Educating the heart, mind, and soul in the Catholic tradition with online classes

Faith ~ Excellence ~ Passion

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Homeschooling and Common Core


We've been getting questions about the Common Core State Standards over the past several months. For this reason, Homeschool Connections' co-founder Maureen Wittmann has written a concise, easy-to-understand article on Common Core and how it will affect homeschoolers at CatholicMom.com. We strongly urge you to click on the link below and read the article. It's a topic that is important to all of us.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

High School Literature: Online Classes (Dante's Pugatory)

Looking for the perfect online literature course for you upper high school student? Well, here you go ...

(click on course title to register)

Class dates: Tuesdays, January 21 to April 29, 2014
Total classes: 12 Starting time: 10:00 AM Eastern (9:00 Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: The ability to read and enjoy the book. Recommended, but not required: Inferno (Hell) by Dante offered Fall 2013 (see above).  
Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th grade
Suggested high school credit: 1 full semester Classical Literature
Fee: $120 if you register on or before Nov. 1, 2013. $140 after Nov. 1st.
Course description: Dante Alighieri is the only “secular” author in praise of whom a Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church has written an encyclical letter. His Holiness Benedict XV’s “In Praeclara Summorum” of 1921 rightly says, “We admire in him not only supreme height of genius but also the immensity of the subject which holy religion put to his hand. If his genius was refined by meditation and long study of the great classics it was tempered even more gloriously, as We have said, by the writings of the Doctors and the Fathers which gave him the wings on which to rise to a higher atmosphere than that of restricted nature.” Simply interpreted, Dante is the greatest author of the greatest book on the greatest subject of any ever written by a man not known by the Church to be directly inspired by God.
     Dante teaches us what it might mean to be a Catholic in every element of our thought and culture. His work is not only sublimely beautiful, but filled with the most important truths. He was a complete Catholic in an age of political and heretical turmoils, but an age blessed with the influence--mediate or immediate--of towering saints like Bernard, Francis, Dominic, and Thomas Aquinas. His Divine Comedy intends to teach us how to harmonize the demands of Church and State, community and individual, authority and conscience, divine and natural knowledge, intellect and emotion. The Comedy provides a vision of eternity in order to teach man how to live in time, in his brief excursus before forever. The Inferno provides the greatest examination of our conscience as we come to see our own affinities to the souls who have chosen Hell. The Purgatory shows us how to turn our intellects and emotions toward the good. Finally the Paradiso helps liberate our emotions and our souls toward the beautiful and good. No one can lay claim to liberal arts education until he has made a serious beginning on understanding The Divine Comedy. Again, as Benedict XV wrote, “The more profit you draw from study of him the higher will be your culture, irradiated by the splendours of truth, and the stronger and more spontaneous your devotion to the Catholic Faith.”
Course materials: We will use the Dorothy Sayers edition (click for ordering information). The ISBN number is 0140440461.
Homework: One to one and one-half hours per week. Weekly Quiz, Midterm, and Final. Answer keys provided for parental or self grading.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Introduction to Formal Logic: Catholic Homeschooling

Formal logic and philosophy are crucial to a core curriculum. We believe that it's not just an optional course, but a vital course.  Information on our spring course is below, but first we'd like to introduce you to Mr. Campbell who will be teaching Introduction to Formal Logic:


 
(click on course title for registration information)

