Ryan and I read Liam O'Flaherty's short story "The Sniper". We focused on characterization, mood, and suspense. Ryan learned ten new vocabulary words and will have a quiz on Tuesday. We finished the story and will continue with analysis on Tuesday. On Tuesday, we will review literary elements and devices that Ryan will need to know for literary analysis for the rest of high school. Homework is to study for his vocabulary test.

Ryan and I recapped his 9th grade year. He read To Kill a Mockingbird and Romeo and Juliet as long works. He read various short stories and did a poetry unit, as well as weekly vocabulary and grammar. He wrote one literary analysis essay and one persuasive research paper. I asked Ryan to bring in his papers if he still has them. We discussed the skills we will work on this summer: We decided on reading comprehension, writing and handwriting. Today, Ryan showed me pictures that he took of his Hawaii trip. I had him choose one of the photos and write a descriptive paragraph on it. This will help me to see where he is with handwriting, vocabulary and creative writing. Tomorrow, I am going to start with a short story by Liam O'Flaherty called "The Sniper" to assess Ryan's reading comprehension. We also decided we will do a spelling/vocabulary lists each week and have a quiz next session. I will start this tomorrow with vocab words from "The Sniper." We are also going to work on Ryan's organizational skills. Ryan came in today with a binder from this past school year with random math and English papers stuck into every crevice of the binder. I gave him some dividers and we separated all of his papers into math and English sections and in order of unit. We will continue to work on this throughout the summer.

This activity went from one step to two step to multi step solutions of linear equations. In the second half of the lesson Ryan was making real progress. The speed at which he was using inverse operations to solve the equations has definitely improved and his ability to multiply and divide positive and negative numbers also showed improvement. It was just a good session for Ryan.

Ryan and I continued learning types of sentences and practiced with our review sheets. Then I had Ryan create his own sentences practicing all four kinds and using correct punctuation. With every activity we did today, I asked Ryan to explain the rules and the philosophy behind his answers. I feel that Ryan has a solid foundation to start 9th grade English. We will continue after he gets settled in his new school.

The purpose of the activity was to prepare Ryan's algebraic skills necessary to solve stystems by substitution. This lesson was made up to give Ryan the repetitive practice important for solving systems by substitution. Substitution is the most useful method because it can be used in solving many different systems, not just linear.

We have concentrated on solving systems of equations. The activity focused on the method of elimination. Ryan had to manipulate the system for elimination to work and solve the system. The problems were all given in standard form.

Ryan did wonderfully today! We worked on clauses, sentences and fragments and the different types of sentences: simple, complex, compound and compound/complex. We will continue this lesson and work on punctuation and how to avoid comma splices and run-ons next session.

Ryan and I reviewed parts of speech and subjects and predicates as review from the beginning of the summer. Ryan completed exercises and remembered most of the concepts. He also took notes and is formulating a packet to keep with his English binder this year in his 9th grade class.

Discuss course selection and options available through ESE...
Inclusion vs content equivalent vs Access (least restrictive to most restrictive)...
Graduation testing requirements...
Building a college resume...
Transitioning to PSAV program...
Registration packet for JHS...

The activity demonstrated how difficult multiplication becomes with the addition of variables.