Ruhnke Review 3/15/2024
651-771-8494 aruhnke@stjeromeschool.org
We are Learning About:
Groves/Phonics: This week we will begin to learn about the vowel digraph ‘ai.’ Vowel digraphs are two vowel letters that go together to make one new sound & one tap. An example would be the word, ‘sail,’ ‘pail,’ ‘wait,' & ‘vain.’ We just finished learning about the /ng/ nasal sound like the word “sang.” This changes the vowel ‘a’ to sound a little funny. We continue to practice syllables, one and two word syllables and where to divid the word correctly & we continue to work on the long /u/ sound which can say /u/ as in cube, or the u can sound like /oo/ as in tube. We also continue to work on the r-controlled vowels: if 1 vowel is followed by an r, then the vowel does not make its short sound. The r changes the vowel to a different sound because it is controlled by the letter r; ar says /ar/, or says /or/, er, ir, and ur all say /er/. When tapping, the vowel and r get one tap. WOW! So many rules! The English language is complicated and difficult to learn! Please help your child if you are able.
Math:We are finishing Chapter 13, then we will move on to Chapter 14: 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. Chapter 14: Equal Shares/Fractions. Vocabulary: equal share (s), whole, half, 1/2, halves, fourth, 1/4, quarter, fourths, quarters. Chapter 15: Time. Vocabulary: minute hand, hour hand, half past, one hour, one half hour, half-hour pattern, hour pattern, day, night. Chapter 16: Money. Vocabulary: penny/one cent, nickel/5 cents, cent (c), dime/10 cents, quarter/25 cents, total amount, dollar/100 cents, dollar sign ($), work backward. 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!!
Religion: We will begin Chapter 18 next week. Chapter 18: “Jesus Dies For Us.” Lessons: Jesus Dies on the Cross, The Passion, This is Your Mother, The New Adam. Chapter 19: “Jesus was Raised to New Life.” Lessons: Jesus Is Risen, We Celebrate the Mass, We Can Live Forever, The Resurrection of the Body. Chapter 20: “Jesus Begins the Church.” Lessons: Christ’s Work Continues, The Work of the Church, The Church Leaders, The Church Today. Chapter 21: “Jesus Goes Back to Heaven.” Lessons: Jesus Prepares to Return to the Father, Go Forth & Baptize, The Ascension, Jesus Will Come Again. Chapter 22: “The Holy Spirit Comes.” Lessons: The First Novena, The Holy Spirit Came, The Apostles Go Forth, The Holy Spirit & the Church.
Star of the Week
March 18
Stary M.
March 25
Joe J.
April 15
Jolene 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.
Thank You, Parents!
Parents, THANK YOU for coming to conferences to meet with me so I could let you know how wonderful your child is! I am so grateful to have had the time to spend with you to discuss your child. It was a pleasure meeting all of you again. Thank you for helping your child & working with them so that they are able to learn to the best of their ability. I am truly blessed to be the 1st grade teacher here at Saint Jerome School with the BEST students and parents ever!!
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
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 5-10 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:
3/17 Saint Patrick’s Day
3/19 Spring Officially Begins
3/24 Palm Sunday
3/28 Holy Thursday. “Seven Last Words” 2pm in the Church.
3/29 NO SCHOOL—GOOD FRIDAY
3/31 Easter Sunday. REJOICE!! CHRIST HAS RISEN!!
4/1—4/7 NO SCHOOL—SPRING BREAK!!
4/8 School Resumes
4/20 Party With a Purpose/Hearts on Fire!
4/29 NO SCHOOL—-Teacher Workshop/Training