Weekly Report 39

Language Arts: I diagrammed sentences with compound subjects and compound verbs. I worked on a short article about reasons to visit patagonia. I reviewed parts of speech and read more of the story in my book about Vinzi who lives in the mountains.

Math: I worked through two more tests from Saxon Algebra. Reviewed problems I missed with my mom.

Science: We watched the next episode of Cosmos. It was about the women who figured out how to categorize stars based on their color spectrum and also that the color spectrum was correlated to the temperature of the star. The professor they were working under did not believe them but he eventually came to see that their calculations are correct.


History: I listened to the next episode of the history podcast. It talked about the story of Joseph and how he was not killed because he was able to figure out what the Pharoah’s dream mean.

Makerspace (Tech):  We had our Maker Showcase this week. In class we didn’t have assignments but I got to use the VR viewer and I cut out eyeball stickers for the Oculus Go headsets. Oculus Go is really fun because it is basically internet VR. You can watch movies. If you have a friend also watching one, you can connect with your friend and see them like you are watching in a theater. It’s pretty cool.

Programming (Elective): I am stuck on this one Programming Variables with the Bee exercise. I might see if my dad can help me figure out what I am missing. I tried it three different times this week and still couldn’t get past it.

My clock that I made at Makerspace

Some of my maker projects displayed for the showcase. I did the vinyl sticker on the
skateboard, not the skateboard

Week 31

L. Arts: I wrote a paragraph about the history of humpback whales. I did some of my Dyslexia workbook. I did some lessons and readings for my language arts program.

Math: We did more practice and work with linear equations and matrices. We had another take home test. I also did a lesson in the textbook.

History: We learned about Amenhotep IV who changed his name to Akhenaten. He was married to Nefertiti and they had 6 daughters. He tried to shift Egypt to worshipping the god Aten instead of multiple gods. It wasn’t widely accepted. He was the father of Tutankhamun.

Science: We watched the next episode of Cosmos. One cool thing in this episode was how the eye evolved. The video showed what vision was like for early organisms that had light sensing cells and how it improved over lots and lots of years. Our eyes don’t actually work as well as the eyes of water creatures do because the sophisticated eye evolved in a watery world. We did some MEL Science experiements about appearing ink. One of the inks we made is based on a really old type of ink that’s been used for over 1000 years. It is an iron ink and it is really durable and water resistant.

Maker Space: I finished up my upcycling chair and brought it home. You can see a couple of pictures of it below.

Tech (Programming): I did more code.org activities. I went through all the  Until Loops in Maze exercises, the If/Else with Bee exercises and started Harvesting with Conditionals.

At basketball practice

Another basketball practice picture

Our appearing ink experiment

My upcycled chair, front view

My upcycled chair, back view

Week 26 2/15/2019

Language Arts: In one of my co-op classes we learned about similes and metaphors. We came up with some of our own. I had to write my own fable for my writing assignment at home. Then I typed it up. We also did some more reading in the reader and some of my dyslexia handbook lessons as well. Math: Worked a lot on exponents and square roots and other roots this week. Worked on being able to pull out the squares and rewrite problems to be able to solve them more easily. History: We discussed the song The Day the Music Died in my co-op class. At home we listened to the next episode of Podcast History of our World about Egypt. One interesting thing was that the guy who united Upper and Lower Egypt made a new crown that was a combination of the two crowns. I thought it was cool that they fit together so well. We also celebrated Charles Darwin's birthday with our usual tradition of Darwin Day Donuts. Science: We watched some science videos this week. One interesting one was about whether fish pee. Ocean (salt water) fish hardly pee at all, but freshwater fish pee all the time. It is all about needing to maintain the right level of salts in their body. Makerspace (Tech): We cut out the shapes we are going to do for our woodcarving. I am going to do the mini cooper logo. Programming (Elective): I didn’t do any programming this week. In my Survival class we learned how to make rope out of different fibers. Other: We didn’t have a basketball game this week but we did have practice. I went skiing with my dad and sister.

Rope I made out of some raffia

Love my new Canadian Flag phone case

Old tablet that was found about King Narmer, the uniter of egypt

Narmur's combination crown

My shape cut out for Maker class

Darwin Day Donuts

Some of the exponent problems from this week's assignment. Still working on them.

Science videos we watched

Watercolor of a dandelion I did as part of a language arts assignment this week 

Week 25

Language Arts: I did some of my dyslexia workbook lessons. I did lessons in my Language Arts program and a lesson in IEW. I summarized with a key word outline the fable of the eagle who is saved from a serpent by a passing man and then repays the man’s kindness by stopping him from drinking water that was poisoned by the serpent’s venom. 

