Day 2

No, I'm sure we wont blog every day of school this year, though it would be cool to have it all for memories sake.

While I'm excited, refreshed from summer and not burned out :) I thought I would post about our days.  

On our school menu today- Celts, Anglo-Saxons, Monks and the Pope spreading religion.

Coloring their Celtic brooches while I read.  The wanted to use their flying carpets again. 

Also coloring Beowulf from yesterday. They loved coloring the Illuminated letters like the monks would have used in book making.  We counted the hours it took monks to make a book and it could have been near 100 hours.  They found that amazing (I did too).

Then we wrote our names in lettering the monks used.  We just covered a template of the alphabet with tracing paper, and traced the letters we needed.  

We painted (really just washable marker) blue swirls on our arms (yes me too) and their faces.  I'm trying to sink in these facts about History.  Doing history makes you remember at least a little.  So they made the celtic brooches and pinned on their cloaks (still the silly rugs).  Then they finished up their celtic axes- mom didn't read the directions, they are supposed to be double sided.  So, these are only half as effective at war.  You can see we are sitting on our large sheet map of Europe.  I wanted them to be finding points on the map as we read about them.  

Of course, we did all our usual spelling, math, language, geography.  Science today will be Wild Kratts.  Gotta say that show is so educational that I'm okay with using it on days we're busy and mom needs to get things done.  Our plate is full today, so we're using our resources- Netflix :)

I have to say Bella is having a harder time than I imagined for her.  Last year she did so well.  I know she likes knowing what we are doing. She doesn't care for new things, but would rather be routine.  So some of the things she's saying "I don't want to do this" are because she's not sure what we're doing.  I think she'll become more familiar with the SOTW curriculum and love it.  I guess at the end she did say "I didn't know school was going to be like this.  I thought we were doing workbooks more like math and stuff."  This was a positive statement, not criticism.  She's such an observer, gotta watch, then do.

Claire, on the other hand is really loving it, and when we finished, she got out more school books to work on.

Still happy for our day two success :)

Oh, and Emery is up to five states!  she's doing good and even talked about her states at lunch :)

1st Day of School 2013-14

We did it!  We started the year with a BANG! Or rather a gluten free cinnamon roll as a treat.

 I was nervous.  Not sure why.  I think adding Story of The World onto what we were already doing, made me feel like it might be overwhelming.  Not to mention adding in pre-school for Emery. However, with prayer, preparations, and plans we made it through day one.  One day at a time, right?

So, here's a peek into our day.  We started out with a game.  That's the game lover in me coming out. We played match ten (I think that is the name).  Using playing card you pick out Ace-10 and the Q.  We laid them in a grid like most matching games.  The point is to draw two cards that have a sum of 10.  Nine and one, eight and two... then we also use 10 and Q, the Q representing zero.  They loved it!  

Then they worked on coloring their SOTW activity pages while I read Chapter One.  

Chapter One has you pretending to ride a magic carpet over the Roman Empire- thus the girls sitting on the carpets.

You can see how much of the first day "jitters" they have- LOL!  She couldn't get enough.

Lil' Emery was having fun with her preschool. 

She was threading foam onto a plastic needle and cord.  She didn't enjoy this as much as threading pieces of felt onto a ribbon "snake".

A ribbon with a button sewn onto one end, and piece of felt as a "stopper" on the other end.  About 12 pieces of felt with button size slits cut into them are threaded onto the "snake".  She did this about four times.  Each time she would finish she'd shout "I did it!". Then ask to to it "again!".  Of course if you take the time to make one for your toddler and have my fortune they'll probably not enjoy it this much. You know, I had made this last year and she wasn't interested, but is this year.

We drew a large map of the Roman Empire on our 4x4 white board.

Then they flew their carpets around the Empire.

Of course they are too busy flying to pause for a pic.

Then we made our Roman signums and they had to go outside to march like soldiers.  Claire wanted to be England and fight against Rome. It's bright out :)

After spelling and language arts Claire wanted to dress like a Roman.  Here's what we came up with on the spur of the moment. Dad's t-shirt, old satin curtain, belt, brooch, and some safety pins- tada!

