KINDERGARTEN
Mrs. Hernandez Nagreen
April 2008 News

It is hard to believe that there are only about 40 days left in this school year.  In some ways it seems like I have just started this school year and in others ways I can't wait for summer.  Of course I think the summer pool pass flyer and all of the announcements about summer sports have me thinking about long leisurely days sipping lemonade.  Anyone who knows me at all knows this is a joke. My kids keep me more than busy with everything they do. I am also teaching Classical Summer School.

March was a great month of curriculum.  We read about Momotoro, the Peach Boy, The Bremen Town Musicians, and the Wolf and the Seven Little Kids.  In geography we have been working hard to identify the continents and oceans.  This is a great activity to review at home. Our continent of the month was Asia and we had a great time doing a mapping activity about Japan. We had an introduction of the different architectures in the different Asian countries.  The differences are very beautiful.  The children also gave a try at Chinese writing.  I think they were wondering how Chinese children ever learn to read, but we learned a lot about the different culture and way of writing. Diana's mom came in and gave a great presentation about China.  Everyone learned how to use chopsticks, won Chinese treats and each child was given a very special gift.  Diana's dad had just come back from China and brought everyone a very special Olympic key chain.  In science we learned about pets and what living things need to live.  The children were very excited about doing a booklet about a special pet.  These booklets will be sent home this week. I enjoyed meeting with everyone during conferences:-)

April is also one of my favorite months.  Our continent of interest is Australia.  The children get so excited about the weird and exciting animals of this great continent.  We will also try our hand at making some ANZAC biscuits, a favorite of many Australians. In science we will be learning about plants.  We will learn about the different parts of a plant, the needs of plants, and how plants manage to get their seeds from one place to another.  We are also working on a special flower surprise for a very special day in May.  Two years ago our plants did not grow very well in this room, so I purchased a small, portable greenhouse to assist us in our growing. Last year they did much better! In science we will also learn about George Washington Carver.

Saxon K- Math is continuing to go very well this year and we will finish this level by the end of the year.  We will be getting into math facts as the year draws to a close.  This is always a good thing to work on at home or while driving in the car.  All of the children could use some review on the name and value of a penny, nickel, dime, and quarter.

Horizons A- Reading is progressing nicely for us to finish all 155 lessons by the end of the year.  This is the point in the year when things get really hard.  Even though I am hoping the weather will be getting really nice outside, this is not the time to forget about oral reading. Some children need help with their spelling.  All words that occur on tests have been spelled many times before tests on the daily spelling papers.  Keep up the great review at home.

Cinco de Mayo- If you attended fall fest here at Classical and had a great time, please consider attending the Cinco de Mayo celebration here
on May 3rd.  There will be a dinner, games, other activities and new this year a babysitting room for the younger ones in your family. The
children will be learning about Cinco de Mayo in Spanish class, so the children may really enjoy this program. I know that a note will go home
requesting each family to donate 2 dozen eggs for the celebration.  If you are interested, these eggs need to be "cleaned out."  I have been
saving eggs over the past few weeks when I have made scrambled eggs or used eggs in a recipe.  I have found that if I use a sharp steak knife
and tap the end to make about an inch hole the egg can be shaken out of the shell and is still usable.  After the eggs are returned to school they will be filled with confetti and covered with tissue paper. If you are familiar with cascarones and would like to prepare them at home, please do so. Cinco de Mayo is talked about in my family quite often as being a "blast."

Please contact me with any questions you may have. 
 

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We’ve already jumped right into the Science units for this month.  Plants are at the top of our list!  We’ll learn about the needs and structure of a plant.  The best way to learn is to see it first hand, so the class planted tiny seeds and we’ll watch over the next month to see how things change.  We’ll also learn about the life and work of George Washington Carver (scientist and teacher). 

Literature Class, this month, will include the stories of King Midas and The Velveteen Rabbit.  We’ll read many other stories about plants, kangaroos, and important people.

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Literature:  The students will be introduced to a number of Aesop's Fables this month: The Boy Who Cried Wolf; The Dog in the Manger; The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing; The Maid and the Milk Pail; The Fox and the Grapes; The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs.   Within the study of fables we will discuss the sayings "Sour grapes" and "Wolf in sheep's clothing".

History/Geography: The lessons this month are a study of the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt.  The children will learn why Mesopotamia is known as the " cradle of civilization", the importance of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, and why the development of writing, rules and laws are important to the development of civilization.  We will study the geography of Egypt and the importance of the Nile River. Of course, no study of Egypt would be complete without learning about pharaohs, pyramids, mummies, and hieroglyphics.

Science: Geography will be tied into our science lessons this month as we focus on the oceans and undersea life.  We will be reviewing the continents, cardinal directions, and the oceans.  We will learn about the landscape and conditions of the ocean floor and gain an understanding of the concepts of coast, shore, wave, tide, and current. 

Both reading groups continue to progress at one lesson a day.  To build fluency, students should be reading aloud to parents each school night.

Math: Saxon 1 will be adding 3 single digit numbers, counting dimes, nickels, and pennies, and working with geometric solids and fact
practice will include adding 9.  Saxon 2 will continue to work on telling time to the minute, solving problems that require borrowing or carrying, completing 100 addition facts within 5 minutes and 100 subtraction facts within 6 minutes.  We will also be working on multiples of 5, 2, and 3.

Spelling: the spellings we are working on include; /vv/ spelled v-e (as in have); /ing/ spelled i-n-g; and /k/ spelled c (as in cat)

In Grammar we will continue to work on writing paragraphs.  We will learn the contractions I'm, can't, don't, doesn't, and didn't.  We will also be learning how to tell the difference between a complete sentence and a sentence fragment.

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2ND GRADE
 Mr. Bomann and Mrs. Campshure
April 2008 News

Reading Mastery 3- The students had a great first test after Spring Break.  Please continue to read the next day’s story with your child every night. 

Reading Mastery 4 – The children continue to progress very nicely.  During these last stories the children should read the next day’s story nightly aloud to an adult.  We should finish the book by the end of the month (13 lessons left after today.)  From then until the end of the year the students will be a novel and completing a homework packet that goes along with the book. 

Spelling Mastery B – Students are continuing to make great progress and have a firm grasp of the words.  Once the spelling book is finished, additional time will be spent on grammar lessons.

Saxon Math 2 – I appreciate the signatures and checking that you have been doing at home.  Please practice subtraction facts, especially -6’s, -7’s and -8’s.  The students will begin learning multiplication so mastery of the subtraction facts is essential.  The best way I know to master facts is to practice!  Some children still need practice on count by’s.  Your child should be able to count by 2’s(to 20), 3’s(to 30), 5’s(to 50), 10’s(to 100), 100’s (to 1000) and 25’s to 300 with relative ease.  New concepts that are coming up this month will be multiplying by 2, 3 and 5, telling time to the minute and adding and subtracting 3-digit numbers. 

Core Knowledge Literature  - In April we will be studying the 14 major Greek gods and goddesses.  The children will work on a writing project about each different god we learn about.  We think you will be surprised how much they learn about these mythical characters.  We will also learn the story of Prometheus, Pandora, Theseus and Daedalus.  The students will learn about the origins of Greek theatre.  Our saying for the month is “Keep your fingers crossed.”

