Week of December 3rd to 6th, 2024

Sunday, December 1st marks the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is the season of waiting and preparing for the birth of Jesus Christ. Throughout Advent, we will participate in weekly Advent liturgies and enjoy special activities that highlight the special meaning to this season. This week, we fill our hearts with hope as we prepare for Jesus' birth.

St. Gabriel Christmas Book Market

Do you have gently used or new books that you are not using or looking to re-gift? We are seeking book donations of all kinds, from children's stories to novels, cookbooks, crafting guides, and more ... as one of our school Christmas fundraiser initiatives. All donations will help support a great cause: providing gifts to the less fortunate and support the community of St. John the Apostle School. Please bring your gently used books to the school office by Monday, December 16th. Stay tuned for the official date of the book market, where books will be available for sale for just $2. Students can purchase these books for their families as unique and affordable Christmas gifts.

More information regarding our Advent/Christmas school initiatives coming soon. Please check your emails from the school (School Messenger) regularly for details.

Our Learning

Math:

We are beginning our unit about addition and subtraction. In Grade 2, we will begin by ensuring the students understand the meanings of addition and subtraction. Addition is the process of putting numbers together to find a sum. Subtraction is the process of finding how much is left or how much more is needed. We will then work on recalling and demonstrating our understanding of addition facts for numbers up to 20, and their related subtractions facts. We will practise using a variety of strategies such as using doubles, doubles plus one, doubles minus one, making ten, counting, etc. Here are some ways to show our strategies for adding smaller numbers:

Link to Grade 2 Parent Summary Letter about The Meanings of Addition and Subtraction here 

Link to Grade 2 Parent Summary Letter about Using Doubles to Add  here

Link to Grade 2 Parent Summary Letter about Making Ten here

In Grade 3, we will begin by reviewing strategies for adding and subtracting numbers less than 100 (e.g., using a number line, hundred chart, manipulatives such as counters or ten-frames, drawing objects, and using mental strategies). Later on, we will learn how to add and subtract larger numbers. We will also begin to work on solving word problems that involve addition and subtraction. We will focus on how to communicate and show our thinking (How did we determine our answer? What strategy did we use? How can we explain our strategy?). We will also learn the steps to solving a problem, including writing the final answer in a complete sentence when solving a word problem. Please have your child practise adding and subtracting at home, with an important focus on encouraging your child to explain his/her thinking. Many students find this very challenging. 

Link to Grade 3 Parent Summary Letter about Addition and Subtraction Strategies for Numbers Less Than 100 here 

Grade 2 and Grade 3 Math Homework:

By Grade 2, students should be solidifying their memorization of doubles addition facts to the sum of 20 (e.g., 4+4, 5+5, 6+6, 7+7, 8+8, 9+9, 10+10), as well as the related doubles subtraction sentences (e.g., 8-4=4, 10-5=5, 16-8=8, etc.). Please help your child review these skills to ensure they achieve this expectation.

Language:

In Writing in both Grade 2 and 3, we will continue to practise different types of descriptive writing, using adjectives and interesting vocabulary to paint a picture when describing something or someone. In Reading, we will work on visualizing to help us comprehend what we read.

Our next UFLI phonics lesson is about the -nk sound pattern, as in the words sank, thank, drank, bank, think, pink, sink, honk, sunk, junk, plunk, stunk.

New heart words: there, where

Please have your child practise the heart words we have learned so far in class: the, I, a, said, to, do, of, see, he, be, me, from, you, what, have, look, book, are, was, your, want, go, no, so, goes, says, they, their, were, talk, walk, could, should, would, or, for, *there, *where.

Visual Arts:

We will continue our exploration of warm and cool colours and the feelings which can portrayed by the use of certain colours when creating works of art. We will also learn about different types of lines and how they can be used when creating art.

Health:

We will continue our discussions about healthy eating and the students will "create" a balanced meal.

Important Dates:

December 3, 11, and 18: School Advent Liturgies during Morning announcements

Tuesday, Dec. 3rd - Library books due

Wednesday, Dec. 11th @ 1:00 p.m. - School Advent/Christmas Liturgy followed by parent visit to classrooms

December 21th - January 5th - School closed for Christmas holidays