Class dates:  Tuesdays, January 21 to May 6, 2014. No class March 5 nor April 2.
Total classes: 14
Starting time: 4:30 PM Eastern (3:30 Central)
Duration: 1hr
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 7th to 9th grade, but anyone who has never had any formal logic training is welcome
Suggested high school credit: 1 full semester Logic
Fee:  $180 for all 14 classes if you register on or before November 1, 2013. $200 after Nov. 1st.
Course description: This intensive 14-week course will introduce students to the principles of formal logic as presented in the book Traditional Logic: Introduction to Formal Logic by Memoria Press. The aim of formal logic is to teach students how to think properly, focusing on the consistency and process of argumentation (the content of argumentation will be covered in material logic).
Course outline:
Week 1: The Concept of a Concept: Simple Apprehension and the act of forming a concept in the mind
Week 2: Properties of Simple Apprehension: Comprehension and extension, two properties of simple apprehension, demonstrated using the Greek Porphyrian Tree
Week 3: Words and How we Use Them: Signification, supposition and the different ways we can use words to mean things
Week 4: The Act of Judgment: Moving beyond simple ideas, we look at what it means to make a judgment and put a statement into logical form
Week 5: The Four Statements of Logic: The four logical statements, A, I, E, and O and the difference between the quality and quantity of statements.
Week 6: Relations of Opposition: Contradictory and contrary statements
Week 7: The Subs: Subcontrary and subaltern statements and the essence of their relations to one another
Week 8: Distribution: The status of a particular term in regard to its extension
Week 9: Logical Equivalence: Converting statements through obversion, conversion and contraposition
Week 10: Deductive Inference: Introduction to reasoning through the use of the syllogism
Week 11: Rules! Rules! Rules! Terminological rules when dealing with categorical syllogisms
Week 12: More Rules: Overview of the quantitative rules for categorical syllogisms
Week 13: Finally...Rules: The qualitative rules for categorical syllogisms.
Week 14: Review: Review and prep for final to see if you really got any of this!
Course materials: Traditional Logic: Introduction to Formal Logic by Memoria Press and Traditional Logic Answer Key, also by Memoria Press
Homework: 5-6 pages of reading per week coupled with completing exercises provided in the text (parents can grade using the answer key); periodic quizzes available online through Moodle with a Final Exam also provided via Moodle. Anticipated workload is 3-4 hours per week.

Introduction to Catholic Apologetics for High School

It is a great honor for us to present fantastic instructors to parents and students. Instructors such as Gary Michuta, author of several great apologetics books including Making Sense of Mary. Mr. Michuta will be teaching the following course in the Spring 2014 semester.

Click on the course title for registration information:
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Note: Limited to 15 students only.
Course dates: Tuesdays, January 7 to March 4, 2014.
Total classes: 9
Starting time: 10:30 AM Eastern (9:30 AM Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th grade (enthusiastic middle school student could also do well).
Fee: $110 if you register on or before Nov. 1, 2013. $130 after Nov. 1st for all 9 classes.
Instructor: Gary Michuta
Course description: This is beginners course on apologetics. The focus will become familiar with all the basic prooftexts for common disputed Catholic doctrines and how to answer the most common objections posed against Catholic doctrine. The student will also learn how to read Scripture in context to answer objections and how to use Catholic resources to find answers.
Course outline:
Class 1: Basics On How to Explain and Defend the Faith
Class 2: Bible Basics: What is the Bible? What it is, how its structured, where to find things.
Class 3: Using Catholic Resources / Apologetic Research
Class 4: Learning Prooftexts: Salvation / Answering Objections
Class 5: Learning Prooftexts: Peter and the Papacy / Answering Objections
Class 6: Learning Prooftexts: The Eucharist / Answering Objections
Class 7: Learning Prooftexts: Mary / Answering Objections
Class 8: What are the Early Church Fathers?
Class 9: Learning How to Share Your Faith with Confidence
Course materials: Recommended (but not required): Where's That in the Bible, by Patrick Madrid (Book or DVD).
150 Bible Verses Every Catholic Should Know by Patrick Madrid.
Other course materials provided free by the instructor.
Homework: The students will receive a worksheet with 10 to 20 review questions.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Online Writing for Homeschoolers



Homeschool Connections is offering a wide variety of writing courses for the upcoming Spring 2014 semester -- everything you need for a complete writing curriculum.

The following courses are currently open for registration. Our writing courses tend to fill up before the first day of class, so we strongly encourage you to register early.

Click on the course title to register:

Class dates: Mondays, January 6 to February 10, 2014
Total classes: 6
Starting time: 4:00 pm Eastern (3:00 Central)
Duration: 45 minutes
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 6th to 8th grade
Fee: $80 you enroll on or before Nov. 1, 2013. $90 after Nov. 1 for all 6 classes.
Instructor: Lisa Mladinich
Course description: This is an essential writing course for all middle school students, designed to give your middle school student confidence and the ability to use punctuation and grammar well. Don’t let your student struggle with commas or wonder, which tense to use. Make sure that your middle school student completely understands how to correctly use a semicolon, colon, and grammar.
Course outline:
Class 1: Solid commas in a series and comas with conjunctions
Class 2: Solid commas within clauses and tough constructions
Class 3: Solid tense, competing punctuation, and quotations
Class 4: Sticky-pair sentence construction (if-then, not only-but also) and tough grammar
Class 5: Using colons and semicolons correctly
Class 6: Introducing tricky punctuation details and end punctuation
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. eBook: Simplified Writing for Middle School Students by E. B. Conroy. Available from www.amazon.com (download the Kindle app for free to easily read on your PC, Mac, iPad, iPod, or mobile device)
Homework: Weekly quizzes, with an estimated two to three hours per week for homework outside of class time.

