IHI: INTEGRATED HUMANITIES IMMERSIONS:
An in-house addendum for public school settings. The MC/YSC Sky Network is probably unique in the nation. It provides academic support in the Humanities to participating host schools. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it is an Astronomy-based role-play program. The MC/YSC Annex's school-within-a-school approach essentially creates a college environment within the host school --bringing to bear all the elements of college life: lectures, independent study, research, and creative writing. However, our role-play methodologies take the edge out of the transition by creating an eclectic hands-on (fun) learning environment. Born in the correctional system the YSC Annex Program is totally inclusive of every learning style and population.
AMC/YSC's School Annex Program -- IHI Role-play Artifacts & Rubrics (constantly revised)
Combining A Universe of Children & the BRISCO Learning System
“Scientific Literacy/Meaning-based Learning”
Copyrighted 2011
Francisco Luis Gonzalez, Brian Dillon, Charles Pearson
A Universe of Children: AUOC (comprehensive astronomy-based science, art, and writing program), and its thematic twin, the BRISCO (anthropology primer), are eclectic meaning-based learning systems.
Academic Applications: Standards-based (rubric-based) lesson plans created by educators who use the AUOC/BRISCO Learning System within their classrooms. Academic applications can cover the entire spectrum of Secondary-level academic subjects. Affiliated educators add their own (authored) Academic Applications (rubric-based) to the program’s standardized Thematic Units, and Sub-units.
Alliances: Three types: In Phase I (BRISCO), alliances are formed through game-play action (in the game sessions). In Phase II (BRISCO), alliances are formed through theatrical role-play ceremonies (see Role-play Alliance Ceremony). In Phase IV (AUOC), alliances are formed through space journey contacts (no COA involvement): alliances are unions of two learner exo-species (Alliances divide their Bonus Points among themselves).
Ambassador: A: AUOC second highest space-bound rank. Learners who want to be Ambassadors must abandon all violence (through a special pledge). Ambassadors of Utopian and Post-utopian home worlds are automatically inducted into the Council of Ambassadors (others must be voted in by the council: a virtual space court where all students can request justice). Individual rights are judged by each player’s Home World constitutions, Vision Statements (Utopian), and Mission Statements (Post-utopian).
Archeological Dig: Phase III activity where learners locate previously identified Fossil Caches (located and documented from phase I). Best OCP from ‘cache’ information earns extra Bonus Points.
Arcanian: A: Highest AUOC space-bound rank open only to professional or paraprofessional educators. Arcanians are chosen by program director, or other Arcanians. Rank is equivalent to AUOC-Instructor. They represent advanced civilizations from distant galaxies and/or other universes -- their ancient worlds long ago destroyed through the normal star-aging processes (super novae). Their level of technology is unknown (hence their name) and is advanced beyond identification, assessment, or replication. They roam the universe freely, often without typical space travel technologies, living in joyful unity with surrogated Nirvanan societies (who naturally shun technology). Arcanians and Nirvanans (also Post-nirvanans) do not subject themselves to the Prime Directive, having a different level of servile ethics.
Arcanian Surrogacy: Union between Arcanian and Nirvanan societies for mutually beneficial purposes. Surrogacy involves “Arcanian Quests”: emotionally difficult journeys into at-risk societies (fictional ‘visits’ to a multiplicity of AUOC socio-technological world-orders) for the purpose of training Nirvanan youth in the fundamental Arcanian values of empathy, wisdom, servitude, and unity. An example of such a “Quest” is explained in Francisco Colber's novella, The Chrysalis.
Assimilation: Refers to Phase I: learners whose territory circle falls completely within another learners territory circle. DNA-profiling procedure and a Short-short story must be created to explain consequential effects.
AUOC: A Universe of Children: a home-grown eclectic styled astronomy-based role-play curriculum.
AUOC/BRISCO: Combination of AUOC and BRISCO Learning System.
AUOC/BRISCO Honor Role: Top twenty Bonus Point earners. Must be of Ambassador rank, be a member of a Confederation, and have a Post-utopian home world.
B.E.S.T assessment: Bio-Environmental/Socio-technical assessment. Used in phase I to evaluate the effects of clan ‘Assimilation’ by assessing biological factors (DNA continuity), environmental factors (geographic resources), social factors (culture & migration), and technology (tool usage).