She made her own paper plate leaf crown (sure that's the proper term for it:)

Claire was disappointed when we finished.  I think that's mainly because she thrives on spending time with... well, anyone, but particularly mom and dad.

We made it through!  One day complete!

Praise The Lord!

 

Plans for CC Cycle 2 Week 11

Timeline: After looking at the cards and working through the hand motions, we'll give a little "concert".  I'll have them stand at the front of class, or against a wall, and each will be assigned a timeline event. They will do their hand motions as we sing through.   I have 8 students and so I will have one be the conductor.  Then they'll switch places and timeline events.

Science:  http://io9.com/5987254/whats-the-difference-between-a-comet-asteroid-meteor-meteoroid-and-meteorite

this link has the perfect visual for this weeks science.

History: Wow! the thing that sticks out to me is the guillotine.  This seems like a good one to illustrate.

1st box: the year and flag of France.

2nd box: citizens

3rd box: stormed

4th box: Declaration of Rights

5th box: I drew rain, but put the crown in to remind the kids it's a royal reign

6th box: terror

7th box: guillotine

Geography: Geo- folders  tracing on the page protectors.  Then again on tracing paper, and color in the 

countries.  I will bring the large map and do some fly swatting with the kids.

Math: Cubes, Lets do some cake walking with this one.

English: I looked for a song, I found a good one, but it wasn't to a tune I recognized.  I like using songs that 

people already know so they can sing it later at home.  So, I kinda made it fit to "A Tisket a Tasket" 

A Tisket a Tasket

Indefinite Pronoun

A    green and yellow basket

all, another,  any,    anybody 

I wrote a letter to my love

anyone,      and  anything

And on the way I dropped it

Both, each and     eith-er

It happens to work out that the next two weeks of indefinite pronouns also fit this song.  So, we will build on 

to this song.

Latin:  work with the poster and song.  We'll do this in a circle passing a bean bag.

Review Game: BANG!!!

Plans for CC Cycle 2 Week 10

Timeline: Old faithful. This section of the timeline goes by rather quickly.  I would work on making sure they are getting the words.  It's easy to mush them together.

Science: This fits to B-I-N-G-O

There was a farmer had a dog

What are the phases of the moon?

and Bingo was his name-o

New, Crescent,     Quart-er

B I N G-     O

Gibbous,   Full

B I N G -      O

Gibbous,     Full

B          I                  N G - O

New,      Crescent,    Quart-er  (they squeeze in, trust me)

and Bingo was his name - o

Gibbous,                           Full

A visual would be great.  These are really unknown words to most and a visual would make sense of these words.

 

I will have the kids draw five circles and color one in fully for new, all but a banana-ish portion for crescent, half for quarter (which will probably confuse the kids:),  a fat banana-ish portion for gibbous, and nothing for full. I will make mine in advance to be the example.  This pic I posted also talks about waxing and waning, but I'm working with 1st and 2nd graders and that's just too much info, and it's not required.  SIMPLE, Ari, keep it simple.

History: I thought this would be one we could act out.  After singing it a couple times and showing the visual from CC. I'll tape a paper V onto person's shirt with masking tape to be Vladimir.  He will carry a Cross (or simpler still, a Bible) to the map of Russia.  Another student will have a taped on I for Ivan and they'll use blocks or a hammer to show they are building the Kremlin. A student with a taped on C for Catherine will have a paper with the word "Russia" on the middle third.  C will open up the other two sides of the paper to represent expansion.  

Geography: Get your geography folders out kiddos.  Let's trace the outlines and write the first letter of each country. If we have time we'll erase and do it again. Or I'll bring tracing paper so we can get a second round in.  On the tracing paper we can color in the countries

Math: Squares. I plan to bring worksheets with 15 square shapes printed on them.  The kids can write in the numbers and we'll sing several times.

English: I tried looking for a song or rap, since that last one was so much fun. No luck.  I think we'll just chant and use some actions.  Point to the space in front of them for "this".  Point to something across the room for "that".  Act like you are carrying a bundle for "these".  Sweep your hand in front of you for "those" as if pointing to multiple items.

