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The Advanced Learning Schools provide an environment in
which the educational experience is complemented by a wide
range of extracurricular activities. ALS students benefit
from being given the opportunity to participate in numerous
school events that take place throughout the school
year. These events include, among others, cultural
days, sports days, annual Fun Days, art exhibitions, the
Science/Technology Fair, sports tournaments, community
service opportunities and attendance at Model United
Nations* sessions (in and outside the Kingdom). The school
also regularly invites speakers and hosts special workshops
that bring prominent scholars, innovators, career
advisors, experts and practitioners to the campus. These
guests present their ideas and achievements at a variety of
events, thus greatly extending our students’ knowledge and
ensuring that ALS remain a lively intellectual centre.
We invite you to attend the upcoming public events you find
listed on this website and to peruse the Photo Gallery to
find out more about our school events.
*Model United Nations or MUN is an authentic simulation of
the United Nations General Assembly and other multilateral
bodies that aims to educate participants about civics,
effective communication, globalization and multilateral
diplomacy. Participants research a country, take on roles as
diplomats, investigate international issues, debate,
deliberate, consult, and then develop solutions to world
problems
UN Day on Sunday
K-3
celebrated UN Day on Sunday, October 24. Each class
represented a different UN member country.
Our children came to school wearing the national costume of
the country their class represented. Students were traveling
from country to country (class to class). Each time they
visited a country, they were introduced to its costumes,
traditions and culture, their food and their music. The
presented countries were: France,
Egypt, China, Lebanon, Mexico, Indonesia, Italy and India.
Students learned to respect and accept different cultures of
the world. Our young learners went home with a broadened
perspective of other cultures and nations of the world.
It was a very fruitful, happy, and educational experience
for all of us.
[ SEE PHOTO GALLERY FOR
PICTURES ]
Solar Eclipse
A
Partial Solar Eclipse occurred on January 4, 2011in Riyadh.
In order to enable the K-3 students to view this
phenomenon, Mr. Fiorillo made a “Pinhole Projector” which
allowed them to witness this event safely.
www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/how.html
The Grades 2 and 3 students, under the guidance of Mr.
Duraidi and Mrs. Fraij, performed a special prayer for the
eclipse. It really was an educational experience.
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KG1 and 2 field trip
to the Zoo on Dec. 8, 2010. This field trip goes along with
the U.O.I. “Living Things”.
●
KG1 field trips that goes
along with the U.O.I “Where to Go?
On Saturday Dec. 18, in order to further
strengthen the students’ skills and expand their knowledge
of U.O.I. We went to Tamimi Supermarket to get hands-on
experience of preparations needed before a trip. Students
drown up a grocery shopping list. They bought the items
listed from Tamimi. Upon our return to school, students
prepared food for the camping trip on Sun., Dec. 19. This
trip was the summative assessment for the students in the
Arabic department.
●
Grade 1 field trip on
Tuesday Dec. 21 to The National Museum then to Al Salam Park
as part of their U.O.I.
“My Community”.
On January 25th the Grade 3
classes went to Wadi Haneefa and dam for their ‘Planet
Earth’ Unit of Inquiry field trip. There, students
investigated and compared various rock structures and
formations found within the area. It was a ‘hands on’
extension of unit into the field. It allowed students to
draw on their knowledge gained within classroom and use it
in a practical way; thus enhancing the unit’s central ideas
that ‘… natural features of the Planet have been formed
overtime and are still changing.’
[ SEE PHOTO GALLERY FOR
PICTURES ]
Earth Day
I Love Planet Earth
K-3 celebrated
Earth Day and became more aware of their environment.
Students brought in indoor plants, outdoor plants, and seeds
to plant in big pots at school. Each class planted a tree so
we can help make the world green. Students brought empty
bottles, boxes, fabric, and plastic items to school. With
this recyclable material, students created various forms of
art. Some classes saw a presentation on the Earth and gained
an understanding of how we are responsible and can make a
difference. Students wrote reflections that were hung around
the school. We all enjoyed a healthy snack at the end of our
earth day activities. It was a very successful day for our
students as they gained an appreciation for the environment
around us!
[ SEE PHOTO GALLERY FOR
PICTURES ]
Reading Week
From March 19th
through 23rd, grades K-10 celebrated “Reading
Week.” Students participated in many activities throughout
the week. Students from the upper grades visited classes in
the K-3 campus to read aloud to the students. Storytellers
such as Mr. Stirling, Mrs. Al Hakim, Mr. Khalil and Mrs.
