Week 12

Well, it's official - we have finished first semester!  I have so enjoyed our time together each week and look forward to seeing you all after the break.  Thank you to for all the goodies I received in class:  yummy hot cocoa mix, Panera gift card, Chick-fil-a calendar & candy, beautiful, decorative apple.  I pray that each of your families has a wonderful Thanksgiving and blessed Christmas.  See you next year (literally since we reconvene in 2014)!
Rhonda

P.S.  Below is the recipe for the yummy Cowboy Cookies that Hannah shared with us in class.

Cowboy Cookies
1 1/3 cups quick oats
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix thoroughly until blended.  You will need to use your hands to finish mixing.  Shape into balls about the size of walnuts.  Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes.  Cool on rack for 5 minutes.

Week 11

Well, we are down to the end of first semester...so hard to believe!  It was great to have everyone back in class this week and I pray that everyone stays healthy.  We wrapped up our presentation skills with a review of all the skills we have covered this semester.  Please prepare a 2 - 3 minute presentation for next week on the topic of your choice and try to incorporate as many of these skills as you can.  We had time for a lengthy multiplication review (with flashcards) and I can see some building confidence.  Continue to use whatever method works at home (flashcards, apps, games, etc.) to increase recall of these facts.  I hope you all have a great week.  See you next Tuesday.
Rhonda

Week 10

Wow!  We were a smaller group today...we missed Jessica, Rachel and Sydney.  I hope you are all feeling better soon.  Our science project time was a blast, literally!  We had fun launching film canister rockets (fueled by Alka Seltzer).  Another added treat was creating the phases of the moon on Oreo cookies.  Several students wanted to play a solo during tin whistle and did a great job.  No presentations are due next week.  We will review all of our presentation skills covered this semester.  Mrs. Zielny announced during opening that next week is Wacky Tacky day...can't wait to see all the lovely outfits!  I hope you all have a great week.  See you next Tuesday.
Rhonda

Week 9

We missed you today Abby!  I sure hope you are feeling better soon.

Despite the cloudy weather, our sun print activity went well.  During our presentation time, we practiced the art of persuasion and discussed how inflection changes the meaning of our words or messages.  Please prepare a 2-3 minute presentation for next week that concentrates on the impact of inflection and the art of persuasion.  Your presentation should persuade the audience to believe in something...a good book you've read, a hobby or activity that you enjoy, a place you have visited, etc.  Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.  Have a great week!
Rhonda

Week 8

Another great day of learning and fun with your crew!  No presentations are due next week, we will continue to add some more presentation "tools" to our "toolbox."  Tin whistle time continues to move right along.  They are really sounding quite nice.  Try to work in some multiplication review at home if possible.  Flashcards are always great, but there are also several interactive options available also (Math Bingo, Multi Flow, etc.).  I hope you all have a great week.  See you Tuesday.
Rhonda

Week 7

We are off and running with Tin Whistle and Music Theory.  I must say, I was pleasantly surprised with the sweet sounds these students were able to produce!  Just remember to bring your tin whistle with you each week until the end of this semester.  We added some more "tools" to our presentation "toolbox" today and they had fun practicing their enunciation with some tongue twisters.  Please prepare a 2-3 minute presentation for next week and practice it at home using all the skills we have covered thus far.  The suggested topics are:
1.  Tell a dramatic or humorous story such as a fairy tale or a real life experience.
2.  Read an Essentials paper or some other written work.
3.  Recite any poem, memory work, or Bible verse.
As always, feel free to present on any topic that interests your student.
I hope you all have a great week!  See you next Tuesday.
Rhonda

Week 6

I can't believe we are already half-way through first semester!  At least it finally felt like fall today.  Thanks to everyone for their flexibility today with picture taking...I know we will all enjoy the results when the pics and yearbook are available.

We wrapped up Drawing in Fine Arts today with a Final Project incorporating the elements of drawing that we have studied over the last 5 weeks.  We will head into the Tin Whistle segment of Fine Arts next week.  Please remember to bring your tin whistle to class for the next 6 weeks (and make sure it is labeled with your name, please).

Another round of interesting presentations today...students tried their hand at origami, viewed a scene from the Nutcracker, watched some basic gymnastics skills, enjoyed some "Frankin-donuts", and much more.  No presentations are due next week, but remember your tin whistle!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Rhonda

Ooops, I almost forgot to share Sydney's recipe from today...here it is:

Chocolate Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
1.  Crescent Rolls
2.  Rectangle
3.  Smash pecans
4.  Mix cinnamon, melted butter, chocolate chips, pecans and brown sugar
5.  Spread
6.  Roll up
7.  Cut
8.  Place in pan
9.  Bake at 375 for 15 min.
 

