Mr. McCallum

2025 Grade 2 & Grade 3

Posted: December 17, 2024

Tuesday December 17, 2024

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!

Posted: December 16, 2024

Monday December 16, 2024

Daily Update:
We began the day with our usual routine. Our spelling word was “Christmas,” and our Show Not Tell prompt was “It was our Christmas dinner.” After completing our Heggerty listening games and working through our reading maze, we jumped into literacy rotations. Our writing prompt today was “Over the weekend I…” After sharing our writing, we enjoyed a quick snack and then headed outside for recess.

After Recess:
The entire school headed to the gym for yet another Christmas concert rehearsal. With one more short practice tomorrow, we should be all set for Wednesday’s performance!

Lunch:
When we arrived at the gym for lunch, each seat had a wrapped gift with a student’s name on it. Miss Brown told us that while we were practicing, a box appeared at the door. We unwrapped the packages to discover brand-new Napan Cubs T-shirts for everyone! After the excitement, we sat down to a delicious Home & School Christmas meal featuring ham, turkey, potatoes, carrots, peas, dressing, cranberry sauce, and gravy—and even a little dessert! We managed to squeeze in some outdoor play afterward as well.

PE:
Because lunch and outdoor time ran slightly longer, we combined classes with K-1 for PE. We used half the gym to play a few games like Bulldozers and Builders, and a version of Four Corners (though they found a way to make it Five Corners!). Lots of running, red faces, and sweat—exactly what makes a great PE session!

End of Day:
After gym, instead of our Book of Gratitude, we tackled some Christmas fun packets. This class loves a good word search! We packed our new shirts and our Home to School books into our bags, and even enjoyed a bit of free choice time. Don’t forget: tomorrow is “Wear your favorite holiday sweater or holiday colors” day. See you in the morning!

Picture of the Day:
Christmas came early with a brand-new Napan Cubs T-shirt for every student!

Posted: December 13, 2024

Friday December 13, 2024

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!

Posted: December 12, 2024

Thursday December 12, 2024

Daily Update:
What unusual December weather! Yesterday we started by rolling giant snowballs, and today they’ve all melted away thanks to the wind and rain. We stayed indoors at the start and got straight to work once the bell rang. Our spelling word was “enchanted,” and our Show Not Tell prompt was “The neighborhood was ready for Christmas.” After completing our Heggerty exercises, a reading maze, and some warm-up drills, we tackled our literacy rotations. Our writing prompt was “If I could live at the North Pole for one day, I would…” We shared our writing before heading out for recess.

After Recess:
We teamed up with the K-1 class to practice our concert songs. Then, we headed down to the gym to rehearse our ukulele performance. We’re feeling more confident every day! Returning upstairs with about 15 minutes left, we revisited our snowflake-making lesson to create a few more. The classroom will look festive next week!

After Lunch:
The weather cleared up, letting us enjoy a sunny (yet damp) playground. Back inside, we shifted to science. We imagined ourselves stranded on a desert island with some eggs and a hot pan. Which materials would work best as makeshift mitts to pick up the pan without burning ourselves? We’ll test our hypotheses next time!

PE:
We played tail snatch, basketball, and had a race in the gym. Rilynn took the title of fastest today—lucky for her I didn’t join the race (and lucky for me, too!).

End of Day:
After gym, we worked on our Book of Gratitude, prompted by “Something that made me laugh today was…” We reviewed our morning work, completed our Home to School books, and some students enjoyed free choice time. Remember, wise time management pays off!

Picture of the Day:
Making snowflakes is serious business—just look at that concentration!

Posted: December 11, 2024

Wednesday December 11, 2024

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!

Posted: December 10, 2024

Tuesday December 10, 2024

Daily Update:
After watching the video morning announcements, we headed straight to the library to practice our ukulele songs. Only 8 days until our big performance! Back in the classroom, we revisited our irregular spelling word, “Christmas,” and this time most of us nailed it. Our Show Not Tell prompt was “It was hot chocolate,” and we completed our Heggerty listening activities and reading maze. We also rehearsed some of our concert songs before diving into literacy rotations. In our teacher conference station, we focused on consonant digraphs, and our writing prompt was “My favorite holiday tradition is…” We shared our writing pieces, grabbed a quick snack, and went outside for recess.

After Recess:
The Grade 1s and 2s reviewed representing numbers and worked on a color-by-sum activity. Remember, sum relates to addition—so what’s difference about, again? The Grade 3s practiced skip counting and spent time on DreamBox. They also worked on reading numbers without saying “and.” Why do you think we avoid “and” in number names?

