Our new devotion will be based on the book Do Hard Things. Plan to read one chapter each week (chapter 1 this week!) and we'll discuss it in class. It's a pretty easy read and I think you're going to love it!
This semester I'm also introducing an accountability sheet for each student to mark at the beginning of class how much they completed for each strand. Feel free to take a look anytime!
LATIN
We've finished our review of last year's material and now we're moving on to new stuff! The pace will now start to slow down. :)
We reviewed adjectives and the special declensions of rules 41-43 and 74-76. This week, you're finishing up Lesson 16 and moving into the beginning of 17 (active & passive voice). Make sure you are staying on top of new vocabulary!
NATIONAL LATIN EXAM
Those who signed up will take the NLE Introduction-level exam on Monday, March 11, in class. The best way to begin preparing for the exam is to practice the vocabulary I set up on Quizlet (I'll email you the link to request to join the class) and get familiar with Roman mythology (I also made Quizlets for this). Mr. Seitz will review some with the kids during study hall, and I am working on a summary resource to send around.
LOGIC
We had 6 students successfully complete the 25 chart/13 day challenge, and another 2 write out all 3 charts from memory in class. Good job! Appendix A will be the most important one for now, so if you weren't able to finish this over break, focus on getting Appendix A down old as soon as possible! (Appendix B will be used in Unit 2, and C in Unit 3.)
We discussed some of the many areas in the Bible that address logic, including:
2 Corinthians 10:5: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets
itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to
make it obedient to Christ.”
1 Timothy 6:20-21: “Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn
away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called
knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the
faith.”
Logic and reasoning even appear when the Pharisees try to challenge Jesus’
authority in Mark 11:27-33!
We are now entering Intermediate Logic and the study of propositional logic: evaluating the truth value of a proposition (i.e., a statement) by evaluating its component parts. Note: In second semester, we only cover Units 1-3. Unit 4 is optional; and Unit 5 is not assigned.
This week, complete all reading and exercises for Lessons 1-5, and practice the vocabulary.
SCIENCE
Welcome to Defeating Darwinism! We'll spend 10 weeks reading, summarizing, and discussing how to think logically about the theory of evolution. Written by a reformed atheist, the book is aimed at upper-level high school students and college students - the reading can be difficult, but remember: Hard is not bad! Get used to hearing me say that. ;)
You will read (several times) one chapter each week, in addition to summarizing and outlining it. It is important that you stay on top of your summaries and keep track of them! I'm emailing you the outlines we discussed in class that will help you learn what and how to summarize - these shells provide a lot of guidance initially and then gradually wean you so that you are writing your own summary unassisted by week 8. You can either print the shells and handwrite your summary, or type it on the computer - but make sure you print a copy to bring to class each week if you choose the latter! And come prepared to discuss - this book is a lot of fun and very enlightening if you stick with it!
In class, I asked students to draw a picture of an alien. Not surprisingly, every student drew something imagined from another planet in outer space. We discussed where they got their ideas from - movies, books, cartoons - basically culture and the media. Then I pointed out that the Bible talks about aliens and related words over 70 times! We considered what it means to have a biblical worldview, and why no one's initial reaction was to draw that kind of alien first.
I asked which students think comes first: Does science inform your worldview, or does your worldview inform science?
How to Read:
We reviewed the Highlighting Method used in Challenge A (It Couldn't Just Happen). If students successfully tried that method and found one that works well for them, I encouraged them to stick with it. We also should add these steps to this strand:
1st Read - Count the Cost
Look at the chapters, page numbers, sections, pictures, font sizes. Ask yourself: What is this going to cost me? (Luke 14:28 “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?”)
2nd Read - Touch / Scan
Read the first and last paragraph of the assigned text. Then run your finger down the text, touching each line and every word. DO NOT "read", but rather, allow your brain to scan it. You might want to start noting/highlighting names, dates, places or "structure" words (like ordinal numbers, lists, etc.), or you can save this for the next read-through.
3rd Read - Actually Read + Highlight
Now read at a normal pace. Highlight definitions, main arguments, favorite passages, memorable quotes, etc.
4th Read - Re-read & Summarize
Read substantively one more time, summarizing and outlining as you go. Ask yourself: What is the author trying to convey in the chapter?
- What’s the big picture?
- How does the author build the argument in the chapter?
- Does he give examples, definitions, tell a story?
- Pull out the information that’s important and understand why it’s important.
Don't just copy! Think it through, decide what needs to be included, and put it in your own words. This is essential to making the material your own.
Include vocabulary and explanations of concepts. Place vocabulary words, key concepts, and list of people noted within the chapter at the very beginning of each chapter outline. It's easier to find and easier to study!
Finally, we read the Introduction together and outlined some of the main ideas:
According to Mr. Johnson, the most important question of our lives is:
Is there a God who created us and cares about what we do?
Indoctrination of young people in schools in naturalism.
Under 10% of the general population believes in scientific orthodoxy.
Remaining 90% are split between biblical creationists & theistic evolutionists.
People understand the theory of evolution better than scientists do. Scientists/professors know details but not the basics.
“Scientific fact” vs. ideology that goes beyond the facts.
Book = education on HOW to think about evolution.
Freeing people to think about evolution critically as they would any other important subject.
Requires precise definitions and good thinking habits [LOGIC!]
Apply skills to evolution, which has been protected far too long from critical thinking by law and academic custom.
MATH
We tried something new: I introduced four lessons from Saxon, then students paired up to present their own math problems to each other. We'll do this again next week, in addition to drawing one student's name to present to the entire class. This way, everyone is sharing a problem each week, so come prepared!
SHORT STORIES
We previewed some great general questions to consider for every story (p. 14-15), and worked through Freytag’s Pyramid (a story diagram). I'll circulate an example we can use in discussing the short stories we read.
We read aloud The Lion & the Mouse and answered the review and thought questions that followed it. We also introduced ideas about THEME (p. 21).
This week, reread p. 21 about Theme and keep it in mind as you read the three assigned stories (p. 23-37). Consider the review and thought questions and be prepared to discuss them in class. Also bring a Bible verse that relates to what you read and 5 story ideas (written down!) to discuss in community.
MOCK TRIAL
We'll have a MT notebook "scavenger hunt" in class next week, so continue to read through the case materials and get familiar with everything.
I explained the critical importance of everyone pulling their own weight in Mock Trial. There will be no riding coattails! Each week, students will submit their work to me and it will be shared with classmates, so be prepared!
There can be anxiety surrounding Mock Trial, but I promised you this is going to be fun despite any fears! This week, read through the case again, organize and tab your case materials, and complete these additional tasks:
1. Analyze the statements/reports of Chaney & May (think about what you learned for Defeating Darwinism - highlighting/summarizing; asking what’s important? Consider creating an ANI chart where one column lists points favorable to the prosecution, one the defense, and one "interesting".
2. Rewrite statements for Chaney & May in your own words. If a person doesn't have a witness statement, create one using the materials you do have for that person. This develops familiarity & understanding.
3. Prepare a timeline that includes all the information you learn from Chaney & May. It works well to keep a running document on your computer. Don't exclude any information you think is irrelevant now - it could prove to be important later as you learn more about the case.
POSTREMO
* Don't forget our Challenge Social at Dart Warz this Saturday - it looks like the times now are 5:30-8:00 p.m. And our Parent Meeting will be from 5:45-7:45 pm right nearby at Starbucks.
* We'll watch The Hiding Place at Faith's house on Saturday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m.
* We'd love to have you join us at Latin Study Hall on our new day and time: Tuesdays from 10:15-11:45 a.m.!
Blessings on your week! ~ Mrs. D
