة والفهم، وتعزيز قيمهم الإسلامية بما يتماشى مع رؤيتنا التربوية.

I am pleased to introduce myself to you as Ms. Asmaa Abdel-Zaher El-Sherbiny, Head of the

Arabic Department at Al Ghaf School. I am honored to collaborate with the distinguished teaching team at the school to provide the highest levels of education in Arabic language and Islamic studies, contributing to the enhancement of our students' cultural and religious identity. We constantly strive to develop students' skills in reading, writing, and comprehension, while promoting their Islamic values in alignment with our educational vision.

                                                              What did we learn? /    ماذا تعلمنا؟ 

                                                                 Arabic  A    /  اللغة العربية للعرب   

Fs: لقد كانت بداية رائعة للتدرب على حفظ النشيد الوطني وتمرين الأطفال على حفظ انشودة اهلا اهلا يا أصحابي أيضا قمنا بعمل مراجعة علي أنشودة الأرقام والألوان وعمل أنشطة علي ذلك ثم استمعنا الي أنشودة أفراد العائلة وقمنا بعمل نشاط علي ذالك.

Gr2: هذا الأسبوع، بدأنا بمراجعة الحروف وتحليل الكلمات لتقوية مهارات القراءة والكتابة. تعلمنا كيفية تقسيم الكلمات إلى مقاطع صوتية وفهم أصوات الحروف. كما بدأنا دراسة درس " جنجل ممثل بارع “الذي يعلّمنا قيمة الحكمة والتفكير الجيد. ركزنا بشكل خاص على حرف "الجيم"، حيث تعلمنا كيفية نطقه مع الحركات الثلاث: الفتحة، والضمة، والكسرة. تدربنا أيضًا على كتابة حرف الجيم بشكل صحيح في الكلمات والجمل، مما ساعدنا في تحسين قدراتنا على القراءة والكتابة أيضا درسنا (هذا -هذه) وقمنا بعمل نشاط على ذالك.

Gr4: راجعنا المهارات اللغوية السابقة، بما في ذلك التنوين وتحليل الكلمات وتطبيقه على الكلمات المختلفة، مما ساعدنا على فهم أعمق للغة وقمنا بدراسة أنواع الفعل (ماض - مضارع - أمر). درسنا درس "أحب الخير “، حيث ركزنا على تحسين مهارات القراءة وفهم المقروء. قمنا بقراءة النصوص بعناية وتحليلها، وفهم الأفكار الرئيسية والتفاصيل الداعمة. كما تدربنا على استخراج معاني الكلمات من السياق واستخدام التفكير النقدي لتفسير الأبيات كانت الحصة مليئة بالتعلم الممتع والمفيد.
                                                                                                                              

                                                                        Islamic A  /  الإسلامية للعرب
    

Gr2: تعلمنا عن أبو هريرة ورفقه مع الحيوانات. كان الدرس ممتعًا ومفيدًا، وساعدنا على فهم مفهوم الرحمة والرفق بالحيوان ثم درسنا درس الصدق طريق الجنة وما جزاء الصادق عند الله وقمنا بعمل نشاط عليه. 

Gr4:استكملنا درس حسن الخلق، حيث قمنا بمراجعة شرح الحديث الشريف وبيان المعني الإجمالي. كما ذكرنا أيضا من فوائد حسن الخلق في الدنيا (المحبة والسعادة) ومن فوائد حسن الخلق في الاخرة (تثقل ميزان العبد يوم القيامة -الاجر والثواب )  تدرجنا الي بعض الاخلاق التي تثقل ميزان العبد يوم القيامة  ثم درسنا درس الايمان بالملائكة كانت الحصة ملهمة ومفيدة للتحلي بالأخلاق الحسنة التي حثنا عليها قدوتنا محمد صلي الله عليه وسلم   .  
                                            Arabic B /    اللغة العربية للناطقين بِغيرها  

   
FS: It was a wonderful beginning to practice memorizing the national anthem and training the children to memorize the song “Hello, Hello, My Friends.” We also reviewed the numbers and colors song and did activities on that. Then we listened to the family members’ song and did an activity on that.

Gr1:   It was a wonderful start to our week as we began our lesson by practicing some Arabic phrases so the children can introduce themselves correctly with the characters Rashid and Noura (Hello, how are you? My name is..., which grade are you in?). We also had a fun time reviewing the colors and numbers the students mastered, and the alphabet song.  Students learn a new letter 

The letter raa ر , With its short and long sounds, and the students’ use of short sentences with the use of this and this, the students also enjoyed some of the activities they practiced to distinguish the letter raa.

Gr2:We did a wonderful review at the beginning of the week on the Arabic letters and the sounds of the letters with the short vowels (fatha - damma - kasra) and the long ones, as well as numbers, colors, and family members. and We studied a new letter (the letter Alif) and learned its short and long sounds. We wrote different sentences with this and these different. We also solved worksheets and solved school book activities.

Gr3: We learned new vocabulary related to the lesson “My Body” and added it to our vocabulary list. We have been trained to use these words in sentences to enhance our language skills. In addition, we also studied semantic nouns (this – that) and carried out activities on them.

