American History

The American History course will provide an overview of key events in the development of the United Sates from roughly exploration of the New World through the 2000s. The course will be a thematic and topical study of the political, social, and economic, and cultural developments that shaped the history of the United States from the birth of a nation to the present. The goal of the course is to make history ‘come alive’ using many forms of information and research including primary and secondary sources, biographies, guest speakers, music, art, food, architecture, and field trips. Students will gain an understanding not only of what happened in history, but will also learn valuable historical research skills to complete a research paper on a topic of their choice.

19th & 20th Century World History

Spanning the Industrial Revolution to the Cold War, students will explore how the world changed by participating in classroom discussions, writing research essays, creating an ongoing timeline, and completing relevant projects throughout the year. Looking at the political, social, economic, and cultural changes that radically altered the manner in which nations interacted with one another, students will gain an understanding of the power of political ideology as well as the impact of mechanization in transforming all levels of society. Texts: Western Heritage volume 2, selected fairytales of The Brothers Grimm, The Communist Manifesto, Animal Farm, 1984, The Treaty of Versailles.

Early Modern World History 1550-1815

Beginning with the Age of Enlightenment and ending with the fall of Napoleon, students explore how new discoveries and religious conflict began changing the political and cultural climate of Europe. They will study empire-building, the Age of Enlightenment, and the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution. Through in-class discussion, timeline projects, research essays, and reading from original sources, students gain an appreciation for the cultural upheaval caused by leaving the Old Regime of feudalism behind and entering a world transformed by communication, new forms of government, and new technology.

Composition & Speech 

This course is a companion course for both Modern Literature and Modern History. Students will write about topics drawn from both of those classes, and in so doing, develop their abilities in research, argument building, logical arrangement of ideas, and skillful use of language. Students will also practice speech writing and presentation. Texts: Rhetoric Alive! Book 1 and Lend Me Your Ear: Great Speeches in History.

American Literature & Academic Composition

This class will explore the idea of the American Dream, starting during the years of westward expansion, continuing through the injustices of the Civil War, and ending in the mid-20th century by asking the questions: what is the American Dream?  Is the American Dream truly achievable? AND is it biblical? We will explore the topics of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness using works by Mark Twain, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Willa Cather, Russell Freedman, Frederick Douglass, Stephen Crane, Betty Smith, John Steinbeck, Tennessee Williams, and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Literature of the Early Modern World

Complementing the Early Modern World History class, this course explores the implications of a rapidly changing Europe. Beginning with plays by Shakespeare and concluding with Charles Dickens’ brilliant novel focusing on the French Revolution, students explore themes of anti-Semitism, class conflict, and the impact of industrialism on all levels of society. Homework will include extensive reading and writing essays of explication, analysis, and comparison and contrast, as well as research assignments. Class time will include discussion of the texts, writing workshops, and occasionally, viewing productions.

19th & 20th Century Literature

This course will trace the development of Western culture over the last two centuries by examining its expression in poetry, plays, and prose fiction. Students will trace the increasing secularization of society, explore the ideas that shaped and grew out of the world wars, as well as the experiences of people who lived through them, and consider some of the big questions which dominate our world today, such as the importance of religious liberty and freedom of speech and the search for meaning in life which is so central to every human heart. Texts: Frankenstein, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Great Gatsby, The Gift of The Magi, Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, Night, The Screwtape Letters, 1984, Fahrenheit 451.

Rhetoric

Rhetoric is, in a sense synonymous with public speaking, or as the textbook Rhetoric Alive! Book 1: Principles of Persuasions states more precisely, “a burgeoning civic discourse based upon an ever-increasing alignment with truth.”  In this class, students will practice memory and analysis of famous speeches and create their own arguments using the three rhetorical appeals of ethos(speaker’s character), pathos (emotional predispositional of the audience), and logos (logic).

Inductive Logic 

Using the text The Art of Argument, students in this class learn the basics of how to both write and speak persuasively. Students also learn how to identify and correct common logical fallacies to strengthen their arguments. The course culminates in a moderated debate at the end of the year for students to showcase their skills. Text: The Art of Argument

Biology

An overview of the five kingdoms using Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Biology this course places emphasis on the scientific method, cellular structures, and the use of the microscope. Students will conduct labs under supervision as well as dissections of various specimens over the course of the year. Maintaining a lab journal with detailed notes will prepare students for college level lab sciences. A Science Fair project will also be done as part of this course. Text: Exploring Creation with Biology

*Meets twice a week, 1 hour (Monday) and 1.5 hours (Thursday) for a total of 2.5 contact hours per week for 32 weeks.

Chemistry

This is a High School Level Chemistry course using Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Chemistry text.  The course emphasizes the scientific method as students learn about the foundational elements of the universe.  Students explore molecules, mixtures, and chemical reactions through hand-on investigation.  Laboratory experiments are an important component in the curriculum, and students actively maintain a laboratory notebook throughout the year documenting observations, results, and conclusions. Text: Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Chemistry

*Meets twice a week, 1 hour (Monday) and 1.5 hours (Thursday) for a total of 2.5 contact hours per week for 32 weeks.