This site will function as a communication tool for our Challenge A Class. Weekly recap of class, helpful tips and other noteworthy items will be posted for our families. Please contact Mrs. Collins at sandtcollins@fuse.net with questions or for more information.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Week 11 Seminar Notes & Recap


Week 11 - time is a flying!

Here's the recap.....  (PLEASE SEE THE GUIDE FOR HOMEWORK DUE FOR WEEK 12 )

Challenge (Sweet treat reward)
 1.   What does the word amphibian mean & what does it describe?
 2.   Integration between 3 or more subjects.
    
Logic/Math
Only 3 math terms this week.  Keep drilling!

Each week we will continue to review previous week's concepts through dialectic discussion with the problems the students bring in.  In each problem we work we will ask the same questions (based on the common topics) - see previous blog for detail on questions.

I quickly previewed concepts of dividing with decimals & expanded notation.

We played ZONK with math terms again.

POINTS: Bring in a math problem from their homework to explain to the class -  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
In class we went over questions from last week's homework.

We previewed this weeks homework -exercises #50-54.  We discussed the new vocab on p51.  NOTE - for exercise #52 - students are to write out translation.

We played games to review declining vocab. Again - the boys won!

****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.   I will be awarding candy for those who do!!! :)

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 owls/birds of prey.   Presentation skills were once again good.  Continue to have them practice their presentation skills at home - especially eye contact.  When you feel your child is ready, have them start presenting from notecards.  

Continue to look for interesting, unknown facts about the topic and put those IEW tools to work.  Again, they should develop a good paragraph with interesting facts - min 5-7.  The skills we are working on are research as well as good presentation skills.  **They can bring in a "sample/example" of the topic.

Our next topic will be amphibians
 so look ahead for topics & sources.

Here are some possible helpful websites:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti0HDtRY8u4 
http://carm.org/dictionary-amphibians 
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/ 
http://www.animalspot.net/category/amphibians 
http://www.worldgiants.com/index.php 
http://phys.org/news166207786.html 


POINTS:  Geckos can walk across a ceiling with their uniquely designed feet.  Does this animal contradict the theory of Evolutions?

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
Sorry to be "long-winded"on this.  It's again deep thinking & thought it was worth giving you the deatil of what was covered in class. Rachel - I know you sat in today - if you can think of anything helpful to add, please email it to the moms.

Today we learned a new "stylistic" tool - amplification - the "who cares & why".  It's what you leave the reader with.  We amplify the issue - why does it matter to someone else?  This is similar to the IEW "most significant & why".  We discussed that in previous essays we ended with repeating our thesis.  Our essay seemed to "stop short".  I asked the students "who cares" about the essay outside the people in the essay, mom etc.  We looked at some previous class issues on other books & brainstormed who might care & why.  Examples we used in class were (I asked the students to make notes so hopefully they should have it written down):

Who cares if Edmund followed the white witch?
Peter - his brother, loves him;  Aslan - loves Edmund, doesn't want to die;  All Narnia - they want to survive
Who cares if Capt. Bowditch indentures Nat?
Liza - brother, loves him; Lupe - benefits from Nat's teachings; Ropes & Hodges - want a good employee

We compared the the examples.  We are basically looking at how others are/were affected by the decisions of the characters in our issue.  Right now our focus was on brainstorming characters in the book.  You can go beyond the story if that is comfortable to you & your student (i.e. "Every mother would be relieved her child was saved from the white witch."  This is an advanced skill.)

Things to remember - This is NOT a new proof or repeated proof.  When brainstorming we want to eliminate the characters/ people in the issue (In the Teacher Guide - ignore p 102 #2 where it lists "Edmund" & p 103 where it shows "It matters to: Edmund" - again eliminate the characters in the thesis).   You can look at p 113 in the Teacher Guide for a sample "Edmund caused tremendous trouble not only for himself, but - even worse - for his siblings and for all of Narnia"  - Who cares? - his siblings & all of Narnia; Why? Edmund's decision caused them tremendous trouble.

Another example: (issue should Aslan sacrifice his life) "Aslan's death demonstrates the kind of sacrifice and forgiveness necessary for Edmund to be redeemed from deceit & disloyalty."  who cares? Edmund why? he can be redeemed

At home, will sort their ANI, come up with "labels"/main proofs.  They will complete the Exordium worksheet (p29) and then pages 45-46 (guide to amplification), pages 47-49 (completing their outline).

They will need to bring their sorted ANI charts & all the workbook pages to class next week.

Remember to look for a good title for the "groups" in their ANI - one that encompasses the items grouped together.  This is really key.

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Assist students in sorting ANI & coming up with "labels" (that will be their main proofs).  Check ANI for duplicated items.  Review student workbook pages & assist them with brainstorming the "who cares & why".  Watch DVD 2 Lesson 4 to prepare for next week's lesson.  

Debate/Geography
We drew Europe and filled in the countries & features we learned the last 2 weeks and then added the new items for this week, identifying the countries & features.  Next week I'll try to allow some time for practicing the world.  Students should be doing this on the large laminated sheets at least once each week.

We played pictionary to review geography terms.

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.   (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
We reviewed our ICJH summaries & then the students broke into teams to answer questions based on on the Chapter.   We read over DCYB and discussed the related bible verses.  

We raced to write catechism question answers with each teammate writing 1 word, then next teammate wrote 2nd word etc.  The students seem to be struggling with the catechism questions.   They are very tricky because they have to state them word for word. Please let me know how I can come along side you in this area.

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Discuss chapter 11 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).

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