November 13, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed Recipe for a Fairy Tale and How to Read a Story.  Both are procedural texts.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with consonants /k/ and /ck,/ adding -s  and -es to present-tense verbs, decoding words with silent letters /kn,/ /mb,/ /gn,/ and /wr,/ as in knot, comb, gnat, and write, decoding words with suffixes "ful" and "less" as in colorful and hopeless, decoding homographs (words with multiple meanings,) discussing chronological order to put steps in the correct order, using story vocabulary in context, and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  We took the chapter 4 test over fluently adding within 100 and started a new chapter over subtracting within 100 using strategies.  So far students have used a hundred chart and an open number line to subtract tens and ones.

RELIGION:  We discussed how the Holy Spirit helps us to do better and recognized that God loves us and rejoices when we are truly sorry for our sins.

SCIENCE:  We discussed how matter can change.  Some of those changes are reversible, such as freezing and melting, while others are irreversible, such as cooking or burning.

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER:  Please note the following:

• Friday, November 14:  End of the first trimester of school 
• Friday, November 21:  Spirit Day
• Wednesday, November 26-Friday, November 28:  Thanksgiving vacation
• Wednesday, December 3:  St. Malachy Christmas Concert, 6:00 P.M. at Creston High School
• Friday, December 5:  Spirit Day

November 6, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed Be a Hero! Work it Out! and Pepita and the Bully.  Be a Hero! Work it Out! is an infographic.  Infographics give information quickly and in a visual way using pictures, symbols, and words or phrases that stand out.  Pepita and the Bully is a realistic fiction selection.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with consonant digraphs /ph,/ /ch,/ /tch,/ /th,/ /sh,/ and /wh,/ identifying compound subjects and predicates in sentences, identifying coordinating conjunctions (words such as "and" & "or") to form compound subjects, decoding words with the prefixes "re" and "un" as in reread and unfold, and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  This week students added using place-value strategies and mental math, added three and four two-digit numbers, and used drawings, equations, and models to solve one and two-step problems.

RELIGION:  Since November 1 was All Saints Day, we have been learning about the lives of various saints.  We discussed how saints showed their love for God and others.  They are an example of Christian service, which God calls all people to do.

BOOK FAIR:  A big THANK YOU to all who donated books to our second grade classroom from the book fair.  We will enjoy having these books in our classroom library! Your generosity is very much appreciated!

DRESS CODE:  The dress code states that beginning November 1, shorts should not be worn to school.

SPIRIT DAY:  Tomorrow, November 7 is a Spirit Day at St. Malachy.  Students can pay $1.00 to wear sweat pants or a hat to school.  The money raised will help those in need in our local community.

October 23, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed Working With Others and Gingerbread for Liberty.  Working With Others is an informational text while Gingerbread for Liberty is a biography about a baker who lived during the Revolutionary War.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with double final consonants, identifying action verbs in the present and past tense, decoding words with inflected endings "ed" and "ing," and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  This week students added using place value and partial sums.  They also recorded two-digit addition using the standard algorithm.

DRESS CODE:  The dress code states that beginning November 1, shorts should not be worn to school.

HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES:  Next Wednesday, October 29, the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders will be providing Halloween activities for students in the afternoon.  Students may bring a Halloween costume to change into before the Halloween parade.  The Halloween parade will take place in the school gym at 2:15.  We hope to see you there if you are able to come!

NO SCHOOL:  School will not be in session next Thursday, October 30 (parent/teacher conferences) and Friday, October 31.

SPELLING:  We will not be taking a spelling pre/post test next week due to the short school week.

TAKE HOME FOLDERS/BLOG:  I will not be sending take home folders home next week due to the short school week.  I will also not be posting a blog next Thursday, October 30 since I will be visiting with you at conferences.

CONFERENCES:  Parent/teacher conferences will take place on Monday, October 27, Tuesday, October 28, Wednesday, October 29, and Thursday, October 30.

