January 5th
I have shared with some, but I would like to share with everyone some good practices I suggest after reading "Make It Stick" by Brown, Roediger, and McDaniel.  Set aside an "academic" time each evening, (approximately I hour):  break up the time by using a timer so that students practice "interleaving".  Maybe it looks like this:  3-5 minutes practicing math facts; Read for 20 minutes;  5-10 min. doing part of the math homework;  3-5 minutes reviewing roots and spelling words;  5-10 min finishing math homework; 5-10 minutes on other homework;  3-5 min. reviewing math facts, 3-5 min reviewing spelling words.

Today we finished up the presentations of the winter projects.  I was very pleased, "Jazzed", at the growth I saw in the class as a whole from the way they presented from our first project presentations earlier this year.  

The only thing left is the reflection paragraph.  We worked on it in class today after the presentations.  I believe most students got almost done with their rough draft.  They need to have the rough draft edited by 2 people and then they can write the final copy.  If they desire they can type the final copy.  It is due January 11th, but they can turn it in anytime.

The only other homework for this week end is to finish their handwriting from today - Pages 54-56

Students that want to finish up their extra credit math packet given for the break may do that this week end and turn it in on Monday.

Future dates to Remember:

LANGUAGE
We begin our study of The Secret Garden on Monday - students need to have their book here by Monday.

First spelling and roots test of the new year and new Semester is Friday Jan. 12th.  Start the year off right by studying them daily for just a few minutes.

sal, salis - Latin - salt:  derivatives: salt, salary, saline, desalinate

mare - Latin - sea, ocean:  derivatives:  marine, marina mariner, submarine
naus - Greek - ship, boat:  derivatives:  nautical, astronaut, nausea
navis - Latin - ship, boat:  derivatives:  navy, navigate, navigable, circumnavigate
change
chapter
welfare
column
disappoint
volunteer
ancestor
advantage
beneficial
depth

HISTORY
Age of Exploration test - Tuesday 1/16/18

SCIENCE
Next week we begin our study of microscopes.