Four-Year Cycle Homeschooling

Four Year Cycle Utilizing Homeschool Connections

with UNLIMITED ACCESS

If you follow a four-year cycle, such as that used with Story of Civilization by Phillip Campbell, you can use recorded, independent-learning courses with Homeschool Connections for your 5th through 12th grade curriculum.

Here is a list of recorded courses through our Unlimited Access program that are currently available to you ...

MIDDLE SCHOOL
Ancient 

• Literature: Greek Mythology with Emily Henry (10 weeks)
• History: Dawn of History: Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Persia with Phillip Campbell (12 weeks)
• History: The Glory of Ancient Greece with Phillip Campbell (12 weeks)
• History: Res Publica Romana with Alison Stanley (10 weeks)
• Language: Middle School Latin, with Emily Henry Parts One and Two (12 weeks each)
• Language: Intermediate Middle School Latin Parts One and Two with Emily Henry (12 weeks each)
• Language: Biblical Greek, Parts One and Two with Dan Egan (13 and 14 weeks)

Medieval

• Literature/History: Living History Through Literature: Medieval History 1: Big John’s Secret with Jackie de Laveaga (6 weeks)
• Literature/History: Living History Through Literature: Medieval History 2: The Door in the Wall with Jackie de Laveaga (6 weeks)
• Literature/History: Living History Through Literature: Medieval History 3 Saint Joan, The Girl Soldier with Jackie de Laveaga (6 weeks) (available 7/15/19)
• Literature/History: Living History Through Literature: Medieval History 4: Red Hugh, Prince of Donegal with Jackie de Laveaga (6 weeks) (available 7/15/19)
• History: The Crusades: On A Quest for Christendom with Alison Stanley (10 weeks)

Renaissance through Modern 

• History: The French Revolution: “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, or Death” with Alison Stanley (10 weeks)
• History: The Life and Legacy of St. John Paul II with Kevin O'Brien (6 weeks)
• Literature: Anne of Green Gables, Part One with Emily Henry (12 weeks)
• Literature: Anne of Green Gables, Part Two with Emily Henry (12 weeks)
• Literature: Anne of Avonlea with Mrs. Henry (12 weeks)

American

• Literature/History: Living History Through Literature: American History 1: Kat Finds a Friend with Jackie de Laveaga (6 weeks)
• Literature/History: Living History Through Literature: American History 2 Thomas Finds a Treasure, a Saint John Neumann Story with Jackie de Laveaga (6 weeks)
• Literature/History: Living History Through Literature: American History 3 The Orphans Find a Home, A St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Story with Jackie de Laveaga (6 weeks) (available 7/15/19)
• Literature/History: Living History Through Literature: American History 4 Willy Finds Victory, A Blessed Francis Seelos Story with Jackie de Laveaga (6 weeks) (available 7/15/19)
• History: Middle School U.S. History: Part 1 (1492-1847) with Phillip Campbell (12 weeks)
• History: Middle School U.S. History Part 2 (1847-1990) with Phillip Campbell (12 weeks)
• History: The American Revolution; Liberty! with Alison Stanley (10 weeks)
• History: History: The Civil War with Alison Stanley (10 weeks)
• History: World War I; What Price Glory with Alison Stanley (9 weeks)
• History: World War II; Allies vs. Axis with Alison Stanley (10 weeks)
• History: U.S. History: The Age of Exploration to Modernity, Parts One and Two with Christopher Martin (14 weeks each)
• History: The Rise and Fall of the Missions of Alta California, Parts One and Two with Christopher Zehnder (12 weeks each)

HIGH SCHOOL
Ancient 

• History: Dawn of History: Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Persia with Phillip Campbell (12 weeks)
• History: The Glory of Ancient Greece with Phillip Campbell (12 weeks)
• History: The Life and Times of the Ancient Romans with Phillip Campbell (12 weeks)
• History: Ancient Rome: Republic, Empire and Collapse with Christopher Martin (14 weeks)
• History/Archaeology: Archaeology of the Ancient World with Phillip Campbell (13 weeks)
• History/Archaeology: An Archaeological Survey of the Old and New Testaments with Phillip Campbell (10 weeks)
• Language: wide variety of Latin courses with Emily Henry (12 to 14 weeks each)
• Language: Biblical Greek, Parts One and Two (14 weeks each)
• Literature: The Iliad by Homer with Joseph Pearce (6 weeks)
• Literature: The Odyssey by Homer with Joseph Pearce (6 weeks)
• Literature: Sophocles and Tragedy with Henry Russell (6 weeks)
• Literature: Virgil’s Aeneid; The Founding of Nations in the Will of God with Henry Russell (7 weeks)

