It’s a shorter day because I had to take the dog to the vet and I’m still balancing independent work with direct instruction – I have the goal of moving toward more independent work, especially as my 5th grader starts homeschooling next week.
8:30 – 9:00: 30 min English & writing
- Vocabulary—lesson 1 test
- Read “how to write an essay” https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-nonfiction/how-to-write-a-five-paragraph-essay-that-works Underline & discuss.
- Write your thesis statement
5 min stretch break
9:05 – 9:55: 50 min Math
- Review questions as needed from yesterday’s work.
- Do Khan Academy “substituting and evaluating expressions” Quiz 1, next 1 section.
Walk and lunch with Nana while I take the dog to the vet! Real life!
12:15 – 12:45: 30 min History
- “The Fertile Crescent”, early civilization — when hunter/gatherers began to settle down & control flooding. Domesticated animals & plants. Good soil!
- First civilization = in the valley between two rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates. Called Mesopotamia. From Persian Gulf to Mediterranian Sea. It’s now Iraq +.
- 7000 BC started; by 3000 BC
- Built canals for irrigation & flood protection.
- Ate fish, meat, barley, dates, wheat
- Could produce more food with less people, so more people free to do other things (artisans, religious and government leaders). Trade.
- In southern Mesopotamia, first civilization = Sumarians. By 2000 BC, cities with 100,000 people. Emperor Sargon. Fought a lot — made walled cities. King Gilgamesh of Uruk. Sargon unified the region under his leadership. Only lasted 100 years after he died.
- Polytheists
- Social hierarchy: Kings, priests, tradesmen/craftsmen/merchants, farmers & laborers, slaves.
- Developed the first system of writing. Sharp tools on clay tablets. Wheel, plow, clock, math. 12 months.
5 min stretch break
12:50 – 1:20: 30 min Science
Chapter 1 Assessment — take & discuss
- Measurement
- Unit
- Length
- Volume
- Mass
- Scientific method
- Experiment
- Experimental Variables
- Variables
- Control variable
- Theory
- Graph
- Dependent
- independent
- D
- A
- B
- D
- C
- Many tested hypotheses form a theory
- Line (rainfall/worms observed – direct relationship), bar (types of sports favored), pie (finances)
1:20 – 1:40: 20 min Language
1:25-1:45: Mango Spanish w/ notes, finish Chapter 1 Unit 1.
