Week 6

I can't believe that the first quarter is over. Congratulations everyone for working hard the past six weeks.  Keep up the good work.

Science experiment was fun. We learned about the function of our ears aside from hearing.  We also learn about the brain.  Can we train the other side of our brain?  Yes, definitely! If you want to read more about the difference between the left brain and the right brain, check this out.  Science experiment for the next six weeks is "Human Body parts".  Please remind the kids to bring their coloring materials (crayons, color pencils, markers, etc.), pencils and scissors.

Before they started their presentation, I talked to them about preparing and memorizing their presentation.  Since they are in the "Masters" class, they have to strive to be a better version of themselves.  They should not compare themselves with anybody else but themselves. They have to strive to do better than they were before.  The goal is to help them transition better to "Challenge" and the expectations that comes with it.  If I am expecting too much, let me know, so I don't put too much pressure on them. I am encouraged about the kids presentation this week.  They tried their best to memorize their presentation, and I am hoping they will do that for the next presentations as well. Next week's presentation is Humorous interpretation - Delight your audience with a funny story, poem or narrative joke.  Memorize your story completely and use gestures or actions to enhance your presentation.

New Grammar
History - Song: CC CD
We discussed a little bit about the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark expedition. If you want to learn more, you might want to check this out.

English - Song: CCC NoGreaterJoy5
As we have done last week, I challenged them to think what is the principal parts of "do", not just simply memorizing it.

Science - Song: CCC NoGreaterJoy5
I showed them a picture of the digestive system and we discussed the function of the different parts of the digestive system.  Check this out for more information on the digestive system.

Latin - Song: CCC NoGreaterJoy5
Part 1 of 3 of the nouns.  Keep on practicing Latin at home. The kids seemed to be struggling with Latin this year.

Timeline - Song: CC CD
We reviewed what was done during the opening ceremony. I reminded them of the markers (date), so it is easier to remember and they will be able to find their way when they get lost.

Math
Continue on practicing the multiplication tables.

Geography - Song: CC CD
We added five states to our tracing of the U.S. map.  Remind them t bing their completed work every week. As I mentioned before, the goal is to prepare them to draw the U.S. map by memory at the end of the year. I still want to make a portfolio for them, so I would encourage them to do their work at home since we don't have enough time to draw the map in class.  You don't want an empty portfolio, right?  Again, if this is too much, lt me know.

Fine Arts
We ended our drawing unit, and we incorporated almost all of our previous lessons while doing our project.  We drew the White House and added as many details as possible.  See their drawings below.  I hope you'll continue to practice the drawing techniques we learned throughout the first semester.  Next week, we start our music theory, check your email for further announcement on this.

Review
JEOPARDY... the kids enjoyed their daily doubles.  I hope you'll keep on practicing the memory work at home.  If your kids plan to do Memory Masters, start practicing now.  This is the best time to start. You want to prepare ahead and the best way to do it is to keep practicing at home.

Thank you very much for allowing me to be part of your children's education.  I am invested in your children's learning because I treat them as my own.  Again, if my goal for the kids does not line up with yours, come talk to me.  Maybe we can work something out to meet in the middle.  In the end, you are still the teacher, I am just here to be a lead learner and to help you anyway I can.

Have a wonderful week!

Sincerely,
Zabrina

Week 5

We had a short Science time with Mr. Reeser.  We learned about the skin and how we generate new skin cells all the time. To learn more, check this out.

Presentation was exciting even if there was a slight misunderstanding. The kids had different presentations, but it is okay.  They all still learned something from each other.  For those who already did their memorized speech, tell us something about the American Patriot who wrote the speech next week.  For those who did the American patriot's biography, they have to come with a memorized speech next week.  Challenge your kids in preparing their presentation, they are in the Masters class already. This is a wonderful opportunity to practice what they are learning in Essentials (KWO) and learn public speaking as well.

New Grammar
History - Song: CC CD
I briefly discuss how the New Constitution allowed for the United States to have their own president. I emphasize that as we are given powers, we are also given responsibilities.  The impressive thing they did when we were discussing 1789 was this - they were able to state the French Revolution sentence from Cycle 2, and we were able to correlate that when George Washington was being inaugurated as president here in the U.S., the French Revolution is happening. I love dialectic stage.

English - Song: CCC NoGreaterJoy5
We start with the principal parts of the irregular verbs this week until Week 17.  I tried asking them out of order like, "What is the past participle of be?" or "What is the past tense of be?" to encourage them to think and not just memorize since they already know this by memory.

Science - Song: CCC NoGreaterJoy5
We learned about the five senses and its connection with the nervous system.  I used the opportunity to share I Cor. 12:17 ff; on how we are different but part of one whole body. To learn more about the five senses, check this for sight , this for hearing, and this for smelling and tasting.

Latin - Song: CCC NoGreaterJoy5
We continued with Latin verbs part 2.

Timeline - Song: CC CD
We practiced what we learned during the Opening Ceremony. As always, we did the what happened before...