Medieval

• Philosophy: An Introduction to The Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas, Parts One and Two with Dave Palmer (12 weeks each)
• Philosophy: St. Thomas on the Human Person with Jean Rioux (12 weeks)
• History: The Crusades: Defending Christendom with Alison Stanley (12 weeks)
• History: Catholic Middle Ages with Phillip Campbell (12 weeks)
• History: The Rending of Christendom (1415-1648) with Phillip Campbell (12 weeks)
• Literature: Anglo-Saxon England: Bede and Beowulf with Joseph Pearce (6 weeks)
• Literature: Canterbury Tales of Geoffrey Chaucer; Trust God and Tradition with Henry Russell (4 weeks)
• Literature: Medieval Literature for Modern Catholics with Henry Russell (12 weeks)
• Literature: St. Francis, Asceticism and Mysticism with G.K. Chesterton with Dale Ahlquist (6 weeks)
• Literature: Dante’s Inferno; Purgatorio; and Paradiso with Henry Russell (11-12 weeks each)

Renaissance through Modern 

• Philosophy: Introduction to Early Modern Philosophy with Jean Rioux (12 weeks)
• Philosophy: Revolution: The Progress of Liberalism with Phillip Campbell (14 weeks)
• Psychology: Modern Psychology with Julian Ahlquist (12 weeks)
• History: Early Modern Europe: 1648-1789 with Phillip Campbell (12 weeks)
• History: Modern European History; 1789-1991 with Phillip Campbell (14 weeks)
• History: Understanding the Second Vatican Council with Phillip Campbell (4 weeks)
• History: Totalitarianism in the 20th Century: Nazis and Soviets with Christopher Martin (14 weeks)
• Literature: A wide variety of Shakespeare courses
• Literature: Dracula by Bram Stoker with Eleanor Nicholson (6 weeks)
• Literature: The Victorian Detective with Eleanor Nicholson (12 weeks)
• Literature: Frankenstein: Misunderstood Monster with Joseph Pearce (6 weeks)
• Literature: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte with Eleanor Nicholson (6 weeks)
• Literature: The Nineteenth-Century Novel with Eleanor Nicholson (12 weeks)
• Literature: The Picture of Dorian Gray with Joseph Pearce (6 weeks)

American

• History: Early American History (1492 to 1763); Discovery to the Dawn of Revolution with Phillip Campbell (12 weeks)
• History: US History: Revolution, Republic, and Union (1763-1865) with Phillip Campbell (12 weeks)
• History: Modern American History; 1865 - 2000 with Phillip Campbell (12 weeks) (with optional Honors)
• History: Contemporary U.S. History (1988-2016) with Phillip Campbell (12 weeks)
• History: The Great Depression with Phillip Campbell (4 weeks)
• History: U.S. History: The Age of Exploration to Modernity, Part One with Christopher Martin (14 weeks)
• History: U.S. History: The Age of Exploration to Modernity, Part Two with Christopher Martin (14 weeks)
• History: The American South: "To Live and Die in Dixie" with Christopher Martin (14 weeks)
• History: A Nation Made by Conflict: America's Wars with Christopher Martin (14 weeks)
• History: Civil Rights in America, 1863-1968: Setbacks, Struggles, and Shockwaves with Christopher Martin (14 weeks)
• History: American History: Lands of Hope and Promise, Part One with Christopher Zehnder (12 weeks)
• History: American History: Lands of Hope and Promise, Part Two with Christopher Zehnder (12 weeks)
• History: American History, Part One: Age of Exploration through the Civil War and Reconstruction with John C. "Chuck" Chalberg (12 weeks)
• History: American History, Part Two: Reconstruction through Present Day with John C. "Chuck" Chalberg. (12 weeks)
• History: The History of Latin America with Phillip Campbell (13 weeks)
• History/Government: A History of Government in Europe and America, Parts One and Two with Christopher Zehnder (11 and 12 weeks)
• Government: American Elections: Democracy in Action with Ed Rivet (6 weeks)
• Government: Government, Democracy, and Citizenship with Ed Rivet (9 weeks)
• Government: American Democracy and Government with Ed Rivet (12 weeks)
• Government: The Federalist Papers with Alison Stanley (12 weeks)
• Government: Advanced American Government with Ed Rivet (9 weeks)
• Government: U.S. Citizenship and Civics with Jason Negri (12 weeks)
• Government: U.S. Government and Politics, Parts One and Two with Alison Stanley (12 weeks each)
• Literature: Scarlet Letter with Henry Russell (7 weeks)
• Literature: Death Comes for the Archbishop with Henry Russell (6 weeks)
• Literature: The Stories and Letters of Flannery O’Connor with Kevin O'Brien (8 weeks)
• Literature: American Literature, Part One: Age of Exploration through Reconstruction with Jackie de Laveaga (12 weeks)
• Literature: American Literature, Part Two: Reconstruction through Present Day with Jackie de Laveaga (12 weeks)

