Meet Mrs. Conroy, our new writing instructor:
For details please visit Simplified Writing for High School with Mrs. Conroy
Friday, October 28, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
High School Archeology for Catholic Homeschoolers
What do strawberry tarts, archeology and Bible history have in common. Check out this video to find out!
To register click here: An Archaeological Survey of the Old and New Testaments
To register click here: An Archaeological Survey of the Old and New Testaments
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
FAQ: Refund Policies
Following are questions we've received regarding refund and cancelation policies for both live and recorded courses:
Live Courses
Q: What do I do if I have a scheduling conflict and my child is unable to take a course once I've already registered him?
A: Because of busy schedules and potential conflicts with the class times, some people may find that they have to drop a course. We will refund 95% of the course fee for cancellations made up to 1 week before the first day of class. Up to 1 week following the first class, we will refund 50% of the course fee plus 45% credit for a future course (must be used within one year). Written notification is required prior to the second class if you would like to receive the partial refund.
Recorded Courses (Subscription Service)
Q: My youngest graduated and I would like to cancel. If I cancel today (the 1st) will my subscription end today or at the end of my 30-day subscription period which is the 15th.
A: Your subscription will end on the 15th. You don't have to worry about timing it just right as we take care of that for you. We make sure you get the most out of your subscription fee!
Q: I haven't used my Subscription Service for six weeks. Can I get a refund for the past couple of months?
A: We are not able to give refunds for past months. The recorded courses are paid via a subscription service. To help you keep track of your charges, the monthly fee is automatically deducted from your credit card on the same day each month and you receive an email notification. Additionally, we send out monthly e-newsletters regarding your Subscription Service. If you do not plan to use the service, you may cancel at any time and resubscribe at a later date. On a similar note, we are able to refund for a current month if notified within 24 hours of the deduction.
Live Courses
Q: What do I do if I have a scheduling conflict and my child is unable to take a course once I've already registered him?
A: Because of busy schedules and potential conflicts with the class times, some people may find that they have to drop a course. We will refund 95% of the course fee for cancellations made up to 1 week before the first day of class. Up to 1 week following the first class, we will refund 50% of the course fee plus 45% credit for a future course (must be used within one year). Written notification is required prior to the second class if you would like to receive the partial refund.
Recorded Courses (Subscription Service)
Q: My youngest graduated and I would like to cancel. If I cancel today (the 1st) will my subscription end today or at the end of my 30-day subscription period which is the 15th.
A: Your subscription will end on the 15th. You don't have to worry about timing it just right as we take care of that for you. We make sure you get the most out of your subscription fee!
Q: I haven't used my Subscription Service for six weeks. Can I get a refund for the past couple of months?
A: We are not able to give refunds for past months. The recorded courses are paid via a subscription service. To help you keep track of your charges, the monthly fee is automatically deducted from your credit card on the same day each month and you receive an email notification. Additionally, we send out monthly e-newsletters regarding your Subscription Service. If you do not plan to use the service, you may cancel at any time and resubscribe at a later date. On a similar note, we are able to refund for a current month if notified within 24 hours of the deduction.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
AP English, Part Two
(click on course title for registration page)
Class dates: Tuesdays (instruction) and Thursdays (discussion/lab), January 10 to May 3, 2011. No class April 3 and 5 (Holy Week).
Total classes: 32
Starting time: 8:00 pm Eastern (7:00 pm Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Part One of this course. Instructor’s permission is required for exceptions. Students are expected to take the AP Literature and Composition test on May 10, 2012.
Suggested high school credit: 1 full semester credit for AP English
Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th grade
Fee: $300 if you enroll on or before November 1, 2011. $375 after November 1 for all 32 classes. (Note: enrollment is limited.)
Instructor: Laurie Navar Gill, M. Ed
Course description: This course syllabus has been approved by the College Board to bear the designation “AP.” All students in the class will be receiving a preparation that will help them to succeed on the AP Literature and Composition exam, which many students take for Advanced College Credit. You may also be eligible for a weighted grade.
Building on representative texts from the western literary tradition, this course will particularly examine the nature of storytelling and its relationship to life and culture. We will look at different storytelling media, including the epic, drama, the novel, non-fiction prose, and poetry. We will analyze story structure and storytelling techniques and examine the interplay between life and story. As we read stories, we will also talk about them, write about them, and tell some of our own.
The course approaches the goals of AP Literature through a Catholic lens. The primary themes under consideration are God’s universal charity and the consequences of sin. As we travel with the pilgrims of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, imagine the end of the world, examine the tragedies of Othello and King Lear, look at Gothic horror novels through the lens of contemporary bio-ethical dilemmas, and finally, ponder how God’s plan is worked out through very imperfect instruments in The Power and the Glory, students can mature and deepen in their understanding of human weakness and God’s sovereign mercy.
Course outline: Please contact Homeschool Connections for the complete course outline.
Course materials: Each student will need 7-11 books; all are available in inexpensive paperback editions. Specific editions will be suggested, but library copies are fine. In the case of literature in translation, particular translations will be required. Some of the texts are available free online.
Homework: The course requires roughly an hour of reading every day, with additional discussion/posting responsibilities. Every reading unit (approx. every 3 weeks) also includes a major writing assignment that will go through draft, conferencing and revision stages. Conferences are one-on-one meetings with the instructor that can take place via computer or telephone [SKYPE]. Students should plan on spending an average of 60-90 minutes 5-6 days a week outside of class on reading and writing for this course.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Language: Spanish I, Part Two
Note: This is a two-part course. However, students are welcomed to join us midyear. Please feel free to drop us an email at homeschoolconnections@gmail.com to make sure your student's progress is in line with the course schedule.
Class dates: Thursdays, Jan. 12 to Apr. 12. No class Feb. 23 or Apr. 5.
Total classes: 12
Starting time: Noon Eastern (11:00 am Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Spanish I, Part One or equivalent
Suggested grade level: 8th to 12th
Fee: $160 if you register on or before November 1, 2011. $195 after November 1 for all 12 classes
Instructor: Irma Luz Schmitt
Course description: Students will learn to grammar and be given the foundation to speak the language. In first year Spanish you will learn basic words, verb tenses, how to speak basic sentences, etc.
