October 8, 2026

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.

LIBRARY:   Second graders will have library next Tuesday, October 13 since we will be on our field trip during our regularly scheduled library time on the 15th.  Please have your child return his/her library book to school next Tuesday, October 13 so he/she can check out a new library book on that day.

ROSARY:  October is the month of the Rosary.  The Rosary is a summary of Christian faith in language and prayers inspired by the Bible.  The Rosary calls to mind the most important events in the lives of Jesus and Mary.  These events are called mysteries and are divided into four groups:  The Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, the Glorious Mysteries, and the Luminous Mysteries.  St. Malachy students are praying the Rosary during the month of October in religion class.  Second graders pray one decade of the Rosary each day.  If your child has a Rosary from home that he/she would like to bring to school for this, he/she may do so.

FIRE SAFETY:  October 4-10 is Fire Prevention Week.  Students have been learning about fire safety in social studies and have been creating a fire safety pamphlet with many tips on how to stay safe in the event of a fire.  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.

GREEN VALLEY FIELD TRIP:  The postponed K-4 field trip to Green Valley State Park has been rescheduled for  Monday, October 12! We will leave the school at 9:45 and will return around 2:00.  Please have your child bring a sack lunch and a drink.  Let's hope for great weather!

PUMPKIN PATCH FIELD TRIP:  Students in grades PK-2 will be taking a field trip to Thompson's Fall Festival on Thursday, October 15.  We will leave school at 11:00 and will return by 2:45.  Please have your child bring a sack lunch and a drink.  This is also a great day to have your child wear his/her class t-shirt! 

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:  

Friday, October 16:  Spirit Day

Wednesday, October 21:  Second Grade Mass

Monday, October 26-Thursday, October 29:  Parent/teacher conferences

Thursday, October 29:  No school

Friday, October 30:  No school

October 1, 2026

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 broke apart numbers into tens and ones to find their sum, combined addends in different ways to make numbers that were easy to add mentally, and used drawing and equations to solve one and two-step problems.

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 took the unit test over the engineering design process and 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.

HOMECOMING: Tomorrow, October 2 is Creston's homecoming.  It is also a Spirit Day.  Students can pay $1.00 to wear sweatpants or a hat to school if they wish.  They can also show their support for the Creston Panthers by wearing red and/or black.  School will dismiss at 12:10.  Lunch will be provided.  The homecoming parade will begin at 1:30.

FIELD TRIP:  Students in grades PK-2 will be taking a field trip to Thompson's Fall Festival on Thursday, October 15.  Your child will need to bring a sack lunch and a drink.  We will leave school at 11:00 and will return by 2:45.  Please return the green permission slip along with $15.00 so your child may attend if you have not already done so.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  School will not be in session on Monday, October 5 due to teacher professional development.

September 24, 2026

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed What's the Matter and Many Kinds of Matter.  Both are informational texts.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with long o, u, and e, using story vocabulary in context, identifying nouns, decoding words with the suffixes -er and -est, identifying synonyms (words that mean about the same, such as "big" and "large,") and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  We took the chapter test over working with equal groups and started a new chapter over adding within 100 using strategies.  So far students have added within 100 using a hundred chart and an open number line.

RELIGION:  This week we focused on ways we can praise and thanks to God.  We explored celebrations in which we give thanks and recognized prayers of praise and thanks.  At Mass we praise God with words and songs, with gestures and movements.  We lift our hearts and minds to God in a hymn of communion.  We give thanks for the gift of Christ and for the blessings in our lives.  We worship God together as a community of believers.

SOCIAL STUDIES:  We talked about our state and our country this week.  We identified our state bird, flag, flower, rock, and capital.  We discussed how a state is different from a country.  Next week students will be making a poster about the great state of Iowa! 

FIELD TRIP:  Students in grades PK-2 will be taking a field trip to Thompson's Fall Festival on Thursday, October 15.  Please look for a note in today's take home folder for more information.

SPIRIT DAY:  Tomorrow, September 25 is a Spirit Day.  Students can pay $1.00 to wear a hat or  sweatpants to school if they wish.  The money raised helps those in need in our local community.  

September 17, 2026

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed a realistic fiction selection called Picture Day Perfection.  We worked on skills such as identifying words with long vowels "a" and "i," using story vocabulary in context, identifying statements, questions, commands, and exclamations, identifying sounds for /c/  and /g/ as in "cent,"  "car," "goat," and "giant," decoding word with "ed" and "ing" endings, and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  Students decided if a group of objects was even or odd, used different ways to tell if a group of objects showed an even or odd number, and found the total number of objects in  a set of rows and columns.

