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