All done!

We had a wonderful last day! A special thanks to Mrs. Ward for helping with the shark dissection, which we had to do indoors because of the rainy weather.

As I reflect on the year, I seem to remember only the good times! What a growing experience for us all. I will miss being part of the Greensboro CC campus next year, and I will keep all of you in my prayers.

Best wishes to you all for a safe and fun summer, as well as, continued growth spiritually and academically as you move through the Challenge program.

Blessings and hugs!
Debbie

Last week...

Hello all...

For the last day!

LTW:  I would like to see a detailed outline for The Bronze Bow. The outline format is on page 93 in the student book, Lesson Five Arrangement Template. They will share their elements of their outline with the class.

Apologetics:  Paper on topic of choice using the LTW format that we have been working on this year. I would like the students to share their papers, but I will not require it.

Science:  Dissect Dogfish Shark. We studied the dissection yesterday in class, so I think they are ready!

Math:  Games to reinforce skills. (They loved SKUNK!)

Latin:  Open book exam on material covered this year. I have not made it up yet, but it will probably be about 10-20 sentences to translate, Latin to English and English to Latin.

Geography:  I am requiring that the students draw the entire Earth labeling the 7 continents, 4 oceans, and the major lines of latitude and longitude. For each of the countries, I am giving them the maps to label with all that they remember. Of course, the list of features for each country will be available if needed. This work will come home for you to look at!

Lunch:  Pizza and drinks on me! I will order pizza from Domino's. Mrs. Ward is bringing cupcakes for dessert. If your child would like to bring something, they are welcome to, but do not have to.

I am planning on going the whole day...until 4pm. If by some chance you will be picking up your child early, that would be fine. (the dissection will be early in the day!)

Blessings,
Debbie

Week 11

It's chilly this morning, but the sun is shining and I see Spring! We had a small but productive class on Tuesday.

Just a few notes to keep in mind for the next and last weeks of class...

Be working on the Apologetics paper. I will give them some time in class on Tuesday to ask questions and edit their papers. It would be fun to do some peer editing! I am not expecting a finished product until the last week, at which time they will share their ideas with the class. I explained the topic and purpose of the paper to them and how nicely LTW format can be used. Of course, their ANI charts will have mostly "A's" and "I's" in it, since they will be affirming a Biblical Truth.

I am giving them copies of blank maps of each country for the final Geography memory test, as well as features for each country. However without help, I expect that they will be able to draw, from memory, the entire Earth. Label the continents, oceans, and important lines of latitude and longitude. So...they will come home that day with many maps for their teachers to peruse. It would be a great way to spend time in May for them to fill in what they leave out on Week 15.

Remember that there will be a Latin open book test on that last day to see how well they can remember the main topics taught this year. It is my plan to get them checked in class!

The sharks are here and smelling up my dining room! We will watch a live demonstration of a shark dissection on Tuesday, so they will be good and ready to "dive in" on Week 15. Mrs. Ward is going to come in to help with the dissection, which I hope will be outside under the trees. Pray for nice weather!

Please send me an email about snack. I think it is the Wolowitz family and they will be gone next week...I think! The last day snacks will be provided by the Harrell and Garmer families.

On Week 15, I am treating the children to a pizza lunch with soft drinks. Mrs. Ward is going to be bringing in some cupcakes for dessert.

Please refer to the guide for any assignments for the week. If you need to me, please do not hesitate to contact me!

Blessings for a thoughtful week remembering the soberness of the cross and the joyfulness of the empty tomb!

Praises!
Debbie

Week 11...(and counting!)

Hello All...

This week, I let the students sit where they wanted to, and they made excellent choices regarding their behavior. Please applaud their decisions...baby steps! :)  We didn't do anything out of the ordinary yesterday to report! I love those steady constant days when things are predictable!

