Mr. McCallum

2024-2025 Napan Elementary School 2/3

Posted: November 20, 2024

Nov 20

Daily Update:
We missed an update yesterday because of an internet outage, but today we’re back online! After announcements over the intercom, our spelling word was “independent.” For Show, Not Tell, we worked on “He could not play the guitar.” We completed our Heggerty listening games and worked on a reading maze. After some exercises, we practiced our Christmas concert song, “Let’s Build a Gingerbread House.” If you’d like to practice at home, you can click here to hear it. We then moved into our literacy rotations. Our work on writing prompt was “The best thing to do on a rainy day is…” During teacher conferences, we continued mastering reading mazes. We’re getting quicker and more confident with them!

After Recess:
In math, the Grade 1s and 2s worked on using their hundreds chart to skip count and find missing numbers. The Grade 3s revisited earlier concepts and focused on creating subtraction word problems for given solutions while using personal strategies for addition and subtraction equations.

After Lunch:
We went to see Mr. Whalen and practiced our ukuleles. He introduced us to boomwhackers, which helped us keep rhythm while strumming. As a bonus, he even dropped off a guitar for the school! No wonder his visits are such a highlight.

PE:
We split our PE time between two activities: 10 minutes of basketball and 20 minutes of floor hockey. Whether you were shooting hoops or scoring goals, everyone came back to class sweaty and smiling!

End of Day:
We wrapped up the day with our Book of Gratitude. Today’s prompt was “I am thankful for the chance to try…” We reviewed our writing for any fixes, filled out our Home to School books, and added a reminder about skating at the LBA tomorrow at 9:00. With a few minutes of free choice time, we closed out a busy and fun day.

Picture of the Day:
Indoor recess means getting creative to stay entertained. Check out what we came up with!

Posted: November 18, 2024

Nov 18

Daily Update:
After the morning announcements, our spelling word was “disinfectant.” For Show, Not Tell, we worked on “He was lost.” We played our Heggerty listening games and switched things up by trying a reading maze instead of a doodle. A reading maze gives you three words, and you have to choose the one that fits best in the sentence. For example, “Jane (from/did/soda) not like playing the piano.” What word would you choose? We completed two sets of exercises before moving into our literacy rotations. During guided reading, we practiced more reading mazes. They’re tricky, but we’ll master them soon! Our writing prompt was “The best part of school is…” What would you say is your favorite part?

After Recess:
In math, the Grade 1s and 2s reviewed representing numbers and started working with money, focusing on dimes and nickels. Do you know what image is on a dime? The Grade 3s focused on developing personal strategies for adding and subtracting numbers.

After Lunch:
We practiced on our ukuleles, concentrating on timing our strumming and moving our fingers on the frets. It’s exciting to see how much progress we’re making already. I think we’ll be ready for a song soon!

PE:
We kicked off PE with some floor hockey and wrapped up the session with basketball. A quick reminder for Grades 3-5: there’s basketball practice tomorrow after school from 2:30 to 4:00.

End of Day:
We had a special guest today! Mrs. Comeau joined us to help with singing and getting ready for the Christmas Concert. We worked on a fun song called “Let’s Build a Gingerbread House.” The list of ingredients in the song made everyone hungry! Do you remember what was in it?

Picture of the Day:
A rare snapshot where everyone made it into the frame—though you might have to look closely!

Posted: November 14, 2024

Nov 14

Daily Update:
Following the morning announcements, our spelling word for today was “Habitat.” Our Show, Not Tell prompt was “She was not good at cooking.” We moved quickly through our Heggerty listening games and sped through our turtle doodles at double speed! We also tackled two sets of exercises. Can you remember any of the four we did? Afterward, we dove into our literacy rotations. In UFLI, we read a decodable book, and our writing prompt was “If I found a magic lamp, I would…” We did a short refresher on sitting properly on the mat to ensure a smooth transitions.