Course materials: Spanish: Middle / High School (Skills for Success)
Homework: All assignments will be graded by the instructor.
Professor's biography: Irma Luz Schmitt was born in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico. She graduated from the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (Monterrey Institute of Technology) in Monterrey, Mexico with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting in 1986 and a Master’s Degree in Education in 1999. In 2005, she earned a certification from Cambridge University in England to teach English as a second language.
From 1987-1999, Mrs. Schmitt worked as an accountant at Catepillar, Cedetel and Sorteo Tec. In 2000, she worked at Universidad Virtual del Tec de Monterrey as part of a team that initiated online courses in Accounting. From 2002-2004, she taught accounting, humanities and Latin American Studies at Universidad LaSalle in Ciudad Victoria. In 2003-2005, she taught English as a second language in the Centro de Lenguas de la Universidad Autonoma de Tamaulipas in Ciudad Victoria. While there she also participated in a distance learning program to train teachers who teach English in elementary public schools in neighboring cities of Tamaulipas.
Mrs. Schmitt and her husband live in Bear, Delaware where they homeschool their 5 year-old-daughter.
Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live and interactive. Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc:
Mrs. Schmitt will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
(click on course title for registration page)
Total classes: 12
Starting time: Noon Eastern (11:00 am Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Spanish I, Part One or equivalent
Suggested grade level: 8th to 12th
Fee: $160 if you register on or before November 1, 2011. $195 after November 1 for all 12 classes
Instructor: Irma Luz Schmitt
Course description: Students will learn to grammar and be given the foundation to speak the language. In first year Spanish you will learn basic words, verb tenses, how to speak basic sentences, etc.
Course materials: Spanish: Middle / High School (Skills for Success)
Homework: All assignments will be graded by the instructor.
Professor's biography: Irma Luz Schmitt was born in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico. She graduated from the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (Monterrey Institute of Technology) in Monterrey, Mexico with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting in 1986 and a Master’s Degree in Education in 1999. In 2005, she earned a certification from Cambridge University in England to teach English as a second language.
From 1987-1999, Mrs. Schmitt worked as an accountant at Catepillar, Cedetel and Sorteo Tec. In 2000, she worked at Universidad Virtual del Tec de Monterrey as part of a team that initiated online courses in Accounting. From 2002-2004, she taught accounting, humanities and Latin American Studies at Universidad LaSalle in Ciudad Victoria. In 2003-2005, she taught English as a second language in the Centro de Lenguas de la Universidad Autonoma de Tamaulipas in Ciudad Victoria. While there she also participated in a distance learning program to train teachers who teach English in elementary public schools in neighboring cities of Tamaulipas.
Mrs. Schmitt and her husband live in Bear, Delaware where they homeschool their 5 year-old-daughter.
Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live and interactive. Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc:
Mrs. Schmitt will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
(click on course title for registration page)
Friday, October 21, 2011
Language: Latin II, Part Two
(click on course title for registration page)
Note: This is a two-part course. However, students are welcomed to join us midyear. Please feel free to drop us an email at homeschoolconnections@gmail.com to make sure your student's progress is in line with the course schedule.
Class dates: Fridays, January 13 to April 13, 2012. No class February 24 (midterm break) or April 6 (Holy Week)
Total classes: 12
Starting time: 10:00 am Eastern (9:00 am Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Latin II, Part One or equivalent
Suggested grade level: 9th-12th
Suggested high school credit: 1 full semester of Latin
Fee: $160 if you register on or before Nov. 1, 2011. $195 after Nov. 1 for all 12 classes
Instructor: Catherine Alvis
Course description: Students who have completed a full year of Latin are welcome to Latin II. Students will become proficient in both English Grammar and in all Latin forms. We will also discuss Roman thinkers and their influence on the Roman Republic. From time to time we will also translate some short stories from "Wheelock's Short Stories".
Course materials: Wheelock's Latin.
Homework: An average of one to one half hour 4 days a week and graded by the instructor. Students must memorize all new forms including any new vocabulary. Translation and vocabulary quizzes will be given periodically.
Instructor's biography: Catherine Alvis is a graduate of the University of Dallas with a BA in Politics and is currently obtaining her Masters in Humanities from UD as well. She has been teaching English and Latin for 5 years at a homeschool co-op in Dallas, TX and has tutored various levels of Latin throughout her teaching career. Miss Alvis enjoys reading, tennis, spending time with her family, volunteering at various events at her Thomas Aquinas parish, organizing events with Young Catholic Professionals of Dallas and playing fetch with her boarder collie.
Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live and interactive. Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc:
Miss Alvis will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
(click on course title for registration page)
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Language: Latin I; High School
(click on course title for registration page)
Class dates: Fridays, January 13 to April 13, 2012. No class February 24 (midterm break) or April 6 (Holy Week)
Total classes: 12
Starting time: 2:00 pm Eastern (1:00 pm Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Latin I, Part One or equivalent
Suggested grade level: 9th-12th
Suggested high school credit: 1 full semester Latin
Fee: $160 if you register on or before Nov. 1, 2011. $195 after Nov. 1 for all 12 classes
Instructor: Catherine Alvis
Course description: Students new to Latin will be introduced to all verb and noun forms and will translate famous Latin anecdotes from Wheelock's 'Sententiae Antiquae'. English Grammar will be emphasized in addition to discussing famous Roman speakers. Students will have a more comprehensive understanding of Latin forms than in Latin 1/2.
Course materials: Wheelock's Latin
Homework: An average of one hour per day 4 days a week and graded by the instructor. Students will be assigned practice sentences in class, and must memorize vocabulary and new forms with each new lesson. Vocabulary and translation quizzes will be given periodically.
Instructor's biography: Catherine Alvis is a graduate of the University of Dallas with a BA in Politics and is currently obtaining her Masters in Humanities from UD as well. She has been teaching English and Latin for 5 years at a homeschool co-op in Dallas, TX and has tutored various levels of Latin throughout her teaching career. Miss Alvis enjoys reading, tennis, spending time with her family, volunteering at various events at her Thomas Aquinas parish, organizing events with Young Catholic Professionals of Dallas and playing fetch with her boarder collie.
Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live and interactive. Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc:
Miss Alvis will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
(click on course title for registration page)
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Homeschool Latin for Middle School
Note: This is a two-part course. However, students are welcomed to join us midyear. Please feel free to drop us an email at homeschoolconnections@gmail.com to make sure your student's progress is in line with the course schedule.
Class dates: Fridays, January 13 to April 13, 2012. No class February 24 (midterm break) or April 6 (Holy Week)
Total classes: 12
Starting time: 11:30 Eastern (10:30 am Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Latin ½, Part One or equivalent
Suggested grade level: 7th to 8th
Fee: $160 if you register on or before Nov. 1, 2011. $195 after Nov. 1 for all 12 classes
Instructor: Catherine Alvis
Course description: Students new to Latin will be introduced to the fundamental forms of both nouns (1st-3rd declensions) and verbs (all tenses, active and passive of 1st conjugation). Logic level students will begin translating various short stories about Aeneid's journey to the founding of Rome.
Course materials: Jenney's First Year Latin. Make sure to get the latest edition, ISBN# 0133193284, so you can follow along with the instructor.
Homework: Average 45 to 60 minutes per day, four days a week and graded by the instructor. It will consist of memorizing forms, writing vocabulary cards (students should use colored index cards to help them study) and some translation. Vocabulary and translation quizzes will be given periodically.
Instructor's biography: Catherine Alvis is a graduate of the University of Dallas with a BA in Politics and is currently obtaining her Masters in Humanities from UD as well. She has been teaching English and Latin for 5 years at a homeschool co-op in Dallas, TX and has tutored various levels of Latin throughout her teaching career. Miss Alvis enjoys reading, tennis, spending time with her family, volunteering at various events at her Thomas Aquinas parish, organizing events with Young Catholic Professionals of Dallas and playing fetch with her boarder collie.
Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live and interactive. Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc:
Miss Alvis will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
(click on the course title for registration page)
Class dates: Fridays, January 13 to April 13, 2012. No class February 24 (midterm break) or April 6 (Holy Week)Total classes: 12
Starting time: 11:30 Eastern (10:30 am Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Latin ½, Part One or equivalent
Suggested grade level: 7th to 8th
Fee: $160 if you register on or before Nov. 1, 2011. $195 after Nov. 1 for all 12 classes
Instructor: Catherine Alvis
Course description: Students new to Latin will be introduced to the fundamental forms of both nouns (1st-3rd declensions) and verbs (all tenses, active and passive of 1st conjugation). Logic level students will begin translating various short stories about Aeneid's journey to the founding of Rome.
Course materials: Jenney's First Year Latin. Make sure to get the latest edition, ISBN# 0133193284, so you can follow along with the instructor.
Homework: Average 45 to 60 minutes per day, four days a week and graded by the instructor. It will consist of memorizing forms, writing vocabulary cards (students should use colored index cards to help them study) and some translation. Vocabulary and translation quizzes will be given periodically.
Instructor's biography: Catherine Alvis is a graduate of the University of Dallas with a BA in Politics and is currently obtaining her Masters in Humanities from UD as well. She has been teaching English and Latin for 5 years at a homeschool co-op in Dallas, TX and has tutored various levels of Latin throughout her teaching career. Miss Alvis enjoys reading, tennis, spending time with her family, volunteering at various events at her Thomas Aquinas parish, organizing events with Young Catholic Professionals of Dallas and playing fetch with her boarder collie.
Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live and interactive. Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc:
Miss Alvis will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
(click on the course title for registration page)
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Homeschool Math: Saxon Algebra I
(click on course title for registration page)
Note: This is a two-part course. However, students are welcomed to join us midyear. Please feel free to drop us an email at homeschoolconnections@gmail.com to make sure your student's progress is in line with the course schedule. We'll be starting the second semester with Chapter 61. Students who want to start at the beginning can take the recorded courses on their own (see Subscription Service).
Class dates: Mondays, January 9 to April 23, 20112. No class Jan. 23 (March for Life) or Apr. 9 (Easter Monday).
Total classes: 14
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th
Starting time: 4:00 pm Eastern (3:00 pm Central)
Duration: One hour 15 minutes
Fee: $160 if you enroll on or before November 1, 2011. $185 after November 1 for all 14 classes.
Instructor: Jean Hoeft, MA
Prerequisite: Math: Algebra (Saxon); Part One or equivilant
Suggested grade level: 8th to 12th
Suggested high school credit: 1 semester credit for math
Course description: This course involves all concepts needed to fulfill national requirements for Algebra I. The topics to include but not be restricted to, operations with integers, rules of multiplicative identity and additive identity, equation solving, exponential function relations, quadratic function relations and their graphs, Cartesian graphing, polynomial relations and functions, radicals and their properties as well as some work with geometric properties as a background for use in Algebra II.
Course materials: Saxon Algebra I Homeschool Kit, Third Edition, which includes the textbook, test booklet, and answer key. (If you shop around, this kit can be found from a variety of sources new or used for a reasonable price.) A different edition could be used if you already own it but it would be more difficult to follow along in class.
Homework: Students will be assigned 4-5 homework assignments per week with testing done on Fridays. Students will be required to take a placement test before entering the class to tailor studies to the individual needs of the students. Parents are asked to grade homework and tests and to send results to the instructor. The course instructor will then use these results to tailor lessons. The first 15 minutes of class will involve answering questions and doing practice problems to help the learners understand and improve on homework mistakes.
Instructor's biography: Jean Hoeft has been a math and algebra teacher for 22 years. She has a BA from the University of Michigan and a MA from Marygrove University. Jean has taught the confirmation class at her Catholic parish for 27 years. She loves gardening, sudoku puzzles, raising chickens, reading, knitting, and everything Catholic.
Equipment requirements: Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc: Mrs. Hoeft will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
(click on course title for registration page)
Monday, October 17, 2011
Homeschool Math: Saxon Pre-Algebra
(click on course title for registration page)
Note: This is a two-part course. However, students are welcomed to join us midyear. Please feel free to drop us an email at homeschoolconnections@gmail.com to make sure your student's progress is in line with the course schedule. We'll be starting the second semester with Chapter 61. Students who want to start at the beginning can take the recorded courses on their own (see Subscription Service).
Total classes: 14
Starting time: 4:00 pm Eastern (3:00 pm Central)
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Prerequisite: Pre-Algebra (Saxon), Part One or equivalent.