After Lunch:
We visited Mrs. Robichaud in the library, where we learned more about ways to stay calm. We colored a sheet with different hues based on our personal preferences—like loud music or quiet time. Some students find just the act of coloring relaxing!

PE:
It was Day 2 of Newcomb ball in the gym with Mr. Ross. After the games, we discussed good sportsmanship—being gracious winners and losers. I’ve had plenty of practice getting better at this myself, so we’ll keep working at it together!

End of Day:
We wrapped up the day with our Book of Gratitude, using the prompt, “The best part of my day was when…” Everyone managed their time well and earned some free choice time at the end of the day. Great job, Cubs!

Picture of the Day:
I tried to snap a secret photo from the window, but I was still spotted right away!

Posted: December 9, 2024

Monday December 9, 2024

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!

Posted: December 4, 2024

Wednesday December 4, 2024

Daily Update:
Our spelling word today was “respectful,” and our Show Not Tell prompt was “They had up Christmas decorations.” We completed our Heggerty listening games and a reading maze, followed by some quick exercises to get moving. Then, we practiced our Christmas songs to get ready for the big concert. During Literacy rotations, our Work on Writing prompt was “If school is cancelled I…” We also reviewed consonant digraphs and practiced word chains during our teacher-led conferences.

After Recess:
The Grade 1 and 2 students reviewed representing numbers, incorporating nickels and dimes to practice counting by 5s and 10s. Do you ever try counting nickels and dimes at home? We also solved some word problems using the terms “sum” and “difference.” The Grade 3 students revisited skip counting both forwards and backwards and got some time on DreamBox to reinforce their learning.

After Lunch:
We read more from The One and Only Ivan. Protestors have arrived, bringing with them a few enormous boxes. Mack doesn’t seem thrilled, but it looks like Ivan’s plan is starting to take effect! Why, then, does everyone feel so sad? We later went down to the library to practice our ukulele performance for the Christmas concert. Only two weeks until the big day—we’re so excited!

PE:
After warming up, we played a game of indoor baseball and then tried an obstacle course involving hula hoops. It felt a bit like an “American Ninja Warrior” challenge—too tough for me, but the students had a blast!

End of Day:
After gym, we wrapped up the day with our Book of Gratitude. Today’s writing prompt was, “A problem I solved for myself today was…” Everyone completed their work and reflected on the day before heading home.

Picture of the Day:
Mrs. Brown taking creative input from students during drawing club. What a collaborative effort!

Posted: December 2, 2024

Monday December 2, 2024

Daily Update:
We arrived at school to snow on the ground for the first time this season! It’s a great reminder to dress warmly for the mornings, as it’s often the coldest part of the day while we’re outside. We kicked off the day with an irregular spelling word—“Christmas.” Irregular means the letters don’t always make their usual sounds. For our Show Not Tell activity, we used “It was about to storm.” We completed our Heggerty listening drills, a reading maze, and some exercises before jumping into our Literacy rotations. Miss Brown was a guest in the classroom today, stepping in while I worked on finishing the November Recap video.

After Recess:
It was so beautiful and bright outside, making it hard to come back in! Once inside, we headed to the gym for our monthly assembly. Awards were given for attendance, and the Cub of the Month was announced. Everyone enjoyed the November Recap video and participated in a fun, school-wide game. With a few minutes to spare before lunch, we played a listening game with Jenga blocks in the classroom.

After Lunch:
We had a quick rehearsal of “Marshmallow Winter” with Mrs. Comeau and the Grade 4/5 class. Back in the classroom, we read from The One and Only Ivan. Ivan is frustrated that his plan hasn’t worked yet, even though Mack is happy about the free publicity from the billboard and increased crowds. Ruby is still at the mall, and Ivan feels his mission isn’t complete.

PE:
We had a guest today, Miss Hare! She joined us for a fun game of floor hockey using a gator skin ball. It was great having her, and we hope she visits again soon!

End of Day:
We finished the day by practicing our concert songs with the K-1 class. Everyone is working hard, and I know we’re going to deliver an amazing performance! Back in the classroom, we packed up our Home to School books, which now include a new December Calendar. A reminder: there will be no school this Friday for students, as parent-teacher interviews will be taking place.

Picture of the Day:
Everyone is ready and excited for the November Assembly!