Bonus Points: Point system used in many aspects of AUOC/BRISCO as rewards for good scholarship (tests scores are also converted to points). There are no pre-set amounts for Bonus Points; instructors determine point values as he/she sees fit. Instructors use a Point Box at the beginning of each class (to showcase points to be given for things such as: correct answers, good ideas, and well written drafts. Students can convert Bonus Points to currency or other program variables as allowed.
Bonus-point Jack Pot: Collected Bonus Points from Penalties given as rewards for good academic performance.
Bounty Rewards: Bonus Point rewards given to ‘Spies’ for obtaining ‘top secret’ information.
Bias Assessment: Class discussion on the biases encountered in lesson (half truths vs. full truths): introduction to real science & its terminologies.
BRISCO: Brian and Francisco’s learning system: an Anthropology-based eclectic meaning-based created in a correctional institution of at-risk learners.
Captain: C: AUOC third highest space-bound rank. Learner can design and use space ships (of any type). Same rank as Governor.
Charter Proposals: COA-legal/official requirement for all newly created Home World constitutions (Post-industrial), Vision Statements (Utopian), Mission statements (Post-utopian), and Home-world Naturalization of human colonies; Ambassadors vote on their merits and approve or reject them.
Character Termination: Learners may lose their fictional lives by creating unwise Object Creation Proposals (OCP’s): by having put himself in harm’s way with no escape. Peer Session determined (by Peer Vote). Student may return to the program by becoming a low-ranked Slave (new character must be related to the old: must use DNA-profiling and Short-short story.
Checker-like Tokens: Each game-token has a specific environmental (geographic) theme for which sets of objects can be created using the OCP procedure: Leader, Medicine, Resources, Predator, Drought, etc.
Chess-like Themes: Phase II chess-like game activity set in the Middle Ages. Game tokens include: Pagan, Viking/Celts, Judaic, Papal, Byzantine, and Islam.
Clan-unit: A representation of a primitive societal group smaller than a Tribal unit. Composed mostly of family members. Each Learner represents a Clan-unit whose B.E.S.T. assessments change over time. Used in phase I program phase.
Chrysalis (novella): Required reading for advanced AUOC learners and educators. The work highlights the “Arcanian Quest”: a right of passage for Nirvanan level youth -- an epic story of transformation (a metaphor with important dialectic implications in the areas of meaning-based education, philosophy, and human development). The main character (Cyla) lives on Zzol (an inexperienced Nirvanan-level world slowly being transformed to Post-nirvanan moral values by Arcanian surrogates). In a typical Quest, Cyla and her host (name unknown) travel to many contrasting worlds searching for (and eventually finding) universal meaning.
Close-out: Refers to the gathering of game-terminus data from Checker-like Game Sessions. Determines: Population Density, Territory Circle, Resources, and Travel Options.
Colony Worlds: CW: Colonies in other planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. A Colony World can only be established in identified Habitable Zone objects. CW’s can gain independence with the acquiring of a Governor.
Colors: AUOC standard colors are: Red (spectral classification M, volcanism), Yellow (spectral classification G, deserts), White (spectral classification A, ice), Blues (spectral classification B, water depths), Brown (failed stars, mountainous regions), Greens (all types flora/fauna), Orange (spectral classification K).
Confederations: Alliances greater than two members.
Control Colors: AUOC star system data consists of standard colors denoting planet, moon, asteroid features. Gray and Black are control colors: used only to identify ‘data withdrawal’ ( a black pixel represents 10 x 10 square kilometers: 100 kilometers): data that is withdrawn must be represented by a drawing, painting, or 3-D model.
Council of Ambassadors: COA: Virtual space law court: limited to Ambassadors from Utopian and Post-utopian home worlds.
Confederations: COA charter-approved union of Home Worlds (confederations multiply Bonus point holdings by number of members!). Confederations are unions of two or more learner exo-species.
Critical Phases: C1, C2, C3, C4: Industrial Crisis, Post-industrial Crisis, Utopian Crisis, and Nirvanan Crisis (respectively). Crises occur when a society’s reaches a point where imminent change is essential to assure either their survival, or their sense of identity.
