Mr. McCallum Notes

2025 Grade 2 & Grade 3

Notes

Posted: October 18, 2024

Oct 18

Daily Update:
We started the day gathered on the mat, watching the morning announcements. Our spelling word for today was “demonstrate.” The "Show, Not Tell" sentence was “He scored a goal,” and we got creative with our Heggerty listening games. As a fun art exercise, we quickly doodled some leaf characters, doubling our usual speed! We had visits from both Mrs. Brown and Mr. Ross, who reminded us about the importance of respect. For our Work on Writing, we tackled the prompt “My favorite animal is…” and in UFLI, we reviewed the “-all,” “-oll,” and “-ull” word endings.

Math:
Some students left to attend the King Street Turf Soccer Jamboree today, but the remaining Grade 1s, 2s, and 3s worked together on SmartBoard games. We practiced our "Freeze and Flip" activity and showed Mrs. Brown how to connect and use the iPad with the SmartBoard. To finish up, we worked through some addition worksheets and got a short break with eight minutes of free tablet choice.

After Lunch:
We enjoyed an extended recess to soak up the beautiful weather, partly because Mr. Ross was away coaching at the Soccer Jamboree. After recess, we continued reading *The One and Only Ivan*. We found out that Ivan once lived with Mack. Do you remember how Ivan got into trouble with a chocolate cake in the kitchen? For science, we asked: Why do we have bones? Did you know there are over 200 bones in the human body? Why do you think we need so many? We also colored a diagram showing how a bat’s wing is surprisingly similar to a human arm!

Day End:
To wrap up the day, we reflected on a challenge we each overcame and wrote about it in our Book of Gratitude. Then, we signed our Home to School books and enjoyed a few minutes of free choice time before hopping on the bus.

Picture of the Day:
It's easy to enjoy each other's company just sitting quietly together, saying nothing—though having an iPad definitely helps!

Posted: October 17, 2024

Oct 17

Daily Update:
We kicked off our day by watching the morning announcements while gathered on the mat. Our spelling word was “Thirty,” and the "Show, Not Tell" phrase for today was “She was angry.” Afterward, we jumped into our Heggerty listening games, followed by doodling some quick sketches of leaf characters. For art, we started with a background painting so that the first layer could dry by the afternoon. For our Work on Writing, the prompt was “One day, I woke up and my room was filled with…”

Math:
The Grade 1s focused on counting sets of objects, rearranging them, and practicing group counting. Grade 2 students worked on their counting-on strategy for two-digit and one-digit numbers. Meanwhile, the Grade 3s tackled representing numbers in various ways—standard form, place value, pictures, and manipulatives. Some of the Grade 3s were assessed by me while others worked in Dreambox.

After Lunch:
We enjoyed garlic fingers for lunch, a treat from Home and School as a thank you for all the support with the ticket sales! After recess, we listened to more of *The One and Only Ivan*. Ruby was having trouble sleeping and asked Ivan to tell her a story, but he struggled to recall his childhood. We learned that Ivan had a twin sister and that his name wasn’t always Ivan. Can you remember the names of the baby gorillas? We also managed to finish up the top layers of our paintings before heading to gym.

PE:
We went outside to play soccer baseball. It’s getting pretty chilly during the mornings, at lunch, and during PE, so don’t forget to bundle up in warm layers!

Day End:
To close the day, we reflected on our Book of Gratitude with the prompt “Today I am grateful for….” Afterward, we signed our Home to School books and spent a few minutes choosing activities responsibly. We also synced the iPads with the SmartBoard to make sure our Grade 3s are keeping up with their skills.

Picture of the Day:
Painting in our classroom is serious business—whoever said it’s relaxing hasn’t seen the focus here!

Posted: October 16, 2024

Oct 16

Daily Update:
We began our day by watching the morning announcements while sitting on the mat. Our spelling word for the day was "utensils." The "Show, Not Tell" phrase was “She was a messy eater.” Afterward, we completed our Heggerty listening exercises, followed by a quick doodle session where we drew leaf characters at a rapid pace. We reviewed yesterday’s writing and had Mrs. Mutch work with some of our Grade 3s while we rotated through our literacy centers. Our writing prompt today was “If I could have any superpower, it would be…” and we reviewed the "ss, ll, ff, zz" spelling patterns along with introducing "-all, -oll, and -ull" endings.

