Week 2 Seminar Notes & Recap

2 weeks down - 13 to go!!

I first want to say your children rock!  They were very engaged in class and everyone was participating in discussion etc.  I can tell they put in the work at home so THANK YOU MOMS!

If you could please make sure your child has blank paper for Geography (like copy paper) to draw on that would be great.  I'll try to always have some just in case.  Also make sure they have colored pencils.  As they are drawing in features it makes them easier to distinguish between states (or countries) they've drawn & the features (like rivers, mountains etc.)

Here's the recap.....  (PLEASE SEE THE GUIDE FOR HOMEWORK DUE FOR WEEK 3)


Challenge (Sweet treat reward)
    1.  Find the Latin root for reciprocal & there was one more & I can't find my note!
    2.  Find integration between 2 strands (subjects)


Logic/Math
I handed out another list of math terms.  Again, the definitions were listed with the terms (found them on Quizlet) - there is a "Challenge A" math terms file on Quizlet if you prefer to review that way.   Again, I will let the students know in advance when we will play a game or "quiz" math terms.

In class today we last reviewed last week's concepts again through defining math terms.  We went over new concepts by discussing fractions & percents - what they mean and how they are used.  We also talked about the math word for opposites "inverse or reciprocal", reviewed rules for adding, subtracting fractions as well as expressing division problem as a fraction.  We worked some problems identifying the math rules and laws that applied to each.  We also discussed addition & subtraction "patterns" when working with a word problem & the terminology used to help us determine which math operation(s) to use.  The students came up with their own interesting word problems!

I sent home a "divisibility rules" quiz.  They can study the sheet I gave them last week, but shouldn't have it out when taking the quiz.  They will receive 5 points for completing it.  You can grade @ home, but send it in so I can give them credit.

Be sure the students bring in the completed lessons you assign to class (even if they are not doing Saxon).

**Students should bring in a problem from their math lesson to share (can be one they struggled with; one they think will stump the class or anything they found interesting & would like to share & explain)  This will help them be rhetorical!!

Grammar/Latin
We spent some time really going over the Latin Trivium table for noun declensions.  We reviewed what declensions are, what it means to decline a noun and how to find the stem (the noun w/out any endings).  We also discussed why we write "the noun" for nominative; "of the noun" for Genitive etc.

We looked at the pronunciation page in the Grammar book (blue book p 241).  It would be a good idea to copy that page & put in their notebook.  

The listed the noun cases (jobs) & meanings (on trivium table) & charted the endings from memory.  I took these home and will return them next week.  They will receive 5 points for completing that today.

We went over Latin rules (in "boxes" on p 6 & 10).  These are different than the "grammar rules" in the blue book and should be written in the "Latin Rules" section of their binder (or can be in a "notes" section - whichever they prefer - as long as they know where those are).

We discussed "finite" verbs and how they convey person, number, tense, mood & voice where infinitive form verbs (which our book deals with in a later unit) present the action of the verb as an abstract concept - i.e. "to love" or "to dream".  We talked about how Latin pronouns are contained in the endings of the verb and are not separate as in English (p. 9).  We made 1 flashcard from our new vocabulary list (verbs) as a model - just English on one side and Latin on the other.  We will not put these in the spiral Latin vocabulary notebook just yet.  We'll wait until we learn more about verbs before putting them in the spiral notebook and before listing principal parts & conjugations on the flashcards. 

We verbally went over the exercises for this week and diagrammed one of the sentences in exercise 5 as a model.

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Drill student on vocabulary & grammar rules.  Check daily assignments (or have students check).  Continue to have students focus on memorizing endings for declensions - sing the songs & work those charts.  

Research
Today the kids presented their science research reports.  They all did a great job!  They took notes on other's presentations as we will often have "open note" quizzes.  Be sure each report has 5-7 facts, the taxonomy & bibliography.  They will illustrate their topic and label.  Remind them to continue using those IEW tools to make their report interesting.  They can use humor - make it fun & interesting!!  We had some great dramatic openers today.  Encourage them to try a new one this week.  They will tell the class 1 fact they'd like us to remember about their topic (i.e. seaweed is used in making toothpaste).

