All our Tuesday Courses are listed below.  
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PDF - Tuesday Course Descriptions

Tuesday Courses (2020-2021)

WRITING I: This course uses the Excellence in Writing, Level B curriculum, which The Old Schoolhouse Family Education Magazine awarded  First Place in their 2017 Excellence in Education Awards in the “Language Arts: Writing (Composition)” category.  Along with structure, students will be taught stylistic techniques. Divided into 9 units, structure includes: note taking, summarizing from notes, writing from narrative stories/pictures, research reports, inventive writing, 5-paragraph  formal essays, and critiques. Stylistic techniques encompass a combination of 28 grammatical writing enhancements from adverbial clauses to teeter-totters. Style checklist rubrics guide students and  provide a framework  for writing and editing weekly assignments. In completing all assignments, pupils cover the entire nine units of the curriculum in one school year. Plan on two hours of homework per week, and a year-end binder project showcasing the year’s work. Materials fees: $30.00 for required binder and $8.00 copies. Taught by Carol de Vries. 

WRITING 1 PLUS: Many middle school students benefit from the shoring up of skills learned in Writing I before attempting the more rigorous writing of our advanced courses. This transitional class is also ideal for younger students who have successfully completed Writing I but who have not yet met the minimum grade requirement for Writing 2. Using IEW's World History-Based Writing Lessons, students will once again work through all nine structural models introduced in Writing I with increased attention given to decorations, grammar, punctuation, and revision. IEW offers several excellent theme-based writing programs to shore up structure and style skills learned in Writing I, and this world history volume is no exception. While encouraging increased independence, the lessons utilize source texts touching on people and events in world history from the 15th century's Gutenberg to the 20th century's Gandhi, Hitler, and Churchill. Plan on 2-3 paragraphs of writing per week, as well as worksheets on advanced topics.  A year-end binder showcasing your student’s weekly revisions is required. In addition, the students will read one novel in the second semester, Number the Stars, to prepare them for Module 9, which covers formal critique writing. Students will also need their Student Resource Binders, which they began building in Writing I. For those who have not taken Writing I at GCT, this notebook is available as a free download once the World History-Based Writing Lessons text is purchased, and students will need to print out a copy before the second week of class. Prerequisite - successful completion of Writing I and permission of instructor. Please purchase a copy of Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. Materials fees: $38.00 for required text and copies. Taught by Carol de Vries.
 
A question about the writing classes: How do you decide in which class to enroll your students if they’ve taken one of them already? Writing is a process, and we never come to the place where we have learned it all. All the way through school we’re going back to writing words and sentences, paragraphs and papers. If your students completed a level well, and were able to be nearly independent and do the assignments fairly easily, they probably are ready to move to the next level. They will receive much more benefit from taking a class they’ve already taken and becoming more competent than by taking one for which they are not ready. Even though they are enrolled in the same class, they will definitely be working at a higher level. Students will often remain in the same level to more fully practice the concepts, achieving greater mastery. Think of it…students in school are taking composition courses every year or almost every year. At GCT they are taking the classes at different levels also, even though they may technically be in the same class two years in a row. Tutors are happy to help you decide on the correct level. What are the options if my student isn’t really ready to move up a level? You should not see this as a failure to learn, but as the need to benefit from cycling through the skills again. They could repeat the same level – many of our students have done that, with great success. But you could also practice with them the things they’ve learned in order to become more comfortable, perhaps using one of the theme-based books sold by Excellence in Writing. For more information about our writing courses and other options for completing at home, check out www.excellenceinwriting.com.
 
