Mr. McCallum | Napan Elementary

2025 Grade 2 & Grade 3

Posted: February 24, 2025

Monday February 24, 2025

Daily Update:
Although the sun was shining, it was still a chilly morning, so we started our day inside. I wouldn't want any of our classroom snowmen to freeze out there! This week is School Spirit Week at Napan, and today’s theme was “Dress Like a Snowman.” We had a great example right in our classroom! Tomorrow’s theme is crazy hat/hair day—I think I’ll keep it simple with a hat.

Our spelling word of the day was “vacation.” Today's "Show, Not Tell" sentence was: “He dressed like a snowman.” Luckily, one of our students gave us a perfect live demonstration! We completed our Heggerty listening games and worked through a reading maze. In UFLI, we focused on our lesson and then jumped into our writing prompt: "How to Go Sliding." After some quick buddy reading, we tidied up before snack.

After Indoor Recess:
The Grade 1s and 2s worked on a color-by-equation activity and played a fun French fry fact family game. We also wrapped up with a quick subtraction quiz on the iPads. Meanwhile, the Grade 3s created their own subtraction stories based on given solutions.

After Lunch:
Excitement was high as Mrs. Brown and Mr. Ross took the K-3 students across the road to the giant snow hill! Armed with crazy carpets, they zipped down the hill over and over again. With all that climbing, I wouldn’t be surprised if they head to bed early tonight!

End of Day Routine:
Back inside, we practiced some French before reflecting in our Book of Gratitude, answering the prompt: "I was proud of my effort when I…". We also checked our morning work and filled out our Home to School books. With a few extra minutes, we squeezed in some iPad time before heading to the gym for Spirit Week activities.

Spirit Week Activity:
Mr. Ross led a fun skipping rope game before bringing out a timeless favorite—the parachute! Both staff and students had a blast taking part in the games. What a fantastic way to end the day!

Picture of the Day:
A quick switch of positions before the parachute came down, trapping the runners underneath!

Posted: February 11, 2025

Tuesday February 11, 2025

Daily Update:
Another chilly morning meant we started our day indoors. This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and we were greeted with some thoughtful notes and drawings from the students—what a wonderful way to begin! Our spelling word of the day was “volunteers.” Today's "Show, Not Tell" sentence was: “It was summer.” We explored how summer appeals to the senses—what does it smell, feel, taste, sound, and look like? Fresh-cut grass always comes to mind for me! We completed our Heggerty listening games and tackled a reading maze. In UFLI, we focused on our lesson before wrapping up with a short paragraph on writing a strong conclusion.

After Indoor Recess:
We had a shorter-than-usual math class today. The Grade 1s and 2s practiced subtraction using manipulatives and worked on fact family equations. The Grade 3s focused on modeling subtraction using visual representations and recording the process symbolically. We wrapped up early for a special visit from Mrs. Robichaud, who led a discussion on responsibility. What responsibilities do you have at home?

After Lunch:
We prepared for our Roots of Empathy session by setting up the classroom and getting our name tags ready. Baby Kade visited, and we were amazed at how much stronger and more mobile he has become since his last visit! His legs have gained so much balance, and he is even cutting his third tooth.

PE:
We stayed active with some indoor soccer and foot races. Lots of movement and energy today!

End of Day:
After a high-energy gym class, we switched gears to some French practice, reviewing greetings and food vocabulary. Then, we checked over our morning work and reflected in our Book of Gratitude with the prompt: "Today I learned about…". Finally, we packed up and hopped on the buses, ending another great day at Napan Elementary.

I'll also send home a note for valentines day tomorrow, but if you're looking for spelling's of names : Adalynn, Arsen, Case, Kal, Makayla, Rilynn, Wyatt.

Picture of the Day:
For a baby that doesn't do much, he sure is entertaining to watch!

