Week Ten - Let the Celebrating Begin!

Hello Masters families,

Yesterday was a rewarding day filled with the luminous light of the moon and the twinkling tunes of the tin whistle. I want to begin with a huge thank you to all of the students for a much improved effort on our class motto - "MINIMUM TALKING+MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION= A SUCCESSFUL MASTERS CLASS". Everyone showed improvement in this area and the benefits were immeasurable. I especially want to comment on the heart of participation in our class. It is such a blessing to see all of the students anxious to answer questions, demonstrate the tin whistle, and present. When I see these students trusting each other and having a happy heart to participate in class, it is a testimony of Godly character - they are building each other up and serving the Lord with gladness. They bless me. Please mention this to them this week as an extra word of encouragement.

Presentations: We all enjoyed well prepared presentations yesterday with amazing visual aids. I loved seeing the hard work and creativity the students displayed on their posters. I learned about all of them and everyone in the class enjoyed seeing each student individually shine and share their lives. Sam, we enjoyed your presentation from a different perspective - great story telling and detail, good work on your eye contact. Harrison, your poster was handsome and well planned. Using the summer and the winter was a great way to organize your presentation. Jonathan, your window pane poster was a creative way for us to "look into" what you shared about your life with us. Carlyssa, your three sided display board was packed with the love of your family and the sporty side of your life. Amazing work and preparation were displayed. Hannah, we loved seeing pictures from different times in your life and what you love to do with your family. I never knew about your archery interest - awesome. This was a great week to culminate all of the presenting skills we have focused on this year- confidence, voice control, body language, and thinking on your feet. Mollie, Shawn, Sam, Caleb and Zachary, I can't wait to see what you have planned for us next week!

IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE OUR KNOWLEDGE!!!
As anticipated the students filled the Memory Marble Jar to overflowing yesterday and we will celebrate next week during review time. I am planning the following schedule for for next week:
9:30-10 Science, 10-10:30 Presentations, 10:30-11 Review and Celebrate, 11-11:30 New Grammar, 11:30-12 Tin Whistle. The students will also be able to cash in their Classical Cash at the CC store at points throughout the morning. It will be a day filled with reaping the rewards of their hard work. It is time to celebrate a semester packed with hard work. Please remind them to hand in any additional Learning Logs to me before the opening so I can add up any earnings.

REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!!!
Yesterday we enjoyed a fast and furious review session at the end of class where I answered questions about Memory Master, Excellence, and Power, the proofing process, and modeled using the proof sheet for review. We were able to review nine weeks of material in history, science and English in seven minutes. The students were on fire answering the questions!!! We will continue this style of review next week and prepare for our hour long review session/game in Week 12. As your schedule allows at home, use the techniques I mentioned last week for review.
Parents, this is a great time of the year to reflect on your child's strongest, favorite subjects and set any goals that they may have for the end of the year memory testing. However, remember that the memory testing at the end of the year is completely OPTIONAL. One of the main goals of all of this drill and practice is simply to "TRAIN THE BRAIN TO RETAIN". Yesterday I observed extreme growth in every student on their memory training. The brain is like a muscle, it strengthens as you work it. A little training every day reaps bountiful rewards. As you set these goals for your homeschool consider God's guidance and direction..."In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."Proverbs 3:6

Memory Tips and Techniques for Week Ten:
History Sentence: Tell me about the history of Russia... Listen to the Audio CD and act out...
Vladimir I (hold up a V with one hand and a 1 with the other) brought Christianity (make a cross on your chest) to Russia in the 900's (hold up nine fingers). In the late 1400's (use right hand and throw it over your shoulder to indicate LATE 1400's) Czar Ivan (hold up right pinky for the letter I) the Great built (hammer) the Kremlin (put two hands together to mimic the top of the Kremlin) in Moscow. Catherine the Great (fan yourself) expanded (throw arms apart) and westernized (throw a lasso) Russia in the late 1700's (use right hand and throw it over your shoulder to indicate LATE 1700's).
History Timeline: Motions continued...
Alfred the Great (throw right fist into the air above head on GREAT)
Otto I and the Holy Roman Empire (bring hand down and hold up the #1 on first)
The East-West Schism (point east then west)
The Feudal System (shake your finger)
William the Conqueror and the Battle of Hastings (Hold up 3 fingers for a W and then gallop in front of you)
Cathedrals in Europe (both arms extended above your head to form a steeple)
The Crusades (draw your sword)
St. Francis of Assisi (hand out alms to the poor)
Peg Dates: Final dates for this semester...
St. Jerome Completes the Vulgate 405 AD End of the Western Roman Empire 476AD Charles Martel, Pepin the Short, and Charlemagne 714-814 AD
Science: What are the phases of the moon? LEARN THESE IN ORDER
New, Crescent, Quarter, Gibbous, Full
We sent home a lot of handouts to make the most of our science question this week. First, they received a coloring sheet listing the question and answers for this week's science grammar. This sheet reveals the waxing and waning of the moon. Secondly, they received a sheet detailing all of the phases of the moon. On the back is a chart where your child can record the phases of the moon over the course of a month. Thirdly, they recieved a project they can complete to make a phases of the moon wheel to quiz their knowledge of what each phase of the moon looks like. Each student placed a brass brad in the front pocket of their binder to complete this project. Have fun with these this week!
Math: Squares from 1x1 to 15x15 We wrote all of the equations on their white boards for learning the squares this week. Listen to the audio CD and memorize the squares.
English: What are the Demonstrative Pronouns? This, That, These, Those
We listened to the Audio CD of Grammar Songs from Mrs. Varnell to drill the demonstrative pronouns and completed parts of the pronoun drill sheet in their binders.
The English grammar this year can be tricky so use the grammar songs from Mrs. Varnell and the drill sheets in your student's binder to help master this memory work.
Latin: Pluperfect Tense of the verb AMO "PLU RHYMES WITH BLUE - I'm a wearin'(amaveram) BLUE"
We listened to the audio CD, I modeled the hand motions, and completed our Latin sheets to drill the memory work. Next week I will introduce the last conjugation for the semester!!! Next semester we will review the same 6 conjugations. With all of the repetition, Latin is a great subject to master this year... and will be a HUGE help for your child for further Latin study at home and in the CHALLENGE program.
Geography: Western World (Central) We continued our learning on the World map and added three locations. Cuba (color in and mark with a C), Puerto Rico (circle and label PR), Incas (home of) label with an I, located in Peru, South America.
The Incas were a people group who controlled the land that makes up modern day Peru. Their civilization was strong in the 1400's - 1600's.

Tin Whistle - Remind your child to bring their tin whistle and tin whistle folder to class next week. Record any extra tin whistle practice on their Learning Logs for Meomory Marbles!

Have a blessed week,
Mrs. Gaines