WRITING 2: This class reviews all the basic Excellence in Writing techniques learned in Writing I and Writing I Plus and adds more advanced stylistic devices, while also putting more emphasis on the cohesiveness, clarity, and content of the student’s writing.  This class uses the Level B Continuation curriculum along with lessons written and classroom tested by the tutor.  Students will write a variety of paragraphs, as well as expository, narrative, and argument essays.  Conducting research is a major emphasis of Writing II, so students write a 12-paragraph research paper.  For this they learn invaluable skills such as how to choose reliable sources, construct a thesis statement, organize an outline from multiple sources, integrate supporting quotations, and cite their sources.  In addition, students spend time analyzing and imitating famous authors, writing descriptively using imagery and figurative language, and learning the structural forms and language of poetry.  For creative writing, students work all year on an anthology of their own original poetry.   Prerequisite: Students must have taken and successfully completed Writing I or Writing I Plus without much help from their parents; otherwise, Writing II may not be a good fit for them at this time.  Also, because of the research paper, even if younger students have successfully completed Writing I, this class is best suited for 8th grade and up. Any student younger than 8th grade must get permission from the instructor in order to take this class.  Although grammar is taught contextually in this course, it is paramount that students have completed some formal grammar BEFORE taking this class.  Instead of a textbook for this class, students will build a comprehensive binder so they will need at least a two-inch binder with 8-tab dividers marked: style pages, style homework, models, poetry, grammar, compositions, thesaurus, and tests/quizzes.  Please note: The source texts used for many of the larger assignments vary every other year so that students can take this class for two consecutive years to fully master the material. Materials fee $40.00  Taught by Allison Desautell.  
 
A word about public speaking: From Forbes Magazine to Psychology Today, it has been concluded that one of the greatest fears for many adults is public speaking. About 19% have an actual public speaking or stage fright phobia, while 75% have speech anxiety. How many adults wish they had been forced to overcome this fear while they were still in grade school? All of us do or will encounter many opportunities in our jobs and in life when public speaking is the expectation. For this reason, we believe it is a skill best conquered while young. Therefore, we are now offering 3 levels of Public Speaking classes as well as debate!
 
BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE PUBLIC SPEAKING:  Intended for grades 7-10. In this class, students will be introduced to a range of speech styles. There are 2 formats including 2 platforms speeches, which are written by the student, and 1 interpretive speech, which is taken from a piece of literature. Specifically, informative, narrative and persuasive speeches will be taught. Speech writing skills, like outlining, research and organization, as well as presentation skills, like verbal articulation, non-verbal communication and connecting with an audience will be taught. Speeches will be practiced during class time throughout the year, and one piece will be chosen to present at the speech presentation evening at the end of April. Students will also be taught to how to create and include a thesis statement in their speeches, as well as how to cite sources. Although material will be drawn from a few different resources, IEW’s Speech Boot Camp will be our main curriculum. We will conclude the year with time spent on learning how to present an impromptu speech, which is a skill we all use in our day-to-day lives, from sharing with others our faith and values to being interviewed for a job. Competing in NCFCA or another competitive speech league is encouraged but not required. For those who have already taken this class, repeat students in the past have shown remarkable improvement the second time around! What is expected from the student? Students are expected to arrive to class having completed the homework assignments. This will help build class unity as well as personal confidence. The only way to actually get comfortable with public speaking is to do it! The speech presentation night on the last Tuesday in April will be to showcase student’s favorite speeches and participation is a requirement for this class. Also strongly recommended is our In-house speech tournament, which will take place one Saturday in March.
REQUIRED FOR 2020-21: Be able to access my Google Classroom and Hangouts via a decent internet connection, a Gmail account, Zoom, AND the use of Google Docs for speech writing! This class won’t work without the use of these communication outlets.  Prerequisite: Due to the necessary writing component, students should have completed or be currently taking Writing 1 or its equivalent. Materials: $15.00. Taught by: Carleen Perkins.
 
ADVANCED PUBLIC SPEAKING: The Advanced Public Speaking class is for students who have completed the Beginner/Intermediate Public Speaking class or have spoken to Amy Gaudet in order to waive that requirement. This is a high school level class, which requires extensive memorization and is for those students who wish to further develop their speaking skills personally and competitively. Students will learn to listen well, anticipate questions, and formulate reasonable responses, sometimes with very little time to prepare (Impromptu). In addition, students will identify an issue about which they are passionate and present a speech designed to inform and impact listeners regarding that issue (Persuasive or Informative).  Finally, they will choose a piece of literature to “bring to life” in a speech, using characterization, editing, blocking and storytelling skills. Few people can navigate life without speaking in public at the very least occasionally. Most adults wish they had received training in public speaking. Public speaking skills have been proven to serve the students well in college, career, ministry, and adult life.  For those who are Christ followers, we are compelled to confidently articulate the gospel message. This course is intended to help improve the students’ confidence and ease when giving a speech. Students will learn to acknowledge their fear and push past it, rather than be stopped by it. If one can learn in high school to do that which terrifies you, imagine how that impacts the rest of one’s life! Although there will be extensive writing as a part of this course, it is not a tutorial in writing, so students should have completed Writing 2 or its equivalent level before taking this class. 
Requirements: Participation in at least one competitive public speaking opportunity during the school year (e.g. NCFCA tournament or other competitive venue); Affiliation to NCFCA  (www.ncfca.org) for the 2020-2021 academic year (we will be using resources from the NCFCA website. This cost is approximately $100.00); participation in the one day GCT in-house tournament in March; participation in speech presentation night in late April. Requirements may be subject to change based on the availability of competitive opportunities. Copies: $15.00. Taught by Amy Gaudet.
 