Thompson also participated in the reading programme by
reading select stories and tales to K-3 classes. Students
were happy to listen to adults from the school read to
them.
Students and teachers
spent 10 minutes during each class reading silently. DEAR or
Drop Everything And Read was also observed. DEAR is a
spontaneous activity that refers to silent reading that can
be implemented on a daily basis at any time during any class
period. During Reading Week, students were encouraged to
make additional visits to the school library to check out
books. Students wrote reflections on balloon-shaped paper
about the books they read. Their reflective papers were then
plastered on walls and doors that looked like decorative
“balloon bouquets” of book reviews.
ALS hosted Mrs.
Hala Bint Khalid, a famous author of children’s books, as a
guest speaker that week.
She talked with K-10 students about creative writing and the
publishing process.
Mrs. Dodge, Grade 4
girls’ homeroom teacher, and Mr. Koopman, Grade 5 boys’
homeroom teacher, have published books in the past. Both
talked to various classes about their experiences in
publishing a book and writing papers online. The
presentation led students to believe that if anyone can
write and publish a book they put their mind to it.
An end-of- Reading
Week assembly was held on March 23. Grades 4-10 students
shared in both English and Arabic summaries of their
favorite books, quotations about reading, performed choral
reading, and poetry reading of pieces they had written.
Some even dressed up as their favorite storybook characters
to demonstrate their enthusiasm and creativity and getting
into the spirit of reading!
The upper grades
presented various forms of power point presentations to
their peers about novels they had read in class. They
touched on the many elements of a novel. Some students were
more creative in their medium of presentation to deliver an
analysis of the novel Frankenstein using a Dr. Phil TV
programme format. Although the upper grade students had more
serious presentations due to the themes of the novels
chosen, it is evident that students had been reading novels
and creating reflections of the materials read.
In grades K-3
assembly, parents were invited to watch KG1 and 2 sing and
perform for their parents the “Gilly Gilly Good Morning
Song”, followed by Grade 1B presentation of “Reading makes
you knowledgeable”. To enhance the idea that reading makes
you happy when you feel down, Grade 1 sang and danced to the
music of “The happiest Street in the World” song. Grade 2
students also sang “نشيد إقرأ “,
and grade 3 students presented facts they have learned
through reading, and then sang and performed to the song
“Hello to all the Children of the World”. At the end was
the “Character Parade,” where all K-3 students paraded in
front of their parents dressed up in their favorite
storybook character. The atmosphere was very inviting,
educational and FUN!!!
[ SEE PHOTO GALLERY FOR
PICTURES ]
100th Days of School
On Sunday, February
27th, 2011 we marked the 100th day of school for
the 2010/2011 academic year. Students came to school wearing
T-shirts, hats and even hair designs displaying the number
‘100’. At the beginning of the festivities a ceremony was
held where certificates were presented to those students,
teachers and assistants with perfect attendance, 100 out of
100 days.
In K-3 we celebrated
this day with a range of fun activities such as decorating
cup cakes with the number “100” using frosting, making paper
chains of 100 coloured links, 100 hand print posters, a 100
seconds mathematics drill, colouring in the 100 names of
Allah, a 100 seconds creative blocks building competition.
100 seconds of hula hooping and rope skipping, making
objects out of play dough within 100 seconds, decorating
“100” masks, making a huge 100 eye collage, exercising 100
times, (25 jumping jacks, 25 times touching toes, 25
push-ups, 25 times --) writing 100 sight words in Arabic,
and be creative with shapes using inter-locking shapes
within 100 seconds.
It was a Happy 100th
day for all to enjoy.
[ SEE PHOTO GALLERY FOR
PICTURES ]
Grade - 3 Bake Sale
Responding to the call to
help those less fortunate than ourselves, the Grade 3
classes held a Bake Sale in February 23, 2011. An amazing
SR4930 was raised on the day from food bought and consumed
by the K3 campus and visiting 4 – 6 girl classes. Proceeds
of the event were donated to the Saudi Association for the
Blind. The financial assistance given to the organization
will help them provide invaluable services to those less
fortunate in our community.
Such a successful event
would not have been possible without the support and
generosity of the Grade 3 parent body.
[ SEE PHOTO GALLERY FOR
PICTURES ]
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