Math:
The Grade 1s and 2s worked on their iPads, engaging with various SmartBoard lessons. The game show activity seemed to be the highlight for many. Meanwhile, the Grade 3s practiced arranging 3-digit numbers in both ascending and descending order.

After Lunch:
We had a special visitor for music today—Mr. Whalen. He brought in some of his recording equipment, and we started recording parts of our class song. Everyone sang so well, both individually and in groups, and I was really proud of how brave they were! I can’t wait to hear the final version once all the recordings are done.

PE:
For PE, we played soccer baseball outside. It’s still chilly during the mornings, lunch, and PE time, so make sure you’re bringing warm layers!

Day End:
At the end of the day, we contributed to our Book of Gratitude with the prompt, “I felt happy when I got to…” Then, we signed our Home to School books, recorded some parts of tomorrow’s morning announcements, and had a few minutes of responsible choice time before packing up for home.

Picture of the Day:
Mr. Whalen working with a student to help them perfect their timing while singing our class-written song!

Posted: October 15, 2024

Oct 15

Daily Update:
We began our day watching the morning announcements on the mat. I completely forgot to check over yesterday's work—oops! Today's spelling word was "Utilize." For our "Show, Not Tell" prompt, we worked with the phrase "She was tired." We then moved on to our Heggerty listening games, followed by doodling some cute leaf characters. We added the final coat of paint to our 3D prints before putting them by the window to dry. During literacy rotations, we practiced writing, with the prompt, "If I could visit anywhere in the world, I would go..."

Math:
The Grade 1s and 2s updated their calendar and practiced representing numbers in multiple ways. The Grade 1s focused on writing numbers in word form and counting sets, while the Grade 2s tackled basic addition. Meanwhile, the Grade 3s practiced front-end counting, ordering 3-digit numbers, and played some DreamBox games.

After Lunch:
This afternoon, we welcomed Mr. Blakley for guidance, where he talked to us about mental health. What do you think it means to take care of your mental health?

PE:
For PE, we headed outside to play a game of soccer baseball. The game was challenging today because we were a bit distracted by some huge planes flying overhead and landing nearby!

Day End:
At the end of the day, we added to our Book of Gratitude, reflecting on the prompt, "Someone who made me laugh today was..." Afterward, we signed our Home to School books and enjoyed a few minutes of responsible choice time before getting ready to go home. Be sure to bundle up—the days (and especially mornings) are getting cooler!

Picture of the Day:
Our class had a blast playing soccer baseball today, even with the distraction of the planes soaring above!

Posted: October 11, 2024

Oct 11

Daily Update:
We began our day on the mat, watching the morning announcements, and it was fun to see a few familiar faces! After a quick review of yesterday’s work, we moved on to today's spelling word, which was "National." Our "Show, Not Tell" phrase was "She was full"—perfect for the Thanksgiving lunch coming up. After playing our Heggerty listening games, we doodled another scarecrow silhouette, this time at double speed! We also completed a shorter literacy rotation to allow time for swapping out the books in our book boxes. Our writing prompt today was “My favorite thing to do on the weekend is…”. We even managed to peel the supports off our 3D prints just before break.

Math:
Grade 1 and 2 students updated the calendar and practiced showing numbers in different formats, while the Grade 3s worked on writing number words from ten to one thousand. We also did some mental math, bridging to friendly numbers. A great tech moment happened when we managed to connect the iPads to the Smartboard, allowing both groups to share their work visually!

After Lunch:
After lunch, we were excited to begin painting our 3D-printed Pikachus! Everyone got their first coat of paint on, though some were a bit heavier than others, so they'll need the weekend to dry fully. We also had a chance to check out a fun maze and math questions from the fire department. Plus, we were all thrilled to receive our very own Miramichi Junior Firefighter hats!

PE:
In PE, we continued with basketball. The class worked on dribbling, passing, and shooting skills through relay races and drills, giving everyone a good workout.

Day End:
We finished the day by writing in our Book of Gratitude, with the prompt: "I felt proud of myself when…." Afterward, we signed our Home to School books and enjoyed a few minutes of free choice time before getting ready for home. Don’t forget—the Home and School draw is tomorrow, so make sure all tickets are returned!

