Second Semester Week 2 Seminar Recap & Notes

Thanks again for your flexibility this week and meeting on Wednesday at Mr. Hopper's church!!

REMINDERS FOR SPRING SEMESTER:
-Students will be leading rhetoric discussions.  I will email out ahead of time when you child will lead so they can prepare
-Students will begin to track their own points (with your supervision).  They will need to keep a detailed "log" and turn that in to me at the end of the year (wk 14) for the awards.
-Students will also "teach" LTW cannons as we begin review

Here's the recap  (PLEASE SEE THE GUIDE FOR HOMEWORK DUE FOR SPRING SEMINAR - WEEK 3 )
   
Logic/Math
Only 1 new term this week - another sigh of relief!

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.  The students are beginning to lead the discussions.  
Today we focused on "showing our work" - talking about "math sentences" and each individual step in solving/evaluating a problem.  

We covered the concepts of complex fractions, multiplication/division of signed numbers, & factional part of a number.

We played the N2K game in teams- they did a great job.  Think we'll play this each week.

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
Today was all about the adjectives.  We read through Lesson 7, learning that adjectives have 3 genders and are declined in all 3 genders & that they are grouped into 2 main classes: those that have 1st & 2nd declension endings & those that have 3rd declension endings.  This week's focus was on the 1st & 2nd declension endings.  I modeled how to decline magn-us, magn-a & magn-um.  I also showed the students a way of making flashcards for the adjectives.

We also learned that adjectives must agree with the nouns they modify in number, case & gender.  We wouldn't want to describe a feminine 1st declension singular noun with a masculine 2nd declension plural adjective - that would be offensive!!

The students competed a few items in each of the exercises.

They will make flashcards for the new vocabulary and decline those in their spiral notebook (adjectives will go in adjective section-again 3 declensions for each 2nd Masc, 1st Fem & 2nd Neuter).  There are new grammar rules in the blue book as well as rules in the purple book. Assignment is exercises #84-87.

****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 bats.  I love that many of the students read from note cards again today!!!!  There is such a difference in their presentation skills!  Continue to have them practice their presentation skills at home - especially eye contact and "voice volume".  Work towards reading from note cards this semester and possibly memorization!  

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.

We completed a comparison chart using bats & birds - it was a great way to integrate our exposition with science!

Our next topic for will be whales/dolphins so look ahead for topics & sources.

Here are some possible helpful websites:

 http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dolphin 
http://www.ourendangeredworld.com/species/endangered-animals-water/ 
http://www.extremescience.com/blue-whale.htm 
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/whales/ 
http://news.msn.co.nz/worldnews/8686286/kiwi-surfer-knocked-out-by-humpback-whale 
http://www.icr.org/article/whale-variations-support-creation/ 

POINTS: Find whale referenced in scripture; find the largest whale & dolphin; & speak "whale" like Dori from Nemo in class  10 points

Sweet reward: Complete this sentence: The heart of a Blue whale is the size of a ________.

Next week starts anatomy, so dig out those Biology books and bring them to class.

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 took a student's ANI chart and reviewed the sorting process.  We also reviewed exordium, amplification & the structure of our essay (Basic II).  We discussed in length amplification. Really help them with the that. It's a tough skill and I think many students are not understanding it.  They are answering the "who cares & why" outside of the characters in their issue. Let me know if I can be of any assistance.

The rest of the class papers.  I'll return those next week.

At home, students will sort their ANI, complete student wkbk Lesson 3 Arrangement A "Guide to Exordium"p29 ; Lesson 4 Arrangement A "Guide to Amplification"p45 ; Lesson 4 Arrangement B "Basic Persuasive Essay w/ Amplification" p47; create outline from ANI (Lesson 4 Arrangement template basic persuasive essay w/ amplification"p49.  They will come to class with all completed workbook pages and their outline.

Suggestions for parents @ home:    Assist/guide student with their worksheets.  Assist & guide with sorting of ANI chart & outline.  Review sorting & basic essay II -teacher guide p 99-103.  (Review exordium & amplification if needed)

Debate/Geography

Today added a new section Asia.   We drew the continent of Asia, then focused on locating the new items.  Then we drew it again…. the students found a way to "just keep drawing"…check it out

We played trashketball to review geography terms.  GEO TERMS QUIZ NEXT WEEK.

Students should bring in maps that they've drawn.  They'll show the class their best map.  **BRING IN 1 WORLD MAP DRAWING if they didn't bring it this week.

DRAW FOR POINTS!!!  Students will earn 5 points for each map drawn each week (after they draw 8 which would be 2 per day for 4 days)  *****20 Points for each world map with everything they've learned so far labeled on the map (it doesn't have to all be from memory)

****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 and/or countries & capitals (it is suggested that they make flashcards for review).

Rhetoric

To review ICJH, students broke up into 3 main teams to explain the brain, nervous system and "grey matter".  Of course, we had some students who really wanted to "spice up" their presentation…I give you "The Boys featuring Lizzy"..

We did get more serious after, discussing how our unique creation reveals information about our amazing God.  I love the descriptions the students came up with….creative, complex, loving, intelligent, powerful.  We also discussed how, through His creation, God gives us the rebuttal to the "evolution debate".  I really love hearing their hearts.

We read over DCYB and discussed the related bible verses.  

In the 2nd semester students will begin to lead class discussions for ICJH & DCYB, so begin talking about & practicing that at home.

We learned the next 3 catechism cards and played a game to review. 

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Discuss chapter 17 in each book.  Check that student is filling out study guide for ICJH & answering questions for DCYB.  Drill catechism questions 1-51 (remember they must be able to state word for word).