Latin: we'll do the puzzle thing again.  I think someone should comment to me on if you do some creative and fun things with latin.  My brain seems to be stuck.

Review Game: Guess what time it is!! Battleship time.  Or this time I could do it Jeopardy style.  Instead of avoiding the hidden x's, we'll try to get the extra points.

Plans for CC Cycle 2 Week 9

Timeline: Good ol' CC song and hand motions.  I tried to come up with something fun, but I remember how hard it was to just get through all 7 cards, so I do try to keep it simple - plus I want to spend a bit of extra time on Science today.

Science: I am not a great lover of science, I don't hate it, but I was always more of a fine arts person.  HOWEVER, I do love planets.  I think they are just so incredible and show the handiwork of our Heavenly Father.  (Okay get on with it Ari) I have great visuals for this.  I was shopping in Minneapolis at a Toys R' Us much bigger than the two in my area.  They had a huge science section that happened to be 30% off.  Here's what I snatched

Our solar system in a bucket!  Glow in the dark and all.  Let me get it out for you to see (only $12ish)

(the barbie in the background is not included:)

I think I might string these by their hangers and hook them to the ceiling tiles the morning we do this (if we have time).  Wouldn't that just be fun!!! If not I'll put it together in a sensory bin (things I'm doing for my preschooler) and let the kids view it that way.Like this I found on Pinterest

from here: http://youcanteachyourtoddler.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-planets-sensory-bin.html

I have a big thing of purple star glitter/confetti that I'll throw in as well.  And no, there won't really be time

 to play with it during CC, but maybe at lunch.  Fun to picture it in "space" though.

There are a bunch of incredible planet ideas on pinterest.  Check out my board- Arianna Kuriscak, then

 get on my cc cycle 2 board.  

History: I believe I shall print out pictures of each of these monarchs and on the back write their country.  

I will pass out the posters, and as we sing the kids will show their monarch, and when we say the country, 

they can flip it to the country.  

Geography: ooh, the Caribbean!  I'm tempted to go pirate-y on this, but... I better just go island-y.  

Still simple, though.  I'lm thinking flower shaped sticky notes (I know I've seen these, but I better start looking now,

 because it's always when I need something that I have a hard time finding them).  I'll pass out 5 notes to each 

student (which means I need 40) then have them write C for Cuba, J for Jamaica... Then we'll place them in 

our Geography notebook.  I looked at the maps and I think I'll have to find a larger one.  These locations are so 

small in our CC guide.  But if I print it out I'll just stick it in the extra page protectors of their geography folders. You

could do pineapple stickers, or coconuts, sea shells, and have them just put the stickers directly onto the map.

Math: 15's We'll do the lego thing again.  You can write on legos or mega blocks with chalk markers all the 

numbers in this skip counting pattern.  Then the kids will each get almost 2, one person will have one (that'll 

probably be one of my own girls so I can tell them ahead of time), as we sing we'll stack the right numbers.

English:  Just found this super cute rap on Youtube.  Like she says she's a little out of her box, I know it will 

stretch me.  The kids will love it though and more than likely never forget it.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iCNQKMzwz-A&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DiCNQKMzwz-A

Latin: 

Basics: using the song and visual to drill the endings.  

Review Game: Big Dice

Plans for CC Cycle 2 Week 8

I hope I'm providing enough variation in how I present these.  I may have to get back on some of these posts and change things if I determine some approaches aren't working.

Timeline: Song and hand motions from CC's website.

Science: Parts of the sun. http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/gallery/images/sunparts.html

This site from Nasa has a printable parts of the sun. Of course we'll repeat, repeat, repeat like drill sergeants. 

or this

History: This is such a long week for history.  I will either bring the large map and print out pictures

 of the explorers for us to sail around their paths. The alternative is having them get out their Geography 

folders (yes for history) and have printed out little explorers for them to move to the correct location.

  I think the most important thing, especially for those working on memory masters would be repeating the song. 