Picture of the Day:
A huge thank you to our amazing Home and School group at Napan Elementary! We’re so grateful for the wonderful meal you prepared for us—it was delicious, and we’re all feeling extra thankful (and full) today!

Posted: October 10, 2024

Oct 10

Daily Update:
We kicked off the day by gathering on the mat and reviewing our progress from yesterday, with a focus on improving just a little more each day. Our spelling word for today was "telescope," and we practiced "Show, Not Tell" using the phrase: "He was sick." After playing our Heggerty listening games, we doodled another spooky scarecrow silhouette—this time even faster! For exercise, we did standing toe touches, which got us moving. During literacy rotations, we tackled the writing prompt: "The best thing about being a kid is…" and focused on blending and segmenting sounds. We also reviewed words with the "ff," "ll," "ss," and "zz" endings that have double letters but make one sound.

Math:
In math, the Grade 1 and 2 students worked on updating their calendar and practiced representing numbers in multiple ways. Grade 2 also did some skip counting, and everyone joined in to work on friends of ten. We wrapped up with some technology-based activities, using iPads to interact with the Smartboard. The Grade 3 students worked on representing numbers using manipulatives and pictures.

After Lunch:
After lunch, we cleaned up some of our 3D prints and started filming a few clips for tomorrow’s morning announcements. Then, we had our highly anticipated Fire Safety Assembly! The Miramichi Fire Department gave us a fantastic presentation, teaching us key safety rules. They also showed us what a firefighter looks and sounds like in full gear—so we won’t be afraid if we ever need their help during a fire. We got to meet Sparky the fire dog and watched a fun video. It was such an informative and engaging presentation!

Day End:
We wrapped up the day by writing in our Book of Gratitude with today’s prompt: "The best part of my day was when…." Afterward, we signed our Home to School books and enjoyed a few minutes of free choice time before getting ready to head home (and off to the soccer game!). Don’t forget—the Home and School draw is tomorrow, so make sure to return all tickets by then!

Picture of the Day:
After demonstrating the "Stop, Drop, and Roll" technique perfectly, some students were rewarded with junior firefighter shirts! How "paw-some" is that!

Posted: October 9, 2024

Oct 9

Daily Update:
We began our day on the mat, reflecting on yesterday’s work and aiming for continuous improvement. Our spelling word for today was "Episode," and the "Show, Not Tell" phrase we worked on was: "The fish was dead." What 3 sentences did you write? We then played some Heggerty listening games before sketching another eerie scarecrow silhouette—this time picking up the pace! Our exercise for the day was side leg lifts while lying down, which was fun to try. During our literacy rotations, we worked on a creative writing prompt: "If I had a pet dragon, I would…" We also focused on blending and segmenting sounds, especially spelling endings like "ff," "ll," "ss," and "zz," which have double letters but only make one sound.

Math:
Math was a bit shorter today due to our Roots of Empathy session. Before Allison’s visit, the Grade 3s practiced representing numbers in different ways using manipulatives. The Grade 1s worked with ten frames, while the Grade 2s explored substituting groups of tens using base ten blocks to represent numbers.

After Lunch:
We had a special guest, Mr. Whalen, for music class. The highlight was that our class wrote an amazing Halloween song together! I can’t wait for him to come back so we can record it and share it with everyone!

In PE:
Mr. Ross took the students outside to the basketball court, where they practiced dribbling, passing, and shooting. It was great to see everyone working on their skills!

Day End:
To close out the day, we wrote in our Book of Gratitude with today’s prompt: "Something that made me smile today was…." Afterward, we signed our Home to School Books and had a bit of free choice time before the buses arrived. Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!

Picture of the Day:
Allison from Roots of Empathy led a session on emotions with a book about feelings. What feelings do you think make babies cry?

Posted: October 8, 2024

Oct 8

Daily Update:
This morning started off a bit differently—announcements weren’t over the intercom but done on video instead! You can check them out here. Great job to the Grade 4 & 5 students who made it happen! Afterward, we stayed on the mat to evaluate our work, aiming to improve just a little more every day. Our spelling word for the day was "gigantic," and our "Show, Not Tell" sentence was: "He was old." We also did our Heggerty listening games and doodled another creepy scarecrow silhouette—this time, we sped it up a bit from yesterday. Our exercise for the day was jumping jacks followed by scissor jacks, keeping us moving. During literacy rotations, we worked on the writing prompt, "My favorite…", and challenged ourselves with some 5-letter word blending and segmenting. It was definitely tougher! We also focused on hearing sounds in words and writing them in sentences.

