reflections and assignments for 10/7/08

Dear Families,

We had a great day of learning. I love to see light bulbs going off. I saw several today. Even in boring, dry, old grammar. We had several volunteers in and out because of a meeting. They were all helpful and we appreciate all of them. We missed Amelia who was sick--we prayed for you!

I must apologize to parents about a mistake I made with our Bible assignment. I've already apologized to our children and been forgiven. Apparently, my pages stuck together when I was making lesson plans and I just skipped over Lesson 105. Sorry! We read it in class today and enjoyed it. Great discussion. Riddock asked, "If God knew Satan was going to tempt Adam and Eve, why did He ever create him?" He got me. But this was a great lead into how our finite, little minds can't comprehend our great God and there are just somethings that are too big for us to grasp. I told them that and got off the hot seat!

Latin is going well and they assure me they are enjoying the homework. Many have the Sanctus already completely memorized--ahead of time! We took turns acting out some of the verbs. Grammar was mostly about quotation marks and their proper use. It was a hard concept. Work with them in knowing the difference between a direct quote and an indirect quote. (Hint: on the homework sheet, there are no indirect quotes. They all need quotation marks!)

We enjoyed lunch on time for a change and came back up for two science labs. We condensed the water cycle into a bowl. I'm going to leave the project processing until next class and we should really see how water that is evaporated in no longer salty. We also did a lab that your children can show you in their book that illustrates the water cycle.

Literature was fun because we performed a play! I wrote a short script from chapter 1 and the students acted it out for Abby and me. Abby gave them two thumbs up! The book just gets better and many already liked it after only one chapter. I promise either the vocab gets easier or you just get used to it. It's a great read!

For history we were exposed to some literature selections suggested in SOTW. Ask your student about the tall tales from Japan that I read to them. We ended the day with a history project in which we made wish sticks to hang on a tree in your yard. We studied how the people of Japan were not Christian and in certain festivals hung these wish sticks in hopes that the wind would carry their wishes off to fulfillment. We were all glad that we have prayer instead of wish sticks!

Enjoy this beautiful fall weather and learning along side your children.

love,
Mrs. Tkach

ASSIGNMENTS:
Grammar:
3rd: --review lesson 16 page 47 and 48
--complete handout sheet page 7
--complete Exercise A and B
--BONUS/EXTRA CREDIT complete "Can You Do This"

2nd: -- complete handout sheet page 7
--read and review Lesson 18 in Unit 1 on page 44
--complete "For You To Do"
--complete "More Practice and Review" orally with Mom

Literature: --complete vocab exercise
--read ch. 2
--complete review activities

History: --write a narration on the first half of ch. 5 of SOTW
--complete mapwork
--(optional) color page
--read second half of ch. 5

Science:
--show your parents the cut-and-paste weather lab and explain the water cycle in your own words
--continue your weather journal (They looked great when I checked their progress today!)

Latin:
--review as needed
--complete page 21

Bible:
--read Psalms 126
--be prepared to discuss how happy the Israelites were to return home