The session began with a review of open syllables. The concept of y as a vowel and the sounds it makes was reviewed. Hunter fluently read the word cards for step 5.1 -5.3. He charted open syllable words. He also charted words with the three syllable types and was fluent reading them. Syllable cards were used to practice spelling words from steps 5.1 - 5.3. He spelled 10/10 real words and 3/3 nonsense words correctly. Hunter needs to work on his penmanship as it is often difficult to read his writing.

We stayed with the textbook and explored the splitting of the Empire into Eastern and Western "sub-empires" with capitals in Rome and Byzantium, later Constantinople. We examined the reasons for the decline--movement of tribes of "barbarians" from the north and east, ever-increasing costliness of a bloated government bureaucracy and the increased need to use foreign mercenaries instead of loyal Romans as soldiers in the Army.

Revisited the concept of friction as a force. Discussed its definition as a force that works in opposition to an applied force. Used historical examples of "perpetual motion machines" as case studies illustrating how friction both opposes movement and produces heat.

Practiced problem-solving methods for finding unknown variables in problems related to gravitational potential energy. Considered how gravitational potential energy changes based on local gravity and distance from a massive body.

Small web-based research project on modern manufacturing techniques of smart phones with additional emphasis on photolithography and the microscopic nature of modern integrated circuits.

Performed an experiment demonstrating how force and displacement are related as a rubber band stretches. Created and discussed data and considered implications of parts of the graph.

Extended the concept of gravitational potential energy to the related concept of elastic potential energy. Described the example of potential energy stored in a rubber band and the transition back to kinetic energy using graph of distortion vs force.

Today, Hunter and I reviewed his new (chapter 3) vocabulary word list. It features words such as irate and cherubic. We completed pages 37 and 38 together. We also read Walt Whitman's famous poem titled "I Hear America Singing," and discussed purpose, style, and meaning.

We began with the textbook where we read about early Christianity, spreading from Jerusalem to Antioch to Rome. We explored the journeys of Peter and Paul and their martyrdom and continued through Constantine, the founding (or re-naming) of Constantine and the construction of the immense cathedral of Hagia Sophia in 537 A. D. Then we went online and explored the same subjects, including imagery of Hagia Sophia in today's Istanbul, Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome and the excavated ruins of Antioch.

We covered Ch. 6-5 Linear Inequalities and Ch. 6-6 Systems of Linear Inequalities. We looked at example problems on the board.