Course Descriptions

Algebra 1 Saxon

Provides comprehensive instruction in core algebraic and geometric concepts including:  signed numbers, exponents, solving equations, systems of equations, graphing, scientific notation, ratio, percent, variation, unit conversions (including English to metric), geometry, trinomials, rational equations, perimeter, area, volume, surface area, and the quadratic formula.

Class placement: 8th or 9th grade student

American History (High School)

This course offers a comprehensive examination of the history of the United States, tracing events from the pre-colonial era through the early 21st Century.  Through a blend of lectures, discussions, readings, and multimedia resources, students will gain an understanding of the political, social, economic, and cultural influences that have shaped our society.  The student will find this course to be somewhat challenging--but not unreasonable.  The readings and assignments have been designed so that with daily effort each can be easily completed in the time between class meetings.

American History (Middle School)

The Story of Liberty offers a fantastic opportunity to help students to build their critical thinking skills as we discuss not only the facts and events of history, but also analyze the decisions and actions historical figures took. What was the resulting impact? Was the resulting impact positive enough to counter the negative effects? Although recommended for middle school students, this class would be appropriate for 9th grade students who haven’t yet studied American history and would benefit from.

Art Exploration Studio (For students ages 7-12 years old)

This club will provide a fun, open space for children to explore expression using different media, including but not limited to acrylic paint, oil pastels, and color pencils; recyclable materials might be used for some projects as well. We will dedicate two to four weeks per medium or art style. Each student will have the opportunity to choose from a guided activity or their own personal project using the media for the week. I will provide assistance to each child as they work on their creations and develop their skills. We will have a great time expanding our skills! Students will have an opportunity to display their projects at an end-of-semester exhibition. 

Biology

 This course is a laboratory-based high school biology course. It is a college prep class (Honors). It can also be adapted to a regular level Biology class. The course is an introduction to how living organisms are designed, how they interact with one another, and how they interact with their physical environment.  Students are taught how biologists classify life, the chemical processes that make life possible, the structures of RNA and DNA, and the designs of the different cells found in living organisms.  Students also learn the means by which photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and cellular reproduction occur. They then learn about the current state of biotechnology.  With the molecular and cellular basis of life covered, the students are then given a survey of the different kinds of organisms found in nature: archaea, bacteria, protists, fungi, invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants. The students then learn the biogeochemical cycles that keep environments hospitable to life, which leads to a discussion of ecosystems. Throughout the course, students see that life is the result of design and that organisms have been given the ability to adapt to their surroundings. In addition, they learn about various problems associated with modern evolutionary synthesis.

Chemistry

This lab-based college prep high school chemistry course introducing students to key modern chemical principles will be taught using the Berean Builders curriculum. Honors and non-honors options are available.

Choir

Open to all high school students, Choir develops singing skills, music reading, and ensemble performance. Students perform a variety of music styles at school concerts and community events. No experience needed—just a love of singing and working together.

Drafting & Design

Introduces students to the basics of technical drawing and design. Students learn measurement, scale, and blueprint reading while creating precise drawings using drafting tools 

Earth Science

This laboratory-based earth science course is generally used for either 8th or 9th grade and provides a high school science credit.   Upper high school students may also take Earth Science for a high school credit. This course covers the general properties of the Earth’s geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.  Students learn about all the sections of the geosphere (such as core, mantle, crust, etc.)  the hydrosphere, the atmosphere is then discussed, a discussion of weather, and the course ends with two chapters on space. The labs include mineral tests, rock analyses, fossil studies, density investigations, and magnetic property explorations.  Students also get hands-on experience with waves, gases, wind, water purification, cloud formation, the Coriolis effect, precipitation, and acid/base interactions.  

English Language Arts 4/5

This course is the perfect way to start and/or continue your elementary students in their writing journey! Students will write about exciting topics such as the Bayeux Tapestry, tsunamis, Jerusalem and the Crusades, and other interesting subjects while they learn the Structure and Style® writing method.

Lego Robotics & Design

A hands-on course where students design, build, and program robots using LEGO robotics systems. Through collaborative challenges, students explore basic engineering, coding, and problem-solving concepts while developing creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking skills.

Literary Analysis

Great literature can change and shape a person. Windows to the World teaches high school students how to analyze the primary elements of literature: setting, plot, characterization, imagery, allusions, parallelism, and much more. Students will read a lesson (many with literary excerpts) before completing a variety of associated assignments. Written from a Christian perspective, students will also learn to view literature and the author's intentions from a Christian perspective. This course includes an allusion project and some poetry analysis.This course also gives numerous examples and suggestions for helping students develop Christian discernment skills. 

Math 4-5 Abeka

Strengthen primary math foundation by reviewing key concepts and introducing new skills. Master multiplication and division with two-digit numbers, estimation, square measurements, writing decimals as fractions, and simple geometry. A strong year of understanding and practice of foundational math skills.

Class placement:  Strong 3rd grader, 4th grade or 5th grader who needs an extra year of 5th grade math. 

Math 5-6 Abeka

Covers a range of foundational and intermediate concepts including place value for whole numbers/decimals, review addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, using whole numbers, fractions, and decimals. Story problems, problem-solving strategies, time, money, measuring to eighth of an inch. Rounding, estimating, and identifying missing numbers in equations/patterns. English and metric systems of measurement, converting units within the same system. Roman numerals, factoring, divisibility rules, and basics of probability. Basic percents,  thermometers Celsius and Fahrenheit scales. Algebraic thinking using squares and square roots. Geometry, including basic shapes, perimeter, area. Scale drawings, graphs, ordered pairs, charts, and schedules. 