Core Knowledge History & Geography   - Second graders will learn about Ancient Greece this month.  They will learn some of the geography, study the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas and study about the cities of Crete, Sparta and Athens. We will talk about the Persian War and about the great thinkers Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.  We will end our study of Greece talking about Alexander the Great and the origins of the Olympic games.

Core Knowledge Science – We will be studying insects until the end of the school year.  The children will learn about how they can be harmful or helpful.  They will learn the distinguishing characteristics of various insects and about insect metamorphosis.  We will study ant colonies and honeybees.

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3RD GRADE
Mrs. Hoppe
April 2008 News

LITERATURE  The students enjoying learning about the crazy adventures of Rat, Mole, and Toad in the Wind in the Willows.  We will continue
reading this book this month.  We also will be reading many Roman myths which are full of good life lessons.

GRAMMAR  The students are getting quite talented at distinguishing between  pattern one and pattern two sentences.   We are starting this month with a review of Unit 2, which introduced pattern two sentences, capitalization and punctuation rules, and possessives.

Coming up next will be the introduction of pattern three sentences, which include an indirect object, looking at run on sentences and deciding how to correct them with several different possibilities. 

Please continue to review all grammar concepts learned with your child. This extra review really helps the children understand the concepts presented in class.

HISTORY  We have begun our intriguing study of Ancient Rome.  The city of Pompeii will be uncovered discovering all the riches that were left behind.  Our study will include the "decline and fall" of  Rome, meeting along the way Nero and Atilla the Hun.  The students will also be introduced to Constantine, the first Christian emperor and the Justinian Code.

MATH (SAXON 5/4)  We continue to progress through our lessons.  The children review their math facts daily.  Several of the children could
use some extra practice with the subtraction, multiplication, and division facts.  Please continue to practice these basic facts with your child at home.

Our upcoming lessons are increasing in difficulty.  Some of the topics covered over the next several weeks include averages, mean, median,
range, mode, geometric solids, fractions and mixed numbers, adding and subtracting fractions, and dividing numbers by 10 and/or multiples of 10.

READING (READING MASTERY PLUS IV)  The students have been hard at work reading.  During class, we ask many questions and discuss all aspects of
the story.  Please encourage your child to read the next day's story the night before class.  This extra reading really helps us get through the story in class within the number of errors provided.

We will soon be completing our Reading Mastery IV textbook.  After we complete the textbook, we will read a novel.  As we read through the
novel, please look for the novel and the worksheets to come home daily. Also, please make sure that your child has some sort of protector for their novel.  This can be anything from a plastic bag to a pencil pouch. This protection will help with the wear and tear on the book while we are using it. 

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3RD GRADE
Mrs. Holcomb
May/June 2008 News

Grammar   The students are beginning to recognize Pattern 3 sentences while finding indirect objects and direct objects.   The students will be able to tell the difference amongst the three types of sentences.  They will be learning how to correct double negative sentences and how to determine if a verb is regular or irregular.

History   We will be completing our study of Ancient Rome and moving onto our last unit of Important Rivers of the World.  The students will discover how rivers have shaped the places and the way that people choose to live throughout history.  The students will each do a poster report on a major world river.  We will also be reviewing geographical terms and recognizing them on a map.

Science   Our science investigations will be “out of this world” as we explore the earth’s moon, black holes, meteors, and eclipses. We will read about Apollo 11, the first landing on the moon.  Our last science biography of the year will be about Mae Jemison who was the first African-American woman to go into space.   We will be making our own space shuttle glider as we complete this unit.

Literature   Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is keeping all of our attentions as Alice gets herself into the most ridiculous of circumstances and meets unusual characters.  This month we will also be reading many of the Arabian tales.  These are ancient tales created by Scheherazade to protect her life.  Several of the favorites that we will be reading are Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.

Language Arts 3   The class has just completed The Jungle Book and will soon be reading The Princess and the Goblin.   Read along with your sons and daughters as they are intrigued by a princess who takes a hidden stairway to a secret room which leads to a mysterious woman who gives her a magic ring.  Don’t put the book down until the plot has unraveled itself into a lovely ending. 

Saxon Math 3    Encourage your son or daughter to finish well as this quarter in math becomes harder.   Continue to regularly practice the multiplication and division facts.  They will need to know these extremely well for the following year. In May we will be identifying angles, identifying geometric solids,  finding factors,  and identifying units of distances.

THANK YOU!!!
An enormous thank you to all who have faithfully helped throughout the year to make this a successful endeavor for all of our third grade students.  Our classroom cannot run smoothly without you!   Please plan on attending the Volunteer Breakfast on May 16th – we are expecting you!  The breakfast is 7:15 – 8:00 in the Forum.

DATES TO REMEMBER

May 5 – 9 – Box Top Classroom Contest
May 13 – Spirit Day – wear your school colors
May 16 – Volunteer Breakfast in the forum
May 19 – 22 – Student Council School Supply Drive for Project Self Help 
May 23 – No Classes in the afternoon
May 26 – Memorial Day – No School
June 6 – Last day of School

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4th GRADE
Mrs. Chen
May/June 2008 News

In history, we finished our medieval African kingdoms unit, and will move into the study of Chinese dynasties.  The early rulers, the building of the Great Wall, some of the great emperors, poets, and conquering warriors will be topics for our final unit of 4th grade world history.  The culture, religions, art and ideas are so different from other parts of the world, and the children will love this fascinating study. The geography of China, with special concentration on the main rivers and regions will also be studied in May and June.

Science will be the continuation of our unit on electricity. Moving from static to current electricity, we will tie in our knowledge of chemistry from earlier in the year, and draw on some of the meteorology knowledge too, to understand occurrences in nature.  The most “hands-on” of our science units, and one of the most exciting, this study of electricity will give children a basic foundation of circuits, the flow of electrons, how to break circuits, build them, make games that light up or buzz and how to respect the dangers of electricity.  Michael Faraday will be our last biographical study, and students will learn of his contributions with the electromagnet and electric generator.  My class will continue with weather experiments and presentations until the end of the year. 

In language arts, we are concluding our Literature studies with the novel Treasure Island, which is always a favorite.  The language seems less and less a barrier each year, as the children come through from previous grades with a firmer, richer foundation.  This novel is the most interesting of the 4th grade “island” novels, and captures their imagination and takes their breath away at certain points.  We will hear complaints when it’s time to put the book away!  As a conclusion to this novel, we will have Pirate Day on Wed., June 4, which will be both fun and educational for the students. The Chinese folktale “The Magic Brocade” gives 4th graders a glimpse of culture, values and art of China long ago, and the classes will learn one final poem, “Things” by Eloise Greenfield.  Sayings and virtues for these remaining weeks include: wonder, lives to learn from, heroism, Blow Hot and Cold, As the Crow Flies, Run of the Mill, and Through Thick and Thin. 

My reading class is currently reading Robinson Crusoe.  This will continue, along with fairy tales (Imitation in Writing) until the end of the year.  We will also be working on the persuasive essay in Reading class as a conclusion to the 4th grade Excellence in Writing series.  The students are doing very well with their writing and have been applying what they have learned to everyday writing.  We emphasized adjectives and adverbs recently, as well as varying the openers and writing good introductions and conclusions.  The Language Arts 4 curriculum this year was rich in historical content, writing skills, and creative/imaginative novels, as well as being a fabulous complement to our studies in history and our classroom literature. 