Data Auction: Instructor-led auction (sale) of secret data obtained by ‘Spies’.
Data Withdrawal: Process of blacking-out small areas of a previously created computer graphic depicting an area of interest (for purposes of exploration, resource gathering [mines etc.]). Pixels are ‘painted’ black -- black areas (‘taken out’) must be drawn, painted, or modeled on art media.
DNA-profiling: Morse-DNA profile that shows the ‘progression’ of superficial (race, regional) inherited traits such as hair color, height, etc. Activity where Learners review their individual DNA-profiles and make changes to them (students assess effects of ‘mutations’ using B.E.S.T criterion).
Earth-Mural: Earth-map mural(s) used in Phases I, II, III - to mark territory and travel.
Element Identification Procedure: EIP: Procedure for identifying and ‘collecting’ elemental atoms from minerals (or sole elements) found in their geographic environments (territories). Used in the Object Creation formula. Students who ‘collect’ all PTE Elements (in the form of colored beads - collect 200,000 Bonus Point reward).
Empathy: The ability to feel and understand another’s experience without judgment or prejudice (against the one empathized).
Entropy: Principle of Thermodynamics stating that organization becomes more chaotic and complex in the forward dimension of time.
Epoch Adjustment: Some environmental/geographic features will need to be adjusted from present-day datum: due to geologic Continental Drift, Rock Cycle, and other land altering factors.
Extinction/Annulment: Phase I: learners whose point totals falls into the negative and are unable to trade set-objects for needed points. In Phase II: stranded space travelers who run out of life-support resources in inhospitable worlds (same as Character Termination).
Exogenesis: The idea that the universe has been ‘primed’ for life; the relatively easy production and existence of Amino Acids in space.
Field Trips: Substitute for Free-study Period. Students visit Museums, Universities, and Observatories (or to Vocational alternatives such as: Medical Institutions, Factories, Laboratories etc.). However, some Field Trips will involve on-campus activities such as navigation, telescope use, and outdoor games.
Fossil Cache: Phase I activity where learners identify fossil sites for future phase III archeological activity. Fossil Cache’s are brief informational synopses (and locations) of regional fossil information: in depth research is done in phase III (Archeological Digs).
Free-study Period: Class time devoted to the learners own (chosen) AOUC/BRISCO related study topics - usually headed by the In-class Team.
Game-session: Refers to the Checker-like and Chess-like game elements of the BRISCO Learning system.
General Relativity: Proposed by physicist Albert Einstein (1923) as a better treatise of his Theory of Special Relativity (1905). It proposes that space is not homogenous (the same everywhere), but that the effects of Gravity alter it like an undulating cloth-fabric - increasing or decreasing the mathematical values of Time itself.
Governor: G: Same rank as Captain, but without space faring privileges. Total authority over Independent Colony World: ICW.
Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle: Principle discovered by German Physicist Warren Heisenberg (1927) stating that the position and velocity of an object cannot both be determined exactly; relates to the position and/or speed of electrons orbiting atomic nuclei. In AUOC advanced (Post-utopian) extraterrestrial Home World civilizations exploit this principle to travel instantaneously throughout space. Also relates to String Theory.
Home Worlds: HW: Worlds that have advanced beyond Colony status through World Order process (see ‘World Order’ and/or ‘Technological Periods’); also extra-terrestrial worlds (controlled by previous AUOC players and/or school staff).
In-class Roles: Initial task-oriented roles given to some learners during AUOC/BRISCO orientation: Researcher, Messenger, Artist, and Spy.
Independent Colony World: ICW: Any Colony World with a permanently commissioned Governor. ICW’s retain independent status even if Governor is killed, demoted, or distantly located.
Independent Study: In-class activity where selected students work on their own with little assistance from instructor. Selection process includes, but is not limited to, Good Behavior, High Bonus Point scores, Academic Need, and Incomplete Assignments.
Index of Global Awareness: IGA: index of empathic evolution; the evolution of meaningful relevance to suffering & grief (basically an attempt to understand why suffering exists in the universe), these are: Ignorance, Denial, Sympathy, Empathy, and Unity. AUOC Socio-technology levels (world-orders) generally have these PGA letter attachments (prehistoric [I], pre-industrial [I], industrial [I or D], rogue industrial [D], post-industrial [D], pre-utopian [D or E], utopian [S], nirvanan [S], post-utopian [E], post-nirvanan [E or U], and arcanian [E and U]. These value-tags may be different in worlds whose norms and values are atypical. The PGA index is used for the purpose of philosophical dialog.