However some need visual aids and the maps with little explorers would be a great visual. Like this one:

Geography: I'm so glad this really coincides with the HIstory sentence.  Today we will kind of smush

 the two subjects together.  We'll make a little GH on the Cape of Good Hope, an M on the straight of Magellan, 

a CI o the Canary Islands, and T on the Treaty of Tordesillas.  

Then we'll spend some time drilling them in order, then out of order. 

Math: 14's sing the song while we pass around a bean bag.  Hot potato style!

English: We'll do a little chant on this one.  I think to help them with a visual I'll print out the list with 

large bold capitol beginning letters to help them remember the order.

Myself

Yourself

Himself...

Latin: Review from last week. I like cutting up the posters and having them put them in order.

Review Game: Rocket

Plans for CC Cycle 2 Week 7

Timeline: Today after the song and hand motions I'll try to allow for kids to lead the song while pointing to the cards.

Science: Yipee!!! Space!  I've been anxiously waiting for the weeks about space.  I thought we could do an acrostic. Good Daughters Visit New Nanas

You can also draw a star and write each type in an arm.  Mine is too little.  Make yours bigger:)

History: We'll do the good ol' song.  Then on the dry erase board we'll erase a word or two each time we go through the song.

Geography: We are really just going to repeat, repeat, repeat the peninsulas and trace them on our Geography folders

Math: We did this for the 7's, but it's worth doing again.  We just have thirteens this week. We'll do the cakewalk approach.  Our class has eight kids so I'll lay out 7 foam sheets.  One student will start in the middle, the others around on the foam sheets in a circle.  We'll sing the 13's song and I'll randomly stop them and whoever is on the foam sheet marked with a star (appropriate for today) will move to the spot in the middle.  

English: stickin' with the Chicken (song)!

Latin: 

Introduce the endings and how the pictures tie in.  Sing the CC song. 

Review Game: This will be our first time playing our Simple Sponge Stack game.  

 

Plans for CC Cycle 2 Week 6

Timeline: I think for today we'll wear Grecian leaf crowns (I'll either make them of paper and pipe cleaners, or dollar store leaf vines). You know I'll include the song and hand motions.

Science: Can be sung to "Come Thou Fount" .

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing

What are six forms of pollution?

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace

What are six forms of pollution?

Streams of mercy, never ceasing

Noise,    Air,Water, La-nd, and Thermal

Call for songs of loudest praise

a-and Ra-di-o-ac-tive

To help them remember the types of pollution I thought of some actions

noise- point to ears

air- point to lungs

water- like you're drinking a cup

land- point to feet

thermal- fan yourself like you're hot

radioactive- all I could think of was act like a robot :)

History: I'll print out the sentence and cut it into strips, keeping the artists with their art, after we sing the song a couple times I'll let them put their sentences in order.

Geography: This seems like a good week for an acrostic.  Really you could just have them remember it spells PACCU, that's simple.  Peter And Claire Cut Umbrellas.  Get out our Geography folders and find all these mountains. Since it's a shorter section we could spend a couple minutes using the fly swatters on the big map.

Math: For the 11's I'll write them in a column going down the board and just point out how it's simply counting.  Then for the 12's (this will be fun!!) I'll bring a plastic egg carton we have from our Resurrection Eggs.  I'll have it filled with empty Easter eggs and while we sing the twelves we'll see if a student can move the eggs from the carton to a bucket on the other side of the room one at a time.  I won't have them balance them on a spoon, it will take long enough just to use their hands.  While they are running the eggs we'll be singing the twelves song. 

English: CHICKEN DANCE!  again :)  Just a note: make sure you get up and move for this.  Do the clapping part and everything.

Latin: Today as we repeat the latin grammar we'll sit in pairs and pass a ball or bean bag back and forth.

Review Game: BINGO!!

 

Plans for CC Cycle 2 Week 5

Okay, I'm really trying to get better at blogging.  I've been consistent for three weeks which is an improvement.  However, yesterday I saw how many views my blog had, and decided I needed to get better at links- get better? how about just get?  I also need to figure out how to post onto my tabs.  My husband was able to get two tabs set up last night, but I can't do anything but comment.  I don't know if it's because I'm on my ipad, or if I'm just too new and haven't figured it out.  

