Week 3 Seminar Recap & Notes

Well we made it another week!  Again, I'm so proud of the work the students are putting in.

Just a reminder to have tracing paper & "regular" (copy) paper for geography.  Also, the maps that some of you had copied - the ones that are 8 1/2 x 11 sized should be in page protectors in their geography notebook for them to reference in class.

Also, the homework they do for each seminar should be brought to class.

Here's the recap.....  (PLEASE SEE THE GUIDE FOR HOMEWORK DUE FOR WEEK 4)

Challenge (Sweet treat reward)
    1.  Find a wildflower that is used for medicinal purposes
    2.  Flowers have been associated with meanings - what does sunflower mean?

Logic/Math
I handed out another list of math terms.  (We may play a game with math terms so be sure they review!)

In class today we last reviewed last week's concepts.  This time the students were the teacher.  They each wrote up a problem from their homework on the board.  As we'll do each week, we talked about the problems by defining terms, math laws, looking at relationships etc (5 common topics).  We learned that there's not just one way to attack a problem!  

I previewed new concepts of multiplication (repeated addition), equivalent fractions and reducing fractions into lowest terms and what that means.

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
Today we reviewed answers from exercises 3 & 4.  We reviewed the new verbs we learned last week & discussed how their endings tell us that they are all 3rd person (at-sing; ant-plural; et-sing; end-plural).  This week we'll have 1 new verb & 1 noun to make vocab flashcards (again the verb won't go into the spiral Latin vocabulary notebook - but the new noun will - so they will need to decline it there).  There were also 3 new rules (the ones in "boxes" in the purple book)- those will go into their notebooks under rules section".

Today we got some practice with nouns in the accusative case (DO or objective case).  We walked through how to identify a direct object in an English sentence (our question confirmation), then looked at the same sentence in Latin - learning to parse & translate sentences.  I gave them a handout "Recommended steps for parsing & translating Latin sentences".

                S      V    DO       S           DO       V
     The sailors see Mary.   Nautae Mariam vident.  (The sailors Mary see.)

We saw that in English - word order matters.  We have s-v-do pattern in English, where in Latin order doesn't matter.  In fact most Latin sentences end with the verb (see rule p 14).  This is why in the Challenge guide (under Course Description & Goals), #5 mentions that word order can very so the student's answer may be written in a different order than the answer key.

We split in teams & raced to the board to decline nouns & played around the world with Latin vocab.  What a competitive group!!  Who knew Latin could be so fun!!

We went over the exercises this week (6-9) - they took notes on each exercise so they know how to do them at home.

For exercises 6 & 7 - if they write them all out they will receive 20 points for each exercise.

**On exercises 8 & 9 the directions say to "say in English"or "say in Latin" - I would like them to write them out.  I feel the extra practice parsing & translating will really pay off.

WE WILL HAVE A QUIZ ON GRAMMAR RULES 14-33 (RULES FROM BLUE BOOK THAT THEY MADE FLASHCARDS)

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
Once again we had very interesting reports!  Continue to have the practice at home working on presentation skills - eye contact etc.  They are doing well with the reports.  Continue working on using those IEW tools to make their report interesting.  They should be using sentence openers, transition words etc.  Be sure to include interesting facts - minimum of 5.  They should develop a good paragraph.

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

http://www.wildflowers-and-weeds.com/ 

http://www.vermontwildflowerfarm.com/ 
http://www.wild-flowers.com/ 
http://www.americanmeadows.com/wildflower-gardening/wildflower-facts/herbal-medicinal-wildflowers 
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2009/12/flower-family-knows-its-roots-2/ 

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 learned how to turn out outline into an essay.  This week they write the rudimentary essay.  I explained that this should be the most basic boring "essay" they will ever write.  It should follow the example in the student book p 7.  

1st paragraph will have 2 sentences.  The thesis with enumeration ("for three reasons") & their 3 proofs listed in 1 sentence.  2nd paragraph will have 3 sentences.  The sentences will start with "The first reason...", "The second reason...", & "The third reason...".  These sentences will also have the verbiage "was that" just like the sample essay on p 7.  The 3rd paragraph will have 1 sentence listing the 3 proofs (using word "because) - again like the essay on p 7.  

See Challenge guide p. 83 for assessment & guidelines.  Remember we are totally concerned with structure in this first essay - we are not looking for grace & eloquence (style), so we should not see stylistic techniques in this essay.  They will bring their essay into class.

At home they write the essay and READ Carry on Mr. Bowditch.

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Read their essay making sure it follows the assessment guide in Challenge guide p 83 (& sample essay in student workbook p 8).  Re-watch DVD 1 Lesson 2 Invention to prepare for upcoming lesson introducing the 5 Common Topics. 

Debate/Geography

Today they drew the USA, it's states, capitals & features from memory. I will return those next week.

I introduced Canada and they began tracing the outline of the country.  They should draw Canada & it's provinces & capitals several times daily, adding bodies of water & features as soon as they are ready.  We have 2 weeks to learn Canada - test will be on week 5.  They are to pick their best map (freehand) and bring it in to class.  They should also be making flashcards for the provinces & capitals for Canada.  

Again, they will want to be drawing each day.  As an incentive I'm doing another "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!!

***We will have a Geography terms quiz next week over week 1 & 2 terms.

****Remember that at the end of the year we will be drawing the world - states, countries features - everything from memory.  Students need to continue to draw areas they've been tested on.  So this week, students should draw USA (states, capitals, features) - adding Canada to that map.  (They can draw on the large laminated maps I gave them at the beginning of the year).  The more they draw the better they'll get - the more they will be able to remember.

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Drill student on provinces & capitals as well as geography terms.  Check daily drawings for accuracy & labeling.  Be sure students continue to draw previous geographic areas - adding them to new areas.

Rhetoric

Today we took turns sharing our ICJH summaries.  We previewed chapter 3 & discussed ideas for summarizing that chapter.

We had some more good discussion on DCYB talking about the main points of the chapter & bible verses. 

I totally spaced it & forgot to introduce this week's catechism questions.  PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU GO OVER NEW CATECHISM 7-9.  They should make flashcards & continue drilling all

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Discuss chapter 3 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).