Week 11

EEL

Big review today.  The only thing that changed from week 10 was the sentence purpose.  We moved from declarative to exclamatory.  Keep practicing the difference between a predicate nominative and predicate adjective.

This is a great time in the semester to memorize the questions that correspond to adjectives and adverbs.

Adjectives: Which one? How many? Which? Whose?
Adverbs: How? When? Where? Why? To what extent? Under what condition? How often? How much?

IEW

Our vocabulary words were--solemn, tyrant, adept, enthrall

I introduced two new dress-ups and a decoration that will be on the checklist this week.  The dress-ups were both sentence openers.  This means that the first word of the sentence will be a certain type.

The #2 sentence opener is the preposition opener.  Example: In the cold house, the family could barely sleep.

The #3 opener is the -ly (adverb): Thankfully, the repairman came the next morning and fixed their heater.

The decoration that we learned was personification, giving a human characteristic to a thing or idea.  We looked at the explanation of this on page 48 of the student resource notebook (gray pages). Example:

The pine trees bowed mournfully under the weight of a heavy snow.

Finally, we covered Unit 5, Writing from Pictures.  The assignment is a three paragraph paper, but, moms, you can make it one paragraph if you choose.  The idea is to start with a picture and then to ask a series of questions in order to pull a story from the brain.  Our key word outline is pulled from the imagination, but it begins with the central fact of the picture.  So, though we take the story where we wish, it starts with the observable.

On the pictures corresponding with this lesson (p. 143), we stated the central fact of the first picture this way:

boy, riding, message, urgent

From there, we asked the questions found on the bottom of page 142 and also the questions on the left-hand side of the Unit V chart to pull out more information.  Finally, we tied it up nicely by making our paragraph clincher repeat and reflect words from our picture's central fact.

Have fun with this story.  We suggested various plots to go with the picture: we proposed that he was delivering a birthday invitation to General Washington from General Green, also that it was a game of chess and the message was General Green's next move.  Perhaps he was actually running from a lion. Maybe the soldier in the second picture is his best friend and turns away.  Maybe the horse is under him in the water, maybe….maybe… you fill in the blank.

Also, students can use any picture as a source.  If there is only one picture, have them think about what happens before and after.  Also, students can use the pictures on page 149 if they would rather.

Have fun!  Can't wait to hear your stories next week.  We will enjoy doughnuts and there will be plenty of time for reading papers.

Week 10

EEL

This week's focus was the compound, declarative, S/VL/PA sentence.  In order to learn what a predicate adjective is, we must first understand the adjective.

Adjectives

 We went over Chart L (Adjectives).  Remember, the first focus for a good foundation in Essentials is always the memory work in gray.  So above all, memorize the definition of an adjective and the questions that an adjective answers.

Definition: An adjective modifies a noun or pronoun by describing, qualifying or limiting.
Questions: What kind? How many? Which? Whose?

S/VL/PA

The predicate adjective (PA) follows a linking verb and modifies or describes the subject.
To proof whether or not you have a PA, first ask,

"Do I have a possible linking verb?"
(If the list of linking verbs is not yet memorized, look at the linking verb list located between Chart C (Verbs) and Chart D.

If you have a possible linking verb, next ask,

"Does the word following the linking verb modify or describe the Subject Noun?
If yes, PA.

So…
The rose smells sweet.

Do I have a possible linking verb?
Well, smells is my verb.  Yes, it is on the linking verb list.

Does the word following the linking verb modify or describe the Subject Noun?
Yes, sweet describes the subject rose. Rose smells sweet. Sweet smells rose.
Sweet is a predicate adjective.

Watch out for verbs on the linking verb list that are used as action verbs.
She smells the rose.

In this sentence, smells is an action verb, transferring action to the rose.  So this is an example of a S/Vt/DO.

An action verb can never be a linking verb.
You should be able to replace a linking verb with is and the sentence still make sense.

IEW
We had fun with vocabulary memory for a good portion of the class. We also were able to read some papers!

Vocabulary: compliant, obstinate, compel, deliberate

Writing assignment:
The assignment is an extension of what we have been working on the last two weeks.  The source text for the final paragraph of the three paragraph paper (due next Tuesday) is on page 116, "Colonial Life: Care of the Sick."  Your student will need to key word outline the text, pulling only 5-7 interesting or important facts.  They will have to include a topic sentence in the beginning of the paragraph and then end the paragraph with a clincher.

Please remember, students, you are not key word outlining every sentence.  You are going to have to skip some information, limiting the facts to the ones you think are the best. This exercise is good for practicing pulling out pertinent information (Like my alliteration?).

In addition to this final paragraph, they will have to add an introductory statement as part of the first paragraph.  This introductory statement will introduce the entire paper, previewing the topics to be discussed. (Tell them what you are going to tell them). Next comes the body paragraphs (Tell them).  Finally, attached to the end of the final paragraph, add a final clincher--a sentence that restates the topics covered in the paper (Tell them what you told them).

As always, if you have any questions or need help scaling this assignment (or any other) for your student, please email, text or call me.  After this, only one more short and fun paper to write this semester! Yea!

Week 9

EEL

S/VL/PN Sentences, Linking Verbs

Today we focused on a new sentence pattern, S/VL/PN.  We learned that a linking verb acts as the glue that connects or links two words together.  Also, we noted that a linking verb is never an action verb.  In the example

A blue jay is a bird.

we noted that the linking verb is acts as the glue, sticking together blue jay and bird.  

Predicate Nominatives

When learning about the S/VL/PN sentence, we noted that finding the PN is just like asking the question to find a direct object except we also have to ask another question.  We start out by asking S+V, who/what?  So, using our example above, 

blue jay + is, who/what? 

The answer is bird.

But we don't stop there.  Before we accidentally assign the DO designation to the word, we have to ask two more questions:

1. Is there a linking verb? (Memorize list, song in sidebar).

2. Does bird rename the subject?

If the answer is yes to both questions, we have a predicate nominative (PN).

Double check by replacing the linking verb with an equals sign.

blue jay = bird, bird = blue jay

We ended the EEL segment by completing a task sheet for the sentence 

Tom is the captain, but Jane is the coach.

This is a compound S/VL/PN.

IEW

Vocabulary

warily, vehemently, destined, confront

Next week we will have a vocabulary game, so practice your vocab. words!

We talked about the decoration, 3sss, three short staccato sentences.  A full explanation is in the student guide in the gray pages (p.43)

Assignment

In class, we agreed to amend the scope and sequence and give this two week paper another week.  So, this week we are working on the second paragraph in a three paragraph paper.  The source text is Colonial Life: Law and Order from page 110 in your History Based Writing Lessons book.  Go ahead and use the KWO we did in class or change it to match your preference for the information you would like to include.

Though I talked about the introductory statement and final clincher, don't worry about adding them until the third paragraph is finished on the third week of this paper.

Blessings!  See you next week!