Industrial: I: Worlds similar to Earth at this time (circa 2000 AD); worlds with metal technologies.
Industrial Crisis: C1: First crisis of advanced technology-based societies. These worlds usually suffer from overpopulation, global warming, pandemics, and nuclear proliferation. They also suffer from belief-system chaos, often boiling over into genocidal wars. Crisis is “resolved” either by nuclear annihilation, or holistic Post-industrial reforms.
Learner: A student within AUOC or BRISCO learning systems; a learner is also defined as a student in charge of his/her own learning agendas.
Magnitude: In AUOC: scale levels denoting distance away from mural observer (Default 100%, Midrange 30%, Distant 1%). Learners can choose stars from only these levels (using Starry Night software).
Master-law Coda: MC: Body of general law to be created by vested COA Ambassadors. Without a Master Law Coda learners are judged by their own created laws, values, and constitutions.
Master Forces: In Physics, the four fundamental forces found within each atom; primal energy foci consisting of sub-atomic particles representing the universe’s fundamental forces of creation: Strong-force, Weak-force, Electromagnetism, and Gravity.
Meaning-based: Implies a cohesive body of knowledge; a set of unified themes that create a whole. In education, it implies a holistic approach to teaching, learning, and retention.
Moreu College: A grassroots college program that utilizes the IHI (formerly AUOC) as its central academic methodology. www.yourstreetcollege.org
Morse Coded DNA: Game-like profiling procedure using DNA bases in combination with Morse Code - creating sentences. Phase I activity.
Nation-precursors: Relates to Phase II activity where Tribal Pre-states expand their territorial boundaries through OCP’s. These new boundaries are then compared to modern day national boundaries (hinting the Nations they will transform into in Phase III).
Nation-state Designations: Formalized Earth Nations identified in Phase II Pre-states.
Nirvanan: N: Worlds which evolved higher intelligence without the necessity of first becoming Industrial worlds. Usually (but not always) non-humanoid in form, these beings, though having highly advanced technologies shun all space faring technologies. Unlike Utopians these worlds are not secretive, but openly share their wisdom with visitors. Because their culture is atypical they do not join alliances. They have a close relationship with Arcadians. Nirvanan non-humanoid worlds can only be described according to AUOC rules (humanoid worlds OK).
Nirvanan Crisis: C4: Similar to Utopian moral crisis (C3): crisis occurs as the Nirvanan knowledge level increases due to interaction with their Arcanian surrogates (see Arcanian Surrogacy). The crisis is doubly severe as Nirvanans must choose to acquire disdained technologies in order to be servile -- and also -- to acclimate themselves to experiencing sorrow, and suffering (Nirvanan societies never experienced these). Utopians, on the other hand, historically experienced suffering (in their Industrial pasts), but are deemed inappropriate for Arcanian Surrogacy. This crisis is resolved through the “Arcanian Quest” (read Chrysalis: the AUOC back-story novella); through these quests Arcanians recruit selected Nirvanan societies, engendering in them novel Post-nirvanan values of wizened technological servitude.
Non-lethal: Unable to mentally or physically harm (or kill) someone. Post-industrial, Utopian, and Post-utopian worlds are not allowed to have Lethal technologies.
Non-lethal pledge: COA witnessed promise (ceremony) taken by all Space Ranked learners: Ensigns, Navigators, Starship Commanders, and Ambassadors.
Object Creation Formula: OCF: Uses a standard metric units to create objects such as ships (or use decimals or fractions to ‘weigh’ small objects from collected Elements - see Element Identification Procedure).
Object Creation Proposal: OCP: Learner-generated learning plans used throughout the program. OCP’s consist of Computer Graphic/Drawing, Research Paper/Short Story, and Oral Presentation.
OCP Objection: Any student or instructor can object to an Object Creation Proposal due to ‘logic problems’ relating to it (does it have a theoretical scientific basis? Can it be created with the technology of the student’s socio-technological epoch?). Objectionable theses can be decided by Peer Vote (show of hands is acceptable).