So, I'll continue to add to the home page and see if I can get the rest learned soon.  Just thought the organization would be helpful.

WEEK 5

Timeline: Good ol' song and hand motions.  

Science: Well, I discovered for this science grammar it fits to the song "Found a Peanut"

Found a peanut

How do animals

Found a peanut

re-act     to

Found a pea--- nut just now

environmental change

I just now

they adapt

found a peanut

and they migrate

found a peanut just now 

and they hi-i-ber-nate.

You can bring in a simple visual to give one example of how each of these take place.

History: I'll have the kids act this one out.  They'll have a blast being fleas and rats. I'll have one be Joan of Arc with a sword, and King Charles VII with a crown (just paper is fine), they will lead another student who holds a French flag to "defeat" a student who holds and English flag. I'll have a student represent fleas (might print a couple and put them on popsicle sticks), and one student as a rat (could print a mask).  Of course activities like these must be entered with caution.  Make sure your class can handle the activity without getting out of hand.  

Let's see if I can find a printable rat mask, and fleas...  http://www.supercoloring.com/pages/category/mammals/rats/

not a mask, but you could put them on popsicle sticks

http://www.animalstown.com/animals/f/flea/coloring-pages/flea-coloring-02.html

I wanted them to look scary-ish so the kids would really remember.

French Flag easy enough to make with construction paper

Englands flag 

You might want to print that one :)

Geography: European Cities

There's a great printable for this on CC conected.  I have a picture of it 

I'll see if I can find it.  This picture shows the ship, and you take your European map and mark the cities: London, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, and Orleans.  You can sing them to the tune of Yankee Doodle. I'll have to look this one up for you (and me).

Math: The students will each get to pick a style to sing for the 9's.  Like marching,  hopping on one foot... 

10's we will do hand claps to the song.  Two students standing face to face giving a high 10 for each number counted.

English: continue with the CHICKEN DANCE.  Oh Yeah!

Latin: use the poster to introduce the new endings

Again this is from CC connected, sorry it's so hard to search once I download things I don't want to search the connected site again.

Review Game: BANG!!! I hope this goes well.  My kids had fun with it when we tried it out over the summer.  Look at my older posts to find this one.

http://everydaymemories-ari.blogspot.com/2013/07/cc-review-game.html

Plans for CC Cycle 2 Week 4

I'm sitting here waiting for dinner to finish, why must this delicious chicken take longer than its supposed to.  Good thing I have the hungry crew downstairs "working" on filling the new bean bag covers, or they'd be at my feet begging.

Onto the plans for week 4.

Timeline: You know I don't deviate much :)

just for fun I might bring in a fake campfire to sing around today.  Since we start with "Early Native Americans" I thought "Ooh, Teepee" but that's not very feasible.  I do have a little round princess tent, but we aren't all going to fit.  So, it might be fun to sit around a campfire and learn our Timeline today, still with CC's hand motions and the song. Found a cute fake campfire here. 

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWf9S__pEFVg-wCiXN7nZKllhdTmivQHFafinkckRIAbEXmthiA5irk7rP_R3a1l3MVY1kHeerpD5NXF3qBk81PJHMuaH_zQypTYmluhRoPxRuazLhBDeiNwW_lgUalzocm1Q2PR7gdLA/s1600/IMG_0675.JPG

I might ask my MIL if she already has one (she's the children's ministry director at our church), but if not I'll throw one of these guys together.

Science: I have visuals of these three cycles - THANKS pinterest! I'll just tape them onto the wall and point to them as we repeat the grammar.  If I have time I might give a quick explanation, but moms can do that at home also.  A visual itself gives them something to absorb.

History: Ooh! this one is fun.  We'll sing the song a couple times, and then I'll write the sentence (of course this one's a long one, I'll have to write it before our CC day starts) on the board and we'll erase a word each time we repeat the song.  

Geography: To start I'll have to make sure I know hot to pronounce these (LOL).

