The last few days of 2018 and then we were into 2019 to finish the week. Ethan had his usual busy week of unschooling, made even busier because he made quite a few videos this week. Here’s how he ended the year and kicked off the New Year.
December 30
We played Monopoly Deal. It seems like we played a lot of games together this week.The weather was pretty nice so we headed out to play some tennis.Wet tennis balls meant that Ethan could make fun splatter patterns with them.Back inside, Ethan checked out the lesson about ways to prevent natural disasters, like rock slides, from damaging homes. He pulled out the experiment he tried before.Next, the made a type of projector using a pattern cut out of paper and stuck to the bottom of a paper cup.The pattern he made was the Big Dipper.Later on, he spent some time reading What If? by Randall Munroe.After reading, we played Anomia, which is quite challenging but fun and a great way to learn new words for the game.
December 31
Ethan woke up and the first thing he did was read What If?He then watched a video about sending spacecraft to asteroids, such as the OSIRIS REx mission to Asteroid Bennu.He studied some grammar and learned about ellipses.It was another nice day so we went out to play tennis again.After tennis, Ethan did a little end of year cleaning.We then decided to make confetti and put them into balloons that we could pop to celebrate the New Year. Ethan was very excited because we said he could stay up until midnight.After getting the balloons ready, Ethan practiced solving the 4×4 Rubik’s Cube and was very happy with his time.He also did a Canadian Reader lesson about the ISS.There was also a comic strip about the ISS.We made balloons that were to be popped every hour until midnight. The numbers were supposed to represent the time when the balloon was to be popped.Ethan wanted to learn about line plots again.Ethan helped us prepare our New Year’s Eve dinner.He wrote a formula for calculating the percentage chance of getting certain cards in Bears vs Babies.Popping the balloons that he placed around our home.This was the second to last balloon before popping the 2019 balloon. It was a fun way for us to do something as a family for New Year’s Eve and Ethan certainly enjoyed staying up until midnight. Happy New Year!
January 1
New Year’s Day! We always head up to Cypress Mountain to watch the first sunrise of the year. It was a bit too cloudy and very crowded here this year.So we found a much quieter spot. Still cloudy, though.We got home hungry so Ethan and Dong Eun made pancakes.Happy face pancakes.Ethan thought his pancakes looked like they were from an ad.After breakfast, he did the cube in a cube pattern on his 6×6 Rubik’s Cube.We headed out for a New Year’s Day lunch in English Bay.That night, Ethan wanted to calculate the percent chance of getting the different cards from the Bears vs Babies game.He did those calculations while we played, which is also how we finished off the first day of 2019.
January 2
He wanted to re-learn about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.After watching the video, Ethan wrote a story about the amount of garbage in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.He watched a video about calculating logarithms without a calculator. He used his calculator to show the function. He wanted to learn about logarithms because he was curious about the log button on the calculator.He did some practice exercises on Khan Academy about logarithms.Ethan then made a video about logarithms to post onto his YouTube Channel.He took a break from math to practice violin. He practiced Minuet 3, the Happy Farmer and Gavotte.Ethan learned about the semicolon on Khan Academy.After, he wrote a fictional story to demonstrate how to use a semicolon.Ethan then did a lesson on how plants and trees grow.Dong Eun mentioned that he should get more exercise, so he did some research into exercise routines for kids. He ended up finally finding a site that had a 60 second family exercise challenge. He did the challenge twice, then once again with me after dinner. It was hard! Dong Eun said that she noticed an increase in Ethan’s energy level after doing the exercises earlier in the day.Ethan wanted to make a video about the scale of the universe, so he did some research into the size of different objects.He also did some distance conversions, such as light years to kilometres.His video failed to upload earlier so he had to do it again.After he started uploading, he told me about learning what logarithms are. He explained that a log is the inverse of something. For example, the log of addition is subtraction.Ethan then showed me the log of an exponent and how it’s written.He explained how to calculate the log base 2 of 16. I guessed 4, but my method was wrong. Ethan pointed out that the 4 isn’t squared to get 16, as I had thought. It was 2 multiplied by itself 4 times.He then showed me how to calculate the log if there is a fraction.So log base 2 of one-eighth is -3. He also explained how log base 2 of -8 isn’t possible, how any negative isn’t possible. I didn’t quite understand so I had to try it myself.Next, I asked why this log stuff is important or useful and he used an example of how to calculate interest owed if you borrowed $1 from someone.He said this only worked with 100% as the interest amount and showed me how the amount changed based on the repayment terms. In this photo, he calculated the amount owed if interest was calculated once a month. He did other examples using daily calculations and even 1 million payments.He then said that 1 million is written as ln, or natural log in French.This whole lesson was very interesting because I explained to Ethan that this was compound interest and it’s how people can earn money when investing. Since we make some small investments and Ethan was curious about what we were doing, this lesson about logs helped Ethan understand what investing was all about.