Outpost Worlds: OW: Space bases built on non-habitable worlds (moons, asteroids, and other objects). OW’s cannot gain independence.
Peer Sessions: Special voting sessions where all students decide important issues through casting ballots, or by a show-of-hands.
Peer Vote: Program decisions voted upon by students (not by instructors).
Penalties: Partial or complete loss of Bonus Points (or forced deportation) due to missing Travel Arrival-time Window, special COA deliberation, Character Termination, Extinction/Annulment. A Peer Session determines penalty amount.
Pixel Kilometer Location: PKL: Every Home World must have a location for the role-player’s residence (initiating location). The PKL is a black dot (representing a square kilometer) whose pixel numeral is recorded. The learner then uses ‘Microsoft Window’s’ paint program to illustrate what that location looks like from the air. Activity helps in the teaching of geographic features, plant & animal habitats, and mineral deposits.
Point Boxes: Chalk-drawn ‘squares’ put up by instructor to showcase Bonus Points and Jack Pot amounts to be given to Learners for good scholarship.
Population Grouping: Phase I activity denoting the DNA-genealogy, physical appearance, social pre-cultural traits, and technological prowess of a Clan-unit.
Post-industrial Crisis: C2: Second crisis of advanced technology-based civilizations. This involves the tendency to ‘go back’ to previous Industrial values and re-embrace them -- the motivator for this “backslide” is the discovery (or acquisition) of premature advanced technologies which can be used by nations to exploit others (ideological differences often being the root cause). Failure here often results in nuclear re-armament, or the emergence of Rogue Industrial societies.
Post-nirvanan: >N: Advanced worlds with Arcadian cultural traits and values. These civilizations help Utopian worlds that are in Utopian Moral Crisis. These civilizations have no defensive weaponry of any kind -- electing to solve conflicts through nonviolent means.
Post-utopian: >U: Advanced worlds with absolutely perfect civilizations. They involve themselves in the service of helping Post-industrial, and Pre-utopian worlds enter Utopian status.
Post-industrial: >I: Worlds formerly in danger of apocalyptic environmental collapse (see Industrial) which are now espousing global conservation, limited population growth, and the exploration of new governmental systems.
Pre-industrial: <I: Civilized worlds without metal-technologies.
Pre-state Formalization Procedure: Phase II (BRISCO) activity where learners ‘formalize’ their previously flexible/porous boundaries. This is done by the distribution of the total population into smaller units (Villages and Hamlets). Students must now create multiple OCP’s in order to outfit Armies, and provide for the overall economic and social infrastructure of their societies.
Pre-utopian: <U: Home Worlds that have completed the process of socioeconomic, environmental recovery, and have inadvertently discovered warp-based technologies. The resulting new technologies and stability propel them into a golden age of space exploration (the Star Trek Federation is an example of this type within our popular culture). 10,000 light/year range.
Pre-speciation: In humans: what we normally refer to as ‘race’; minor physical traits such as, skin, eye & hair color, height, etc.
Prime Directive: PD: a Star Trek term. The Prime Directive is an ethical/moral mandate prohibiting advanced space-faring civilizations from premature socio-technological contacts with less advanced ones. The danger being that any contact, no matter how short, can have damaging cultural and/or technological repercussions to the visited world -- essentially creating greater social catastrophe than if the world was never visited. In AUOC, Pre-utopian, Utopian, and Post-utopian races cannot enter the star systems of Pre-industrial, and Industrial worlds. Prehistoric worlds have limited accessibility.
Prisoner: P: Lowest land-bound AUOC rank. Learners who receive this rank are stripped of all Points and ‘given’ to another player as property. Prisoner/Slaves cannot keep Bonus Points (points given to owner), and cannot gain promotion unless freed by owner (or rescued through another player’s intervention).
Program Instructor: AUOC or BRISCO (or AUOC/BRISCO) trained educator. Acts as facilitator to the entire program - including the recruitment of teachers (that add new Academic Applications to the program). Program Instructor can create their own role-play characters but cannot accrue Bonus Points.