Math: I worked mostly on units from my math teacher. They covered a variety of math topics including fractions, converting fractions into decimal and vice versa, and solving equations for variables. I also did a lesson in the textbook on solving challenging ratio problems. 

Science: we did an expanding foam experiment from our MEL chemistry set. The chemical reaction that takes place releases a lot of carbon dioxide and that is what makes the foam. 

History:  We learned about Hammurabi and the laws that he made. The laws were not always the same if you were in a higher or lower class. Lower class people would get punished more severely than higher class people. And if a higher class person did something against a lower class person, the punishment wasn’t at severe. We also learned about the agricultural revolution and how people who lived in the villages were smaller and less healthy than the hunter gatherer people. This is because they were more likely to get diseases and also didn’t eat as good of a variety of foods as the hunter gatherers.

Makerspace (Tech):  This week I designed my project. We are going to be doing wood burning. I designed a logo. I am doing the Mini Cooper logo because those are my favorite kind of car. 

Programming (Elective): I took a break this week because we have been doing so much with First Lego League the past month. 

Other: I had basketball practice a couple of times and a basketball game. We also went as a family to the Utah Jazz game which was fun. 

My cat Bandit likes to hang out with me sometimes while I do schoolwork

He's not particularly helpful but I still like having him around

Week 23

Language Arts: I am reading the second book in the Unwind series, called Unwholly. I did a couple lessons in my language arts program and did some writing. I am in a class at co-op that is learning about figurative language as well and we had the first class this week.

Math: We practiced solving linear equation pairs by graphing. Worked on solving long problems with lots of signs and parentheses as well.

Science: This week we watched some Brain Pop videos about the ocean, plate tectonics, and volcanoes. We started our next semester of co-op and made soda can stoves in my survival class.

History: In my co-op history class we learned about Disneyland and when it was built. It didn’t do well when it first opened. Too many people came and they weren’t actually ready but said they were.

Makerspace (Tech):  No Makerspace this week because of MLK Jr holiday.

Programming (Elective): We had another practice for the FLL strategic tournament. It is next week on February 2nd. We also brought one of the tables home so we could work on our missions more.

Other: I went skiing with my grandma, my dad, and my sister. I had a basketball game and got a lot of rebounds and some good blocks.

Basketball game

Windswept art installation at the BYU MOA

Weeks 18-20

Language Arts: I did some lessons in my language arts curriculum. I finished a book on the Kindle and started another one. One book I also have been reading is What if? Serious Scientific answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions. 

Math: We met with our Math tutor and reviewed how to solve linear equations with two variables. He showed us a new method that used a matrix called the Gauss method. Elimination seems like the most straightforward method, but I guess Gauss is good for more than 2 variables. We also got our first homework for Unit 3 and I completed that over Christmas break and turned it in. 


Science: We finished up learning about the center of gravity. We talked about the difference between where the center of gravity is on a symmetrical object (like a paper plate) and what happens when you add a weight (we used binder clips) to one side. We also learned how to find the center of gravity of an irregular shaped object by using a “plumbob”. This only works with flat objects, though. I’m not sure you can do anything physically to find the center of gravity of objects that aren’t flat. 


History: We learned about Shulgi, one of the rulers of Ur during its renaissance. That's when the Ziggurat of Ur was constructed. He established a code of laws called the Code of Ur Nammu that were somewhat progressive for the time, because it didn’t require death for minor infractions. Instead there were fines that were payable by weights of silver since there wasn’t coinage or currency at the time. 

Makerspace (Tech):  I made my mom a Mister Rogers ornament. It is made out of wood. 


Programming (Elective): We had Lego League and worked on more missions. Our qualifying tournament is January 12. The nice thing about this year is that the tournament is at the Provo Rec Center. In past years we have had to drive up to Lehi or Salt Lake City. 

Other: I turned 14. For my birthday, my dad took me and my best friend to race go carts. I told my mom that I like Canada and would like to live there when I grow up and so she made me a Canada themed gift and also my birthday cake was the Canadian flag. My grandparents gave me an electric guitar. My dad has one that I have been playing but I am glad to have my own. I had basketball practice a few times and did a training session with Coach Buddha. We also made graham cracker houses and I made the Pentagon. We rode the UVX bus to the Provo Library and looked at the photography exhibit there. It was a National Geographic exhibit of great photographs of the West. 