Suggested grade level: 7th to 9th grade
Fee: $160 if you register on or before November 1, 2011. $185 after Nov. 1 for all 14 classes
Instructor: Jean Hoeft
Course description: Students will begin the skills needed for Algebra I. These include but are not limited to: writing equations, slope of a line, solving simple equations, numbers and their operations, linear functions, and operations with integers.
Course materials: Saxon Algebra ½ Homeschool Kit
Homework: Students will be assigned 4-5 homework assignments per week with testing done on Fridays. Students will be required to take a placement test before entering the class to tailor studies to the individual needs of the students. Parents are asked to grade homework and tests and to send results to the instructor. The course instructor will then use these results to tailor lessons. The first 15 minutes of class will involve answering questions and doing practice problems to help the learners understand and improve on homework mistakes.
Instructor's biography: Jean Hoeft has been a math and algebra teacher for 22 years. She has a BA from the University of Michigan and a MA from Marygrove University. Jean has taught the confirmation class at her Catholic parish for 27 years. She loves gardening, sudoku puzzles, raising chickens, reading, knitting, and everything Catholic.
Equipment requirements: Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc: Mrs. Hoeft will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
(click on course title for registration page)
Sunday, October 16, 2011
FAQ: Two-Part Courses
Q: I noticed that you are offering Part Two of Latin II starting in January. I would like to enroll my son. Is that okay even though we have not taken Part One this semester?
A: Yes, that is not a problem. We have had students join us midyear in the past without any problems. We can put you in touch with the instructor so that you can make sure that your son's current progress is in line with our course schedule before you register.
A: Yes, that is not a problem. We have had students join us midyear in the past without any problems. We can put you in touch with the instructor so that you can make sure that your son's current progress is in line with our course schedule before you register.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Plot and Structure: Writing Your Own Fiction Book
Click to play and learn about this great writing course:
Enroll today by clicking here: Write Your Own Fiction Book Series
Enroll today by clicking here: Write Your Own Fiction Book Series
Friday, October 14, 2011
High School: Moral Theology—How Shall I Live?
(link on course title for registration page)
Class dates: Tuesdays, March 6 to May 1, 2012. No class April 3 (Holy Week)
Total classes: 8
Starting time: 1:00 pm Eastern (Noon Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Fee: $90 if you register on or before November 1, 2011. $120 after Nov. 1 for entire 8-week course.
Course instructor: Monica Ashour, MTS; M Hum
Prerequisite: None.
Suggested grade level: 10th to 12th
Suggested high school credit: 1/2 semester credit in theology
Course Rationale: Every human person is called to the perfection of charity (cf. LG #40). This vocation has been revealed through Jesus Christ and can be accomplished only in and with Jesus Christ, whose Paschal Mystery is made present in the Church’s liturgy—the “great work in which God is perfectly glorified and men are sanctified” (SC #7). To further man’s sanctification, the Second Vatican Council has asked that “. . . special care should be given to the perfecting of moral theology. Its scientific presentation should draw more fully on the teaching of Holy Scripture and should throw light upon the exalted vocation of the faith in Christ and their obligation to bring forth fruit in charity for the life of the world” (OT #16). Therefore, this course will attempt to focus upon the moral life, first of all, within the context of man’s vocation in Christ, the model of holiness, who took the form of a slave, emptied himself, and learned obedience through suffering; secondly, within the context of man’s natural endowments, his capacity for virtue; and finally, within the context of charity as the form of the virtues and the goal of all man’s strivings since “God is love” (1Jn 4:8). The course will investigate concretely those challenges to the Catholic Church’s teachings and respond with solid, pastoral answers.
Course Goal: Each student, having been challenged intellectually with various doctrinal teachings, will be challenged to be open to ongoing conversion so as to offer himself along with Jesus, the Sacrificial Victim, to the Father in the love of the Holy Spirit both now and for all eternity. Concretely, this will manifest itself in life in Christ through virtuous living and a deeper understanding of and participation in the Liturgy.
Homework: Weekly Quizzes, Major Project, and Final Exam: Graded by the parent. (Answer key provided, with reference to powerpoint.)
Course Reading: The reading will assist the student in delving into a deep understanding of the human person and how (s)he is to act, along with its application to one’s relationship with Jesus and the Church. Please note that several of these are available free online and others are available used inexpensively. Please click on the hyperlinks below for free downloads or purchase information:
1. The Bible 2. The Catechism of the Catholic Church; 3. The Documents of Vatican II; 4. Veritatis Splendor (Pope John Paul’s encyclical on morality) 5. The Weight of Glory and Man or Rabbit, both by CS Lewis;
Optional: 1. Peter Kreeft’s A Refutation of Moral Relativism, Ignatius Press 2. Fr. Basil Maturin’s Christian Self-Mastery;, Sophia Institute Press 3. Hayes, Hayes, Kelly, & Drummey’s Catholicism and Ethics: A Medical/Moral Handbook, C.R. Publications, Inc. (and for those interested—Leader’s/Catechist’s Manual of the same name and publisher).
For those who want more of a challenge and more credit earned: 1. Charles Rice’s 50 Questions on the Natural Law, Ignatius Press; 2. Peter Kreeft’s Snakebite Letters, Ignatius Press. Even deeper challenge: National Catholic Bio-ethics Quarterly.
Recommended future reading, to form the imagination in morality: Dante’s Inferno, Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Instructor's biography: Having had 20 years of experience in the classroom, 3 years of experience working at St. Mary’s Catholic Church at Texas A&M University as one of the Campus Ministers, and Master Degrees in Humanities and Theological Studies from the University of Dallas, Monica Ashour comes to us with a breadth and depth of vision that will solidify and electrify high school students. Orthodox, passionate, and pedagogically adept, Miss Ashour reaches youth especially in the areas of Christian Anthropology, Moral Theology, and Social Ethics. Her former students come to her often with gratitude in preparing them for the various experiences that they faced in college. She is also a gifted speaker for the Theology of the Body Institute.
Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live and interactive. Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc:
Miss Ashour will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
(link on course title for registration page)
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Early Enrollment Discount
Early registrations helps our instructors plan their coursework more effectively. For this reason, Homeschool Connections offers a very generous Early Enrollment Discount.