Math:
The Grade 3s practiced mental math strategies, using a bridge to a friendly number. They also represented numbers as expressions and spent some time on DreamBox math games. The Grade 1 & 2 students focused on place value, working with base ten blocks to represent numbers symbolically. We also worked with Smart Notebooks on tablets and had some teacher-guided practice.

After Indoor Lunch:
After lunch, we headed to guidance with Mrs. Robichaud. She talked about recognizing dangerous situations, how to react safely, and making choices that increase personal safety. I wonder how much of this will come in handy when the fire department visits later this week for their safety presentation!

In PE:
With rain keeping us indoors, we focused on basketball skills—working on dribbling, passing, and shooting drills. It was a great way to stay active inside!

Day End:
At the end of the day, we reflected on gratitude by writing in our Book of Gratitude with today’s prompt: "A friend who helped me today was…" Afterward, we signed our Home to School Books and enjoyed a few minutes of free choice time before the buses arrived. See you all tomorrow!

Picture of the Day:
We had a quick round of the Minions memory game at lunch. I don’t remember Case wearing glasses before, but maybe my memory is slipping!

Posted: October 7, 2024

Oct 7

Daily Update:
We started the day by reviewing and grading Friday’s work. As the year progresses, the expectations are going up—what was a 3+ or a 4 last month might now only be a 3. Time to keep challenging ourselves! Our spelling word for today was "accurate," and our "Show, Not Tell" sentence was: "He was hurt." We also got into our Heggerty listening games—if you’ve ever been curious about what those look like, check them out here. We doodled a spooky scarecrow silhouette and did some standing cross-body reach exercises. During our literacy rotations, we talked about our weekends for our Work on Writing session, worked on word recognition, and practiced printing and spelling with the teacher. We even brainstormed names for the school's new bookworm!

Math:
The Grade 3s worked on reading three-digit numbers without saying the word "and," along with a bit of money-counting practice. Meanwhile, the Grade 1 and 2 students were focused on place value, using base ten blocks to represent numbers symbolically.

After Lunch:
We dove back into "The One and Only Ivan." Do you remember what happened to Stella in today’s chapter? After that, we had a fascinating science lesson about the history of scarecrows. I always thought they were just for decoration, but they’ve been used as far back as ancient Egypt! What do you think they’re really for?

In PE:
Since it was raining, we had our PE class indoors. We played a new game called "Defend the Castle." Let’s just say there were some very sweaty defenders by the end!

Day End:
To finish the day, we reflected in our Book of Gratitude with today’s prompt: "I felt brave today when I…" After that, we signed our Home to School Books and had a few minutes of free choice time before heading to the buses. Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow!

Picture of the Day:
These are the paintings the students created with Mr. Simmons on Friday! I was so impressed when I saw them this morning—I nearly dropped my coffee! They are INCREDIBLE!

Posted: October 4, 2024

Oct 4

Daily Update:
Today had a bit of a different pace as I was out of the building for meetings. Before heading out, we began the day with a soft start and welcomed our substitute teacher, Mrs. Simmons. Just like when we have visitors at home, we made sure to be gracious hosts so that she’d feel right at home and want to return in the future.

Our morning started with a school-wide assembly marking the end of the month. The gym carried an unusual smell—burnt toast! Ms. Brown had a little accident with the toaster, giving us all a good laugh. During the assembly, we celebrated some fantastic achievements! Big shout out to Rilynn, Adalynn, and Wyatt for perfect attendance in September, and a special congratulations to Emma in Grade 5 for being named Napan Cub of the Month!

We also enjoyed a quick recap of some of the fun activities we did throughout September at Napan Elementary. Feel free to watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFXCXAZPBG8. We also got a sneak peek at this year's school clothing, which you can explore here: https://www.riversigns.ca/collections/napan-elementary.