Class placement: strong 4th grader, 5th grade or 6th grader who needs an extra year of 5th grade math.

Men's Chorus

Men’s Chorus is a performance-based ensemble for tenor and bass voices open to all high school students. Singers develop healthy vocal technique, music-reading skills, and ensemble blend while performing a variety of styles, including classical, contemporary, spirituals, and popular music.

No prior experience required—just a willingness to sing and collaborate.

Middle School Engineering

An introductory, hands-on course that introduces students to the engineering design process. Students explore basic concepts in problem-solving, creativity, and innovation through collaborative projects and real-world challenges. Topics may include simple machines, structures, robotics, and basic coding. Emphasis is placed on teamwork, critical thinking, and applying math and science concepts to design and build practical solutions.

Middle School Math Saxon 7/6

Students will build essential math skills as they explore key concepts such as the order of operations, number lines, and decimal place value. They will learn how to find the percent of a number, round decimal numbers, and identify attributes of geometric solids. The course also introduces more advanced topics including functions and coordinate graphing, integers, exponential expressions, and prime factorization. These foundational skills prepare students for higher-level math through engaging instruction and regular practice.

Class placement: strong 5th grader, 6th grade or 7th grader.

Mixed Media I (Middle / High School Art)

This course provides students with opportunities to discern scale, proportion, and color in the real world, in order to create works that speak to us as creators and communicate something about us to others. As projects are developed, we will have an overview of famous art pieces that are pertinent to the project, basic design principles, and foundational techniques using marker, pencils, and acrylics. Students will work on each project during class; projects may be finished at home to be brought back to class at a later date. Students will have an opportunity to display their work at an end-of-semester exhibition. 

Persuasive Writing

Dive into writing and discover the “Lost Tools of Writing.” This class trains students in the classical art of rhetoric focusing on the persuasive essay. This course is ideal for students 8th grade through 12th grade and teaches students the proper form of persuasive writing while gently guiding them into thinking critically on their own. Over the course of a year students will write seven to eight essays each completed over a few weeks time. This course is an excellent next step to students who have studied IEW before or who are new to persuasive writing. This class is also helpful for anyone going on to speech and debate but is a suitable place to start for any student 8th grade and up, the Circe Institute recommends that students start with Level I. 

Physics

This lab-based college prep high school physics course introducing students to the fundamental laws and concepts of physics will be taught using the Berean Builders curriculum. Honors and non-honors options are available.

Pre-Algebra Saxon 1/2

Covers a broad range of Pre-Algebra topics including: fractions, decimals, percents, geometry, area, volume, ratio, probability, proportion, exponents, scientific notation, signed numbers, order of operations, scaling, algebraic terms, two-step equations and inequalities, slope, graphing, and the Pythagorean Theorem.

Class placement: 7th or 8th grade student

Principles of Art - Drawing and Acrylics (Elementary Art):  

In this course we will focus on the development of basic drawing principles as well as different style and blending techniques for painting with acrylics, along with an overview of art principles such as color theory, scale, perspective, positive and negative space, and others. At the beginning of each project, students will be introduced to famous works of art and/or famous artists throughout history. One-on-one assistance is offered as the students develop their art pieces. Each project offers opportunities for students to train their eye to notice proportion, scale, and painting style of the piece we reproduce. The foremost goal of the class is to improve hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and creative thinking. Students will have an opportunity to display their work at an end-of-semester exhibition. 

Science in the Atomic Age

In this middle school general science class for grades 7-8, ages 12-14, I will build the foundation of Chemistry and Biology which will be further explored in the high school classes.  This hands-on, laboratory-based, science course starts by describing our current understanding of atoms, molecules, the chemicals that are necessary for life, DNA, and cells. It then moves on to discuss the levels of organization found in creation covering how cells work together to make tissues, organs, systems, organisms, and all the way up to the forming biomes. 

Science in the Scientific Revolution (for Science 4/5 and Science 5/6)

Science in the Scientific Revolution is a multilevel elementary science book through Berean Builders covering scientific works of natural philosophers from 1543 to the end of the 1600s. Because the course covers science as it was developed, it discusses a wide range of topics including astronomy, human anatomy, medicine, botany, zoology, heliocentrism, geocentrism, gases, pressure, electricity, fossils, microbiology, binary numbers, gravity, conservation laws, and the laws of motion. Throughout the course, the student learns that most of the great natural philosophers who lived during this time were devout Christians who were studying the world around them to learn more about the nature of God.

Theatre Arts I (Drama/Comedy/Improvisation) 

An introductory course focused on building foundational acting skills through drama, comedy, and improvisation. Students develop confidence, creativity, and communication skills through scene work, theatre games, and performance activities while learning basic stage terminology and collaboration techniques.

Theatre Arts II 

A course designed to explore the foundations of theatrical performance and production. Students are study acting techniques, stage terminology, script analysis, and the collaborative nature of theater. Through improvisation exercises, scene work, and performance activities, students build confidence, creativity, and communication skills. The course also examines elements of stagecraft and set design. By the end of the class, students gain a deeper appreciation for live performance and develop the fundamental skills needed for continued study in theater arts