Week 13!!!

After touring our new facility across the road yesterday, I cannot express how exciting I am.  This space will actually be so much better then where we are now.  I cannot thank Debbie Black enough for her hard work and diligence in getting us into this facility.....THANK YOU!!  This is really going to be a wonderful blessing for us.  I know God's hand has been all over this :)To my knowledge, we will finish off the semester at Calvary Chapel, and then in the spring we will move across the street.

PLEASE READ: The next two weeks are the last of semester, I cannot believe how fast this year went!!! I am still a bit in shock and awe.  If you are keeping up with the guide then you know these last weeks are chock full of work.  I mean CHOCK FULL!  I had a pep talk with the kids yesterday on communicating with their teacher.  There are some in the class that need to do everything as assigned and don't you dare lower the bar for them.  But there are others that may be overwhelmed by the load.  Please be communicating with your children what your expectations are.  There is no need for a student to feel exasperated by the work load.  With that in mind, I do need to say, please do not lower the bar to where it is no effort at all.  You know where your student will be challenged appropriately and please set the expectations accordingly.  As a parent/teacher myself I am prayerfully considering now what will help my son excel according to his talents.

Thank you Mollie for snack....MUFFINS!!! YUM!  Next week the Thomas' are up!

Important Dates:
Week 15: I will be providing pizzas for lunch.  I have asked the kids to ask parents for who can bring in drinks This will also be an optional PJ day
December 5th Monday is the NEW DATE for the ice skate party in downtown Greensboro. I know a couple children had conflicts with a game on Tuesday.   Also, siblings are invited as well! I have talked with the Ice House staff, and have not received a price yet, but I do believe it should fall around $5 a person. 

One last note.  If you know that you will be changing things up come spring semester, please communicate this with me.  Whether it will be just the Math or Latin, or everything.  I take December to plan and it is helpful to know these things :)  Also, I like to remind people now versus at Christmas time, spring payment is due by the 1st week we come back.  My payment to CC is due almost immediately after this.  As always, if a payment plan is needed, I am more than willing to work with that ;)

Math: OK parents, the kids have permission......TO DO 3 LESSONS! Yup, that's right.  Lessons 53 and 55 are almost redundant.  With the extra load in other places, I gave them permission to lighten it up here this week. 
Homework:  Lessons 53 - 56 (doubled checked LOL)  Skipping the Mixed Practice for lessons 53 or 55.  We should be up to test 10 at this point.  I suggested the children grade their daily work and moms grade the tests.  Week 15 Quiz is coming, maybe 10 problems.

Latin: We introduced adjectives and reviewed Declension endings.
Homework: Purple book pages 72 - 78.  Ex. 86, 88, 89 Blue Book rules 72 - 76 Week 15 exam will include, declension endings, grammar rules from purple book, vocabulary, and easy parsing.  It will look alike the previous test. 
Accelerated Homework: pgs. 108 - 119 There are a lot of exercises, it is the teachers discretion how many are done.  They will have a separate exam on week 15. 

IEW: We discussed......THE SUPER DUPER ESSAY!!  Yes, an essay is due on the Responsibilities of a Christian.  We talked about what makes an essay different from a report, the "whys" and "opinions".  An essay analyzes while a report simply states facts.  You need to discuss with your student which essay you expect here.  There are at least 5 to 6 students that need to do the super duper :)   I also handed out the parameters for the final writing project due week 15.
Homework: Complete your essay!  Remember, time management is the key here.  Get your planning done today!!  That give you tomorrow to rough draft, and two days to dress-up and decorate.  When needing a break you can daydream about the creative paper due week 15.

Rhetoric:  After a brief pep talk on keeping the side talking on topic, we had an excellent discussion.  We talked this week about lack of faith and doubt.  Some even shared their own testimony on wrestling with this very topic.  (It was beautiful) We ended with the fact that God is big enough to deal with our doubt and will lead us just where we need to be :)  AMEN!!  Please continue these discussions with your child :)
Homework: chapter 13 both books, filling in the study pages and workouts in the blue book.  Remember we are reading for understanding, not just to check that box. Add questions 37 - 39.  We just might see jeopardy come out on Week 15!

Science:  I cannot express how glad I am that reptiles are done :) Three words........Fluffy the snake!
Homework: Next up Fish!  At least 2 sources and a bibliography.

Geography:  I saw the first twinge of ......are you really going to test us on Europe?!?!?  Yes, next week.  We had fun with terms in class, and with Ms. Bonnie's need of an editor.
Homework: STUDY FOR EUROPE!!  Do not forget to add new terms.  Week 15 will be the "mid-term".  The point sheets will be based on countries, states, and provinces.  Capitals and features, will be bonus.  I might have an award for most bonus points?