Register for your spring courses on or before November 1st and you'll save from 15 to 30%. You'll find links to individual registration pages in the sidebar here on the blog. Or, visit our website and click on Courses.
The discount is automatic when you register. No need for special codes and no hoops to jump through. The courses are set at the discounted price and will automatically increase on November 2nd.
Register for your spring courses on or before November 1st and you'll save from 15 to 30%. You'll find links to individual registration pages in the sidebar here on the blog. Or, visit our website and click on Courses.
The discount is automatic when you register. No need for special codes and no hoops to jump through. The courses are set at the discounted price and will automatically increase on November 2nd.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
High School Science: Hematology and Immunity
(click on course title for registration page)
Total classes: 12
Starting time: 12:30 pm Eastern (11:30 Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th
Fee: $160 if you register on or before November 1, 2011. $185 after Nov. 1 for all 12 classes. (Note: Enrollment is limited. A waiting list will be created if the course fills.)
Instructor: Kris Correira, PA-C, MHP
Course description: We may have only three types of blood cells, yet blood carries our oxygen, repairs our injuries, stops our bleeding, and it fights off infections and more. Explore Hematology and Immunology in this twelve-week course.
Course outline:
Week 1: Blood Function, Composition, and Hematopoiesis
Week 2: Coagulation and Coagulation Disorders
Week 3: Hemoglobin and Blood Typing
Week 4: The Complete Blood Count and Blood Smear
Week 5: Anemias and Bone Marrow Disorders
Week 6: Exam I
Week 7: Immune System Anatomy, Pathogens, and Nonspecific defenses
Week 8: Antigens, Antibodies, and Types of Immunity
Week 9: Humoral Immunity
Week 10: Cell-mediated Immunity
Week 11: Immune Hormones and Patterns of Immune Response
Week 12: Exam II
Course materials: Students must have access to a compound light microscope with 400x magnification, 1000x preferable. The following supplies need to be ordered from Home Science Tools or other biological supply company:
BE-BLDTEST Blood Test Kit
MS-ANEMIA Human blood slide, anemia, smear
MS-HUBLOOD Human blood slide, Wright's stain, smear
Homework: Students will have written homework assigned most weeks. Each week there is an open-book quiz available 30 minutes before class and there are two open-book exams during the semester.
Instructor's biography: Kris Correira has a long background in medicine and teaching. She is a physician assistant who worked in a busy emergency department for sixteen years. She has been teaching in the paramedic program at Quinsigamond Community College since 1993, and now also teaches a lab in Human Biology for Non-Majors at Eastern Connecticut State University. She received her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Biological Sciences and Computer Science from Wellesley College, and her Physician Assistant Certificate and Masters of Health Professions degree from Northeastern University. She is currently working towards her Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership and Higher Education online from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live and interactive. Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc:
Mrs. Correira will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
(click on course title for registration page)
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
High School Literature: Flannery O'Connor
(click on course title for registration page)
Total classes: 6
Suggested grade level: 12th or college
Starting time: 10:00 am Eastern (9:00 am Central)
Duration: One hour
Fee: $80 if you register on or before November 1, 2011. $100 after Nov.1 for all 6 classes.
Instructor: Henry Russell, PhD
Prerequisite: Ability to enjoy reading and discussing the works.
High school credit: 1⁄2 semester credit; for full credit, precede with Dr. Russell’s course on Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather.
Course description: Flannery O’Connor is among the short list of American 20th-century novelists who may be considered great and enduring. This is especially odd since she lived most of her life in or on a farm outside the small town of Milledgeville Georgia, slowly dying, for most of her working life, of lupus. Moreover, she wrote only two novels—Wise Blood and the Violent Bear It Away. All else were finely chiseled short stories, of a power perhaps unmatched by any other author.
In a largely self-satisfied America of the 1950’s, she prophetically wrote of a nation that was losing its soul by abandoning its God. Her characters-- once widely criticized as unrealistic, even bizarre, and grotesque—now walk the streets of our nation and populate every level of society. O’Connor is great because she always understood that the soul is the wellspring of human action. Each of her stories is filled with characters who are trying to avoid God’s demands. Each must face a shattering moment of choice between their illusion of self-sufficiency and obedience to reality.
We will explore “A Good Man is Hard to Find”; “Greenleaf”; and “The Lame Shall Enter First.” Perhaps I can explain it best by saying that these stories will remain with you as unforgettably as the best stories Edgar Allen Poe ever wrote. But Poe’s stories are about life that has moved permanently into horror; O’Connor’s are about great suffering that offers a chance to know ourselves and God.
Course outline:
Class One: Flannery O’Connor and “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
Class Two: “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
Class Three: “Greenleaf”
Class Four: “Greenleaf”
Class Five: “The Lame Shall Enter First”
Class Six: “The Lame Shall Enter First”
Course materials: Find the two short stories. “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is in almost any competent modern American Anthology for college. “The Lame Shall Enter First” can be found in 3 by Flannery O’Connor, Signet, 1983 (NOT 1962), of which there are many used copies.
Homework: Dr. Russell will provide quizzes, essay topics, and a midterm and final exam to be graded by the parent. Answer keys provided.
Instructor biography: Dr. Henry Russell is Headmaster of the St. Augustine’s Homeschool Enrichment Program founded with his wife Crystal. The program began in Fall 2005 with 20 students in two living rooms and now tutors more than 70 students. He is also the President of the SS Peter and Paul Educational Foundation, dedicated to founding an orthodox Catholic Liberal Arts college in southeast Michigan.
A graduate of Princeton and South Caroline (M.S.), Dr. Russell completed his graduate work at Louisiana State University. Formerly the Chairman of Ave Maria College’s Department of Literature, he has also been a professor at Franciscan University of Steubenville and Wake Forest University. He is a founding faculty member of the St. Robert Southwell Creative Writing Workshop held in Mahwah, New Jersey.
Dr. Russell’s works include The Catholic Shakespeare Audio Series available from Kolbe Academy. He was the Associate Editor of The Formalist from 1990-2004 and his writings have been published in various journals. He was honored to edit Dr. Alice von Hildebrand’s groundbreaking volume, The Privilege of Being a Woman.
Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live and interactive. Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc:
Dr. Russell will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
(click on course title for registration page)
Monday, October 10, 2011
Literature: Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
Literature: Death Comes for the Archbishop (American Classics Series)
(click on course title for registration page)
(click on course title for registration page)
Total classes: 6
Suggested grade level: 10th to 12th or college
Starting time: 10:00 am Eastern (9:00 am Central)
Duration: One hour
Fee: $80 if you register on or before November 1, 2011. $100 after Nov. 1 for all 6 classes.
Instructor: Henry Russell, PhD
Prerequisite: Ability to enjoy reading and discussing the works.
High school credit: 1⁄2 semester credit; for full credit, follow with Dr. Russell’s course on “The Redemptive Comedy of Flannery O'Connor”.
Course description: Willa Cather’s Death Comes for the Archbishop is one of the few American novels radically to appreciate and celebrate the Catholic culture of the American Southwest that long pre-dated the settling of Plymouth Massachusetts.
This is a relatively short novel built on the life of the first (French) Archbishop of New Mexico. The novel is constructed around multiple journeys: from the cultivation of the Old World to the beautiful yet primitive New World; from a region that was Indian and pagan, that becomes Spanish and Catholic, only to be forced into the United States; from the West of Kit Carson to a region of cities and towns; from being an outsider in a strage land to becoming one with the land; from a slightly sceptical view of saints and miracles to a keen sense of God’s Providence to the American world.
At all times the glowing beauty of the American Southwest and of heroic piety upholds the narrative and the reader. This is one of the great Catholic books ever written by one who did not, as far as we know, formally enter the Church in her life here on earth.
Course outline:
Class One: Willa Cather, Preface and Book 1, Chapter 1
Class Two: Book 1.2 to Book 2
Class Three: Books 3 and 4
Class Four: Books 5 and 6
Class Five: Books 7 and 8. 2
Class Six: Books 8.3 – End
Course materials: Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
Homework: Dr. Russell will provide quizzes, essay topics, and a midterm and final exam to be graded by the parent. Answer keys provided.
Instructor biography: Dr. Henry Russell is Headmaster of the St. Augustine’s Homeschool Enrichment Program founded with his wife Crystal. The program began in Fall 2005 with 20 students in two living rooms and now tutors more than 70 students. He is also the President of the SS Peter and Paul Educational Foundation, dedicated to founding an orthodox Catholic Liberal Arts college in southeast Michigan.
A graduate of Princeton and South Caroline (M.S.), Dr. Russell completed his graduate work at Louisiana State University. Formerly the Chairman of Ave Maria College’s Department of Literature, he has also been a professor at Franciscan University of Steubenville and Wake Forest University. He is a founding faculty member of the St. Robert Southwell Creative Writing Workshop held in Mahwah, New Jersey.
Dr. Russell’s works include The Catholic Shakespeare Audio Series available from Kolbe Academy. He was the Associate Editor of The Formalist from 1990-2004 and his writings have been published in various journals. He was honored to edit Dr. Alice von Hildebrand’s groundbreaking volume, The Privilege of Being a Woman.
Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live and interactive. Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc:
Dr. Russell will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
Literature: Death Comes for the Archbishop (American Classics Series)
(click on course title for registration page)
(click on course title for registration page)
Sunday, October 9, 2011
The Journey Home with Guest Gary Michuta
Gary Michuta, our apologetics instructor, appeared on The Journey Home with Marcus Grodi not too long ago. This is the full one-hour show. It's very interesting, focusing mostly on "Why Catholic Bibles are Bigger."
Saturday, October 8, 2011
High School Theology: Christian Anthropology
(click on course title to view registration page)
Total classes: 8
Starting time: 1:00 pm Eastern (Noon Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Fee: $90 if you register on or before November 1, 2011. $120 after Nov. 1 for entire 8-week course. Course instructor: Monica Ashour, MTS; M Hum
Prerequisite: None.
Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th
Suggested high school credit: 1/2 semester credit in theology
Course rationale: The student will study the foundational aspects of Christian Anthropology (the Catholic vision of what it means to be human). With this understanding, the student in this course will be challenged to apply such principles to being “in the world, not of the world,” with a critical mind of recognizing distortions regarding the human person that the world holds. Furthermore, the student will delve deeply into Trinitarian and Soteriological (how we are saved) theology in that we are made in the image and likeness of the Trinitarian God and in that Jesus’ death on the Cross gives the highest and deepest revelation of what it means to be human.
Course goal: The student, through his/her embracing of this theological perspective, will be invited to grow in his/her humanity to become “St. Me,” the person he/she was made to be and whom he/she co-creates with God.
Course outline:
Class 1: Foundational Introduction to Theology; Anthropology (Study of Man (man and woman); Foundational Introduction to Theology
Class 2: Study of Man; Solitude for Communion
Class 3: The Goal of Kenosis for Union and Communion with God, within ourselves, others, and creation. Proper understanding of salvation.
Class 4: The Sacramental View of Reality
Class 5: Nominalism’s Role in our Understanding of the Human Person/William of Ockham
Class 6: Man’s Conquest over Nature”—Francis Bacon’s Influence on Modernity
Class 7: Tough Questions and Loving Responses, all based on Anthropology
Class 8: Summation of Entire
Course reading: The reading will assist the student in delving into a deep understanding of the human person, along with its application to the moral life and spirituality. (All are available online free.)
1. The Bible—Gen 1-3; Rom 3:21-8:39;
2. The Catechism of the Catholic Church #’s 249-421;
3. The Documents of Vatican II—Gaudium et Spes, especially Part I;
4. Redemptor Hominis (Pope John Paul’s 1st encyclical)
5. Pope Benedict’s address at Regensburg;
6. The Weight of Glory and Man or Rabbit, both by CS Lewis.
For those who want more of a challenge/more credit earned: CS Lewis’ The Abolition of Man; Thomas Howard’s Chance or the Dance; J. Budziszewski’s What We Can’t Not Know (Part I); Dr. Joyce Little’s The Catholic Church and the Culture War (esp. the part about egalitarianism).
Homework: Weekly quizzes, major project, and final exam: To be graded by parents. (Answer keys provided.)
