Greetings Families,
I hope you have enjoyed the break and the holiday season. My break has been great. I had a fun Christmas with my family. We woke up rather late for Christmas day, around 7:30, and it was a joy to celebrate the holy day with my family and to open gives. Later that day, my immediate family was joined by my brother and his girlfriend, an aunt and uncle, and another aunt for our traditional Christmas dinner: China City! My wife and father-in-law have a custom of making a big meal for Thanksgiving, so Christmas Day is a day off of cooking for my wife apart from the cinnamon roles she makes from a can. That night, I took my oldest three to the last Starwars movie. Well, I think it is the last. It is making a lot of money so they may need to keep it going. Despite the critics' hatred of it, we enjoyed it. It isn't as good as the old ones (4-6), but it is better than the middle ones (1-3).
I also spent a lot of time with the varsity girls' basketball team. We had a game on Friday during the last week of school. It was a tough challenge, but the girls persevered through it. Then, this week, Thursday through Saturday, the girls took third place in a New Years' tournament. So, that was exciting! Anyways, enough about my break. I look forward to hearing what your children were able to do over the break.
There are a few things to go over before I get into the lessons for this week. The first one is the most important.
Field Trip
If you have paid any close attention to the Google calendar, you will have noticed that we have a trip to the Arizona Capitol Museum on January 21. There will be permission slips going home for this trip this week. Additionally, there is a $15 charge for this trip because we will be taking an additional trip in late April to the Science Center. Most classes don't get to take two trips, but Mr. Gillingham and Mrs. DeMeo have allowed us because we study Arizona history in the second quarter, which is why we go to the Capitol Museum, and because the students put forth so much effort studying science for the AIMS Science assessment, which is why we want to take them to the Science Center. Your $10 contribution at registration and the tax credits we receive help to pay for the more expensive trip to the Science Center. The $15 we are asking for additionally will pay for the buses for this trip.
I will need finger-print cleared chaperones for the trip. For both trips, there will be official chaperones that will be responsible for students. However, for both trips, parents are welcome to attend. You will only have to provide your own transportation and pay your own entrance fee into the Science Center. The Capitol Museum tour is free. If you would like to be a chaperone, please let me know. Also, class parents, as noted at the beginning of the year, are automatically selected as chaperones because of all the work they put in this year if they wish to come.
Tutoring
There is no tutoring this week. Tutoring will resume on Wednesday of week 2. I will be out Tuesday for a basketball game.
Quarter 2 Grades and Evals
Grades are now available to be seen on the PowerSchool portal. If for some reason you can't see your child's grades, please let me know. I am happy to email them to you.
Lessons
Grammar/Writing: In grammar and writing, the students will continue to be looking at the parts of speech, which will include classification and diagramming.
History: The third quarter history unit is on the American Revolution. However, before they get to the war for independence, students will be reintroduced to the thirteen British colonies. Students must understand that the colonies were British because the source of the conflict between Britain and her American colonies was over money used in the Seven Years War/French and Indian War. This week, students will review the colonies, what life was like as a colonist, the rights of Englishmen, and how the conflict between France and England began in the North American continent, which shouldn't surprise them since we just studied about them fighting for 100 years.
Literature: Students will continue their adventure in Narnia as they find out how the four Pevensie children help Caspian against his evil uncle and the Telmarines.
Math: The next unit begins quickly with a test on Wednesday over right angles. This test will also require them to know the difference between acute and obtuse angles. Here are two ways I help them remember these terms. For acute, I begin by telling them how little puppies are so cute. Everyone loves little puppies because they are cute. Therefore, small angles are acute. At the same time, when someone is a little too big, they are called obese. Therefore, a big angle is obtuse. Right angles, which form a ninety-degree angle, are right in the middle. Students will also learn straight angles, which is an angle that forms a straight line, and reflex angles, which are angles that are larger than a straight line or one hundred eighty degrees.
Following the chapter on right angles, students will look at how to measure angles.
Poetry: Over the next two weeks, students should start working toward memorizing "Concord Hymn." Recitations will be during week 3. Following the "Concord Hymn," students will start working toward memorizing "Paul Revere's Ride."
Concord Hymn
Ralph Waldo Emerson Sung at the Completion of the Battle Monument, July 4, 1837
By the rude bridge that arched the flood,Greek and Latin Roots: Students will complete the Greek and Latin roots cards for the quarter this week. They will be assessed on roots 1-54 next week.
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world.
The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.
On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set today a votive stone;
That memory may their deed redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons are gone.
Spirit, that made those heroes dare
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.
Science: The quarter begins with the study of geology. This week, students will review the four basic layers of Earth (crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core), how Earth is formed of plates that float on magma (continental drift theory vs. plate tectonic theory), and move around due to convection currents.
Spalding: Students will take a 50-word assessment on Monday to evaluate their progress in spelling, but this assessment will not impact their grades. They will then learn twenty new words and be assessed on Friday.
Schedule
- Monday - 50 Word Spelling Test
- Wednesday - Math Test: Right Angles
- Thursday - Math Quiz: Review
- Friday - Spalding Test
I hope you have a great week. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you need anything.
Best,
Michael Naaktgeboren