Week 6 Seminar Recap & Notes

Week 6 - Got 'er done!

I totally forgot to record points for extra maps drawn (5 points per map once 8 have been drawn).   Please email me how many your child did so I can record the points.

Here's the recap.....  (PLEASE SEE THE GUIDE FOR HOMEWORK DUE FOR WEEK 7)

Challenge (Sweet treat reward)
    1.  Find the Latin for "Write it on the board"
    2.  Tell the class what is the largest mollusk
    
Logic/Math
I verbally gave another list of math terms.  I didn't include the definitions, so they will need to look them up.  Keep drilling those terms.

We continued what we did last week -  reviewed previous week's concepts through dialectic discussion.  In each problem we worked we asked the same questions (based on the common topics):

Observation - What do you see? (i.e. whole numbers, exponents, multiplication, solve, equation etc)
Definition - What does .... mean?  What is...? (i.e. solve, evaluate, reduce, fraction, exponent etc)
Circumstance - Can any parts be written in different way? (i.e. 54 (5 to the 4th power) same as 5x5x5x5)
Relationship - What do we need to know to answer the problem? (i.e. when dividing fractions, you multiply using the reciprocal)
Authority - What math law(s) are we using to answer? (i.e. identity law)
What is the answer?
Can we work the problem in a different way?

The students brought in problems to share - and again we dialectically discussed each one then worked to answer it.

We did not have a chance to cover new concepts.  If you're working in 8/7, those would be dividing fractions (multiply by the reciprocal); multiplying & dividing mixed numbers (convert to improper fraction); multiples, least common multiple, & equivalent division problems; average/mean.  Remember, if you subscribe to the CC connected Challenge tier, there are math videos that are helpful in explaining these concepts.

POINTS: Bring in "math" language problem converted to English (word problem) for 5 points.

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 went over this week's lesson & exercises.  We encountered a new verb today - WHAT FUN!  All the verbs we've encountered so far have been transitive verbs that take the accusative case (DO).  In class we reviewed what a linking verb is, listed "to be verbs" & reviewed the sentence patterns that involve linking verbs (S-Vl-PN - all that Essentials training is going to pay off!!).  Our new verbs are linking and take the nominative case.  Why the nominative you ask????  Because linking verbs are followed by nouns that rename the subject - so it's the same case as the subject - nominative.  We discussed the difference between using the genitive case (possessive) & the ablative case (preposition) when we encounter words like "of God".  We look to see if "of God" can be replaced with "God's" or answers the question "whose" (adjective).  When we have the sentence:

Christ is the Son of God.  We translate it Christus est Filius Dei

Dei is in the genitive case because we can replace "of God" with God's and it answers the question "whose" son.

They took notes on each exercise.  There were no new Grammar Rules (blue book) - continue to memorize #34-44 - WE WILL HAVE A QUIZ NEXT WEEK.  There were new Latin rules on p 27 & 28 that will go in the "rules" section of their notebook.  The new vocab is on p 28 & 31.  There are no nouns so they'll just need to make flashcards.  Exercise 26 & 27 is translating the paragraph. It is important that the students parse/label each sentence so that they can clearly identify the parts of speech in order to translate it properly.  We talked about that in class today.

They took a quiz in class over the 1st declension.  I will return those next week.

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Make sure you and your student preview the next week's lesson as stated in the guide so that they are prepared to discuss it in class. 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 the students presented on trees.  Continue to have them practice their presentation skills at home.   Continue to look for interesting, unknown facts about the topic and put those IEW tools to work.  Again, they should develop a good paragraph. **They can bring in a "sample/example" of the topic.

They took an open note quiz in class.  We graded those in class so they have them. Our next topic will be mollusks so look ahead for topics & sources.

Here are some possible helpful websites:

 http://www.seashellworld.com/classifications-of-mollusks.html 
http://fl.biology.usgs.gov/Region_4_Report/html/mollusks.html 
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/cm/v19/n2/fascinating-cuttlefish 
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/cfl/animals-without-backbones 
http://www.oceanicresearch.org/education/wonders/mollusk.html 
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/taxa/inverts/mollusca/mollusca.php 

POINTS:  5 points for the Latin word "mollusk"

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 were working with Elocution and learned our first scheme - parallelism.  I first asked the students what parallel lines were.  We defined it and then looked around our room to find parallel lines in the classroom & what their function was.  We found parallel lines in the legs of the chairs, tables & walls - their function was to "hold" things up.  Similarly, parallelism in our writing adds strength as well and clarity & beauty to our writing.  In short, parallelism is where the parts of speech in each sentence or in a clause "match" or line up.

We worked some samples of parallel sentences & parallelism within a sentence.  The students each came up with their own example.  They did really well.  REMEMBER PERFECT PARALLELISM IS NOT THE GOAL (that is actually not parallelism, but called isocolon).

Examples:
Julie can bring a friend.  (noun verb adj noun)
Everyone can enjoy the weather.  (pronoun verb adj noun)
We can throw a ball.  (pronoun verb adj noun)

I believe you do better with your head than with your hands. (Carry on Mr. Bowditch)
Psalm 1:1 We see the counsel of the wicked, way of sinners & seat of mockers.

This week the students will complete workbook p 19-24 to get more practice & clarity with parallelism.  (Make sure their answers are correct & they have a clear understanding of parallelism.)  When they write their paper they will have parallelism in their thesis & 3 main proofs (see sample p 24 student book or p 74 teacher book).  I encouraged the students to add stylistic techniques to their papers this week (even though they are only required to have parallelism).  You can see that the sample is not "plainly" written & why not put those IEW skills to good use!!  The assessment sheet is p 84 in the Challenge guide.

In addition to writing the paper, they should read The Magician's Nephew.  Next week we'll be working with Invention again is Lesson 5 p 117-129; student p 67.  We will learn a new "tool" to come up with ideas for our papers on The Magician's Nephew.

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Review student workbook pages.  Assess paper to ensure it meets with this week's requirements.  Re-watch DVD Lesson 2 Elocution if needed for this week's assignment.  Watch DVD 3 Lesson 5 Invention to prepare for next week's lesson.

Debate/Geography

Today we were all about review games.  We played a game where students came up to the board &  had 30 seconds to draw as much of Central American & the Greater & Lesser Antilles as they could.  Then the next student on their team added what they could in 30 seconds & so on.  The girls took the boys down in that game.

We played geography term pictionary again.  This time the boys were the champions!

Reminder: They should be drawing the USA with all states, capitals, rivers & features as well Canada (at least 1 time per week) & adding it to the new location.  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), Canada and adding our new area 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

This week the students broke into 2 person teams and did a persuasive presentation on the sections of ICJH.  They did very well!  We read over DCYB and discussed the related bible verses.  Using the tools of the 5 common topics we defined Jesus & a "Superstar" and compared the 2.

We reviewed the new catechism questions for the week and reviewed past questions.

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Discuss chapter 6 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).