Course Descriptions

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Language Arts

Medieval, Renaissance, and Reformation History, Literature, and Composition: (1 credits)

Content: As a combined English and History course, this class covered the history and literature of the Middle Ages, Reformation, and Renaissance. Students were taught how to write purposefully for various audiences and objectives, and develops their skills in researching and writing analytical essays.

Texts: Anglo Saxon poetry, Early Welsh poetry, Early Irish poetry, Beowulf, The Volsupa, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Song of Roland, Saga of the Volsungs, Macbeth, Le Morte D’Arthur, Orlando Furioso: Part 1, The Faerie Queene Book 1, The Lays of Marie de France, In Praise of Folly, Norton Anthology of Western Literature, volume 1, The History of the Medieval World: From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade, The Rule of St. Benedict, The New Concise History of the Crusades, Student Edition; Two Lives of Charlemagne, The Renaissance: A Short History, The Reformation: A History

Online Instructor: Dr. Joseph Leake received his B.A. in English from the University of Southern Mississippi, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from the University of Connecticut. He also studied historical and comparative linguistics at the University of Georgia. For eight years, Joseph taught college composition at the University of Connecticut.

Instruction setting and schedule: live online classes with additional assigned coursework

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours in live online class, written feedback on assignments.

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours, additional interaction through e-mail, discussion groups etc.

English 2 Literature and Composition (1 credit)

Content: This course covered a wide variety of composition writing, including several essay styles, research, fiction, and poetry. Students analyzed their compositions through a detailed self-assessment and learned how to give thoughtful feedback to other students. Literature selections emphasized critical analysis of literary elements and part of the class time was dedicated to discussions raised by themes, characters, symbolism, and authors' lives.

Texts: Grammar The Write Way: Application by Ruth Ann Frederick, Kristy Massie, Diana L. Thomas), The Poetry Handbook by Diana L. Thomas, Essay Series by Diana L. Thomas, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (book and 2002 movie), Animal Farm by George Orwell), Everyman 16 C morality play by author unknown; short stories ("The Blue Carbuncle" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, "Toys of Peace" by Saki, "The Necklace" by Guy du Maupassant, "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" by Leo Tolstoy. "Split Cherry Tree" by Jess Stuart, "Lady or the Tiger" by Frank Stockton, "Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allen Poe, "Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry, "Thank You, Ma'am" by Langston Hughes)

Online instructor: Mrs. Ruth Ann Frederick, BS in English Education from Liberty University, over twenty-five years of experience teaching English and developing curriculum in public and private schools, in the homeschool community, and online.

Instruction setting and schedule: live online classes with additional assigned coursework

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours in live online class, written feedback on assignments.

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours, additional interaction through e-mail, discussion groups etc.

English 3 Literature Survey and Composition (honors): (1 credit)

Content: This course introduced students to a wide variety of works from across the main genres of literature, giving them tools and practice in critiquing these works of literature. The course also prepared students for the associated SAT Subject Test. Topics covered: Writing Process, Exposition Writing, Grammar and Mechanics, Academic paragraph, Short Stories, Drama, Cause-effect Essay, Definition Essay, Research Writing, Persuasive Essay, Modern Language Association Edition 8, Descriptive Writing, Critical Reading, Poetry, Novel.

Texts: MLA Handbook 8th Edition, , Literature Survey: Student Guide by Abigail I. Gray), 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology, 5th Edition by Samuel Cohen, Our Town by Thornton Wilder, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Online Instructor: Diane Thomas, B.A. and M.A. Music degrees Cincinatti College-Conservatory and Cleveland Institute of Music, M.A. Education Portland State University, online English composition & literature instructor and curriculum developer since 2002.

Instruction setting and schedule: live online classes with additional assigned coursework

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours in live online class, written feedback on assignments.

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours, additional interaction through e-mail, discussion groups etc.

English 3 Intrigue & Illusion Lit Analysis and Composition (honors): (1 credit)

Content: English 3 writing objectives focus on developing literary and rhetorical analysis and written expression skills in order to analyze stories, articles, and film. Students will learn to recognize God's truth in a variety of settings and character circumstances, both fictional and real. Literature discussions include exploring complex relationships between society and technology in Bradbury's profound novel Fahrenheit 451; uncovering sacrificial heroism in the novella Babette's Feast; considering the complex cultural roles as portrayed in the Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and the film Hidden Figures; and analyzing reality and illusion through one of the course's "student choice" film options. In this course, students will learn to effectively research and critique sources, analyze textual evidence, form an effective thesis, outline sound arguments, and compose compelling academic essays with proper styling and formatting. Students systematically learn to develop every step of the analysis-thesis-essay process as well research techniques, organization methods, and writing style. Students will also engage in a constructive process of self-evaluation and editing. Topics covered: Writing Process, Exposition Writing, Grammar and Mechanics, Academic paragraph, Short Stories, Drama, Cause-effect Essay, Definition Essay, Research Writing, Persuasive Essay, Modern Language Association Edition 8, Descriptive Writing, Critical Reading, Poetry, Novel.

