Digs and Scriptures: Exploring the Bible Through Archaeology
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.
Journey Through the Bible: Themes, Narratives & Perspectives
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.
Asia: The New Silk Road: A History of Asia from 1800 to the 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.
The Middle East: The Center of History from 1800 the the 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.
Intro to Ink: High School Journalism
Do you read or listen to the news? Do you listen to podcasts? Have you wondered if you could write news or produce a podcast? This introductory class is for you! Students who are interested in learning more about journalism writing and the craft of podcasting are encouraged to sign up for this fun spring semester class. Students will spend the first half of the semester learning about journalism basics: interviewing, news writing, editing and radio broadcasting. They will finish the semester practicing podcasting by writing and producing one episode of the Excelsior Classes Podcast.
Illustration and Visual Storytelling
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.
Illustrate a Children’s Book
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.
World History – GROUP 2
In this year-long survey course, students will study world history from Creation to the present, approaching the study of history from a broadly Christian perspective. Using our textbook as the foundation of the course, history will come alive as students read selections from many key figures of the past, from Homer and Augustine to Marx. These sources and others will be available in our LMS and/or online. Students will complete assignments based on readings each week. In addition to these weekly assignments, other coursework such as projects and class discussions will allow students to share their ideas about events and people that have shaped world history. This course will also include several short writing assignments based on common readings and one short research paper (due in the spring). Important skills that students will learn in the research process are critical thinking, finding primary and secondary sources, conducting research and note-taking, developing and defending a thesis, and writing a history research paper.
Research Writing for Beginners – (A to Z for Research Papers) – FALL
Writing papers is an inevitable part of academia, and mastery of the form is critical for success regardless of intended field of study. It is not sufficient to be able to write a thesis statement and have strong topic sentences; students must also be able to use outside sources to develop ideas. Many students cringe when they hear the words “research paper,” but there is no need to fear!
In this introductory course, your student will practice and develop the skills necessary for conducting, managing, and presenting research. This course uses an incremental approach by beginning with guided research and gradually increasing skills and concepts to the final extended research paper. The teacher serves as a writing coach, guiding students every step of the way.
Skills learned in this class include choosing a topic, writing a thesis, conducting research through both primary and secondary sources, evaluating sources, using both paper notecards and electronic notecards, editing drafts, and compiling documentation. Students also will learn the most up-to-date methodology for MLA form. The Modern Language Association regularly publishes new editions, and your students will learn precisely what to do as dictated by the most recent update. Students will also learn to use APA form and will have a brief introduction to Chicago style.