For spelling, both classes are finishing the D Level and have a solid foundation of rules and morphographs that should help them with future spelling challenges. The words progressed in difficulty until now some of them are quite challenging when viewed apart from how they fit together in our spelling lessons.  The students have done very well with this level and it surprised me because I used to think of this as so hard compared to the Morphographic Spelling we taught the last couple of years. 

In math, both levels of 4th grade students are finishing with some challenging concepts.  Fractions, ratios, geometry, long division, double-doubles multiplication, and algebraic equations have gradually increased in difficulty, which will continue until the end of the school year.  Please encourage your child to not let up in math!  Continue having your child fix incorrect problems on homework, and briefly review lessons as a way to study for tests. Summer math review packets will be offered this year as a way for your child to practice important concepts over the long break. 

In grammar class, the fourth grade is well into the last unit -  the Pattern 4 sentences with predicate nouns and linking verbs.  This type of sentence says that one thing is another.  Students are doing well, and have a good understanding of the parts of a sentence, how the subject differs from the predicate, what different noun jobs are, the prepositions, and many other grammar concepts that will help them in 5th grade. Remember to keep studying the reference sections of the Shurley Grammar book if something is not clearly understood, because the concepts keep repeating. 

Our field trip to the courthouse to commemorate Law Day was very interesting this year.  After so many fairy tales and rewrites, our students were actually able to see the wolf on trial for allegedly causing problems for the three pigs!  Some children from our school were chosen for jury duty and helped determine the outcome of the charges against the wolf.    Others got to play key roles in the legal process along with the real judge, court officials and lawyers.  Actors from Lawrence University were hilarious playing the parts of the 3 pigs and B.B. Wolf – with crazy accents, tears, and lots of drama.

Parents, thank you for all your support this year. You have been involved at home in laying a firm academic foundation for your child, reinforcing what was taught, and helping in the classroom as well. When food, volunteers, or supplies were needed you were quick to come forward and meet every need.  Mrs. Coenen and I wish you and your child a wonderful last five weeks of the school year and an enjoyable summer!
 

4TH GRADE
Mrs. Coenen 
May/June 2008 News

In history, we finished our medieval African kingdoms unit, and will move into the study of Chinese dynasties.  The early rulers, the building of the Great Wall, some of the great emperors, poets, and conquering warriors will be topics for our final unit of 4th grade world history.  The culture, religions, art and ideas are so different from other parts of the world, and the children will love this fascinating study. The geography of China, with special concentration on the main rivers and regions will also be studied in May and June.

Science will be the continuation of our unit on electricity. Moving from static to current electricity, we will tie in our knowledge of chemistry from earlier in the year, and draw on some of the meteorology knowledge too, to understand occurrences in nature.  The most “hands-on” of our science units, and one of the most exciting, this study of electricity will give children a basic foundation of circuits, the flow of electrons, how to break circuits, build them, make games that light up or buzz and how to respect the dangers of electricity.  Michael Faraday will be our last biographical study, and students will learn of his contributions with the electromagnet and electric generator. 

In language arts, we are concluding our Literature studies with the novel Treasure Island, which is always a favorite.  The language seems less and less a barrier each year, as the children come through from previous grades with a firmer, richer foundation.  This novel is the most interesting of the 4th grade “island” novels, and captures their imagination and takes their breath away at certain points.  We will hear complaints when it’s time to put the book away!  As a conclusion to this novel, we will have Pirate Day on Wed., June 4, which will be both fun and educational for the students. The Chinese folktale “The Magic Brocade” gives 4th graders a glimpse of culture, values and art of China long ago, and the classes will learn one final poem, “Things” by Eloise Greenfield.  Sayings and virtues for these remaining weeks include: wonder, lives to learn from, heroism, Blow Hot and Cold, As the Crow Flies, Run of the Mill, and Through Thick and Thin. 

My reading class is currently reading The Little Prince.  Because of the deep and poignant messages delivered I save this book for last. As the school year closes I want the students to be able to uncover the true meaning of author’s words and to connect emotionally through discussion and journal writing. 

For spelling, both classes are finishing the D Level and have a solid foundation of rules and morphographs that should help them with future spelling challenges. The words progressed in difficulty until now some of them are quite challenging when viewed apart from how they fit together in our spelling lessons.  The students have done very well with this level and it surprised me because I used to think of this as so hard compared to the Morphographic Spelling we taught the last couple of years. 

In math, both levels of 4th grade students are finishing with some challenging concepts.  Fractions, ratios, geometry, long division, double-doubles multiplication, and algebraic equations have gradually increased in difficulty, which will continue until the end of the school year.  Please encourage your child to not let up in math!  Continue having your child fix incorrect problems on homework, and briefly review lessons as a way to study for tests. Summer math review packets will be offered this year as a way for your child to practice important concepts over the long break. 

In grammar class, the fourth grade is well into the last unit -  the Pattern 4 sentences with predicate nouns and linking verbs.  This type of sentence says that one thing is another.  Students are doing well, and have a good understanding of the parts of a sentence, how the subject differs from the predicate, what different noun jobs are, the prepositions, and many other grammar concepts that will help them in 5th grade. Remember to keep studying the reference sections of the Shurley Grammar book if something is not clearly understood, because the concepts keep repeating. 

Our field trip to the courthouse to commemorate Law Day was very interesting this year.  After so many fairy tales and rewrites, our students were actually able to see the wolf on trial for allegedly causing problems for the three pigs!  Some children from our school were chosen for jury duty and helped determine the outcome of the charges against the wolf.  Others got to play key roles in the legal process along with the real judge, court officials and lawyers.  Actors from Lawrence University were hilarious playing the parts of the 3 pigs and B.B. Wolf – with crazy accents, tears, and lots of drama.

Parents, thank you for all your support this year. You have been involved at home in laying a firm academic foundation for your child, reinforcing what was taught, and helping in the classroom as well. When food, volunteers, or supplies were needed you were quick to come forward and meet every need.  Mrs. Chen and I wish you and your child a wonderful last five weeks of the school year and an enjoyable summer! And finally, thank you so much to my weekly volunteers who tend to so many chores (especially the grammar grading) around the classroom, plan special events, prepare goodies, and clip box tops. 
 

5TH GRADE
Mrs. Rivers
May/June 2008 News

I can hardly believe we are approaching the end of the school year.  I am honored to have been partners with you this year in educating your children.  You can be proud of the effort they put forth this year – challenging themselves and pushing toward new heights in their acquisition of knowledge.  I feel confident that they will enter the sixth grade well prepared for their next level of study. 

Civil War 

Gettysburg Address: The students did well memorizing Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Ask your son or daughter to recite it for you if they have not done so already. 

Civil War Reenactment: On May 9th, we will participate in the Civil War reenactment. You will not want to miss the battle in the afternoon or the closing ceremonies.  Bring your cameras and video recorders to capture the excitement.  The students know if they are Union or confederate.  Mrs. Rivers’ class is confederate! They need to be dressed as a soldier of those times. We will have over 100 fifth graders participating this year. Our bus leaves at 8:30 from Classical and brings us to Alicia Park. We then march to Pierce Park with drums, flags, and a police escort. The day is filled with Civil War activities, lunch, and the Battle of Gainesville.  We arrive back at school at 3:00(or so).  The students must ride back on the bus to Classical where you can pick them up. (Policy)

CURRICULUM 
The “nifty 50” states and capitals will be studied in May. Please help your child memorize the state, capital, and abbreviation as the regions are sent home. Thank you.