After Recess:
It was time for math! The Grade 1s and 2s reviewed representing numbers, recognizing pattern cores, sums, and sorting rules like identifying even and odd numbers. Then, we compared numbers using greater than, less than, and equal to signs. The Grade 3s focused on mental math strategies like “doubles plus one,” “double take away one,” “doubles plus two,” and “doubles take away two.” I hope everyone remembers their doubles! We wrapped up with addition and subtraction facts up to 18.

After Lunch:
We continued reading *The One and Only Ivan*. Ivan is getting anxious about Julia and her father possibly giving all his paintings to Mack to sell. Why can’t they see what his work really represents? In music, we practiced our strumming and finger placements on the ukulele frets. It’s a challenging start, but we’re already enjoying the learning journey!

PE:
We kicked off PE with some floor hockey, though one team’s scoring streak led us to switch gears to basketball for the rest of the class. We ended the session with a few gymnastics moves to keep things balanced.

End of Day:
In our Book of Gratitude, today’s prompt was “A fun moment I had today was...” We reviewed and checked our morning work, then filled out our Home to School books. Reminder there is no school tomorrow for students. I also added basketball permission slips for Grades 3 to 5, just in case anyone missed theirs yesterday.

Picture of the Day:
It’s tough to find a nap spot under the desk when it’s already occupied by someone else!

Posted: November 13, 2024

Nov 13

Daily Update:
Following the morning announcements, our spelling word for today was “unlimited.” Our Show, Not Tell prompt was “He was dressed poorly.” We played our Heggerty listening games and did a quick doodle of a turtle. After that, we started our literacy rotations. In UFLI, we focused on consonant digraphs, and our writing prompt was “My favorite season is…” We shared our writing pieces before getting ready for recess.

After Recess:
We dove into math! The Grade 1s and 2s worked on representing numbers with base ten blocks and compared them using less than, greater than, and equal signs. The Grade 3s practiced mental math strategies with doubles and created addition story problems, solving them with equations. They wrapped up with some time on DreamBox.

Music:
We’re thrilled to have Mr. Whalen back! Today, we got to play with ukuleles. We’ve got a lot to learn before we can play songs, but they’re so fun! Even Miss Brown came down to check them out!

PE:
In preparation for the upcoming basketball season, we spent the first part of class practicing our basketball skills. We finished with some gymnastics activities to work on flexibility and balance.

End of Day:
Our Book of Gratitude prompt was “I am thankful for learning about…” A few students had to redo their sheets with grade-appropriate work—no slacking this close to report cards! We reviewed our morning work, made any necessary corrections, and filled out our Home to School books before winding down for the day.

Picture of the Day:
We’re already brainstorming for our Christmas Concert! No spoilers, but it’s going to be exciting!

Posted: November 12, 2024

Nov 12

Daily Update:
The day started off a bit differently due to the rain, so we began indoors rather than on the playground. After watching the morning announcements, our spelling word was “responsible.” Our Show, Not Tell prompt today was “His candy was sour.” We moved into our Heggerty listening games, followed by doodling a turtle. Then, it was time for literacy rotations. In UFLI, we reviewed blends like “sh,” “ck,” and “th.” Our writing prompt was, “If I could talk to animals…” The rain kept us inside for snack and recess.

After Recess:
We jumped into math! It felt like it had been a while. The Grade 1s and 2s worked on representing numbers with base ten blocks and used comparison signs like less than, greater than, and equal to. Meanwhile, the Grade 3s practiced mental math strategies with doubles and created story problems based on addition.

PE:
We warmed up with basketball shooting drills and then switched to gymnastics skills. My upside-down days might be behind me, so I’ll leave the somersault skills to you!

End of Day:
Our Book of Gratitude prompt was “One kind thing I did for someone today was…” We wrapped up by reviewing our morning work and making any corrections before filling out our Home to School books.  I also added the hot lunch form for December (see attached pdf).  Then it was time for some responsible choices as we got ready to head home.

Picture of the Day:
Practicing our basketball shooting skills and having fun with it!

