The Ruhnke Review 11/21/2022
651-771-8494 aruhnke@stjeromeschool.org
We are Learning About:
Groves/Phonics: We have begun learning new concepts such as the “Consonant Blend Rule” which is: when 2 or more consonants are next to each other, they say their own sound, but are blended together. An example would be the word flag. the letters f & l each say their own sound, yet they are a blend of the two consonants. We are also learning the “Floss Rule”. This is when an f, or an s, or an l are followed by a short vowel, you then double the letter. An example would be the word cuff. The short vowel letter u is followed by an f, so the f is doubled. Another example would be bless. The short vowel e is followed by an s, so the s is doubled.
Math: We have begun Chapter 5: Measurement & Length. Vocabulary: length, shortest, longest, compare, measure, unit, estimate, ruler, inch & inches, inch ruler. The students will be ordering objects from shortest to longest or longest to shortest using 1st, 2nd, 3rd. They will be using a small paper clip to measure objects or connecting cubes to measure. They will also be using a ruler measuring by the inch or inches. If your child comes home with any of these items to use for their homework, please make sure that it is returned to St. Jerome each day. We will need them to continue our lessons at school. Thank you. PLEASE, work with your child to memorize their addition math facts! When they know all of these, then continue on to help them learn their subtraction math facts! After Thanksgiving, we will begin Chapter 6: Place Value to 100. Vocabulary: tens, ones, ten rod, tens number, two-digit number, hundred chart, count by 2’s, count by 5’s, count by 10’s. Students will be breaking down numbers. for example: the number 32 would be 3 tens and 2 ones, or the number 76 is 7 tens and 6 ones, etc.
Religion: Our November 9th Mass went without a hitch! Every 1st grade student that had a reading part did excellent!! I was so proud of each of these students! Thank you for practicing with your child so they could read it well and they felt comfortable doing so! The 1st graders will have two more masses to help with this school year. I will keep you informed as to when our next two are in plenty of time before so that your children will have time to practice at home. Again, Thank You!! We now have gone back to our Religion book and will finish up Chapter 2: “Heaven is Our Home.” The Lessons we will learn about are: Heaven is God’s Home, Heaven is Our Home, The Sign of the Cross, The Mass is our Foretaste of Heaven. In Chapter 3: “God Watches Over Everything.” The lessons are: Qualities of God, God is the Creator of All Things, God Creates, We Make, Angels & Devils. Then, in Chapter 4: “God’s Special Gifts.” The Lessons are: Our Bodies, Our Souls, Our Path to Heaven, Our Guardian Angels
Humanities: We are learning about: Homer and Greek Mythology, The Olympics, Founding of Rome, Greece Colonized & Democracy Begins, Prophets of God, Israel & Judah Fall, Roman Republic Developed.
Reading/CKLA: We have begun Unit 2: “The Human Body.” Lessons will include: Everybody has a Body, The Body’s Framework, Marvelous Moving Muscles, Chew, Swallow, Squeeze, & Churn, The Body’s Superhighway, Control Center-The Brain. This unit is also where November’s memorization poem comes from!
Star of the Week
for November 14, 2022 is
Sofia L.
for November 28 is
Jenny A.
for December 5 is
Eh Moo S.
A couple of times a month we will have a “Star of the Week” student in our classroom. This entitles the student to be the line-leader, to lead the morning calendar routine, to share/tell all about him/herself by filling in a small poster sheet. This will come home a couple of days, or so, before they are the star. Please have your child fill in the information about themself & color it to make it look nice.
A Time to Say Thank You
This is a great time for me to say, “Thank you” to all you parents that work soooo hard with your children. Without you, your child would not learn very well. They count on you to take the lead. They are watching and listening to what you do and say. Nothing gets by them, so please be a good example and do as Jesus would do. THANK YOU, parents, for all the time and hard work you put in to helping your child succeed. I can tell, and am so proud of all the 1st Graders!!
Dress For the Weather
Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately especially for outside. They need to have the correct outerwear at school. Students go outside for recess every day unless it is raining, below 0 degrees, or the windshield is below 0. So, PLEASE make sure they have on ALL 5—snow boots, snow pants, hat, waterproof mittens/gloves, and a winter coat/jacket. I tell the children that they should be wearing all of this to keep warm; not just when there is snow. Also, PLEASE label or put your name on all clothing, boots, etc.. If your child’s name is not on the item, I don’t know whose it is & neither does your child. I always ask the children first if it is someones. If nobody claims it (and that’s usually the case) & there isn’t a name in/on it, it is then put in the “Lost & Found” area in the hall on a shelf. You also may want to have your child leave a pair of shoes at school so that they will always have them here. Students have to wear shoes in the classroom. They are NOT aloud to wear boots in the classroom as they are wet & dirty & then the carpet gets wet & dirty, etc You are also welcome to have your child leave a pair of boots or snow pants or any other clothing item here at school so that they don’t have to carry them back and forth and potentially forget or loose them. THANK YOU!!