Shurley English: The students will complete the Unit 4 – Group 5-8 the next few weeks. 

Reading: The students are enjoying our study of Abraham Lincoln through his photo biography. We made a timeline on the front board and came up with many interesting facts and events.  In RiversLA5 class we will complete this most interesting study of our 16th President and finish up our year with the Curriculum Poetry Unit. Remember: “Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”(stated by President Abraham Lincoln)

Math (Saxon 76): We just completed Lesson 110.  I have continued to have students in for math help during recess. This is a good time for students to work with a partner and seek help from me. Please encourage your son/daughter to take advantage of this work time.  I am stressing NO SHORTCUTS!

Spelling: Keep studying the growing list of spelling words.  Test 110 is coming up next.

Speeches
· Abraham Lincoln:  The Gettysburg Address· Chief Joseph (Highh’moot Tooyalakekt):  “I will fight no more forever”

Sayings and Phrases
· Every cloud has a silver lining· To kill two birds with one stone· Out of the frying pan and into the fire· Steal his/her thunder· Tom, Dick and Harry

AMERICAN HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY: The Civil War 
· Sherman’s march to the sea, burning of Atlanta· Lincoln re-elected, concluding words of the Second Inaugural Address (“With malice toward none, charity for all….”)· Richmond (Confederate capital) falls to Union forces· Surrender at Appomattox· Assassination of Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth

Reconstruction
· The South in ruins· Struggle for control of the South, Radical Republicans vs. Andrew Johnson, impeachment· Carpetbaggers and scalawags· Freedmen’s Bureau, “40 acres and a mule”· 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution· Black Codes, the Ku Klux Klan and “vigilante justice”· End of Reconstruction, Compromise of 1877, all federal troops removed from the South

Westward Expansion
Westward Expansion After the Civil War
· Homestead Act (1862), many thousands of Americans and immigrants start farms in the West· “Go west, young man” Horace Greeley’s advice)· Railroads, Transcontinental Railroad links east and west, immigrant labor· Cowboys, cattle drives· The “wild west,” reality versus legend:  Billy the Kid, Jesse James, Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill· “Buffalo Soldiers,” African American troops in the West· U.S. purchases Alaska from Russia, “Seward’s folly”· 1890:  the closing of the American frontier (as acknowledged in the U.S. Census), the symbolic significance of the frontier

Science: The Life Cycle and Reproduction 

Sexual Reproduction in Animals
· Reproduction organs: testes (sperm) and ovaries (eggs)· External fertilization:  spawning· Internal fertilization:  birds, mammals· Development of the embryo:  egg, zygote, embryo, growth in uterus, fetus, newborn

The Human Body 
Changes in Human Adolescence
· Puberty· Glands and hormones (see below, Endocrine System), growth spurt, hair growth, breasts, voice change

The Endocrine System
· The human body has two types of glands:  duct glands (such as the salivary glands), and ductless glands, also known as endocrine glands· Endocrine glands secrete (give off) chemicals called hormones.  Different hormones control different body processes· Pituitary gland:  located at the bottom of the brain, secretes hormones that control other glands, and hormones that regulate growth· Thyroid gland:  located below the voice box, secretes a hormone that controls the rate at which the body burns and uses food· Pancreas:  both a duct and ductless gland, secretes a hormone called insulin that regulates how the body uses and stores sugar, when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, a person has a sickness called diabetes (which can be controlled)· Adrenal glands:  secrete a hormone called adrenaline, especially when a person is frightened or angry, causing rapid heartbeat and breathing

Thank you in advance to Doctor Gregory Long and Doctor Hillary Webster for talking with our fifth graders about “growing up.” We greatly appreciate your excellent expertise.

Thank you for your KAT donations and for studying with your child.

As always, thank you for allowing me to teach your children.
 

5TH GRADE
Mrs. Tirimacco
May/June 2008 News

I can hardly believe we are approaching the end of the school year.  I am honored to have been partners with you this year in educating your children.  I am very proud of each student.  I am impressed with their effort and enthusiasm each of them put into their fifth grade year.  Thank you for the support you have shown me throughout this year.   I will miss these terrific fifth graders! 

Thank you to Dr. Webster and Dr. Long for coming in to speak to us about Human Growth and Development.  Dr. Webster will be here on May 2nd and Dr. Long will be joining the boys on May 8th.  We are very grateful for the time and dedication they put into helping our students understand this part of our science curriculum.

Here’s what we’ll be up to for the remainder of the school year:

Gettysburg Address: The students have been working on memorizing Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.  They did a tremendous job in reciting this important speech.   Memorization is an important part of a well-rounded education and this famous speech is something they will most likely remember well into adulthood.   Next, we will also be working on O Captain, My Captain by Walt Whitman.

Civil War Reenactment: On May 9th, we will head over to Pierce Park for the day as we participate in the Civil War reenactment.  Please feel free to come and watch this event throughout the day.  You will not want to miss the battle in the afternoon or the closing ceremonies.  Bring your cameras and video recorders to capture the excitement.   If you are having trouble putting together a costume, please let me know, I have a few extra I can lend out.   Last year, we had very cold, wet temperatures, the year before, extreme heat.   Please have your child prepared for either type of weather.  They will also need to bring a water bottle or canteen.  A delicious lunch will be provided for the students.

Schedule for reenactment on May 11, 2006

8:45 – 9:00                    Classical and Johnston Schools will bused to Alicia Park.
At Alicia Park students will be taught to march and drill by re enactors from 2nd Wisconsin, Company E

9:30                               March to Pierce Park with Police escort (About 1 mile) (Need to be lined up by 9:30)

10:05                            Arrive at park

10:15                            Begin rotation of stations   (4 twenty minute stations before lunch)

                                    Rotating by regiment 
                                    10:15 – 10:35
                                    10:35 – 10:55
                                    10:55 – 11:15
                                    11:15 – 11:35

11:35                             Lunch 
                                    ½ of the students will eat (bathroom break)
                                                 ½ of the students will sing
                                    Then switch
12:20                Start rotation of next four stations
                                    12:20 – 12:40
                                    12:40 – 1:00
                                    1:00 – 1:20
                                    1:20 – 1:40

1:45                              Reenact 

2:15                              Closing Ceremonies – Reciting of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address    (recited by a Classical student), O Captain, My Captain) and Lee’s Farewell

 2:40                             All schools bus back to their buildings 

Shurley English: We are working on finishing our study of unit 4. 

Reading:  We all enjoyed our study of The Secret Garden.  Our last novel will tie in well with our History and Geography unit on the Civil War.  In May, we will read The Photo biography of Abraham Lincoln.   We will finish the year with poetry. 

Math (Saxon 65): We just completed Test 20.  We are spending more time reviewing concepts in preparation for our last few tests.   Students will continue doing corrections. 