Math
Keep on working on the multiplication table. Start working on the 11's, 12's, 13's, 14's 15's.

Geography - Song: CC CD
We continued tracing the new states we learned. I sent home homework for memorization through drawing. Again, please remind them to bring their completed work to class on Monday.

Fine Arts
Perspective Drawing.  I explained a little bit about the different types of perspective drawing.  We focused on the one point perspective and we drew the Washington monument. Below is the picture of their art work.

Review
Tic-tac-toe.  The kids had a wonderful time reviewing the memory work while playing tic-tac-toe.  It was really fun learning along side them.  We found out that we really need to work on Math and Latin a lot.

Have a wonderful weekend. See you all on Monday!

Sincerely,
Zabrina

Week 4

Thank you for being well behaved for Mrs. Johansen last week.  We miss you Gavin and Julia.

Science with Mr. Mark was really exciting this past Monday. We learned about lung capacity, and the kids were really competitive on who will have the greatest lung capacity. If you want to learn more in depth things about the lungs and its capacity, check this out.

This week's presentation is very dear to my heart. We memorize a lot of verses in our family, and we love to encourage others to do it as well. The kids did really well with their Bible memorization and I really hope they will continue to keep memorizing God's word.  If you have not started memorizing, start with one to two verses and then challenge yourselves to go on to one to two chapters and even whole books.  Currently, Dawn and I are memorizing the book of James... we already finished Chapters 1 & 2 and are getting ready to move on to Chapter 3.  Our goal is to do one chapter a month.  If we keep on with our goal, we should be able to finish memorizing the book of James by the end of the year. I hope this can be an encouragement to you.  The kids can do it. Just be patient and keep working on it.  The next two week's presentation is connected. First, pick a American Patriot's speech and memorize it (this will be their Week 6's presentation).  For Week 5's presentation, tell us the biography of the American Patriot you chose.  An example I gave to the kids is this - If you are thinking of memorizing the "Gettysburg Address" on Week 6, tell us about Abraham Lincoln next time we meet (Week 5).  Skill we are focusing on is "Articulation" - speak clearly so the audience can understand you. 

New Grammar
History - Song: CC CD
I gave them a little bit of a background when the Declaration of Independence was written.  If you want to learn more, check this out, or go to your local library and look for books on the Declaration of Independence.

English - Song: CCC NoGreaterJoy5
I drew a hand on my board to remember the five principal parts.

Science - Song: CCC NoGreaterJoy5
We learned about the parts of the nervous system.  I gave them the analogy of the power plant generator delivering electric current to our home to understand the function of the different parts.  Check this out for more information.

Latin - Song: CCC NoGreaterJoy5
The first part of Latin verbs. We signed and learned the words in English and Latin.

Timeline - Song CC CD
We continued what was learned during the opening ceremony.  And of course our ever famous what is before the event...

Math
Keep working on the multiplication table.

Geography - Song: CC CD
We traced and drew the new states we learned. Challenge your kids to draw it by memory. You'll be surprised how much they'll remember.

Fine Arts
I introduced them to different abstract artist and told them that most of the time, an abstract art is more on how the artist see the things they are drawing and how they feel about it.  My question for them before they started drawing was, "What do you see and how do you feel when you look at our flag. We drew the American flag as an abstract art and you can see their work below.

Review
We continued with drawing the US states by tracing to memorize.  This will be our last week doing it in class (the next few drawings will be sent home with them, but be sure to bring it back to class the following week). For those who did not finish their drawing in class, I sent it home with them.  Please remind them to bring their completed work back next week, as I plan to make a geography portfolio for them.

Have a wonderful week off. See you in two weeks...

Sincerely,
Zabrina

Week 3

To learn more about fingerprints, check this site. Fingerprinting is in Unit 2.  This particular site is focused on Crime Scene Investigation, but the fingerprinting basics has excellent powerpoints and worksheets.

New Grammar
History - Song: CC CD
If you want to read more about the Boston Tea Party, check this out.

Science - Song: CCC NoGreaterJoy5
To learn more about the types of muscles. Check this out.

Geography - Song: CC CD
Continue to practice drawing the states by memory. Keep up the good work!

Math
Keep on practicing the multiplication table. The goal is to be able to answer the problem without having to skip count.

Fine Arts
Upside Down Drawing... why are we doing this? To train the right side of the brain.  Check this article out to learn more on why we are doing this.  If you want the kids to keep on working at home.  I suggest that you make them listen to something while they are drawing so they can be focus on the listening while drawing with just looking at the lines and not thinking about it. For this project, I gave the kids a an upside down picture inside an envelope, they have to pull the picture slowly as they draw. Below is the sample of their work (If you observe the drawings closely, you'll see that while they were starting to draw, not knowing what it was, they did really well following the lines.  When they found out what they were drawing, they just drew what they know without following the lines). I hope they can continue practicing at home.

I hope you enjoyed your week with Mrs. Johansen.  Thank you very much, Phoebe.

Zabrina