Chris worked on his weekly math Quiz.

Noun and verb agreement. Complete a practice worksheet after the lesson. For the writing, work on researching pros and cons for the topic and creating a solid thesis statement.

Chris read about how volcanoes form at divergent and convergent plate boundaries. We analyzed the diagrams and modeled the activity using his desks and some notecards. He answered the lesson questions. We went over how hot spots form volcanoes.

We had a discussion about immigration.

Noun/verb agreement. Complete worksheet based on the workbook explanation.

We explored the concept of 'herd mentality' as it applies to 'The Outsiders.' We defined the term and discussed how the two different gangs in the novel conform to social norms and expectations. Via supportive prompts and guided reading, Chris was encouraged to engage in reflective thought to cite possible reasons why one gang might be more strongly influenced by herd behavior than the other; we noted privileged status and social standing as two logical possibilities.

Test on Topic 6 Use Sampling to Draw Inferences about Populations.

Chris and I spoke about his talent on the drums. He enjoyed showing me his latest drum technique. We researched some of the most technically skilled drummers past and present and Chris identified the drumming techniques they executed.

Chris was eager to initiate conversation this morning. He "jumped" right into the topic that was clearly at the forefront of his mind. He was very much wanting to share details regarding his upcoming transition to Duncan Middle School. Familiar scaffolding supports were provided, as linguistic organization was variable. Use of direct questioning embedded within cue hierarchies was facilitative. Speaker- speaker overlap was notable this session as well. However, awareness of instances of overlap was strong, and Chris was observed to utilize familiar strategies in order to successfully repair the conversational breakdown 8/12 instances. As expected, the transition to Duncan was a dominant topic this session. Reflection on his growth both academically, and socially was highlighted. Review of strategies that support attention, mindfulness, responsibility and navigating peer relationships was highlighted as well.

Chris and I co-read a short story by Roald Dahl, "Lamb to the Slaughter." Chris remembered the author from our time together years ago; we read his books "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox." This short story is decidedly darker! As we read, we paused to discuss vocabulary and figurative language, as well as to summarize and make predictions. Chris read the story well and made insightful comments.