April 25, 2024

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed a folktale called Abuelo and the Three Bears and discussed a video called Ducklings Jump from Nest.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with consonant + /le/ as in "apple," identifying how to form possessives with nouns that name one or more than one, decoding words with the prefix "pre," using story vocabulary in context, and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  We took the chapter 12 test and started chapter 13 over shapes and their attributes.  So far students have described plane shapes by how they look and drew polygon shapes and cubes.

SCIENCE:  We are wrapping up our unit over changes to Earth's surface and will soon begin a new unit over how people grow and change.

SPRING CLEANING DAY:  Due to the weather forecast for tomorrow, "Spring Cleaning Day" will now take place on Tuesday, April 30 at St. Malachy School.  Second graders will be picking up trash and sticks around the school and playground area.  Your child may bring a pair of work gloves if he/she wishes.  Students can wear sweatpants that day if they wish.  Also, as part of spring cleaning day, students are encouraged to donate $1.00 to the cleaning day.  These funds will be used to purchase soil and flowers for the entrances of the school.

HANDWRITING:  This week students practiced writing the uppercase cursive Z, V, W, and X.

FIRST EUCHARIST:  First Eucharist will take place on Saturday, May 4 at 5:00 P.M.  Students need to arrive by 4:00 for the group picture and practice.  There will be a reception following Mass in the church basement.

FIELD TRIP:  Second and third graders will be taking a field trip on Tuesday, May 14.  Please look for a note in the take home folder for more information along with a permission slip to sign/return to school for this trip.

April 18, 2024

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed an informational text called Sea Otter Pups and a collection of poems entitled At Home in the Wild.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with three letter consonant blends as in "splash" and "throw," identifying adverbs that tell when, where, and how, identifying contractions, decoding words with the prefix "mis," using story vocabulary in context, and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  We estimated and measured length and height of objects to the nearest centimeter and meter, and told how much longer one object is than another.

SCIENCE:  We discussed changes caused by wind and water, such as erosion.  We looked at windbreaks, using sandbags, and building a dike as ways to prevent wind and water erosion.

RELIGION:  We described examples of the love shown by Jesus.  Everything Jesus did expressed God's love.  We also read about Father Damien.  He is an example of loving service.  Long ago he helped people with leprosy.  He gave up his life to help others.

HANDWRITING:  This week students learned to write the uppercase cursive U and Y.  We also reviewed the uppercase cursive N, M, H and K.

SPRING CLEANING DAY:  Next Friday, April 26 is "Spring Cleaning Day" at St. Malachy School.  Second graders will be picking up trash and sticks around the school and playground area.  Your child may bring a pair of work gloves if he/she wishes.  It is also a "Spirit Day."  Students can pay $1.00 to wear a hat or sweatpants that day if they wish.  Also, as part of spring cleaning day, students are encouraged to donate $1.00 to the cleaning day.  These funds will be used to purchase soil and flowers for the entrances of the school.

April 11, 2024

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed The Best Habitat for Me and The Long, Long Journey.  The Best Habitat for Me is an opinion essay while The Long, Long Journey is an informational text.  We worked on skills such as decoding compound words, using apostrophes to form contractions, decoding multisyllabic words with the prefixes "pre," "dis," "un," and "re," using story vocabulary in context, and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  We took the chapter 11 test over subtracting within 1,000 and started a new chapter over measuring length.  So far students have estimated the length of an object by relating the length of an object to a known measurement, and used a ruler to measure length and height to the nearest inch, foot, and yard.

GUIDANCE:  On April 12 we will discuss our final lesson in the guidance book.  Lesson 10 is called "More Connections."  In this lesson we will identify the different kinds of families we belong to and what we can learn from our families.  We will also explain what having a friend means and the importance of friendship. 

SCIENCE:  We described what happens during an earthquake, volcano, landslide, hurricane, and flood.  They all bring about quick changes to Earth's surface.  We also learned about Dr. Rosaly M.C. Lopes.  She is a volcanologist.  A volcanologist is a scientist who studies volcanoes.  She studies the history of volcanoes, measures any seismic activity, and collects date which can help to predict future eruptions.

FIRST EUCHARIST:  There will be a parent/student session on Sunday, April 13 at 1:00 P.M. in the basement of Holy Spirit Catholic Church for those who will be making their First Eucharist in May.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  School will not be in session next Friday, April 19 due to teacher professional development.  We will take the spelling post test on Thursday, April 18.

April 4, 2024

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed Don't Touch Me.  This informational text is about how plants have many ways of defending themselves from hungry animals.  Some of their defenses can hurt you, sting you, or make you itch if you get too close, so we must be careful about touching plants we don't recognize.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with /au,/ /aw,/ /o,/ and /al,/ that all make the same sound as short "o" as in sauce, jaw, olive, and talk, identifying and forming irregular action verbs such as say/said, eat/ate, run/ran, hide/hid, sit/sat, tell/told, give/gave, take/took, see/saw, and go/went, decoding words with the prefix "dis," using story vocabulary in context, and learning ten new high-frequency words.

FIRST EUCHARIST:  There will be a parent/student session on Sunday, April 14 at 1:00 P.M. in the basement of Holy Spirit Catholic Church for those who will be making their First Eucharist in May.

RELIGION:  We have been discussing Easter and the resurrection of Jesus.

GUIDANCE:  On April 5 we will discuss lesson 9 called "Family Connections."  In this lesson students will identify seasons and times when families celebrate together and explore how families celebrate and help each other. 

SCIENCE:  Students described what happens during erosion by water and ice.  We also discussed how farmers try to prevent or reduce the effects of erosion. 

HANDWRITING:  This week students learned the uppercase cursive A, O, D, and C.

SPIRIT DAY:  Tomorrow, April 5 is a Spirit Day at St. Malachy.  Students can pay $1.00 to wear sweatpants or a hat to school.  All money raised will go to help those in need in our local community.