Friday October 25, 2019

Dear Parents

Having completed our reading of Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt we are currently delving into William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar by popular demand.   I hope students will enjoy this as much as last year’s foray into Shakespearean tragedy including: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear.

We have also begun examining the poem, Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas.  For those of you unfamiliar with the poem, it goes as follows:

Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night

Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.

 

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,

Do not go gentle into that good night.

 

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 

And you, my father, there on the sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 

We’ve also been working on understanding the various parts of speech including

• Nouns
• Verbs
• Adjectives
• Adverbs
• Articles
• Pronouns
• Prepositions
• Conjunctions
• Interjections

In Science we are continuing to read Bomb: The Race to Build – and Steal- the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon.  Adjacent to our reading of the book we have also combined atoms using our Happy Atoms Chemistry Kit.  For a better understanding of how the kit assists us in understanding how atoms combine please click on the link below:

https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Molecular-Molecules-Activities-Educational/dp/B01EIKR9CY/ref=sr_1_2?crid=398VW55GWYT07&keywords=happy+atoms&qid=1571762319&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&sprefix=happy+atoms%2Caps%2C152&sr=8-2

In Math, we have continued to work on understanding the multiplication of decimals by other decimals as well as converting decimals into fractions and playing the 24 Game.  Please take the time to review multiplication tables with your child so that you might assist in reinforcing the skills we are focusing on at school.

In Social Studies we have been comparing Roman democracy as it existed during the time of Julius Caesar and democracy as we know it in the United States today.  Some of the questions we have posed include:

• What are the similarities and differences between the level of power enjoyed by Julius Caesar and the President of the United States?
• What nation had/has more power and global influence, Ancient Rome or the present-day United States?
• How did Rome eventually fall?
• What lessons can the United States learn from the Ancient Romans?
• Why did some citizens of Ancient Rome feel that Caesar should be removed from office?
• Why do some citizens of the United States feel that President Trump should be removed from office?
• Who supported Julius Caesar and why?
• Who supports President Trump and why?
• In how many countries did the Ancient Romans have a military presence and why?
• In how many countries does the United States have a military presence and why?

 

We also saw the below documentary on the Cuban Missile Crisis which occurred this month 57 years ago and discussed how threats facing the United States are different today than in 1962.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqJBibhR07w

As always please feel free to forward any questions, concerns or comments to:

michael.flynn@platoacademy.org

 

Dr. Michael

 

Dear Parents,

We’ve had a very productive week here at Plato Academy!  We have concluded our reading of Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes.  We will now be moving on to William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, a tale of how members of a society deal with a leader who they fear may become too powerful if not contained.

We also visited Graceland Cemetery as the culminating event in our unit on Chicago history.  We also read biographies of more than 40 Chicagoans who had a profound influence upon the city and the surrounding suburbs who are buried at Graceland.  Additionally, we created webs demonstrating how the residents of Graceland were connected in life.  As an example, piano retailer William Kimball who lived across the street from George Pullman in life on Prairie Ave., now resides across the road from him in death.  William Hulbert shares a connection with George Pullman in that Hulbert was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court by President Grover Cleveland, who also sent federal troops to stop a strike at George Pullman’s train car company in the 1890’s.  John Root and Daniel Burnham who are both buried at Graceland established the architectural firm of Burnham and Root in the 1870’s.  Both are connected with architect Louis Sullivan who worked with Burnham and Root on several projects including the World’s Fair of 1893.  Photographer Richard Nickel is connected to Louis Sullivan as he was inside Adler and Sullivan’s Stock Exchange Building when it was being demolished in the 1970’s when he met his untimely demise.   Carter H. Harrison is connected to Daniel Burnham and John Root because all three worked on building the 1893 World’s Fair.   At the conclusion of the fair, Harrison was assassinated in his home.  Allan Pinkerton is connected to Joseph Medill who helped establish the Republican Party whose first nominee for president was Abraham Lincoln.  Pinkerton would soon thereafter be assigned the arduous task of getting Lincoln safely from Springfield, Illinois to Washington DC  for his inauguration in 1861, amidst numerous death threats.

We also discussed the withdrawal of American forces from Syria and the implications for the Kurdish people living there who have been strong allies of the United States in our battle against ISIS and other extremists in the area for many years.

In Science, we learned how iguanas have returned to Santiago a small island which is part of the Galapagos system in South America off the coast of Ecuador.  We also explored the history of the Galapagos Islands, specifically, Charles Darwin’s work there in the 1830’s in advance of his development of the theory of natural selection.  We also talked about the differences between the theory of natural selection or Darwinism and creationism.  Additionally, we discovered that many species indigenous to the Galapagos Islands and South America are disappearing. We explored the reasons behind these extinctions and what might be done to remedy the situation.

In Math we worked on multiplying decimals by other decimals and continued playing the 24 Game.

