We learned about Animal Behaviorists. They study how animals act. Then we learned that animals are born with behaviors called instincts. Some instincts are hibernation, migration, and communication. Next we labeled ways that animals communicate and then we practiced communicating objects in the room without speaking.

Today Stephen and I went through the Stanford Achievement Testing practice packet. We did this in an effort to make sure he was clear on the test expectations before next week.

We talked in general about preparing for a test. The importance of physical preparation related to proper rest, and diet/nutrition, were discussed. Also, mental preparation regarding positive thoughts were highlighted. Then, Stephen read the directions pertaining to the Social Studies practice section of the Stanford Test. Stephen scored 2/4 on the multiple choice practice questions. We went over each question together and I asked Stephen to talk through how he determined each response. I shared a test-taking strategy related to analyzing the stem/question and looking for key words and intent. Then, looking for ways to identify/narrow potential choices in order to determine the "best" answer. Then, we watched an introductory video related to stocks. I asked Stephen pointed questions related to his stocks in his portfolio related to profit and loss.

Stephen continued to draw out his number story. He still has 4 pages to finish.
We reviewed decimals and fractions. I gave Stephen a decimal chart which will enable
him to read and convert decimals to fractions easier.

Today we made guacamole home-made from scratch and also did some chicken flautas. We cooked, danced and sang, had an awesome time! Best way to practice and learn Spanish culture and flavors...

Today Stephen and I reviewed the format of the Stanford Achievement Test. He also completed some language arts practice pages.

LA Enrichment: Stephen did a good job reading and finishing the book today,"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", by Mark Twain. We discussed characters and their role in the story. Also a list of vocabulary words from the book were read and defined. He enjoyed the story very much and he's looking forward to next week, for another Mark Twain book.

We read aloud together an article related to how money is created. Money as debt, reserve requirements, relationship to government, and currency backing were areas of focus. Stephen successfully completed post-reading multiple choice questions. Then, Stephen, looked at his portfolio. To date, he recognized that he still has a significant cash balance and that his investments have shown profit verses loss.

Heredity, Instincts, and Learned Behaviors - We learned that living things can have characteristics that are shaped by learning called learned traits. Then we named some examples of dog tricks that are learned traits. Next we looked at learned traits that are taught by watching other animals. Some examples are baby ducks following their mother or chimps making a tool to gather termites. Then we learned about instincts.

Stephen reviewed division with remainders. He completed multiple problems and wrote his answers in a crossword puzzle. Stephen continued to illustrate his math read aloud book.