I enjoyed getting to know Atticus in our first session together. He shared some of his likes and dislikes as a reader, and we discussed which genres he preferred to read. After previewing a selection of books, he selected ‘Out of My Mind’ for his first read. We read chapters one through three today and focused on visualizing while reading.

Today, Atticus and I went outside and performed our daily gardening log observations. After, we went inside and began reading a Natural Inquirer magazine article discussing citizen science. Atticus began taking notes on vocabulary words encountered in the article. We also watched a video on bees' "waggle dance" which explains how the dance communicates the location of a nectar source to other bees.

We discussed Atticus’s interest in the Japanese instrument, the Shamisen. We listened to some examples of pieces being played on it. We also began some basic drumming practice with instruction on proper grip, striking technique, and some rudimental strokes. We also spent some time working on limb coordination on the drum set.

Today’s class focused on digital citizenship. Atticus watched a video clip based on digital safety and digital responsibility. He learned about bullying and safety on digital platforms. He discussed his experiences with social media bullying and how he practices responsibility and digital citizenship.

After reviewing the distinction between fiction and non-fiction, I addressed character, setting , and plot. After we read the inside flap novel description, Atticus was able to identify the novel's characters, setting and essential plot outline. I added vocabulary from the novel and offered explanatory comments on obsolete references such as "transistor radio and the Good Humor ice cream truck."

This morning, Atticus began work on a 6th-grade placement test so we can focus on skills that need refreshing before beginning this year's course. He answered questions on all concepts and skills taught during his 5th-grade year and has done remarkable work so far. Atticus will be able to complete this test tomorrow and quickly move forward.

-learn common greeting
-learn how to write Hiragana
-learn numbers

Class began with a safety and student expectation discussion--being properly prepared for class and showing consistent effort. Next, Atticus participated in a jump rope warm up. He was able to accomplish 12 consecutive jumps while using the proper form/technique. Then, he partook in bicep curls, overhead press, and a 3-minute run and 1-minute cool down walk around the perimeter of the playground. The class concluded with various paddle/ping pong activities while focusing on eye hand coordination and a review of the class.

Start class by going over the new policies for the class, including the yearly sketchbook project, free time, the syllabus, and the first project. We went over how we would do the first project and its guidelines, which will be available online and as a printout. We also practiced how the sketchbook project will be done in class. We will start off each class with a timed fifteen-minute sketch prompt. Each prompt will focus on a different element of art or design. The last thirty minutes of each class will be used to work on the main assignment. Before we ended class, we watched a brief history of Japanese block printing and a brief video on the process of making your own rubber stamp.

Today, Atticus and I spent 5 minutes checking on the potatoes we planted yesterday and recorded observations in our Daily Observations Gardening Log. We recorded the weather, temperature, time, date, and soil saturation. We then went inside and read an article about the importance of pollinators. We viewed a diagram of a flower and discussed the parts of the flower that are important to pollination and reproduction.