April 24, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed Hello, World! and Where on Earth Is My Bagel? Hello, World! is an informational text while Where on Earth Is My Bagel? is a realistic fiction selection.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with the prefixes "mis," "de," and "re," and the suffixes "less," "ly," and "ful," spelling words with inflected endings "ed" and "ing," identifying possessive pronouns in sentences, decoding words with the suffixes "ion," "tion," and "sion," using story vocabulary in context, and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  Students wrapped up our chapter over measuring length by estimating measures and using a ruler to measure length and height to the nearest centimeter or meter.  They also told how much longer one object was than another.  Tomorrow we will take the test over this chapter.  Next week we will begin a new chapter over shapes and their attributes.

FIRST EUCHARIST:  For those of you who have a child making his/her First Holy Communion in May, there is a family retreat scheduled for Saturday, April 26 from 10:00-12:30.  Please contact the Director of Religious Education, Anna Mealey, if you have any questions about this upcoming event.

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

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:   Tomorrow, April 25 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.   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 flowers for the school steps.

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

April 17, 2025

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:  Students estimated the length of an object by relating the length of an object to a known measurement, estimated measures and used a ruler to measure length and height to the nearest inch, foot, yard, or centimeter.

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 have been discussing Holy Week and the Easter Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday).  We described what makes each day so special and how we can remember Jesus during the Easter Triduum.

SPRING CLEANING DAY:  Next Friday, April 25 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.   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 flowers for the school steps.

BOOK ORDERS:  Book orders are due tomorrow, April 18.  If you are interested in ordering, please order online by going to clubs.scholastic.com.  This is the last time I will be sending book orders this school year.  Our class code to order online is LJWD4.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  School will not be in session on Monday, April 21 due to teacher professional development. 

April 10, 2025

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 are wrapping up our chapter over subtracting within 1,000 and will take the chapter test tomorrow.  Next week we will begin a new chapter over measuring length.  

GUIDANCE:  On April 11 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.

CROSS WALK:   Next Thursday, April 17 St. Malachy students will be participating in a cross walk (weather permitting) to the church.  We will reflect on the Stations of the Cross along the way and at the church.  An all-school picture will be taken of the students this day.  Students are to wear a plain white shirt to school for the picture.

BRING SACK LUNCH TO SCHOOL:  Next Thursday, April 17 students need to bring a sack lunch to school.  We will be eating lunch together as a whole school after the Seder Meal.  Milk will be provided, so students do not need to bring a drink.

BOOK ORDERS:  I am sending book orders in the take home folder today.  If you are interested in ordering, please order online by going to clubs.scholastic.com.  Book orders are due Friday, April 18.  Our class code to order online is LJWD4.

April 3, 2025

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:  Students used an open number line and models to subtract three-digit numbers, and recorded three-digit subtraction using the standard algorithm with the possible regrouping of tens.

FIRST EUCHARIST:  We discussed chapter 6 in the First Eucharist book.  This is the last chapter, so if all work has been completed in the book, it is yours to keep and does not need to be returned to school.

GUIDANCE:  On April 4 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 4 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.