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| Accelerated Enrichment -- Spring 2010 (grades 4-5) - For students in grades 4-5 - Wednesdays, 4:15-5:45 PM - Mar. 10 - May 26, 2010 The weekly homework assignment will be posted here every Thursday. Check back a few times a week to see whether the assignment has been updated or whether there are any new class announcements. This page was last modified on Thursday, September 23, 2010 11:54:40 PM.
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTES REGARDING HOMEWORK "Harvesting" vocabulary words: I will ask you to "harvest" unfamiliar words that appear in reading assignments or in the verbal or reading sections of practice tests that you have taken. How do you "harvest" words? Circle (or highlight) words whose meaning you are not 100% sure of and write them down (in a Word document or on a piece of 3-hole-punched paper). Next to each word, write or type the abbreviated part(s) of speech (e.g., adj.), definition(s), and a sentence in which you use the word correctly and demonstrate its meaning. (Feel free to copy and paste definitions from an online dictionary.) Some weeks, we will have a vocabulary quiz. For each word on the quiz, you will need to supply the part of speech and a sentence in which you use the word correctly and demonstrate its meaning. I will not ask you to write definitions on any vocabulary quiz -- I want to see that you know how to use the word, not just what it means. Homework log: Every week, you must print the assignment from this web page (I recommend copying and pasting just that week’s assignment into a blank Word document) and place a check mark next to items as you complete them (do not check them off frantically during the first few minutes of class!). Bring the printout (your “homework log”) to class. If your printer is not working, you may e-mail me your homework log before class. Prioritizing: I will list the homework items in order of importance each week. If you don't have enough time to complete all the homework in a given week, just do as many items as you can, in the order listed, and catch up the following week if possible. I suggest that you develop a weekly homework plan every Thursday: print the homework log, look at your daily planner, note the days on which you have less school homework (or more free time), and decide which items of Accelerated Enrichment homework you will do on particular days that week. Do not wait until Saturday or Sunday to start your Accelerated Enrichment homework! Vocabulary assignments and other memorization work, for example, can be completed in small chunks of time -- 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there -- throughout the week.
Handouts and Resources
Due 5/26
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Catch up as needed.
- Review all of the vocabulary words from this
class; be ready for a vocabulary game.
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Be prepared to recite the Greek alphabet.
- Review your math notes in preparation for a
math competition. (This will be much like our vocabulary game.)
Due 5/19 - Make sure that you have completed all of the homework assigned for 5/12. - Review the chapter about the Golden Fleece, pp.162-176. We will discuss this myth next time. - Review Ch. 5 in Kaplan (“Quantitative Comparisons”). Complete practice questions on p. 40. Go over the answer explanations on pp.41-42. (We did this in class on 5/12. But even if you were in class on 5/12, you should still solve these problems again.) - Read pp.93-101 in Kaplan ("Arithmetic"). Answer practice questions 1-15 on pp.109-110. - Review the Greek alphabet. - We will have a vocabulary game next time.
- Catch up as needed. - Write sample sentences with the following words: pursuit, eternal, inhospitable, lenient, commotion, proclaim, avenge, encounter, liberate, transform. Both Kendall and Maeve had written some really solid sentences for 5/5. However, as we found out in class, even those good sentences could be improved. So even if you have already written sample sentences with the aforesaid words, you can write new, better ones. We will go over your sentences in class on 5/12. - Read about the Golden Fleece in D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths (pp.162-176). We will have a discussion on this chapter next time. - Continue to learn the Greek alphabet. - Continue to memorize the fractions and decimals. Spend 5-10 minutes on this every day.
Due 5/5 - Review the following vocabulary words: pursuit, reclining, eternal, persuade, avenge, encounter, inhospitable, perish, exalted, lenient, sinews, sputter, inherit, slew (slay). Remember to pay attention to the words’ parts of speech. We will have a vocabulary quiz next time. - Choose any ten words from the vocabulary section of the lower-level ISEE that you completed for last time. Write out the definitions of these words, as well as the words’ parts of speech, and write demonstrative sentences with these words. Make sure that in writing these sentences you take into consideration the advice on writing style that you have received so far in this class (consult your class notes). Any of these words may appear on the vocabulary quiz. - Go over the reading section of the lower-level ISEE and re-do it. Read the passages all over again and do proper active reading (like we did together in class on 4/28). See if you can answer all of the questions correctly this time. (Mark your answers in the test booklet.) - Read Kaplan Ch. 5 (ISEE quantitative comparisons). Take notes in the book as you are reading. - Continue to learn the Greek alphabet. - Continue to memorize the fractions and decimals. Spend 5-10 minutes on this every day. - Bring Kaplan to class.