I introduced the new topic Fungi and they took notes on what we discussed (facts I introduce could be on open note quiz).  Next week is wildflowers so look ahead for interesting topics & sources.   Here are some possible helpful websites:

http://www.biology4kids.com/files/micro_fungi.html 
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/arj/v2/n1/fungi-from-a-biblical-perspective 
http://kids.britannica.com/comptons/article-9274462/fungus 
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?s=FUngi 
http://www.kidsbiology.com/biology_basics/five_kingdoms_life/fungi4.php 
http://www.extremescience.com/biggest-living-thing.htm 

helpful websites: wolframalpha.com for taxonomy information on topics of research

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Help students locate sources from Internet or library.  Assist in editing rough draft; listen & provide feedback for oral report (eye contact, etc). & check drawing.  Have them practice reading their report for you or even the whole family!

Expo/Comp

Today we discussed structures and related that to the structure (or outline) of an essay.  We reviewed our ANI charts and chose 5 items from the A column & 5 from the N.  We decided which column had the "strongest reasons" and formed our thesis.  We worked through how to complete student p 4-6 (arrangement worksheet & outline form).  

At home they will complete these pages using their issue.

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Check student pages (sample in teacher book p50) making sure in the outline only the thesis is a complete sentence.  Read LTW Arrangement Best Practices document under "outlining".

Debate/Geography

Today we drew the United States and started tracing and/or drawing some of the features.  I explained that on our next week's quiz on the US, States & Capitals, rivers & features, they will draw the US w/ all states, assign a number to each state, then list number with the appropriate state & capital on the back.  They will then use tracing paper to draw features (less "messy" that way).  I showed them a sample in class.  We ended with geography term "pictionary".

Please note that there are 41 rivers, 17 features & 50 states w/ capitals.  I noticed that they added a feature Mt. McKinley. I'm not sure if there were any rivers added so please check.  They should be using p 100 (rivers) & p 101 (features) from the guide to make sure they have each one identified.  (The maps that were copied were from last year.)  Note: Yukon river is in Alaska (think it's in atlas).

Again, they will want to be drawing each day.  As an incentive I'm doing "Draw for points" - see below!

DRAW FOR POINTS!!! Students will earn 5 points for each map drawn this week (after they draw 8 which would be 2 per day for 4 days)  Bring to class your best map!!

FROM LAST WEEK: This is an impressive video of Senator Al Franken drawing the US from memory. It' s set to music, so there's no political agenda! Students might follow his approach to drawing (where to start and end, and everything in between!)

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/09/04/al-franken-draws-a-map-of-the-us/

While the classical model of learning is reading, writing, and drilling, it's okay from time to time to use websites to review memory work. Websites such as http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games.htm offer games to help with reviewing geography. Another site is http://www.ilike2learn.com/ilike2learn/CapitalUnitedStates.html

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Drill student on states & capitals as well as geography terms.  Check daily drawings for accuracy & labeling.

Rhetoric

Today we took turns sharing our ICJH summaries.  We drew the universe diagram (p 9) & did the balloon stretching (p.11).  We previewed chapter 2 & discussed ideas for summarizing that chapter.  You may want to have the extra study guide sheets for ICJH in their notebook.

We had some good discussion on DCYB talking about the main points of the chapter & bible verses.  I suggested that they may want to keep a list somewhere of the myth vs truth so they can see at the end what we've covered.  It's sometimes helpful when deciding on what to write for the end of the year apologetics paper. 

Cosmic Cop (just my thoughts)
Myth: God wants to police us
Truth:  The sacrifice of His Son and refining our character through developing discipline & other Christ-like characteristics, God gives us life & sets us free
Myth: Satan wants us to have freedom & fun
Truth: Satan shackles & traps us with the handcuffs of sin and works to destroy us

I introduced this week's catechism questions & we played a game to review last week's.  Again - so impressed with how quickly they are memorizing them!!!

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Discuss chapter 2 in each book.  Check that student is filling out study guide for ICJH & answering questions for DCYB.  Drill catechism questions (remember they must be able to state word for word).