The three videos he’s made and published today…
January 3
Ethan worked on the content for his video about calculating logarithms without a calculator. Ethan noticed that the picture to the right of his computer looks like a hole in the table.Ethan watched a video about how to calculate logarithms without a calculator to learn what to say in his video. But he didn’t find this particular video useful because she was repeating things he already knew.Ethan made a screen capture video about calculating logarithms without a calculator and edited the video in iMovie.Ethan ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich shaped like a violin. He also played Gavotte before eating the violin.Ethan watched a video about OSIRIS-REx to learn about its mission to Asteroid Bennu.He then wrote about OSIRIS-REx’s mission and drew some diagrams, too.He made a video about OSIRIS-REx and was editing the video.He did this lesson about energy transfer. He did this lesson before but wanted to do it again because it was fun and chose this lesson because he was interested in this topic.He calculated the percentage chance of getting various cards in a game called Bears Versus Babies. On the left, he rewrote everything neatly. Bears Versus Babies is a new favourite game.After dinner, he read Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library.While we reviewed his day’s work, Ethan was folding this pyramid.
Two videos that Ethan made and uploaded today. The second one is him playing with Screenflow, an app that he just started using today.
January 4
Ethan made a cube in a cube pattern with his 6×6 Rubik’s Cube. He took this photo because he was about to scramble the cube.Ethan started to learn how to use ScreenFlow, a screen capture video app. He used it to make a video of himself repeatedly appearing on screen. In this photo, he’s waiting for the exporting to finish.He also worked in iMovie to edit a video about OSIRIS-REx that he made.Ethan watched a video about expanding and factoring algebra.He also practiced playing Gavotte. He’s almost finished learning the entire song.He made the slides for his simplifying and expanding logarithms video.Doing his 60 second exercise challenge.Ethan made a spreadsheet to keep track of how many reps of each exercise he does.He also practiced holding a back bend.Ethan was asking why a piece of paper looked yellow when viewed through the camera’s screen. I explained that it had to do with the white balance setting on the camera and demonstrated the different settings to him. He learned about the colour temperature of different lights and that of the sun.Ethan taught me how to expand logarithms. The reason you would do this is to simplify them.He then played with his perplexus ball while also helping me prepare this blog post.We played Bears vs Babies to finish the night.Ethan thought the air bubbles trapped inside the sand was pretty neat.
Two videos that he made today…
Tonight before head, Ethan and Dong Eun talked about what Ethan wants to do when he grows up. He said he’d like to be a teacher.
He also said that if he can’t become a teacher, he wants to work at NASA.
January 5
Ethan has really been into his 60-second challenge exercises. We did it together this morning after going for a jog. He’s done a lot more exercise this week, which has been great.He keeps track of his progress with this chart.Once he completes all days, he’s getting a reward.We originally got him this for Christmas but it didn’t arrive on time, so Dong Eun decided it would be a nice reward for Ethan after he completes his exercise challenge.Day 5 and the word of the day is thewless, an adjective that means cowardly or timid.We were talking about how some people don’t like math, how some people do and how math is a part of our daily lives. We were talking about how some jobs need to use math more, such as architects and engineers. We also talked about how math can help you calculate how much water the flowers need to survive.Having oatmeal and talking about math and school.Ethan did some research for his next video, which is about condensing logarithms.More research into condensing logarithms.He then started work on the slides he would use for his video.He timed all the animations so that he could make the video with only a little editing.Practiced playing Gavotte on the violin.He watched a lesson about where the sand on the beaches came from on Mystery Science.He also watched a lesson about how some animals work in groups, but that none do so in as massive and as collaborative a way as ants do.He then watched a lesson about mosquitoes.They talked about where mosquitoes breed, how malaria was discovered and whether or not it would be a good idea to rid the earth of mosquitoes. They talked about how mosquitoes can be controlled by introcding fish, dragonflies and bats into mosquito habitats may be helpful.We played Monopoly Deal and Bears vs Babies after dinner. Afterwards, Ethan wanted to do another 60-second exercise cahllenge so we did it again before he went to bed.
And that was the first week of 2019! Ethan really got into making videos this past week and he also really got into his new exercise routine. Let’s see what the rest of 2019 brings.
LC Response
Hello and Carl and Ethan,
What a week! Setting some pretty incredible standards in the first week of 2019. I have to say Ethan your expanding log’s video left me nearly speechless. I showed it to my friend and my mother (we are all in Hawaii together). It seems as though you have progressed in some math areas by as much as four grades in the last 6 months! It really is inspiring to see how self motivated learning can be so successful!