We are currently creating new grade school (3rd through 6th grade) courses based on TAN Books Story of Civilization and will be available in the future.

Please let us know in the comments if you have any questions. We also invite you to call or email us: CONTACT.

4-Year Cycle: Ancient History

ANNOUNCING Homeschool Connections' new four-year cycle for live, interactive courses ...

In response to requests from students and their parents, Homeschool Connections has organized a four-year cycle of coordinated courses for all students in your family, third through twelfth grade. This is so your entire family can learn about the same era at the same time, making life easier for parents and making school more fun for children. (We also offer alternate courses, not in the cycle.)

The four-year cycle includes:

• Grade-school unit studies (3rd through 6th grade)
• Middle-school history and literature courses (6th through 8th grade)
• High-school history, literature, and philosophy courses (9th through 12th grade)

The four eras in the cycle are:

• Ancient (starting Fall 2019)
• Medieval (starting Fall 2020)
• Renaissance through Modern (starting Fall 2021)
• American (starting Fall 2022)

NOTE: This is already available through our Unlimited Access program. We have recorded, independent-learning courses available for fifth through twelfth grade for all eras.

For the 2019/2020 school year, here are the live, interactive courses that are available utilizing the new four-year cycle ...

-- Grade School. Homeschool Connections has developed a brand new, online grade school unit study program based on Story of Civilization by Phillip Campbell (TAN Books). The unit study is geared for third through sixth grade and will include religion, history, language arts, and science. Taught by Jackie deLaveaga. Registration is open HERE.

-- Middle School. Click on the course title to learn more or register:

• History: The Ancient World, Part One. Fall 2019 taught by Phillip Campbell (12 weeks).
• History: The Ancient World, Part Two. Spring 2020 taught by Phillip Campbell (12 weeks).
• Literature: The Golden Goblet: Living History Through Literature (Ancient Era 1). Fall 2019 taught by Jackie deLaveaga (6 weeks).
• Literature: Black Ships Before Troy: Living History Through Literature (Ancient Era 2). Fall 2019 taught by Jackie deLaveaga (6 weeks).
• Literature: Victory on the Walls: Living History Through Literature (Ancient Era 3). Spring 2020 taught by Jackie deLaveaga (6 weeks).
• Literature: The Bronze Bow: Living History Through Literature (Ancient Era 4). Spring 2020 taught by Jackie deLaveaga (6 weeks).

-- High School. Click on the course title to learn more or register:

• Philosophy: Early Greek Philosophy. Fall 2019 taught by Julian Ahlquist (15 weeks).
• Philosophy: Virtue and Vice: Ancient Philosophy for Modern Catholics. Spring 2020 taught by Sam Nicholson (12 weeks).
• History: The Dawn of History: The Ancient World. Fall 2019 taught by Phillip Campbell (12 weeks).
• History: Christ and Caesar: The Ancient World and the Founding of Christendom. Spring 2020 taught by Phillip Campbell (12 weeks).
• Literature: The Theban Plays of Sophocles. Fall 2019 taught by Joseph Pearce (6 weeks).
• Literature: Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra. Spring 2020 taught by Joseph Pearce (6 weeks).
• Literature: Iliad: The Glory and the Will of God. Fall 2019 taught by Henry Russell (12 weeks).
• Literature: Odyssey: The World Without Fathers. Spring 2020 taught by Henry Russell (12 weeks).

We also offer all levels of Latin. Search our registration page to find the right course for you or email us for a free Latin placement test.

ADDENDUM: Make sure to include your pre-k to 2nd grade children too! Here is a great picture book list for the Ancients (and accompanying podcast) from Sarah Mackenzie of Read-Aloud Revival, https://readaloudrevival.com/108/. Have your older children read aloud to your littles for a win-win homeschool day (lessons reinforced for the bigs, littles are included, Mom gets a break).