Posted: February 10, 2025

Monday February 10, 2025

Daily Update:
We started our morning indoors, staying warm while watching O’Canada and the announcements. After that, we headed to the gym for a delicious pancake breakfast, generously provided by our amazing Home and School. Napan truly has a wonderful community! Once we finished eating, it was time to dive into our learning. Our spelling word of the day was “appreciation.” Today's "Show, Not Tell" sentence was: “He liked pancakes,” and we had fun making it more descriptive. We completed our Heggerty listening games and worked through a reading maze. In UFLI, we covered our lesson and used the final few minutes to practice another reading maze passage.

After Indoor Recess:
Math time! The Grade 1s and 2s focused on subtraction using manipulatives, reinforcing their understanding with hands-on practice. We also had a vocabulary quiz followed by a subtraction assessment using our "manip method." Meanwhile, the Grade 3s explored how to model the addition of multiple numbers using both concrete materials and symbolic notation. They wrapped up with 15 minutes of DreamBox for extra practice.

After Lunch:
We turned our attention to the upcoming Pink Shirt Day, discussing what it represents and why it's important. We also explored the difference between conflict (disagreeing with someone) and bullying, helping us better understand how to handle different situations.

PE:
Today’s class was all about speed and teamwork! We did basketball relays followed by scooter relays, which definitely got our hearts pumping.

End of Day:
After an energetic PE class, we transitioned to some French practice. Then, we reviewed our morning work and wrote in our Book of Gratitude, responding to the prompt: "The best part of my day was when…". After packing up, we hopped on the buses, wrapping up another fantastic day at Napan Elementary.

Picture of the Day:
It’s official—everyone agrees! Pancakes are a favorite in our class!

Posted: February 7, 2025

Friday February 7, 2025

Daily Update:
We kicked off the morning with a fresh blanket of snow on the playground—always a great start to the day! Our spelling word today was “chocolate,” which ended up fitting nicely with our “Show, Not Tell” sentence: “The cookie looked good.” It seemed like a theme was forming! We warmed up our brains with our Heggerty listening games and tackled a reading maze challenge. For UFLI, we worked on our phonics lesson before jumping into writing about “How to Make Cookies.” Some of us weren’t sure about the steps, so we took a hands-on approach—heading to the kitchen to bake a batch for the school. A tasty switch from last week’s popcorn experiment!

After Recess:
It was time for our monthly assembly! We gathered in the gym to watch the January recap video, celebrate students with awards, and get moving with some school-wide games led by Mrs. Craig. A great way to bring the whole school together!

After Lunch:
Our usual end-of-day routine came a little early today, which had a few students questioning what was going on—but I had a plan! I knew we were heading across the road for skating, and last week, we ran out of time to pack up afterward. They say you can’t fool us ten times in a row… I guess nine was the limit!

PE:
Grades 2 through 5 bundled up and made the short walk with Miss Potts, Miss Brown, Mr. Ross, and me for a fun skating session. I was expecting the wind to be harsh, but the area is well-sheltered, and it turned out to be quite comfortable. If you’re looking for a great family activity, I highly recommend it!

End of Day:
We arrived back just in time to grab our bags, switch into our shoes, and make it to the buses. A busy but fantastic way to wrap up the week. Have a great weekend!

Picture of the Day:
I was excited to present the Cub of the Month Award!

Posted: February 6, 2025

Thursday February 6, 2025

Daily Update:
It was a little cold this morning, so we started the day indoors and received a reminder about our breakfast program. We are so grateful for our wonderful volunteers who arrive early before their own work begins; it's important that we clean up after ourselves to show respect for their efforts. Our spelling word was “momentarily.” Today's Show, Not Tell was “He is kind.” We completed our Heggarty Listening games and then dove into our UFLI lesson and writing activity on “How to make a snowman.” We also had a Read to Self session, which went much better than yesterday. Although we didn’t have enough time to share our writing in the morning, we returned to it after lunch. We grabbed a snack and enjoyed a quiet indoor recess.