AttachmentSize
PDF icon hot_lunch_dec_2024.pdf612.73 KB

Posted: November 7, 2024

Nov 7

Daily Update:
Even with such an eventful day, we started off with our regular routine. We watched the morning announcements, and our spelling word was “permission.” For Show, Not Tell, our prompt was “She was hurt when she fell.” We doodled a Remembrance Day scene for the last time, then got ready to board the bus for skating. A big thank you to all the adults who helped us tie and untie skates and even joined us on the ice!

Recess:
When we returned from the LBA, we grabbed a quick snack and dashed outside for some fresh air. Back in class, we prepared for the Remembrance Day ceremony and then went to the gym for the 11:00 ceremony. A heartfelt thank you to everyone in the community who joined us to honor this meaningful day.

After Lunch:
We talked about the difference between being friends and being friendly, especially how the tone of our words can change their meaning. We also read from The One and Only Ivan. Ivan discovered that his painting for Ruby needed a single human word: HOME.

PE:
PE was held indoors today. We started with some warm-up laps and tried new games involving nerf balls, basketball, and a few running races. Mr. Ross might be the fastest runner in the school!

End of Day:
Instead of our Book of Gratitude, we focused on our Remembrance Day posters. We signed our Home to School Books, and some students received a Timberwolves ticket in their folders. A quick reminder: no school for students tomorrow or Monday. Enjoy your long weekend, and see you on Tuesday!

Picture of the Day:
A huge thank you to all the parents and grandparents who joined us for both skating and our Remembrance Day ceremony. We’re lucky to have such an amazing community here in Napan!

Posted: November 6, 2024

Nov 6

Daily Update:
We began our day with morning announcements. Today’s spelling word was “performance.” Our Remembrance Day presentation is tomorrow at 11:00, and families are welcome to join us. Our Show Not Tell prompt was “He liked singing.” We completed our Haggerty listening exercises, sketched a Remembrance Day scene, and practiced our songs without the vocal track. I’m confident we’ll be ready for tomorrow’s event! For our Work on Writing, we used the prompt, “In Canada, Remembrance Day is…”

After Recess:
The whole school went to the gym for a full rehearsal of our Remembrance Day program. We ran through the ceremony from beginning to end, with wonderful student MCs and some beautiful songs. We reminded everyone that this is our most serious and respectful event of the year, and they did an amazing job during practice. With a few extra minutes, we returned to the classroom and discussed the Remembrance Day poster contest, looking at some winning entries from last year for inspiration. Many students have great ideas and started working on their own posters.

After Lunch:
We continued working on our poster contest entries. A permission form went home in the Home to School Books today so students can submit their artwork if they choose.

PE:
With the weather reaching a warm 19 degrees, we took PE outside for a game of soccer. Mr. Ross had a special guest join us! Do you remember who it was? Our visitor seemed to enjoy jumping in and playing along with everyone.

End of Day:
Today, instead of our Book of Gratitude, we dedicated time to our posters. We signed our Home to School Books and enjoyed a few minutes of free choice time. Don’t forget, tomorrow is skating at the LBA at 9:00! Families are welcome to join us.

Picture of the Day:
A sneak peek at tomorrow’s lineup for our Remembrance Day performance.

Posted: November 5, 2024

Nov 5

Daily Update:
We began our day with morning announcements. Our spelling word was “Invictus” from yesterday’s reading. Do you remember what the Invictus Games are? For our Show Not Tell, we used “He was slow.” We completed our Haggerty listening activities, doodled a Remembrance Day scene, and watched a quick video on the significance of the poppy. During Literacy rotations, some students chose the word search and code breaker from their Legion newspaper as part of today’s Work on Writing.

After Recess:
Our K-3 students gathered in the classroom for Remembrance Day practice. We went over our song lineup and sorted our positions on the risers by height. After practicing the lyrics, everyone felt more confident for Thursday’s performance. Tomorrow, we’ll have a full dress rehearsal to make sure even the adults are ready! We watched a video about the poppy and read from The One and Only Ivan. Ivan seems to be hatching a plan to get Ruby to the zoo, inspired by a commercial he saw on TV. Let’s see if he can pull it off!

