Daily Update:
We kicked off the day in our usual way. Our spelling word was “precipitation,” and the Show Not Tell prompt was “She was good at math.” We completed our Heggerty Listening games, followed by the Work on Writing prompt: “One of my favorite things about school is…” In our UFLI lesson, we focused on the VCe pattern (Vowel-Consonant-“e”), seeing how “cub” changes to “cube” when the vowel sound is lengthened by the silent “e.” We wrapped up by sharing our writing on the blue mat, then switched out our books in the book box and did a quick Read to Self.

After Recess:
Grade 1 & 2 students practiced place value, showing numbers in different ways. They used their number charts for skip-counting by 2s from a random starting point, stopping at or before a specified number. We also had a quick addition quiz using digits 0-9. Meanwhile, Grade 3 worked on mental math strategies, identifying errors in skip-counting sequences, and determining coin values with skip-counting skills.

After an Indoor Lunch:
The classroom needed a bit of a tidy-up. I realized we hadn’t cleaned desks before the Christmas break, and it was definitely overdue. We only found one questionable bag of cucumbers—thank goodness zip-lock bags seal in everything! After our desk cleanup, we appointed a Desk Inspector and Hallway Inspector. Our tough inspector took his job seriously, so it took longer than some had hoped. Eventually, we all got clearance to head to the gym.

PE:
Our PE session focused on positioning for Newcomb Ball. We must be improving, because I heard a rumor there was a scout on the stage, taking notes on his iPad! I wonder which team he’s from?

End of Day:
I made an unusual deal with the students: if they were willing to film the morning announcements, we could skip our Book of Gratitude writing and filling out our Home to School Books. They jumped at the chance! We finished shooting the announcements, practiced our flip and freeze, and wrapped up the day. Good luck to our basketball team playing at Miramichi Rural—GO CUBS!

Picture of the Day:
Students tidying their desks, moments before everything seemed to explode.  YES, it got much worse!

Daily Update:
We enjoyed our first official day back yesterday, filled with excitement. Today was all about easing into our regular schedule. After coming in from outside, we jumped right into our routine. Our spelling word was “resolution,” and our Show Not Tell was “He loves school.” We did our Heggerty listening exercises (if you’ve never seen them, you can check them out here). Our reading maze required us to choose the (learn / correct / school) word to complete the sentence. During our Work on Writing, we used the prompt “One fun thing I did over the break was…” and focused on extending our writing stamina for the full 15 minutes. Then we had Read to Self time and shared our writing pieces before taking a quick snack break.

After Recess:
The Grade 1 & 2 students reviewed how to represent numbers. We stumbled a bit representing our “Number of the Day” (74) with nickels and dimes. We also practiced addition on the iPads using digits 0-9 and did some color-by-sum pages for sums up to 10. Meanwhile, the Grade 3s worked on showing given numbers with manipulatives and drawing them pictorially.

After Lunch:
We met with Mrs. Robichaud and read a book called The Wish Tree. We talked about New Year’s resolutions being something that we want to improve about ourselves. Then we discussed what wishes we might have for others—aiming to spread kindness, friendship, and a sense of belonging.

PE:
We warmed up by playing “PIG” for throwing and catching a Newcomb ball, then moved on to a Newcomb ball game using the net. It was a great way to practice our aim and teamwork!

End of Day:
We wrapped up the day with our usual routine, working on our Book of Gratitude. Today’s prompt was “Today I was thankful for…” After filling in our Home to School books, we squeezed in eight full minutes of free choice before dismissal.

Picture of the Day:
Everyone stayed calm, focused, and quiet while working—better snap a photo quickly before this rare moment passes!

Daily Update:
With just two days left until the holiday break, our classroom’s excitement levels were sky-high this morning. After a special morning announcement for Mr. Ross, we tried to follow our usual routine. Today’s spelling word was “cancellation,” and our Show Not Tell prompt was “She loves to skate.” We began our Heggerty listening exercises, but only made it halfway through before it was time to head to the LBA for skating. A big thank you to all the adults who helped tie skates and secure helmets—your assistance made the outing possible!

After Skating:
Still dressed warmly, we swapped out our skates for boots, grabbed a quick snack, and took a brisk walk around the playground. Back inside, we worked on parts of our Christmas packet, including a math puzzle and a crossword, while playing some holiday tunes. Actually, we didn’t just listen—we belted out “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” more than once! Just before lunch, Miss Brown visited with some wonderful news: we’re getting a new student in January! Arsen is a Grade 3 boy from Ukraine who will join us in the new year. We can’t wait to welcome him!

After Lunch:
Returning from lunchtime floor hockey outside, we settled into a calm activity: working on our big mural while watching *The Grinch* and creating welcome signs for our future classmate. The mural is really coming together, and we’re excited to greet Arsen with a warm, colorful display.

PE:
Mr. Ross mentioned the students had so much energy they were climbing the walls—literally! The Napan Rock Wall got a workout today. I tried my hand at it, but my bouldering days seem to be behind me now!  We also got a few minutes of basketball. 

End of Day:
After gym, we decided to skip the Book of Gratitude and focus on enjoying the moment. We signed our Home to School books, enjoyed some free choice time, continued working on our mural, watched more of the Christmas movie, and—shockingly—only sang “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” once this afternoon! Remember, tomorrow is Pajama Day and our last day of school for 2024.

Picture of the Day:
A snapshot of our relaxed afternoon—coloring, watching a holiday movie, and savoring the festive mood!