Class dates: Mondays, February 17 to April 7, 2014
Total classes: 8
Starting time: 4:00 PM Eastern (3:00 Central)
Duration: 45 minutes
Prerequisite: Elements of Writing for Middle School Students: Essential Punctuation and Grammar is required (Jan. 2014 or Unlimited Access). Exceptions only with written permission from the instructor.
Suggested grade level: 6th to 8th grade
Fee: $170 on or before Nov. 1, 2013, $190 after Nov. 1 for all 8 classes.
Instructor: Lisa Mladinich
Course description: This course is designed as a first writing course, to introduce students in middle school to the skills and habits that create a strong and clear writing foundation for high school writing from a Christian worldview. Students will learn how to write effective sentences and paragraphs, including the use of topic sentences, linear writing, and transitions; the purposes of writing, including expression, informing, and persuading; the effect of audience on writing; how to sculpt a piece of writing with direction, including the characteristics of an effective introduction, body, and conclusion; and practice writing with specific feedback from the instructor that leads to an increase in skill through rewriting.
Course outline:
Class 1: Writing for a purpose and audience: the “why” of writing
Class 2: Great word choice: how to choose the “right” word
Class 3: Strong sentences: how to write a great sentence
Class 4: Clear paragraphs: what makes a great paragraph/linear writing that makes sense to the reader
Class 5: Writing with direction: great introductions and the hook
Class 6: Writing with direction: great introductions and the thesis
Class 7: Writing with direction: the body (of your paper) and how to make it “shapely”
Class 8: Writing with direction: the conclusion
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. Simplified Writing for Middle School Students by E. B. Conroy. Available from www.amazon.com (download the Kindle app for free to easily read on your PC, Mac, iPad, iPod, or mobile device).
Homework: Weekly writing assignments, with direct feedback from the instructor, with an estimated three to four hours per week for homework, outside of class time.

Class dates: Thursdays, January 9 to February 13, 2014
Total classes: 6
Starting time:  2:30 PM Eastern Time
Duration: 45 minutes
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 6th to 8th grade
Fee: $80 if you register on or before Nov. 1, 2013. $90 after Nov. 1st for all 6 classes.
Instructor: Lisa Mladinich
Course description: This is an essential writing course for all middle school students to make sure that your student has strong middle school writing foundations in place. Give your middle school student exactly what’s needed for writing well-crafted sentences and paragraphs—including the absolute “must-have” knowledge and practice for the use of nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and prepositional phrases, and compound sentence structures, as well as capitalization, end punctuation, and the use of quoted material. Even if your student has learned the composition of a sentence and paragraph before (in elementary materials), the approach for this class is to use middle school vocabulary and structures that are more complex. Help your child finally master the details that are holding him or her back from writing well. Sentence constructions are designed to prepare your student for upper level middle school writing.
Course outline:
Class 1: Nouns, verbs, and capitalization in sentences
Class 2: Adjectives, adverbs, and end punctuation in sentences
Class 3: Prepositions, prepositional phrases, and compound sentence structures
Class 4: Using quotes in dialogue and academic writing
Class 5: Transitions and connectives in sentences
Class 6: Putting it all together: Transitions and linear sentences in paragraph writing
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. eBook: Simplified Writing Foundations: Sentences and Paragraphs for Middle School Students, by EB Conroy. Available from www.amazon.com (download the Kindle app for free to easily read on your PC, Mac, iPad, iPod, or mobile device)
Homework: Approximately 45 minutes to one hour per class, reading and completing coursework.