Texts: Reading Deeper, Writing Stronger by Diana Thomas; Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Babette's Feast by Isak Dinesen, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Hidden Figures (2016) film, Inception (2010) film

Online Instructor: Diana Thomas (M. Ed. Portland State University 1994, BA and MM Cincinnati College-Conservatory, Cleveland Institute of Music). Over 25 years of teaching English in different settings (Oregon, Virginia, TPS) and curriculum development.

Instruction setting and schedule: live online classes with additional assigned coursework

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours in live online class, written feedback on assignments.

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours, additional interaction through e-mail, discussion groups, etc.

English 4/5/6 Fantastic Worlds and Epic Tales: Speculative FIction Lit & Comp (1 credit)

Content: J.R.R. Tolkien argued that speculative fiction allows us to "regain a proper view of the world" through the lives of the fictional characters. Speculative fiction -- which includes fantasy, science fiction, mysteries, epic ballads and poems, and more -- allows us to place relatable imaginary characters in a relatable imaginary context so we can engage them to learn more about ourselves. In its highest purpose, speculative fiction can be redemptive in helping reconcile God, man, and the Creation. This course engages with various works of classic speculative fiction for the redemptive purpose of regaining a proper biblical view of the world. The study of each fictional work will include not only reading the work, but also study of the background historical and cultural context that informed and motivated the fictional story. The course includes a strong writing component where students incorporate the background research with thoughtful study and discussion of the fictional works to develop original thesis statements and analytical essays to explain and defend their ideas developed from their study of the speculative fiction.

Text: Beowulf by Seamus Heaney, The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, Watership Down by Richard Adams, Out of the Silent Planet trilogy by C.S. Lewis, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, Dune by Frank Herbert, Life of Pi (2012 film).

Instruction setting and schedule: live online classes with additional assigned coursework

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours in live online class, written feedback on assignments.

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours, additional interaction through e-mail, discussion groups etc.

English 4 Advanced Composition Style & Rhetoric (honors) (1 credit)

Content: Using a wide variety of current texts and topics, this course taught students to analyze other writers' arguments and ideas, then compose concise persuasive responses. By learning and practicing advanced tools of rhetoric and style, students developed their own voice in effectively expressing analysis and argument. Topics covered: Thinking and listening rhetorically, Writing a Review, Crafting a Narrative, Reading Rhetorically, Arguing a Position, Analyzing and Constructing Arguments, Rhetorical Analysis, Research Paper, Writing a Proposal, Grammar and mechanics, Peer Review.

Text: Everyone’s an Author, eBook/InQuizative

Instruction setting and schedule: live online classes with additional assigned coursework

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours in live online class, written feedback on assignments.

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours, additional interaction through e-mail, discussion groups etc.

AP English Language and Composition: (1 credit)

Content: This College Board AP® approved course prepared students to take the AP English Language and Composition Exam by instruction and guidance through AP practice questions and essay-prompts provided by the College Board. Students read and discussed a range of non-fiction compositions which served as the basis for analyzing effective, powerful writing. Readings were drawn from a wide variety of genres and periods, from the Confessions of Augustine to the letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, from important historical texts – such as Winston Churchill’s Their Finest Hour speech and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail – to scholarly film criticism. All of the readings occasioned in-depth analysis of rhetorical methods, styles, and ways of presenting and organizing arguments. The course also helped students take deep dives into the anatomy of sentences and paragraphs, the stylistic implications of punctuation, the integration of evidence and sources, the use of sound logic in developing lines of reasoning.

Texts: The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr., E.B. White; Everything’s an Argument, by Andrea A. Lunsford, John J. Ruszkiewicz

Online Instructor: Dr. Joseph Leake, B.A. in English, University of Southern Mississippi, M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval Studies, University of Connecticut. Dr. Leake also studied Historical and Comparative Linguistics at the University of Georgia and taught College Composition at the University of Connecticut for eight years.

Instruction setting and schedule: live online classes with additional assigned coursework

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours in live online class, written feedback on assignments.

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours, additional interaction through e-mail, discussion groups etc.

Modern History, Literature, and Composition: (1 credits)

Content: This course was an honors-level analysis of the Modern period's essential events studied alongside its essential writings. Spanning the mid-1600's to the Present, this course considered the impact of interrelated revolutions in religion, politics, science and literature. While the course focused predominately on the western world, it also considers the clashes and changes as cultures began to interact on a global level. All of these are reflected in the literary works of each period of which a selection of reflective and influential works were used to bring out the real "history" of the events. The great works and historical analysis were also used as the foundation for teaching advanced composition skills, and the course culminated in a research opportunity integrating the student's understanding of a key historical event with thoughtful analysis of a complimentary literary work.