Instructor's biography: Having had 20 years of experience in the classroom, 3 years of experience working at St. Mary’s Catholic Church at Texas A&M University as one of the Campus Ministers, and Master Degrees in Humanities and Theological Studies from the University of Dallas, Monica Ashour comes to us with a breadth and depth of vision that will solidify and electrify high school students. Orthodox, passionate, and pedagogically adept, Miss Ashour reaches youth especially in the areas of Christian Anthropology, Moral Theology, and Social Ethics. Her former students come to her often with gratitude in preparing them for the various experiences that they faced in college. She is also a gifted speaker for the Theology of the Body Institute.
Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live and interactive. Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc:
Miss Ashour will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
(click on course title to view registration page)
Friday, October 7, 2011
High School Online Writing Classes: Writing for College
(click on course title for registration page)
Session dates: Tuesdays, January 10 to February 28.
Total classes: 8
Starting time: 2:30 pm Eastern (1:30 pm Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Fee: $130 if you register on or before November 1, 2011. $180 after Nov. 1 for all 8 classes.
Instructor: Robert Gotcher, Ph.D.
Prerequisite: Either “Writing for High School” or some other high school-level formal writing program.
Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th grade
Suggested high school credit: 2/3 semester. Parent can assign additional writing assignments for full semester credit.
Course description: What are the characteristics of excellent writing in the eyes of college professors? This course will use the rhetorical arts to help turn competent writing into impressive writing. What are the essential components of an excellent piece of nonfiction writing? How does one write a compelling introduction and conclusion? How does one argue effectively for one’s position? What are important mistakes to avoid? The course will work with previous writing samples of the students, as well as composition exercises, culminating in the writing of a short argumentative essay.
Course outline:
Class 1: Characteristics of a well-written college level research paper.
Class 2: Basic outline of a paper: introductory paragraph(s), body, and conclusion. Special focus on thesis and "hook."
Class 3: Argumentation in the body of the paper. Three types of appeal in classic rhetoric, ethos, pathos, and logos. Rational argumentation. Anticipating objections
Class 4: The syllogism, major premise, minor premise, and conclusion. Definitions in the major and the minor of a complex argument.
Class 5: Templates for four types of writing: Expository essay, textual analysis, argumentative research paper, and book review.
Class 6: Research tools and citations
Class 7: Research tools and citations (cont.)
Class 8: In this final session we will review practical suggestions about formatting and editing. We will also discuss how to use the work of others and how to avoid plagiarism.
Course materials: Everything provided free online or by Dr. Gotcher.
Homework: The student will have two types of homework assignments. He will apply the material to previous written work and he will compose a five to seven page paper as the course develops. All assignments commented on and graded by Dr. Gotcher.
Professor's biography: Dr. Robert F. Gotcher most recently served as Associate Professor of Systematic Studies at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. He and his wife, Kathy, are raising their seven children in Franklin, Wisconsin. Dr. Gotcher has been actively involved in the homeschooling of his children, especially in the junior high and high school years. He has taught Latin, literature, physics, astronomy, and religion to homeschooled students. He has a special devotion to the classical trivium of grammar, logic and rhetoric, especially as they pertain to the written arts.
Dr. Gotcher graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1981 with a B.A. in the Program of Liberal Studies. He received his M.A. in Theology of the University of St.
Thomas in St. Paul in 1991 and his Ph.D. from Marquette University in 2002.
Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live and interactive. Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc:
Dr. Gotcher will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
(click on course title for registration page)
Thursday, October 6, 2011
World History for High School
(clock on course title for registration page)
Class dates: Wednesdays, Jan. 18 to April 25, 2011. No class Feb. 22 (Midterm Break), Apr. 4 (Holy Week) or Apr. 11.
Total classes: 12
Starting time: 4:30 pm Eastern (3:30 pm Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested high school credit: 1 full semester
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th
Fee: $160 if you enroll on or before November 1, 2011. $185 after Nov. 1 for all 12 classes.
Instructor: Phillip Campbell
Course description: This class will look at the development of twelve of the world's most revolutionary inventions, focusing not only on their mechanical development but on how they changed culture and altered the way man views his place in the cosmos. Man's capacity to invent is a result of his being made in the image of God, the original Creator. This class explores the creative capacity of mankind and how man has shaped and reshaped his own self-understanding through his inventions, beginning with the alphabet and going all the way up to the Internet.
Course outline:
Class 1: Alphabet: How human language begot writing, first in pictographic and then alphabetic systems, making possible for the first time the expression of complex, abstract ideas and making human inquiry possible.
Class 2: Cartography: A look at the development of mapmaking, from primitive drawings of mountains on cave walls to the adoption of the system of latitudes and meridians, and how this revolutionized the way people viewed the world, focusing on cartography as an expression of culture.
Class 3: Timekeeping: Man's calamitous history at attempting to keep some reckoning of the passing of hours, days, months and years and why this struggle was so important.
Class 4: Firearms: The origin of gunpowder, its uses, and how it revolutionized the way people think about battle and wage warfare.
Class 5: Printing Press: The transformation of writing from an individualized labor of love into a mass produced, marketable commodity.
Class 6: Telescope: A look at the seismic shift in cosmology, astronomy and theology that followed in the wake of the discovery of the telescope, as well as a primer of the Galileo controversy from a Catholic viewpoint.
Class 7: Money: This class will trace the development of money from stones and shells to gold goings to the fiat paper currencies of today, focusing on how changes in the availability and use of money and banking drove changes in culture and development.
Class 8: Antibiotics: The slow development of medical knowledge of antibiotics, from the Roman Galen up to the discoveries of Louis Pasteur and Alexander Fleming.
Class 9: Photography: The development of this marvelous invention which, for the first time in history, allowed mankind to truly capture a moment in time - but what was gained and what was lost by this revolutionary invention?
Class 10: Automobile: The wondrous invention of the "horseless carriage" and how the distribution of the automobile throughout all levels of society permanently changed every aspect of our culture, everything from how wealth is displayed to concepts of punctuality to procedures for courtship and dating.
Class 11: Electricity: The strange story of the discovery and utilization of electricity, from the experiments of Dr. Franklin to the bizarre rivalry between Tesla and Edison over whose energy was more beneficial (and more dangerous).