Note: No more than 12 students accepted.
Class dates: Thursdays, February 20 to April 10, 2014.
Total classes: 8
Starting time: 1:00 pm Eastern (Noon Central)
Duration: 45 minutes
Prerequisite: Simplified Writing for Middle School is required (Fall 2013 or Unlimited Access). Exceptions only with written permission from the instructor.
Suggested grade level: 6th to 8th grade
Fee: $170 on or before Nov. 1, 2012, $190 after Nov. 1 for all 8 classes.
Instructor: Lisa Mladinich
Course description: This is a writing course for middle school students who have taken the Simplified Writing for Middle School Students course and want to put the foundational writing skills into critical practice, with specific feedback and coaching regarding how your student's writing can improve. Students will craft an essay and a short paper during the course. Attention will be given to writing with a Christian worldview.
Course outline:
Class 1: Writing structure and skill: practicing the introduction, hook, and thesis
Class 2: Writing structure and skill: practicing outlines and the conclusion/concluding statements
Class 3: Writing an essay: rough drafts
Class 4: Writing a paper: five types of papers & practicing the introduction, hook, and thesis
Class 5: Writing a paper: practicing outlines and concluding statements; revising an essay
Class 6: Writing a paper: rough drafts; editing an essay
Class 7: Revising a paper
Class 8: Editing and formatting final papers
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. eBook: Simplified Writing for Middle School by E. B. Conroy. Available from www.amazon.com (download the Kindle app for free to easily read on your PC, Mac, iPad, iPod, or mobile device).
Homework: Weekly writing assignments, with direct feedback from the instructor, with an estimated three to four hours per week for homework outside of class time (depending on the student's individual processing, creating, and writing speed).

Class dates: Mondays, January 6 to February 10, 2014
Total classes: 6
Starting time: 2:30 pm Eastern (1:30 Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th
Suggested high school credit: ½ semester Writing.
Fee: $80 if you enroll on or before Nov. 1. $90 if you enroll after Nov. 1 for all 6 classes
Instructor: Lisa Mladinich
Course description: This is an essential writing course for all high school students. Give your high school student exactly what’s needed for high school and college writing—including the confidence and the ability to use punctuation and grammar well. Don’t let your student struggle—master commas, tense, colons, semicolons, dashes, ellipses, and more. This class will give your student the strong foundation needed to finally master the details that are holding him or her back from writing well. Sentence constructions in the course are upper level, meant to challenge and prepare your student for upper-high school and college courses.
Course outline:
Class 1: Mastering commas in a series and commas with conjunctions using complex sentences
Class 2: Mastering commas and clauses and tough constructions, including multiple ideas, connectors, and transitions
Class 3: Mastering tense, competing punctuation, quotations, dashes, and ellipses
Class 4: Sticky-pair sentence construction (if-then, not only-but also) and tough grammar in upper-level constructions
Class 5: Mastering colons and semicolons with leading sentence constructions
Class 6: Mastering tricky punctuation details, end punctuation, and the most common grammar challenges
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. eBook: Elements of Writing for High School Students by E. B. Conroy. Available from www.amazon.com (download the Kindle app for free to easily read on your PC, Mac, iPad, iPod, or mobile device).
Homework: Weekly writing assignments, with direct feedback from the instructor, with an estimated two to three hours per week for homework outside of class time.

Class dates: Mondays, February 17 to April 7, 2014
Total classes: 8
Starting time: 2:30 PM Eastern (1:30 Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Elements of Writing for High School Students: Essential Punctuation and Grammar is required (Jan. 2013 or Unlimited Access). Exceptions only with written permission from the instructor.
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th grade
Suggested high school credit: ½ semester Writing.
Fee: $170 if you register on or before Nov. 1. $190 after Nov. 1 for all 8 classes.
Instructor: Lisa Mladinich
Course description: This course is designed to give the teen skills that make writing strong and clear, lacking nothing—able to articulate ideas well in writing for all high-school level work. Students will learn how to perfect strong sentences and paragraphs; learn nine basic forms of rhetoric; focus on linear academic writing for a purpose; practice transitions and connectives, parallelism, paraphrasing, and summary; review punctuation as it influences excellence in writing (comma, semicolon, colon, and dash use); recognizing and correcting common grammar struggles; understand the characteristics of an effective introduction, body, and conclusion; learn prewriting, drafting, and editing skills; and practice sculpting a piece of writing with direction that receives specific feedback from the instructor.
Course outline:
Class 1: Audience, purpose, and word choice
Class 2: Perfecting strong sentence and paragraph construction
Class 3: Nine forms of rhetoric (and what they have to do with great writing)
Class 4: Linear writing for a purpose: more strong sentences and paragraphs
Class 5: How to effectively use transitions/connectives and parallelism
Class 6: Punctuation and excellent writing: the comma, colon, semicolon, and dash; conquering common grammar struggles
Class 7: The introduction, body, and conclusion; prewriting for success
Class 8: Drafting for success; editing and polishing your writing
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. Simplified Writing for High School Students by E. B. Conroy. Available from www.amazon.com (download the Kindle app for free to easily read on your PC, Mac, iPad, iPod, or mobile device).
Homework: Students will have weekly writing assignments and direct feedback from instructor, with an estimated five hours per week for homework (outside of class time) that includes reading, writing, and responding to feedback.

