Tip Time CC Cycle 2 Week 14

So, I missed a few weeks.  I actually had a few fun things to mention about these areas too.  Here are some worth sharing.

History
I took a whole semester on the French Revolution and the most interesting thing, I thought, was that the Revolutionists tried to change the calendar - to a 10 day week.  They were really trying to change everything about how people lived their lives.  It didn't work very well but I thought it was a fascinating attempt.

If you are interested in learning more about Napoleon Bonaparte you might want to try The Life and Battles of Napoleon Bonaparte in words of one syllable by Mrs. Helen Pierson.  She actually has a whole series of books covering French, English and United States history in "words of one syllable".  It is not simplistic but the vocabulary is appropriate for elementary aged students.  They are free and worth looking into.

Latin

Since we are reviewing the Latin verb endings again you might want to take it to the next level this coming semester.  There are MANY free Latin books online.  I like putting Latin into simple sentences because my boys enjoy seeing that there is something more than just memorizing endings.  I think this will also make them feel more capable when we get to John 1 next year.  So, here is a great free book for at least the first conjugation, present tense.  At first, you'll see that there are just a bunch of Latin sentences, but if you flip to page 67 there is the key with the Latin written out and the English right below it.  I plan to have my oldest circle the endings on the verbs and try to figure out if it is singular or plural and whether it is first, second or third person.  From there, they can look at the key and see if they were right.  I do understand that some of CC is just memorizing for later, but a little bit of context (especially in present tense) can help kids see how this applies down the line.

From there it gets much more complex - but there are some Bible stories in Latin with English right underneath.  I like to read (even if I am killing the language) these aloud sometimes to help the boys get used to hearing the language.  I also think it will help when it comes to pronouns and the "little words" because those are easier to learn in context.

If you want to learn more about Latin verbs but really don't get the typical approach of charts to memorize - here is a very interesting (and short - 6 pages) introduction to verbs and verb tenses in Latin.  Start on page 5 and go from there.  This gets you beyond first conjugation but it is interesting reading and makes it easier for me (at least) to understand.  I was the one who started passing physics when we were allowed to write essays. I need words to explain things - not just charts!

English Grammar

If you are looking for a game to help teach adverbs you might want to check out this one.

So those are a few tips for this coming week and the past few weeks.  I will try to stay on top of it this semester!