Ananlise's First Quarter Sciences, 2012-2013

Sciences -

• Annalise will continue to be supported as she indulges her myriad scientific passions, which include: anatomy and genetics; evolution; ecology and animal ecosystems; venomous snakes and insects; geology; and weather.
• Annalise's newly acquired ability to read independently has led to scientific reading. Some titles from this quarter include Scholastic early-reader volumes on floods and tornadoes; How Do They Do That?; Cats Into Everything; The Kids' Fun-Filled Question and Answer Book; assorted Zoobooks; National Geographic Kids; and others, including several National Geographic field guides.
• A trip to the New York State Museum included various exhibits of particular long-term interest to Annalise, including: Adirondack Wildlife; Birds of New York; Mastodont; and the live and preserved specimens in the Discovery Room.
• Annalise spent considerable time building The Visible Woman, which she chose at the Northeast Unschooling Conference Media Swap.
• Annalise continued her personal independent explorations of flora and fauna on excursions into our yard and surrounding areas; at the museum; at a state park in Massachusetts. She collected specimens and was particularly interested in caterpillars and birds throughout this quarter.
• Our Manx cat, Margot, died on September 11, and we discovered her in the yard the following afternoon. Annalise learned about rigor mortis,scavengers, and decomposition.
• Annalise enjoyed using her newly discovered reading abilities to more thoroughly research several topics of personal scientific interest, including: guinea pig care; nature documentaries; and weather reports, particularly on Hurricane Sandy, which postponed our travel plans to visit friends in New Jersey.

• Annalise will be presented with other scientific topics and concepts through excursions, activities, television programming, online and print resources, and real life opportunities to explore her deepening scientific awareness.
• Annalise has become more interested in rocks, gems, and minerals. We spent time exploring rocks at home (we have a growing collection); at the New York State Museum; and via field guides and reference books.
• Annalise's interest in anatomy and medicine was deepened as she independently explored online virtual knee surgery.
• Her interest in and understanding of scientific method have matured throughout this quarter.
• She will have ample time to explore as deeply as she wishes. 
• Annalise has had the time, support, and freedom she desired for all her scientific explorations throughout this quarter.

• Her parents will facilitate these explorations by providing time, space, materials, home and public libraries, programming, excursions, and conversation relevant to her discoveries and experimentation.
• As detailed above this objective has been met in a variety of ways throughout this quarter.