LANGUAGE ARTS: 

Myths and Legends 

Morning Star and Scarface:  The Sun Dance (a Plains Indian legend, also known as “The Legend of Scarface”) 
American Indian trickster stories (for example, tales of Coyote, Raven, or Grandmother Spider) 
 
Speeches 
Chief Joseph (Highh’moot Tooyalakekt):  “I will fight no more forever” 
 
Sayings and Phrases 

• Every cloud has a silver lining 
• To kill two birds with one stone 
• Out of the frying pan and into the fire 
• Steal his/her thunder 
• Tom, Dick and Harry 

Reconstruction 

·          The South in ruins
·          Struggle for control of the South, Radical Republicans vs. Andrew Johnson, impeachment
·          Carpetbaggers and scalawags
·          Freedmen’s Bureau, “40 acres and a mule”
·          13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution
·          Black Codes, the Ku Klux Klan and “vigilante justice”
·          End of Reconstruction, Compromise of 1877, all federal troops removed from the South

Westward Expansion after the Civil War 

Homestead Act (1862), many thousands of Americans and immigrants start farms in the West 
“Go west, young man” Horace Greeley’s advice) 
Railroads, Transcontinental Railroad links east and west, immigrant labor 
Cowboys, cattle drives 
The “wild west,” reality versus legend:  Billy the Kid, Jesse James, Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill 
“Buffalo Soldiers,” African American troops in the West 
U.S. purchases Alaska from Russia, “Seward’s folly” 
1890:  the closing of the American frontier (as acknowledged in the U.S. Census), the symbolic significance of the frontier 
 
Native Americans:  Cultures and Conflicts 

Culture and Life 

Great Basin and Plateau (for example, Shoshone, Ute, Nez Perce) 
Northern and Southern Plains (for example, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Lakota [Sioux], Shoshone, Blackfoot, Crow) 
--Extermination of buffalo 

Pacific Northwest (for example, Chinook, Kwakiutl, Yakima) 
 
American Government Polices 

Bureau of Indian Affairs 
Forced removal to reservations 
Attempts to break down tribal life, assimilation policies, Carlisle School 
 
Conflicts 

Sand Creek Massacre 
Little Big Horn:  Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Custer’s Last Stand 
Wounded Knee 
Ghost Dance 

Science:  The Endocrine System 

The human body has two types of glands:  duct glands (such as the salivary glands), and ductless glands, also known as endocrine glands 
Endocrine glands secrete (give off) chemicals called hormones.  Different hormones control different body processes 
Pituitary gland:  located at the bottom of the brain, secretes hormones that control other glands, and hormones that regulate growth 
Thyroid gland:  located below the voice box, secretes a hormone that controls the rate at which the body burns and uses food 
Pancreas:  both a duct and ductless gland, secretes a hormone called insulin that regulates how the body uses and stores sugar, when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, a person has a sickness called diabetes (which can be controlled) 
Adrenal glands:  secrete a hormone called adrenaline, especially when a person is frightened or angry, causing rapid heartbeat and breathing 
 

6TH GRADE
Mrs. Foley
February 2008 News

On one final note:  Having a substitute teacher can change the dynamics of the classroom.  I have had a couple conversations with the students about how the expectations of the classroom and school will not change when Mrs. Ebben arrives.  We have spent a lot of time together, and she is very aware of what is expected from the students, as well as what they are capable of doing.  Although Mrs. Ebben will be your primary contact during my absence, please feel free to copy me in on emails, as will she, in order to alleviate problems in communication.  She will have an email address, and she will be available by phone through the school day, just as I was.  Please do not hesitate to notify her if you notice a change in academics or behavior during my absence, as she will do the same.  I truly believe that this transition will be easy for the students, and I know that Mrs. Ebben is so looking forward to spending time here with your children! 

I will be returning on April 14th give or take a day or two depending on me departure.  Mrs. Ebben and I will be working closely together as my return date nears, so we can make that transition just as smooth for you as well as the students.  If I do not speak to you or see you soon, I will see you at conferences in March!  I hope all of you have a wonderful, snowy month!

Thank you again for all that you do to help your child succeed.  If you have any questions regarding your child’s performance, please feel free to email me here at school.  Email is the fastest mode of communication for me; however, you can also contact me via phone, and I will return your call as soon as possible.

Mrs. Foley

Classroom Reminders:
1. Assignment Notebook:  Please check your child’s assignment notebook very carefully to see that all of their work is completed.  We fill this out together each day so it can be as accurate as possible.
2. Gimmes:  Remember that we keep track of all gimmes in the back of their assignment notebook, so please remember to check this on a daily basis as well.  Each student is given two gimmes per class per quarter.  Gimmes are given for all work that is incomplete.  If your child should have a question on their homework, please remind them to see their teacher as soon as possible the next day to allow for correct communication at the time the assignment is due.
3. Study Habits:  Students should be studying all history and science on a daily basis whether we have homework in this class or not (5 minutes).  We work very hard on learning our study strategies, and this is definitely an important one.
4. Homework:  All homework must be in complete sentences and in cursive unless otherwise instructed.  Please remind students of this when you are checking over their homework.  Students may be asked to redo assignments due to lack of neatness as well as for not following directions.  Gimmes will not be given for these assignments.
5. Study Hall:  Each day students are given 30-45 minutes of work time to complete their work.  This is not including time at the end of individual classes to begin their work.  If they are coming home with a lot of homework, you may want to ask them how they are using their time throughout the day.
6. Parent Portal:  As many of you are aware, Classical School has begun to use the parent portal.  The parent portal is an accessible database parents can use to view their child’s grades.  Passwords were sent home at the beginning of the year.  I do use Esembler, which is the grade program connected to the parent portal.  I try to update my grades on a weekly basis, but please realize that this does not always happen.  Please feel free to use this resource, while also realizing that there may be gaps in time when it has been updated.  I do find it a valuable resource for parents; therefore, I do my best to update it as much as possible.

Class Summaries

English 6:  We have finished our novel, The Prince and the Pauper, and we have begun work on our four paragraph characterization essay.  The students have outlines and guidelines in their binder.  We are working on some of it in class, but as we enter the final writing stages, they will be doing it outside of class.  We will be starting The Iliad at the end of this week. This is an epic poem surrounding Greek Mythology and the Trojan War.  This novel is lengthy, and the style of writing is new to the students.  For that reason, we will be doing a lot of the beginning reading in class, but they will have reading assignments to complete.  The students typically really enjoy this story!

Math 7/6:  We are going to be taking Lesson 69 today.  We are averaging one lesson per day and a test after every 5 lessons.  Please take a few minutes to be sure that your child’s math assignment is complete on a daily basis.  All work must be shown in order for them to receive full credit.  Students may be asked to correct their lessons, in which case, those are due the following day.  I will help them with corrections if they ask.  I will also check current assignments during our daily lesson time if they ask.  Please encourage your child to seek out help if they need it.

Spelling F:  We are on Test 55.  We are struggling with our spelling tests, so please remind your child to be studying their words each night.  A good study technique is to study words from each lesson, or words that we spell together in class each day.  I did provide a complete spelling list for the students at the beginning of the year.  If you do not find one for your child, please let me know, and I will provide you with another one.  The lists are also in the back of their spelling books.

Grammar:    We have finished our unit on Sentence Structure, and we are currently reviewing to maintain and practice our new skills.  Because we have learned a variety of sentences, the students will be encouraged to transfer this into their writing, and they will be expected to punctuate and use these correctly in their daily writing.  We will continue to work on this for the rest of the year.

