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
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:
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