There were several questions about the apologetics paper. Please contact me if you have specific questions about the apologetics paper. I think the papers/essays should be a page or two, because I know that is what this group can deliver. It is an opportunity for the student to elaborate on a topic defending their point-of-view about any idea regarding their Christian worldview. I suggested they look in one of the apologetics books we have been using...Don't Check Your Brains at the Door or It Couldn't Just Happen . They will share their papers on the 29th!

As for this week's work...follow the guide.

A few items to LOOK forward to as we approach the end of the semester:

• I have opted to do a dissection, which we will do on the last day of class Week 15 instead of a end-of-the-year body systems test in Science. (I am thinking about a shark! 2-3 children per shark.)
• There will be a drawing and labeling test of the whole world on the last day of class Week 15.
• There will be an apologetics paper due on Week 15. You can choose any topic that we have discussed this year, or one of the students own choosing.
• The Bronze Bow is the last book we will read, and it will be assigned to start during Week 13. We will walk through the process and learn new elements, but it looks like this is an essay that will be finished at home. I cannot see in the guide that I should collect it, so there is some freedom in finishing this paper.
• In the guide, it states to give a Latin final. I will give the students an open book review test on the main topics they have learned this year. Hopefully, we will have time to check it that final day and you can see what their strengths and weaknesses are.
• Nothing really to prepare for in Math.

Remember that April 29th will be our last day!

Have a great week!
Blessings,
Debbie

Week 10

Well, the weather did hold out for us! We raised the blinds in our room to watch it snow...it was lovely!

It was a wonderful class yesterday. There were lots of discussion throughout the day, and it was focused on our lessons.

A few points to remember as you work this week:

• AFRICA drawing and labeling test next week.
• Geography Terms test on Weeks 9 and 10 only.
• Crispin should be completed and ANI charts done.
• SKELETAL drawing and labeling test next week.

A few items to LOOK forward to as we approach the end of the semester:

• I have opted to do a dissection, which we will do on the last day of class Week 15 instead of a end-of-the-year body systems test in Science. (I am thinking about a shark! 2-3 children per shark.)
• There will be a drawing and labeling test of the whole world on the last day of class Week 15.
• There will be an apologetics paper due on Week 15. You can choose any topic that we have discussed this year, or one of the students own choosing. I will elaborate more on this on Week 12 or 13.
• The Bronze Bow is the last book we will read, and it will be assigned to start during Week 13. We will walk through the process and learn new elements, but it looks like this is an essay that will be finished at home. I cannot see in the guide that I should collect it, so there is some freedom in finishing this paper.
• In the guide, it states to give a Latin final. I will give the students an open book review test on the main topics they have learned this year. Hopefully, we will have time to check it that final day and you can see what their strengths and weaknesses are.
• Nothing really to prepare for in Math.

Remember that April 29th will be our last day!

Have a great week! Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions!
Blessings,
Debbie

Finally, Week 8

Spring is finally in the air! I am not sure that it is here yet, but it is around the corner! The make-up day for the day missed last week is on April 29th.

A few tidbits to keep in mind...

• No paper due this week...it will be due on Week 10.
• There will be the usual Geo Terms quiz next week, Week 9. (Remember that these are on odd weeks.)
• In Science, the students will be quizzed on the ear.

The Ward family is on the list for snack this week. The children really love the snacks and hearing about how or where they are made. It is been a real treat to have these each week!

I am holding fast to the guide, so please refer to it for the exact assignments. Due dates and quiz dates are there as well. If you have any questions, or need clarification, please let me know.

Week 6

This was a wonderful week with the students! Thank you, parents, for joining with me to keep them on the right track for learning.

The Fogleman family brought in some delicious homemade cookies with sugar, butter, and sesame...quite an Asian treat! Next week, our African snack will be from the Wolowitz family!

Not much news in regards to assignments...Follow the guide! If you have any questions, please let me know.

Short and sweet...
Blessings,
Debbie

A normal week...Yay!

Hello all...

