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 **THIS WILL START IN WEEK 5
***CLAYTON WILL LEAD DISCUSSION IN WEEK 12
-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 12 )
Logic/Math
Math terms - couple more this week.
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.
Again, we focused on "showing our work" - talking about "math sentences" and each individual step in solving/evaluating a problem. We are also learning how to "show our work".
I previewed concepts of equations with exponents.
We played the N2K game individually & in teams. 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 we learned about interrogative adverbs & pronouns. We looked at several English sentences with interrogative adverbs & pronouns (like Who was fighting?). When translating from English to Latin, we need to look at what person, number & tense in our sentence so that we know what verb endings to use. We modeled exercises #16-131 & reviewed the new vocab on p 114.
Review grammar rule (blue book) #164. Flashcards for new vocab & decline in spiral notebook. Pay attention to note regarding when prepositions are omitted in translating from English to Latin.
We played charades to review vocab!
POINTS: Translate next "section" of The Giving Tree - 10 its (it's a long one!)
****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 was our quiz on the skeleton. I'll return those next week. We drew the digestive system from memory, traded w/ a neighbor & graded. I introduced the eye, we went over the definitions and labeled our drawing together in class. PLEASE NOTE CHANGES TO DRAWING THAT WERE EMAILED OUT WITH DEFINITIONS. I modeled & gave suggestions on how to draw the system. THEY NEED TO DRAW IT LARGE ENOUGH TO SEE ALL THE DETAIL. We referred back to our Foundations art - OILS in breaking down the drawing into circles, straight lines, dotes, angles & curved lines.
At home, students will need to define the new terms, and draw, draw, draw. They need to be drawing the system every day - more than once a day and labeling it. After the first few days of drawing, they need to "test" by drawing & labeling it from memory. I showed them samples of what their "test" in 2 weeks should look like. In addition to drawing the eye, students will need to continue to draw the digestive system in preparation for the quiz next week. Try drawing from memory only as if testing to see what's missing. Quiz on the digestive system will be next week.
STUDENTS SHOULD BRING IN THEIR DRAWINGS TO CLASS.
POINT REWARD: Integration between 2 subjects - 5 points
What is the enzyme in tears that "bites holes" in the cell walls of bacteria so that they can explode? Also, what is Aniridia & Charles Bonnet Syndrome?- 5 points
Suggestions for parents @ home: Check students drawings daily. "Test" by having them draw from memory several times, ensuring they have all elements & it is correctly labeled.
At home, students will need to define the new terms, and draw, draw, draw. They need to be drawing the system every day - more than once a day and labeling it. After the first few days of drawing, they need to "test" by drawing & labeling it from memory. I showed them samples of what their "test" in 2 weeks should look like. In addition to drawing the eye, students will need to continue to draw the digestive system in preparation for the quiz next week. Try drawing from memory only as if testing to see what's missing. Quiz on the digestive system will be next week.
STUDENTS SHOULD BRING IN THEIR DRAWINGS TO CLASS.
POINT REWARD: Integration between 2 subjects - 5 points
What is the enzyme in tears that "bites holes" in the cell walls of bacteria so that they can explode? Also, what is Aniridia & Charles Bonnet Syndrome?- 5 points
Suggestions for parents @ home: Check students drawings daily. "Test" by having them draw from memory several times, ensuring they have all elements & it is correctly labeled.
Expo/Comp
Today we learned our last tool for arrangement - division. Parents - I emailed out a LTOW Division tips document as well as the division exercise worksheet that we will be using (do not use student workbook pages). We'll use the this for our paper on Crispin & for out last paper on the Bronze Bow (can't believe we only have 2 papers left to write!!). This was a tough lesson, but I thought the students did well as we worked through the worksheet together. We discussed how there is agreement even when there is disagreement and all have 2 sides just like or ANI. Division is a insightful tool to give clarity of thought in organizing an argument and it teaches the student to find an exact point of agreement within disagreements. Using the 5 Common Topics is helpful in finding the point of agreement from the disagreement. The students will be adding a division statement to their paper this week (see outline p 73). The is a sample of a division statement on the LTOW Division tips document (7th paragraph down).
At home, students sort their ANI and choose witch side of the issue they are on. Then complete Lsn 3 Arrangement A Guide to Exordium; Lsn 4 Arrangement A Guide to Amplification; the division worksheet handed out in class (use their 5 Common Topics worksheet completed last week to fill this in); Lsn 5 B Persuasive Essay w/ Division & Distribution; then create and outline from the ANI using Lsn 5 Arrangement B Basic Persuasive Essay w/ Division & Distribution (p73).
At home, students sort their ANI and choose witch side of the issue they are on. Then complete Lsn 3 Arrangement A Guide to Exordium; Lsn 4 Arrangement A Guide to Amplification; the division worksheet handed out in class (use their 5 Common Topics worksheet completed last week to fill this in); Lsn 5 B Persuasive Essay w/ Division & Distribution; then create and outline from the ANI using Lsn 5 Arrangement B Basic Persuasive Essay w/ Division & Distribution (p73).
Suggestions for parents @ home: READ LTOW: Division tips; watch LTW DVD on Division. Assist/review the sorting of the ANI & completion of the worksheets - especially the new division worksheet. Have students work through the 5CT worksheet to complete. REVIEW OUTLINE for clear proofs & supporting sup-proofs (separate ideas!).
Debate/Geography
Today the students took their test on Africa. I'll return those next week. I introduced Australia & New Zealand & the students practiced drawing it. Quiz on Australia & New Zealand will be next week.
Geography terms quiz next week.
Students should bring in maps that they've drawn. They'll show the class their best map.
Geography terms quiz next 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 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
Caleb lead our Rhetoric discussion this week. We read through the DCYB chapters & he also came up with creative ways to answer questions from the chapters. He had a great catechism review game -family feud style - that we played.
***Possible catechism quiz net week!!!
DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE APOLOGETICS PAPER that will be due in week 15. It would be a good time to check out topics & pick one.
***Possible catechism quiz net week!!!
DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE APOLOGETICS PAPER that will be due in week 15. It would be a good time to check out topics & pick one.
Suggestions for parents @ home: Discuss chapter 36 & 39 in DCYB. Check that student is answering questions for DCYB. Drill all catechism questions (remember they must be able to state word for word).
