Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Jeremiah's March 13, 2011

Jeremiah was up until past dawn, playing Pokemon HeartGold and voice chatting with 11 year oldo Austin, a fellow unschooling gamer he's been trying to connect with for several days, through Facebook communications, parental assistance, and trial-and-error. Once they were finally able to link up with each other,using their DS units, they forged an immediate friendship.

Jeremiah  is 9.5 years old. This is how he chose to spend his day.



Time Stamp - ~3pm
  • Annalise, up for a couple of hours before Jeremiah, and hungry for his attention, began whining for it. Miah, frustrated, raised his voice, and we all discussed how to better negotiate to meet conflicting needs-  an ongoing learning process for us all.
  • About the Japanese flag, which I hadn't known he knew, he said, "It's the easiest flag in the world to make, Mom! you just take a piece of paper and a red crayon, and draw a circle in the middle of it." =) We discussed Japan as the "land of the rising sun".
  • We discussed that the campaign was in response to the natural disasters occurring in Japan.
  • Jeremiah decided to try Raisin Bran Crunch for breakfast. Raisin brans have become very popular here, of late, and he declared this his favorite food!

Time stamp~4pm.


  • Jeremiah, while sharing his new "Magnetic Mash" gear car with Annalise, said, "I learned how this toy works! I studied the gear, which connects to another gear in a box, which is connected to the axle, and that is connected to another gear in another box, and that forces it to move!"
  • Jeremiah (and Annalise) practiced, "Every Time We Touch" , which is the theme song for one of their favorite FlipNotes. Jeremiah is trying to precisely replicate the original - and he is getting really close!
  • Jeremiah came to tell me that his FlipNote would be published on the Hatena website, and that the earthquake in Japan was followed by a tsunami, and that created a whirlpool. I mentioned the nuclear power plant explosion, and he asked what a nuclear power pant was. I answered that it is a way of splitting atoms to produce energy, and needed supercooling because the process is so hot, and that an explosion releases poisons.
  • Jeremiah an d Annalise played a physical Pokemon game wherein he was the trainer and she was assorted Pokemon. Climbing, running, and falling.
  • Jeremiah tried and decided he didn't care to eat an orange.

Time stamp~5pm.





  • I remembered that Homer Simpson works in a nuclear power plant, and mentioned this to Jeremiah. He recounted a plot wherein the workers had put the last doughnut by the nuclear core in an attempt to make it bigger.
  • Things led to Jeremiah playing South Park riddles and trivia with Annalise.
  • "Housekeeping" in Pokemon HeartGold. During Jeremiah's play session with Austin, he acquired several new Pokemon. He sorted the boxes where he keeps extra Pokemon, and created a team made up only of Pokemon given to him by Austin. He explained some features of the game to Annalise as he worked.
  • Another bowl of cereal, and he remembered to put his dishes on the counter. =)

Time stamp~6pm.



  • Outside bug-hunting evolved into free, physical play of Power Titans, a Teen Titans -based game they invented together.
  • I joined the kids outside for a few moments, which led to talks of gardening plans, composting, and general yard cleanup.
  • Jeremiah asked me to check out his Smiles for Japan FlipNote. "It's only four pages, but at the slowest speed, it's really cool, and I really thought about how I wanted it to be."
  • Toward this end, he wrote out his username, password, and the command codes he uses on his DSi, so that I can find it online.
  • Jeremiah volunteered to run a bath for Annalise.
Time stamp~7pm.



  • Jeremiah used the quiet time of Annalise's bath to play a little uninterrupted HeartGold on his DSi.
  • Jeremiah offered to make Annalise a PBJ, and made himself another bowl of cereal!
Time stamp~8pm.
  • Explorations of Silly Putty (from the Silly Putty they made at CMOST on Saturday), with Annalise. He pointed out that lifting the same text repeatedly will erase it from the page. Also that even squishing the putty won't take away all of the pigment of the ink, only spread it thin.
  • Watched portions of Pokemon 3 with Annalise, while battling with someone on his DSi.




Time stamp~9pm.
  • Jeremiah began another battle session with Austin.
  • Jeremiah and Annalise decided to have a "Stay Up All Night" contest. Watched and played Pokemon. I served them the last of the Inspiration Cake.
  • Played along with Annalise's "tea service" game.
  • Learned to turn off the TV with his toe!

Not bad for a lazy Sunday at home! =D





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