Program Integration: Multi-classroom, Multi-school procedures where Program Instructor modifies data to accommodate large numbers of students. Such integration may set limits to game values, bonus points, points, rewards, etc. Program Integration may include display cases, newsletters, websites, and other means to make data accessible to all.
Program-interrupt: Temporary program-wide ‘Time Out’ called by Program Instructor and/or School Principal, for the purpose of program clarification of whole-school discipline.
Proto-humans: Our pre-human ancestors. The bipedal precursors of human species (in BRISCO: around 3,000,000 BC).
Quantum Mechanics: A theory of atomic structure first proposed by physicist Niels Bohr (1913). It proposes that electrons orbit the nucleus in strictly-set energy-pathways (having qualities of both Particle and Wave).
Rank: Two types: Land-Bound: Prisoner, Visitor, Scientist. Space-Bound: (Captain same as Governor) Captain, Ambassador, and Arcanian. These ranks are hierarchical with penalties for insubordination (Instructor determines penalties).
Rank Promotions: Once rank has been established (in AUOC Phase III) students can earn higher ranking through promotions. Promotions are done by a Peer Vote procedure (by secret ‘YES’ or ‘NO’ in-class ballots): candidate can request Peer Voting on Mondays (candidate performs brief Oral Presentations to convince class of their merit). Other similar procedures may be performed depending on classroom/school need.
Research Paper: Ten page typewritten paper usually done at the end of each program phase - followed by an Oral Presentation (graded).
Rouge Industrial: rI: Subclass of Industrial space faring societies capable of deep-space travel (100 l/y range). Considered a danger to nearby systems as they do not conform to the Prime Directive; they generally are worlds which failed in their Post-industrial phase (C2) crisis, reverting to the previous Industrial values of imperialism, capitalism, and eco-mismanagement, yet these societies utilize the more advanced technologies they gained over time. It is doubtful (to the author) that this particular subclass exists in the universe: it is added to AUOC as a game-style motivator for younger participants.
Robots: Machines able to do the work of people. Artificial Intelligence proposals allowed for advanced learners.
Role-play: To act-out an imaginary character’s personality and will. AUOC uses Logs to advance its back-stories, narratives, and critical issues.
Role-play Alliance Ceremony: Phase II (BRISCO) activity where learners create alliances with neighboring tribes. Learners research the culture, customs, and traditions of their period and recreate a possible alliance ceremony.
Scientist: S: AUOC fourth highest rank (highest land-bound rank). Learner must pick a scientific discipline (oral presentation and other point requirements). Learner can hire himself out to other Captains for wages. Cannot pilot a ship unless authorized by host Captain (or other higher rank).
Sets: Objects identified and drawn by Phase I (BRISCO) learners. Objects directly relate to Checker-like Token themes. Sets increase the game terminus values in Game Session Close-out.
Set Creation Activity: Used in Phase I (BRISCO) after Game Session Close-out (as strategic preparation for next game session). Learners use OCF’s, and OCP’s to ‘build’ small objects from chosen Token Themes. Sets increase the Survivability Values of Clan-units.
Short Story Segment: Shorter than a Short Short Story, these prose segments make up a Morse-coded DNA ‘gene’: used for short in-class research assignments.
Sky Network: The currently used program linking A Universe of Children and the BRISCO Learning System; an in-house addendum program for public schools.
Empathy: In the BRISCO/AUOC Index of Psychosocial Grief Assessment: the ability to feel and understand another’s experience, but at the same time prejudge and vilify the one sympathized.
Space-logs: Journals take the place of short stories for Space Ranked learners.
Spy: In-class role. Spies are chosen secretly (identity only known by the Instructor) . Role can overlap other In-class role. Spies locate & copy secret data from other learners and sell data to other learners by means of the Instructor (confidential Data Action). Stiff penalty if caught (two witnesses must testify before Peer Session, or COA). False accusers also merit stiff penalties (penalties include rank demotion or point fines).
Star-chart: Painted Sky Atlas section or mural depicting a cross-section of the Milky Way Galaxy (or other) - used as a navigational aid.
Stasis: Temporary program interrupt for individual learners who are habitually absent, or as a disciplinary measure by Instructor.
