Language Arts: We began with our Daily Language Review focusing on proper capitalization, punctuation, phonics, and various other skills. We then read, My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother by Patricia Polacco. This is a source book for Jonathan’s iReady textbook. We completed three pages in this resource focusing on the narrator of a story. We learned that when a character is a narrator, they use language such as I, my, me, and we. When the narrator is the author, we won’t see use of these pronouns. Jonathan practiced identifying the narrator from two of his source books. We watched the Brain Pop Jr. learning video about verbs to continue our study of parts of speech. Jonathan scored a 4/5 on both the easy and hard follow up quizzes. Next, Jonathan continued his writing piece in progress. We discussed transition words to use and how to get going on his second idea for his story. We then enjoyed chapter 4 of our Magic Tree House book, Dinosaurs Before Dark. Jonathan did a nice job with his follow up reader’s response tasks. Finally, we discussed subjects and predicates and Jonathan identified each in a provided list of phrases. Religion: Today we began Lesson 19, We Celebrate God’s Forgiveness. We asked ourselves if we take time to pray, if we’re kind to others, if we listen to those who take care of us, and if we tell the truth. We read a story from Luke 15:11-23 which told of a son who made mistakes and went back home receiving love and forgiveness from his father.

Jonathan continued working on creating a character on a movie application. He also started working on building a set using that same application.

We took our revolving cup wind gauge outside to see if it was designed in a way that would accurately measure the wind direction. We found our anemometer did not catch any of the wind current because of the way the cup were taped onto the straw. Although we were feeling gusts of wind, the cups were both pointing in a downward direction and were not positioned correctly to capture the current and move the cups. We agreed that this represented a flaw in its design. However, when we took it in the doorway, where the wind current was in a forceful downward direction, the current caused the cups to rotate fast. Jonathan realized we would have to re-tape the cups in order for our anemometer to serve the purpose for which it was intended.

Jonathan is refining his understanding that the 2 digits of a 2-digit number represent amount of tens and ones, and that 10 can be thought of as a bundle of "tens." He solved problems and explored tens by making a ten to subtract and by recognizing that teen numbers represent a composition of 10 and some ones. Through repeated practice and problem solving, Jonathan is improving his ability to relate the counting sequence to the cardinality of numbers and that each number is one or more or less than the number after or before it. We used plushie stuffed animals to work on this skill in a fun hands-on activity with a peer.

Get to know Jonathan chat session...
Learn how to punch and proceed to do bag work, 100 punches completed...
With boxing gloves on...hit the bag...
Learn how to execute a front kick and practice it on the bag...
Cardio run with the resistance bands...
Sit-ups and Push-ups X 10...
Complete workout with a stretch routine...

Jonathan did well with the writing prompt, 'What I like best about school'. He listed three things he likes best and then wrote it out in sentence form. His list included getting smarter, making a clay sculpture and playing with his friends.

Jonathan completed an assessment answering 12 questions and matching words to their meanings related to physical science material we went over the past week. He achieved 92%, which the grade derived after averaging an answer he changed when advised to review his answers. Jonathan then worked on some questions asking him to determine which pictures represented solids, liquids, and gases. He answered all questions correctly. Finally, we continued an experiment using popcorn kernels to determine if the kernels would germinate if soaked in water after changing variables. Today, we used un-popped kernels in our experiment as compared to those used last week that had already been popped in the microwave. Jonathan was also encouraged to reflect on other variables or conditions that could influence the kernels' germination potential, such as butter coating the kernels. It was a fun way for us to to explore rudimentary concepts in the forming of hypotheses, making predictions, and determining factors which might influence outcomes and that need to be considered in experimental design.

Jonathan's lesson today involved learning the strategy of subtracting and using number bonds and an addend in order to subtract part of it from a teen number to arrive at ten. We used a number path to count back to solve problems, and reviewed which number bonds to use to subtract back from a teen to arrive at ten. Jonathan and I practiced solving problems, including one of his homework problems, to insure he understood how to apply the strategy. Jonathan effectively used his own words to tell how he arrived at his answer in the homework problem, which he correctly solved.

Jonathan completed Friday's and Monday's Daily Language Reviews. The focus was on capitalization, punctuation, spelling, the /ar/ sound, verb tense, and contractions. Jonathan then continued working on his "Snowy Day" writing assignment. He reviewed what he completed the last time we met, which was his planning web for the story he will write. Today, he brainstormed different introduction sentences and chose one for his story. He printed it on his "sloppy copy." Jonathan then wrote a paragraph on "sledding." He began with a "transition word," choosing one from a list on his bulletin board. Through questioning, I encouraged him to expand his paragraph and to add descriptive words as he wrote. This paragraph was also printed as a "sloppy copy." The next area of study was his reading packet. He completed the packet that focused on the story he read last week, "The Dog Ate My Homework." He worked on vocabulary/meaning, contractions, and sequencing. Jonathan then read the story, "Off to California." He began the accompanying written work by answering questions and underlining the answers in the text.

I sketched areas of Jonathan's sculpture that I wanted him to apply paint to such as the cheeks, nose, mouth, eyes, ears, and tail. Once all the areas were complete I had him apply another coat of yellow to the entire sculpture. As the sculpture was drying I had Jonathan chose a design (a Pokeball) for his wooden base, I laid out his design and he applied the first coat of white to his design.