Class dates:  Wednesdays, January 8 to February 12, 2014
Total classes: 6
Starting time: 10:00 AM Eastern (9:00 Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 11th grade
Suggested high school credit: ½ semester Writing
Fee: $85 if you register on or before Nov. 1, 2013. $95 after Nov. 1st for all 6 classes.
Instructor: Sharon Hamric-Weis, JD
Course description: This is an essential writing course for all high school students, to make sure that your student has critical high school writing foundations in place. Give your high school student exactly what’s needed for writing well-crafted sentences and paragraphs—including the absolute “must-have” knowledge, review, and practice for the use of nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and prepositional phrases, and compound sentence structures, as well as transitions and connectives, the use of quoted material, summary, and paraphrase. Even if your student has learned foundational concepts before, the approach in his class is to use high school vocabulary and structures that are more complex and needed for upper-level writing. From mastering the details that are holding your student back from writing well to providing much-needed practice, help your student perfect the essential tools for high school writing.
Course outline:
Class 1: Using strong nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in well-constructed sentences
Class 2: Capitalization, punctuation, and using quotation marks in dialogue and academic writing; prepositions and prepositional phrases
Class 3: Linear writing, transitions, and connectives in sentences and paragraphs
Class 4: Writing with summary and paraphrase
Class 5: Answering essay questions: structure, form, and content I
Class 6: Answering essay questions: structure, form, and content 2
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. eBook: Simplified Writing Essentials for High School Students, by EB Conroy. Available from www.amazon.com (download the Kindle app for free to easily read on your PC, Mac, iPad, iPod, or mobile device).
Homework: Approximately one hour per day, reading and completing coursework.

Class dates: Fridays, January 10 to April 25, 2014. No class Feb. 28 and April 18.
Total classes: 14
Starting time: 10:30 am Eastern Time (9:30 Central)
Duration: 45 minutes
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th grade
Suggested high school credit: 1 full semester writing
Fee: $180 if you register on or before November 1, 2013. $200 after Nov. 1st for all 14 classes.
Instructor: Sharon Hamric-Weis, JD
Course description: In this course (the first of two successive courses), your student will learn to use all of the upper-level vocabulary words related to writing that are needed for high school advanced writing, Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Composition courses, the ACT and SAT, advanced writing courses, and all of college writing—and an introduction of the concepts associated with the terms.. Over 350 words will be learned and practiced this semester. Course work will be simple yet critical for your student’s future success. Because vocabulary is the #1 indicator of success on college entrance testing, if you want your student to not only score well on testing but also be able to be prepared for college writing and vocabulary, this course is for you.
Course outline:
Class 1: Writing for a Purpose and Audience
Class 2: Worldview, Critical Thinking, & Passive/Active Voice
Class 3: Writing Effective Sentences; Diction & Syntax
Class 4: Writing Effective Paragraphs: Structure, Linear Writing, Active writing, Transitions and Connectives
Class 5: Punctuation and its Effect on Writing
Class 6: Grammar, Usage, & Mechanics for Clarity
Class 7: Types of Writing
Class 8: Point of View, Tone, & Voice
Class 9: Style
Class 10: Techniques & Devices of Organization for Coherence
Class 11: More Techniques & Devices of Organization
Class 12: Composing Methods
Class 13: Characteristics of an Effective Argument
Class 14: Research Methods
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. eBook: Simplified Vocabulary Guide by E. B. Conroy. Available from www.amazon.com (download the Kindle app for free to easily read on your PC, Mac, iPad, iPod, or mobile device).
Homework: Studying for tests on the vocabulary identification and use.