String Theory: Theory related to Quantum-mechanics that implies that the fundamental particles of matter are not subatomic, but much smaller units of energy called ‘strings’. Strings oscillate between varying states of energy due to electromagnetic probabilities related to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, forming subatomic units which are perceived as ‘particles’.
Survivability Values: BRISCO terminating values derived from Close-out data after each Game Session, determines Territory, Population, Exodus, and Extinction variables.
Target Star: A star system selected for exploration; reaching the star requires the creation of simple pre-algebra formulas (see Travel Formula).
Thematic Closure: Complete Close-out of program data at season’s end (end of school year) : Phase IV (AUOC) space locations, and holdings (including rank) are exempt.
Thematic Linking Words: Words used in Morse-coded DNA that match (or link) each clan’s DNA to its Biological, Environmental, Social, and Technological current Time-line period.
Thematic Sub-units: Additional lesson plans within a Thematic Unit.
Thematic Units: Numerically ordered AOUC & BRISCO classroom teaching modules. Thematic Units begin with a ten minute lecture requiring note-taking.
Thermodynamics & Momentum: Universal laws of Energy first explored by French Engineer Sadi Cannot and later modified: Law 1. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. Law 2. Entropy in a system does not decrease. Law 3. Electrons cannot stop within their orbits (impossibility of obtaining Absolute Zero temperature). Conservation of Momentum: a universal law of motion which states that an object will remain in motion unless acted upon by an outside force.
Time-line Segments: Sequence of ‘Game Sessions’ (in phase 1: BRISCO). Each sequence consists of prehistoric time segments (from standard encyclopedic time-line): each segment is roughly 500,000 years.
Time Zones: Optional activity involving designated time zones (other than the present) used for space travelers who travel beyond their Generational-lifetimes. General Relativity and Thermodynamics theory state that travel into the ‘future’ is possible, but Entropy prohibits travel into the ‘past’. Therefore learners that travel to the distant future cannot return to their previous time zones.
Time Zone Characterization: Rank-role characters keep their identities but must put a number next to their name; number corresponds to the time zone they inhabit. Learners must adjust their OCP’s and Short Stories to reflect their new realities: zones are created as-needed.
Trade: Phase I, phase II, and phase III (BRISCO) activities where set-objects can be exchanged for Barter or Currency (later societies use standard foreign exchange rates).
Trade-sets: Phase II (BRISCO) activity where learners create OCP’s exclusively for trade (not for Close-out datum gain).
Travel Window Arrival: TWA: Strict fifteen minute arrival window used with Travel Formula. Students must check-in with the Instructor within ‘window’ to arrive at a destination. Failure to do so will strand them on chosen location and his/her Bonus Points taken and placed in communal Bonus Point Jack Pot.
Travel Formula: Algebraic/Geometric formula that takes account of Mass, Momentum, Distance, Life Support, and other variables.
Tribal-states: Phase II activity where learners build Pre-states in conformity to regional geographic data. In Phase III these Tribal-states become Nation-precursors, and later the modern nations we know today.
Tribal-unit: Learner-represented societal grouping larger than a Clan-unit. Usually composed of DNA related individuals within a community. Used in phase I and phase II program phases.
Unity: In the BRISCO/AUOC’s Index of Psychosocial Grief Awareness: final level of empathic feeling and understanding; vicarious union with the sufferer.
Utopian: U: Home Worlds civilizations which have achieved perfect socioeconomic equilibrium. These societies have been able to eliminate all pain, hardship, disease, pollution, social class, prejudice, poverty, and in some cases, even death! However, these worlds have created secretive value-systems out of fear of being discovered and exploited.
Utopian Crisis: C3: Third critical period of space-faring higher intelligence (an ethical/moral crisis). As Utopians ponder their stellar neighbors they are challenged to share their wisdom and vast resources with struggling Industrial, and Post-industrial societies -- though doing so may expose their perfect societies to the very suffering they long-ago mastered. This crisis is resolved with the emergence of Post-Utopian value systems. In their interventions Utopians must ally themselves with Arcanians, or Post-nirvanans in order not to defy the Prime Directive.
Visitor: V: AUOC second lowest land-bound rank. Holder of this rank cannot pilot any vessel (land, sea, air, or space). Can travel as passenger: has right to petition COA or local court for rank advancement.