After Recess:
The Grade 1 & 2 students focused on place value as they reviewed number representation. They completed a quick vocabulary quiz and worked on solving subtraction equations by introducing the concept of difference. We encountered a few challenges when shifting from addition to subtraction, but I’m confident we’ll master it soon—especially when we start mixing in symbols! Remember, the key to math is to be neat and take your time. Mr. Ross was out today, so the Grade 3s carried on with their review and were very respectful to the supply teacher.

After Lunch:
We shared our writing from the morning, and then discussed strategies for becoming better active listeners.

PE:
We had a supply teacher cover for Mr. Ross during PE. Mrs. Hache reported that we did a great job in the gym! We played some basketball and a bit of floor hockey. I hope the teams were balanced and fair.

End of Day:
After gym, we returned to the classroom and worked on our Book of Gratitude using the prompt, “I felt brave when …” We reviewed our morning work, signed our Home to School books, and some students earned free choice time. It looks like tomorrow will be a nice afternoon, so we’ll be heading to the Napan Community Hall outdoor rink for PE—remember to bring your skates and helmets!

Picture of the Day:
One of the students sharing their morning writing piece!

Posted: February 5, 2025

Wednesday February 5, 2025

Daily Update:
I may have jinxed us by mentioning how nice the weather was yesterday, as today was freezing, forcing us to stay indoors all day. We got right into our regular routine. Our spelling word was “Fredericton.” If you forgot the capital it was wrong. Today’s "Show, Not Tell" sentence was “She loves reading.” We had another round of Heggarty Listening games. In our UFLI lesson, we focused on writing instructions for “How to make cereal.” We spent some time reading independently, though it wasn’t our best session for staying focused. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to share our writing before lunch, so we picked it back up afterward. We had a snack and found something quiet for an indoor recess.

After Recess:
The Grade 1s and 2s worked on place value and revisited counting on for addition. We had a quick vocabulary quiz and practiced single-digit addition, as well as 2-digit with one-digit addition for the Grade 2s. Our Grade 3s worked on modeling the addition of two given numbers using visual representations and recording the process symbolically. They also had 15 minutes to practice on DreamBox.

After Lunch:
We briefly shared our morning writing. Some students have been working on their own books and chose to share those instead. Mr. Whalen was absent, but we still found time to practice on our ukuleles.

PE:
We started with a basketball warm-up and practiced a few drills for the first 10 minutes. We need to stay sharp with the basketball jamboree coming up on Feb 19th at DLMS. We also played an intense floor hockey game for about 20 minutes.

End of Day:
After PE, we did our Book of Gratitude based on the prompt “Something new I tried …” We checked our morning work to ensure it was complete, signed our Home to School books, and enjoyed a few minutes of free choice. Remember, if you complete your work in the morning, you’ll have more free time at the end of the day. Make good choices from the start!

Picture of the Day:
Here’s our first attempt using the new lap desks in the classroom!

Posted: February 4, 2025

Tuesday February 4, 2025

Daily Update:
It was our first sunny morning in a little while—the bright sun made a huge difference, warming up the playground. Our spelling word was “watermelon.” Today's Show, Not Tell prompt was “He was strong.” We completed our Heggarty Listening games and worked through a reading maze. Then, we tackled our UFLI lesson and writing activity on the prompt “Have you ever played in the snow?” We also spent extra time refining the introduction and conclusion for procedural writing before heading downstairs for guidance with Mrs. Robichaud, where we discussed friendship and the importance of being kind even when things don’t go our way.

After Recess:
The Grade 1s and 2s practiced representing numbers on a hundreds chart and compared values using greater than and less than signs. They completed a quick vocabulary quiz and did some single-digit addition practice. Meanwhile, the Grade 3s worked on estimating the solution for a story problem involving the difference between two 2-digit numbers.

After Lunch:
We had a guest—Mrs. Hill! We revisited our responsible choices and got some bonus time to finish our morning work, writing, and the maze. Just as we wrapped up, Allison from Roots of Empathy arrived. Today, we also discussed baby Kade's new teeth, and Allison read “Sasha and the Wiggly Tooth.”