A question about competition: Why is competition necessary? It takes a big commitment of both time and finances.  Don’t we just want our kids to get experience in front of people? We have found that NOTHING motivates kids to continue to strive for excellence like competition. If our kids just practiced acting, but never performed; or just practiced football skills, but never played the game; or just practiced the piano without a recital or performance, the outcome would be very different. Winning competitions is NOT the goal –the goal IS becoming effective communicators for Christ, and competition has proven to be an effective means to that end. 
  
INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE: In this popular middle school class students in 6th-8th grade gain a solid foundation for high school literary analysis, strengthen their reading comprehension skills, and learn to take part in a dialectic discussion.  Students learn the Socratic method of questioning what they read, grounding everything they say with evidence from the text, and drawing conclusions from what is implied in the story.  Identifying basic plot elements, conventional story patterns, figurative language, and common literary devices are part of every class conversation.  Each week for homework in the first semester, students will read a portion of the book and complete work in a study guide while they are learning the basics of the Socratic method.  Then in the second semester instead of a study guide, students are more than ready to respond in a literary response journal where they choose meaningful quotations from the story which they question, respond to, and analyze.  Incremental lessons ensure that writing a variety of different paragraphs and one literary analysis essay are manageable for all students.  Students will read books from a variety of genres that are specifically chosen for their text complexities, such as: multiple characters and plots, symbolic elements, archaic language, non-linear time sequence or varied points of view.  This year the books you should purchase are: Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb (ISBN 1420928589 or ISBN 9781853261404), Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry by Mildred Taylor, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt, and The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. Please note: The books for this class are rotated every other year, so that students can take Introduction to Literature for two consecutive years during middle school.  Tales from Shakespeare is used every year; however, different stories from the book are studied each year.   All study guides are provided by the tutor, except for one which the tutor will provide, but parents will need to print out.  Materials fee for copies and study guides $40.00.  Taught by Allison Desautell.  
 
​AMERICAN LITERATURE: (ONLINE ONLY THIS YEAR): The purpose of this high school course is to familiarize students with American literature and its authors and worldviews. The literature selections for this class include such works as To Kill a Mockingbird, The Scarlet Letter, The Crucible, Alas Babylon, Fahrenheit 451, and The Glass Menagerie. In addition, we will analyze classic short stories and poetry and will end the year with a fun analysis of political agendas in Dr. Seuss’ stories. Students will receive a complete list of books and materials to purchase.  Students should expect  50-75 pages of reading per week, as well as study guides, dialectical journals, creative projects, and literary analysis essays. They should also be prepared to participate in lively class discussions over Zoom! REQUIRED FOR 2020-21: Be able to access my Google Classroom via a decent internet connection, a Gmail account, Zoom, AND the use of Google Docs for turning in homework! This class won’t work without the use of these communication outlets. Prerequisite: It is assumed that students who take this course have successfully completed an introductory or fundamentals literature course. Materials: $7.00  Taught by Tammy Bankston.
 
​AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION (INTRODUCTORY COLLEGE WRITING) (ONLINE ONLY THIS YEAR): This is an introductory college-level writing course to prepare high school juniors and seniors for the AP English Language and Composition examination in May. Students will read and analyze a wide variety of primarily non-fiction works with an emphasis on the study of rhetoric, the art of effective or persuasive speaking and writing. We will focus on how language works and why writers use language as they do. Weekly reading assignments will be from a range of letters, articles, essays, speeches, product advertisements, and political cartoons and ads. Assignments will feature personal, analytical, expository and argumentative texts. Students will use skills learned to improve their own writing. Writing assignments will include expository, narrative, persuasive and descriptive writing in the form of journal entries, formal and timed essays, and several major creative projects with presentations to the class. Learning to write well is the primary objective of this class, so students should expect to write frequently! The class will be a lot of work, but the writing instruction will be invaluable, the reading fascinating, and the weekly Zoom discussions lively and entertaining! REQUIRED FOR 2020-21: Be able to access my Google Classroom via a decent internet connection, a Gmail account, Zoom, AND the use of Google Docs for turning in homework! This class won’t work without the use of these communication outlets. Students will receive a list of books and materials to purchase.  Materials: $7.00. Taught by Tammy Bankston.
 
SPANISH 1A: This course focuses on interaction and conversational Spanish, concentrating on the four aspects of communicating: listening and speaking, writing and reading. The students will converse in Spanish using basic vocabulary to talk about their interests and the world around them. Grammar is taught to support the effort to speak and understand this language, as students
explore the various cultures of Hispanic people around the world. The class includes studies of geography, history, cultural traditions, art, music, and daily life, all from someone who has experienced it firsthand and uses that knowledge to make the language come alive in the classroom. This course works well for middle school students looking to get a head start on language or high school students who would like to work at a slower pace, breaking Spanish 1 into two years to ensure comprehension. Taking both Spanish 1A and Spanish 1B is the equivalent of one year, one credit of high school Spanish, meaning that students would still take a Spanish 2 class in order to fulfill the two-year language requirement. All teacher-made materials mean no textbook, but students will need a binder and should plan on about 3-4 hours of homework per week. Materials fee: $25.00. Taught by Mikaela Shorey.
 
SPANISH 1B: This course is the continuation of the conversation-based Spanish 1A class. It is a communicative course that focuses on interaction to learn language effectively. The students converse in Spanish using basic vocabulary and grammar. Students will experience a continued balanced development of the four basic skills: reading and writing, listening and speaking. The content focuses on students talking about themselves and others, their likes and dislikes, feelings, giving directions, travel, food, description of where they live, and what their daily routines look like, hobbies, plans, and healthy living. Grammar concepts focus on the formation of the present tense. Students will begin to show, in oral and written form, some spontaneity and creative language use in response to an oral or written question, a situation, or a visual. This class, combined with the preceding Spanish 1A, is the equivalent of one year of high school Spanish, meaning that students would still take a Spanish 2 class in order to fulfill the two-year language requirement. (But don’t be surprised if they learn to love it, and want to pursue more language years than required!). All teacher-made materials mean no textbook, but students will need a binder and should plan on about 3-4 hours of homework per week. Materials fee: $25.00. Taught by Mikaela Shorey.
 
UNDERSTANDING THE TIMES: (1½ hour tutorial) Don’t let your high school student graduate without this course by Summit Ministries which focuses on comparing six fundamental worldviews of Western Civilization: Marxist Leninism (communism), Secular Humanism, Cosmic Humanism (New Age movement), Islam, Post-Modernism, and Biblical Christianity, all easily discovered in the current culture. Students quickly learn to do that, as well as being grounded in answers for them. Students learn to understand how worldview affects all other disciplines and how to defend their own faith. Those questioning their beliefs are encouraged to ask questions. Try taking this excellent (and free) worldview test yourself and then have your high schooler do it, to perhaps obtain some real insight into the need: http://www.secretbattlebook.com/checkup.html Where apologetics is mostly studying the basics of the Christian faith from the Bible, this course involves studying what the other worldviews believe and how they compare to Christianity (of various denominations), also using the Bible as the final authority. You have heard the statistic that 50% of professing Christian students leave the faith in college? The number is even higher now, but instruction in the biblical worldview dramatically changes the statistic. The lively discussion/application format is very effective in encouraging students to interact about the things that really matter, and it is what the students love most about this class, along with the video lectures by experts in every field we study. Check out the college credit option at http://understandingthetimes.com/college-credit/. The material was written for juniors and seniors in high school, but, though challenging, it need not be limited to that age. Adults have found it beneficial also. Materials fee includes hard cover textbook, student manual, license for  online video lectures, and copy fee. Materials: $75.00. Taught by Julie Shorey.
 
