Ruhnke Review 1/12/2024
651-771-8494 aruhnke@stjeromeschool.org
We are Learning About:
Groves/Phonics: The newest concepts we have been learning about are 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, or 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.
Math: We are on Chapter 8: Addition Facts Within 20. Vocabulary: add, sum, addend, doubles, doubles plus 1, solve, equation. We will finish Chapter 8 then move on to Chapter 9 when we return on January 17th. Chapter 9: Subtraction Facts Within 20:Vocabulary: subtract, subtraction fact, difference, whole, part, fact family, related facts, true, false, solve, equation. 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: Some of your children brought home a reading for our upcoming 1st Grade Mass on January 24th. Please have your child practice and work with him/her so that he/she will be able to read the passage smoothly & to annunciate each word carefully so that the congregation will hear what is being read. THANK YOU! Also, parents, we will be having a “Reflection” after the mass in which ALL 1st grade students will be apart of. So, please come see your child and take part in this wonderful mass celebration!! One more item I want to share: we have put the Religion book “on hold” right now until we are done with our 1st grade mass since we are going over to the church daily to practice. Thank you for your understanding.
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!
Star of the Week
January 22
Paw Thlay P.
January 29
Peyton S.
February 5
Saw P.
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.
Welcome Back to School in 2024!!
Now that we have been back in school for about a week and a half, I want to wish you all “HAPPY NEW YEAR!”
Excellent Christmas Concert!
Thank you, parents, for bringing your children to the wonderful Christmas Concert! It was a magical evening & it was all because of your children!! They were fantastic!!
Make sure your Child is getting Enough Sleep,PLEASE!
Please make sure your child is getting enough sleep. Quite a few 1st graders are falling asleep during lessons! First graders (6-7 year olds) should be getting around 9 hours of sleep every night! Yes, you read that right—9 hours of sleep each night! Please put your 1st grader to bed early enough so they have at least 9 hours of sleep every night! THANK YOU!!
NWEA TESTING
We will be taking our NWEA Assessments on Wednesday, January 17th and Thursday, January 18th, and if needed, January 24th. Please make sure your child is:
In school on these days.
Has eaten a good breakfast (if they eat at home, otherwise if they eat here at St. Jerome School, we will make sure they eat well!
They get a good night’s sleep (At least 9 hours, as stated above), so that will be able to concentrate.
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
I have not received many December Reading Logs. They were due on Wednesday, January 3rd. Please send these in right away!! You should have the January Reading Log which was sent home before the break.
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:
1/15 NO SCHOOL-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
1/16 NO SCHOOL-Teacher Workshop Day.
1/17, 1/18, & if needed, 1/24 NWEA Testing. Please make sure your child: Is in school these days, Has a good night’s sleep, & Eats a good breakfast if they eat at home (otherwise we will make sure they eat well here).
1/24 1st Graders will have the Mass. Please come see your child, and ALL the 1st Graders help with this mass!!
1/27 Catholic Schools Week Begins with Mass at 4:30 pm.
1/28 Catholic Schools Mass at 9:30 am followed by a Pancake Breakfast!
1/29 Students should wear their School Uniform. 1st Graders will be going to the Adoration Chapel to pray today.
1/30 “Carry the Torch Day” Dress in orange, red, or yellow. Students will participate in relay races in the gym and eat popcorn!!
1/31 Wear their good school uniform for Mass today. 1st Graders will be going over to Rosoto to play BINGO with the elderly residents!!
2/1 Dress your Best today! The entire school will be saying a “Living Rosary” with Fr. Seraphim. Also, “Winter Blast Open House” is tonight: 6-8 pm. All current students & prospective students are encouraged to come!
2/2 Bowling Field Trip! Then Talent Show!!! Please make sure BOTH Permission Forms are turned in!!!
2/19 NO SCHOOL-President’s Day