This year was Elijah's "10th grade" year. It has definitely been an exciting year, especially living during a global pandemic! Below are the descriptions of subjects that Elijah focused on this year, the credits given, and the materials and resources accessed.
Elijah Uriel Parham July 1st, 2019 - June 30th, 2020 (10th Grade)
1.0 English: Constructed Language: Mondach of Viashino
1.0 Maths: Consumer Mathematics
1.0 Science: Chemistry
1.0 Science: Organic Chemistry
1.0 Social Studies: Pittsburgh Neighbourhoods
1.0 Foreign Language: Italian
1.0 Music: Music Appreciation, Composition, & Arrangement
.50 Home Economics: Cooking and Baking
.50 Elective: Game Mechanics
.25 Health: Health, Safety, and Physical Education
8.25 Total Credits
English: Constructed Language: Mondach of Viashino – 1 credit
Development of a constructed language, guided by study of the typology of patterns observed in languages. Topics covered include phoneme inventories, phonological rules, morphological classification, syntactic structure, language change over time, dialectal variation, and writing systems. Knowledge of linguistic typology was used to assess the design of existing constructed languages. Viashino are a race of desert dwelling humanoid creatures from the game Magic: The Gathering who do not have a known language. Elijah worked on creating a language called Mondach for the Viashino. Some of the resources and materials relating to this topic include:
Books/Magazines
Random House Webster's Pocket Grammar, Usage, and Punctuation (Random House)
The Conlanger's Lexipedia (Rosenfelder)
Babel: The Language Magazine
Web Series/YouTube Channels
Biblaridion (linguistics/conlangs)
Jan Misali (Conlang Critic series)
Podcasts
Conlangery (constructed languages/linguistics)
The Allusionist (language) https://www.theallusionist.org/listen
Lingthusiasm (linguistics) https://lingthusiasm.com/tagged/episodes
History of English (the spoken history of English) https://historyofenglishpodcast.com/episodes/
Talk the Talk (linguistics) https://talkthetalkpodcast.com/w4pl/all-episodes/
Websites/General Research
Viashino mtg.gamepedia.com
Games
Zipit (word game)
Other Resources
International Phonetic Alphabet (I.P.A.): http://www.internationalphoneticalphabet.org/ipa-charts/ipa-symbols-chart-complete/
Reddit Communities: r/conlangs; r/linguistics; r/translator
Definitions/Etymology List
sweater, jumper, Niagara, biscotti, scone, water chestnuts, chiffonade, sherbet, frittata, bon amÃ, touché, mischief, mischievous, diagonal, bisect, delator, pseudonym, arthritis, gird, basil, apatosaurus, cinema, rhombus, mirepoix, garbanzo, bagel, pecan, malarkey, bunkum, buncombe, lox
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| verbal morphology for Mondach |
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| phonology of Mondach |
Maths: Consumer Mathematics – 1 credit
Introduction and application of practical, daily life mathematics: automobile expenses, banking records, credit purchasing, consumable goods, basic investments, housing, earnings and taxes. Some of the resources and materials relating to this topic include:
Websites/General Research
Calendars, altering the year, astrological vs agricultural vs mathematical
Higher dimensional shapes rabbit hole.