Memory/Sight Words:
Again, this year your child will be working on Memory/Sight words. I will list them here as we do them so that you can work with your child at home, also. We have begun with some review words from last year. We will continue learning more each week. Memory/Sight words are words we find in every sentence we read. Students must know these words to be able to read a sentence. Students should memorize these words, NOT sound them out. Please practice these words every day, both reading them and spelling them.
a, I, to, the, in, it, is, at, as, on, and, you, was, has, do, go, no, me, be, we, see, are, her, his, or, for, said, of, my, by, like, look, any, many, out, our, should, would, could, one, he, she, they, love, new, saw, post, most, how, now, your, what, when, were, will, here, where, there, their, then, come, some, made, make, many, into, more, down, find, than, these, about, two, time, first, just, little, went, want, very, off, who, why, way, our, yes, now, put, name, good, man
Scholastic Book Orders:
Books Make Great Christmas Gifts!!!
I am recommending you have Leveled books A-H at home for your 1st grader to read every day! They usually come in a package deal of about 12 books for $15-$24 dollars. Your child will be reading at these levels beginning this school year, and you will need to have these leveled books for your child. The November book flyers will come home this week. All Orders are due by November 21st, this is early, but I have to order early to make sure we receive the books before Christmas break. Which, if you are looking for Christmas Gifts for your child(ren), Books make Great Gifts!!! If you would like to place an order, the easiest way to do so is online. Use code RGVYW. If you would rather fill in your order using the flyer, please send it back to school in an envelope marked “Scholastic Book Order” with your child’s name on it. Put a check or cash in the envelope for the total $ amount. Thank you!!
Reading Log
The completed November Reading Log is due on December 1st. Your child should be reading simple, Level A, B, C, or D books by now. They have to be reading 20-30 minutes daily! This is a requirement, not a choice! Your child is in 1st grade and they MUST be reading daily!!! The December Reading Log will come home with your child in their Take-Home-Folder the last week in November. PLEASE keep this up-to-date and keep your child reading!! Each day write how many minutes they read, then you/parent (or another adult), should sign (or initial) the sheet. At the end of each month, send the completed sheet back to school with your child. I will then send the following month’s Reading Log home. THANK YOU!
HOMEWORK
In 1st Grade, the students will have homework most nights. This is what to expect:
1. Math. Almost every night your child should have 1-2 math worksheets to do. Please help your child so that they understand what they are doing (if you have trouble with it, look at the sheets we did together in class. This will show you what/how to do the problems on the homework sheets).
2. Daily Reading/Reading Log: Your child should be reading 20-30 minutes every day! As I stated above, fill out the Reading Log every day with how many minutes your child read, then sign it (or initial it), and send it back to school at the end of each month. Sr. Audrey, our Reading/Literacy Specialist will be giving your child a book in a bag every day. Your child should read the book at home, then return it to school the next day, and Sr. Audrey will give your child a new book to read. This reading will count towards minutes read on the “Reading Log” also!!
3. Monthly Memorization. This is usually a poem of some sort. Each month I will send a memorization piece home with your child. Please work on it each day for 10 or so minutes until your child memorizes it. I will listen and assess them at the end of each month. Thank you for helping your child learn these!
4. Prayers. I sent home a small prayer booklet with your child in the Take-Home-Folder. PLEASE don’t throw it away, or lose it! This should be kept in a safe place and you and your family should be saying these payers daily. This way, not only are they learning the prayers, but they will also be praying to God and with the entire family!! What more could you ask for??!!
Rake-A-Thon: Thank You!!
TURKEY BINGO!!
To celebrate Saint Jerome School having 100% participation for the Rake-A-Thon, the entire student body will play Turkey Bingo Tuesday, November 22nd in the afternoon!! It is sure to be a fun time!!
Thank you, parents, for you & your child’s participation! Our class had 100% participation so they have earned something exciting! I’m not sure what yet, though. I need to talk with them to find out what they would like: it might be a class party, extra recess, a movie, free time, or something else they may want.
Memorization
Each month your child will bring home a poem that they must memorize. Some are short others are long. For example, for the months of September & October the students were to memorize the Saint Jerome School Pledge. This pledge is a bit long and the month of September is short since we didn’t begin school until the 6th, that is why they had two months to memorize it. For November, the poem they NEED to memorize, “Dr. Welbody’s Heroes,“ went home in their Take-Home-Folders at the beginning of the month. December’s poem will be short and easy since we have a short month at school and so many fun activities planned for Christmas!
Field Trip Permission Forms
We have a field trip scheduled for Friday, December 9th. We will be going to the play, “The Velveteen Rabbit” at The Youth Performance Company in Minneapolis. We are very excited for this play, but we need you to sign the permission form and return it to school right away, please!
Specialist Schedule
Monday=Phy. Ed/Gym
Tuesday=Phy. Ed/Gym & Music
Wednesday=Music
Thursday=”The Forge”(Science & Art)
Friday=”The Forge” (Science & Art)
Upcoming Events:
11/22 Turkey Bingo!! Wear your Pajamas!!
11/23-25 NO SCHOOL-THANKSGIVING Break! Don’t eat too much turkey!! Gobble, Gobble!!!
11/27 Advent Begins
11/28 School Resumes & Advent Prayer Service in connecting hall @ SJS. Please come join us.
12/6 Feast of Saint Nicholas
12/8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Please join us at Mass @9:45am.
12/9 Field Trip to the Youth Performance Company in Minneapolis to see the play, “The Velveteen Rabbit.”
12/19 K-2 will have Christmas arts & crafts morning!
12/20 Polar Express Day!! More information to come…
12/21 Christmas Program at 6pm. ALL Students are Required to attend!
12/22-1/3 Christmas & New Year’s Break!! Enjoy some time with family and friends!
1/4/2023 School Resumes.