PE:
Afterwards, we returned from Roots of Empathy and Mr. Ross led us in a game of floor hockey, even playing goalie himself. I’m told he’s the greatest goalie of all time—and judging by the effort the students put in trying to score, it certainly seemed that way!

End of Day:
Back in the classroom, we worked on our Book of Gratitude with the prompt “A problem I solved today was…” We checked our morning work, signed our Home to School books, and updated them with the new February calendar (a copy is attached to this post).

Picture of the Day:
Our first attempt at an online math vocabulary quiz!

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Posted: February 3, 2025

Monday February 3, 2025

Daily Update:
Although it was a cold morning, compared to last week today felt a bit warmer, so we started the day outdoors to enjoy the fresh air. Our spelling word was “cantaloupe.” Today's Show, Not Tell was “his room was messy.” We completed our Heggerty Listening games, tackled a reading maze, and then did our UFLI lesson and writing activity on “how to paint.” We also spent extra time refining our introduction and conclusion for procedural writing before snack.

After Recess:
The Grade 1 & 2 students reviewed representing numbers and practiced sampling and estimating (they’re getting really good at estimating bananas!). The Grade 3s worked on estimating solutions for a story problem involving the sum of two 2-digit numbers, and they enjoyed 15 minutes of DreamBox practice.

After Lunch:
We spent some time classifying animals—basically, we sorted them into groups.

PE:
In PE, we used gator skin balls, which are soft and perfect for throwing and catching since they don’t sting or hurt. The class played a game of tornado, followed by tag using these balls. They came back sweaty, which is always a great sign!

End of Day:
After gym, we returned to work on our Book of Gratitude with the prompt, “A surprise that made me happy today was…” We reviewed our morning work, updated our Home to School books, and some students enjoyed free choice time while others finished any remaining tasks. We also discussed how to respectfully take pictures and videos on our iPads—a tricky etiquette that we’ll revisit soon.

Picture of the Day:
Last week we finished our Hot Air Balloons, and I finally posted the final product!

2025 Napan 2-3 February

Posted: February 3, 2025

Posted: January 30, 2025

Thursday January 30, 2025

Daily Update:
Another freezing start to the day meant we stayed inside for the morning. When will the warmer weather return? Our spelling word was “development.”
Today's Show, Not Tell was “He was bored.” Hopefully, that wasn’t the case for our school day!
We completed our Heggarty Listening games and then got ready to head to the LBA for skating. A huge thank you to all the adult volunteers who helped with tying skates—this wouldn't be possible without you!

After Recess:
Since skating took up part of our morning, we had a shorter math class today. The Grade 1s and 2s played a “What’s My Number?” scavenger hunt with hidden math cards around the classroom. I thought I made it tricky, but the girls said it was too easy—so tonight, I’ll be staying late to find even harder hiding spots for tomorrow! The Grade 3s worked on estimating solutions for story problems involving the sum of two 2-digit numbers.

After Lunch:
We had an important discussion about free choice time during recess and lunch. What does it mean to make poor choices? Typically, it means doing things that are not safe or kind. We talked about our tablet use and brainstormed rules to ensure we are responsible and safe when using them. We also introduced refocus forms—when we make mistakes, taking responsibility helps us learn and grow so we don’t repeat them.

PE:
We started with some basketball drills as a warm-up, inspired by last night’s basketball jamboree, and wrapped up the class with a fun game of soccer baseball.

End of Day:
Back in the classroom, we got right to work on our Book of Gratitude with the prompt: “My favorite memory from today…” We checked over our morning work, signed our Home to School books, and explored a drawing app called Freeform on the iPads. Learning responsible tablet use is an ongoing process, and today was a great step forward!

Picture of the Day:
Math “What’s My Number?” scavenger hunt with base ten blocks (There's an easy one to find in the upper left of the picture)!