Week 4 Seminar Recap & Notes

Another great week!!  The students were prepared & engaged!!

Also, thanks to Meg for that yummy afternoon treat!!

Here's the recap.....  (PLEASE SEE THE GUIDE FOR HOMEWORK DUE FOR WEEK 5)

Challenge (Sweet treat reward)
    1.  Find integration between 3 or more subjects
    
Logic/Math
I verbally gave another list of math terms.  This time I didn't include the definitions, so they will need to look them up.  Keep drilling those terms.

In class today we last reviewed last week's vocab & concepts with a little "what do you know" quiz.  They all did great!  The students also shared a problem from their homework.  Again, we'll do this each week- talking about the problems by defining terms, math laws, looking at relationships etc (5 common topics).  Be sure they have a problem to share.

I previewed new concepts of measuring angles with a protractor (reviewing the types of angles), polygon's, perimeter & area, exponents & square roots.  I handed out a exponent properties sheet for quick reference (can be put in page protector is math section of notebook).

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 learned about 2nd declension nouns & their endings as we move into Lesson 2.  We reviewed new Latin rules on p 17, 20 & 21 (in "boxes" - will go in "rules" section of Latin).  This week's Latin homework is heavy in that they will have new vocabulary for 2nd declension masculine nouns & 2nd declension neuter nouns (as they have different endings - a little something tricky with the 2nd declension).  They will make flashcards for each vocab word as well as decline those in their spiral Latin vocab notebook (UNDER 2nd Declension - Note: word "et" is a conjunction and will be listed in the "indeclinable words section" like "non").  They will also have new grammar rules (blue book) 34-44.  They will make flashcards for these as well.

We took our first Latin grammar rules quiz.  I'll return those next week.

We went over the exercises for this week's homework (#10-16) - they took notes on each exercise so they know how to do them at home. They will be parsing & translating sentences - remember although most Latin sentences end with the verb, word order in Latin isn't important.  Just be sure they have the correct endings. Let me know if you have any questions.

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 the declensions - sing the songs & work those charts, as well as memorize vocab & rules.  It's a good idea to write the endings out - like copying mastery charts in Essentials.

Research
Today we talked about good presentation skills - they sure rose to the occasion!!  Eye contact & charisma were at all time highs.  Keep up the good work by practicing at home.  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 think I forgot to introduce herbs - our topic for next week.  We may have been having too much fun playing "Stump the class"!  I will send out a "science snippet" for herbs that they can review at home.  I did want to mention that they can bring in a sample of their herb.  It would be interesting to be able to smell/taste etc.the herb.  I know some of the kids in last year's Challenge class brought in food items or products (i.e. lavender lotion) made with their herb.  Our next topic will be trees so look ahead for topics & sources.

Here are some possible helpful websites:

http://www.herbs.com/ 

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/index.pl 
http://herbsociety.org/library/nomenclature-taxonomy-databases.html 
http://www.vitaminsdiary.com/herbs.html 
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2012/04/10/contradictions-planting-confusion 
http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/dietary-supplements/herbal-information 

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 I introduced the 5 Common Topics (see handout given in class) - Lesson 2 Invention.  There were suggestions from CC to "revise" the worksheet in the student workbook p 11-12 so that it better suits the Challenge A level.  Instead of having the students take the time to make revisions in their workbooks, I typed up a new worksheet & will email that out.  Remember that this is a tool to get additional information for their ANI charts (see DVD).  We came up with an issue for Carry on Mr. Bowditch - Whether Mr. Bowditch should have indentured Nat.  We worked through each section of the worksheet (relating everything to our issue) and I modeled how to add ideas to the ANI from the answers on the worksheet. 

At home they will come up with a question - convert to an issue (if they do not use the one we used in class).  They will work through the worksheet, like we did in class, & complete an ANI with 15 items in each column.  They will bring their worksheet & ANI chart to class next week.

We'll be working in Lesson 2 Arrangement next week.

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Re-watch DVD 1 Lesson 2 Invention to see how the worksheet helps the student come up with ideas for their ANI & how to complete it.  Check ANI for 15 items in each column.  Watch DVD 1 Lesson 2 Arrangement (Sorting) to prepare for next week's lesson.

Debate/Geography

Today we played "Mental Geography" with the USA & Canada.  We played pictionary to review geography terms, then took a geography terms quiz. I will return that next week. We then drew Canada & the USA.

They should continue to draw at home as many times as possible.  Work on adding provinces, bodies of water & features to Canada.  We will have our test next week.

They should be drawing the USA with all states, capitals, rivers & features as well (at least 1 time per week).  It would be a good idea to also draw the world (even if it's just"outline of continents") 1 time per week.

Students should bring in maps that they've drawn.  They'll show the class their best map.

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!!

****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.  Continue to drill previous states & capitals.

Rhetoric

Today we took turns sharing our ICJH summaries.  We previewed chapter 4 & discussed ideas for summarizing that chapter.  We used the 5 Common Topics to define, compare etc.  We had some more good discussion on DCYB talking about the main points of the chapter & bible verses.  I introduced the new catechism questions and we played a review game.

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Discuss chapter 4 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).