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Thursday, September 26, 2013

{CC} Cycle 2, Week 5 Tutor Plans

Now that we're almost 5 weeks into Cycle 2, I realize that I need to change how I am blogging our experience with Classical Conversations.  Instead of spending a ton of time blogging our supplemental ideas for each week, I've decided that, instead, I will start posting my weekly tutor plans.  Since discovering Sue Patrick's Workbox system (another great video tutorial here), we spend a lot less time doing CC crafts and a lot more time on supplemental subjects (like Story of the World, handwriting, or phonics).  

I tutor an Apprentice class.  Most of these ideas can be altered to work for any age group.


Here are my tutor plans for Cycle 2, Week 5:

Timeline: Limbo.  We'll bring in a pool noodle and play limbo while singing the timeline song.  This year, I've decided not to do the sign language motions while teaching the timeline because it felt like the kids had to work as hard to learn and remember the motions as they did the timeline).

History Sentence - We'll do hand motions while we sing the song.  Here are the motions I've decided on:
100 years war - flash 10 fingers twice, then clap twice
Joan of Arc - make an arc in the air like a rainbow
King Charles VII - Mime putting a crown on your head, then put up 7 fingers
led - throw your arm in front of you like you are leading a charge
defeat England - put the air like you're in a boxing match
In the late - Use both fingers to point  beside as if to indicate a later time
fleas on rats - ball your left hand up then use your right pointer finger to show a flea on the rat
killed - stick your tongue out of your mouth like you're dead

Geography - Trace the geography memory work on our dry erase pockets.  I use these pockets here (simply because I got sick of how difficult it was to wipe of the laminated maps).  Sing the cities to the tune of Yankee Doodle.

English - Everyone who...Game.  I call on everyone who has a (green shirt/pet/plays Minecraft/homeschools) to repeat the English memory work.

Latin - Funny Positions.  Here is the sheet I use.  I print it out and paste the funny positions on popsicle sticks.  I also let the kids choose some positions as well.  When going over the Latin endings, I'll also show them the visual aid uploaded by amanadanease to help them with the pronunciations.


Math - Skip counting 9's: cut and paste worksheet on CC Connected uploaded by amandanease (thanks, Amanda!).  Skip counting 10's: have the kids grab a partner and give high fives (with both hands) while counting the 10s.

Science - Hand motions (as suggested by CC Connected)

Art - After a short discussion about perspective, we will draw and then color the picture here.  If my kids were a little older, I'd probably do something just a little more detailed like this.  Fun!

Review Game - Snowball Fight (as described here.)  I will type out the review questions on pieces of paper.  I'm going to split up the kids and have the moms quiz the kids.  If the child answers the review question on the paper correctly, he/she gets to crumble it up and make a snowball.  At the end of the review session, they get to have a snowball fight with the papers they earned during review.  Obviously, this is not the most environmentally friendly review game, so we won't be doing it often.  However, since this is Texas, it may just be the only snow these kids ever see, so I'd like to treat them.  


Happy Homeschoolin'!

{CC} Cycle 2, Week 4 History Sentence

Here's a free printable for drawing the history sentence for Cycle 2, Week 4!

Here is what I drew:


Personally, I'm pretty proud of my drawing for the 100 years war...

Here is what my 7 year old son drew (a couple of the embellishments he drew in the car on the way home):


Since the drawings were fairly simple, the kids had no problem finishing these in class.  We sang the history sentence song while they were drawing.  

To download, click here!

Happy Homeschoolin'!

{CC} Cycle 2, Week 1 Science

Here's a free printable for future CC Cycle 2 tutors and parents for helping your kiddos remember the biomes.

Here is a sample of what I drew for each of the biomes:


Tip: If using these sheets in a CC class, I would strongly encourage you to make simpler drawings.  It was very difficult for the kiddos to make similar drawings in under 4 minutes.  Instead of drawing a polar bear for the Tundra section, for example, you may just want to draw a snowflake.

Tip: Again, if for class, make a couple of copies of your drawings for the kiddos to copy if they wish. 

To download this file, click HERE.

Happy Homeschoolin'!