Week 8 Recap & Notes

Here's a recap of class today:

History:  Age of Imperialism
Timeline:  Council of Nicea - Western Roman Empire Falls to Barbarians
Science:  Types of Seed Plants
Latin:  3rd Declension Noun Endings
Geography:  China
English:  Prepositions Of-Out
Math: Skip Counting 14's

Presentation:  For next week, please have your students prepare a persuasive speech. 
Choose a topic that you feel strongly about. Create a presentation designed to “persuade” your audience to change their beliefs or behavior in some way. Use Monroe’s Motivated Sequence Speech Topics to write your speech:
ATTENTION-Get the attention of your public. State the importance the problem.
NEED-State the need for change. Show why it should concern them. Relate the issue or problem to the values, attitudes, interests and needs of the listeners.
SATISFACTION-Satisfy their needs. Provide the details and interesting facts of your plan. Show how your solution works.
VISUALIZATION-Visualize the benefits. That is the heart of your motivational speech topic. Illustrate them with examples, anecdotes, comparisons, statistics, definitions and visual aids. Share success stories. Tell your audience what's in it for them.
ACTION-Call to action. Tell your audience what you want them to do

Lately we have been running over in presentations.  While I am super-excited that your students enjoy presentations and are so comfortable speaking in front of others, at the same time I have to be a good steward of the time allotted for presentations.  Parents, please work with your children to make sure their speeches are no more that 3 minutes long.  Set a goal to have them wrap up somewhere between 2-3 minutes.  I will try to help your students stay within time limits by making some nonverbal signals this week for them to use so they know when their time is wrapping up.  You might also consider having your students join an ICC group to give them extra opportunities to present and learn the art of public speaking.

Music:  So far everyone has remembered their tin whistles each week - hooray!  Keep bringing them - we will use these for the remainder of the semester.  If you want extra practice for the tin whistle at home, check the appendix section of the Foundations guide for sheet music to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on the tin whistle.

Housekeeping: I have implemented a new incentive system due to some behavior problems that arose last week.  I am now distributing pebbles during each class.  These pebbles will be counted and "traded in" at the end of the semester for treats & prizes.  Students have the ability to earn quite a few pebbles in class (I had one student earn 23 today!).  However misbehavior will result in loss of pebbles.  Pebbles will also be rewarded during review time, so have your students brush up on their memory work so they can collect more pebbles!

I believe that's everything.  If you have questions, feel free to email me.  See you next Tuesday!