Ruhnke Review 2/9/2024
651-771-8494 aruhnke@stjeromeschool.org
We are Learning About:
Groves/Phonics: We are now learning the LONG VOWELS. (Long vowels say their own name. So, the a says ‘a',’ the e says, ‘e,’ the i says, ‘i',’ the o says, ‘o,’ and the u says, ‘u’). The rule for long vowels is: If the word has VCe (Vowel, Consonant, e), then the e at the end of the word is silent which makes the vowel before the consonant LONG. We have been working on suffixes: the suffix -s & the suffix -es. When there is a verb (an action word/something you can do, it’s a verb), the suffix -s can be added to the verb which means the action is taking place right now. For example: take the word jump (a verb/an action), add -s then it is “jumps” which means it is happening right now. Or, if a word ends in s, x, z, ch, sh, then add-es. For example: box. Since it ends with an x you would add -es if there is more than 1 box, to make it plural (more than 1). We continue to work on 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, 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. With all these phonics rules, it gets difficult to remember everything, but the students are really doing a fabulous job!! I’m so proud of them!!!!!
Math: We finished Chapter 9 and are now on: (We did Chapter 10 back in October). Chapter 11: Addition: Two-Digit Numbers: Vocabulary: one, ones, ten, tens, addend, count on, two-digit number, sum, expanded form, bar model. After we are done with Chapter 11, then we will then move on to: Chapter 12: Subtraction: Two-Digit Numbers: Vocabulary: 10 less, difference, count back, guess and test. And then to Chapter 13: Geometry: Vocabulary: two-dimensional shape, closed shape, open shape, square, rectangle, triangle, side, vertex (vertices), corner, circle, hexagon, rhombus, trapezoid, curved, solid shape, three-dimensional shape, cube, rectangular prism, cone, cylinder, sphere, face, edge, flat surface, curved surface, plane shape, logical reasoning. 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).
Religion: Chapter 12-”Jesus Grows Up" Lessons: The Early Childhood of Jesus, Saint Joseph—Provider, Protector, and Patron, Jesus Grows Up in Nazareth, The Fourth Commandment. Chapter 13: “Jesus Begins His Work” Lessons: Jesus Taught by Word and Deed, Jesus’ Love for Children, Jesus Calls the Apostles, Jesus’ Work Continues. Chapter 14: “Jesus Tells the Good News.” Lessons: The Good News of God’s Love, Jesus Teaches the Good News, The Bible is the Word of God, The Bible is for All People. Chapter 15: “Jesus Does Wonderful Things.” Lessons: Jesus Feeds the Hungry, Jesus Calms the Storm, Jesus Heals the Sick, Jesus Heals Us, Body and Soul. Chapter 16: “We Believe In Jesus.” Lessons: Jesus Is the Son of God, The Blind Man Sees, Jesus Heals the Centurion’s Servant, Jesus Desires Our Faith.
Safety Lessons
We will begin our “Personal Safety” classes this next week. A letter was sent home about a month ago, although we didn’t get started like I thought we would since my mother’s passing, the funeral, and testing we had in January. So, we will begin these lessons on Monday and throughout the week.
Star of the Week
February 5
Saw P.
February 12
Kateri W.
February 19
Atlas Y.
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.
Thank you, Parents!!
I just want to thank all of you for the hard work you put into helping your 1st grader with their school work. Teaching a child is a TEAM effort! The teacher will teach the lessons, such as in Math or Phonics, but YOU help your child at home with this to reinforce all these concepts so that they can master them! Without YOU, your child wouldn’t learn the way they could. Plus, you are preparing your child for the future. Their future for the next lesson, the next grade level, and also their future out in the world!! So, THANK YOU!!
Valentine’s Day
We will celebrate Valentine’s Day on TUESDAY, February 13th since the 14th is on Ash Wednesday-the Beginning of LENT. If your child plans to bring in Valentine’s for their friends, they must bring one in for every student in our class. We don’t want to leave anyone out or have hurt feelings. (You can find a box of valentine cards at the Dollar Store for about $1.25). We have 23 students in our 1st Grade class! There is a list of all the students below the “Upcoming Events” section in this newsletter.
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
Reading Logs were due on Thursday, February 1st. If you haven’t sent your child’s in yet, Please send it in right away!! You should have the February Reading Log which was sent home last week. 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!
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:
2/13 We will Celebrate Valentine’s Day Today.
2/14 LENT BEGINS/ASH WEDNESDAY
2/19 NO SCHOOL—President’s Day
2/29 CONFERENCES 4-8
3/1 NO SCHOOL—CONFERENCES 9-4
3/6 End of Trimester II
3/17 Saint Patrick’s Day
3/19 Spring Officially Begins
3/24 Palm Sunday
3/28 Holy Thursday
3/29 NO SCHOOL—GOOD FRIDAY
3/31 Easter Sunday
4/1—4/7 NO SCHOOL—SPRING BREAK!!
4/8 School Resumes
Class List
Stary M.
Priscilla L.
Isaac A.
Christina W.
Imelda H.
Eliana Z.
August S.
Gree Ger W.
Saw P.
Mary W.
Naw Dah C.
Joseph J.
Paw Thlay P.
Lapoeku
Johnson C. Z.
Ophelia L.
Joanna B.
Luther H.
Kateri W.
Peyton S.
Eh B.
Jeremiah G.
Atlas Y.