After the assembly, everyone headed back to the classroom to get down to business. Before I left, I encouraged the students to make the most of their day and enjoy each other’s company. I trust you all had a great day, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Picture of the Day:
It looks like we have a successful 3D print! Only a few more finishing touches to go now!

Posted: October 3, 2024

Oct 3

Daily Update:
We kicked off the morning by reflecting on yesterday's work, discussing ways we could improve. Our spelling word today was Empathy, and our "Show, Not Tell" sentence was: "She had just learned to walk." After some Heggerty Games, we quickly doodled a fall scene at 1.75 speed before trying out a new exercise: Knee Raises. Literacy time included reviewing our "Work on Writing" outcomes, rotating through writing (the prompt: "Baby Kade is..."), Read to Self, and UFLI sessions focused on vowel sounds, the blending board, and spelling practice. The room was buzzing with concentration!

Math:
Mr. Ross's group tackled skip counting and worked on representing numbers in multiple ways: concretely, pictorially, symbolically, and with expressions and words. Meanwhile, Mr. McCallum's group engaged with base 10 blocks to represent numbers, followed by skip counting practice. Both groups made great progress.

After Lunch:
We continued reading The One and Only Ivan, where one of the elephants shared a powerful story about falling into a human-made hole. We discussed how the humans reacted—were they helpful or harmful? We also started a new 3D print project and are hopeful it turns out well!

In PE:
Mr. Ross led us in some running drills, jumping jacks, and a tag game with a twist—you had to tag someone with a ball, but couldn’t throw it. Everyone had fun strategizing and getting their heart rates up!

Day End:
At the end of the day, we reflected on surprises that made us happy, adding those thoughts to our Book of Gratitude. After signing our Home to School Books, we made sure fundraising tickets from Home & School were sent home. We wrapped up with a little free choice time before catching the bus. Can't wait to see everyone tomorrow!

Picture of the Day:
I went outside to investigate yesterday's games and found a tag game I could finally understand!

Posted: October 2, 2024

Oct 2

Daily Update:
We began the day by reviewing yesterday's work and brainstorming ways to improve. Today's spelling word was Halloween, and our "Show, Not Tell" sentence was: "He was tall." After wrapping up our Heggerty games, we quickly doodled a fall scene (at 1.5 speed!) before practicing today's exercise: butt kickers. In literacy, we reflected on our "Work on Writing" results and rotated through Work on Writing (with the prompt "At Halloween I will..."), Read to Self, and UFLI segmenting and blending sounds. Everyone’s working very well!

Math:
In Math we only had half a class as it was our Roots of Empathy day with baby Kade. Grade 3 students represented numbers to 100 pictorially, symbollically, and concretely.  The Grade 1's and 2's worked on using the 100's chart to count and skip count forward and backward while starting and stoping on different numbers. (Examples: Start at 8, count backwards by 1's, and stop at 3. Start at 26, count forward by tens, stop at 76)

After Lunch:
We caught up with The One and Only Ivan, and Ruby had us all thinking with a riddle: “What do elephants have that nothing else has?” Do you remember the answer? After that, we experimented with our 3D resin printer. What do you think happens when a very thin layer of resin meets ultraviolet light?

In PE:
Mr. Ross took us out to the freshly mowed baseball field, which is prepped for tomorrow night's soccer game. We played three new games with hula hoops and balls. The kids tried explaining the rules to me, but I think I’ll need to join in next time to fully understand how they work!

Day End:
At the end of the day, we reflected in our Book of Gratitude, using the prompt: "I was thankful I was able to help someone by...". After signing our Home to School Books, we had a little free time before heading to the buses. Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!

Picture of the Day:
Our Roots baby Kade with mom Laurin.

Posted: October 1, 2024

Oct 1

Daily Update:
We kicked off the day by reflecting on last week's work—it's a new month, which means we're raising the bar! Today's spelling word was substitute, and our "Show, Not Tell" sentence was: "He was scared." After completing our Heggerty games, we got creative by doodling a fall scene and practiced holding a plank position for our exercise of the day. In literacy, we rotated between Work on Writing with the prompt "On the weekend I…", Read to Self, UFLI word chains, and sentence writing. We also did a quick writer's workshop about Makayla losing her glasses—remember, small problems make small stories, and big problems make big stories!