Texts: The Tempest by Shakespeare, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Mysterious Affair at Styles (Agatha Christie); The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Arthur Conan Doyle; excerpts from literature of the 1930’s and 1940s; poets of WWI (selection; in depth Dolce et Decorum Est; Marching Men); The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe; All Is Quiet on the Western Front, C.S. Lewis radio addresses; Fahrenheit 451; Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Arc; Casablanca (movie), music of the 1960’s and 1970’s (Bohemian Rapsody, White Rabbit, American Pie); the Adventures of Superman (tv series); comic strips of the 1940s (Captain America, Superman, Spiderman); Stephen Crane – The Open Boat; British and American Romantics selected works by William Blake, William Wordsworth, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, John Keats, Samuel Colridge, William Bryant, Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickenson, Robert Frost, W.H. Auden, Edwin Robinson, Edgar Lee Masters

Online Instructor: Denise Yagel has over twenty-five years experience teaching English, most recently serving as English teacher and Department Chair at a top ten nationally-ranked high school in Richmond, Virginia. She also has experience teaching in private schools in California and Virginia and homeschooling her own daughter.

Instruction setting and schedule: live online classes with additional assigned coursework

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours in live online class, written feedback on assignments.

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours, additional interaction through e-mail, discussion groups etc.

Mathematics

Geometry (honors): (1 credit)

Content: Introduction to Geometry, Deductive Reasoning, Lines and Angles, Congruence, Inequalities, Parallel Lines, Quadrilaterals, Transformations, Area, Similarity, Right Triangles, Circles, The Concurrence Theorems, Regular Polygons and the Circle, Geometric Solids.

Texts Geometry: Seeing, Doing, Understanding by Harold R. Jacobs, 3rd Edition, published by W. H. Freeman, 2003.

Online instructor: Derek Owens, B.S.E. Mechanical Engineering and Physics, Duke University. Teaching experience from 1988 teaching physics, honors physics, AP Physics, and AP computer science at private schools and online. Derek Owens worked at the TIP program at Duke for two years, teaching physics and heading the Satellite Science Program. He received a National Science Foundation scholarship and studied history and philosophy of science.

Instruction setting & schedule: online self-paced courses with lectures given by instructor, assignments graded by instructor (or assistant);

Frequency of interaction with instructor: written feedback on assignments and questions.

Algebra 2 (honors): (1 credit)

Content: Equations and Inequalities, Linear Functions and Equations, Systems of Equations, Chapter 4: Quadratic Functions, Polynomials and Polynomial Functions, Powers, Roots, and Radicals, Exponential and Logarithmic Functions, Rational Equations and Functions, Conic Sections, Sequences and Series, Trigonometric Ratios and Functions, Trigonometric Graphs, Identities, and Equations

Text: The was originally based on the book Algebra 2 by Larson, Boswell, Kanold and Stiff. Derek Owens provided his own practice materials.

Instruction setting & schedule: online self-paced courses with lectures given by

instructor, assignments graded by instructor (or assistant);

Frequency of interaction with instructor: written feedback on assignments and questions.

Pre-Calculus (honors) (1 credit)

Contents: Preliminaries, Functions and Their Graphs, Polynomial and Rational Functions, Exponential and Logarithmic Functions, Trigonometric functions, Graphs of Trigonometric Functions, Analytic Trigonometry, Additional Applications of Trigonometry, Analytic Geometry, Systems of Equations and Inequalities, Sequences, Induction, Counting, and Probability

Text: Precalculus by Michael Sullivan, 4th edition.

Instruction setting & schedule: online self-paced courses with lectures given by

instructor, assignments graded by instructor (or assistant);

Frequency of interaction with instructor: written feedback on assignments and questions.

AP Calculus AB (1 credit)

Content: Introduction to Calculus, Limits, Derivatives, Applications of Derivatives, Integrals, Exponential Functions and Differential Equations, Applications of Integrals

Text: This College Board AP® approved course uses course materials developed by Mr. Owen, based on the text Calculus by Paul Foerster, 2nd edition, published by Key Curriculum Press, 2005.

Instruction setting & schedule: online self-paced courses with lectures given by instructor, assignments graded by instructor (or assistant);

Frequency of interaction with instructor: written feedback on assignments and questions.

AP Statistics (1 credit)

Content: This College Board AP® approved course is a college level introductory course to statistics in which students learn to collect, organize, analyze, and interpret data. Topics covered: Exploring Data, Producing Models Using Probability and Simulation, Experimental Design and Statistical Inference. Students use technology, investigations, problem solving and writing as they build their conceptual understanding of statistics.