Have a pleasant weekend. As always, if there are any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me at: michael.flynn@platoacademy.org

Dr. Michael

Friday October 11, 2019

 

Dear Parents,

 

Time continues to fly by as we head into autumn here at Plato Academy.  We will be finishing Angela’s Ashes next week.  It will be quite an accomplishment for students to have read a Pulitzer Prize winning novel in its entirety.  After completing Angela’s Ashes, we will be revisiting the works of William Shakespeare due to popular demand by delving into Julius Caesar. 

 

In Math we looked into exponents and how they are used in astronomy as a way to understand extremely large numbers.  We also played a game in which I asked students if they would rather receive a lump sum of one million dollars or a penny on the first day of the month and having it doubled each day until the 31^st.  After much hypothesizing and calculating, we were able to determine that if they received a penny on the first day of the month and had the sum doubled each day, we would have accumulated $10,741,514.20 – or nearly 11 million dollars by the end of the month.  Moving forward, you might want to be careful when negotiating an allowance with your children.  We also learned to use ratios in constructing jellybean art.

 

On Tuesday, students continued honing their chess skills with Mr. Saad.  We also continue to play Chess sometimes at the end of the day when time permits.

 

Remember that we will be going to Graceland Cemetery as a culminating activity to our unit on Chicago history.  Please, either send some cash with your children so that they may purchase something at Burger King at the conclusion of our tour.  Students may also bring a bag lunch if they wish.  As of now, the forecast for next Friday looks favorable with a predicted high of 62 degrees and partly sunny skies.

 

This week, we covered the lives of numerous Chicago notables buried at Graceland including:

• Charles Wacker
• William Goodman
• Potter Palmer
• John Altgeld
• Daniel Burnham
• Joseph Medill
• Philip Armour

 

On Wednesday, we acknowledged the 148^th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire which took the lives of some 300 people and began on October 8, 1871 by reading a short passage and watching a documentary on the conflagration.  We also delved a bit deeper by investigating the Peshtigo Fire which also occurred on October 8, 1871 in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, 245 miles north of Chicago in which 1,500 people were killed.

 

With regard to Science, we continued our experiments with magnets, structural engineering and atoms.  We also looked at how wildfires have encouraged plant growth in the town of Lake Elsinore, California.  Additionally, we also found out how extended stays aboard the International Space Station affect the human body and even changes DNA.

 

As always, please send any questions of concerns to: michael.flynn@plato academy.org

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Dr. Michael

Friday October 4, 2019

 

Dear Parents,

 

We have had an extremely productive week here at Plato Academy!  With regard to Angela’s Ashes, we have completed 268 pages and find ourselves approaching the finish line.  We will also be completing our viewing of the accompanying movie very shortly.

 

In Social Studies, we discussed how the electoral college works and how a presidential candidate can win a mere 11 states and still gain enough electoral votes to be elected President of the United States. In order to become president, a candidate must win more than 50% or 270 of 538 electoral votes to secure victory.  The 11 states are:

 

• California – 55 electoral votes
• Texas – 38 electoral votes
• New York – 29 – electoral votes
• Florida – 29 electoral votes
• Pennsylvania – 20 electoral votes
• Illinois – 20 electoral votes
• Ohio – 18 electoral votes
• Georgia – 16 electoral votes
• Michigan – 16 electoral votes
• North Carolina – 15 electoral votes
• New Jersey – 14 electoral votes

 

We also discussed issues that are likely to be prominent in the 2020 presidential election including

 

• Global warming
• Health care
• Taxes

 

Additionally, we celebrated the 100^th anniversary of women’s suffrage – the right to vote which was granted by Congress on October 4, 1919

 

 

In Mindset Mathematics, we learned about three types of transformation including the following:

 

• Slide
• Flip
• Turn

 

We also reviewed the following:

• Double-digit multiplication
• Fractions
• Circles
• Triangles
• Types of Polygons
• Long Division
• Mean, median, mode and range
• Centimeters and Meters

 

In Science we had three different experiments going at once.

 

Maria, Antonella & Leah worked on creating Happy Atoms

 

Sebastian, Andreas & Alexis experimented with Structural Engineering

 

Emma, Robby, Amelia & Plout investigated Magnetism

 

In our Chicago History unit, we have continued to familiarize ourselves with the lives of numerous individuals including:

• Mayor Carter Harrison
• Doug Buffone
• Ernie Banks
• Robert Fitzsimmons
• Jack Johnson
• Dexter Graves
• Eli Williams
• Peter Schoenhofen
• George Pullman
• William Kimball
• John Root
• Victor Lawson
• John Kinzie
• Louis Sullivan

 

As a culminating activity to our unit on Chicago, we have scheduled a field trip to Graceland Cemetery for Friday October 18, 2019.  We will depart around 9 A.M. and return to Plato in time for dismissal. There is no cost for the trip and students will be transported by Plato Academy staff.  In the event that the weather is uncooperative we will change the date of the trip.  For lunch, we will be stopping at Burger King across the street from the cemetery.  Please send your child with a few dollars to purchase lunch.  You may also choose to send them to school with a bag lunch if you choose.

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Dr. Michael