I checked Natalie's homework and it was perfect so I decided that we should go to the next topic. I told her the topic and the page number of the book we were going to study and she requested that I allow her to use the text examples to teach herself the procedures she would need. The topic was solving one-step equations by using multiplication or division by fractions. Then I assigned six problems for her to work on independently. She worked for half an hour on her own and I checked her work. The problems were all correct. I assigned a few problems to practice these skills.

In order to assist Natalie in organizing her essay, I placed on the whiteboard a timeline tracing the evolution of currency in the US,noting where and when certain currency was or was not backed by gold or silver. I then placed a definition of "fiat" on the board explaining that the term referred to a proclamation by a governing authority often having the effect of law. I then noted where and when our currency achieved value by fiat when not backed by gold. Natalie indicated that the timeline was helpful and worked on the supplemental reading material and answering the study guide questions on the history of currency and the gold standard. As the value of money today remains tied to the actions of the Federal Reserve, for homework due Tuesday, I assigned reviewing the chapter on the function of the Federal Reserve and taking a short take -home quiz (9 true/false /matching questions )on the Federal Reserve. Additionally,due Tuesday ,I assigned completing the study guide questions on the gold standard.

Natalie submitted a revision from her rough draft of last week that is a definite A. She revised much of it very precisely, missing only a few things. I'm teaching her how to integrate citations in MLA format that are woven in, rather than full sentence quotes. Even with these, she must remember how to lead up to the quote with a signal phrase. Her Works Cited page looks very good now as well. Natalie is preparing to write her next essay on To Kill a Mockingbird, due in two weeks. She completed vocabulary from Mockingbird and a beginning of book quiz.

I checked Natalie's homework assignment and she was successful in working the problems. I then started to show her how to solve equations which require addition and subtraction of fractions. I gave her independent work which she tried. She was only partly successful so I will continue with this lesson in the next lesson. I gave her a short assignment.

Natalie's essay topic will be the history of currency in the US and the pros and cons associated with the abandonment of the gold standard in 1971. Natalie is reading supplemental material and first completing a study guide outline on the subject before we create a formal outline. We discussed some of the reading in class ,specifically the use of Spanish gold coins and barter in the colonies ,and the etymology of the word "dollars" as applied to US currency. I again reviewed the concept of the gold standard and suggested Natalie keep in mind while she reads the supplemental material the benefits and drawbacks of the now abandoned system. Ultimately, the value of paper money today is simply based on faith , including faith that the Federal Reserve will act to preserve its value. After Natalie completed the first section of the study guide on money in Colonial America ,I then pointed out that the US Constitution did not authorize Congress to print paper money.We also reviewed a quiz Natalie took last night for homework on the business cycle and economic indicators. Natalie did well on the exercise. For homework, I assigned completing section II of the outline/study guide on the evolution of printing paper money in the US.

Natalie's reading from the text addressed the country's need for a stable uniform currency and banking system. We discussed that the US government did not start printing paper money until the Civil War,and reviewed Natalie's study guide answers on the circumstances leading to the enactment of the National Bank Act in 1863. As Natalie's next lengthy essay topic will examine the history of US currency and the country's abandonment of the gold standard in 1971, I placed on the whiteboard some introductory material, and explained that our printed money today is not backed by anything of inherent value other than the government's fiat declaring that it has value and acts as legal tender for all debts.I explained how the gold standard allowed holders of paper currency to exchange paper money for gold until the 1930s. I then distributed some supplementary material on the history of currency from Colonial times to the abandonment of the gold standard as well as a study guide outline on the supplemental material. Natalie began to review the supplemental material and will work thorough the study guide over the next sessions. I will review her study guide answers as she completes them , and then we will in class generate an outline for her essay. For homework, I assigned a short review quiz on economic cycles and economic indicators that is open book.

There was no homework from last week so Natalie and I started immediately studying examples of multiplication and division of fractions and mixed numbers. I gave her some problems to do independently and checked them. She was perfectly correct on every problem. I gave her an assignment to reinforce these skills.

I checked Natalie's homework which was almost correct except that she had not used the repeat-bar over the digits that were being repeated in non-terminating decimals. I then showed her examples of how to add and subtract fractions with like and unlike denominators. After showing her a couple of examples, I allowed her to do independent practice. I checked her work and she had done one problems correct out of four, but made some mistakes in the other problems. I then had to go to a parent conference with her mom. There was no assignment.

British Literature, James Joyce. Natalie took an open book quiz on James Joyce, scoring 92. She also handed in a documented research essay of substantial length addressing the plastic problem. For a rough draft it was very good. Problems with inserting in-text citations were addressed, and a chapter from College Composition 2 was provided that shows clearly how to put these into the text. That same packet on integrating sources addresses plagiarism and the subtleties to be aware of, as well as examples of synthesis with clear explanation. Natalie will have a test on that material in a few weeks. She has a printed schedule of due dates into the middle of May.

I checked Natalie's homework and she was largely successful but missed a couple of problems. I then showed her how to convert from fractions to terminating and repeating decimals by dividing the denominator into the numerator, adding zeros as needed. Natalie requested independent work and I let her work on five problems. She was mostly successful. I gave her a four-problem assignment to reinforce our lesson.