Portfolio Summary 2015-2016

Language Arts

Elijah reads on a regular basis for information and pleasure. He enjoys writing comics, emails, grocery lists, table top game instructions, and notes and plans his for video game designs. He is adept at finding information via online wikis, Internet and Google searches, encyclopaedias, and the library catalogue. He knows how to use a dictionary and thesaurus. This year Elijah focused on linguistics, constructed languages, writing systems, and foreign languages. Elijah created his own constructed language called Elænjiuajie, which he describes as an "alternate historical version of Old English". He was mentored by both armchair and professional linguists via online conversations on the web forum Reddit.

The first 8 lines of the famous soliloquy by Hamlet transcribed into Elænjiuajie.

Mathematics

Elijah continued to practice and gain skills in addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, and measurements by exploring calculator and number tricks, calculating area for building Minecraft creations, assisting with creating grocery lists and budgets, figuring maths problems in his head, working maths and logic puzzles, and following recipes. Elijah and his family play table top games involving maths and strategy and he watches web series videos by Khan Academy and Vi Hart are utilised frequently.

Playing Dead Money, a zombie poker-like game

Playing Golf at Commonplace Coffee (Squirrel Hill)

A house that E created in Minecraft

Science and Technology

Elijah enjoys watching science videos presented by the web series Crash Course, as well as other science related web series. He also really enjoys hands on science projects with immediate results such as, Snap Circuits, working with magnets, and bases/acids forming reactions. Elijah is quite competent in computer literacy. He is able to navigate the Internet, social media, conduct online research, use a word processor, and navigate Apple iOS, Android OS, Ubuntu Linux, and Mac OS X enough to satisfy his computing needs. Elijah taught himself the coding language Lua and coded things in the program Unitale for the game Undertale.

<br /> encountertext = "Poseur strikes a pose!" <br /> nextwaves = {"bullettest_chaserorb"}<br /> wavetimer = 4.0<br /> arenasize = {155, 130}<br /> <br /> enemies = {<br /> "poseur"<br /> }<br /> <br /> enemypositions = {<br /> {0, 0}<br /> }<br /> <br /> possible_attacks = {"bullettest_bouncy", "bullettest_chaserorb", "bullettest_touhou"}<br /> <br /> function EncounterStarting()<br /> <br /> end<br /> <br /> function EnemyDialogueStarting()<br /> enemies[1].SetVar('currentdialogue', {"It's\nworking."})<br /> end<br /> <br /> function EnemyDialogueEnding()<br /> nextwaves = { possible_attacks[math.random(#possible_attacks)] }<br /> end<br /> <br /> function DefenseEnding() <br /> encountertext = RandomEncounterText() <br /> end<br /> <br /> function HandleSpare()<br /> State("ENEMYDIALOGUE")<br /> end<br /> <br /> function HandleItem(ItemID)<br /> BattleDialog({"Selected item " .. ItemID .. "."})<br /> end<br />

This text box contains a sample of Lua code that E wrote

Geography

Elijah and his family travelled to Boston, MA; Tulsa, OK; and Oklahoma City, OK this school year. Elijah looked over maps to see how far we travelled via car and plane. Travelling to Oklahoma to visit friends and family was the third trip he has been on where he got to fly. Elijah has also been familiarising himself with Google Maps and GPS on our cell phones, helping with directions around town and when travelling.

Different routes to Northeast Unschooling Conference and our hotel in Boston

Social Studies

As a family we continue to have discussions about current events in politics such as, equal rights for the Queer community, feminism, and racial politics concerning institutional racism. We also discussed democracy, anarchism, and other forms of government, the Civil Rights movements, civil disobedience, and the importance of voting in local and national elections. We always listen to NPR in the car and discuss the current topics in science and politics while commuting.

Health and Safety

We covered fire safety for our new home, especially concerning the pilot lights on our older gas range. Elijah knows how to exit the house and use his cellphone to call 911, his parents, and his parent's friends in the event of a fire or other emergency. We also revisited safely navigating the Internet and social media. We continue to keep an open, healthy, and honest dialogue with Elijah concerning drugs, alcohol, general hygiene, personal care, sexuality, and sex. This Winter a baby was born into our family and as a result, Elijah has revisited the topics of human development and childcare.

First time E got to hold Baby Hazel

Sibling love is amazing

Physical Education

Elijah walks, dances, engages in unstructured play outdoors, and enjoys swimming whenever he can.

Playing a game of Werewolves outside at Salem Willows in Salem, MA with other teens at the Northeast Unschooling Conference 

Fine Arts

Elijah spends a significant amount of time drawing plans and schematics for video game designs, video game level creations, and character creations. He also enjoys making and trading Artist Trading Cards. Elijah enjoys listening to a variety of music via YouTube, the radio, and our personal family collection, including the music that his father writes and produces. Elijah utilises computer software, iOS applications, and gaming software to create music for his video game designs and for pleasure.

A game sprite that E designed and edited using Pixlr

A Yugioh card that E designed himself