I believe we'll be getting out our geography folders for this one.  After they locate the rivers I'll have them trace.  Then if time permits maybe I'll let them use pointers to find them on the big sheet map.

Math: 7's I'll quickly throw down 7 foam sheets. You know the craft foam the comes in great colors and is almost like sheets of paper.  Throw down seven in a circle, have one child stand in the center, the others take their place on a piece of foam and do it cake walk style.  Have the foam sheets numbered from 1-7, whoever ends up on 7 is the one in the middle.  (just came up with that, sounds fun:)

8's- grab the 8's from a couple card decks (playing cards, uno, whatever) Lay them out across the table and have the students take turns pointing to each card as you say the next number.  Maybe I should explain that better.  Have student A come up where you've got the cards and she points to each card as you say the next number, almost like the bouncing ball in karaoke.  

English: Chicken Dance!!! there's a great song on the web- might be able to find the post and link it later.  It's the chicken dance song (who doesn't love) and it fits the pronouns in order.  My class will be doing this for the next few weeks since we learn pronouns for a while. 

Latin: I  will print out the poster from week 3 and cut it into a "puzzle". I'll put stick tack, or masking tape on the back and have the kids come up and put them in order.  After they put them in order they can lead us in the song.  This one is going to have a time limit.  I'll probably give each student 1 min to put it in order so each kid gets a chance.  You could print half sized posters for each kid, have them all do it at the same time at their seat, then go around and have them lead in the song... I like saving on paper and prep when I can.  So, I'll try the one poster.

Review Game: Battleship (check out my previous post, I'm trying to get some of these things linked up, we'll see how that goes )

Plans for CC Cycle 2 Week 3

Well, I'm a little disappointed... I've had two days of trying.  Trying to get things done, then major glitches.  I had this post already done, and somehow the draft wasn't saved.  

Here goes try #2 for week 3.

Timeline: hand motions, then allow students a chance to conduct the song.  You really have to know your kids before doing this.  If they follow the rules it's a good one to try.

Science: We will chant the ? and answers.  I will divide the kids into 3 groups.  I will have one as the producers- they'll have either silk flowers, or fruits and veggies from my kids play kitchen.  Consumers will have a spoon.  Decomposers will have some of my plastic bugs, like flies and beetles.  As we chant the groups can hold up their items when we say their group.

History: we are going to illustrate the History sentence.  Here we have Eleanor of Aquitaine and her son (no he wouldn't have been a child, but this is an easy way to illustrate that he was her son) Richard the Lion-Hearted.  I'm not sure if you can see, but he's got a heart with a lions mane.  I should probably put a crown on him as well.  Then there's a pic of a sword and shield to represent "fought".  On the upper right corner you'll see my Turk.  I looked in my Kingfisher History Encyclopedia and saw an illustration with the turbans and beards.  So here's my stick Turk.  The crosses in the bottom left represent Jerusalem.  Then a visual of the dates.  You can show yours and as the class sings the song, have them draw their own.  Make sure they are trying to sing along. For older students you can even have them write the sentence underneath the illustration.

Geography: I'll bring my large sheet map

(yes, I need to add Russia, under USSR, I have the old foundations guide:). I'll have the kids use their geography folders to trace the Western European Countries as I point to them on the large map.

Math: While we sing the skip count song for 5's we'll do a hand clap between partners (you know like the old Miss Mary Mack and other rhymes where we'd clap hands in a pattern).  For 6's I'll have saved egg cartons, cut them into groups of 6 egg-holder-spacey-things, pass them out to the kids and have them stack them as we sing.  You could also just pass them around as you sit in a circle and sing.  Just having the visuals of something that is 6.

English: I will have paper with each of the Pronoun types written on it.  We will chant Pronoun Order, Pronoun Order (twice because we have 8 people in our class, and with the 6 types this will give each person a sign) 1st person singular, 2nd person... 3rd person plural.  I will point out that the first 3 are singular (you can give an example, I, You, He/she/it) and the last three are plural (we, you, they).

Latin: It's new this week so we'll go over the endings on our poster from CC connected.

and sing the song several times.

