Ruhnke Review 12/4/2023
651-771-8494 aruhnke@stjeromeschool.org
We are Learning About:
Groves/Phonics: We have been learning about 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 have also been learning about the “Floss Rule”. This is when an f, an s, or an l come after a short vowel, you then double that 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. We are also learning about Digraph-Blends. This is when there is a digraph (ch, th, sh, wh, or ck) with another consonant next to the digraph in a word such as throb, shrink, thrill.
Math: We are on 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. PLEASE, if you haven’t already, take out your Addition flash-cards that were on the 1st Grade supply list. (You can purchase addition & subtraction flash cards at the Dollar Store)! Please, help your child practice 10 minutes every evening!! We will be taking addition timed-quizzes 0-12 later in the school year (around January/February). Chapter 7: Place Value to 120. Vocabulary: value, digit, expanded form, decompose, hundred, 120 chart, order, reasoning.
Religion: Chapter 7: “A Time of Waiting.” Lessons: Noah Obeyed God, Abraham Obeyed God, Abraham had Faith in God, Abraham’s Trust and Thankfulness. Chapter 8: “Getting Ready for the Savior.” Lessons: God Sends Prophets, The First Prophet, Rules for Life, The Last Prophet. Chapter 9: “Mary Hears Some Wonderful News.” Lessons: Mary, Full of Grace, Mary Says “Yes” to God, Mary, Our Model, The Rosary is Mary’s Prayer. Chapter 10: “The Savior Is Born” Lessons: No Room at the Inn, The Nativity, Son Of God, Son of Mary, The Celebration of Christmas.
Reading/CKLA: “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!
Field Trip to Youth Performance Company to see “Elf”
We had a FANTASTIC time going to the Youth Performance Company on December 1st to see the play “Elf” We LOVED seeing the actors perform! The students were wonderful during the play listening and paying attention. It was an exciting play for the students to see!
Star of the Week
December 4, 2023
Naw Dah C.
December 11
Jeremiah G.
December 18
Gree Ger W.
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.
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, and, the, is, was, as, has, to, do, go, no, me, be, we, see, you, are, her, his, or, for, said, of, my, by, like, one, he, she, have, they, were, there, where, from, what, come, some, new, any, many, out, our, saw, how, now, look, old, cold, hold, sold, child, wild, mild, find, kind, mind, bolt, colt, jolt, post, most, two, should, would, could, so, both, put, over, under, after, here, your, once, give, live, shove, again, against, been, does, goes, know, very, every, too, talk, walk, down, into, want, only
Reading Log
The November Reading Log is due on Friday, December 1st, and I will send the new December Reading log home with your child in their Take-Home-Folder. Thank you!
Your child should be reading simple, Level A, B, C, or D books by now. They should be reading 20-30 minutes daily! PARENTS: Please, Each day write how many minutes they read, then you/parent need to 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!
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 of these items: 1) a winter coat/jacket, 2) snow boots, 3) snow -pants, 4) hat, 5) and waterproof mittens/gloves. 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. You 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!!
HOMEWORK
In 1st Grade, the students will have homework most nights. This is what to expect:
1. Math. Almost every night your child will 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. 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 (although September & October are together), 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 be listening to each student recite the poem at the end of every month. The St. Jerome Pledge came home for the September & October Memorization poem. All students that were at St. Jerome School last year in Kindergarten said it every day , so they should know much of it already! In November, I will send home another poem or memorization piece for them to know by the end of November. Thank you for helping your child learn these!
September & October: Saint Jerome School Pledge. November: “Dr. Welbody’s Heroes,“ December: “Star Light, Star Bright” January: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” February: “The Owl and the Pussy-Cat” March: “The Pasture” April: “Rope Rhyme” May: “The Swing”
4. Prayers. We will continue to work on the prayers that your child began learning in Kindergarten. I sent home a sheet with the prayers your child needs to work on. PLEASE don’t throw it away, or lose it! This could be kept on the refrigerator for all to see, and so that your 1st grader and your family can say these payers together 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??!! Here are the prayers your child should practice/say: 1) Sign of the Cross 2) Glory Be 3) Hail Mary. 4) Our Father. 5) Grace (Prayer) before Meals. 6) Angel of God.
Specialist Schedule
Monday=Phy. Ed/Gym
Tuesday=Phy. Ed/Gym & Music
Wednesday=”The Forge”(Science & Art)
Thursday=Music
Friday=”The Forge” (Science & Art)
Upcoming Events:
12/1 Field Trip to the Youth Performance Company to see the play “Elf”
12/21 Christmas Concert/Program
12/22—1/2 NO SCHOOL—CHRISTMAS BREAK! Joy to the World, the Lord is Come!!
1/3 Return to School