Daily Morsels - Idioms and Mnemonics

So, it's past the middle of April and we are finally wrapping up a unit that was supposed to be over and done months ago.  What can I say?  Missions, holidays, a wedding, illnesses, and the beginning of baseball season thwarted my plans coming and going. And yet, I think we ended up with a much better "final product." Our unit never stopped, it extended. When I couldn't fight the interruptions, and when time constraints in the middle of interruptions forced me to come up with additional things to not waste what time we had (and, I admit, as I found new resources that intrigued me in my search), the result was a longer but deeper, richer, more comprehensive unit. So, while we are "behind schedule," I'm not going to complain because I'm happy with what we did.

Now, however, with the changing of unit studies, I'm revamping our whole day. (That comes with baseball season as well because our school day hours are fewer. Still plenty, but every afternoon and evening is full.) Today I began a new daily morning routine that sees the addition of idioms and knowledge mnemonics.

As a never-to-recover bibliophile I purchase books faster than I can read or use them. I do get frustrated when I come across a book I either forgot I had, or that I meant to use and didn't get to. These are two books that have been collecting dust on my shelves for years and I do value them and want to put them to use, thus the now daily morsels. Bit by bit we'll consume these and I think it will be perfect because we can savor each little bit. We won't be overwhelmed with information, our daily routine will be enriched, and taking it one little thing at a time will help us remember.

There is also daily reinforcement:  Each idiom will need to be used in a sentence three times to demonstrate understanding, and depending on the information in the mnemonics, a writing or recitation exercise will follow up each day. 

Today's idiom was "ace up your sleeve" and the mnemonic was how to spell accommodate (always remember, you must accommodate two Cs, two Ms, and an O after each.) I guess you could say that I forgot I had these aces up my sleeve and now I will accommodate them and we'll all be winners!