Class 12: Internet: Perhaps the greatest innovation of all time, leading to interconnectivity of the whole human race and the universal diffusion of knowledge. This class will examine the development of the Internet, from the first communications between servers at colleges back in the 60's to the age of Google, including a discussion of how the Internet has benefited and detracted from human relations.
Course materials: Online sources will be provided as needed by the instructor. No textbook required.
Homework: Homework will consist of a tutor-guided semester long research project/paper with different components due at various intervals throughout the semester.
Instructor biography: Phillip Campbell holds a BA in European History from Ave Maria University and recently completed a certificate program in Secondary Education through Madonna University. He has a background as a Youth Director and RCIA instructor. He teaches history and Scripture for the St. Augustine Homeschool Enrichment Program. Mr. Campbell is the author of the popular fantasy-epic Tale of Manaeth. His writings have also appeared in such publications as St. Austin Review and The Distributist Review. Mr. Campbell and his wife of eight years homeschool their four children.
Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live and interactive. Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc:
Mr. Campbell will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
High School Archeology / Geography / Biblical History
Addendum: Meet the instructor by clicking here: Mr. Campbell, Archeology and Strawberry Tarts (YouTube video).
(click on course title for registration page)
Total classes: 10
Starting time: 4:30 pm Eastern Time (3:30 Central)
Duration: 55 minutes
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th grade
Suggested high school credit: 3/4 semester. Add reading / writing assignment for full semester.
Fee: $120 if you enroll on or before November 1, 2011. $145 after Nov. 1st for all 10 classes.
Course description: This class will use chronology of biblical history to acquaint students with some of the most important archaeological sites of the Holy Land. The content of this class will be based on four interrelated components:[1] Geography: Instruction on the geography of the Holy Land and the greater Middle East [2] Archaeology: An introduction to the principles of basic archaeological methodology in theory and practice [3] Apologetics: Demonstrations of how archaeological research has generally confirmed the biblical narratives [4] History: Using the schema of salvation history as a pattern through which to learn about geography and archaeology.
Course outline:
Week 1: Foundations: Capabilities and limits of archaeological research with regards to the data given to is in the Scriptures; archaeological methodology.
Week 2: Genesis 1-11: Archaeology and the oldest biblical narratives, including traditional "Eden" sites, the Tower of Babel and the ever elusive search for Noah's Ark.
Week 3: The World of the Patriarchs:
Week 4: The Historical Exodus: The sites associated with the Exodus and wandering in the wilderness, as well as questions regarding whether archaeology "proves" the Exodus account.
Week 5: The Conquest: Examining the Israelite conquest of Joshua, a visit to ancient Jericho and some of the sites from the Book of Judges.
Week 6: David, Solomon and the Kings: Old Jerusalem, the sites of the books of Samuel and Kings, including the Valley of Elah (where David killed Goliath), Mt. Carmel, En Gedi, Ezion Geber (where Solomon built a fleet).
Week 7: Where is the Ark of the Covenant?: The most enduring archaeological mystery of the Bible examined in light of four modern theories of the Ark's whereabouts.
Week 8: Intertestamental Archaeological Sites: Archaeological sites surrounding the migration of the Jews to Egypt in the 4th century BC, Alexander's conquest of Israel, the period of the Maccabees and the Herodian Dynasty.
Week 9: Life of Christ: The locations associated with the events of our Lord's life and passion.
Week 10: The Book of Acts: The first Christian communities established by St. Paul, the seven churches of Asia and Minor and many other places mentioned in the New Testament, including the oldest churches in Rome, established by St. Peter himself.
Course materials: FREE online sources will be provided as needed by the instructor. No textbook required.
Homework: Homework will consist of a tutor-guided, semester-long research project/paper with different components due at various intervals throughout the semester.
Instructor biography: Phillip Campbell holds a BA in European History from Ave Maria University and recently completed a certificate program in Secondary Education through Madonna University. He has a background as a Youth Director and RCIA instructor. He teaches history and Scripture for the St. Augustine Homeschool Enrichment Program. Mr. Campbell is the author of the popular fantasy-epic Tale of Manaeth. His writings have also appeared in such publications as St. Austin Review and The Distributist Review. Mr. Campbell and his wife of eight years homeschool their four children.
Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live and interactive. Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc:
Mr. Campbell will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
(click on course title for registration page)
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Government / Law for High School
(click on course title for registration page)
Total classes: 9
Starting time: Noon Eastern (11:00 am Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Fee: $115 if you register on or before November 1, 2011. $145 after Nov. 1 for all 9 classes.
Instructor: Jason Negri, MS JD
Prerequisite: None. However, American Government is recommended
Suggested high school credit: 2/3 semester credit for government or law. Additional reading can be assigned by the parent for a full semester credit.
Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th grade
Course description: An introduction to the legal system that surrounds us, governs us and influences us every day, even if we're not aware of it. This course will give a basic understanding of some fundamental concepts of the American legal system and will review some of the different areas of law.
Course outline:
Week 1: Foundations of the law; jurisprudence; history; interplay of law and government, natural law, legal positivism
Week 2: Law in America: structure, process, Constitution and Bill of Rights, Judicial review
Week 3: Criminal Law
Week 4: Torts
Week 5: Torts, cont.
Week 6: Contracts
Week 7: Property
Week 8: Legal concepts related to life issues: privacy, liberty; Griswold v. Connecticut; Roe v. Wade; Planned Parenthood v. Casey; Cruzan v. Director, MO Dept. of Health; Vacco v. Quill
Week 9: Final Class; Summary
Course materials: Law 101 (3rd ed.) by Jay M. Feinman; various cases; other materials found free online or as a pdf from the instructor.
Homework: 1 to 2 hours of preparatory reading and homework per week on average.
Instructor biography: Jason Negri is the Assistant Director of the Patients Rights Council, a think tank dedicated to opposing the spread of doctor-prescribed suicide and euthanasia. He earned his BA in history and French, and his MS in education administration from Franciscan University of Steubenville, and his JD from Ave Maria School of Law as a member of its inaugural class. Mr. Negri is a practicing attorney in Michigan, where he lives with his wife and 4 children.
Equipment requirements: Classes are online, live and interactive. Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone.
Misc:
Mr. Negri will be available via email in between classes for questions and comments.
Recordings of classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.
Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.
(click on course title for registration page)