Our Day and assignments for 5/8/09

Dear Families,

It seems we had a busy day but somehow we finished early and had my room clean, The Witch of Blackbird Pond read, packed and downstairs for an African game before 1:45. We moved swiftly through the day. We missed Riddock and prayed for him. Many thanks to Mrs. Joy for helping us.

Bible was fun because we went outside and sang a song that matched our story and acted it out. We're all just about through memorizing the Pater Noster. We enjoyed a great treat when we went downstairs to the Wax Museum put on by the 4th/5th grade class. They did an amazing job and we all learned from them.

We returned to our classroom for history. After going over our questions, we listened to two books recommended in SOTW: Abiyoyo and Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions. We looked at some items that were brought from South Africa by my children while on mission trips there. We also visited Pastor Avera's study and looked at some pictures on line that they took while there.

Grammar was next. One thing good about Rod and Staff is the oral review before each lesson. Once again we plowed through three lessons. Some of these I've chosen to have the students just read (telephone manners, etc.) After lunch, we enjoyed a literature activity about our biography genre'. We read biographic facts about historic figures and our friends had to guess who we were. We went over our vocabulary and discussed Davy and his problems thus far. Once again, BE SURE that your definition fits in the context of the story. We'll do "funner" activities with our story next time.

In science, we had a great discussion about the differences in meteoroids, asteroids, meteors, and meteorites. Be sure to see our lab about these and have your student explain the differences. I had some pictures of meteorites for them to look at. For a history enrichment activity, we learned that the Zulu communicated with beads. The colors would carry a meaning and by stringing them in a certain order we could send a friend a message. A key of the meanings went home in their folders. Most made pins but some made bracelets.

It was a good day and I look forward to a great Friday. Please keep up the hard work--summer is almost here!

love,
Mrs. Tkach

ASSIGNMENTS: Grammar: 3rd: --review lesson 108 on page 272
--complete ex. A and Review and Practice
--review lesson 109
--complete ALL exercises ORALLY
--read lesson 111 on page 277
--complete Review and Practice

2nd:--read lesson 14 on page 268
--complete ex. A and B orally with mom
--read lesson 18 on page 276
--read lesson 19 on page 278
--complete "For You to Do"
--read lesson 6 on page 310
--complete "For You to Do" odd numbers only

Literature:--read pages 33--73
--boys: research gun powder and how it was made on the American frontier in 1795 in the Tennessee River Valley
girls: research the looms used at this same time and in this place
Look for pictures and simple explanations. Write down a few things you learned just to "jog" your memory as you report to the class on Friday. Nothing to turn in. Don't spend more than 30 minutes researching for this activity.

History:--read ch. 38
--complete map work
--optional color page
--answer review questions or complete a 2-part narration

Science:--show parents the lab page about meteors
--finish reports on "What I Find Interesting and What I Learned about our Solar System" (If you turned yours in to me, I'll have it back to you on Friday.)
--dress up you Solar System Folder so that it is worth keeping to show your children. You will receive a grade on how well you polished it up and presented it. I sent home some star stickers that you may use. You will turn it in to me Friday.
--be sure you've completed Space Lab #2 that was assigned last Friday

Latin: --review lesson 23
--complete all activites for this lesson

Bible:--read lesson 59
--answer review questions