Middle School Math Online for Catholic Homeschoolers

We would like to introduce you to our newest instructor, Mrs. Nardozzi. We rarely bring on a new teacher or add a new course this close to the new school year. We only do it when we find an exceptional teacher who can also teach a subject that is seriously needed.

First, allow me to introduce you to Mrs. Nardozzi:



Isn't she wonderful! In fact, this video was shot by one of her students. He can't say enough nice things about her.

While we have a number of great middle school math courses available as recorded, independent-learning classes, we did not have one scheduled for the 2015/2016 school year. So, we've scheduled the following course for you. (Note, our courses are broken into 2 parts -- fall and spring semesters.) Our recorded middle school math courses use Saxon Math books. This live course will be using the Glencoe textbook, which is an excellent text for this age group.

Registration is open. Click here: Homeschool Connections Registration (Click on the semester and Math, then click on Search.)

Course name:  Middle School Math (Glencoe), Part One

Students are expected to sign up for Part Two in the Spring.

Class dates: Tuesdays, September 8 to December 15, 2015

Total classes: 14 live plus 14 pre-recorded

Starting time: 2:30 PM Eastern (1:30 PM Central, 12:30 PM Mountain, 11:30 AM Pacific)

Duration: 55 minutes live classes, 25 minutes recorded

Prerequisite: Basic math skills.

Suggested grade level: 6th grade and up

Fee: $190 if you register on or before July 15, 2015.  $210 after July 15  

Instructor: Emily Nardozzi, M.Ed.

Course description: Middle School Math covers fractions, decimals, integers, data analysis, algebraic expressions and equations, functions and inequalities, using formulas, and surface area and volume in a way that will be easy to understand and will provide a strong foundation for the coming math courses.  

Course materials:  Mathematics: Applications and Concepts, Course 1, Student Edition (Glencoe Mathematics), 2006 Edition.  We recommend purchasing the book used as they can be found for as little as 0.99 plus s/h: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0078652537/catholictreas-20 (click on Used). 

Homework: 4-5 lesson per week with 15-20 homework problems per lesson

Course name:  Middle School Math (Glencoe), Part Two

Students are welcomed to join us midyear. Email us to check on prerequisites.

Class dates: Tuesdays, January 12 to April 26, 2016. No class February 23 for midterm break or March 22 for Easter Break.

Total classes: 14 live plus 14 pre-recorded

Starting time: 2:30 PM Eastern (1:30 PM Central, 12:30 PM Mountain, 11:30 AM Pacific)

Duration: 55 minutes live classes, 25 minutes recorded

Prerequisite: Middle School Math (Glencoe), Part One or the equivalent. 

Suggested grade level: 6th grade and up

Fee: $190 if you register on or before November 15, 2015. $210 after Nov. 15  

Instructor: Emily Nardozzi, M.Ed.

Course description: Middle School Math covers fractions, decimals, integers, data analysis, algebraic expressions and equations, functions and inequalities, using formulas, and surface area and volume in a way that will be easy to understand and will provide a strong foundation for the coming math courses.  

Course materials:  Mathematics: Applications and Concepts, Course 1, Student Edition (Glencoe Mathematics), 2006 Edition.  We recommend purchasing the book used as they can be found for as little as 0.99 plus s/h: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0078652537/catholictreas-20 (click on Used). 

Homework: 4-5 lesson per week with 15-20 homework problems per lesson

How to Rock High School: Free Study Skills Classes

What is the number one way to rock your high school career? Great study skills! If you can learn how to get homework done in a breeze and ace all your tests, then you have it made.

You can do that. With good study, note taking, and test taking skills your high school years will be much easier and more fulfilling. Plus, a successful high school career will prepare you for life far beyond your teen years.

Here at Homeschool Connections, we want to help you accomplish all you can accomplish in high school. We want to help you develop good skills and implement good habits that will ensure your success.

Along with Professor Erin Brown Conroy (author of Simplified Writing 101), we created an online course just for you: How to Be an Excellent Student: Note Taking, Test Taking, and How to Get an A.

Now, here's the crazy part ... it's totally and completely FREE.

This course is designed for 7th to 10th grade students. So if you're looking forward to high school in a year or two and want to be prepared, or if you're already in high school looking to improve, we have you covered.

Now for all the course details ...

REGISTRATION IS OPEN

To register, click here: Homeschool Connections 2015/2016 Registration Page.
Then choose the semester and "search".