Text: The Practice of Statistics, by Daren S. Starnes; Dan Yates; David S. Moore (2010), 4th ed.

Online Instructor: Carole Matheny, BS and MS in Ceramic Engineering from The Ohio State University, MBA from Clark University. Mrs Matheny has over 12 years’ experience teaching online AP Statistics, as well as several years teaching Statistics as an adjunct professor at both Assumption College and Anna Maria College in Worcester, MA while also working full-time as Research Engineer and as Manager of Manufacturing Engineering.

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with two interactive sessions per week.

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 2x weekly for 1 hour; Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 2x weekly for 1 hour.

AP Human Geography (1 credit)

Content: This course introduces students to the study of the patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of the Earth’s surface. Students use spatial concepts to examine human interaction with the environment. They also learn about the methods and tools geographers use in their science and practice.

Text: Human Geography: Landscapes of Human Activities, 11th ed. By Fellmann, Getis, & Getis; 5 Steps to a 5: A.P. Human Geography, latest edition, McGraw-Hill.

Online Instructor: Carol Ann Gillespie, Ph.D. in Geography Education is from Texas State University – San Marcos; over 20 years of teaching geography in various settings. Mrs. Gillespie has been involved in AP Human Geography's ongoing development since the course’s inception. She has served as an AP Reading Exam Leader and Reader, and written questions for the exam. She wrote and updated the AP Human Geography Review Book for McGraw-Hill’s ”5 Steps to a 5” curriculum.

Instruction setting & schedule: asynchronous online classes with additional assigned coursework,

Frequency of interaction with instructor: Feedback on homework assignments and weekly assignment posts.

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: Daily involvement on discussion board and 1x weekly review group meeting.

Medieval, Reformation, and Renaissance History, Literature, and Composition (1 credit, honors)

Content: As a combined English and History course, this class covered the history and literature of the Middle Ages, Reformation, and Renaissance. The course also teaches student how to write purposefully for various audiences and objectives, and develops their skills in researching and writing analytical essays.

Texts: The History of the Medieval World: From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade, The Rule of St. Benedict, The New Concise History of the Crusades, Student Edition; Two Lives of Charlemagne, The Renaissance: A Short History

Online Instructor: Mr. Crosby graduated from DePauw University with degrees in Political Science and History and a minor in French. Later, he graduated from the University Of Missouri School Of Law with a law degree. Finally, he graduated from Missouri State University with a master’s degree in History.

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with two interactive sessions per week

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 2x weekly for 1.5 hours;

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 2x weekly for 1.5 hours

Modern World History 1 credit (honors)

Texts: Western Civilization, A Concise History by dr. Christopher Brooks Vol. II, III; the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx; the Social Contract by Rousseau

Online Instructor: For over 30 years, Leonard Mailand has worked in the field of education at the college and secondary level as an administrator, teacher, and coach. He has taught classes in religion, apologetics, logic, history, government, economics, introductory Greek, and comparative worldviews. He has also worked with curriculum development and teacher training. Leonard is also a guest lecturer at the Student Statesmanship Institute in Lansing, Michigan, where he speaks on comparative worldviews and biblical leadership. He earned his M.Ed. at Seattle Pacific University. In 2001 he founded a young men’s academic/leadership academy.

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with two interactive sessions per week

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 2x weekly for 1.5 hours;

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 2x weekly for 1.5 hours

AP Macroeconomics (1 credit)

Content: This course focused on economics theories of important economists from Adam Smith, to Keynes, to Milton Friedman. Students learned how to predict the effects of government actions and learned the skills necessary for analyzing economics problems: how to use the vocabulary of economists, how to draw “supply” and “demand” curves, how to read economics graphs, how to pull the economy out of recessions or inflationary spirals and how to promote long-term economic growth.

Texts: Timothy Taylor, Economics 3rd ed. ; Economic Principles version 1.0 by Libby Rittenburg, Tim Tregarthen

Online Instructor: Dr. Richman has over 20 years experience teaching this online class to homeschooled students. He graduated with a BA in Economics from Carnegie Mellon University, and he co-authored a 2008 economics policy book, Trading Away Our Future, and a 2014 economics book Balanced Trade.

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with two interactive sessions per month

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 2x monthly for 1.5 hours, daily assignments graded by instructor.

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 2x monthly for 1.5 hours, daily discussions on class website.

AP Microeconomics (0.5 credit)

Content: The primary goal for this course was preparation for the AP exam in Microeconomics. The main textbook was supplemented with outside readings, videos from Hillsdale College and the Khan Academy, and interactive activities. An important part of the class will be assignments drawn from previous AP exams. Students will be expected to look for “economics in the news” articles and participate regularly on the discussion board. There are also a few games involved, including a business simulation game, a stock market game, and an oligopoly simulation.