NOTE: If you did not take Part One first, you can still take Part Two; The two courses can be taken independently and in any order (Part One first, Part Two second OR Part Two first, Part One second)
Class dates: January 9 to April 10, 2014
Total classes: 14
Starting time: 2:00 PM Eastern (1:00 Central)
Duration: 45 minutes
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th grade
Suggested high school credit: 1 full semester Writing
Fee: $210 if you register on or before Nov. 1, 2013. $230 after Nov. 1st for all 14 classes.
Instructor: E B Conroy, MA
Course description: In this course (the second of two successive courses), your student will learn to use all of the upper-level vocabulary words related to writing that are needed for high school advanced writing, Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Composition courses, the ACT and SAT, advanced writing courses, and all of college writing—and an introduction of the concepts associated with the terms. Over 350 words will be learned and practiced this semester. Course work will be simple yet critical for your student’s future success. Because vocabulary is the #1 indicator of success on college entrance testing, if you want your student to not only score well on testing but also be able to be prepared for college writing and vocabulary, this course is for you.
Course outline:
Class 1: Persuasion; Sources, Citations, & Plagiarism
Class 2: Research
Class 3: Critical Reading; Literary Forms & Genres I
Class 4: Literary Forms & Genres II
Class 5: Themes in Writing
Class 6: Rhetoric & Literary Techniques
Class 7: Rhetoric, Figures of Speech, & Devices I
Class 8: Rhetoric, Figures of Speech, & Devices II
Class 9: Narration; Dissecting Passages of Text I
Class 10: Description; Dissecting Passages of Text II
Class 11: Illustration, Exemplification, & Highly Effective Essays
Class 12: Comparison & Contrast in Writing
Class 13: Process Analysis & Context
Class 14: Division & Classification; Writing Cogent, Organized Essays I
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. Book: EB Conroy’s Simplified Vocabulary Guide. Available from www.amazon.com (download the Kindle app for free to easily read on your PC, Mac, iPad, iPod, or mobile device).
Homework: Studying for tests on the vocabulary identification and use.

Foundational for All High School Students and Essential for College-Bound Students!
Note: Due to the advanced nature of the feedback, only 16 students are admitted to the course.
Class dates: Mondays, January 6 to March 10, 2014.
Total classes: 10
Starting time: 11:30 pm Eastern (12:30 Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Simplified Writing for High School Students is required (Fall 2013 or Unlimited Access). Exceptions only with written permission from the instructor.
Suggested grade level: 10th to 12th grade
Fee: $210 if you register on or before Nov. 1, 2013. $230 after Nov. 1 for all 10 classes.
Instructor: Sharon Hamric-Weis, JD
Course description: This course content is known as a prerequisite for many colleges for college-bound students. Designed to give the teen skills that make writing strong and clear, your student will learn methods of rhetoric and how to use the skills in all of the main conventions of writing used in college—including in-depth use of nine basic forms of rhetoric (rhetorical modes); be able to identify and use major rhetorical strategies and figures of speech; and pre-write, draft, and edit a comparison and contrast paper, including use of the hook, thesis, introduction construction, conclusions, and rewriting with specific, individual feedback from the instructor. Vocabulary related to upper-level writing will be introduced and integrated into the learning. Specific class time will be used to show how to edit and revise upper-level work.
Course outline:
Class 1: The academic paper; advanced academic writing with strong thesis construction, hooks, and introductions
Class 2: Rhetorical Mode 1: Narration; rhetorical strategies and figures of speech (tropes, aposiopesis, apostrophe, chiasmus, epithet)
Class 3: Rhetorical Mode 2: Comparison and Contrast; creating a thesis and hook for your paper
Class 4: Rhetorical Mode 3: Illustration and Exemplification; rhetorical strategies and figures of speech (litotes, zeugma, euphemism, idiom)
Class 5: Rhetorical Mode 4: Description; drafting your paper’s outline
Class 6: Rhetorical Mode 5: Process Analysis; rhetorical strategies and figures of speech (hyperbole, metonymy, metaphor, mixed metaphor, extended metaphor); prewriting for papers
Class 7: Rhetorical Mode 6: Definition; rhetorical strategies and figures of speech (bathos, caricature, deus ex machine, epiphany)
your paper’s rough draft
Class 8: Rhetorical Mode 7: Cause and Effect; advanced methods of draft revision 1
Class 9: Rhetorical Mode 8: Division and Classification; advanced methods of draft revision 2; formatting advanced academic works (brief style guide introduction)
Class 10: Rhetorical mode 9: Argumentation; integrating rhetorical strategies into upper-level writing
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. eBooks: 1) Simplified Writing 101: Top Secrets for College Success by EB Conroy; and 2) Simplified Writing 102: EB Conroy's Top 10 Tips for Using the Rhetorical Modes in Academic Writing. Available from www.amazon.com (download the Kindle app for free to easily read on your PC, Mac, iPad, iPod, or mobile device).
Homework: Students will have weekly writing assignments and direct feedback from the instructor, with an estimated four to five hours per week for homework (outside of class time) that includes reading, writing, and responding to feedback.

Note: Due to the advanced nature of the feedback, only 16 students are admitted to the course.
Class dates: Wednesdays, February 19 to May 7, 2014. No class March 5 and April 16.
Total classes: 10
Starting time: 11:30 am Eastern (10:30 Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Simplified Writing for High School is required (Fall 2013 or Unlimited Access). Exceptions only with written permission from the instructor.
Suggested grade level: 10th to 12th grade
Suggested high school credit: ¾ semester Writing
Fee: $210 if you register on or before Nov. 1. $230 after Nov. 1 for all 10 classes.
Instructor: Sharon Hamric-Weis, JD
Course description: This course will cover advanced research and writing methods for argumentative research writing, how to craft an advanced research paper, and understanding style guides (APA, CMS/Turabian, MLA, AP). A bibliography and research paper will be written during the course.
Course outline:
Class 1: What is research writing? Terms and methods.
Class 2: Advanced research methods: Using libraries and the Internet.
Class 3: Style guides and citations.
Class 4: Creating a bibliography.
Class 5: Creating your outline and thesis: advanced methods.
Class 6: Prewriting: styles and completeness.
Class 7: Outline with rough cut proofs.
Class 8: The rough draft.
Class 9: Revising and editing.
Class 10: Final drafts.
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. eBooks: 1) Simplified Research Writing by EB Conroy; and 2) Simplified Writing 101: Top Secrets for College Success by EB Conroy. Available from www.amazon.com (download the Kindle app for free to easily read on your PC, Mac, iPad, iPod, or mobile device).
Homework: Students will have weekly writing assignments and direct feedback from the instructor, with an estimated four to five hours per week for homework (outside of class time) that includes researching, reading, writing, and responding to feedback.

Series description: There are a total six parts to the Write Your Own Fiction Book Series. Students can jump into this continuing series at any time. Once you have completed all 6 mini-courses, you can have a completed book!
Class dates: Thursdays, Jan. 9 to Jan. 30, 2014
Total classes: 4
Starting time: 10:30 pm Eastern (9:30 Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 8th to 12th grade
Suggested high school credit: 1/3 semester Creative Writing
Fee: $80 if you enroll on or before Nov. 1, 2013. $90 after Nov. 1 for all 4 classes.
Instructor: E. B. Conroy, MA
Course description: This course teaches what it takes to be an author, from personal practices to the publishing world. The course will also discuss what it’s like to be a Catholic author today.
Course outline:
Class 1: Personal practices of successful writers
Class 2: The manuscript and query
Class 3: The platform, marketing, and the Internet
Class 4: Agents, publishers, and self publishing
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. All materials are provided FREE via the instructor.
Homework: Weekly writing assignments, with direct feedback from Professor Brown Conroy, with an estimated three to four hours per week for homework outside of class time that includes reading, writing, and responding to feedback.