We are offering How to Be an Excellent Student FREE over the next three semesters. Here are the dates:

Summer 2015 Semester (daily):
M, T, W, Th May 4 to 7 at 1:00 PM Eastern (Noon Central; 11:00 Mountain; 10:00 Pacific)
M, T, W, Th, June 29 to July 2 at 1:00 PM Eastern (Noon Central; 11:00 Mountain; 10:00 Pacific)
Summer semester Excellent Student courses are full and closed.

Fall 2015 Semester (weekly):
Fridays, September 25 to October 16, 1:00 PM Eastern (Noon Central; 11:00 Mountain; 10:00 Pacific)
Fridays, November 6 to December 4 (No class Nov. 27), 1:00 PM Eastern (Noon Central; 11:00 Mountain; 10:00 Pacific)

Spring 2016 Semester (weekly):
Tuesdays, January 5 to 26, 3:00 PM Eastern (2:00 Central; 1:00 Mountain; Noon Pacific)

The course details are as follows:

How to be an Excellent Student: Note Taking, Test Taking, and How to Get an A

Total classes: 4
Duration: 50 minutes
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 7th to 10th grade
Fee: FREE
Instructor: Erin Brown Conroy, MA, MFA
Course description: This course is designed to help your student become strong, confident, and able to study for any high school level course with success.
Course outline:
Class 1: Active listening and how to take notes effectively
Class 2: Active reading and how to study effectively
Class 3: Critical reading skills for comprehension
Class 4: Test-taking in a timed setting
Course materials: All materials provided free from the instructor.
Homework: This is a lecture course with approximately 2 hours work per class (reading and automated quizzes).

Please note: Registration is limited. We suggest registering early to ensure a seat. If your circumstances change and you will not participate in the course, please email us to cancel immediately. This way someone who is on the waiting list will be able to step into the course. Please treat this free course just as you would treat a paid course. Students and parents should be actively engaged in the classes.

Homeschool Connections email: homeschoolconnections@gmail.com

Scope and Sequence: Middle School

For an example of a scope and sequence for high school please click here: Scope and Sequence for College-Bound Catholic High School Students.

Here is a suggested scope and sequence for 7th and 8th grade students to compliment the above S&S. Remember, this is only our suggestion. You can easily make adjustments to fit your family dynamic and special needs.

GRADE 7

Apologetics: Beginning Catholic Apologetics (Defending Our Faith Series)

The Hobbit

Lord of the Rings

The American Revolution; Liberty! 

The Civil War; A Nation Divided 

Elements of Writing for Middle School: Essential Punctuation and Grammar 

Simplified Writing for Middle School

Middle School Writing Essentials: Excellent Sentence and Paragraph Writing

Saxon 7/6 

Health, Fitness, and Wellness for Middle School Students 

American Sign Language 

MS Word I

GRADE 8 

Defending the Bible in the Modern World

The Heroic in Arthurian Literature 

Making of the Modern World

Middle School Writing II

Fiction Writing Series (3 4-week courses)

Pre-Algebra

Cell Biology and Animal Kingdom

Introduction to Biblical Greek

How to be an Excellent Student: Note Taking, Test Taking, and How to Get an A

As our program grows, we will be able to refine this S&S for middle school.

Middle School History: American Revolution

Middle School History: The American Revolution; Liberty! 

(click on course title to register)

Note: Follow with Mrs. Stanley's course on the Civil War in the spring semester for a full year of American history. Mr. Campbell will be teaching high school American history so that families can learn the same period of history together this school year.

Class dates: Tuesdays, Sept. 11 to Nov. 20, 2012. (No class Oct. 23)
Total classes: 10
Starting time: 1:00 pm Eastern (Noon Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 6th to 8th
Fee: $135 if you enroll on or before Aug. 1, 2012. $150 after Aug. 1 for all 10 classes.
Instructor: Alison Stanley, JD
Course description: Students will explore the following:
-- The Road to the Revolution.
-- What makes people push for change?
-- What was the cost of British troops in the Colonies?
-- What was the cause and effect of the Stamp Act?
-- The Boston Massacre
-- The Boston Tea Party
-- Declaration of Independence
-- What does it mean to be American?
-- How has society’s perceptions of liberty changed over time?
-- Colonial Leaders
-- British Heroes
-- Great Battles of the Revolutionary War
-- Daily Life of a Revolutionary War Soldier
-- The Treaty of Paris
Course materials: Provided FREE by the instructor.
Homework: Short written essays, reading assignments, and final, graded by the instructor.