Texts: Economic Principles version 2.0 by Libby Rittenburg, Tim Tregarthen

Online Instructor: Daniel Burns. This will be his 12th year teaching economics to high school students and the 8th teaching AP Microeconomics. He loves economics and the related fields of politics, history, and culture. He has been a classroom teacher, served as Administrator and AP Coordinator for Puebla Christian School in Puebla, Mexico, and wrote AP curriculum for a major online publisher. He is a PHAA graduate, his bachelor’s degree is in Government from Patrick Henry College, and his master's degree is in Business Administration from Regent University.

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with two interactive sessions per month

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 2x monthly for 1.5 hours, daily assignments graded by instructor.

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 2x monthly for 1.5 hours, daily discussions on class website.

AP World History (1 credit)

Content: This College Board AP® approved course used a text rich in media content to help students examine common threads of humanity -- trade, religion, politics, society, and technology -- throughout history, investigating how these have changed in different locations and cultures over time. The students learned to identify and analyze these broad patterns and processes from the perspective of continuity and change. Much of the content focused directly on exam preparation, including AP practice problems, essays, and exams.

Texts: World Civilizations: The Global Experience by Peter N. Stearns, AP World History Prep Plus 2018-2019, AP World History: Primary Source Reader, Ap World History Course And Exam Description, Effective Fall 2017, Rubrics for AP Histories + History Disciplinary Practices and Reasoning Skills, Effective Fall 2017 by College Board, AP* World History Crash Course by Jay P. Harmon, M.Ed.), Documents in World History, Documents in Western Civilization

Online Instructor: Leonard Mailand, M.Ed., Seattle Pacific University, with over 30 years of work experience in the field of education at the college and secondary level.

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with two interactive sessions per week

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 2x weekly for 1.5 hours;

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 2x weekly for 1.5 hours

AP European History (1 credit)

Content: This College Board AP® approved course covered European history from approximately 1450 to the present. Students investigated the content of European history for significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in four historical periods, and developed the same thinking skills and methods (analyzing primary and secondary sources, making historical comparisons, chronological reasoning, and argumentation) employed by historians when they study the past. The course also provided five themes (interaction of Europe and the world, poverty and prosperity, objective knowledge and subjective visions, states and other institutions of power, and individual and society) that students explored throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places.

Texts: Making of the West Volume II: Since 1500: Peoples and Cultures - 5th Edition by Lynn Hunt; Thomas R. Martin; Barbara H. Rosenwein; Bonnie G. Smith; 5 Steps to a 5: AP European History 2019

Online Instructor: Evan Jones

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with two interactive sessions per week

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 2x weekly for 1.5 hours in live online class.

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 2x weekly for 1.5 hours

AP Comparative Government and Politics (1 credit)

Content: This College Board AP® approved course prepared the students to be successful on the AP Comparative Government and Politics exam. Students learned to think globally and explore the impact of countries' interactions. They compared and contrasted ideologies, governments, and policies in order to grasp the significance of the current world political scene and analyze its impact. The course focused primarily on the USA, Great Britain, Russia, China, Mexico, Nigeria, and Iran, giving the students a broad understanding of the major political systems. This course also helped the students connect political ideas with real-world realities.

Texts: Introducing Comparative Politics: Concepts and Cases in Context 4th Edition by Drogus and Orvis, AP Comparative Government and Politics: An Essential Coursebook and Study Guide, 9th ed. by Woo

Online Instructor: Julia Reeds, BA Political Science University of Minnesota, MA International Relations St.Mary’s University (San Antonio); graduate of Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL, graduate Centurion Program, .graduate of the Ann Anstine leadership series: Excellence in Public Service in the state of PA; VA. Retired Lt Col from USA Air Force; currently serving Air Force Academy as liaison (Pennsylvania), serves on a board for local congressman, nominating students to federal academies. Mrs Reed has extensive experience in teaching, as well as in working with educational foundations to improve AP curriculum.

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with 1 interactive session per week

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 1x weekly for one hour in live online class.

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 1x weekly for 1 hour as well as online discussion groups

AP Macroeconomics and Microeconomics (1 credit)

Content: This College Board AP® approved course combined video lectures with live instruction, evaluation, and test preparation. Topics: Basic Economic Concepts, The Nature and Functions of Product Markets, Factor Markets, Market Failure and the Role of Government, Measurement of Economic Performance, National Income and Price Determination, The Financial Sector, Inflation, Unemployment, and Stabilization Policies, Economic Growth and Productivity, International Trade and Finance, Capitalism and Economic Freedom.

Texts: The Great Courses, Economics 3rd edition, by Prof. Timothy Taylor, M.Economics, Principles of Economics v.2 by Rittenberg and Tregarthen, MyEconLab with Pearson for Foundations of Economics by Robin Bade, Michael Parkin.

Online instructor: Daniel Burns, graduate from Patrick Henry College with a degree in Government Public Policy and MBA from Regent University.

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with one interactive session per week.

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours. Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours

Modern History (1 credit)

Content: In this classical approach high school course, students studied original foundational documents of modern history. The course was a combination of lectures, interviews, quizzes and tests.

Texts: Omnibus III textbook, (Ed. G. Tyler & Doug Wilson), 1984 George Orwell, Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings Abraham Lincoln, Don E. Fehrenbacher, ed. The Anti-Federalist Papers Ralph Ketcham, The Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, The Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Mein Kampf, Adolph Hitler, Of Plymouth Plantation, William Bradford, The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan, Reflections on the Revolution in France, Edmund Burke, The Social Contract, Jean-Jacues Rousseau, Maurice Cronston (translator), A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe, The Westminster Confession of Faith.

Instruction setting & schedule: 175 self-paced online lessons with graded quizzes and assignments. No interaction with instructor or other students.

Online Instructor: Bruce Etter , M.A. Reformed Theological Seminary, B.A. Columbia International University.

Canadian History (1 credit)

Content: This Ontario Curriculum online course traces the history of Canada, with a focus on the evolution of our national identity and culture as well as the identity and culture of various groups that make up Canada. Students explore various developments and events, both national and international, from pre-contact to the present, and will examine various communities in Canada and how they have contributed to identity and heritage in Canada. Students investigate the development of culture and identity, including national identity, in Canada and how and why they have changed throughout the country’s history. In CHI4U online, students extend their ability to apply the concepts of historical thinking and the historical inquiry process, including the interpretation and analysis of evidence, as they investigate the people, events, and forces that have shaped Canada.

Text: provided by Blyth Academy: based on Ontario CHI4U

Online teacher: provided by Blyth Academy

Instruction setting & schedule: self-paced online class with graded assignments

Frequency of interaction with instructor: feedback on assignments; weekly office hours

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: n/a

French 1 Language and Culture Honors (1 credit)

Content: The students learn vocabulary for greetings and descriptions of people, school, hobbies, food, clothing, chores, transportation, and travel. They also learn the three main verb families and some irregular verbs in the past, present and near future tenses. Throughout the course, students learn about French-speaking countries and their culture. The class time is used for speaking activities, explanations, and cultural highlights, and there are several hours of work outside of class each week. In this two-day course, students also get a lot of additional opportunity to practice speaking French and to reinforce important concepts.

Texts: Chemins Level 1

Online Instructor: Maureen Orsini studied in France at the Université de Strasbourg and completed the Certificat pratique de langue française (1er degré) and the Diplôme d’études françaises (2ème degré). She has taught English as a second language in France for the Centre culturel of Mantes la Ville.

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with two interactive sessions per week; featuring weekly homework.

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 2x weekly for 1.5 hours;

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 2x weekly for 1.5 hours

French 2 Language and Culture Honors (1 credit)

Content: This course uses an academic French curriculum with great multimedia resources, making the class ideal for a range of student needs, including students who just want to meet high school foreign language requirements for college, and also for students who may want to go further -- even to AP French. Students review the three verb families in present and past tenses. Then the reflexive verbs and more tenses like the imperfect, future, subjunctive, conditional are introduced. The vocabulary includes words for family, friends, celebration, school, shopping and cooking, daily routines, country life, camping, health, vacation and leisure activities. As the course progresses, the students will acquire more grammar and build more complex sentences. Throughout the course, students learn about French-speaking countries and their culture.

Texts: Chemins Level 2

Online Instructor: Barbara Starosciak graduated from Wheaton College with a degree in elementary education and a minor in French. She completed an M.A. in Teaching of French from Eastern Michigan University. She taught for eight years at Timothy Christian School in New Jersey, where she was promoted to Middle School Supervisor. Throughout those eight years she also developed a French program for grades 8 through 12. She traveled to France several times for study and service work. When her own children were of elementary school age, she homeschooled them and taught them conversational French. Barbara organized and taught several French classes for homeschoolers in her area of Michigan and then again in New Jersey when she and her husband moved back to help her family. She has been teaching for The Potter's School since the Year 2000. She published her first book in 2013: <i>Homeschoolers Need Foreign Language Too!</i> Barbara has developed a comprehensive French program on-line and has a passion to make foreign language interesting and relevant to her students.

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with two interactive sessions per week; featuring weekly homework assignments and cultural activities.

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 2x weekly for 1.5 hours;

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 2x weekly for 1.5 hours

Arabic Language and Culture 2, 3 (2 credits)

Content: The course’s emphasis is on learning through listening to spoken Arabic and learning to speak in simple sentences. Students are encouraged to focus on the meaning of phrases and sentences, rather than individual words, thereby enriching the student's understanding of Arabic sentence structure and vocabulary. Students read texts on familiar topics, speak about themselves, initiate and sustain basic conversation on day-to-day topics, and write paragraphs on familiar topics with greater accuracy.

Text: Al-Kitaab fii Taallum al-Arabiyya by Kristen Brustad

Instructor: Mrs Ghaida Azeez, a native of the Middle East, student of Baghdad Educational University (1990-94) with experience in teaching Arabic to individuals and groups since 1996.

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with one interactive session per week; featuring weekly quizzes and an exam after each term.

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours;

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours

Arabic Language and Culture 5 (1 credit)

Content: These private tutoring sessions covered the Intermediate Level of the Yemen Institute of Arabic Language. Sessions focused on comprehension of both oral and written passages at normal speed and the ability to engage in oral or written conversations. In addition to these lessons, students hone their conversational skills in small group conversation classes with a local tutor, covering book 2 of the Gulf Arabic Program (covering using verbs in the past, present and future tenses as well as practice recognizing and using the Arabic root system; supplemented by memorizing fables and short stories and conversing about a wide variety of subjects). Students also used their Arabic skills during informal visits and outings.

Texts: As-Salaamu ‘Alaykum books 4-6 Yemen Institute for Arabic Language, additional newspaper articles and short stories.

Online Instructor: Jameel Al-Bazili, director of Yemen Institute of Language, MA Business Management, OUM, Malaysia, BA English, University of Sana’a,. Mr Al Bazili has over 18 years experience in teaching Arabic, is co-author of the YIAL textbooks (Assalam Alikum, The Conversation Series, Growing Up with English) and has expertise in curriculum development, teaching trainers and program evaluations

Instruction setting & schedule: 2x weekly online private lessons for 1.5 hours; 2x weekly tutoring sessions (in person) for 1 hour

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 2x weekly with online instructor; 2x weekly for 1 hour with local tutor

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 2x weekly for 1 hour

Biology (1 credit)

Content: This course is a thorough and fascinating survey of high school Biology using the academically-solid and conservative Shepherd Science text. It provides an introduction to biological concepts while focusing on the unifying principles of science seen in the study of living things and how they function. The topics covered include the philosophy of science, cytology, biochemistry, genetics, plant function and physiology, animal kingdom diversity, biochemistry, cells, DNA/RNA, genes and heredity, evolution, kingdoms, human anatomy and physiology, ecology and more. Students will have the opportunity to visualize concepts as they're reinforced with lab exercises using the scientific method. This class will equip students to provide a biblical defense for the origin of life and will provide students with strategic exposure to Darwinian evolution and allow them to analyze and respond to naturalistic evolutionary theory from a distinctively biblical worldview.

Texts: Science Shepherd Biology, Scott Hardin; Inherit the Wind(1960 film), Gattaca (1997 film).

Online Instructor: Christine Dean, BS in Biology from Florida Southern College, 2007. Over ten years of teaching experience in Standard, Honors, Marine, and AP Biology, plus Psychology,(USA Midwest and in Northern Virginia). MA Science and Religion from Biola University in 2017. Currently completing an Ed.D in Curriculum and Instruction from Southeastern University.

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with one interactive session per week; featuring weekly quizzes/exams, reading and homework, and labs.

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours

Chemistry (1 credit)

Content: This college-prep chemistry course provides a qualitative and quantitative study of scientific measurement, matter, atomic theory, the periodic table, bonding, gas laws, and chemical reactions. The study of energy, electrons, and stoichiometry (including the mole concept) lays a broad foundation for chemical applications, and prepares the student to analyze chemical equations and predict reaction dynamics. Specific topics related to chemical reactions include solutions, thermochemistry, reaction rates with equilibrium, acid-base chemistry, and oxidation-reduction reactions. Course resources include comprehensive class notes, videos, and other tutorial materials. There is special emphasis on math instruction for solving Chemistry problems. The laboratory component includes virtual lab experiments and physical, hands-on labs performed at home using common household chemicals. Videos are provided to reinforce most of the at-home lab work. This lab science course also includes step-by-step training, supported, and reinforced by articulate instructions and model documents, for writing good lab reports.

Texts: Pearson Chemistry 2017

Online Instructor: Craig Riesen received his Bachelor of Science in Biology and Master of Arts in Teaching Biology from Binghamton University (New York). He holds professional teaching certifications with endorsements in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, and has over 24 years experience teaching Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science, Earth Science, and other sciences, including AP science courses.

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with one interactive session per week; featuring weekly quizzes and an exam after each term.

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours;

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours

Computer Science Discoveries (honors) 1 credit

Content: In this interactive online course students built problem solving skills and learned to become a computational thinker by understand how computers use algorithms, logic, and math to run programs. Students created a website using HTML and CSS inside Code.org’s Web Lab environment. They learned basic coding constructs using either Scratch or JavaScript through Code.org's Game Lab. Students also discussed the issues of data security, privacy, and social responsibility online. Students worked with "unplugged" activities at home and complete online work with widgets, Game lab, discussion boards and more. They also learned to gather, analyze and report on data, while considering how computers work with big data as well as discover the relationship between hardware and software with AdaFruit Circuit Playground

Online Instructor: This will be Rebecca Lang's third year teaching this course for PA Homeschoolers and her fifth year teaching computer science for them overall. She describes herself as a lifelong teacher and learner who has taught in public, charter, private and online for PA Homeschoolers, for middle and high school students, for the past 13 years.

In addition to earning her BA in English and Secondary Education from Grove City College, she also has a MS in curriculum and instruction from Western Governors University, a certificate from Penn State University Lehigh Valley for teaching English Language Learners, various state teaching certifications for NJ and PA, and educator certifications from various tech companies. She has attended CSpd week once, the annual CSTA conference thrice, and a Code.org week long AP CSP Summer Learning Institute. She has also participated in Cooperative Learning Research for Computer Science Principles. She is also an ambassador for CS for All Teachers.

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with one interactive session per week; featuring weekly quizzes and an exam after each term.

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 1x weekly for 1 hour.

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 1x weekly for 1 hour, also collaboration on group projects

Physics (honors): (1 credit)

Content: This course covered the following topics: Introduction to Physics; Motion in One Dimension; Motion in Two Dimensions; Newton’s Laws; Work and Energy; Momentum; Circular Motion; Gravity; Temperature and Heat; Waves and Wave Motion; Optics; Electricity and Electric Circuits.

Text: course materials based on the book Physics by Douglas Giancoli, 5th edition.

Online instructor: Derek Owens graduated from Duke University in 1988 with a degree in mechanical engineering and physics. Teaching experience at private schools and to homeschooled students from 1988 teaching physics, honors physics, AP Physics, and AP computer science. He worked at the TIP program at Duke for two years, teaching physics and heading the Satellite Science Program. He received a National Science Foundation scholarship and studied history and philosophy of science.

Instruction setting & schedule: online self-paced course with lectures given by instructor, assignments sent in and graded by instructor (or assistant);

Frequency of interaction with instructor: written feedback on assignments and questions

AP Environmental Science (1 credit)

Content: The Living World: Ecosystems, The Living World: Biodiversity, Populations, Earth Systems and Resources, Land and Water Use, Energy Resources and Consumption, Atmospheric Pollution, Aquatic and Terrestrial Pollution, Global Change; AP exam preparation throughout the course.

Text: Environmental Science for AP®, 2e LaunchPad. Friedland/Relyea

Online Instructors:

Terrianne Lavin, adjunct professor at the University of Delaware, Ph.D. in Climatology, MS in Geography, University of Delaware; BS in Meteorology, University of Kansas. More than 20 years of experience developing and teaching climatology, physical geography, and environmental science courses at the University of Delaware (UD) and Florida Atlantic University (FAU).

Jennette Driscoll, BA Linguistics from Penn State University, BA in Biology from the University of Delaware. Work experience with a dual appointment as a Research Assistant at Nemours/AI duPont Hospital for Children in the Center for Applied Clinical Genomics, Human Genetics Research Lab, and in the Speech Research Lab.

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with one interactive session per week

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours.

Frequency of interaction with fellow students: 1x weekly for 1.5 hours

Music Theory and Music Performance (3 credits)

Content: This course covered music theory and practical piano skills according to the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. In addition to the lessons and daily practice, students partricipate in several recitals (live and online) and attend classical music performances. Students also take exams in both music theory and music performance from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.

Sources: Music Theory in Practice grades 2-5 by Eric Taylor; Piano Exam Pieces grades 2-7, Aural Training. Scales & Arpeggios, Sight Reading (all ABRSM publications)

Instructor: Velia Tyson, Bachelor of Music in Musicology, majoring in Composition Studies, and Music History and Society, University of South Africa, Ultimate Music Theory Certification for Teachers. Mrs. Tyson has over 15 years’ experience in teaching music theory and piano.

Instruction setting & schedule: live online class with one interactive session per week, daily practice time

Frequency of interaction with instructor: 1x weekly for 1 hour, weekly homework graded by instructor.

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Foreign Languages

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