Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Foreign Language Arts (FLA) - First Quarter


Foreign Language Arts (FLA) -

Jeremiah will continue to be supported as he further explores his fascination with the Japanese language and culture and binary code through the following;
  • We were able to fulfill a longtime dream for Jeremiah, with the purchase of the Level One Homeschool Japanese program from Rosetta Stone.
  • We researched several other Japanese learning programs and applications, including Japanese 101.
  • Jeremiah enjoyed sending me online chat messages written in binary code, and offered the link to a translator he found himself, so that I could interpret and respond.

continued exposure to native speakers;
  • Jeremiah had exposure to native speakers of Taiwanese and French while at the Northeast Unschooling Conference.
  • He listened to native Japanese speakers as he explored Rosetta Stone Japanese, and through viewing anime programs in Japanese.
  • Exposure to native speakers of assorted nationalities through television and radio programming.

noting foreign languages in our daily activities, word roots, and games;
  • We had many of these conversations, arising in an organic fashion throughout the quarter.
  • Jeremiah both initiated and participated in these conversations. As his personal foreign language studies deepen, he has become more interested in the origins of words.

recorded programming;
  • As noted above, Jeremiah had access to spoken Japanese through assorted programs.
  • He also had exposure to Spanish and French through television programming.

family conversation;
  • As noted above, foreign languages were a part of our organic conversation throughout this quarter.
  • Further discussions involved words and letters in Hebrew, how Hebrew is read, and words and phrases in French, which I studied during my own years at Stillwater High School, and sometimes still use in conversation.
activities and events;
  • As noted above, Jeremiah attended the Northeast Unschooling Conference, where he explored written Taiwanese characters and words as they appeared in nature art.

opportunities to explore written languages through such programs as Google Translate , Babelfish, Binary Code Translator, Livemocha, and Rosetta Stone Japanese.
literature, subtitles, and dictionaries, such as Hey, Andrew! Teach Me Some Greek!;
  • As noted above, Jeremiah enjoyed exploring written Japanese via Rosetta Stone, and binary code via the Binary Code Translator.
  • He independently and privately explored Google Translate.
  • Jeremiah enjoyed the challenge of viewing shows filmed in Japanese with English subtitles, as well as dubbed in English with Japanese subtitles.

opportunities to attend events and locations (such as restaurants and markets) that encompass or embrace other languages and cultures;
  • We attended the Northeast Unschooling Conference, where several cultures were represented.
  • We attended Tugboat Roundup,where Jeremiah experienced Waterford's strong Irish heritage through exhibits and music.

parent facilitators.
  • Jeremiah's parents facilitated his language learning during this quarter by supplying materials, travel opportunities, and relevant conversations and interactions.


Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Jeremiah's Weekly Update, 12/3/12


Jeremiah's Weekly Update, 12/3/12

Doing

  • Counting, budgeting, and using money (Arithmetic)
  • Cleaning throughout the house.(Paatriotism and Citizenship)
  • Preparing for our trip to the Woodman's this Friday(Geogrpahy, Health and Safety, P&C)
  • Meeting many, many dogs, and a pair of reindeer (Sciences, H and S)
  • Window shopping (Arts, Arithmetic,Sciences, History)
  • Jobs for money to buy Kindle apps when his allowance ran short of his desires (he took a week's advance on Tuesday, for extra spending money at the toy store). Tasks included litterboxes, animal feeding, garbage, firetending, luandry, dishes, and general home tidying. He earned a few dollars' worth of apps in this manner, and enjoyed the freedom of proposing deals and stating his price. (A, P&C, H&S)
  • Setting up, lighting, and tending a fire. (Sci, H&S)


Seeing/Listening to

  • Costumed Victorian strollers (Music, Arts, History)
  • Carolers, marching band, and street musicians (guitar and clarinet) (Music, Arts)
  • Part of Ken Burns' The Dust Bowl
  • Assorted music and movies via his Kindle, and television programming. (Arts, Music, Sci)


Going

  • Daddy Night (McD's; bounce house; toy store - both kids elected to get Kindles as early gifts, then have stockings at Christmas. So this was more of a browsing for the future. He purchased a sea monkey kit, and bought game turns at the bounce house arcade - for himself, and Annalise. (Phys Ed, Sci, A, )
  • Victorian Street Walk (Saratoga) (Arts, Music,Science, H&S, FLA, ELA, P&S, Geography, History)
  • Soave Faire (art store). Looking around...(Arts, Sci, A, P&C)


Making

  • Music (piano/voice) (music, A, sci).
  • fort building (arts,A, sci, phys ed)
  • a bead bracelet for me, with my favorite turquoise! (Arts, A, H&S)
  • Assorted games on his Kindle (CoinDozer, claw machine, Words with Friends, etc.) (A, Sci, ELA, Music)
  • Setting up, lighting, and tending a fire. (H&S, Sci, Phys Ed)
  • Structures from Cuisennaire rods (Arts, A,)
  • Notes (ELA)


Playing

  • A lot with his new Kindle Fire. piano app, Coin Dozer, Flow, claw machine, others.(A,Sci, Arts,Music)  
  • With Achoo the kitten, Corki the dog, and other dogs met along the way...(Science, H&S, Phys Ed, P&C)
  • Assorted games with Annalise. (Phys Ed, A, Arts, Music, Health and Safety)
  • Bounce house (CPC).(Phys Ed, A, H&S, P&C)

