3rd – 8th Grade

American Literature is a five-unit elective that engages high school students in a literary conversation with some of the most colorful and influential minds in American history. Their words will give students a greater understanding of themselves, their culture, and the ideas of others. The course teaches students the various movements in American literature, starting with the roots of American literature in writings from the Puritans. The course concludes with works by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and other black writers who were part of the struggle for racial freedom during the civil rights era.

Required Resources

Some assignments in this course require the use of resources that must be supplied by the user. These outside resources are listed below by assignment.

Our Town, Thornton Wilder

This course covers everything a middle school student could want to know about astronomy and the heavenly bodies. This is a course designed to cover one semester and be substituted for one semester of any science course from fifth through eighth grade or used as an elective.

This is an elementary world cultures course with a focus on a different country every month. The course contains art projects and cooking projects that will require fairly easy to find materials.

This half year course is primarily a project-based course, especially for the hands-on learner. There are only a few actual lessons in this course, but many hands-on projects that are designed to teach the student both research skills and practical skills. There are several projects that will take special equipment such as building a birdhouse, building a birdbath, and planting a tree or shrub.

Beginning with works from the Middle Ages, British Literature is a five-unit course that teaches high school students about some of the greatest books of Western Civilization. Students will learn how to appreciate the English literature of the Middle Ages for its wisdom and beauty and will also gain a better understanding of the development of the English language and its literature. Course units cover one to two centuries, concluding with the writings of apologist C.S. Lewis in the 20th century.

Required Resources

Some assignments in this course require the use of resources that must be supplied by the user. These outside resources are listed below by assignment.

1Project – Metonymy

Newspapers and magazines

1Essay – Comparing Literature with Scripture

Bible

This is a full year course with lots of hands-on projects mixed in with lessons. There are very few quizzes and tests in this course because the grade is primarily based off of the projects.

This course does require physical activity including camping, hiking, biking, rappelling and more.

The Career Explorations I course is designed to give seventh- and eighth-grade students an opportunity to explore various CTE subjects. Specifically, students will be able to learn about careers involving human-related services.

Each unit introduces one particular field and explains its past, present, and future. The goal is to whet students’ appetites for these careers. Students can then explore that career in more detail as a high school student.

The Career Explorations II course is designed to give seventh- and eighth-grade students an opportunity to explore various CTE subjects. Specifically, students will be able to learn about careers involving various technical fields from computers to agriculture.

Each unit introduces one particular field and explains its past, present, and future. The goal is to whet students’ appetites for these careers. Students can then explore that career in more detail as a high school student.

Career Explorations II: Course Requirements

Access to the Internet to view various course-related Web sites and conduct research.

Access to Microsoft® PowerPoint® or a similar program.

Ability to conduct personal interviews for some projects.

The Career Explorations III course is designed to give seventh- and eighth-grade students an opportunity to explore various CTE subjects. Specifically, students will be able to learn about careers involving human-related services.

Each unit introduces one particular field and explains its past, present, and future. The goal is to whet students’ appetites for these careers. Students can then explore that career in more detail as a high school student.

Career Explorations III: Course Requirements

Access to the Internet to view various course-related Web sites and conduct research.

Access to Microsoft® PowerPoint® or a similar program.

Ability to conduct personal interviews for some projects.

In this five-section elective, high-school students will learn about the rights and responsibilities of being an American citizen. By studying different forms of government, students will investigate what motivated America’s founding fathers as they drafted the U.S. Constitution. Students will also learn about the branches of the U.S. government as laid out in the Constitution and about the structure of state and local governments. In each unit, students will complete an in-depth project related to that unit’s topic.

Creative Cooking is a half year elective course for grades 7 – 12. It covers cake decorating, candy making, and how to host an English tea party (including the traditional foods served). This is definitely a fun home economics course.

Students will study art throughout history from ancient cave paintings through the Renaissance. They will study the art of various cultures through history including Egypt, China, India, Greece, Rome, Japan, and Viking. Students will try to imitate artwork while learning about line, color, motion, and perspective.

This course is an overview of Old Testament Bible stories. The course is written in story format with a mixture of worksheets and comprehension questions.

Fishing is a half year course for students in grades 5 – 12. The course consists primarily of projects that help the student to learn skills in selecting and caring for their equipment in addition to catching fish for the dinner table.

Genesis is a Bible course designed for the hands-on learner. Assignments include written lessons, art activities, and more.

Health Quest is a health science elective course for upper elementary and junior high students. The curriculum introduces students to the concepts of what good health is, why good health is important, and what students should do in order to achieve good health.

High School Health is a health science elective course that introduces students to what good health is, why good health is important, and what students should do in order to achieve good health.