I had to dig deep into my memory from highschool to remember when I used to solve problems with LOGs. I know I did for chemistry in grade 11 and 12. I can see how your love of exponents has fueled this desire to learn more. Bu I have to admit I am a bit lost as to the level of problems you are solving with Log. Good thing you made an incredible video which breaks down all the steps. You speak clearly and your well timed and premade animations were fantastic! I can see how all your preplanning cut down on the editing later.
I also learned a tremendous amount about the Bennu mission, it was all new to me. I don’t follow much news from NASA. My interests are more focused on exploration of the planet earth from its creatures, human cultures, geography and geology. So thank you for synthesizing all of your research and presenting it in video form!
The I Got This Video is very professional, it looks like your dad helped with that one and the results are stunning. There are interesting shots, a story line, great music and as usual clever humor.
And….how incredible that he explained and understood compound interest on his own!! Does he have any thoughts now about investing or any sage advice for me?
I wanted to share a bit about my process when I read your observations. As part of being an LC, I track “highlights of learning” every week. They are evidence of learning for the Ministry and also where I gleen a lot of my content for seasonal reflection times. I am required to track 3 highlights a week, but track many more for Ethan. Partly because of how detailed the observations are, but also because of his many interests, projects and activities. Here are the highlights from this week 18:
making movies
I got this vidoe, production, music, profession, humor
vlogging/blogging
making the video about the bennu space mission. animating talking, editing, reflecting on what he is learning, sharing it with others
algebra
OK simplifying Logarithms video. his math is going off the charts. now he has surpassed me! Is this grade 11 content? amazing for sure. so patiently explained an very well orchestrated on video He watched a video about calculating logarithms without a calculator. He used his calculator to show the function. He wanted to learn about logarithms because he was curious about the log button on the calculator.He made the slides for his simplifying and expanding logarithms video.He timed all the animations so that he could make the video with only a little editing.
space
made a video about the Bennu mission he also made a video about the relative size of things in the universe. He also did some distance conversions, such as light years to kilometres
natural disasters
Back inside, Ethan checked out the lesson about ways to prevent natural disasters, like rock slides, from damaging homes. He pulled out the experiment he tried before.
space making science art
Next, the made a type of projector using a pattern cut out of paper and stuck to the bottom of a paper cup.
new years celebration
This was the second to last balloon before popping the 2019 balloon. It was a fun way for us to do something as a family for New Year’s Eve and Ethan certainly enjoyed staying up until midnight. Happy New Year!
communication arts
after watching the video, Ethan wrote a story about the amount of garbage in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.After, he wrote a fictional story to demonstrate how to use a semicolon
movement
Dong Eun mentioned that he should get more exercise, so he did some research into exercise routines for kids. He ended up finally finding a site that had a 60 second family exercise challenge. He did the challenge twice, then once again with me after dinner. It was hard! Dong Eun said that she noticed an increase in Ethan’s energy level after doing the exercises earlier in the day.
calculations
This whole lesson was very interesting because I explained to Ethan that this was compound interest and it’s how people can earn money when investing. Since we make some small investments and Ethan was curious about what we were doing, this lesson about logs helped Ethan understand what investing was all about. all from understanding logarithms
self designing
Tonight before bed, Ethan and Dong Eun talked about what Ethan wants to do when he grows up. He said he’d like to be a teacher. He also said that if he can’t become a teacher, he wants to work at NASA.
Tonight before bed, Ethan and Dong Eun talked about what Ethan wants to do when he grows up. He said he’d like to be a teacher.
He also said that if he can’t become a teacher, he wants to work at NASA.
This is gold! I have not read much about what Ethan thinks he wants to do when he grows up. He could easily do both! He is already a teacher in many ways. He is producing educational videos, teaching others around him what he is learning about and gathering new information all the time. Being a teacher is very much about being a life-long learner.
As for NASA, I say it is totally possible. With his math skills progressing the way they are and his deep interest in space, reach for the stars Ethan!
Ocean Plastic
Boyan Slat (1994) is a young Dutch inventor and entrepreneur who creates technologies to solve societal problems.
He is the founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, which develops advanced technologies to rid world’s oceans of plastic.
Instead of going after the plastic, Boyan devised a system through which, driven by the ocean currents, the plastic would concentrate itself, reducing the theoretical cleanup time from millennia to mere years. In February 2013 he dropped out of his Aerospace Engineering study to start The Ocean Cleanup. The first prototype system was deployed in June 2016, and The Ocean Cleanup now prepares to launch the first working pilot system in late 2017.
The Ocean Cleanup has been recognized as one of the Designs of the Year by the London Design Museum, is a recipient of the 2015 INDEX: Award, won Fast Company’s 2015 Innovation by Design award, and has been chosen by TIME magazine as one of the 25 best inventions of 2015.
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