Music Appreciation: LETU MUSC 1303 or Honors

Whether you’re brand new to musical theatre or you’ve been around it for a while, this is the perfect class to dive into it headfirst! This fine arts elective tracks the history of musical theatre by starting with its precursors, comic and ballad operas, and ending with modern-day musicals such as Hamilton and SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical. Students will learn how the different musical ages progressed while also learning some musical theatre literature. It’s fun for every student.

This highly interactive course is project-based and offers two different options for project assignments: performance and production. Each project, students can choose to do the performance option (singing, acting, dancing, etc.) or the production option (costume design, scenic design, lighting design, etc.).

Microphone and camera capability are a requirement for this dynamic class experience.

Introduction to Language Arts – GROUP 2

Students will use the 6th-grade text of Rod and Staff to solidify their foundation in grammar, usage, and mechanics in preparation for more advanced coursework. Students will apply their learning to diagram sentences and begin learning to communicate clearly, effectively, and eloquently in their own writing. Students will also encounter excellent literature that includes timeless children’s classics and well written modern works, practicing comprehension, literary analysis, and critical thinking as they read. Additionally, students will practice writing short pieces in many genres. These lessons and activities will provide students with a meaningful introduction to the various aspects of language arts which will prepare them.

French I

Bonjour! Did you know that over 200 million people in over 50 countries speak the French language? And did you know that French is the official language of the United Nations, NATO, the International Red Cross and the Olympic Committee? It’s true! In fact, you probably already know some French words and phrases that are commonly used in English today: chauffer (driver); chef (cook); déja vu (already seen). How many times have you said “excusez-moi” (excuse me)? In this course, we will work on building your French foundation by focusing on four key areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. A variety of methods and resources will be used to encourage conversation, exchange of information, and expression of feelings, emotions, and opinions in written and oral French. French will be used as much as possible in order to create a fun and immersive environment; however, English will be used to explain grammar and to introduce cultural concepts. Use of an online textbook will provide you with continuous access to native, audio files, songs, and flashcards, as well as, cultural videos. What are you waiting for?! Allons-y!

Junior High Art A

Learn to see, think, and draw like an architect! The first of two semester-long courses will introduce students to architectural design thinking and representation through freehand and technical drawing exercises. We will focus on translating between 2D and 3D drawing and visualization while learning the standard orthographic views in architectural drawings – plan, elevation, and section. Students will be exposed to various architects and works of architecture throughout the course.

Weekly assignments will consist of a sketchbook or drafting assignment as well as a reading requirement. A weekly assessment will account for the completion of the reading assignment. Three projects will be done during the semester. For the final design project students will create architectural drawings consisting of plan, elevation, and section and then present their projects in the final class. This course is a prerequisite for Intro to Architecture II.

Language Arts Bridge – GROUP 2

In Language Arts Bridge, students will explore grammar, writing, and reading in order to grow as communicators. Students will gain greater mastery in recognition and usage of elements of English grammar and mechanics. They will learn to manipulate different parts of speech, clauses, and sentence types in order to communicate effectively through writing. Students will also craft several short pieces of writing, each with a specific purpose and style, as they learn structure and support their claims with transitions and details. We’ll work to reinforce editing skills by applying grammar principles to our own writing, as our goal is for students to be able to produce interesting, purposeful writing supported by strong sentences, appropriate stylistics, and accurate grammar. Finally, students will read and analyze literature independently and as a class, practicing comprehension, critical thinking, and literary analysis techniques. The course will offer many opportunities for students to enjoy language arts and to think deeply about the way we read, write, and communicate.

*Note: While this course also uses Rod & Staff’s Progressing with Courage (Grade 6), that book will serve as a sourcebook. Students who have already taken Introduction to Language Arts will work on different exercises and with new examples from what they have seen previously. (Introduction to Language Arts is not necessarily a prerequisite.)

General Art – Digital Art A

“We don’t make mistakes. We just have happy accidents.” Bob Ross

Come learn how to turn happy accidents into fun paintings. We’re going to explore painting with acrylic paints this semester. In this low-pressure class we’ll learn how to mix paints, work with different tools and surfaces, and just find ways to use painting as a relaxing outlet for our creativity.

We’ll attempt to do one painting per class period. We will touch on color theory, talk about some famous painters and their styles of paintings. Homework will be low. Maybe some videos on techniques or painters just to help us keep our spirit of curiosity alive and well.

U.S. History Up Close: Westward Expansion – Group 2

This class is a detailed study of American’s expansion from 13 colonies on the Atlantic Coast to the West Coast and beyond. Students will use primary and secondary sources to examine the people events during the formation of the country. They will strive to see God’s hand in American History and attempt to put themselves in the footsteps of the men and women who were there.

Introduction to Museum Studies

This introduction to Photoshop class will give students a foundational knowledge of a tool that can be used to pursue graphic design, photo manipulation, print design, and a myriad of other careers. Incorporating fine art principles with technological execution will give students a variety of solid skills in basic design procedure that will be a launching pad for a diverse portfolio of work. Students can expect to submit projects each week to show they understand the technical aspects and there will be two large projects to incorporate their understanding of the technology, design principles, and craftsmanship in a creative format. This class is intended to give students a broad overview of this powerful industry-standard software. By the end of class, they should have mastered the basic layout and functions of Photoshop and begun to incorporate workflow habits that are essential to efficient and effective design.

Projects include removing backgrounds, cloning objects, blemish removal, color correction, book covers, movie posters and much more!

20th Century History, Politics, and Worldview – Cold War to Present

Join us for an in-depth exploration of works by modern African authors. They are all written by female authors of the last fifty years. Exploring themes of family, womanhood, war, violence, love, friendship, politics, and more, all are stories that will stay with the reader for years to come. The works selected are heavy-hitting award winners and include both authors that still reside in their native countries and those that have immigrated to other nations. Several of the works are translated from French or other indigenous languages. The countries represented include Rwanda, Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Senegal, and Liberia. All books deal with mature themes and situations, so students require a mature disposition.

Your teacher, while not an expert in African culture or politics, is an avid reader and fiercely curious. This course is part of our Bridge Builder series. The goal for this series is simple: to help students cultivate the capacity to show compassion, grow in empathy, share love with all people, and ultimately collaborate with others to provide solutions to problems in an increasingly complex world. While this is not the case in most of our classes, the courses in this series require live attendance with video and audio capability to aid in discussion.

Introduction to Sewing – A