Science (Mrs. Schroeder):  As many of you saw, the students culminated Julius Caesar with their performances.  They were wonderful!  Since the students have finished this unit, they will again be continuing with science with Mrs. Schroeder.  This month’s unit is that of Oceans.  They will dive deep into the ocean floor and examine the waters as well as some plant and animal life.  All the information they need for this unit is located in their binders.

History (Mrs. Foley):  We have finished our study of the French Revolution.  I was really proud of how the students related to this information; however, I did notice that we still need to keep working on our study skills.  This unit was very content heavy, which required study time on a routine basis.  Our next unit is the study of revolutions in the Latin American countries.  This, too, is very content and fact heavy.  The students should be studying on a nightly basis for about 5-10 minutes to maintain the information taught during their lessons.  They have everything they need in their binders, but they are always welcome to take their book home for additional study time.

Greek/Latin Roots:  We have learned 51 root words already.  The students should have flashcards for each one to study from in their Greek and Latin Root books.  We have a weekly test covering all that we have learned.  These tests are usually on Fridays.  Students should be studying the pronunciation, spelling, meaning, and origin of each word.

Writing:  We are still working on our Adam’s Street books!  The students’ final copies are due on February 14th.  After they are graded, the students will be arranging a time to meet with the 1st graders to read to them.  They are very excited!  WE have also begun work on our Research Paper.  Our research paper is on a Latin American country.  We have started taking notes, and we have even written a paragraph at this point.  We are very meticulous about our stages, so it is important that the students keep up as we go.  All deadlines are listed in their assignment notebook, and all their information is in their CORE binders.  Continue to look for these deadlines in preparation for the final product.

Back to the top 

6TH GRADE
Mrs. Schroeder
May/June 2008 News

Immune System Flashcards

Happy May!  Where has all of the time gone? It seems like only yesterday I was greeting the students and welcoming them into their sixth grade classroom.  It has truly been a wonderful year!  You should be very proud of your children!

Calling all Box Tops! Our last collection and contest will take place the week of May 5-9!

The students and I discussed the other day the importance of staying focused for the last stretch of school.  Please continue to sign assignment notebooks after you have checked with your child about homework completion.  Gimme information is located in the back of the assignment notebook.

Remember you are able to obtain grade information via the parent portal at http://portal.aasd.k12.wi.us. If you need your login or password, please contact the office.
 
Algebra 1/2
As of Thursday, May 1st, we are through Lesson 106.  The concepts are getting much more difficult, so the students need to utilize their time in class wisely by asking any pertinent questions.  The students also have the opportunity to ask for review sheets to be made for them surrounding concepts of their choice.

Spelling Mastery F
As of Thursday, May 1st, we are through Lesson 94.  Please be studying words at home with your child as we have tests every five lessons.

English 6
For May, we are reading The Odyssey, often called the “sequel” to The Iliad.  I know the students will thoroughly enjoy the adventures of Odysseus.

Grammar
We continue to discuss the importance of utilizing various types of sentences in our writing by fixing short, choppy sentences and long, rambling sentences.  We will also work on recognizing verbs in active and passive voice as well as correctly using troublesome verbs, such as sit/set, rise/raise, lie/lay, and many more.

Language Arts
Our writing focus for May will be persuasive paragraphs and essays.

Greek and Latin Roots
We are nearing 100 roots!  Students should continue to study these roots on a nightly basis.  We have quizzes every week.

Science
We finished our circulatory and lymphatic systems unit and have started the immune system.  We will discuss our defense systems as well as various diseases.  

History/Geography
Students are completing their Industrial Revolution/Industrialization/Urbanization unit with Mrs. Foley.  Future units include Immigration and Reform.

Here are a few dates to put in your calendar for the months of May and June:

• Friday, May 2 – Cinco de Mayo Celebration
• Tuesday, May 6 – Orchestra Concert (7:30 p.m.)
• Thursday, May 8 – MidQuarter Reports
• Tuesday, May 13 – Spirit Day
• Tuesday, May 13 – Band Concert (7:30 p.m.)
• Friday, May 16 – Volunteer Breakfast
• Friday, May 16 – Library Books Due
• Friday, May 23 – No School PM
• Monday, May 26 – No School
• Friday, May 30 - Yearbooks
• Tuesday, June 3 – Classical Awards and Commencement (7:00 p.m.)
• Thursday, June 5 – Report Cards
• Friday, June 6 – Last Day of School (9:23 a.m. dismissal)

Classroom News
It may be hard to believe, but 4th quarter is already here!  Gimmes have renewed as well as the grade book.  While it may be difficult for the students to see this now, middle school grades DO matter.  The grades the students make now and the study habits they form during middle school will assist them in taking the courses they are interested in in high school.  Make sure to stay focused during the last weeks of school!

For more information on the Core Knowledge Foundation and the Core Knowledge curriculum your child is studying, please check out the foundation’s website at www.coreknowledge.org

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.  Email seems to be the best way to make sure that I have received your message and ensure a quick response. 

English 7
The 7th grade English classes will begin the last quarter reading Diary of a Young Girl: Anne Frank.  We recently discussed the difference between this book and a autobiography.  Students are also aware that this diary was not written with the intention to have it published.  We are  fortunate to have the opportunity to peek into Anne’s world during World War II.

In the world of Spelling, Roots, and Foreign Phrases, we added 5 new spelling words, 6 new Greek and Latin roots, as well as 2 new foreign phrases to our list.  Please remember that all tests are cumulative!   Students should also begin preparing for our “Vocabulary Parade” scheduled for some time at  the end of May.  Students are to choose a Greek or Latin root and create a costume to wear that will successfully define their word visually. 

I.  Spelling Words: 
shepherd     sincerely     sponsor      succeed      surprise 
achievement, address, analysis, anonymous, argument, beginning, business, college, conscience, control, criticism, definite, definitely, description, despise, doesn’t, environment, excellent, existence, grammar, hypocrisy, immediately, interpret, knowledge, lieutenant, medieval, muscle, muscular, occasionally, offense, particularly, persuade, politician, prejudice, probably, recognize, remembrance, responsibility, rhyme, sacrifice, scholar 

II.  Roots:
 Latin/Greek Root     Meaning  Examples
 sequor [L]   Follow   Subsequent, sequel
 solvo [L]   Loosen   Solution, dissolve, solvent
 specto [L]   Look at   Inspect, speculate, perspective
syn [G]    Together   Synchronize, synthesis
 tendo [L]   Stretch   Tension, intense, detention
 teneo [L]   Hold, keep  Contain, content, maintain 
re [L] Back, again  React, reply, revise
scribo [L] Write   Scribble, inscribe
sentio [L] Feel (with senses)   Sensation, sensual, sentry
strictus [L]   Drawn tight  Strict, constricted
 sub [L]    Under   Subdue, subject, subtract
 super [L]    Above   Superficial, superlative, supreme

neos [G] New   Neophyte, Neoclassical
pan [G] All    Panorama, panacea
pedis [L]    Foot   Pedal, biped
polis [G]    City   Metropolis
pro [L]    Before,for   Proceed, propose, prodigy
pseudos [G]   A lie   Pseudonym

judex [L]    A judge   Judge, prejudice
juro [L]    Swear   Jury, perjury
makros [G]   Long   Macrocosm, macron
malus [L]    Bad   Malady, malice
manus [L]    Hand   Manufacture, manuscript, manual
morphe [G] Form   Metamorphosis, amorphous