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

 

October 16, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed Meet Me Halfway and Big Red Lollipop.  Meet Me Halfway is an informational text while Big Red Lollipop is a realistic fiction selection.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with final consonant blends, decoding words with the prefixes "un" and "re" as in unable and rewrite, using context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar words, capitalizing names for special people, animals, places, and things, and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  We took the chapter test over adding within 100 using strategies and started a new chapter over fluently adding within 100.  So far students have used models to add two-digit numbers.

SCIENCE:  We started a new unit over matter.  We discussed properties of matter such as color, shape, hardness, texture, and flexibility.  We also explored the three states of matter--solids, liquids, and gases.

SECOND GRADE MASS:  The second grade class is in charge of the school Mass next Wednesday, October 22.  Please look for a note in today's take home folder to see what special part your child will have in our Mass.  Mass begins at 9:15 in the school gym.  We hope to see you there if you are able to come!

SPIRIT DAY:  Tomorrow, October 17 will be a Spirit Day at St. Malachy.  Students can pay $1.00 to wear sweatpants or a hat to school if they wish.  The money raised helps those in need in our local community.

PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES:   Parent/teacher conferences are quickly approaching.  Conferences will take place on Monday, October 27, Tuesday, October 28, Wednesday, October 29, and Thursday, October 30.  An email was sent out from the school to schedule a conference time.  If you did not receive the email or have questions about signing up, please contact the school office.  I look forward to visiting with you about your child's progress! 

October 9, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed a drama called The Puddle Puzzle.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with l, r, and s consonant blends as in play, drum, and swim, using story vocabulary in context, forming and using plural nouns with "es" as in "glasses," identifying and writing irregular plural nouns (as in "child" to "children,") identifying and using collective nouns (as in herd, flock, or team,) and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  Students wrapped up chapter three by choosing various strategies to add two-digit numbers, and by using drawings and equations to solve one and two-step problems.  We will take the chapter test next week.

CLASS T-SHIRT ORDER:  It's still not too late to order a class t-shirt! If you are interested in ordering, please return the order form to school tomorrow, October 10.

NOISY CHANGE COLLECTION:  There will be a noisy change collection at Mass on Wednesday, October 15 for some our faculty and staff that are experiencing health challenges either personally or within their immediate family.  The money collected will help with travel, food, and medical expenses.  

FIRE SAFETY:  Students have been learning about fire safety in social studies.  We would like to thank the Creston firefighters for coming to St. Malachy School on Tuesday to visit with the students about the importance of fire safety.

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:  

Friday, October 17:  Spirit Day

Wednesday, October 22:  Second Grade Mass

Monday, October 27-Thursday, October 30:  Parent/teacher conferences

Wednesday, October 29:  Picture retake day

Thursday, October 30:  No school

Friday, October 31:  No school

October 2, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed The Great Fuzz Frenzy and Water Rolls, Water Rises.  The Great Fuzz Frenzy is a fantasy, while Water Rolls, Water Rises is a poem.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with "e" at the end making the vowel long as in "pine," making singular nouns plural by adding "s" or "es" as in cat/cats or bench/benches, decoding words with the suffixes "er" and "est" as in "stronger" and "strongest," using story vocabulary in context, and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  We took the chapter 2 test and started a new chapter over adding within 100 using strategies.  So far students added within 100 using place value strategies and a hundred chart, used an open number line to add tens and ones within 100, and broke apart numbers into tens and ones to find their sum.

RELIGION:  Students explored the ability to make choices.  We discussed that God lets us choose what to do (free will) and that our conscience helps us decide right from wrong.  Students learned that God always forgives us when we are sorry for our sins and want to be forgiven.

 SCIENCE:  We are wrapping up our unit over the engineering design process and will soon begin a new unit over matter.

FIELD TRIP:  Students in grades PK-2 will be taking a field trip to Thompson's Fall Festival next Thursday, October 9.  Your child will need to bring a sack lunch and a drink.  We will leave school at 11:15 and will return around 2:45.  Please return the green permission slip along with $15.00 so your child may attend if you have not already done so.

CLASS T-SHIRT ORDER:  It's still not too late to order a class t-shirt! If you are interested in ordering, please return the order form to school on or before Friday, October 10.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  School will not be in session on Monday, October 6 due to teacher professional development.