1st Semester Week 14 and Blue Books!

I'm so sorry that this silly stomach bug prevented us from meeting today! The good(ish) news is that today was going to be almost all review, followed by a detailed discussion of blue book questions.

Here's the plan. I will coordinate with the moms, and we will find a time to chat on google hangouts tomorrow (Tuesday). I will talk you through the plan for the week and for next Monday.

But before we talk tomorrow ~ I'd like you to read through each strand below, where I lay out the exact blue book questions and what you need to do to prepare! I'll look forward to answering any of your burning questions tomorrow!

Grammar (Latin):

Positive = today was review, with no new material to cover.

Blue Book Latin Prompts (~40 minutes):

1. Create or fill in a chart displaying each of the five noun declensions. NOTE: YOU DO NOT NEED TO FILL IN THE SHADED BOXES (ie 3rd Declension Neuter i-stem and 4th Declension Neuter endings)

• I will provide the following chart for you to fill out: Noun Declension Chart
• Download this chart and print it out. Review it this week so that you are able to fill it in from memory. Remember, this is NOT a test. Do your best to learn and review the declensions, and do not stress if you don't have them all mastered by next Monday. It's a chance to celebrate what you do know!

Bonus Questions (do as many as you can in the time allowed):

2. List everything you know about at least two of the following sentences (NOTE: I can't add the lovely macrons on the blog...but they will be there for the test!):

• Flumen est altum. 
• Christiani pro amicis orant.
• Servi dominum bonum laudant.
• In Christo est spes mundi.
• Christiani in nomine Christi orant.

3. Translate at least two of the following sentences into latin:  

1. He is praying. 
2. You are brave. (HINT: decide who 'you' is in this sentence!)
3. The slaves were carrying the grain into the towns.
4. They are attacking the town.

4. List as many latin vocabulary words as you can, including translations.

Exposition/Composition (LTW):

Positive = We are repeating the process for Essay 4, so there was nothing new to introduce today!

Blue Book Exposition/Composition Prompts (~30 min+):

1. Name three canons of rhetoric that we use in our writing process and tell which problem each one solves. Give some examples of tools we have learned for each of these three canons. 

2. Using your Amos Fortune outline & Essay 4 checklist, write a persuasive essay. I will include the outline and checklist, but you need to come prepared to write your essay! This week you will use all the Arrangement tools we have covered so far to prepare your outline. And you could even start on your essay if you'd like! (Remember to ask questions if you get stuck anywhere along the way!)

Logic (Math):

Positive = we've been discussing math problems all year! You've got a good knowledge base on how to have a 5 Common Topics discussion about math.

Blue Book Logic Prompts (~30min):

1. Choose one problem (or write your own - thoughtful - problem) and write a plan for a 5 Common Topics Math Discussion. Solve the problem. I will provide the 5CT math sheet that we use every week. (Math Discussion Worksheet)

1. 47 x 39
2. Compare: 3x4 o 2(6)
3. x - 3/8 = 7/8
4. How can 32 people share $40.00?
5. Solve: 20 = 12Y
6. 18/100 = 90/p
7. Write 0.25 as a fraction
8. 3.56 = 5.6 - y
9. Round 6.857142 to three decimal place

You will need to write out at least one question from each of the 5 topics, and how those questions could be answered (i.e. "What do you see?" numbers, fractions, decimals, words, symbols, variables, etc.). Imagine you are writing out a typical discussion from class!

Debate (Cartography):

Today was supposed to be our blank paper assessment of Europe! Please try to do this at home this week! We were also going to practice on different sizes of paper to see which you'd prefer for blue books.

Blue Book Debate Prompt (~ 60+ min.):

1. Draw and label the Western Hemisphere and Europe (nations, capitals, and features).

• I will have a few different sizes of paper for you to choose from. You'll practice drawing EVERYTHING you know all week long. Focus on reviewing areas that need refreshing and spacing your continents out on paper. Talk with your mom about how you want to label your map (it can get crowded with all the names and features). Dylan is going to label countries and as many features as possible, but only put a dot to represent the capitals, then list the capitals separately. Your mom may not be concerned with capitals at all! 
• Next Monday, you will start with a blank sheet of paper and a pencil and you will draw everything that you can from memory. 
• Once you can't think of anything else, I will give you a list of prompts and a colored pencil that you can use to add more to your map. 
• I will also provide a table of all the countries/provinces where you may choose to write in the capitals (instead of writing them on your maps).
• Once again, WE ARE CELEBRATING WHAT YOU KNOW, not penalizing you for what you haven't mastered yet! Practice your maps extra hard this week!

Research (Science):

Today we were going to discuss science fair and do a fun experiment. Bummer! You need to review your material lists and procedures and check for any possible errors. Have your parent(s) look them over! I will also look through them next week, so bring your lab notebook and research plan to class! 

The goal going into Christmas break is that you are ready to begin your experiment, and that your Research Plan is complete. 

Read this summary: Science Fair Week 15

Blue Book Research Prompt (~ 30 min):

1. Consider two of the creatures you researched this year and explain the following:

• How these creations compare to one another (under the Canon of Comparison, you may create a "HAVE, ARE, and DO"chart to compare differences and similarities, or use one I provide). How are they different?  LTW Comparison
• If you have time, draw an illustration of both creatures.

Rhetoric:

I'm bummed we didn't get to have our two chapter discussion today! And my games! You'll need to review all of the chapters we've read so far in It Couldn't Just Happen. Look through all your highlighted sections and remember why you highlighted them! 

Blue Book Rhetoric Prompts (~30 minutes):

1. Write out 3 of your favorite Catechism questions. Why are they your favorite?

2. Over the past 15 weeks, you have read and discussed the book It Couldn’t Just Happen. It introduces some of the arguments and evidence against the ‘Big Bang’ theory and Evolution, and some arguments and evidence in favor of Creation. Reflect on your reading and

memorized catechism questions, then complete 1-4 of the following:

• Describe/explain 3-5 compelling reasons why the world couldn’t have just happened.
• Describe/explain some features of living creatures on our earth that point to a Creator who designed the universe.
• Create an ANI chart for the following issue: Should Evolution (with a big E) be taught in schools as fact. Can you come up with 10-15 items per column?
• Choose a catechism question and tell me more about it using the 5 common topics.