Instructor biography: Alison Stanley, JD 
Mrs. Stanley has a B.A. from Michigan State University and a law degree from the University of Michigan. She loves to study history, especially how it pertains to legal and political issues of today. Mrs. Stanley is a mother of five children, all who have been homeschooled at some point.

Misc.
Mrs. Stanley 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.

Middle School History: The American Revolution; Liberty! 

(click on course title to register)

Online Course: Middle School: Microsoft Word

We have found that many of our younger students struggle with Microsoft Word when turning in homework. To help them, so they can focus on their assignments instead of the software, we are offering a basic course on Microsoft Word for middle school students starting August 6th. This will help them be prepared when schoolwork begins in September.

Mastering Microsoft Word: Skills for Success; Level I

(click on course title to register)

Class dates: Monday through Thursday, August 6, 7, 8, 9
Total classes: 4
Starting time: 12:30 pm Eastern (11:30 am Central)
Duration: 60 minutes (one hour)
Prerequisite: none
Suggested grade level: 6th to 8th grade. Highly recommended for middle school students but open to any student who needs instruction in this area.
Fee: $50 for all 4 classes.
Course description: This is an essential skills course for all students. For all future education, your student will need a strong knowledge and skill level in Microsoft Word. Give your student confidence and the ability to use all of the basic functions of Word before the school year begins. Instruction will be in Word version 2007 and above.
Course outline:
Class 1: The keyboard and using functions on the HOME tab: cut, paste, copy; font type and size, color, highlighting; centering, bullets, numbers; spelling and grammar check
Class 2: Page layout, margins, and columns; indenting and spacing; inserting headers and footers, page numbers; sizing and view;
Class 3: References: inserting citations, footnotes and endnotes, and comments
Class 4: inserting pictures, shapes, clipart, and charts; borders and color
Course materials: You will need Microsoft Word version 2007 or above. Everything else is provided FREE online from Professor Brown Conroy.
Homework: Daily practice assignments of approximately ½ to 1 hour, for the four days

Mastering Microsoft Word: Skills for Success; Level I

(click on course title to register)

Instructor biography:  Erin Brown Conroy, MA, is the professor of College-Level Writing and Writing and Research for Patrick Henry College (five years) and taught writing at Cornerstone University for seven years. She is the author of several non-fiction books, including Simplified Writing 101: Top Secrets for College Writing Success, and has designed four college writing courses, including an AP English Language and Composition course for PHC Preparatory Academy online. Professor Brown Conroy also privately coaches ACT English prep live and across the US via Skype and phone conferencing and has spoken at conferences regarding the teaching of writing. A member of the Society of Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators, she is also a fiction writing coach for high school and college students for the last ten years and has judged writing contests. She is also a freelance professional writer and ghostwriter. Professor Brown Conroy also authored True North Reading: The Complete Mastery Reading and Spelling Program, a five-level multisensory learn-to-read program for children ages 3 to 15. Mrs. Brown Conroy lives in Howell, Michigan and is a member of Old St. Patrick's Parish. She has been homeschooling for 27 years. Mrs. Brown Conroy enjoys her two Australian Labradoodles, playing the Irish wooden flute, and homeschooling five of her 13 children who still live at home.

Misc.
Mrs. Brown Conroy 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.

Mastering Microsoft Word: Skills for Success; Level I

(click on course title to register)

The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings for Middle School

We have been getting a good number of requests from parents to add younger students to our Tolkien courses. Therefore, we've added a second set of courses.  Dr. Henry Russell will now teach the series for middle school as well as high school.

Both sets of courses will take place on Tuesdays, with high school (9th to 12th) starting at 10:00 am Eastern and middle school (6th to 8th) starting at 11:30 am Eastern. Both sets of courses will have the same course outline, with the high school classes going deeper into the material and lasting one hour (middle school classes are 45 minutes).

Here are the course details for each of the middle school courses:

Middle School Literature: The Hobbit 

(click on title for registration)

 

Class dates: Tuesdays, Sept. 11 to Oct. 16, 2012

Total classes: 6

Starting time: 11:30 am Eastern (10:30 Central)

Duration: 45 minutes

Prerequisite: Ability to read the book with pleasure at about 3 chapters per week.

Suggested grade level: 6th to 8th grade.

Fee: $80 if you register on or before Aug. 1, 2012. $90 after Aug. 1 for all 6 classes.

Instructor: Henry Russell, Ph.D.

