This morning we began with our daily language review. Today we focused on the pronouns I and me and the order they should be used in the sentence when listed with another person. We then jumped right into our next novel, Lions at Lunchtime (Magic Tree House # 11). We read chapters 1 – 4. We answered comprehension and critical thinking questions after each chapter. This included finding evidence in the text to support the character traits used to describe Annie as well as making a text-to-self connection in finding a time that Jonathan was in trouble and needed help. Jonathan practiced his novel-based spelling words, in which we also discussed the meaning of several words such as reputation, and his bonus words piercing and rhythm. After reading the book, we read nonfiction informational text on giraffes and zebras, as well as looked at photos of vultures to support the understanding of our book. In our shared reading, we are working on reading fluency and going back to reread when something doesn’t sound right. As we have been studying the literary device of similes, we talked about how the books we’ve been reading contain many similes. We read examples from the previous readings of Midnight on the Moon and Dolphins at Daybreak. We discussed what comparisons were being made and how these helps us to see and understand the story better. Finally, for writing today, we continued working on our similes-based Mother’s Day activity.

Jonathan worked on the Fresh Water biomes of the world. He drew a picture and showed animals like turtles that live in the fresh water environment. Jonathan read about the largest lake in the world. It is called the Caspian Sea. He found out that this body of water is really a very large lake, but has always been referred to as a sea because it is so vast. Jonathan learned that the Caspian Sea is bordered by Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan. He participated in a discussion about the original Union of the Soviet Socialist Republic. Jonathan learned that these republics which were all once part of Russia are now independent. He learned that the use of the Caspian Sea is being discussed in the U. N. Jonathan then got an introduction to the United Nations. We discussed the difference between the words National and International. We compared it to a playground with an area where only first grade can play to an area of the playground open to all the children in every grade. We then discussed the idea of the laws that rule the use of the ocean. We discussed the three mile border ocean rights and the international rights to the ocean. This discussion came up because the Caspian Sea is a subject for discussion for the UN right now since if it is called a Sea, then, International laws would apply to the newly found oil and gas under the sea. If the Caspian Sea is recategorized as a lake, then the water would be divided among the five contiguous nations around its shore. This has great impacts on the development of industry. Jonathan was interested to learn that there are people from every country who meet to air their problems and argue for solutions. He was very attentive in this lesson about very new information.Jonathan learned that the Caspian Sea is partially fresh water in the northern side and has 1.02% salinity on the southern side. He learned that now all lakes have fresh water as we discussed the Great Salt Lake has salt water.

Jonathan reviewed the purpose of a timeline. He watched a brainpop video on timelines. Jonathan read an article about George Washington. Jonathan created a timeline about George Washington by using the facts from the article. Jonathan created a timeline of his typical day on a Saturday.

Jonathan reviewed adding with regrouping by playing a puppy canoe game online. He had to add double digit numbers with regrouping with speed and accuracy to win the race. Jonathan reviewed fractions by reading a fraction read aloud on YouTube. Jonathan compared fractions as greater than or less than on IXL. Jonathan reviewed subtraction with regrouping by solving ten problems for practice with little assistance. Jonathan was shown two problems with subtraction with regrouping that were already solved. He decided if the problem was done correctly or incorrectly and how to fix it if incorrect.

Jonathan began his lesson by drawing a land and sky picture. He labeled it Nitrogen Cycle. Jonathan learned about the molecular formula for Nitrogen (N2), Nitrite (NO4) and Ammonium (NH4.) Jonathan went to a web site so that he could see the molecular structure of these molecules. Jonathan discussed the concept of atom, molecule, and element. He named some elements as being gold, silver, iron, and copper. Jonathan was introduced to the liquid metal Pb (Mercury.) Jonathan looked at a web site showing a mercury thermometer. We discussed how it works by the fever a person is experiencing causing the mercury to expand in the glass tube. Jonathan worked on the idea that bacteria is the most important factor in putting Nitrogen back into the air. He learned that there are decomposers and other bacteria that make the Nitrogen combine with other elements and become Ammonium. He learned that the plants can only use Nitrogen when it is broken down by bacteria. The subject of over use of nitrogen and fertilizers in the soil causing an imbalance in the nitrogen cycle was part of this discussion. The lesson came from a children's website with a quiz. Jonathan took the quiz and received an 80%. This was very abstract material. We did go back to the text and reviewed how the answers were derived.