Triangular hexahedron
Games
Settlers of Cantan Dice (dice/resource gathering/strategy)
TROGDOR! (strategy/turn-based)
Qwirkle Cubes (pattern matching/strategy)
Dixit Jinx (tile-based/storytelling)
Rush Hour (puzzle/problem-solving)
Aquarius (card/pattern matching/strategy)
Hanafuda/Koi-Koi (Japanese card game)
6 Nimmt! (card/strategy)
Set (visual matching/card)
Diamonds (card/trick decking)
Swish (card/logic/visual-pattern matching)
5 Crown (card/math/strategy)
Qwirkle (strategy/pattern matching)
Backgammon (strategy)
On The Dot (card/logic/visual-pattern matching)
Dead Money (card/poker type)
UNO (strategy/card)
Mancala (strategy)
Pairs (strategy/card)
IZZI (pattern based puzzle game)
Other Resources
Khan Academy: Personal Finance Course
Magnetic Tile toys
Lincoln Logs
LEGO
Other Experiences
Counting & rolling coins
Managing personal money & purchases
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| screenshot of Paying for College section of Khan Academy course |
Science: Chemistry – 1 credit
Fundamental principles of chemistry with an emphasis on chemical bonding, structure and properties, states of matter, stoichiometry, solutions, and acids and bases. Some of the resources and materials relating to this topic include:
Web Series/YouTube Channels
Crash Course Chemistry video series https://thecrashcourse.com/courses/chemistry
SciShow Chemistry video series https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL245B82FF8F8ECAC2
Other Resources
Khan Academy: Chemistry Course
Virtual Chemistry Lab http://www.chemcollective.org/vlab/vlab.php
Chemistry Simulations https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/category/chemistry
Other Experiences
Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia, PA
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| screenshot of Carbons & Hydrocarbons from Khan Academy Chemistry course |
Science: Organic Chemistry – 1 credit
General principles of organic chemistry with emphasis on reactivity and synthesis. Topics included bonding, structure and properties of organic compounds, stereochemistry, kinetics and thermodynamics, substitution and elimination reactions, structure, synthesis, and reaction of alkenes, alkynes, alcohols, and IR and NMR spectroscopy. Some of the resources and materials relating to this topic include:
Web Series/YouTube Channels
Crash Course Chemistry video series https://thecrashcourse.com/courses/chemistry
SciShow Chemistry video series https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL245B82FF8F8ECAC2
Other Resources
Khan Academy: Organic Chemistry Course
Virtual Chemistry Lab http://www.chemcollective.org/vlab/vlab.php
Chemistry Simulations https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/category/chemistry
Other Experiences
Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia, PA
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| screenshot of Organic Chemistry Naming from Khan Academy Organic Chemistry course |
Social Studies: Pittsburgh Neighbourhoods – 1 credit
Neighbourhoods in the Pittsburgh area embody America’s early settler adventures, difficult race relations, industrial revolution, labour strife, and urban decline & redevelopment. Utilising historical, sociological, and modern readings, walking neighbourhood tours, and discussions with local experts & informants, this course explored Pittsburgh’s ethos, history, and evolving culture. Neighbourhoods: Greenfield, Lawrenceville, Bellevue, Mt. Washington, Southside, Oakland, and Brighton Heights. Some of the resources and materials relating to this topic include:
Books/Magazines
Dinosaurs Of Distinction: Dinomite Days Pittsburgh (Austin & Phillips)
National Geographic Magazine
Web Series/YouTube Channels
EmperorTigerstar (history critique)
Podcasts
QI: No Such Thing as a Fish (trivia/news/humour)
Documentaries
Through The Place (Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation)
Websites/General Research
State demonyms https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_demonyms_for_US_states_and_territories
Other Experiences
Walking Lunch History Tours - Spring & Autumn Semesters (South Side, Greenfield, Lawrenceville, Mount Washington, Bellevue)
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| page from information on Coal Hill from the Walking Lunch Tour class for Mt. Washington |
Foreign Language: Italian – 1 credit
Self study using Duolingo and Duolingo Classroom. Culinary and cultural exposures and adventures were taken advantage of whenever possible. Some of the resources and materials relating to this topic include:
Other Resources
Duolingo
Duolingo Classroom Assignments
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| Lessons Completed in Duolingo Classroom: Italian |
Music: Music Appreciation, Composition, & Arrangement – 1 credit
Interest, taste and discrimination in music, and its relationship to other art forms; survey of musical forms, instruments, and music in global cultures; and composition and arrangement using MuseScore. Some of the resources and materials relating to this topic include:
Magazines
Rolling Stone Magazine
Web Series/YouTube Channels
8-Bit Music Theory (music/gaming)
Sean Hogan: Let's Do It (experimental music)
Composerily (music composition)
Documentaries
Land of the Rising Sound | A Roland Retrospective
Websites/General Research
Composerily.com
Other Resources
NPR
Pandora Music
Various synthesisers & midi controllers
MuseScore
Home Economics: Cooking & Baking – .50 credit
Application of basic cooking knowledge, skills, and fundamental cooking techniques; confidence and proficiency in the kitchen; following, altering, and creating recipes; and general nutrition knowledge. Some of the resources and materials relating to this topic include:
Magazines
Eating Well
Netflix/Movies/TV Programmes
Nailed It!