Due 04/28 - Complete practice test (set aside about 3 hours in a single block): Kaplan lower-level sample ISEE (Ch. 22 in the 2010 edition). (So far, we have been working on Kaplan lower-level sample SSAT, in which you’ve completed the reading section and one of the math sections. Now we are moving on to Kaplan lower-level sample ISEE.) Do this timed, ALL IN ONE SITTING, with an adult supervising you and administering the test to you in a way that is identical to the way the real test would be administered. Be sure to use the bubble sheet provided, and be sure to do the essay. Also make sure to circle the answer choices in the book before you bubble them in. With your parents' help, score yourself after you've completed the test. Then label each error as CE (careless error), LOU (lack of understanding), LOV (lack of vocabulary), or LOT (lack of time).
- Continue to memorize the fractions and decimals. Spend 5-10 minutes on this every day.
- Review the following vocabulary words: pursuit, reclining, eternal, persuade, avenge, encounter, inhospitable, perish, exalted, lenient, sinews, sputter, inherit, slew (slay). Remember to pay attention to the words’ parts of speech. We will have a vocabulary quiz next time.
Due 04/21 - Finish the Kaplan lower-level sample ISEE Math and Reading sections, part of which you completed in class on 4/14 (Ch. 22 in the 2010 edition). Do this timed, IN ONE SITTING, with an adult supervising you and administering the test to you. Circle the answers in the book (you don’t have your bubble sheet because it was collected in class). Note: there are 10 questions remaining in the Math section and 15 questions in the Reading section. You will have 10 minutes to finish each section. With your parents' help, score yourself after you've completed the test. Then label each error as CE (careless error), LOU (lack of understanding), or LOT (lack of time). - Review all answer explanations for the questions in these sections carefully (answer explanations appear right after the test). Read all answer explanations, even those for questions you answered correctly – there might be an easier or faster way to reach the right answer! - Everyone did really well on the multiplication table quiz. Congratulations! However, there is still room for improvement. Therefore, you should complete at least three multiplication tables for next class. Remember to time yourself. - Write out parts of speech, definitions, and sample sentences for the following words from the mythology book: pursuit, reclining, eternal, persuade, avenge, encounter, inhospitable. Turn in your vocabulary work on 4/12. Pay careful attention to each word’s part of speech. - Continue to memorize the fractions and decimals on your worksheet. Spend 5-10 minutes on this every day. - Review the vocabulary words assigned for all of the previous classes. We will have a big vocabulary game next time. - We will start learning the Greek alphabet next time.
Due 04/14 - Read as far as you can in D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths. We will have a mythology discussion next time. - Write a short essay (at least 200 words) on the following topic: Do you agree with the punishment meted out to Niobe by the gods? Why or why not? If you were the judge and you had to design an appropriate punishment for her, what would it be and why? Your essay should be double-spaced, with 1.25" margins on all four sides and your name, date, and essay title at the top. Proofread a hard copy of your essay and edit it before turning it in. - Fill out the Fractions/Decimals worksheet handed out to you in class on 04/07. However, don’t convert the decimals to percents yet; we will go over this in class first. Start memorizing the fractions and decimals on this worksheet. - Write out parts of speech, definitions, and sample sentences for the following words from the mythology book: perish, exalted, lenient, sinews, sputter, inherit, slew (slay). Turn in your vocabulary work on 4/14. Prepare to share some of your sample sentences with your classmates (that is, make sure your sentences are good!). - We will have a vocabulary game next time. Some of the words will come from your reading, while some will come from the vocab quiz from previous class. So make sure you don't forget these words!
Due 04/07 - Read until p.146 in D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths - Carefully review your demonstrative sentences with the vocabulary words specified in the last homework assignment. Make sure that each sentence demonstrates the meaning of the given word. Read the sentence and ask yourself, “If I didn’t know the definition of this word, would I be able to understand its meaning just by reading my sentence?” If the answer is “no,” then your sentence does not achieve the goal of demonstrating the meaning of the word, and you should come up with a different sentence. Some advice: add informative detail to the sentence so that the word whose meaning you are trying to demonstrate is placed in a more substantive context based on which one can deduce the meaning of the word. On 04/07, we will be having a major vocabulary quiz. - Do these complex multiplication problems: 1. 29 x 47 2. 786 x 932 3. 34 x 2948 4. 659 x 207 5. 1928 x 603 - Of course, you should also do some long division problems: 1. 684 ÷ 46 2. 2565 ÷ 15 3. 4659 ÷ 33 4. 944 ÷ 16 - Complete three more multiplication tables. Remember that next time (04/07), we will be having our first multiplication table quiz or, rather, multiplication table competition, which you, no doubt, want to win. The winner will be the one who both completes the multiplication table in the least amount of time and does not make any mistakes.
