Week 20

We really are coming to a homestretch... the kids are doing marvelous.  Keep up the good work! 

The second week of our orchestra unit introduced us to the different period of classical music and selected composers during the classical and Romantic Era.  The kids enjoyed a brief game of music vocabulary and the instrument of the orchestra.  Thank you very much Mrs. Herson, we enjoyed every moment of it. My book recommendation for the orchestra is "The Story of the Orchestra" by Robert Levine.

 

Before we started class, I reminded the kids of the announcement Mrs. Herson gave during the opening ceremony.  We are very fortunate to be able to use the facility as our meeting place, as visitors to this place, we need to learn to take care of everything that is in it. I also stressed the rule of being mindful with our words.  I feel like I am preaching to the choir because I know these kids are model kids.  I just told them that they need to be role models and learn to take care of the younger ones. They seem to take it well. 

Presentation was exciting.  We learned a few things about different Asian countries (something dear to my heart) - India, Pakistan, Thailand, Philippines, South Korea, Hong Kong and cities - Calcutta, Tokyo and  a city in North Korea. It was interesting that nobody presented on the same country and they have their own special reason why they chose the country they reported on. We learn something new everyday, don't we?  Next time's presentation is Demonstration: Make or do something.  Show the class how to make or do something allowing audience participation if possible. Show all the steps, narrating as you go (class divided into two weeks). The following kids volunteered to present the first week (March 27) - Nolan, Caroline, Dawn, Reid and Jacob.  The following kids will present the second week (April 3) - Elle, Ruthie, Ellie and Jayven.  Have fun preparing.

Science experiment with Mr. Herson as always, is so much fun.  The first group project of the year, the kids are paired (one boy, one girl) to construct a bridge from straws.  We have two weeks for this project and I would say I am really impressed because the kids spent a big part of their lunch hour working on their bridges. If the kids want to continue to learn about how to construct their bridges, check out this site.

New Grammar and Review
English: Song - CCC NoGreaterJoy5
We learned about appositives.  Although our definition only states " a noun (or pronoun)", I mentioned that it can also be a noun phrase.  I gave them a few examples and they gave me some examples as well.

History: Song - CC CD
When I told the kids that the Vietnam War started in 1955, everybody was armed and ready to devour me because our history sentence states, "In 1965,..." Then I have to explain that the US troops was sent in 1965 to Vietnam making our sentence correct.  This site is an easy reading about the Vietnam War.  While telling them that the Vietnam War encompassed four presidents (two of which I cannot remember), the kids sang through the "Presidents' Song" and we were able to figure out the four presidents - Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon. I tried to tell them that the sentences for both Korean and Vietnam War are very similar with only the key words that are not the same. I reminded them to be very careful and think about what they are memorizing (own their memory work).

Math: Song - CCC NoGreaterJoy5
I briefly reviewed where 𝜋 came from and encourage them to do the experiment at home (get anything circle and measure the circumference and diameter, get the ratio and the answer will always be 3.14). We reviewed the area of the circle and proceeded with the circumference.  A quick review, radius is half of the diameter, so with the formula for Circumference, 2 𝜋r, it can be substituted with 𝜋d.  I also pointed out the difference between r² and 2r. I did mention that the only time the area and the circumference of the circle will be the same if the radius is 2 and nothing else.  It would be good to review that at home. Again, I would encourage you to help them with the application at home because I am sure they can recite the formulas in their sleep. I forgot to post my book recommendation for circles last week. "Sir Cumference and the Dargon of Pi" by Cindy Neuschwander.



Latin: Song - CC CD
Review of present perfect tense and "to be" perfect active indicative.  I just fund out that they can do the Latin challenge in Essentials just add two more - 

Science: Song - CCC NoGreaterJoy5
Our focus on the second law of thermodynamics is heat flow and I believe the kids understood the concept really well with the example hot water left on its own will cool down and not warm up.  It is one direction - the concept of  irreversibility - what goes out will not come back.  A good tie in to our announcement to be careful with our words.  Another example I gave was spray can, when you spray, you will not be able to retrieve the gas that goes out.  I briefly mentioned the other component of the second law, entropy - every isolated system becomes disordered in time.   If you want to learn more about the second law, check this out.

Timeline: Song - CC CD
We reviewed what was taught during the opening ceremony. We focused on time periods - the dates and what events follow immediately.  This is for them to not be confused when saying their timeline.

Geography: Song - CCC NoGreaterJoy5
Aside from the countries in our memory work of South Central Asia, I added a few countries that are near the area, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma and Malaysia.  We were able to review the countries in Southwest Asia and Southeast Asia.  Keep on reviewing.

Verse
We were able to review Ephesians 6:18-20 a few times. Someone asked if this is included in MM.  No it is not, but the goal of the class is to memorize the verse so we are doing it, myself included.  The kids can come see me anytime now for reciting the passage.  Any parent interested in reciting the whole of Ephesians 6 is welcome to come see me too.  Thank you very much for encouraging your kids to do this.  I would consider this more important than anything else because this is God's word. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away." Matthew 24:35 

Thank you very much for all you do for the kids.

Have a wonderful week.  Enjoy the snow!

Sincerely,
Zabrina

P.S.  I meant to send this photo the last time, but didn't get the chance.  Here goes...