It is Word Work Wednesday! We used the word “optimistic” to focus on today. We found the definition and part of speech in a dictionary packet, the guide words on the top of the dictionary page, identified a synonym (hopeful) and antonym (hopeless), and used the word in a sentence. We reviewed guide words and discussed how the first guide word is the first word on the page and the last guide word is the last definition on the page. For literature, we began with informational passages about mustangs and also cowboys. We discussed the terminology of stallion, mares, foals, lasso, and soothe as well. We then read the final three chapters of our novel, Ghost Town at Sundown. Our follow-up comprehension and critical thinking activities with each chapter also included a compound words hunt and providing evidence from the text to support the compliments the children had received. Jonathan scored a 100% on our follow up assessment for this novel which included sequencing 6 events from the book and completing a vocabulary-based crossword puzzle. One thing we are focusing on during oral reading is sitting still. Jonathan has recently demonstrated rocking while reading aloud. He is able to stop this motion when given a simple reminder to sit still. Jonathan worked on his novel based spelling words and has improved from 5/12 to 9/12 and got the bonus word “enchantress”! To continue our study of the literary device of similes, Jonathan took the easy and hard quizzes for the Brain Pop Jr. learning video we watched yesterday. He scored 5/5 on both quizzes. Finally, we began a secret Mother’s Day writing project involving the use of similes.

This morning Jonathan and I focused on imperative and exclamatory sentences with our daily language review. We then jumped right into literature! We read chapters 4 – 7 of our novel, Ghost Town at Sundown. In our reading we discussed the rules that Jack read for handling a horse. We looked at pictures and discussed stirrup, saddle, and saddlebags. We talked about the term “cowpoke” and used it different ways. In our follow-up questions activity, Jonathan was tasked with making up his own cowpoke nickname (like the characters in the book) and after a bit of prompting and my example of “Blondie” for myself, he came up with “Brownie” and then switched it to “Slick”. We discussed characteristics of someone who would be “Slick”. Jonathan also used cowpoke terminology to fill in the blanks of sentences using language such as rustlers, split the wind, over yonder, and young’uns. Additionally, we practiced Jonathan’s novel-based spelling words on his wipe board app on his iPad. Next, I introduced Jonathan to figurative language. We watched the Brain Pop Jr. learning video called Similes. We saw some great examples of this literary device and will continue studying similes further this week. Finally, we continued working on his writing piece about a pet that can talk! Jonathan continued writing his beginning. He was focusing on how much he had written and how much he had left on his paper. We discussed that the importance is the quality of the beginning, middle, and end. We want to make sure he tells a complete story vs. focusing on the paper.

Jonathan worked on understanding the carbon cycle. First Jonathan studied a pie graph of the content of air. He copied the pie graph and labeled it. Jonathan learned that "air" is a general work to mean various gases that are present in the atmosphere. By doing this lesson, Jonathan learned that the air has 78% nitrogen, almost 21% oxygen, and six noble gases as well as .03% carbon dioxide. Jonathan reviewed the meaning of photosynthesis to further understand that besides sunlight, plants need carbon dioxide to complete the process of making glucose. Jonathan learned that glucose is a form of sugar. He learned the six noble gases are argon, krypton, xenon, radon , helium and neon. Jonathan noted that there are various ways in which carbon is part of our environment. He learned that carbon becomes either part of the soil or part of the air when decay takes place on a plant or animal. He learned that the sea creatures use carbon mixed with calcium in the ocean to form calcium carbonate to make the shells that are part of the sea creatures like clams. Jonathan also discussed the use of fossil fuels and saw a carbon cycle chart. He could see that the plants on the Earth use the carbon dioxide from man and animals, but that when too much carbon dixoide goes in the air, it can be harmful because there is an imbalance between carbon and oxygen. Jonathan read that too much carbon can cause damage to the plants and animals in the ocean. Jonathan reviewed the parts of the water cycle. We discussed the meaning of condensation. Jonathan followed the water cylce chart taking note of evaporation, condensation, rain, runoff, and ground water collection. We will finish with the nitrogen cycle.

Jonathan reviewed fractions by looking at multiple pictures and solving the fraction word problems. Jonathan drew ice cream cones and created his own fraction problems. Jonathan reviewed subtraction with regrouping by watching a YouTube video. Jonathan solved multiple subtraction with regrouping problems.

Jonathan reviewed fractions by orally expressing the fraction each picture represented. Jonathan created fractions based on multiple word problems. Jonathan was introduced to subtraction with regrouping. Jonathan watched a YouTube video and followed along with the problems. Jonathan watched a subtraction with regrouping brainpop video and took two quizzes.