Photograph at the exhibit. Taken with a slow shutter speed so the stars made light
trails. 

At the go cart arena

Ready to race

Mister Rogers ornament

Graham Cracker Pentagon 

Birthday dinner -- sushi!

My Canada gift box contents

Happy birthday to me

Videos about the Center of Gravity we watched

My new guitar

Weeks 14 & 15

Language Arts: I did some lessons in my Language Arts program. One of the assignments was to research points about how being optimistic improves our lives. I am reading The Art of Racing in the Rain. It is written from the dog’s perspective and it is an interesting book. I finished Marley & Me and I really liked it.

Math: We worked on exponents and square roots and how to convert between the two. I did two of the Unit 2 tests and some of the lessons from the textbook.

Science: We did an experiment where we observed reactions. Everyone had different reactions and some got hotter than others. We measured the temperature every minute for 5 minutes. Some people’s got cold and some got hot. We watched the Mars Insight landing at home with the family. A few years ago my dad took us to a Curiosity rover viewing party at the University of Utah and some of the stuff was similar to this one. We also went to the BYU Paleontology museum for a field trip.

History: In my co-op history class we learned about polyester and how it was introduced as a sort of magical wonder fabric that doesn’t need ironing and doesn’t get wrinkled, but it wasn’t very comfortable so now it is used more for things like boat sales and less for clothes.

Makerspace (Tech):  This week I didn’t really get to do anything because I am still trying to get my thing cut out. I mostly helped my friend with their project.

Programming (Elective): During the break we didn’t have Lego League so my brother and Dad and I went and worked on stuff by ourselves for a few hours. It was really nice because some of the kids on the team are mostly just distractions who get into stuff and cause problems. We got one mission to work really well. I also did a custom paint job on one of my nerf guns. I painted it silver and then did the dipping technique to add black.

Other: We had our first basketball game of Winter League and we won. I am doing some private training with a coach from one of the high schools who happens to be a good friend of my uncle Adam. Our co-op teen group went to an escape room for our monthly activity and we beat the room with 5 minutes to spare. Then we went to The Chocolate dessert cafe for treats. It was fun.

Short video clip from my basketball game, I get the rebound after the free throw

Sometimes my cat Bandit gets really interested in my school work

Not helpful, Bandit

At the BYU Paleontology Museum

It was CS Lewis's 120th birthday this week. My parents named me after him.

We had a little CS Lewis feast, including Turkish Delight

Utahraptor at the BYU Paleontology Museum

Watching the Mars Insight Landing

Mars Insight Landing

First photo of Mars broadcast from Insight

My cat Bandit relaxing on my bed

I did a custom paint job on my Nerf Gun

Week 13

Language Arts: I did my dyslexia workbook lessons. I learned 8 ways to start an introductory paragraph. I did some editing practice on a couple of passages with mistakes. I am reading Marley & Me.

Math: In our math class we went over powers and how to switch back and forth between roots and powers. We also worked on the Unit 2 packet so we could see if we had any trouble areas. We reviewed Order of Operations and saw how switching the order can change the answer.

Science: In chemistry class we learned about balancing equations. For our science lesson at home we learned about center of gravity, did some experiments/activities and watched some videos that talked about it. One fun thing we did was figure out how to balance a potato on a glass edge by using two forks as the counterbalances.

History: In my We Didn’t Start the Fire class we talked about Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein who was the second president of Egypt and how he worked to modernize Egypt. Last week in that class we talked about Stalin.

Makerspace (Tech):  We did woodcutting this week. I made a batman charm for a necklace. My wooden puzzle didn’t work so I am going to try it again.

Programming (Elective): I didn’t work on this this week. I need to figure out what projects to work on.  A couple weeks ago I painted my ripstik silver. It turned out really good. I put a topcoat on it so it will hopefully stay nice looking for a while.

Videos we watched to go along with our science lesson

A balanced potato

Week 12

Language Arts: I reviewed commas in a series. I finished reading Wednesday Wars. I wrote a paragraph about why I like homeschooling. I learned about personification and had to write some examples of personification about a nature scene. I also wrote a paragraph about how I would not want to spend a summer with any of the characters from books I have read lately.

Math: I worked on chapters from the textbook. In our class we went over exponents and how to rewrite negative exponents as positive exponents. 