Gr4: We started our week with a strong review with fourth-year students to remind them of the most important concepts they have studied over the past period. We learned more verbs with pronouns (I - we) and writing simple sentences. We started a new lesson (the first day of school) and learned the vocabulary and used them to write expressive sentences about our school. 

I am happy and proud of you all. Thank you for your efforts in learning the Arabic language.

Gr5:This week we continued our lesson which is "walk around my school". It was different a lot. Students started very active and cooperative. After that we had a quick revision. It was so funny as we started studying recognizing the Arabic letters students learnt the short and long vowels and, they started to  read comprehension skills through regular reading practice. We focus on enhancing their ability to understand texts and grasp the finer details of phonetic structures. Building up on the fore rules students learnt we are completing our work. students good at practicing and understanding and we can help them a lot. We also started this week learning the colors, numbers and everything about myself.

Gr6:  We learned new vocabulary related to the lesson "At My School" and added it to our vocabulary list. We were trained to use these words in sentences to enhance our language skills. In addition, we also studied the names of the sign (this -this) and did activities on them.

                                                                           
                                                                    Islamic B   /  الإسلامية للناطقين بِغيرها   
Gr2:This week in Islamic, in year 2 as we usually do we started greeting students  and teaching them how to reply to this greeting in Islamic it was so fantastic to start our lesson with revision for what studied before. We continued studying the lesson " Abu Hurrairah(R.A). Then we went on our lesson, the meanings of the key words therein. We are working diligently and actively on reviewing Surat Al-Fatihah, Al-Ikhlas, An-Nas, and Al-Falaq, with a focus on practicing surat al-fatihah, as we encourage students to review and practice them at home to enhance their memorization and mastery. We are currently discussing the pillars of Islam. We are keen to create an atmosphere of interaction and dialogue to simplify ideas and deepen students’ understanding of Islamic teachings. In the coming period, we will continue to build a deeper understanding of the surahs and verses through simplified explanations and activities that help students relate to their daily lives.

Gr3:In year 3 we as usual started with teaching students to greet others with Islamic greeting and to reply to it. it was so fantastic to start our lesson with revision for what studied before. We continued studying our lesson which is "Allah is the most kind".We have reviewed Surahs Al-Fatihah, Al-Ikhlas, An-Nas, and Al-Falaq, and we are currently working on memorizing and contemplating surat al-asr, as we encourage students to practice them at home to enhance their memorization and mastery of their recitation. We studied the story of the revelation, which added a deep understanding of the meanings of the verses and made the students live with the moments of the revelation of the Holy Quran to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. We use interactive activities and open-ended dialogues to simplify concepts and enhance students' understanding of the values ​​learned from the lessons, helping them to relate deeply to the teachings of their religion and apply them in their daily lives.

Gr4:We have reviewed Surahs Al-Fatihah, Al-Ikhlas, An-Nas, and Al-Falaq, and we are currently working on memorizing and contemplating verses 1 to the end of Surat Al-Alaq, as we encourage students to practice them at home to enhance their memorization and mastery of their recitation.In Islamic this week it was fantastic to start our lesson with revision for what studied before , then we went back to our lesson.We started revising pillars of islam and pillars of Iman. We followed the lesson (good morals) hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)). We studied the story of the revelation, which added a deep understanding of the meanings of the verses and made the students live with the moments of the revelation of the Holy Quran to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. We use interactive activities and open-ended dialogues to simplify concepts and enhance students' understanding of the values ​​learned from the lessons, helping them to relate deeply to the teachings of their religion and apply them in their daily lives.

Gr5: We have reviewed Surahs Al-Fatihah, Al-Ikhlas, An-Nas, and Al-Falaq, and we are currently working on memorizing and contemplating verses 1 to 10 of Surat alBuruj, as we encourage students to practice them at home to enhance their memorization and mastery of their recitation.It was so fantastic to start our lesson with revision for what studied before, then we went back to our lesson  we followed this week studying the lesson the beginning of the call to Islam.We also revised some important islamic concepts like pillars of islam and pillars of iman and prayers. We studied the story of the revelation, which added a deep understanding of the meanings of the verses and made the students live with the moments of the revelation of the Holy Quran to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. We use interactive activities and open-ended dialogues to simplify concepts and enhance students' understanding of the values ​​learned from the lessons, helping them to relate deeply to the teachings of their religion and apply them in their daily lives.

Gr6: We have reviewed Surahs Al-Fatihah, Al-Ikhlas, An-Nas, and Al-Falaq, and we are currently working on memorizing and contemplating verses 1 to 6 of Surat al-Ifitar, as we encourage students to practice them at home to enhance their memorization and mastery of their recitation.It was so fantastic to start our lesson with revision for what studied before, then we went back to our lesson .we followed this week studying the lesson( call of the people of at-Ta'ef). We revised some important islamic concepts like resources of shari'ah, pillars of islam and pillars of iman and prayers. We studied the story of the revelation, which added a deep understanding of the meanings of the verses and made the students live with the moments of the revelation of the Holy Quran to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. We use interactive activities and open-ended dialogues to simplify concepts and enhance students' understanding of the values ​​learned from the lessons, helping them to relate deeply to the teachings of their religion and apply them in their daily lives.

regards, Arabic and Islamic team
Mr. Desoky, Ms. Gehad

Ms: Asmaa Elsherbiny   Arabic & Islamic Head