Good evening Emoms! What a fantastic day we had today. I am encouraged by how engaged and productive the kids were. I know that today was just the first day and there are bound to be days where class isn't as engaging. However, if today is an indication of what is to come...I'm EXCITED!
Here's what we accomplished today, which was incredible!
EEL - We talked about the grammar of Grammar. How we have words that form sentences that form paragraphs that form essays. EEL is the grammar of words and sentences.
We rapped the 8 Parts of Speech rap and remembered that we'd heard it in Foundations.
We used an outline of a hand to remind us of the 5 Parts of a Sentence -
Thumb - Capital Letter
First finger - Subject - Subject Noun
Middle finger - Predicate - always has a verb
Ring finger - must Make Sense
Pinky finger - End Mark!
I sent an outline of a hand home with your kids to help them remember. This will be beneficial when they start writing sentences for essays.
We talked about Subjects and Predicates - the Subject is who/what the sentence is about and the Predicate is what is being said about the Subject. Every sentence has a Subject and Predicate.
We began learning about sentence Structure, Purpose and Patterns.
The Structure of a sentence is how a sentence is built - what it looks like. Consider a house.
Simple - one independent clause with a subject and verb.
Compound - 2 independent clauses joined by FANBOYS (for, an, nor, but, or, yet, so)
Complex - one independent clause with a subordinate clause - www.asia - who/which
Compound Complex - two independent clauses with at least one subordinate clause
FANBOYS + www.asia - who/which
The Purpose of a sentence shows the intent or function of the sentence.
Declarative - makes a statement and ends with a period.
Exclamatory - expresses a strong emotion and ends with an exclamation point.
Interrogative - asks a questions and ends with a question mark.
Imperative - expresses a command and ends with an exclamation point or a period.
There are 7 sentence Patterns that all sentences are made of.
*Remember that you can sing these patterns to the tune of Three Blind Mice*
S-Vi
S-Vt-DO
S-Vl-PN
S-Vl-PA
S-Vt-IO-DO
S-Vt-IO-OCN
S-Vt-IO-OCA
All of this info is on Chart A.
We didn't get a chance in class to use the Analytical Task Sheet but we will use it weekly to practice dictation and asking questions to see if sentences are complete. Don't worry about it just yet if this is your first tour. We will practice in class.
I also showed you the BIG PICTURE of all 112 sentence combinations (charts B, G, M, P). While it looks intimidating, we will break this down and we will make sense of it. I promise.
HOMEWORK:
Moms - guide your kids in their copying of Charts A and B. 1st Tour - only the gray portions (or more if they are up to it). 2nd and 3rd tours - all of it. Break it into pieces if you need to if it causes stress. Read week 2 lesson.
Kids - copy Charts A and B as many times as you can/want. Recite to mom what the 8 parts of speech and the 5 parts of a sentence are.
Here's a fun idea for practicing the charts!
I also showed you the BIG PICTURE of all 112 sentence combinations (charts B, G, M, P). While it looks intimidating, we will break this down and we will make sense of it. I promise.
Moms - guide your kids in their copying of Charts A and B. 1st Tour - only the gray portions (or more if they are up to it). 2nd and 3rd tours - all of it. Break it into pieces if you need to if it causes stress. Read week 2 lesson.
Kids - copy Charts A and B as many times as you can/want. Recite to mom what the 8 parts of speech and the 5 parts of a sentence are.
Here's a fun idea for practicing the charts!
MATH - we started by practicing some mental math. We used the white boards and I rolled 3 dice and the kids added them together. Then we began talking about N2K - National Number Knockout. We will play this weekly in order that everyone will become accustomed to playing it.
We walked through how to play:
Each player needs a board numbered 1-36. Three dice are rolled. Equations are made using the order of operations (PEMDAS - we will discuss later - for now use, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) to get answers that we "knock out" of the board. We practiced in class very.slowly how to play. It is a fun game. Don't be discouraged if it takes your student awhile to catch on. We will not be competing against each other for awhile yet.
HOMEWORK: If you have the Math Trivium Table, there is a 1-36 grid on the back page. Practice fact families at home then move on to practicing N2K. The more they practice, the more successful they will feel.
IEW - We tore up the room and made it a mess and I shared with the kids that you can't do your schoolwork if the room is a mess. They need "structure" to find all their supplies and be able to complete their work. I also dressed up in too many clothes and I didn't look "stylish". I told them that their papers needed style to be interesting and to capture their reader's attention.
After we cleaned up the room, we dove into the structure of an essay. We read the essay on Christopher Columbus in our HBW on page 14. We read it once, then again, and began forming our KWO. We made it through one sentence, but I hope it was enough to give you a jump start in doing it. Remember these things:
1. Only 3 key WORDS per line.
2. Numbers, abbreviations and symbols are FREE!
3. Proper noun names (Atlantic Ocean) counts as ONE word.
I will email you a list of symbols you can use if you'd like.
We briefly talked about -ly adverbs. Behind the Dress-ups tab of your TWSS, on the pink pages (pg 93), is a list of -ly adverbs. I suggested that you choose one and have the kids use it as much as possible at home. Then I challenged the kids to say as many as they could and to keep a tally of them and that they could receive a reward of some sort. Sorry to put that on you! :)
HOMEWORK:
Moms: help your child complete their KWO. Read each sentence and decide which words they want to use to help remember the idea of the sentence. After the KWO is complete, have your child read the story to you using the KWO - this is the chance to test your outline. If it doesn't make sense, go back, check your text and revise your KWO. Read over week 2 lesson: Unit 2 - Writing from Notes and who/which clause, titles from clinchers.
Kids: 1st tour - complete the KWO. 2nd and 3rd tours - complete the KWO and write a rough draft of an essay (not required but good practice). We will not read them in class.
***NEXT WEEK'S PASSWORD: Structure, Purpose, Pattern. I totally had this on the board to show the kids and I FORGOT!! Please let them know what it is!
Be looking for the sing up genius email for our next 3 P&P (Pudewa and ?). Remember: two people should sign up per event, one to host (set up room at church, provide decor, etc) the other to provide snacks. Get together and decide on a 'P' theme!
Don't forget our CHART WAR that we are working toward! Have your kids copy as many charts as they can! Remind them that the possibility of a Sonic gift card is there! :)
If you have any questions, PLEASE contact me! See you next week!
Blessings,
M
HOMEWORK:
Moms: help your child complete their KWO. Read each sentence and decide which words they want to use to help remember the idea of the sentence. After the KWO is complete, have your child read the story to you using the KWO - this is the chance to test your outline. If it doesn't make sense, go back, check your text and revise your KWO. Read over week 2 lesson: Unit 2 - Writing from Notes and who/which clause, titles from clinchers.
Kids: 1st tour - complete the KWO. 2nd and 3rd tours - complete the KWO and write a rough draft of an essay (not required but good practice). We will not read them in class.
***NEXT WEEK'S PASSWORD: Structure, Purpose, Pattern. I totally had this on the board to show the kids and I FORGOT!! Please let them know what it is!
Be looking for the sing up genius email for our next 3 P&P (Pudewa and ?). Remember: two people should sign up per event, one to host (set up room at church, provide decor, etc) the other to provide snacks. Get together and decide on a 'P' theme!
Don't forget our CHART WAR that we are working toward! Have your kids copy as many charts as they can! Remind them that the possibility of a Sonic gift card is there! :)
If you have any questions, PLEASE contact me! See you next week!
Blessings,
M