STUDY SKILLS AND READING STRATEGIES (2nd semester): Students in this class learn to become more efficient readers of non-fiction, as well as learn specific strategies for recall, studying, note taking, task analysis, and time management.  Students learn key reading skills to improve their non-fiction reading speed and comprehension.  Throughout the semester students will work on a variety of proven reading techniques to increase their reading rate; however, this is NOT a class where we are trying to attain extreme reading speeds, instead students learn to make decisions to find their optimum reading pace and improve their comprehension so that they are better able to understand what they read and complete assignments more efficiently.  Equally as important, students learn how manage their time by using a planner, how to take notes so they can study for tests more effectively, and how to recall information using a specific type of retrieval practice which is backed up by cognitive science as the best way to remember what you have read.  Even for homeschoolers who tend to be avid readers, I have found over the many years in teaching my literature and SAT prep classes that their reading speed and comprehension are not what they should be.  The reality for most students is that they need to be explicitly taught reading and recall strategies, along with time management and task analysis.  This class is geared for students who are 8th grade and above and who can fluently decode words.  Along with all the practical strategies that students learn in this class, at the end of the semester, parents receive an assessment of their student’s weaknesses along with specific recommendations to remedy them. All students will need a planner that is in notebook form and has ample space to write daily assignments.  Students may not use a planner that looks like a monthly calendar or any loose-leaf pages. Note: this course will not be offered for the 2021-2022 school year, so plan accordingly.  Materials fee $15.00. Taught by Allison Desautell.  
 
INTRODUCTION TO COLLEGE VERBAL TEST PREP (2nd semester) SAT, ACT and the CLT are a way in which to give increased validation to a homeschool transcript. Some colleges prefer standardized test scores as an evaluation of the student’s grade level. Such testing is also a means to obtain financial incentives from potential colleges. SAT and ACT test prep can be very expensive, often costing close to a thousand dollars or much more.  This class is an inexpensive way (less than $200.00 for the semester!) to give your student an overview of the tests and help determine where they need to focus their efforts. It is appropriate for 10th-12th graders who have had one year of high school literature, have taken writing II or its equivalent, and have completed one year of high school grammar.  Students will review the grammar section for the SAT and learn to write the essay for the SAT.  Learning to write a timed essay is essential for success on a college prep test, as well as in college, where tests often require students to formulate their thoughts and write an essay within a limited time frame.  Additionally, students spend an equal amount of time preparing for the CLT, ACT and SAT reading tests that require students to read and analyze challenging passages, critically answer complicated questions about what they read, and cite the evidence for their answers.  Because most students don’t have the necessary skills to analyze a complicated non-fiction text, the class will spend a considerable amount of time analyzing non-fiction passages. This class is equal to ½ credit of high school English. At the end of the semester, students will receive an evaluation with suggestions for improving areas of weakness.  Required:  Daily Reading Practice Student Workbook for Grade 10 by Dawn Burnette (available online from DGP Publishing), Reading and Writing Workout for the SAT, The Princeton Review, 4th Edition and a subscription to Imprimis, a free monthly publication of Hillsdale College (you may request your subscription at hillsdale.edu/imprimis).  At the end of the semester students will receive an evaluation that specifically tells them in which areas they are weak, what they should work on over the summer, along with specific resources to use to continue prepping for the tests Material fee: 20.00. Taught by Amy Gaudet.
 
BIOLOGY: (1½ hour tutorial) This high school biology course is an introduction to general biology topics including: classification of organisms, basic cell biology, biochemistry concepts, anatomy and physically of organisms, genetics, ecology, and a discussion of evolution. Laboratory experiments, including dissections, are performed throughout the year.  Students will create Biology Laboratory books so to demonstrate to college admissions the true nature of this Lab Biology course. Homework and bi-weekly examinations help build students’ understanding of the material. Required Materials: Apologia - Exploring Creation with Biology, 2nd edition, Jay Wile and Marilyn Durnell, lab book (graph ruled 1/4" bound composition book  9 3/4"x 71/2"), 3 ring binder  with college ruled filler paper 8"x 10.5" and 16  insertable dividers with tabs. Material/Lab fee: $20.00.  Taught by Dana Cloutier.
 