fragilis [L]    Breakable  Fragile, fragment
finis [L]    End   Confine, finality
homos [G]   Same   Homogenous, homophone (to, two) 
hyper [G from “huper”]  Over, beyond  Hypertension, hyperactive
hypo [G]    Under, beneath  Hypodermic, hypothesis, hypothermia
jacio [L]    Throw   Eject, interject, reject

demos [G]   People   Democracy, epidemic
erro [L]    Wander, stray  Error, erratic
ex [L]    From, out of  Exclaim, exhaust, extinct
extra [L]    Outside   Extravagant, extraordinary
facio [L]    Make   Effect, affect
fero [L]    Bring, bear  Confer, defer, reference
 

circum [L]    Around   Circulate, circumference
celer [L]     Swift   Accelerate
chronos [G]   Time   Chronological
cresco [L]     Grow   Increase, decrease 
cum [L]                     With/(like co-)  Cum laude, Cumulative, Compose, Accommodate
curro [L]      Run   Current, cursive, course

ab [L]    Away from   Abnormal, absent
 ad [L]    To, forward  Advocate, advance
 amo [L]    Love   Amiable, amorous
audio [L]      Hear   Audience, inaudible
 auto [G]    Self   Automobile, autocrat
 bene [L]    Good/well   Beneficial, benefit 

III.  Foreign Phrases Commonly Used in English:

sic transit gloria mundi––thus passes away the glory of the world

sine qua non—something absolutely indispensable [literally, “without which not”]

ad hoc—concerned with a particular purpose; improvised [literally, “to the thing”]

 bona fides—good faith; sincere, involving no deceit or fraud

 carpe diem—seize the day, enjoy the present

caveat emptor—let the buyer beware, buy at your own risk

de facto—in reality, actually existing

in extremis—in extreme circumstances, especially at the point of death

in medias res—in the midst of things, in the middle of a narrative or plot 

in toto—altogether, entirely

modus operandi (singular)--a method of procedure/ Modi operandi (plural)—methods of procedure

modus vivendi (singular)—a way of living, getting along/Modi vivendi (plural)—ways of living, getting along

persona non grata—an unacceptable or unwelcome person (not used with an article)

prima facie—at first view, apparently; self-evident

pro bono publico —for the public good

pro forma—for the sake of form, carried out as a matter of formality

quid pro quo—something given or received in exchange for something else

requiescat in pace, R I P—may he or she rest in peace [seen on tombstones]

English 8
During the month of April, the 8th grade English class will be studying Pearl S. Buck’s The Good Earth.  The novel is one of my favorites and usually sparks interesting and sometimes heated discussions from the class.  I have already forewarned the students that the movie version of this story is extremely different from the book.  Watching the movie in place of actually reading, would not be a wise decision :-)

In the world of Spelling, Roots, and Foreign Phrases, we added 5 new spelling words, 6 new Greek and Latin roots, as well as 2 new foreign phrases to our list.  Please remember that all tests are cumulative! Students should also begin preparing for our “Vocabulary Parade” scheduled for some time at  the end of May.  Students are to choose a Greek or Latin root and create a costume to wear that will successfully define their word visually. 

I. Spelling Words:
straight              technique              temporary            vacuum            whether 

absence, accommodate, analysis, attendance, believe, bureau, capitol, colonel, committee, correspondence, counterfeit, courageous, curiosity, defendant, dessert, desperate, dissatisfied, extraordinary, fascinating, foreign, guarantee, hygiene, independence, laboratory, library, lightning, maintenance, mileage, necessary, occurrence, permanence, physician, prairie, sergeant, souvenir 

II. Roots:
Latin/Greek Word Meaning  Examples

scio [L]   know   science, conscious
solus [L]   alone   solo, desolate
sonus [L]   a sound   unison, consonant
sophos [G]   wise   philosophy, sophomore
spiritus [L]   breath   inspire, spirit 
totus [L]   whole   totaliltarianism

possum [L]   be able   possible, potent
pugno [L]   to fight   impugn, pugnacious
rego [L]   to rule   regular, regency
sanguis [L]   blood   sanguine
satis [L]   enough   satisfy

pendo [L]   weigh or hang  depend, pendant
per [L]   through   perceive, persist, persevere
phobos [G]   fear   phobia, claustrophobia
plenus [L]   full   plenty, plenary
positum [L]   placed   position, opposite
porto [L]   carry   transport, export

missio [L]   a sending   emissary, mission
morior [L]   die   mortal
nego [L]   deny   negate
nihil [L]   nothing   nihilism, annihilate
occido [L]   kill   homicide, suicide
pathos [G]   suffering, feeling  sympathy, apathy

holos [G]   whole   holistic, catholic
jungo [L]   join   junction, conjugal
lego, lectum [L]  read, thing read  intellect, legible
locus [L]   a place   local, dislocate
loquor [L]   speak   eloquent, loquacious
medius [L]   middle   mediate, mediocrity

dominus [L]   a lord, master  dominate, dominion
duco [L]   lead   abduct, introduce
fido [L]   to trust, believe  confide, infidel
fundo, fusum [L]  pour, thing poured  effusive, transfusion
genus [L]   kind, origin  generic, congenital

caput [L]   head   captain, decapitate
clino [L]   to lean, bend  incline, decline
cognito [L]   know   cognizant, recognize
copia [L]   plenty   copy, copious
credo [L]   believe   credible, incredulous
culpa [L]   blame   culpable, culprit

aequus [L]   equal   equal, equation
ago, acta [L]   do, drive   agent, enact, transact
anthropos [G]   man, human being  anthropology, misanthrope
ars [L]   art   artist, artifact
brevis [L]   short   brevity, abbreviate
canto [L]   sing   chant, cantor

III. Foreign Phrases Commonly Used in English:

pièce de résistance—the principal part of the meal, a showpiece item

raison d’être—reason for being

Madame, Mademoiselle, Monsieur—Mrs., Miss, Mr.

merci—thank you  (Merci beaucoup—thank you very much)

fait accompli—an accomplished fact, presumably irreversible [something that is over and done]

faux pas—a social blunder [literally, “false step”]

déjà vu—something overly familiar (literally, “already seen”)

enfant terrible—one whose remarks or actions cause embarrassment, or 
someone strikingly unconventional (literally, “terrible child”)

coup de grâce—a decisive finishing blow

coup d’état—overthrow of a government by a group

carte blanche—full discretionary power (literally, “blank page”)

cause célèbre—a very controversial issue that generates fervent public debate (literally, a “celebrated case”)

bête noire—a person or thing especially dreaded and avoided (literally, “black beast”)

c’est la vie—that’s life, that’s how things happen

au revoir -- good-bye, until we see each other again

avant-garde – a group developing new or experimental concepts, a vanguard (the forefront of an action or movement)

Humanities 7
Rigoletto is our next challenge in Humanities 7.  The opera tells the story of a hunchback jester who finds himself the victim of a tragic curse which eventually kills his daughter.  Oddly enough, the students seem to enjoy this twisted tale.  The students and I have discussed many times that I do not expect them to love opera by the time we complete this particular unit in class; however, my goal is for the students to have an understanding and respect for opera.