We had such an awesome day on Tuesday! Our guys do well until about 2:30 or 3:00...then...whoa! They are really ready to be done! Encourage them to hang in there!

Thanks to the Agresti family for the snacks that they brought in with an Asian flair. The dried mango was very interesting! Also, the Harrell family brought in snacks. We do love to eat, but be sure to look at the snack schedule. The Geography snack we have in the afternoon, so if someone wants to bring in another snack...we will have it mid morning. Let's not have more that two snacks a day.
2/11/14 the Fogleman family with bring in a snack from Asia.

We had great discussions throughout the day! Please follow the guide for Week 4.

LITERATURE
The only deviation from the guide was in literature. We did not start an ANI chart or create a class issue. The students will create their own and begin their own ANI charts this week. This week the guide wants the students to develop their Inventory using Comparison, Circumstance, and Definition as they build their ANI charts. These elements will make their papers more interesting! Next week, we will discuss each issue and ANI chart. REMEMBER THAT PAPERS SHOULD BE IN THE MLA FORMAT...

Click for MLA format assistance http://www.csus.edu/owl/index/mla/mla_format.htm

SCIENCE
I tested them a week early on the lungs and their parts. It should have been done next week. OOPS! I misread the guide. This week I introduced the mouth and teeth...that memory drawing and labeling will be done on Week 6. This week they should define the parts of the mouth and teeth. I will look at those definitions next week. I will have an experiment or activity planned for each body part.

If you need me, please do not hesitate to contact me!
Blessings,
Mrs. Black

More Snow...

Hello All...

Can you believe another Tuesday plagued with weather that challenges our schedule? Again...better safe than sorry! I hope that you all are enjoying the snow. We are staying in and cozy watching others get out and about.

Of course...at the mention of snow, the children get a little batty! So...the volume in our class was up a few decibels. It gets a little taxing at times for me to keep going. Please continue to discuss with your child the importance of low volume discussions inside a classroom and self-control in wanting to contribute their idea or answer in our conversations.

I did not send home the copies of the LTW outline and guidelines as I planned to do...I realized as I was handing out the material yesterday that I had printed the wrong information. Please use pg. 81 outline and pg. 86 guidelines in your guide for the Secret Garden paper. (ignore the "marking" for now)

We did not take our quiz on the geography terms. The majority of the class had forgotten, so we are going to take it next week. Study terms from Weeks 1 and 2. There will be a quiz on Week 4 and Week 5. Remember that each "odd numbered" week we will have a geography quiz!

We did not get to our science topic for this week. They will be starting the lungs. I sent home a paper from the Biology book that they can work on. Next week, they will be expected to be able to draw and label the human lungs from memory.

It is important for the students to take Math tests at home. It is a great way to see how they are doing with concepts being taught.

Thanks to the Ward family for those yummy treats from Asia. The baklava and powdered donuts were delicious! Next week, the Agresti family is up to bring in a snack from Asia.

Follow the guide with the weekly assignments. There are no deviations this week.

Blessings!

Finally!

Hello Challenge A Folks!

We are following the guide with each subject!

A note on LTW!!
The Secret Garden paper is due until Week 4. We discussed each student's question and the issue they are going to support. I will be sending home a copy of the outline from the guide pg. 81. Also, there is a checklist of the necessary elocution elements for this paper in the guide on pg.86. I will be using this checklist to evaluate these papers.

The geography snack for this week is from Asia, and the Ward family will be providing it for us. Thanks bunches...

A note on weather schedule changes!!
If we cancel classes, I will email and text you as I have done in the past. Tuesday, some of the classes let out early. Because we, in Challenge A, have many of the younger siblings, some of them left too. I did not notify everyone in the class, because I had planned on staying.The early dismissal was not communicated as well as I had wanted, but in the future, if we decide to dismiss early, I will have your child call you.

Please keep Hope Agresti and her family in your prayers as they deal with the unexpected death of her grandfather.

The class behavior was much better this week...keep up the good work!