HEALTH AND NUTRITION (for high school and beyond): “Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition covers what maturing students need to know to help them make the best choices they can for themselves as they become young adults. Health is about stewardship: managing what you have as well as you can. This 15-module course covers the physical, nutritional, emotional, and spiritual aspects of growing into a healthy adult. Students will study the human body systems, senses, genetics, temperaments, and physical influences on thoughts and feelings. The course respectfully covers mental illness and emotional stability, as well as the inestimable value of another human being, our culture, our gender roles, our families, socialization, communication skills, and conflict resolution skills. Students will gain an in-depth knowledge of both macronutrients and micronutrients, including the importance of exercise and proper diet. We will also touch on topics such as nature versus nurture, personal temperament, good decision-making skills, boundary setting, analyzing food intake and activity levels, creating good hygiene habits, keeping a sleep record, as well as so much more. Parental Note: This is a full health textbook. Some students may not be mature enough to discuss some of the topics. The reproductive systems are covered in detail, including accurate, yet respectful, illustrations and descriptions. We respectfully discuss the act of marriage, sexual misconduct, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases. We discuss alcohol and drug abuse, depression, pornography, and other topics that also require maturity. Please use your knowledge of your students to decide if this course is appropriate for their maturity levels.” (from apologia.com). Please note: If your student high school science course plan does NOT include the Anatomy & Physiology course, this Health course would be helpful to include with biology. Apologia Biology does NOT include any study of the human body in its biology book. Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition can fulfill the health course requirements that some states require for high school graduation. It does not fulfill a lab science requirement. Required Text: Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition. Strongly recommended to have taken Biology before taking Health and Nutrition. (Author suggests this in textbook introduction to course)
Required materials also includes student notebook, not just the text.
https://www.christianbook.com/exploring-creation-with-health-nutrition-course/laura-chase/pd/437038?en=google&event=SHOP&kw=homeschool-60-80%7C437038&p=1179710&dv=c&gclid=CjwKCAjwk6P2BRAIEiwAfVJ0rErl8VbHzz-8rmJZnDZdNiWZEa-KRWBAThr1965auv4besdqMZXBPhoCbDYQAvD_BwE  Materials: $20.00. Taught by Dana Cloutier.
 
 ALGEBRA 1/HONORS ALGEBRA 1:  (ONLINE ONLY THIS YEAR) This is a high school level math course that meets TWICE per week.  Prerequisite to admission into this class is successful completion of the Math Concepts class or passing an Algebra readiness test administered by the instructor.  [If a student is not ready for Algebra 1, the Math Concepts course offered on Thursdays is a great place to begin.]  Since math is a difficult subject to take in an entire week’s worth of instruction at one sitting, it will meet TWICE a week for 1 hour each session, allowing for  more in-depth interaction with the concepts.  The course requires about an hour of DAILY work outside of class, and can be taken at the standard level or the honors level.  A goal of this course is to help students understand why the concepts work, not just how to find answers.  This helps promote mathematical reasoning and conceptual growth which allows students to analyze new situations and deduce answers.  The concept of function is emphasized throughout the course.  We will start with Chapter 3 of the textbook because Chapter 1 and 2 are Pre-Algebra topics.  Required summer assignments will review these earlier topics.  Some of the other topics covered include, integers, word phrases and algebraic expressions, solving equations and inequalities, polynomials and factoring, radical and quadratic equations, rational expressions and equations, and quadratic functions.  Additionally, statistics topics (which are now included in the SAT exam) are introduced as well.  Required Materials:  Algebra 1, by Larson, Bosewell, Kanold and Stiff, published by McDougall Littell, Copyright 2007, ISBN 0618594027.  A 3-ring binder with 5 dividers, lined and graph paper.  You will also need a calculator that can handle trig functions and logarithms (the Casio FX-300 ES PLUS, the Casio fx-300MS, and the TI-30XS MultiView are examples for under $20).  Do not purchase a graphing calculator.  Materials  fee includes one year subscription to IXL and summer review assignments: $30. Taught by Sandy Tracy.
 