Week 5

Everyone seemed to enjoy our presentation activities today!  They had fun using non-verbal communication to express different emotions or feelings for the audience to guess.  We also worked on using gestures to enhance what we are trying to communicate.  I look forward to seeing them put these skills into practice next week.  Here is a list of the suggested topics:

* tell a dramatic or humorous story such as a fairy tale or a real life experience
* perform a well thought through mime
* demonstrate a skill that requires more "showing" than "telling"; for example: how to do a proper handstand or how to kick a soccer ball
* describe an item using your hands (and choice words) and have the audience guess what it is - the student can show the item after the presentation
* describe a place that was visited

As always, you are free to choose another topic if you would like.  Try to pick a topic that would lend itself to the use of gesture and other non-verbal communication if possible.

I hope you all have a wonderful week.  See you next Tuesday.
Rhonda

Remember we have picture day next week.

Week 4

Another great round of presentations today!  I am happy to see so many interesting topics being presented. We tried a new system for keeping everyone within their time limit (yellow sign= warning, you are at 2 min. and red sign=wrap it up, time's up.) and it seemed to work great.  There will always be a list of suggested topics, but you are free to present on any topic that you choose and props are always a great addition.  No presentation is due next week, we will discuss more presentation skills.

Here is a link to the 9's trick that I mentioned in class today.  Flashcards at home are a great way to drill those multiplication facts.

I hope you all have a great week.  Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Thanks,
Rhonda

Week 3

Just us girls today, we missed you Jacob!  Everyone seemed to enjoy our new review game, Zap!  It will definitely be making a repeat appearance in a few weeks. We reviewed our presentation skills covered thus far (3 sec. rule, introduction, conclusion) and had fun practicing good eye contact today.  Please come next week with a 2-3 min. presentation on the topic of your choice.  The suggested topics in our presentation schedule are:

1.  Tell me about personal history:  where were you born? when? who are your grandparents? from what country or region is your family? etc.

2.  sing a song

3.  Any memory work of recitation

Hope you all have a wonderful week and I look forward to seeing you next Tuesday.

Rhonda

Week 2

I have so enjoyed getting to know this new class of students (and moms).  They have all seemed to gel together so nicely (and so quickly)!  

Thanks to Abby for getting our fire going in Science this morning as we explored the concept of refraction.  We loaded in our New Grammar and tried our hand at creating a mirror image.  The presentations were great!  We heard about everything from the creator of LEGOS to the hobby of cake (or cupcake, in our case) decorating.  Thanks to Kristen for the yummy lesson and snack.  We did go a little long on the presentation segment today.  So, if we could try to keep presentations to 2 or 3 minutes that will ensure that we have enough time for review too.  No presentations are due next week as we will spend that time adding more tools to our presentation skills toolbox.  

I hope you all have a great week and I look forward to seeing you next Tuesday.  Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any concerns or questions.

Thanks,

Rhonda

rhondamlin@aol.com

420-1621

Week 23

I can't believe we only have one more week!  This semester has really flown by!

We missed Eli today and pray that the Thomas family is well soon.  We had a great presentation dress-rehearsal, thanks to Mrs. Stewart bringing in the costumes (we have one put aside for you, Eli).  Hopefully next week we can run through it again with costumes and props with everyone since it will be our final practice.  The kids blew me away today with how much they remembered from the last four weeks of our Orchestra and Composer study.  We played a "Family Feud" style game and they answered almost every question correctly!

Hope you all have a great week!
Rhonda

Week 21

We are on the home stretch!  I can't believe we only have 3 more weeks!  Another fun day of learning today, especially with the science lab comparing the three different kinds of rocks.  They enjoyed eating their creations.  We began practicing for our end of the year ceremony today...it went very well.  Rebecca Stewart has secured "Moses-like" costumes for us to borrow (thank you so much!) and I will make some "tablet -like signs" for them.  Below is the list of who is saying which commandment so you can work on them at home if you want.  I encouraged them to really utilize those presentation skills they learned this year (good eye contact, good volume and articulation, standing without fidgeting, etc.).
1.  Walker
2.  Wyatt
3.  Cam
4.  Giselle
5.  Eli
6.  Walker
7.  Charlotte
8.  Charlotte
9.  Jack
10.  Jack
If your child is planning to test for Memory Master, Memory Excellence or Memory Power, please let me know so we can try to schedule a time for them to test.  I hope you all have a great week.
Rhonda