Websites/General Research
Nightshades
What is a berry? Accessory & Aggregate fruits.
Citrus fruits (what is a Meyer lemon?)
Other Experiences
Cooking for family
Altering recipes
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| a stir-fry made by Elijah |
Elective: Game Mechanics – .50 credit
Introduction to the academic study of video and tabletop games, looking at their normative rules and performative mechanics. By playing, analysing, and reading and writing about games, games were examined to better understand how their design can influence and affect players and their experiences of playing. Some of the resources and materials relating to this topic include:
Books
Hanafuda: The Flower Card Game (Japan Publications)
Web Series/YouTube Channels
stampylongnose (gaming/Minecraft)
Polygon (gaming/game lore/gaming science)
Crash Course Gaming video series https://thecrashcourse.com/courses/games
Podcasts
Artifexian (world building)
TapTapConcede (Magic: The Gathering)
Talking Atlas (Magic: The Gathering)
Netflix/Movies/TV Programmes
Detective Pikachu
Websites/General Research
Pagat.com (database of card games)
Particle effects in gaming youtu.be/WYNdZO_LuYA
Games
Magic: The Gathering (card/strategy)
Xenoshyft Dreadmire (co-op/survival/deck-building)
Munchkin (card/RPG)
Scribblenauts Showdown (PS4/creative strategy)
Minecraft (PS4/Kindle/building/survival)
Little Big Planet 3 (PS4/platformer/level creation)
That's It! (trivia)
Fluxx (card/strategy)
Between the Castles of Mad King Ludwig (tile based building/strategy)
Cunning Folk (memory/bluff/strategy/card)
Avignon (strategy/card)
Dungeon Solitaire (online/deck building)
Yugio Duel Links (Android/card game)
Other Resources
Reddit Communities: r/magictcg
Other Experiences
MAGIC: The Gathering -- Draft @ Legions
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| Elijah and William playing Hanafuda |
Health, Safety, & Physical Education – .25 credit
Theory and practice in developing healthy life-long habits regarding nutrition, exercise, sexuality, drug and alcohol use, digital and internet safety, fire safety, and basic first aid. Some of the resources and materials relating to this topic include:
Books/Magazines
Reading to Hazel (toddler sibling)
DK Eyewitness Books: Human Body
Games
Full Contact Solitaire (card/group solitaire)
Jackbox (Steam/party games)
Other Experiences
Childcare/Domestic Skills
Dane Street Beach, Beverly, MA
Virtual Field Trip: Berkeley Hills Fire Company
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| Elijah and William at Dane Street Beach, Beverly, MA |
Additional Resources and Materials
Books/Magazines
Dictionary
Thesaurus
NatGeo Kids
Netflix/Movies/TV Programmes
Steven Universe
Kids In The Hall
Star Trek: Picard
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Summer Camp Island
Websites/General Research
Biohybrid Ray https://www.intelligentliving.co/scientists-create-first-successful-biohybrid-artificial-animal/
"I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."
Pearls https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl
Red Panda/Panda taxonomy
Rock types: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rock_types
Blue banded bee, blue carpenter bee, copper carpenter bee, purple orchid bee
Monkey face orchids, Dracula orchid, ghost face orchids
Animal adjectives https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_animal_names
Geological Eras https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Era_(geology)
Other Resources
wikipedia.com
facebook.com
twitter.com
youtube.com
Other Experiences
Northeast Unschooling Conference 2019, Wakefield, MA
Spoony Sweets, Hamilton Township, NJ
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| Elijah and Hazelwood "swim" together in our makeshift "quarantine pool" |
Attendance Statement:
In accordance with the Pennsylvania Home Education Law, I attest that "a minimum of one hundred eighty (180) days of instruction OR nine hundred (990) hours of instruction per year at the secondary level" have occurred this year for Elijah.