GEOMETRY:  (ONLINE ONLY THIS YEAR) This is a high school level math course that meets TWICE per week.  Prerequisite to admission into this class is successful completion of the Algebra 1 class or passing an Algebra Exit test administered by the instructor.  [If a student is not ready for Geometry, the Algebra 1 course is a great place to begin.]  Since math is a difficult subject to take in an entire week’s worth of instruction at one sitting, it will meet TWICE a week for 1 hour each session.  This format allows for more in-depth interaction with the concepts.  The course requires about an hour of DAILY work outside of class.  A goal of this course is to help students understand why the concepts work, not just how to find the answers, promoting mathematical reasoning and conceptual growth which allows students to analyze new situations and deduce answers.  Required: summer assignments will review these earlier topics. Some of the topics covered include:  parallel and perpendicular line, triangle relationships, similarity, polygons and area, surface area and volume, right triangles and basic trigonometry, and circles.   Please purchase:  Holt McDougal Geometry Concepts and Skills (2010 edition).  You will also need a calculator that can handle trig functions and logarithms (the Casio FX-300 ES PLUS, the Casio fx-300MS, and the TI-30XS MultiView are examples for under #20).  Do not purchase a graphing calculator.  Materials  fee includes one year subscription to IXL and summer review assignments: $30. Taught by Sandy Tracy.
 
ALL ABOUT ART (1st semester): This is a multi-level basic art course that will include the elements and principles of art, and is appropriate for both middle school and high school. We will be using different types of mediums, to give a variety of experience to the students, including pencils, paint, and clay. Assignments will include: discovering LINE through drawing, SPACE and depth through collage, sculpting a comic character that will be designed by the student, brushstroke, and techniques of paint and COLOR. We will be completing the semester with an original watercolor painting that can be entered into the National Junior Duck Stamp Competition national competition, and will display all of the student projects during the last day of classes. A supply list will be provided. Materials: $15.00. Taught by Erin Hazen.
 
ADVENTURES IN ART (2nd semester): Combining the studio experience with art history, this class will be taking a look into the lives and work of artists through history using Visual Manna and Great Studio Projects as supplements. As we study the artists’ work, we will discuss the background and worldview that influenced their work, and students will create their own pieces experimenting with the artists’ techniques. The students will create something new almost every week. We will look at the Rennaissance time period through surrealists and cubism, as we study the growth and change of different elements of art and the effect they had on their worlds and vice versa. For example when we study Leonardo Da Vinci, we will look at “The Last Supper” and practice doing one-point perspective. When we study Edgar Degas and Claude Monet, we will look at the impressionists and their work, and how to achieve movement in an art piece using light and color. We will look at the balance created by Picasso’s cubist paintings. Observing Leonardo’s “Mona Lisa” will give us insight into faces and their proportions.
Materials; $15.00. Taught by Erin Hazen.
 
MUSIC CLASS: MEDIEVAL CHOIR (2nd semester): Intended for grades 6-12, this choir class will focus on medieval music, with the intention of performing throughout the Medieval Fair planned for the end of the semester by Julie Shorey. This music typically included both sacred and secular, monophonic and polyphonic. While they may have looked different and/or had a different name, some common instruments that we still use today would have included the flute, dulcimer, harp, lyre, and violin. In this class, selections will include several 2 and 3 part vocal pieces for full choir, as well as some ensembles that may be incorporated into the Shakespeare play taught by Amy Gaudet and performed at the Medieval Fair where we will perform as well. Here is an excerpt of her drama course description. “In this High School class, students will collaborate on a production of As You Like It. This play is one of ‘Shakespeare’s’ delightful comedies in which we find such highlights as; romance, rejection, loss, redemption, mistaken identity and a wrestling match!” Vocal parts will be learned by listening at home to recordings made by the talented Jennifer Baker. Class time will be used to learn a little about the time period, then spent on merging parts learned at home to create balance and beauty. Basic choir skills and vocal improvement tips will also be taught during class time. This class is suitable for both new and experienced choir student. Responsible and experienced students will be asked to participate in smaller group music, which could consist of duets, trios, quartets, etc. Also, for those who have experience playing one of the above instruments mentioned, or a similar period instrument, I would love to incorporate that in as well! Materials/music fee $25. Taught by Carleen Perkins.
 
