Summer School Math: Pre-Algebra and Algebra

This summer we'll also offer a couple boot camps to help students prepare for their fall math studies. I'll post more detailed information in the next week, but for now here are the basics:

Course name: Pre-Algebra (Preparatory) Summer Boot Camp
Class dates: Mondays through Thursdays, August 1 to August 11, 2011
Total classes: 8
Starting time: 10:00 am Eastern (9:00 am Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Fee: $75 for all 8 classes if you register on or before April 1, 2011. $100 after April 1.

Description: To help students prepare to learn Pre-algebra in the fall.

Course name: Algebra (Preparatory) Summer Boot Camp
Class dates: Mondays through Thursdays, August 1 to August 11, 2011
Total classes: 8
Starting time: 11:30 am Eastern (10:30 am Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Fee: $75 for all 8 classes if you register on or before April 1, 2011. $100 after April 1.

Description: To help students prepare to learn Algebra in the fall.

Summer School History: Vatican II

Update: This live course has concluded and is now available as a recorded course through our Subscription Service. This is a great way to learn at your own pace when your schedule allows.To subscribe or learn more: High and Middle School Online Classes

History Boot Camp: Understanding the Second Vatican Council

(click on course title to register)

Class dates: Monday through Thursday, July 11 to July 14, 2011
Total classes: 4
Starting time: 10 am Eastern (9 am Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: 1 hour
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th
High School Credit: 1/3 semester if you include the additional reading.
Fee: $50 for all 4 classes if you enroll on or before April 1, 2011. $60 after April 1, 2011
Instructor: Phillip Campbell
Course description: This course will guide students through the history of the tumultuous years surrounding the Second Vatican Council. We will study the important events and persons of the Conciliar years and dig into the sixteen documents promulgated by the Council, including Lumen Gentium, Sacrosanctum Concilium, Gaudium et Spes, Nostra Aetete and Dei Verbum.
Course outline:
Mon. July 11th: The pontificate Pope John XXIII and the calling of the Council
Tues. July 12th: The Church and the world: Lumen Gentium and Gaudium et Spes
Wed. July 13th: Nostra Aetete, Dei Verbum and Sacrosanctum Concilium
Thurs. July 14th: Years of uncertainty: a look at the aftermath of the Council and an assessment of its successes and shortcomings.
Course materials: There is not required text for this course. However, Mr. Campbell recommends the following books for students who wish to delve deeper into the subject:
The Ratzinger Report by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
What Went Wrong with Vatican II by Ralph McInerny
The Rhine flows into the Tiber by Ralph Wiltgern

History Boot Camp: Understanding the Second Vatican Council

(click on course title to register)

Summer School: History; The Great Depression

Update: This live course has concluded and is now available as a recorded course through our Subscription Service. This is a great way to learn at your own pace when your schedule allows.To subscribe or learn more: High and Middle School Online Classes

History Boot Camp: The Great Depression: 1929-1941

(click on the course title to register)

Class dates: Monday through Thursday, June 6 to June 9, 2011
Total classes: 4
Starting time: 10 am Eastern (9 am Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th
High school credit: 1/3 semester if you include the supplemental reading.
Fee: $50 for all 4 classes if you enroll on or before April 1, 2011. $60 after April 1, 2011.
Instructor: Phillip Campbell
Course description: This class will help students understand one of the most pivotal events in American history, the Great Depression. We will examine the development of banking in the United States as a backdrop to the events of 1929, study the Wall Street Crash of October 29th,1929 and its consequences and follow the unfolding of the Depression around the world and the United States' attempt to mitigate the disaster. This class will also lead students in comparing the financial markets of 1929 to those of today and speculate on whether or not another disaster of the magnitude of the Depression could happen again.
Course outline:
Mon. June 6th: A history of banking in America and a brief review of financial crashes prior to the Great Depression
Tues. June 7th: Study of the factors leading up to the Crash of 1929 and its effect on the nation
Wed. June 8th: The response of the United States government to the Great Depression
Thurs June 9th: World War II and the end of the Depression; Could another Depression happen today?
Course materials: As a supplement, Mr. Campbell recommends the book "The Great Depression" by Robert McElvaine (it is only $3.98 used on Amazon).

History Boot Camp: The Great Depression: 1929-1941

(click on the course title to register)

Summer Boot Camps Coming Soon!

Now that everyone is starting to breathe easy again with the spring semester under way, we can all start thinking about summer. Yes, I know it's frigid out there and summer is still many months away but when it comes to homeschool planning, it's never too soon.

Homeschool Connections has scheduled summer boot camps for history, life skills, and math. We're also hoping for a pro-life apologetics camp. I'll start posting the summer camps on Monday so you can start planning.

If you're not familiar with our Summer Boot Camp program, here is how it works. Summer school classes are daily, Monday through Thursday, instead of once a week. Most are just one week while a few will be two or even three weeks.

Thus, the "boot camp" designation. You're getting a lot of schooling in a short period of time. It's intense, it's educational, and it's fun! Last year's boot camps were a great success. So, I'm hoping you'll be joining us this year too!

Frances Chesterton and Homeschooling

Nancy Brown's recent webinar on Frances Chesterton (wife of G. K.) and homeschooling was wonderful. We are now able to offer it to you as a recording so that you may view it at your leisure. Just click the webinar title found below.

We are able to bring these webinars to you FREE of charge thanks to the generosity of our sponsors. This webinar is brought to you by Homeschool Connections and mater et magistra (THE Catholic homeschooling magazine -- don't teach home without it!)

Description:
Frances Chesterton: What We Can Learn from the Wife of G. K. Chesterton About Home Education
presented by Nancy Carpentier Brown
Frances Chesterton, wife of noted British author Gilbert Keith Chesterton, was very interested in the education of children, and was a published author on the subject.

In this talk, Nancy discusses the life of Frances Chesterton, her interest in the education of children, and find out what she has to teach us about the home education of our own children, as well as about being wives and makers of hearth and home.

NOTE: You may need to click on the Video icon at the top right hand corner to get the full experience.

Where to find Nancy and her books:

Nancy Carpentier Brown is the blogmistress, podcaster, Facebook and Twitter commander for the American Chesterton Society, as well as a columnist for their publication Gilbert Magazine. She is on the editorial board of mater et magistra.

Brown is the adapter of The Father Brown Reader: Stories from Chesterton and the newly released Father Brown Reader 2: More Stories from Chesterton. She is also the author of The Blue Cross Study Guide and the Study Guide to Chesterton's St. Francis of Assisi.

In August, 2010, Nancy gave a talk at the 29th annual conference of the American Chesterton Society at Mount St. Mary's in Emmitsburg, MD titled "Frances: The Woman Who Was Chesterton."