March 28-April 1, 2016

Yes, sadly, it is...but there are only (approximately) 8 weeks until summer vacation! We can do this!! 

We're going to finish up the civil war and study reconstruction in History.  In Science we're going to study the Respiratory system, the digestive system, the excretory system, and the reproductive system. We're going to finish The Secret Life of Bees, do a unit on poetry, and one more short novel in Reading. We're going to go as far as we can in pre-algebra and will probably work on that during the summer as well. In Writing we really need to get that research paper done! So the rest of your year is summed up in this one short paragraph!! 

For History we're continuing with the civil war. We've discussed the causes, the main people involved, and the beginning of the war. This week we'll get more into specific battles, the role of women, and events at the end of the war. 

Monday: define these words: regiments, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Bull Run

Read p. 358-361 and do the questions on p. 361

Watch Episode 1 of "Civil War 360" on Netflix. 

Tuesday: define these words: Anaconda Plan, blockade, cavalry, Jeb Stuart, Ulysses S. Grant, Mary Ann Bickerdyke, Sally Tompkins

Read p. 362-365 and do the questions on p. 365

Watch Episode 2 of "Civil War 360"

Wednesday: define these words: casualties, Emancipation Proclamation, Pickett's charge, Gettysburg Address, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg

Read p. 368-372 and do the questions on p. 372

Read the Gettysburg Address on p. 373

Watch this! 

Thursday: define these words: assassination, William Tecumseh Sherman, Vicksburg, Appomattox Court House

Read p. 374-378. Do the questions on p. 378. 

Watch Episode 3 of "Civil War 360" 

Friday: Think about a project that you would like to do showing what you've learned about the civil war. What did you find the most interesting so far?  Google some project ideas or look on pinterest to help you. What supplies will you need? We will be working on this next week. 

For Science we'll be studying Respiration this week. 

Monday: Read the lesson on Respiration and do the practice questions. Also, we're going to do this project today. 

Tuesday: Read the lesson on Respiratory System Organs and do the practice questions. 

Wednesday: Read the lesson on Respiratory System Diseases and do the practice questions.

Thursday: Read the lesson on Respiratory System Health and do the practice questions.  

Friday: Read the lesson on the Processes of Breathing and do the practice questions. 

For Reading, read chapters 7-11 of The Secret Life of Bees.

For Spelling do Contract C for the following words from TSLoB 

monastery      bohemian       tacky     aptitude      navigation 

ascribe         innate        minuscule        cunning      fugitive    

sapling      mull       induction      catacomb      semblance 

For Writing  do a Daily10 each day. We're on the last week of March, but you can do any five that you haven't already done. 

Also, we're going to start working on your paper. Let's try using this formula that I got from the Amazing Mrs. Ellen: 

We want to do a two page paper, so we'll need four body paragraphs, plus an introduction and conclusion. Let's think of a really good topic that you can do something with on Monday! 

That's it chica! We're gonna knock this year out so hard. 

I love you so much and I'm proud of you! 

And remember: 

3/14-3/18, 2016

Hello. Its me. I was wondering if after all these days you'd like to meet to go over everything. They say your mom's supposed to teach ya. But I ain't done much teachin'. 

Hello, can you hear me? I keep explaining how to do this math but its not sinking in. You've forgotten how to solve equations for x or even y. 

When you solve on the one side, you have to solve the other. 

Hello from the other side. I've told you a thousand times inverse operations are done on both. I'm sorry I haven't explained it clearly, but when I call you never seem to be at home. 

Hello from the outside.  At least I can say I've tried to explain it and I'm sorry its breaking your heart, but don't let it tear you apart anymore! 

Hello. How are you? Its no secret that we're running out of time. School will be over soon. 

This song is really long and I have to get on with my life. At least I can say that I've tried

To tell you I'm sorry for letting algebra break your heart. But don't let it tear you apart anymore!! 

So ...all that to say we'll get busy on going over math today!! 

For History we're going to be moving into the Civil War. For many people in the south their attitudes come directly from this time, and the fact that the South lost the war. We're talking a war that was 150 years ago-it has left a tremendous impact. 

Monday: define these words: tariff, free states, abolish, abolitionists, fugitives, Underground Railroad, stations (as it relates to the Underground Railroad-not the general definition for stations), Nat Turner, Frederick Douglas, and Harriet Tubman. Read p. 339-345 and do the questions on p. 345. We are also going to be watching a documentary called "The Civil War" on Netflix. Its a really good documentary and has much more information than your book is able to include. On Monday we'll watch episode 1 of Ken Burns: The Civil War. Its under my name on my list of movies. 

Tuesday: define these words: Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Kansas-Nebraska Act, secession, debates, Henry Clay, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Stephen Douglas, Dred Scott.  Read p. 346-351 and do the questions on p. 351

Wednesday: define these words: Union, secede, Confederate States of America, Confederacy, inauguration, Jefferson Davis, Fort Sumter. Read p. 354-356 and do the questions on p. 356

Thursday: Watch Episode 2 of Ken Burns: The Civil War. Write down any thoughts or questions you have concerning what you've seen. 

Friday: Watch Episode 3 of Ken Burns: The Civil War. Write down any thoughts or questions you have concerning what you've seen. 

(On Saturday we'll watch Episode 4). 

In Science this week we're going to be talking about blood.  

Monday: Read the lesson on Components of Blood, watch the video and do the practice. Make sure to read about Friday's project today so that you can be thinking about it. 

Tuesday: Read the lesson on Blood Types, watch the video and do the practice. 

Wednesday: Read the lesson on Blood Diseases, watch the video and do the practice. 

Thursday: Read the lesson on Blood Pressure, watch the video and do the practice. Also, Daddy is going to show you how to take your own blood pressure. See him about that. 

Friday: Project Day!! Today we're gonna make some blood..mmMMM! This week, start thinking about the components of blood and what we could use to represent them in our own model. What could be the plasma? the red blood cells? the white blood cells? The platelets? Let me know what you want to use to create your model so that I can pick them up if we need it. You'll be making a bottle of blood with all of these components. 

In Reading we'll be continuing with The Secret Life of Bees. Read chapters 4-7 by Friday. 

For Spelling do Contract C for these words from TSLoB:

slew     meander   stamina     ambrosia     indignation

eclectic      jilt      premises     spellbound     extract 

incessantly     consignment     deciduous     remnant     stifling

For writing  we'll do Daily10s.  Next month is poetry month, so we'll be doing a unit on poetry writing..just a heads up. 

Just follow the link to the Daily 10s.  We're on week 3, but you can write about anything in weeks 1 and 2 that you haven't already written about. 

That's it sugar britches!! I hope you are having a great week! Don't forget that on Tuesday we have scouts and that Thursday is St. Patrick's Day! If someone tries to pinch you just remember to tell them: