6th grade unschooling quarterly report for NYS

Here in NYS, we have to report quarterly to the school district on the following subjects. The rules look very strict on paper, but don't in any way prohibit one from unschooling - or non-coercive, child-led learning. Helena chooses what she wants to learn about and we really can't separate out learning time vs non-learning time or school-time vs non-school time. It's one big, beautiful blend of life=learning=life! And we love it! 

Second Quarterly Report
 2016/2017



Helena _____
6th Grade
 

Hours of Instruction: 225 +

Helena has made satisfactory progress in all subject areas.
 


Math: A

• Prodigy math; 8th grade level
• Conversions from metric to English in science
• Measurements to make a model cell for science
• Researched pricing and kept a tally of costs for buying rats and all of their
  supplies

Social Studies: A

Covered many topics in world history, current events, government, and culture

• Read Who Is Hillary Clinton? biography
• Attended drum circle at a retirement community with several
  centenarians; had lunch and chatted with seniors age 80+
• Watched Call the Midwife; learned about historical healthcare issues; life
  in 1950’s and 60’s in London’s poorest neighborhoods; fashion of 50’s
  and 60’s
• Watched several episodes of The Crown, learning about Queen
  Elizabeth, Winston Churchill and events of their era
• Watched season one of The Paradise, historical fiction from Victorian era
  England
• Season one of Lillies, historical fiction set in post WW1 England
• Listened to Michelle Obama’s renowned New Hampshire speech and
  discussed
• Listened to presidential debates; went to voting polls; watched/listened to
  various coverage of the election and election day; kept count of states and electoral college votes
• Did the Outschool class: Electoral College: What is it? Why do we have it? And how does it work?
• Watched/read/discussed items regarding various social justice issues
• Read a BBC article on current events in Syria, and Aleppo in particular;
  watched videos of refugee kids being interviewed; watched a
  documentary on life in a Syrian refugee camp
• Finished Story of the World: From the Fall of Rome to the Rennaisance
• Read all of Presidential Elections and other Cool Facts by Syl Sobel, J.D.
• Reading Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz, covered NYS
  requirement to cover the US and state constitutions before the end
  of 8th grade
• Reading the DK book Who’s in Charge? Big Questions about Politics
• Various Outschool Big Picture History in One Lesson online classes with
  Mr Powell on outschool.com
  • Big Picture India in one Lesson
  • Big Picture Canada in one Lesson
  • Big Picture Ancient Egypt in one Lesson
  • Big Picture Chinese History in one Lesson
  • Big Picture Britain in one Lesson
  • Big Picture European History in one Lesson
  
  

Science: A

• Select lectures/quizzes from Dog Emotion and Cognition with Dr Brian Hare through Duke University, an open access class via Coursera focused on evolutionary psych specific to canines
• Watched A Dog’s Life, a documentary on “how dogs perceive, understand, and experience reality”
• Watched documentary Second Chance Dog’s learning about the ASPCA’s work in canine psychology in their national behavioral rehabilitation unit
  • Cesar 911 and other dog training shows
• Watched Call the Midwife series and learned about healthcare issues in
  post WW2 urban, poor London
• Continued Biology studies
• Used microscope
• Read Ranger Rick magazine
• Used Redstone in Minecraft to create electrical and mechanical things
• Went to ChoreoPhysics, a collaborative performance/lecture between Ellen Sinopoli Modern Dance Co and a U Albany physics prof that uses dance to explain concepts of physics.
• Continued to explore veterinary medicine and animal care
  • Watched more of the Bondi Vet; demonstrated an incredible
    knowledge of veterinary pathophysiology and treatment in dialogue
    (Ok, *too* much - gross!!)
  • Watched videos and shows on dog training
  • Researched veterinary herbalism
  • Rescued a pit bull terrier; was able to tell a lump on her was an
    abscess not a tumor - confirmed by vets
  • Treated rescued dog with various herbal remedies
  • Conducted extensive research on rats, their lifestyle, habits, training,

needs, best types of cages, tricks, how long they can swim and hold their breathe and much more; contacted several rat breeders on her own

​English Language Arts: A

• Daily reading
• Explored poetry together
• Discussed grammar and punctuation and usage in writing
• Studied spelling word/lists
• Watched a reality tv series Steam Punked on modern day fantasy fiction
• Took an online, live class on Nordic mythology and comparing Norse
  mythological creatures in original mythologies to their use today in
  fantasy literature such as Harry Potter or LOTR
• Completed the award winning audio book Elijah of Buxton by Christopher
  Paul Curtis

​
Health & PE: A
     • Hiking/walks nearly daily
     • Taikwondo classes
     • Playing outside, climbing trees, swinging, exercise ball
     • Talking about health continually
     • Daily meditation practice
     • Stretching, pushups, situps

​Art & Music: A

• Weekly drum circle
• Listen to a variety of music at home
• Watched a variety of diy Youtube channels
• Attended Nutcracker ballet
• Attended ChoreoPhysics performance
• Drawing with and without tutorials
• Helped paint her bedroom
• Made bath salts, salt scrubs, fizzy bath bombs, and chocolate cupcake lip
  balm for holiday gifts for friends and family - which could also count as chemistry and math, not just crafts

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