After Lunch:
We had Guidance with Mrs. Robichaud and worked on our “My First Safety Book.”

PE:
Indoor Soccer Baseball is quickly becoming a favorite activity, and today was no exception!

End of Day:
After PE, the K-1 students joined us to practice our Remembrance Day songs. Tomorrow will be a full school dress rehearsal. We wrapped up the day by filling out our Home to School books and enjoyed some free choice time. Everyone pitched in to tidy up the classroom, which was wonderful to see! Just a reminder: there is no school this Friday for teacher meetings. This week is flying by!

Picture of the Day:
I told students they could work on their Remembrance Day word search wherever they were most comfortable. Some definitely felt most comfortable taking charge of the room!

Posted: November 4, 2024

Nov 4

Daily Update:

We started the day with morning announcements. Our bells were a bit off, which threw off our timing a few times, but we managed just fine! Our spelling word for the day was "armistice"—do you remember what that means? For our "Show, Not Tell," we had "He was dressed up" (for Remembrance Day, not Halloween!). We also completed our Haggerty listening drills, and doodled a poppy and cross. For guided reading, we used a newspaper-style article and did our Literacy rotations. The morning flew by!

After Recess:
All the classes gathered in our room for an overview of the week and a preview of the Remembrance Day program. We reminded everyone that this is one of our most serious events of the year, emphasizing that respectful behavior is expected. We practiced our songs and reviewed the program layout, and even squeezed in a bit of practice before heading to lunch.

After Lunch:
We continued reading *The One and Only Ivan*. It looks like Ivan is working on a plan to get Ruby to a zoo, thinking back on his parents’ past. It sounds like he’s also hiding a painting from Mack as part of his scheme! We also practiced our song lyrics, singing them through a few times to make sure we’re ready for Thursday's performance.

PE:
We played indoor soccer baseball today, which is great for learning the game and getting comfortable with the bases and directions. It has a lot of rules, and playing indoors made it easier to follow along while learning the basics.

End of Day:
We added a new entry to our Book of Gratitude with the prompt, “I am grateful for the way I solved a problem when…” We wrapped up by filling in our Home to School books and getting organized for the evening.

Picture of the Day:
Runners in motion, and this photo is going to capture home plate action – we play soccer baseball with some serious enthusiasm!

Posted: November 1, 2024

Nov 1

Daily Update:
We started the day with morning announcements, then got to work – but not for long! Our song played over the radio, and we paused everything to listen. (Not to brag, but we sounded fantastic!) Today’s spelling word was “remember,” and for Show Not Tell, our sentence was “She was tired.” We wrapped up our last attempt at a haunted house in Doodle and completed the Week 8 Thursday Haggerty listening games. Miss Brown supervised while I added final touches to our October recap video, and students finished their Halloween booklets from yesterday.

After Recess:
We skipped math today for our school-wide October assembly. We went over some school rules, learned that tonight’s corn maze game is canceled due to the rain, and were informed it won't be rescheduled as the field will be mowed down this weekend. We watched the October Recap Video (now posted on the Napan Facebook page) and discussed the upcoming Remembrance Day Ceremony and our next skating event. Back in class, we continued our conversation about the importance of Remembrance Day.

Lunch:
Due to the rain, we stayed inside for lunch, and everyone in class joined Lego Club. The theme of the day? Dream houses!

After Lunch:
We watched a few YouTube videos about Remembrance Day and read more of *The One and Only Ivan*. It seems Ivan is trying to hatch a plan to move Ruby from her cage to a zoo. I’m not sure how a gorilla can pull that off, but he’s certainly thinking hard!

PE:
We stayed indoors for PE and did basketball relays and drills. With red faces and sweaty hair, everyone came back to class looking like they’d had a blast – and we all know how *uncompetitive* this class is!

End of Day:
To end the day, we filled out our Home to School books and included a reminder about the canceled corn maze. We completed a Remembrance Day word search and enjoyed a solid nine minutes of free-choice time on the tablets – the perfect way to wrap up the week. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Picture of the Day:
Our song played live on the radio, and all work stopped as we listened with pride!

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