I want to thank each of you for all your hard work this year. You really worked so hard, tackling the extra challenges & advanced information. You should be so proud of your efforts! I have truly enjoyed our time together and will miss you next year. Have a wonderful summer!!
Love,
Mrs. C
Moments in Essentials.....
PARENT NOTE:
A Note to the Goddesses of Educational Direction:
Please note that although CC ends on WK 24, you may not yet have completed the 36 weeks required in a school year. For those of you who have not yet outlined those remaining weeks, I would like to share a few ideas which have not only been successful for us in the past, but which have also enabled us to make the most of our investment in the Essentials resources.
Please note that although CC ends on WK 24, you may not yet have completed the 36 weeks required in a school year. For those of you who have not yet outlined those remaining weeks, I would like to share a few ideas which have not only been successful for us in the past, but which have also enabled us to make the most of our investment in the Essentials resources.
For Writing:
As you are aware, although we managed to cover a significant portion of the History Based Writing Lessons workbook, there is no way to address every lesson. Some families feel overwhelmed by what we do manage to cover, and other families need additional assignments. Part of the appeal of the Essentials program is the freedom to modify it to your student's needs. The remaining 12 weeks of the year provide an ideal opportunity to utilize the untouched lessons, OR revisit the units in which your child needs additional practice. We have also strived to end our year with something light and fun, such as the poetry unit or writing from pictures.
An advanced student might be "quizzed" and rewarded with correct answers for banned words, style techniques, or even various types of writing models.
As you are aware, although we managed to cover a significant portion of the History Based Writing Lessons workbook, there is no way to address every lesson. Some families feel overwhelmed by what we do manage to cover, and other families need additional assignments. Part of the appeal of the Essentials program is the freedom to modify it to your student's needs. The remaining 12 weeks of the year provide an ideal opportunity to utilize the untouched lessons, OR revisit the units in which your child needs additional practice. We have also strived to end our year with something light and fun, such as the poetry unit or writing from pictures.
An advanced student might be "quizzed" and rewarded with correct answers for banned words, style techniques, or even various types of writing models.
For Grammar:
Revisiting the weeks in the EEL Guide that were challenging for your student can be particularly important. Select sentences from those weeks and find similar sentences from the Diagramming book or Our Mother Tongue.
Revisiting the weeks in the EEL Guide that were challenging for your student can be particularly important. Select sentences from those weeks and find similar sentences from the Diagramming book or Our Mother Tongue.
Challenge your child by providing them with only the name of the Structure and Sentence Pattern and require them to create their own sentence that matches. Adding in modifiers help them build skills, as well. You may follow the model we've used in class, where I write the name of the structures/patterns/modifiers on the board or establish your own method.
It's also fun to write sentences and the patterns that match them on a board (or on a piece of paper) - mix them up, "multiple choice" style and then time the student as they "race" to match them.
Finally, you might choose to end your year of grammar by verbally "quizzing" your student with terminology, such as the definitions for the parts of speech, structures, purposes, etcetera, and reward them a piece of chocolate or free time for each correct definition. Another idea is to use the Mastery Charts, have them complete them in written or verbal form, and then as they are able, you can allow them "graduate" from completing those Mastery Charts in the future. It's quite a sense of accomplishment for the students to know they've MASTERED some of those charts and can leave them behind! :)
Whatever strategies or methods you choose, I hope that you choose to use those resources to your advantage and make the most of your remaining weeks of the school year by refining the areas that might have been difficult for your child.
It's been a true privilege to partner with you, and it's been a honor to work with your amazing children. They are precious to me and have thoroughly enjoyed my time with them. I will miss each and every one. I'd also like to thank each of you for your support and encouragement this year. You've all been such good sports - participating in class & going up to the board to diagram sentences. I hope you feel you and your child learned something during our time together!
With Love, Tina
