The Ruhnke Review 4/24/2023
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: 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! Here is what is coming next and beyond: We just finished Chapter 16: Money. Please continue to help your child understand money. You can do this by giving them some of your change in your pocket or purse. First, have your child point to each coin and tell you what the name of it is and what the value is or how much it is worth. Then give them a small object (anything will do: a banana, a spoon, a small toy, etc. then make up a price for the item that would be 1 dollar or under. Have your child count out the coins/money they would need to purchase the item.
For these next 2 or so, chapters, we will be doing 2 lessons on many of the days. Therefore, your child will be coming home with several math homework sheets. We need to double up because we have to finish these chapters before our NWEA testing begins at the end of April/Early May. Please help your child with these so that they will be prepared as best as they can be. Thank you! Another week & a half or two beginning Friday, April 21st we will begin:
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 12: Subtraction: Two-Digit Numbers. Vocabulary: 10 less, count back, guess & test, difference.
Religion: . “Adam & Eve” The lessons are: Creation of Adam & Eve, Taking Care of God’s Gifts, The Gift of Grace, & Children of God. “A Sad Story” The lessons are: The First Sin, Gifts are Lost, Grace is Lost, The Promise of a Savior.
Reading/CKLA: Unit 4: “Early World Civilizations” The Lessons will include: Stories: A Father and His Son in Mesopotamia, Writing in Mesopotamia, The Religion of Babylon, The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, People of the Nile, Writing in Ancient Egypt, Amon-Ra & the Gods of Ancient Egypt, Approaching the Great Pyramid, The Sphinx, The Story of Hatshepsut, Tutankhamun-the Golden Pharaoh-Part 1 & 2, Three World Religions, Judaism.
THANK YOU for Your Help with the 1st Grade Mass
Thank you to all the parents of a child that did a reading at this mass, for helping your child practice & read. Without YOU, I would not have been able to do this, and more importantly, your child would not have been able to read their reading. So, it is with great pleasure that I can say, “THANK YOU” again!!
April Scholastic Book Orders:DUE Monday, April 24
Your child should be reading at least 20-30 minutes Each DAY! The April book flyer went home early April. If you can’t find yours, please go online to ScholasticBookClubs.com and look at the flyers there, then when ordering use the code RGVYW. Orders are due by April 24th. 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!!
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, put, name, good, man, other, been, long, part, write, words, which, call, called, water, people
April Memorization Poem: “Rope Rhyme”
Please help your child memorize this poem for the month of April. I will assess them at the end of April. THANKS!
May Memorization Poem: “The Swing”
Please help your child memorize the poem, “The Swing” for the memorization for the month of May. I will assess them at the end of May. THANK YOU!
READING LOGS
April Reading Logs will be DUE on May 1st!!
PLEASE send in your child’s Reading Log for April. It is due May 1st.. I will send home the May Reading Log with your child in their Take-Home-Folder this coming week. A parent/adult should sign it when the child has read for the day. The adult should also fill in the number of minutes your child read that day. They should be reading at least 20-30 minutes daily. It should then be returned to me at the end of the month/beginning of the next month. This is something that must be done, this is NOT a choice. It will affect the student’s grade. PLEASE work with your child on this and return these completed reading logs!!
Grandparent/Special Person Day-May 17th
The day begins at the church with Mass at 9:45, followed by a program at 11:15. Also, a Spring Concert will be at 6:30pm! All students should arrive by 6:20 (No earlier, please!). ALL are welcome!
Field Trip to Minnesota History Center
On May 31st we will be leaving the school at 9:30am to go to the Minnesota History Center. We will eat lunch when we return, at 12:30, a little bit later than usual. If you haven’t done so yet, please send in the Field Trip Permission Form that was sent home a week ago. 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 30 minutes every day! Please 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. Also, 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. 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! Here is a list of the poems they will be memorizing: 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. Please pray with your child(ren) and family each day. These are the prayers that the 1st Graders should know/learn: The Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Prayer Before Meals, and the Angel of God.
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:
5/1, 5/2, 5/4, & 5/8 NWEA Reading & Math TESTING: Please make sure your child has had a good night’s sleep so that he/she is awake and alert. Also, please make sure your child has eaten a good healthy breakfast, if they eat at home, otherwise, St. Jerome School will take care of this if they eat at school. Thank you!
5/5 May Crowning
5/6 Fr. Vic’s Birthday!! Happy Birthday, Father Vic!!
5/14 Happy Mother’s Day to all you LOVELY MOMS! GOD BLESS YOU on your special day!
5/17 Grandparent’s/Special Person Day! Mass at 9:45, followed by a program at 11:15. Also, the Spring Concert will be at 6:30pm! All students should arrive by 6:20 (No earlier, please!).
5/31 9:30-12:30 We will be going on a Field Trip to the Minnesota History Center. If you haven’t done so yet, please send in the Field Trip Permission Form that was sent home a week ago. Thank you!
6/7 Last Day of School for this school year. Mass at 9:45am. Please join us! Dismissal will be at 11:45am!