Archive | Writing And Grammar

I wear many hats.   As I have mentioned before, I am the director and Essentials tutor for my local Classical Conversations Community.   Currently, we are counting down the days until our first class.   Let the preparations begin………

Today I am going to show you how I have setup the student notebook for my Essentials class.  If you are unfamiliar with the Essentials program,   read an overview and watch a video on the Classical Conversations website. Obviously, due to copyright laws, I cannot show you pictures of the insides of the student notebook.  But, I have listed the page numbers and titles of the photocopies I have used.  Please note:  I have the 4th edition EEL guide.  If you own a previous edition, then the page numbers won’t match. 

Essentials Student Notebook

Supplies Needed

• 1 ½ inch three-ring binder
• Trivium Tables (English Grammar and Quid et Quo)
• One copy of the Verbals Chart (Chart Q; EEL page 431)
• One copy of the Weekly Practice Sentences (EEL page 433 &434)
• Approximately 20 page protectors
• Dry erase markers
• Pencils, sharpened
• Notebook paper
• Pencil pouch with holes to put in front of binder
• Dividers with pockets (5)
• photocopies from the EEL guide and the IEW Ancient History Student Book
• Optional:  Mad Libs

Tab #1: Charts
Tab #2: Sentences
Tab #3: Editing
Tab #4: Writing
Tab #5: Vocab.

  How to Assemble the Student Notebook

• Front pocket of binder:  Trivium tables
• Front of binder:  Pencil pouch with pencils, dry-erase markers, and tickets
• Before First Divider:     
  • Essentials Study Sheet (I make these and hand them out each week.  They are not in the guide.) 
  • In a page protector:  EEL pg. 22 (Week at a Glance)
• First divider:     Label divider:  Charts
  • In the pocket of the divider:  EEL pg. 18 (EEL Scope and Sequence)
  • On the rings, behind the divider:  blank paper for copying charts
  • In a page protector:  Verbals Chart Q; place it behind the paper, but in front of the next divider.
• Second divider:  Label divider:  Sentences
  • In the pocket of the divider:  EEL page 394 (Glossary of Abbreviations)
  • In a page protector:  weekly practice sentences (EEL pg. 433-434) 
  • On the rings, behind the divider: 75 copies (3-hole punched) of EEL pg. 435-436 (Analytical Task Sheet)
• Third Divider:  Label divider:  Editing 
  • On the rings:  Copies of editing sheets (2 copies of each week)
• Fourth Divider:  Label divider:  Writing
  • In the pocket of the divider:  Ancient History Writing Schedule 
  • On the rings, behind the divider:  blank notebook paper
• Fifth Divider:  Label divider: Vocab.
  • In the pocket of the divider:  current vocabulary flashcards
  • In page protectors:  one set of vocabulary tests (practice with dry erase markers)
  • On the rings, behind the divider:    2^nd set of vocab.  tests w/o page protectors (final test in pencil)
• Back Pocket: 
  • Mad Libs from ClassroomJr.Com

How We Use the Notebook

• Trivium Tables
  • Grammar Chart:  Used as a reference in class, at home, and when copying grammar charts
  • Quid et Quo: Used when analyzing sentences in class and at home
• Pencil Pouch
  • Stores pencils, dry-erase markers, and tickets
• Study Sheet and Week at a Glance
  • Advises the student and parent as to what they could do at home
•  Charts
  • Provides a list of the charts used each week and blank paper for copying
• Sentences
  • A place for the student to analyze sentences  with the Quid et Quo table and the Analytical Task sheet
• Editing
  • Students have 2 copies of each editing sheet.
• Writing
  • Reminds the student of the writing assignments and provides paper for brainstorming and rough drafts.
• Vocabulary
  • Reminds the student of the vocabulary words for each week.  It provides a place for the child to practice the vocabulary tests with dry-erase markers and photocopies of the vocabulary tests for the final test.  
• MadLibs
  • It started out that we just did these for fun, but the kids learned a lot from them!  They are optional.  

A Few More Pictures……

In case you don’t know what a page divider with a pocket looks like…….here you go! It is a plastic page divider, but it has a pouch to store a few pieces of paper.

This is copy of one of my study sheets from last year. I adapted it from a version that I found on CC Connected.