Exploring

  • Semi feral kittens as they adjust to indoor life with people (Sci, H&S, P&C)
  • Making deals, and keeping up his end of bargains (A, P&S)
  • Fairness in the community of our family (P&S)
  • Statute of limitations (P&C,History)
  • The Dust Bowl and the Great Depression (History, arts, music)
  • His new Kindle. (Sci, A, Music, Arts)
  • Using the Cloud for shared materials (Sci)
  • New foods and drinks, trolley bus, and the Victorian Street Walk. (Arts, sci, music, geography, history, H&S, P&C, A)
  • Finances - budgeting, earning, spending, owing, counting, adding and subtracting. (A)
  • Many dogs - breeds (sci, H&S)
  • Cuisennaire rods (arts, A)

Talking About

  • Estrangement from certain family members (P&C, H&S)
  • Child abuse (P&C, H&S, History)
  • Fairness (P&C)
  • Statute of Limitations (P&C, History)
  • Feral vs. tame cats (H&S,Sci, P&C)
  • Our upcoming New Jersey trip, where we will experience Hanukkah with dear friends (Geography, History, H&S, P&C)
  • Accountability and responsibility (P&C, H&S)
  • Future financial plans - lots of money, job, and privilege talk, of late (P&C, H&S, A)
  • His growing maturity (P&C, H&S, Sci)
  • New 12 year molars – his first is erupting, now.(H&S,Sci, A)















Sunday, November 18, 2012


Sciences -

  • Jeremiah will continue to be supported as he indulges his myriad scientific passions, which include: technology; physics; natural forces; evolution; ecology and conservation; geology; and theoretical concepts such as time travel and string theory.

  • Jeremiah continues to research and experiment with technology and physics through various pursuits, including:
  • He continued his online research into prize and vending machines, watching videos, reading at websites, investigating possible means of building his own machines using Lego Mindstorms, and creating cardboard and aluminum foil mockups.
  • He attempted some repairs on his laptop;installed new programming and applications; continued exploring binary code; and conducted diverse independent computer research throughout this quarter.
  • Jeremiah enjoyed completing electrical snap circuit projects from plan, as well as creating his own inventions. He has created music boxes, lights, doorbells, sensor alarms, and even a functioning radio receiver with which he can pick up 13 local stations. He has worked alone and with friends.
  • Jeremiah was pleased to receive a copy of one of his favorite computer games, Crayon Physics, as a gift in the last weeks of the quarter. He enjoyed challenging himself with practical physics puzzles, then drawing his way out.
  • Jeremiah enjoyed other computer programs, applications, and projects throughout this quarter, including: the Scratch language/animation program; virtual online eye surgery; Rosetta Stone Japanese; and creating, editing, and sharing guinea pig videos via Youtube.
  • Jeremiah has continued to develop his understanding of chemistry through various means, including:
  • Jeremiah spent considerable time exploring The Periodic Table: Elements with Style.
  • He explored several chemical reactions personally, and through exploration of videos.
  • Jeremiah learned more about how to read chemical formulas during the course of his explorations.
  • Jeremiah became more interested in geology, especially rocks, minerals, and gems:
  • A visit to the New York State Museum offered Jeremiah an opportunity to explore various rocks minerals, and gemstones found in New York. Particular favorites are luminescent rocks and Herkimer diamonds, which we mined at the Herkimer Diamond Mines in 2010.
  • Jeremiah browsed various samples from our home rock and fossil collection, and explored field guides.
  • We discussed fault lines, erosion, volcanoes, and the effects of mining and oil or natural gas drilling.
  • Jeremiah continued to explore and enjoy pondering abstract scientific concepts in his reading, research, and entertainment. The Big Bang Theory continues to be a favorite show.
  • Jeremiah will be presented with other scientific topics and concepts through excursions, activities, programming, and text resources.
  • Jeremiah continued to conduct scientific research on a variety of topic using diverse methods and media, including:
  •  Online research on several topics via computer.
  • Watching science-oriented television programming, including How It's Made, Nova, and Nova Science Now.
  • Visit to the New York State Museum, and explorations in and around our yard.
  • Science-oriented computer games, including Plants Vs. Zombies, Zoo Tycoon, Animal Crossing ( research on gaming tips led to his discovery of the coelacanth, a recently rediscovered species of prehistoric fish), and Crayon Physics.
  • Jeremiah has enjoyed reading National Geographic Kids, snap circuit plans, and online sources throughout this quarter.
  • He will have ample time to explore as deeply as he wishes. 
  • Jeremiah was provided as much time, support, and material as he wished, throughout the quarter.
  • His parents will facilitate these explorations by providing time, space, materials, home and public libraries, programming, and conversation relevant to his discoveries and experimentation.
  • As listed in detail  above, Jeremiah's scientific explorations were facilitated and fully supported through trips, resources, and conversation on matters he found personally relevant.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Welcome!

This blog was created to help streamline the process of complying with New York State homeschooling law's reporting requirements.

It will often seem raw and unfinished, because I will be adding to the pages on an ongoing basis.

Feel free to browse, and please forgive the mess and chaos -  it's all a part of our living!