Week 9: I am the teacher, and the students are my class.

Sticking with compound declarative sentences in EEL, we looked at our third sentence pattern today: S-Vl-PN. I believe the kids grasped the concept easily. Step 7 on your Simple Steps chart gives you a fairly concise way to determine whether a noun following your verb is a direct object (follows a transitive verb and receives the action of that verb) or a predicate noun (follows a linking verb and can rename or replace the subject noun). So use that at home this week.

During your time together, try dictating compound sentences that combine 2 of our 3 sentence patterns and include a prepositional phrase and/or adverb here and there. Walk your student through the Tasks 1-4 on your ATS sheets. Use your Simple Steps chart if you find it helpful. And remember: there are examples in the guide if you want to use them. :)

I'd also like the kids to work on Week 9 memory work and on their linking verbs list. Although you'll see principal parts discussed in Lesson 9 in your guides, I chose not to focus on those today in class; I'll hit that in a couple of weeks.

IEW has numerous small tasks to complete this week. Lesson 13 introduces prepositional phrase openers; we discussed how to add them and how to label them (#2 in the left margin) during class.

With regard to the final week of our paper on knights, I asked the kids to circle "Level A" or "Level B" on their assignment sheets in class, but basically, Level A needs to add both an introductory statement and a final clincher before the polishing process begins. Level B needs to combine all five paragraphs and begin polishing.

I suggested that the students look for the following elements to "polish":

1. Tighten up sentences by eliminating unncessary words.
2. Try to replace state of being verbs with strong verbs where possible.
3. Make sure each paragraph includes various sentences openers and that sentence after sentence does not begin with the same subject, "Knights were...." or "A knight was...." Checklists should make this easy.
4. Study the chart on transitional words and phrases that I distributed last week. Incorporate smooth transitions between paragraphs.
5. Although I didn't suggest this in class, ask your student to read his or her paper aloud to someone. Where they stumble in reading will often indicate an awkward word, phrase, sentence or transition.

After they revise and polish their papers, which will hopefully happen by Friday, take the time Monday to label papers and complete the appropriate checklist (Level A or Level B). They'll also need to complete a bibliography, which we discussed in class today.

On Tuesday, I'd like for the students to turn in their key word outlines and rough drafts for all paragraphs along with their final papers, bibliographies and checklists. If you do not have your rough drafts because you've "edited" them electronically, it's okay. Just make a note.

Also on Tuesday, for an admission ticket, they may complete and turn in the semicolon worksheet I handed out in today's class. (Hint: I gave them a cream-colored chart that contains most of the answers.)

Finally, we will begin our "Faces of Medieval History" paper on Week 10. The kids should come to class knowing whom or what they will write about. See page 93, I think, in your student books for suggestions, but any medieval personality or theme will suffice. This is our final writing assignment for the semester, and students will present in costume on Week 12 (Nov. 23).

I think that's about it. Lots of details -- if i realize I left something out, I'll post an addendum.

Good class today. We accomplished much. Thanks for your work at home this week.

Erin