Review Game: We will use our Big Dice this week.  Ooh, this just came to me: "Roll'em Review".  That sounds fun.  Knowing me I'll have to say that in a game show host voice.  Since this is only week 3 and there are 6 sides to our dice I will designate numbers 1&4 for week one, 2&5 for week two, 3&6 for week six.

Plans for CC Cycle 2 Week 2

Here are my plans for Cycle 2 Week 2

Timeline: I don't plan on deviating much from the timeline song with actions from CC's website. It's also a great way to start class the same every week and kinda "rope in" the kids.

History: I will bring my Kingfisher Encyclopedia of History in and give a visual to the kids of William the Conquerer. I also plan on bringing some props this week to "act out" the history sentence.  My thoughts this far include a church type building on paper that I've cut into two pieces.  A crown and sword for William. A crown and mustache for King Harold (he had a glorious mustache:).  As we sing the acting out may look like this:

"After the church split into Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox" - have one or two students holding the church and "tear" them in half. 

"William the Conquerer"- person with crown and sword step forward

"defeated King Harold of England"- King Harold steps forward, William gently defeats him, he could fall to the ground/kneel.  

Someone hold up a 1066 sign

The rest of the students hold up their fists as if they are feuding.

Science: We will rhythmically chant the question and 3 types of consumers.  As we chant we'll have some actions:

Herbivores: peel a banana (aka finger)

Carnivores: pretend to cut a steak

Omnivores: pretend to eat a hamburger or do the sign for hamburgers (they have meat, cheese and veggies, so the are omni :)

Geography: Repeat several times the European Waters.  Then have two kids stand by the map with swatters while I call out the waters. You could also repeat the European waters a couple times, call out a water for them to swat.  Then the swatter needs to repeat all of the waters.

Math: three's- a page with twelve triangles and they can write in each skip counted number, 3, 6, 9... Then count them together, sing to song

four's- bring in twelve lego/mega blocks that are the squares with four connectors

  

like this one.  You can use chalk markers to write the fours on each block and stack them as you sing the song.  You can even pass out the blocks in order and pass around the stack as you sing to allow each student to add a four.

English: You can sing the pronoun definition to "This Old Man".  I plan on writing it on the white board and erasing a word each time we repeat the sentence.

Latin: Print out the page for endings (posted this in the info for week 1) and cut them up for the kids to put in order.  

  Review Game: We will play Rocket review today (got this on pinterest, looks great!)

Plans for CC Cycle 2 Week 1

I came home from my Classical Conversations Practicum full of ideas.  I began putting them to paper week by week.  Here we'll look at week 1and how I'll present the new grammar.

Week 1:

Timeline- We'll start by going over the hand motions (I use the hand motions from the CC timeline on their website so that everyone has access at home to the same video, not trying to find a youtube, that can be frustrating for parents trying to make sure it's the same as what you've presented)  Show the motions for the first card, add the second, repeat 1, and 2, add the third, repeat 1, 2, 3   get my point.  We'll finish off with the timeline song for those first 7 cards.  

Science- for the seven types of biomes we'll do a bit of drawing.  Fold a paper in half both directions, and then into eighths.  They can write "7 Biomes" in the first eighth.  Then draw grass for grasslands,  sand for deserts, shrubs for Scrublands, snow for tundra, apple type tree for deciduous forest,  pine tree for coniferous forests, tree and vines and rain drops for Rain forest.

Don't make your drawings too exact or fancy, because more than likely your students will be quite simple.  Frankly my sand "dune" looks like waves.  The point isn't to have a precise drawing but to keep them simple enough to fit in your time.  Also, just so they can remember a sample of what is found in that biome.  

History- I plan to use the song and these hand motions found on CC Connected website

• 800 AD	Four fingers on each hand
• Medieval Period	LH palm up, RH circles above L palm, then plants fingers into palm on “period”
• Pope Leo III	Use your thumbs and index fingers to make a triangle, place it on top of your head (hat)
• Crowned	Bring hands down on head, use finger to make a crown
• Charlemagne	Stroke/swoosh hair (he had long hair)
• Holy Roman Emperor	“Gather” your cape with your right arm and bow.