Due 03/31 - Read until p.102 in D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths. Harvest unfamiliar words. - Review the words from our first vocabulary game: confidential, inhabit, conventional, prophesy, compassion, reminiscence, competent, evasion, affiliation, counsel. Even though both teams – Maeve and Derek, team #1, as well as Kendall and Seamus, team #2 – did really well, both teams were nevertheless challenged by some of these words, so there is work to be done! Of course, you should have all of these words and their definitions, as well as parts of speech, recorded in your notes. Review your notes every day and learn these words very well. - Also, make sure you know the definitions (and parts of speech!) of the following words: ratify compel agility writhe kinetic brash irate duration hesitation myth boundary fortunate fragile deceive aimless evacuate deficient dawdle ingenuity vend On Wed., April 7, we will have an important vocabulary quiz on these words, so be ready. You should prepare for the quiz by writing out all of these words’ definitions. In addition, write a sentence with each one of these words; the sentence must demonstrate the meaning of the given vocabulary word. Write sentences with at least half of these words by 03/31. The other half must be completed by 04/07. - Do the following math problems on a separate sheet of paper. Show your work, don’t just provide an answer. Make sure your work is neat. Long Division: 1. 9,178 ÷ 26 2. 742 ÷ 14 3. 672 ÷ 12 4. 1,698 ÷ 3 5. 28,336 ÷ 23 Complex Multiplication: 1. 555 x 25 2. 45 x 456 3. 23 x 567 4. 34 x 478 5. 1,234 x 3 - Print out and complete two more multiplication tables. We will have our first multiplication table quiz on Wed., April 7. -Please purchase one more book for the class: Kaplan SSAT/ISEE, 2010 edition. This book should be available both online and at bookstores.
Due 3/24
- Go over the reading you were supposed to do for the previous class. Make sure you know this material well enough to be able to participate in our first substantial mythology discussion.
- In order to prepare for the discussion, do the following: make a list of the Greek gods and next to each god/goddess write down his/her function. For example: Apollo -- the god of music, light, and reason.
- Find your favorite myth in the assigned reading and prepare to narrate this myth. To get ready for this, jot down a bullet-point summary of the myth. Every student will be responsible for presenting a myth in front of the class.
- Review your math notes from the previous class. Look at the problems on the diagnostic ISEE again and find the problems that you would like to go over in class. We will devote some time during the next class to going over these math problems.
- Write out all of the unfamiliar words from the vocabulary test that you took in class last time. Find definitions for these words in a dictionary and write them down on a piece of paper (remember to put the latter in the appropriate section of your binder). Don't forget to include each word's part of speech.
Due 3/17 - Read through p. 69 in D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths. - Think about who your favorite Greek god is. Be prepared to explain why that particular god is your favorite. We will have an in-class writing assignment on this topic, so do some brainstorming in advance. - Continue highlighting unfamiliar words that you come across in the reading. Find those words' definitions in a dictionary and record the definitions on a piece of paper; place the latter in the appropriate part of your binder. - Complete another multiplication table and record the time it took you to complete it. We will collect these at the beginning of class on Wednesday. - Review your math notes from the previous class. You will have a chance to ask questions about any of the problems in your notes, so be prepared. We will go over the solutions for the rest of the problems from the diagnostic ISEE test during our next class. Agenda: - In addition, we will discuss the two passages you read during the first class. We will also go over the answers to the questions about the passages. - You will finish the rest of the math section of the diagnostic ISEE. - We will discuss the reading from D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths. Everything from p. 9 until p. 69 is fair game!
Due 3/10 - Read pp. 9-37 in D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths. - Highlight unfamiliar words that you encounter in the assigned reading and find the words’ definitions in a dictionary; write down the definitions for all of these words on a piece of paper; place this piece of paper into the binder that you will have acquired for this course. - Make sure you know the parts of speech of the harvested words (i.e., noun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition). - Print out and complete one multiplication table; record the time it took you to complete the table. | |
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