~ Lifelong Learning ~

The importance of developing a growth mindset, as both learners and teachers, has become clear to the members of the Great Falls School community. 
In a fixed mindset individuals believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are fixed traits. They believe we each have a certain amount and that’s that.
In a growth mindset individuals understand that talents and abilities can be developed through effort, teaching and learning, and persistence.
People who have a growth mindset don’t necessarily think everyone is the same, but they do believe each of us can improve at anything if we work at it. 
We will continue to share resources and information around improving mindset to support the great work at Great Falls, as we continue to develop growth mindsets in our students and ourselves! 





Great Falls is such a motivating place to teach and learn.
Each of the photoson this page can be found in our school~

                                      Great
       Online              …

Take Out Your Calendar and Prepare for a Year of Great Events!


September 
It's Attendance Awareness Month! http://awareness.attendanceworks.org/
 September 8 is International Literacy Day, marking the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies.

October
Global Read Aloud begins in October. Join classrooms all over the world in a shared read aloud experience.
October is also National Bullying Prevention Month. Be kind and appreciate diversity!

November
 November Is Picture Book Month! http://picturebookmonth.com/Picture books are for every age and often teach us powerful lessons. Read a classic such as The Giving Tree, or Blueberries for Sal, or try a new author like Mo Willems!

December
The Winter Solstice occurs around December 21st. It is the shortest day of the year. People all over the world participate in festivals and celebrations. Learn more about how different cultures and peoples celebrate.

January
January 21 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day - The Day of Service …

Keep your child's brain developing over the summer break, especially when it comes to math and reading skills!  Students need to stay engaged in fun learning activities, and keep their bodies tuned, so their minds stay sharp!    Every child needs to play outside every day and find fun ways to exercise indoors if the weather keeps them in. Keeping the mind exercised can be a little more challenging, so here are a few ideas to keep children thinking all summer long!

READ TOGETHER EVERY DAY!

Play Games: Traditional games keeps young minds sharp and are a lot of fun! Card games such as Blink, Crazy 8s and Go Fish~
Board games such as chess and checkers~ Car games such as Buzz, I Spy and 20 Questions~ are all fun and easy to play.

READ EVERY DAY! Take a Summer Reading Challenge: Make reading a competitive event. Most children respond well when they set goals and earn rewards. Reading as few as five books will ensure growth in reading skills! This site offers just a few good book list…

                                                 It's Poetry Month!
Each and every April,
Since 1996
Kids and adults everywhere
Enjoy favorite poetry picks.

The Academy of American Poets
Want to celebrate  poetry
Great poetry is fun
That we guarantee!

So each and every day this month
Try  one or two new poems
You are sure to find that many
Are really reading gems.

Look up some real old poets,
Longfellow, Milne or  Hughes Read Silverstein or Kenn Nesbitt
To giggle with someone new.

So every day in April
Try and learn, one new thing
Read, or write, a poem or two
You'll find it quite amazing! ~ Stacey Sawyer (2015)


    I just LOVE using poetry with children. April is a fun month to begin, but poetry can be integrated all year long! I've pulled together some great resources, click here to learn more https://sites.google.com/site/potentialofpoetry/.

Math ~ Skills for Life  Children learn a wide range of new math skills every year in school and  teachers help them make connections to real-life situations.  Parents can help children develop solid mathematical understanding by exposing them to math in every day interactions.

Money 
    What Can Parents Do?
          Give your children a small allowance and let them spend some while saving some as well. Teach them to keep a record of their "income" and "spending" much the way adults do. This will provide important practice with computation skills and will help to develop an understanding of the value of money. 
     Include children when you visit the grocery store or eat at restaurants. Looking at receipts and bills will help them to develop a broader understanding of how money works in every day situations.


Telling Time and 
     Understanding Elapsed Time 
What Can Parents Do?
      Keep at least one analog clock in your home and teach your children to use it. It is als…