Songs are easy to remember, and actions help use other parts of your brain so it's engrained.  I was a music teacher and trust me when you combine repetition, actions and song, you get the fastest way to memorize for most people.  I tried to look up the science behind it (at one time I knew why, but should have put it to a song with actions, because I forgot:), but I couldn't google the right thing.  If I just hum the beginning of a song for my kids they can remember the rest without any help.  Remember to give a simple explanation of the action so that they make the connection- kinda forms a picture in their head.

Geography- I like the continents to a song that my kids learned at practicum. I noticed that Africa and Australia need to be switched according to my mini foundations guide.  I'll have to check that against the current foundations guide to see where the mistake is.  I tried switching the two in the song and it works. It's on youtube if you search for Classical Conversations Continents Song by username stephaniesavagetv.    I'll run through the song while I use a pointer to show the locations on the map.  Then I'll give the students each a turn to point while we sing.  Or you could use the fly swatters and have two students stand by the map to swat the continent or ocean I call out (if there is time).

Math- I plan on having the students stand in a line for skip counting the "1's".  Each kid will take one step forward as we count to twelve.  Simple, and no, we probably don't need to expand on general counting, they should have this one down :).  For the "two's" I am going to bring pairs of socks.  I'll hand out the socks and we'll sing the song.  Each student will take turns throwing the socks into a laundry basket as we sing. I've also seen printables for the two's that use the socks.  You could print them and have the kids point to each pair as you count.  I just like getting kids up and moving to keep them focused and use some of that energy they are waiting to use up.

English- You can sing the 8 parts of speech to "One little, two little, three little Indians".  We will sing as we pass a bean bag around in a circle.

Latin - We will sing the song as presented on the CC website, and use a printed poster that has the visual.  I'll probably try to squeeze in giving each kid a turn pointing.  The posters haven't been printed yet but this is what I found on CC Connected.  I just took a screen shot.

 I know they've switched to just saying the endings.  So you'd really just point out the ending, but could show them here how it fits on the end of a word. I wish when I saved things from CC connected it had somewhere who had uploaded it.  I'd have to get back on and look to give this great person credit.  It takes forever on CC Connected so please forgive me.

Review Game: for this first week when we might have a bit more time, since there is less to review, we are going to play the bucket toss game. I explained this in another post.  I sure do wish I was better at  embedding   links.  Right now I just don't have time- gotta get another coat of paint on before dinner.  You won't have a hard time finding it since there's not many posts ;).  

CC Review Game Jeopardy/Battleship

Kinda excited to try this game.  You know how I've said I like board games and such.  I also love sticky notes :).  

I first called it Battleship, but it may be more like Jeopardy.  Whatever it is (or isn't) it will be fun.

Start your game by making numbered rows.  The number of rows will depend on how many weeks you'll be reviewing.  Most of the time in Classical Conversations we'll be reviewing the present week and previous six.  If you play this in the first few weeks you could do fewer rows.  

Next you'll lay out your sticky notes in columns.  One bright color per column if you have the multicolor pack (which makes it lots of fun:).

When you get all the columns spaced out you will have a hidden subject/week under each sticky note.  

If the student asked for Yellow 7 they'd get History Sentence two weeks previous.  

Each question answered correctly will be awarded points.  I plan on using talley marks.  

Hidden within the subject/week questions will be STARS.

If the student asks for Orange 2, they'd have found a STAR.  The star indicates bonus points.  I will try giving 5 bonus points for stars. The student that uncovered a star will be allowed to pick a second sticky note- if they answer the question correctly they get the bonus points indicated by the star.  This is the variation that reminds me of Jeopardy. 

Simple, Cheap, FUN!

Alternative method of play:

Set up is the same.  Change the stars to X marks and they lose points if the second sticky choice is not answered correctly.  They will need to reach a before appointed point total before uncovering all the X's.  

Example: if you hide 5 X's and set the point goal for 50.  They must reach 50 points before uncovering the 5th X.  

I thought this approach was more like Battleship.

Simple, Cheap, FUN!