Keyboarding and Applications is a semester-long elective that teaches students keyboarding skills, technical skills, effective communication skills, and productive work habits. In this course, students will learn about proper keyboarding technique. Once students have been introduced to keyboarding skill, lessons will include daily practice of those skills. Students will gain an understanding of computer hardware, operating systems, file management, and the Internet. In addition, they will apply their keyboarding skills and create a variety of business documents, including word processing documents and electronic presentations.

Literature course for grades 7 – 11 that uses primarily historical fiction books. Most of the books focus on early USA history. This is a one-semester course.

Students will study art throughout history from ancient cave paintings through the Renaissance. They will study the art of various cultures through history including Egypt, China, India, Greece, Rome, Japan, and Viking. Students will try to imitate artwork while learning about line, color, motion, and perspective.

This course covers drawing, painting, art history, and more.

The goal of this semester-long course is to provide instruction in basic musical elements, trace the development and growth of classical music, and give students a strong foundation for a greater appreciation of music. Students will examine music in the world around them and discover how they experience music. They’ll be introduced to the basic elements and sounds of music and instruments. Students will learn the names and backgrounds of several famous musical composers. Students will also learn how and where classical music began, how it developed over the centuries, and the ways in which music and culture affect each other. Lastly, students will examine the ways modern music has been influenced by classical music.

This course also provides students with lessons in engaged listening. These special lessons allow students to listen and respond to music. A template for how to listen and respond is provided.

Additional Resources

In addition to the default course program, Music Appreciation includes extra alternate lessons, projects, and tests for use in enhancing instruction or addressing individual needs. Below is a list of suggested resources which can be used in conjunction with these assignments.

All Projects, Reports, Essays in Course

Supplies needed to complete most projects, reports, and essays throughout this course:

Internet or other research material

Paper, pencils, or other writing material

Printer

1Project: Music Response

Access to at least 20 minutes of recorded or live classical music

1Project: Find Your Musical Heritage

Access to listening samples of traditional ethnic music

1Lesson: Engaged Listening

Access to at least 10 minutes of a listening sample of traditional ethnic music

2Project: Choose Your Instrument

Access to a listening sample of a favorite song

2Lesson: Engaged Listening

Internet access to a musical piece, “The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra” by Benjamin Britten

2Project: Creative Instrumentation

Access to two or three pictures of student’s choice of musical instrument

Access to two listening samples of student’s choice of musical instrument

3Lesson 5: Engaged Listening

Access to internet or other reference material

3Project: Renaissance Moods

Access to internet or other reference material

3Lesson 15: Engaged Listening

Access to internet or other reference material

3Project: Patron of the Arts

Access to internet or other reference material

Access to listening samples of music created by student’s choice of composer

4Lesson 5: Engaged Listening

Access to internet or other reference material

4Project: Composer Under Suspicion

Access to internet or other reference

Access to listening samples of music created by student’s choice of classical music composer

4Lesson 14: Engaged Listening

Access to internet or other reference material

Access to listening samples of music created by student’s choice of Romantic music composer

4Project: Art

Access to photographs of the following two paintings: “The Hay Wain” by John Constable and “The Battle of Trafalgar” by J.M.W. Turner

5Lesson 5: Engaged Listening

Access to internet or other reference material

Access to listening samples (at least 10 minutes long) of music created by student’s choice of 20th-century music composer

5Lesson 13: Engaged Listening

Access to internet or other reference material

Access to listening samples (at least 10 minutes long) of music created by student’s choice of 20th-century American music composer

5Project: Concert Experience

Option 1: Attend a local classical music concert.

Option 2: If no live concerts are available, an audio-visual recording of a classical music concert may be substituted.

Photography teaches students how to care for their camera, the parts of a camera, how to take good shots, a little history of photography, and much more. A digital camera is necessary for the course.

Prepare and Pray 1 is a unit study based off of Swiss Family Robinson. It covers Literature, English, art, music, Bible, various branches of science, history, geography, survival skills, and more.

Prepare and Pray 2 is a continuation of the unit study based off of Swiss Family Robinson. It covers Literature, English, art, music, Bible, various branches of science, history, geography, survival skills, and more.

This course covers a study of rocketry including experiments and building two model rockets.

Wild about Animals is a study of various kinds animals through lessons, videos, and hands-on projects.

Wildlife is a fun half-year science course with lots of hands-on activities. The course covers a variety of animals that students learn about in through books, videos, and other activities.

This is a fun half year course designed for students in grades 3 – 5 that covers animals in a number of different aspects. This is a course designed can be substituted for one semester of any science course from third through fifth grade or used as an elective.