DRAMA: IMPROVISATION, High School (1st semester): Improvisational theater, while often associated with comedy is so much more than that. Improv or theater in general is a reflection of real life and offers us the opportunity to challenge ourselves both physically and mentally. It provides a foundation for any theatrical endeavor, but more importantly it grows general communication skills for anyone, not just actors.  Improv stretches the imagination and causes the actor to be fully engaged with their scene partners in an act of trust while simultaneously offering the same in return. In many ways, this is likely the reason that improv is associated with comedy, simply because, the truth is funny. At its core, improv is all about excellent communication and interpersonal skills, pressing players toward greater empathy, cooperation, and social awareness. In this course, we will be learning the foundation of long-form improv called "The Harold" as well as many short form improvisational theater games and exercises. Long-form improv is essentially a short improvised play (approximately 15 mins.), whereas short-form are briefer exercises targeted at different skills. Improv at its core is a team effort, requiring every player to work collaboratively. Improv thrives when the players are able to fully trust one another, which happens through quality time as well as working through acting exercises. If you are considering this course, please make every effort to attend every class as each class will offer the opportunity for us to become more connected as a troupe and as a team to get the most out of our work. At the end of this course, we hope to have a short performance where we will be able to demonstrate both short form games as well as perform a Harold. Materials: $5.00. Taught by Amanda Liu.
 
DRAMA: IMPROVISATION, Middle School (2nd semester): Improvisational theater, while often associated with comedy is so much more than that. Improv or theater in general is a reflection of real life and offers us the opportunity to challenge ourselves both physically and mentally. It provides a foundation for any theatrical endeavor, but more importantly it grows general communication skills for anyone, not just actors.  Improv stretches the imagination and causes the actor to be fully engaged with their scene partners in an act of trust while simultaneously offering the same in return. In many ways, this is likely the reason that improv is associated with comedy, simply because, the truth is funny. At its core, improv is all about excellent communication and interpersonal skills, pressing players toward greater empathy, cooperation, and social awareness. In this course, we will be learning the foundation of long-form improv called "The Harold" as well as many short form improvisational theater games and exercises. Long-form improv is essentially a short improvised play (approximately 15 mins.), whereas short-form are briefer exercises targeted at different skills. Improv at its core is a team effort, requiring every player to work collaboratively. Improv thrives when the players are able to fully trust one another, which happens through quality time as well as working through acting exercises. If you are considering this course, please make every effort to attend every class as each class will offer the opportunity for us to become more connected as a troupe and as a team to get the most out of our work. At the end of this course, we hope to have a short performance where we will be able to demonstrate both short form games as well as perform a Harold. Materials: $5.00. Taught by Amanda Liu.
 
ACTING INTENSIVE, Middle School (1st semester):  Acting Intensive class for grades 5-8 will focus on several areas of personal growth including listening, watching, awareness of others and self, attentiveness to personal space, how to give and take, and more. Students understanding of the senses will also be explored. All this will be taught through drama games and activities. These skills will not only improve students acting abilities, but they also help on a personal level in relationship to others and the world around them. A great introduction to acting skills without the commitment of a production.  NOTE: If due to Coronavirus there is a government mandate requiring masks or virtual learning this fall, this class will be canceled. Too much is dependent on non-verbal communication (i.e. body language and facial expression) for students to learn virtually or with face covered. Copy fee $5.00. Taught by Carleen Perkins.
 
DRAMA PRODUCTION: (2nd semester): The works of William Shakespeare have shaped the body of our literary heritage. In his book, Democracy in America (1835-1840,) Alexis de Tocqueville observed of American culture, “There is scarcely a pioneer’s hut where one does not encounter some odd volumes of Shakespeare.” Nowadays, many people are unfamiliar – or even uncomfortable with – the rich and satisfying plays of Shakespeare. These are timeless stories with relatable plots for all of us and the best way to enjoy them is on the stage. In this High School class, students will collaborate on a production of As You Like It. This play is one of his delightful comedies in which we find such highlights as; romance, rejection, loss, redemption, mistaken identity and a wrestling match! Why should students participate in drama? Some of the skills developed in drama are; courage, responsibility, humility, trust, cooperation, receiving and giving constructive criticism and positive feedback and increased faith in God (anyone who has ever seen a dress rehearsal may attest to this), not to mention a lifelong appreciation for one of the greatest minds in western literature. Drama class is a unique opportunity for students to mingle with people whom they may not otherwise cross paths. It is truly a team effort! : Drama class is a unique opportunity for students to mingle among people with whom they may not otherwise cross paths. This High School class requires extensive memorization, but always proves that hard work can provide the most fun. Materials fee $20.00. Taught by Amy Gaudet.