Week 22

Hello Masters families,

What a fun and exciting day we had today! I want to start with a BIG thank you to both the parents and students today. Moms, you were an incredible with the review and the end of the year program practice, thank you so much for taking over so willingly and wonderfully. Students, we enjoyed two guests today and I have to thank all of you for the excellent behavior that you all conducted yourselves with during class. You listened, actively participated, and really exhibited the qualities of rising 6th grade and Challenge A students. It was a great testimony, thank you to each one of you. Carlyssa, we missed you and are looking forward to your return next week.

EXTENSIVE REVIEW: Thank you again to some awesome moms and jumped in today to maximize our review time. An incredible amount of material was covered and the work you have all done at home is being displayed. I am blown away by the students' achievements, God has truly blessed and is being glorified through your learning. Just a reminder to the moms, please contact Allison Dees regarding your student's achievements for Memory Power or Excellence. This is completely optional, but a very nice recognition of their accomplishments.

MEMORY TIPS AND TECHNIQUES FOR WEEK 22:
History Sentence: During class we over viewed the historical highlights about the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. The students all have drill review sheets in the history section of their binders for history sentences weeks 17-24. Use these as independent drill and practice as they learn the sentences, it helps to solidify the dates and names in their memories.
Presidents: Again, we reviewed the U.S. presidents today using the abbreviations in your Foundations guide and by having the students write them on their copywork sheets in the back of their binders. We also listened to the U.S. presidents song several times.
Science: We had a wonderful day during science with our science project time giving the students a hands-on application of the science grammar for the day. What are three characteristics of light? Reflection, Refraction, and Spectrum There was a cooperative effort among the students to reflect the light in a chain of mirrors and they loved the rainbow (spectrum) peepholes that they were able to take home with them. It was a great science day!
Math: What is the COMMUTATIVE LAW FOR ADDITION AND MULTIPLICATION? The students practiced writing these laws on the drill sheets in their binders. Please use these drill sheets over the next few weeks to write the names of the formulas and the formulas. Each sheet allows the students to write the formulas three times and the name twice, this should help to cement the name to the equations for them.
English: Coordinating Conjunctions FANBOYS - for, and, nor, but or, yet, so
We listened to the grammar song from Mrs. Varnell and recited the conjunctions together. This is repeated memory work from Essentials, so most of the students showed a strong mastery or familiarity of the material.
Latin: (Pluperfect Tense) HINT: Plu rhymes with BLUE, I'm a wearin' blue. (Amaveram blue.)
The students practiced drilling their memory work by writing on the Latin chart of their choice and we listened to the Audio CD.
Geography: Central America - El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama
Each student located these countries on their maps and then labeled each one correctly on the colored and the black and white map.

Another week has flown back and with the cold weather it seems impossible that there is only two weeks remaining in the year. With my due date fast approaching I don't know if I will be able to attend next week, but very soon I know I will be sharing some exciting news with all of you about the arrival of our new little one. Please remember our family in prayer during this time. Thank you again for your abundance of support and the love you have given to our family. Have a blessed week.

Love,
Mrs. Gaines