RELIGION:  This week our focus is on how God calls us to be holy.  We grow in holiness by loving God and loving others.  We also recognized that saints help us to follow Jesus.  The saints are heroes of the Church who teach us how to live as Jesus lived.

SOCIAL STUDIES:  We compared rural, urban, and suburban communities this week.  We described what living in each area is like.

BOOK ORDERS:  Book orders are due tomorrow, September 18 if you are interested in ordering.  To order online,  our class code is LJWD4.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:  

• Thursday, September 24:  School picture day

• Friday, September 25:  Spirit Day

• Friday, October 2:  Spirit Day and three hour early dismissal for homecoming 

• Monday, October 5:  No school due to teacher professional development

September 10, 2026

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed Being a Good Citizen and The Great Puppy Invasion.  Being a Good Citizen is an informational text while The Great Puppy Invasion is a fantasy.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with short "o," "u," and "e," identifying adjectives in sentences, using story vocabulary in context, identifying complete sentences, putting words in sentences in the correct order (subject first--predicate last), identifying the consonant-vowel-consonant pattern in words, identifying run-on sentences, and learning ten new high-frequency words. 

MATH:  Students have been using addition and subtraction to solve word problems, and adding and subtracting using mental math strategies.  We took the chapter 1 test today and will begin chapter 2 over working with equal groups tomorrow.

RELIGION:  We have been discussing the sacrament of Baptism and the signs used in Baptism (holy water, holy oil, Baptismal candle, and white clothing). 

BOOK ORDERS:  I am enclosing book orders in today's take home folder.  Book orders are due next Friday, September 18 if you are interested in ordering.  If you don't see a book you're looking for in the flyer, there are many books for students at all reading levels online at clubs.scholastic.com.   You are not limited to ordering only the books in the flyer being sent home.  To order online, our class code is LJWD4.  

CHROMEBOOKS:  The second graders will be using their Chromebooks with various math programs such as "Xtra Math," "Teachley Math," and "Envision Math."  These programs will be used to help increase overall understanding of grade level math concepts and cover essential concepts including number sense, operations, place value, and problem solving. Students will also be using their Chromebooks with Code.  Code is a program that provides opportunities for students to learn computer science.  The lessons are geared toward developing coding skills alongside problem solving and critical thinking skills.  Students will also have the opportunity to practice keyboarding skills with a program we are using called "Typetastic."  We will practice various language arts, science, and social studies skills with "Seesaw."  Throughout the school year students will be using their Chromebooks for many other different learning opportunities as well.

FIELD TRIP:  The K-4 field trip to Green Valley State Park on Monday, September 14 is quickly approaching.  Just a reminder to have your child bring a sack lunch and a drink that day.  Let's hope for great weather!

PTO MEETNG:  There will be a PTO meeting next Wednesday, September 16 at 6:00 P.M. 

SPIRIT DAY:  Tomorrow, September 11 is a Spirit Day.  Students can pay $1.00 to wear a hat or  sweatpants to school if they wish.  The money raised helps those in  need in our local community.  Students can also wear their Cyclone or Hawkeye shirt to support their favorite Iowa team for the upcoming Cy-Hawk game!!

Super Second Graders

 

September 3, 2026

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed We Are Super Citizens and Clark the Shark.  We Are Super Citizens is a personal narrative while Clark the Shark is a fantasy.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with short "a" and "i," using story vocabulary in context, identifying the subject and predicate in a sentence, blending and decoding words with a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern, identifying action verbs in a sentence, identifying the setting of a story, recognizing antonyms (words that have opposite meanings,) and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:   Our first chapter is over fluently adding and subtracting within 20.  This week students used number patterns on an addition table to complete addition equations, counted on and back on a number line to subtract, and used addition to help with subtraction facts.

SPELLING:  Your child brought home a list of words for week 1 on Monday.  We have been working on our spelling words at school, but any help from home with studying the words would be greatly appreciated! We will take the spelling post test over our week 1 words tomorrow, September 4.  The post test will be sent home each Friday so you can see how your child scored.

SCIENCE:  Our first unit is called "engineering design process."  So far students discussed how things we use and see in our everyday lives, such as ramps, phones, and even a stapler can be used to solve a problem.  They explored how an engineer defines a problem and solves it by using steps in a design process.  The steps are:  Define a problem, plan and build, test and improve, redesign, and communicate.

SOCIAL CONTRACT:   In last week's newsletter I mentioned that the second grade would be creating a social contract, an agreement of behavior for the class to follow.  Below is the social contract the second graders created:

• help others
• be respectful/polite
• include others
• be kind
• share/take turns
• listen to others
• be responsible
• follow the Golden Rule (treat others the way you want to be treated)

The second graders signed the above social contract to state that they would honor it.  They understand that there are consequences for not following the social contract they helped to create.