Course description: Tolkien’s The Hobbit was written as a children’s story and retains much of the clarity and light-heartedness of its kind. But Bilbo Baggins’ world is slowly made richer and deeper both by the author’s use of the Catholic elements from the great medieval saga of Beowulf and the background world of Tolkien’s deepest Elvish imaginings. By the end of the novel, Tolkien’s life-long themes of 1) a long-fought history that shapes the needs of every modern day; 2) the need for heroism from simple people; 3) the necessity for constant moral vigilance by those who are destined to lead; 4) the conquest of charity over greed; and 5) the sorrow and beauty created by these first four themes, have penetrated to the heart of the reader. The success of this novel convinced Tolkien and his wise and humane publishers, Allen and Unwin, that the modern world was ready to hear more of the complex moral and supernatural world which Tolkien once thought was of interest mostly to scholars of the ancient like himself. We will both discuss the book and welcome comments about the new movie coming out in December.

Course outline:

Class 1: An Unexpected Party—A Short Rest

Class 2: Over Hill and Under Hill—Out of the Frying Pan into the Fire

Class 3: Queer Lodgings—Flies and Spiders

Class 4: Barrels out of Bond—On the Doorstep

Class 5: Inside Information—Fire and Water

Class 6: The Gathering of the Clouds—The Last Stage

Course materials: The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien

Homework: One to one and one-half hours per week. Weekly Quiz with answer keys provided for parental or self grading.

Middle School Literature: The Fellowship of the Ring (LOTR Series) 

(click on title for registration)

Class dates: Tuesdays, Oct. 23 to Dec. 11, 2012

Total classes: 8

Starting time: 11:30 am Eastern (10:30 Central)

Duration: 45 minutes

Prerequisite: Ability to read the book and ask questions. Since most students will have seen the Peter Jackson films and will want to make comparisons, it is probably a good idea to see them.

Suggested grade level: 6th to 8th grade

Fee: $90 if you enroll on or before Aug. 1, 2012. $110 after Aug. 1 for all 8 classes

Instructor: Henry Russell, Ph.D.

Course description: This trilogy of novels is too well known for any brief description to be of use here. They are the most popular books of the twentieth-century and quite likely to be among the central books of Western literature. The poet Auden thought they compare well with Milton’s Paradise Lost. We will discuss the volumes in their outer form of a mythologized hero struggle of the kind with which Classical Liberal Education is replete (from Homer’s Iliad, and Virgil’s Aeneid through the Norse eddas and Anglo-Saxon poems and Arthurian romances). At the same time we will read them in light of Tolkien’s unambiguous declaration that "The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision.” As such they reflect an imagined world that parallels clearly with the world of suffering and redemption shown forth in a book as deep as the Bible. 

 The Fellowship of the Rings takes us from the Hobbit world of ordinary comfort into confrontation with the evil that has always plagued the created world. It asks for individual sacrifice from several creatures only to show them that they are linked into a vast body of those who strive to keep goodness alive, each on very different levels of culture and consciousness. This ancient body is full of poetry, beauty, and varied forms of virtue. The fellowship forms to do the impossible and the seemingly suicidal, and in the mines of Moria and on the banks of the river Anduin, the band is made to pay a terrible price for thoughtlessness and to fall apart from individual sin.

Course outline:

Class 1: Biography of Tolkien;

Class 2: A Long-Expected Party--Three is Company

Class 3: A Short Cut to Mushrooms--Fog on the Barrow-downs

Class 4: At the Sign of the Prancing Pony- - Knife in the Dark

Class 5: Flight to the Ford—The Council of Elrond

Class 6: The Ring Goes South—The Bridge of Khazad-dum

Class 7: Lothlorien—Farewell to Lorien

Class 8: The Great River—The Breaking of the Fellowship

Course materials: The Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R.Tolkien

Homework: Two hours per week. Weekly Quiz with answer keys provided for parental or self grading.

Middle School Literature: The Two Towers (LOTR Series)

(click on title for registration)

Class dates: Tuesdays, Jan. 15 to Mar. 12, 2013. No class Jan. 22 or Feb. 19.

Total classes: 7

Starting time: 11:30 am Eastern (10:30 Central)

Duration: 45 minutes

Prerequisite: Ability to read the book and ask questions.

Suggested grade level: 6th to 8th grade.

Fee: $85 if you register on or before Aug. 1, 2012. $100 after Aug. 1 for all 7 classes.

Instructor: Henry Russell, Ph.D.