Humanities 8
The Humanities 8 classes began studying The Barber of Seville shortly before we left for Spring Break.  We are currently reading about the history of barbering and the background of Seville.  Just like the 7th grade Humanities classes, the 8th graders and I have discussed that I do not expect them to love opera by the time we complete this particular unit in class; however, my goal is for the students to have an understanding and respect for opera.
 

Advanced 8th Grade English:  The class has just finished The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck and we are beginning Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.  We have completed the following pieces of literature:  "Macbeth" by William Shakespeare, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and Animal Farm by George Orwell.  I am pleased with the students' enthusiasm and progress throughout the year. 
 

7th and 8th Grade History/8th Grade Geometry
Mrs.VanRyzin 
April 2008 News

History 7— (April 21)
Monday:  (8th hour MAPS)
Correct Main Ideas 26.3.
Start notes on “The Rise of Militarism.”
Terms: Fascist Party, Blackshirts, totalitarian state, Nazi Party, Brownshirts, anti-Semitism, Kristallnacht, Spanish Civil War, Popular Front.
Assignment:
Read pages 490 to 495 and complete GRS/ Main Ideas 26.4 for Wednesday.

Tuesday: 
DQ 26.3  (10 minutes only)
Documentary on war propaganda—anti-semitism..
Assignments:
GRS/ Main Ideas 26.4 due on Wednesday.

Wednesday: 
Finish documentary on anti-semitism.
GRS/Main Ideas 26.4--correct
Assignments:
Study for US landforms test.

Thursday: 
Review for maps test.
Assignments:
Study for US landforms test in two weeks.

Friday: 
Start notes on “War Breaks Out”
Terms: Axis Powers, Munich Conference, appeasement, non-aggression pact, Lend-Lease Act, Blitzkreig, Maginot Line, Atlantic Charter. 
Hand out study guide.“
Assignments:
Read pages 474 to 478 and complete GRS/ Main Ideas 26.4 for Tuesday, April 29.
Study for Road to War Test

History 7—(April 28)
Monday: 
No School.
Assignments:

Tuesday: 
Correct GRS/MI 26.4
Pearl Harbor—documentary or PowerPoint.
Assignments:
Study for Road to War Test.

Wednesday: 
Finish Pearl Harbor if necessary
Assignments:
Study for test on Road to War.

Thursday: 
Review for Road to War test
Assignments:
Study for test on Road to War.

Friday: 
Road to War Test
Assignments:
Read pages 500 to 506 and complete GRS/Main Ideas 27.1 for Monday.

Weekly Preview—8th History
April 21 to April 25
April 28 to May 2 

History 8
Monday: (April 21)
Correct GRS/Main Ideas 33.1
Tonkin Gulf Resolution—Handout
Read the information and work in pairs to answer the questions for class discussion at the bottom of each page.DQ 32.1—(15 minutes)
Assignments:
Finish questions for Tonkin Gulf if not completed in class.

Tuesday:
Class discussion on Tonkin Gulf resolution.
Political cartoons denoting differing strategies for Vietnam.
Assignments:
Read pages 984 to 991 and complete GRS/Main Ideas 33.2 for tomorrow.

Wednesday:
GRS/ Main Ideas 33.2 is due.
Geography Activity—Vietnam (in class)
Assignments:
Read “Jungle Warfare” and answer questions for Friday. Complete Geography Activity if not finished in class.

Thursday:
Documentary—Vietnam War: Vietnam and the bombing at UW--Madison. 
Assignments:
“Jungle Warfare” questions and Geography Activity are due tomorrow.

Friday: 
Correct “Jungle Warfare” questions and Geo Activity.
Finish documentary.
Notes on “The War Escalates.”
Terms: Tonkin Gulf Resolution, escalation, Operation Rolling Thunder, Ho Chi Minh Trail, defoliants, search-and destroy missions, pacification, doves, hawks, Students for a Democratic Society.
Assignments:
Read pages 992 to 997 in text and complete Main Ideas 33.3 for Tuesday
 

Monday: (April 28):
No School
Assignments:

Tuesday: 
Correct Main Ideas 33.3.
Reading “What None Knew: Misinterpretation and Failed Diplomacy.”
Work in pairs in class—reading and questions.
Assignments:
Finish questions for “What None Knew: Misinterpretation and Failed Diplomacy.” Questions due tomorrow.

Wednesday: 
Correct questions for “Misinterpretation and Failed Diplomacy.”
If time: notes on “A Turning Point.”
Terms: Tet Offensive, Vietnamization, Kent State shootings, Pentagon Papers 
Assignments:.
Read pages 998 to 1003 for Wednesday and complete GRS/ Main Ideas 33.4 for Friday.

Thursday:
DQ 33.3 (15 minutes)
Finish notes on “A Turning Point” and continue with notes on “The War Ends.”
Terms: Twenty-sixth Amendment, War Powers Act, Vietnam Veterns War Memorial.
Assignments:
Read pages 998 to 1003 for tomorrow and complete GRS/ Main Ideas 33.4.

Friday:
Correct GRS/ Main Ideas 33.4
Finish notes on “The War Ends.”
If time—songs from the Vietnam War Era.
Assignments:
Read and answer questions for “The Return of the Vietnam Veterans,” due Monday.
Study for test on Vietnam War.

Weekly Preview—Geometry
April 21 to April 25
April 28 to May 2 

Geometry: (April 21)
Monday:
Chapter 13.4—The Centroid of a Triangle.
Definition:
A median of a triangle is a line segment that joins a vertex to the midpoint of the opposite side.
The orthocenter of a triangle is the point in which the lines containing its altitude are concurrent.
Theorem:
The medians of a triangle are concurrent.
The lines containing the altitudes of a triangle are concurrent.
Assignments:
Problems 5-15 and 32 –46.

Tuesday:
Chapter 13.5—Ceva’s Theorem.
Definition:
A cevian of a triangle is a line segment that joins a vertex of the triangle to a point on the opposite side.
Theorem:
Three cevains, AY, BZ, and CX, of ?ABC are concurrent iff (AX/XB)(BY/YC)(CZ/ZA) = 1.
Assignments:
Problems 6-24 and 37-47

Wednesday: 
Chapter 13.6—Napoleon’s Discovery and Other Surprises.
Assignments:
Problems 6-34 43-60. (Much of this is plotting points.)

Thursday: 
Summary and Review, Set I.
Assignments:.
Summary and Review—Set I.
Pages 566 to 568.

Friday: 
Summary and Review, Set II.
Assignments:
Summary and Review, Set II.
Pages 568 to 570.

Monday: (April 28)
No School
Assignments:

Tuesday:
Correct Summary and Review, Set II.
Assignments:
Study

Wednesday: 
Chapter 13 Test
Assignments:
None

Thursday: 
Chapter 14.1—Regular Polygons
Definitions: A regular polygon is a convex polygon that is both equilateral and equiangular.
An apothem of a regular polygon is a perpendicular line segment from its center to one of its sides.
Theorem: 
Every regular polygon is cyclic.
Assignments:
Problems 12 to 23 and 33 to 42.

Friday: 
Chapter 14.2—The Perimeter of a Regular Polygon
Theorem:
The perimeter of a regular polygon having n sides is 2Nr, in which N = n sin 180/n and r is its radius.
Assignments:
Problems 10 to 29 and 41 to 58