Science: In my chemistry class we made slime. We talked about different polymers and non-newtonian fluids. At home for science we finished up our discussion on flight and learned about birds and how they fly, and how it wouldn’t be possible for humans to fly with self-powered flight. We weight too much and don’t have the right kinds of muscles (big enough) in the right places. Birds have other adaptations for flight as well, including a keel (breastbone) to attach big muscles to, a fused backbone area, hollow bones, and no teeth.

History: We listened to the next podcast. It was about Sargon and how he created the first empire that we know of. He wrote an autobiography that said how great he was. The story goes that he was put into a basket as a baby, a lot like the Moses story.

Makerspace (Tech):  This week I designed some things that I am going to laser cut. They will be keychains or little trinket things. They will be made out of a thin wood, I can’t remember the name of it right now.

Programming (Elective): I am trying to drill a hole in metal but am not having any luck. I looked up info online but none of the different techniques have worked. I am not sure if I just don’t have the right drill bit or if I am doing something else wrong. I also had First Lego League this week. We are working on rebuilding a mission that some kid broke. My friend Heber and I worked on another mission finalizing the attachment parts to accomplish the task.

Week 10

Language Arts: I wrote a book summary on the book we have been reading as part of my language arts lessons, Gabriel and the Hour Book. Part of the assignment was to make a fancy initial letter and a border since the booked talked a lot about the art of illumination. I finished reading Star Man’s Son and started on the second book. I did a TTRS lesson and also some lessons in my Dyslexia Workbook. 

Math: In math class this week we had a test over some of the material. We also learned about  the different sorts of questions you can be asked from a graph, including equation, slope, y-intercept, area of the triangle formed by the line & the y/x-axis, perimeter of that triangle, and if two lines are parallel or perpendicular.  

Science: In my chemistry class we learned about surface area and cohesion. We did the activity where you see how many drops you can fit on a penny, which demonstrates the ability of surface tension to hold water molecules together. 

History: We listened to the next episode of the Podcast History of Our World. It was about Lagash vs Umma. One interesting thing is that they know some facts about this battle because they found historical carvings called the Stele of the Vultures that show vultures carrying off people’s heads as well as other scenes and there is also writing on some of the fragments. 

Makerspace (Tech):  We did vinyl stickers again. I made a Flash symbol. 

Programming (Elective): I have been having fun making PVC/pool noodle weapons. I have made quite a few but there is a picture of some of them. My siblings and my friend Heber and I like to have battles with them. 

Other: My mom ordered an inflatable dinosaur costume and she let me be the first to try it out. 

Dinosaur rampage

The Stele of Vultures 

Vinyl sticker

PVC/pool noodle weapons

Book summary

Week 7 Report

Language Arts: I did lessons in my Dyslexia Workbook. I read more of Unbreakable. Went over differences between THEY’RE/THERE/THEIR and MERRY/MARY/MARRY. Went over independent and dependent clauses and practiced identifying them. Reviewed the 4 types of sentences.Went over words to use in writing instead of “said”. 

Math: We weren’t able to have math class with our tutor because he was in an accident. So I worked mostly on assignments from the textbook. We did get some assignments finally on Friday. One is on unit conversion and the other is solving for a single variable. 

Science: In my co-op chemistry class we had a guest who came in and talked to us about chemicals that were used in bombs and also chemical warfare. He told us about how you check to see if something is really a bomb or not--there are certain chemicals you can check for. 

History: We listened to the next episode of the podcast. The Sumerians had these clay balls that they would put tokens into that represented amounts of different things like crops and flocks. They used these for trade to make sure that everyone knew what the amount was supposed to be. But you had to break the clay envelopes to know what was inside, which kind of voided the trade contract, so they started stamping things on the outside. This was the earliest sort of writing that we know about. 

Makerspace (Tech):  We poured our cement for our planters. We also took our molds that we made last week out of the mold. I made two Lego bricks. They are made out of a clear casting material, I’m not sure what it is called. 

Programming (Elective): This week I practiced a painting technique on plastic. You spray some spray paint onto the water surface and then dip the plastic object into it. It looks pretty cool. I also had First Lego League. We worked on building a second duplicate robot of the robot I designed so we could work faster and we did a bit of programming as well. 

Other: We ended up playing four basketball games at our tournament last Saturday. The tournament schedule wasn’t very well done so that was kind of frustrating. But it was good to get lots of game time. I got a new longboard this week. 

Two of our cats came and walked and laid all over my lesson books on morning

The painting method 

I made this emoji pixel art while we listened to our history podcast