Spring Semester Week 12 Seminar Recap & Notes

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
***NEED A VOLUNTEER*** WILL LEAD DISCUSSION IN WEEK 13
-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 13 )
   
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 concept of factoring algebraic expressions.  

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 talked about the interrogative particle "ne".  We add this to the end of our verb when we ask a questions without an interrogative adverb or pronoun (i.e. Was he praising Caesar? & Do you fight for the king?).  We still have to determine the person, number & tense so that we can conjugate our verb.  Also, when using "ne" our verb usually comes first.

We modeled exercised 132 & 133 & reviewed vocab on p 117.  Students will make flashcards & decline in spiral notebooks.  In addition, they will review all grammar rules & vocab on p 91-98.

Possible quiz next week.

We played dictionary 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 digestive system.  I'll return those next week.  We drew the eye system from memory, traded w/ a neighbor & graded.  I introduced neurons, 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 neurons, students will need to continue to draw the eye in preparation for the quiz next week.  Try drawing from memory only as if testing to see what's missing.  Quiz on the eye will be next week.

NEURONS IS OUR LAST BODY SYSTEM - Begin reviewing all body systems in preparation for the final in week 15.  More info to follow.

STUDENTS SHOULD BRING IN THEIR DRAWINGS TO CLASS.

POINT REWARD: Integration between 2 subjects - 5 points
Find a disorder involving neurons & explain it- 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 went over each students outline.  Most had some revisions to make.  We reviewed similes, parallelism & subject/verb edits.

This week they will review/complete all workbook pages regarding elocution elements & compose an essay from the outline.  They essay will include parallelism, exordium, simile, division, amplification (all tools learned so far).

Read Bronze Bow.

Suggestions for parents @ home:   Review outlines for clear proofs & supporting proofs that are SEPARATE ideas.  Review & assist with editing final paper. 

Debate/Geography

Today the students took their test on Australia & New Zealand.  I'll return those next week.  I introduced Oceania & the students practiced drawing it.  Test on Oceania will be in week 13- 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

Clayton 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 that we played.

***Possible catechism quiz net week!!!

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE APOLOGETICS PAPER -students should already have their topic chosen & should begin writing process if they have not already.

Suggestions for parents @ home:  Discuss chapter 41-42 in DCYB.  Check that student is answering questions for DCYB.  Drill all catechism questions (remember they must be able to state word for word).