Week 20

Everyone did a great job sharing facts about a President.  That marks the end of our individual presentations.  We will spend our presentation time for the next 4 weeks preparing for our class presentation at the end of the year ceremony (date still to be decided).  Our class will sing the Ten Commandments song from the CC CD ("these are the words of my God...").  My plan is for each student to step forward and say a commandment (or 2 since we only have 7 students now) and then all sing the chorus together.  I was thinking it might be cute to have them all dressed in "Moses-like" attire if possible.  If anyone has any thoughts on how we could do that, I'd love your input.  I know Erin English cut open pillow cases last year and used twine as belts to look like John the Baptist.  I was also thinking about making props for them to hold.  Maybe each child could hold a small poster (cut in the color and shape of a stone tablet) that had a symbol or picture representing their commandment.  Again, any input you have on this would be welcome.  Hope you all have a great week!
Rhonda

Week 19

We started Orchestra today!  Mrs. Zielny gave a great introduction and explained the different instrument families.  Mr. Lin demonstrated the violin (strings) for us and Mrs. Zielny showed us her clarinet (woodwinds).  We will dive into our composers next week.  Some great books to check out during the next few weeks would be:

Zin Zin a Violin

The Story of the Orchestra

Meet the Orchesta

The Story of the Incredible Orchestra

Next week is the last week of prepared presentations and the topic is Presidents.  Choose a President and learn at least 3 facts to share in your presentation.  Bring in a picture of the President you choose if possible. We missed Charlotte today, hope everyone is well soon.  See you all next week!

Rhonda

Week 18

We had an action packed morning in our pj's this week!  The students had a great time teaching each other through their presentations, they were quite creative in their topics...everything from how to shoot a rubber band to how to make a homemade valentine.  We learned about Michaelangelo in art and the students got to experience what painting the Sistine Chapel might have been like for him as they painted their own work of art on their backs under a table.

 Next week's presentation topic:  Tell about your favorite activity, hobby or sport - props welcome.  Hope you all have a great week!
Rhonda

Week 17

The kids had a great time with presentations today!  They really enjoyed guessing what each student brought in their bag.  Next week's topic:  Demonstration-show us how to make or do something.  I have no doubt we will all learn a lot next week:)  Below are some pictures from our El Greco inspired art project today.  Hope you all have a great week!

Rhonda

Week 16

Just wanted to share some pictures of your kids doing their presentations.  They all did a great job sharing about a book they have enjoyed!  Next week's topic:  Show and tell surprise.  Bring something in a paper bag and give clues to the audience and they will try to guess what is in the bag.

Thanks,

Rhonda

Week 15

We had a busy morning of learning!  We reviewed our geography by finding and naming all the continents on a world map.  This prepared us for our science this week of naming the highest mountain on each continent.  Take a minute this week to check out the following link which shows views from the tallest mountains in the world and this picture to see how the mountains compare to each other.  The students had fun learning about another "Great Artist" and imitating their work.

We had a round of great presentations this week.  They are really using those skills that we learned first semester.  Next week's topic:  Book Summary.  Choose a book that you have enjoyed reading or having read to you.  Bring in the book if possible and give a short summary of it.  Your students brought home a "science project in a bag".  They are to observe the steel wool each day and see if they notice any changes.  By the end of the week they will hopefully see some rust forming.  We will talk about their observations next week and I told them they can bring back in their "project in a bag" next week to show the results if they want.  Hope you all have a great week!

Rhonda

Welcome Back!

Happy New Year and welcome back to CC!  It was so great to see all of your sweet children today.  We had a great time and they all jumped right back in.  We didn't have to time to make "gallon man" for math in class today so I sent it home for you to do if you'd like.  Our presentation schedule will be a little different for second semester.  Students will be asked to prepare a short presentation each week.  I've created a topic schedule but you are more than welcome to let your child deviate if there is something else they would rather do.  I just ask that they be brief (2-3 min.).  We will be using our presentation time for the last few weeks of the semester to practice our end of the year class presentation (more info. on that to come).  Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Thanks,
Rhonda

Presentation Schedule

Week 14         Bible story Summary

                        Choose a favorite Bible story and retell the story in your own words.  Use

                        expression and gestures to bring the story to life.  You may bring in any pictures

                        or props that would complement your presentation.

Week 15         Recite a short poem or Bible verse

                        Recite a short  poem or Bible verse that you have memorized.

Week 16         Book  Summary

                        Choose a book that you have enjoyed reading or having read to you.  Bring in the

                        book if possible and give a short summary of it.

Week 17         Show and Tell Surprise

                        Bring something in a paper bag.  You will give clues to the audience and they will

                        try to guess what is in the bag.

Week 18         Demonstration

                        Show us how to make or do something.

Week 19         Tell us about your favorite activity, hobby or sport

                        You may bring in a picture or prop to help your audience relate to your topic.

Week 20         Presidents

                        Show us a picture of your favorite President and tell us 3-5 facts about him.