Daily Update:
We began our morning as usual, settling into our routine. Today’s spelling word was “elephant,” and our Show Not Tell prompt was “It was Christmas morning.” After completing our Heggerty listening games and a reading maze, we dove into literacy rotations—this time, a slightly mixed-up schedule. Our writing prompt was “If I was Santa Claus for a day, I…” We also tackled a few Christmas-themed puzzle packets.

After an Indoor Recess:
The whole school gathered in the gym for our final full dress rehearsal before tomorrow’s big show at 12:00. We’ve worked so hard and we’re excited to show everyone what we’ve prepared!

After an Indoor Lunch:
We were joined by Miss Hare this afternoon. With her help, we colored our Christmas mural, continued working on our puzzle packets, and added a few more drawings to our festive collection. She’s so kind—I hope everyone showed their best manners!

PE:
We used half the gym for PE since the other half is set up for our concert. I spotted plungers and a bowling-like game that looked pretty intense. Not sure which team came out on top, but it sure was fun!

End of Day:
Back in the classroom, we turned to our Book of Gratitude. Today’s prompt was “Today, I am grateful for…” We also slipped our class picture into the Home to School books before packing up. Some students enjoyed a bit of free choice time, too. Don’t forget: tomorrow is “dress your best” for the Christmas concert!

Picture of the Day:
Captured just before the purple ball slipped through and took out the red plunger!

Daily Update:
It’s funny how green the playground was this morning considering that just 48 hours ago kids were rolling four-foot snowballs! Once we settled in, we followed our usual morning routine. Our spelling word was “resolution,” and our Show Not Tell prompt was “He was excited opening the gift.” After our Heggerty listening sessions, the reading maze, and a round of exercises, we jumped into literacy rotations. Our Work on Writing prompt was “If I could give any friend a gift, it would be…”

After Recess:
The entire school headed to the gym for another Christmas concert rehearsal. Last time it took us two hours, but now we’re under an hour! We’re definitely getting into our festive groove.

After Lunch:
Coming back from Lunch-Time Lego Club, we discovered a Christmas mural waiting for us. Before I even said “good afternoon,” students were eagerly coloring it in—and what a beautiful job they did!

PE:
We played a game involving plungers and squishy balls, followed by a round of museum and tag. Lots of running, sweating, and rosy cheeks—a sign of a great PE class!

End of Day:
After gym, instead of doing our Book of Gratitude, we went right back to coloring. Some chose free choice activities, while others kept adding color to our decorations. With just a week left before the break, it’s nice to see all that energy channeled into something creative. I filled out our Home to School books, and we packed up for the buses. Don’t forget, next week is Spirit Week! Monday is “Dress as your Favorite Christmas Character” day!

Picture of the Day:
Lego Club at lunch is a favorite for everyone in the class every Friday!

Daily Update:
We started two hours late today due to freezing rain, so when we finally arrived, the snow outside was perfect for rolling giant snowballs. After wearing ourselves out, we headed inside for the day’s work. Following the morning announcements, we went straight to the gym for a Christmas Concert dress rehearsal from about 10:30 to 12:30. We managed props, ukuleles, songs, and coordinated all the music—quite the productive morning!

After Lunch:
We stayed indoors and learned how to make paper snowflakes. Although my initial idea was to use them as gym decorations, most students decided to take them home instead. Who can blame them?

PE:
We played another round of Newcomb ball. I stopped in to witness a massive set and spike—it was more intense than I’d imagined! After class, I asked a student how it went, and he confidently replied, “I cooked. I cooked them all so bad!” If nothing else, we’re definitely learning confidence!

End of Day:
Back in the classroom, I told the students how proud I was of them for keeping it together during the two-hour dress rehearsal. Not one adult needed to step in. As a reward, they got to choose between making more snowflakes or using a tablet. They even shared an audio jack to listen to “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” on repeat while creating snowflakes. After packing up our Home to School books, we hopped on the bus and headed home, wrapping up a warm and rainy December day.

Picture of the Day:
Taking a quick break while the adults fine-tuned the schedule during today’s dress rehearsal!

Daily Update:
Welcome back after an extra-long weekend, courtesy of a snow day on Thursday and parent-teacher interviews on Friday. After the morning announcements, we settled into our usual routine. Our spelling word was “inflatable,” and our Show Not Tell prompt was “It was a snowy day.” We completed our Heggerty listening drills, navigated a reading maze, squeezed in some exercises, and rehearsed our Christmas songs for the concert. During literacy rotations, our writing prompt was “When my family decorates for Christmas we….”

After Recess:
The Grade 1s and 2s reviewed representing numbers and worked on a color-by-sum activity (do you remember what “sum” means?). Meanwhile, the Grade 3s revisited skip counting, both forwards and backwards, before spending some time on DreamBox.

After Lunch:
We picked up where we left off in The One and Only Ivan. They are still trying to get Ivan in that box.  Ivan wanted to hide and take Bob with him, but he said "no".   Do you remember why?   We attempted to practice our ukulele performance for the Christmas concert, but someone had beaten us to the library! With just seven days left until we perform, we’ll try again tomorrow.

PE:
In PE, we discovered Mr. Ross setting up a large net for a game called Newcomb ball. I’m not entirely sure about all the rules yet, but it looked like it was going to be a blast!

End of Day:
We wrapped up the day with our Book of Gratitude, reflecting on “Something that made me smile today was….” Some students had to do a few quick revisions to their morning work before enjoying free choice time. Remember, you’ve got to finish your responsibilities before having fun!

Picture of the Day:
We celebrated a birthday today—checking if the birthday student might have grown taller overnight!