Series description: There are a total six parts to the Write Your Own Fiction Book Series. Students can jump into this continuing series at any time. Once you have completed all 6 mini-courses, you can have a completed book!
Class dates: Thursdays, Feb. 6 to Feb. 27, 2014
Total classes: 4
Starting time: 10:30 AM Eastern (9:30 Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 8th to 12th
Fee: $80 if you enroll on or before Nov. 1, 2013. $90 after Nov. 1 for all 4 classes.
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester Creative Writing (three courses in the Write Your Fiction Book Series equals one full semester credit)
Instructor: E. B. Conroy
Course description: This course teaches key components of writing a gripping plot for fiction books of any genre. Designed for writing fiction for middle grade, young adult, and adult plots, the course covers great openings (the opening line, hook, drop into action, and inciting incident); development (doors of no return, peaks, and the rising plot line); creating tension and intrigue; and the climax and finish.
Course outline:
Class 1: Great openings—the opening line, hook, drop into action, and inciting incident
Class 2: Developing your plot—doors of no return, peaks, and the rising plot line
Class 3: Creating tension and intrigue—tricks, tips, and “the plant”
Class 4: Great endings—creating a strong climax and finish
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. All materials are provided FREE via the instructor.
Homework: Weekly writing assignments, with direct feedback from Professor Brown Conroy, with an estimated five hours per week for homework, outside of class time that includes reading, writing, and responding to feedback.

Series description: There are a total six parts to the Write Your Own Fiction Book Series. We will continue the series in the fall and into next spring and start all over again. Students can jump into the series at any time. Once you have completed all 6 mini-courses, you can have a completed book!
Class dates: Thursdays, March 6 to March 27, 2014.
Total classes: 4
Starting time: 10:30 AM Eastern (9:30 Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 8th to 12th grade
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester Creative Writing (three courses in the Write Your Fiction Book series equals one semester credit)
Fee: $80 if you enroll on or before Nov. 1, 2013. $90 after Nov. 1 for all 4 classes.
Instructor: E. B. Conroy, MA
Course description: This course teaches key components of using excellent description and crafting a strong and memorable setting for your fiction book. The course covers when a good writer uses description and setting (timing and amount of use); types of description (sensory, metaphor and simile, figures of speech, and literary techniques); principles and techniques of memorable settings; and how to integrate description and setting into plot, structure, and character development.
Course outline:
Class 1: Description and Setting: Timing and the Basics of their Use
Class 2: Types of Description—The senses, metaphor and simile, figures of speech, and literary techniques
Class 3: Principles and techniques of memorable settings (including examples to learn by)
Class 4: How to integrate description and setting into plot, structure, and character development
Course materials: All materials are provided FREE via the instructor.
Homework: Weekly writing assignments, with direct feedback from Professor Brown Conroy, with an estimated five hours per week for homework (outside of class time) that includes reading, writing, and responding to feedback.

Note: Though this is Part Two, students are welcomed to join us midyear as the two courses can be taken in any order.
Class dates: January 9 to February 27, 2014
Total classes: 8
Starting time: Noon Eastern (11:00 AM Central)
Duration: 50 minutes
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 6th through 12th grade
Suggested high school credit: 2/3 Creative Writing
Fee: $140 if you register on or before Nov. 1, 2013. $160 after Nov. 1st for all 8 classes.
Instructor: E B Conroy, MA
Course description: This is an advanced fiction writing course that delves into the use of archetypes in what is called "the hero's journey," the mythic structure that many claim all stories follow. This course will cover the different kinds of typological actions and plot lines that appear in stories, to apply that knowledge to the crafting of your own fiction book. The course can be taken in conjunction with any of the other fiction writing courses offered with Homeschool Connections. Whether you plan on going into fiction writing (books, screenwriting, poetry) or simply want to expand your ability to write in advanced styles, this course is for you. 
Course outline:
Class 1: Ordinary World
Class 2: The Call to Adventure
Class 3: The Refusal of the Call
Class 4: Meeting with the Mentor
Class 5: Crossing the First Threshold
Class 6: Tests, Allies, Enemies
Class 7: Approach to the Inmost Cave
Class 8: The Ordeal and the Reward
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. Book: The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structures for Writers, 3rd Edition, by Christopher Vogler and Michele Montez (Nov 1, 2007, $17.99 paperback). NOTE: The same book is used in both of the Advanced Fiction (Parts One and Two) courses.
Homework: Approximately 1 ½ to three hours per week reading and completing coursework.