Math-For Math fact practice, please use master copies found in campus binder. They are labeled Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. You may have student use a whiteboard marker in the page protector and just wipe off for use again the next week, or you may pull out and make copies if you or your student prefers to complete it in pencil. Math facts completed at home no longer need to be turned in.
We will have our first math assessment this week. As time allows, I usually try to allow students to correct missed problems, particularly if I can tell that they understood the concept, but made a small error. Please go over any missed/uncorrected problems with your student to ensure they understand the concepts.
Spelling/Grammar- Phonogram lists can be found in the Spelling section of the binder. Please continue to periodically review past lists even when we've moved on. Once a week, you'll be asked to review phonogram cards which consists of showing student the phonogram and having them verbally tell the sounds. Once a week you'll also be asked to practice "sounds" which consists of co-teacher verbally dictating the sounds and student practices writing. For all dictation sentences, please have students correct any mistakes after they've finished. We'll be using these sentences in Grammar at school. Please also follow the format of Spelling Journals, starting new lessons on the left and skipping a page. The first few lessons are written in for you to familiarize yourself with the format. Any Grammar work completed on home days will be done in the Shurley Workbook and Practice booklet.
Reading-Reading packets are handed out each Monday, completed at home on Tuesdays and Thursdays and turned in the following Monday. Please keep a well organized binder and keep them in the front pocket so students know exactly where to find them when they're turned in. All reading packets will be kept, unless there is feedback for future work. You don't need to turn/correct returned packets-just adjust expectations accordingly for the next packet. Please pull out any returned packets as well so students only have one stored in the front pocket. All reading packets should be completed as copy work. Student dictates their answer, co-teacher writes down, skipping every other line and then student copies. Please number questions and check over to make sure student copied correctly. Students should be using proper grammar, punctuation, spelling and correct letter formation. If your student struggles to narrate short passages, please see the steps to teaching narration in the co-teacher section of campus binder.
Poetry-This is a cumulative, oral program meant to develop linguistic and oratory skills. Students should be listening to the poems and reciting along, rather than reading (it might help to read the first few times, but after that, listening is much more helpful.) You are welcome to come in and listen to the cd's so you have an idea of how poems should be recited and I encourage you to make your own audio file reciting the poems to listen to in the car to make frequent practice more achievable. Once we've mastered the first poem, you will see the second poem listed on the blog and then your practice becomes both poems 1 and 2; we'll then move on to 1-3, etc. Assessments will be of a less formal nature in class throughout the quarter. Remember, the emphasis here is on being enthusiastic and expressive with our recitations. Focus should be on inflection, volume, tone of voice, eye contact, etc. We'll be working on this frequently in class as well :)
Read Aloud/Enrichment- These subjects are only taught at school-there is no home requirement for either. This week we'll start using Writing With Ease. This is a curriculum that builds narration skills, listening comprehension and copy work. A short passage is read with questions answered orally afterward.
Bible-We are using The Gospel Project, semesters 3 & 4 in class. Feel free to follow along with that curriculum, just read/discuss the Bible passages or do your own Bible study with your student. They won't have trouble following along with what we're doing in class regardless. Even if you're not using TGP, please recite the prayer assigned for that quarter. During first quarter, please recite Prayer 1 at the beginning of your Bible time.
Science-Science readings are assigned once a week at home. Students don't need to bring their Science book to class, but completing the readings at home sets them up for whatever hands on activity we'll be doing in class. We won't cover the entire book, but many students become interested in what they're learning and want to dive in more so that's a great opportunity to foster their curiosity.
History- Students will be assigned one chapter and corresponding journal entry per week to complete. This book can stay at home as well. In class we'll be utilizing living books, short videos, and projects to re-enforce the textbook reading. Our focus of study is on the 16 timeline events/people found in the binder. Please practice these regularly. Students will be assessed on them quarterly and they are cumulative. Students don't need to know the date, but instead should be able to give a short description of the what the event or person was. Examples are given in the student binder in history section. The jingles can also help. I'll most likely be looking through those on Mondays. I may need to occasionally keep them over night if I don't have time to get to them all over lunch. There is no History assigned at home on Tuesdays and I'll make sure to have them back to you by Wednesday.
Geography-Students are learning the Continents and Oceans first. Songs can be found on the home page of the homework blog, under curriculum. Students don't have to sing, but do need to be able to point and identify for all geography maps. Practice maps identical to what is used for assessment are found in the geography section of the binder.