Math:
Grade 3 students worked on spotting mistakes in skip counting sequences and took on a challenge with some multiplication and money counting exercises. The Grade 1s and 2s explored numbers 1-10 using iPads and Smart Notebook. It was a bit bumpy since it was our first time using them, but we're confident we'll improve quickly!

After Lunch:
We had a change in our routine as Mr. Martini filled in for Mrs. Robichaud today. We read a book and talked about how setting healthy boundaries is an important part of any relationship, but its not always easy!  Learning how to stand up for yourself and still being respectful takes lots of practice! 

In PE:
We tried out a game called "Steal the Balls"—while that may not be the official name, it perfectly describes the goal! With lots of red faces and sweaty foreheads, it's safe to say everyone had a great workout.

Day End:
To wrap up the day, we spent some time writing in our Book of Gratitude, with the prompt: "A moment today that I felt peaceful was…" After that, we signed our Home to School Books and sent home the October calendar. We also squeezed in a quick Smartboard quiz and had a few minutes of free choice before the buses rolled in. See you all tomorrow!

Picture of the Day:
These two are fearless!

Posted: September 27, 2024

Sept 27

Daily Update:
With a rainy start to the morning, we stayed in the classroom and took a little longer to get into the groove. We did a quick check-in on yesterday’s work before diving into today’s tasks. Today’s spelling word was evaluate, and our "Show, Not Tell" sentence was: "He was nervous." After completing our Heggerty listening drills, we doodled a sparrow for the last time and got some movement in with today’s exercise: squats. We also refreshed the books in our book boxes before heading down to an assembly for Orange Shirt Day, where we learned about its origins and watched a story about Spirit Bear and Truth and Reconciliation.

Math:
The Grade 3 students continued practicing counting coins, while the Grade 1s focused on counting forwards and backwards from 1 to 10. Meanwhile, the Grade 2s practiced counting by 10s, but this time starting at numbers other than 0.

After Lunch:
We joined the K-1 students for a combined PE class where we had fun running, skipping, jogging backwards, doing bear crawls, and playing tag. We even had a little dance session! Our key focus in the gym was always on the most important rule: BE SAFE.

Day End:
We read another chapter from The One and Only Ivan and followed it up with a story about Orange Shirt Day. After that, we spent some time learning how to navigate the iPads, but unfortunately, we ran into an error with the 3D printer. To close the day, we worked on our Book of Gratitude with the prompt, “I am thankful for my classmates because…” We signed our Home to School books and enjoyed a few minutes of free choice time before heading out for the long weekend. Have a great break, everyone!

Picture of the Day:
Napan Elementary 2024 Orange Shirt Day

Posted: September 26, 2024

Sept 26

Daily Update:
We kicked off the day by reviewing yesterday's work—it's always wonderful to see how everyone is improving! Today’s spelling word was recognition, and our "Show, Not Tell" sentence was: "He was proud." After wrapping up our Heggerty drill, we doodled a sparrow and did today’s exercise: standing cross-body crunches. We split into three groups for our rotations: Read to Self, Work on Writing, and Teacher Time. After all the writing from our Fletcher’s Farm trip, the students had plenty to add to their journals today!

Math:
The Grade 3 students used their coins to practice skip counting today, and they were challenged to check for mistakes in Mr. Ross’s counting sequences. The Grade 1s worked on counting forwards and backwards from 1 to 10, while the Grade 2s focused on skip counting by 2s all the way to 100.

After Lunch:
We continued reading The One and Only Ivan, where Stella helps Ruby out of the truck. What do you think is going through Stella’s mind?

Terry Fox Walk:
The whole school gathered in the gym to watch a brief Terry Fox video and discuss why the walk is so important. We took a group picture on the steps, then walked together up Johnson Bridge Lane and back. Thank you to everyone for supporting such an inspiring cause!

Day End:
We returned just in time to complete our Book of Gratitude, with today’s prompt being, “Something nice someone said to me was…” Afterward, we signed our Home to School books and enjoyed a quick two minutes of free choice before it was time to catch the bus. Today's reminders in the Home to School books include:

  • Fri: Orange Shirt Day
  • School Picture Code
  • Pizza and milk count

Picture of the Day:
Napan Elementary 2024 Terry Fox Walk

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