Course description: The Two Towers creates a clear contrast between a culture based on selflessness and regard for the common good with an anti-culture based on pure selfishness and the desire to domineer over others. The anti-culture controls both the two literal towers of Saruman’s Orthanc and Cirith Ungol—both of them forced to serve the even greater tower of Sauron’s Mordor. The civilization of good offers the Mark of Rohan as its immediate heroic defender, backed by more ancient forces of the Ents and the Elves, to some degree coordinated by the towers of the city of Gondor. Yet the battles between these titanic forces are always being compared to the personal willingness of two hobbits to give everything they possess for the sake of the good that they love.

Course outline:

Class 1: The Departure of Boromir—The Uruk-Hai

Class 2: Treebeard—The White Rider

Class 3: The King of the Golden Hall—The Road to Isengard

Class 4: Flotsam and Jetsam—The Palantir

Class 5: The Taming of Smeagol—The Black Gate is Closed

Class 6: Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit—The Forbidden Pool

Class 7: Journey to the Cross-roads—The Choices of Master Samwise

Course materials: The Two Towers. J.R.R.Tolkien.

Homework: Two hours per week. Weekly Quiz with answer keys provided for parental or self grading.

Middle School Literature: The Return of the King (LOTR Series)

(click on title for registration)

Class dates: Tuesdays, March 19 to May 14, 2013. No class Mar. 26 or Apr. 2.

Total classes: 7

Starting time: 11:30 am Eastern (10:30 Central)

Duration: 45 minutes

Prerequisite: Ability to read the book and ask questions.

Suggested grade level: 6th to 8th grade

Fee: $85 if you register on or before Nov. 1, 2012. $100 after Nov. 1 for all 7 classes.

Instructor: Henry Russell, Ph.D.

Course description: The Return of the King reaches into the realm of Arthurian Romance (which is itself based on the resurrection of the Christ), to offer a vision of Armageddon and world war where defeat means unguessed centuries of darkness, although victory means holding the darkness only at bay while creating a new civilization that will be attacked again someday. Here again, the personal agon and faithfulness of individual creatures is the central necessity for the victory of massive institutions and allegiances. All literature is moral in its center, and great literature reflects great moral truth. It was Tolkien’s genius to express the great truths of Christian civilization in a way, which could re-inspire and re-invigorate an age where many have lost immediate contact with those Christian roots.

Course outline:

Class 1: Minas Tirith—The Passing of the Grey Company

Class 2: The Muster of Rohan—The Ride of the Rohirrim

Class 3: The Battle of the Pellenor Fields—The Last Debate

Class 4: The Black Gate Opens—The Land of Shadow

Class 5: Mount Doom—The Steward and the King

Class 6: Many Partings—The Grey Havens

Class 7: Open Topics

Course materials: The Return of the King. J.R.R.Tolkien.

Homework: Two hours per week. Weekly Quiz with answer keys provided for parental or self grading.

For information on the LOTR Series for high school, please click here: The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings for High School.

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.

Science: Health, Fitness, and Wellness for Middle School Students

Science: Health, Fitness, and Wellness for Middle School Students

(click on course title for registration)

Class dates: Thursdays, Sept. 6 to Oct. 11

Total classes: 6

Starting time: 12:00 pm Eastern (1:00 Central)

Duration: 1 hour

Prerequisite: None

Suggested grade level: 6^th to 8^th

Fee: $75 if you register on or before Aug. 1, 2012. $85 after Aug. 1 for all 6 classes.

Instructor: E. B. Conroy, MA

Course description: This course is designed as a foundational for understanding personal health and wellness in the areas of physical, mental, and emotional health. The interrelationships between the body, mind, and soul will be emphasized as students learn foundational life habits and the ways to create healthy lifelong habits.

Course outline:

Class 1: Physical health: aerobic exercise, flexibility, and strength

Class 2: Physical health: nutrition and how food relates to our mind, body, and spirit

Class 3: Mind and emotions: stress and its influence on the body

Class 4: Mind and emotions: anger and its influence on the body

Class 5: Social health: maintaining healthy relationships in community

Class 6: Spiritual health and the interrelationship of the physical, mental, and emotional

Course materials: Everything is provided FREE online from Professor Brown Conroy

Homework: Weekly reading assignments and quizzes, with an estimated three to four hours per week for homework, outside of class time.

Online History Class: The Civil War

Meet Professor Stanley, our new middle school history teacher:



To learn all the details, please visit: The Divided United States of America: The Civil War Years

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.

Language: Latin 1/2, Part Two

(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.

Language: Latin 1/2, Part Two

(click on the course title for registration page)