Families Home Schooling for Excellence

Fall 2008 Class Schedule

Opening Exercises is from 9:30-9:40

Course Descriptions

Advanced Crochet:

American Artists: If you register for American Artists, it must be for both second and third periods.

Arts and Crafts: We will create crafts that will let the kids explore different mediums, expand their imaginations and use their fine motor skills. The goal
will not be to replicate but to have fun and create!

Board Games:

Chemistry: Have you ever wondered about what everything around you is made of? Or wondered how something can change from one type of substance to another? Through safe experiments, we will explore matter, its properties, compounds, mixtures, the difference between physical and chemical changes, the structure of matter, the periodic table, and more. Students will need to bring safety goggles for added safety. Some home reading will be required.

Choir: The co-op choir will prepare songs to perform for Veteran's Day and Christmas.  Both performances will take place in a public place as a community service.  There is a music fee of approximately $15 for the sheet music used for this class.  The Veteran's Day program music has been chosen to appeal to both boys and girls with many upbeat songs.  Students should be able to read and/or memorize the music quickly.  Songs will be unison, 2 or 3-part harmony.

Circling the Globe: There will be some homework where they have to learn about one country each week from one of the continents to complete an assignment. I will try to keep it so it isn't too time consuming. There will be writing involved where they mark the map in class and the homework they do at home.

Crochet (Advanced): This class is for students who already have a basic understanding of crochet, knowing at least the single crochet stitch.  We will learn double crochet, and more detailed patterns made from combining stitches.  We'll also learn how to make and use a gauge swatch, and apply that ability to making a doll sweater and possibly more.   It is expected that students will work on and complete some projects at home.  Students will need to provide their own worsted weight yarn and should have a variety of hook sizes, preferably from around F to J but at least G, H & I.

Earth: We will spend each day studying an aspect of our earth.  Mountains, volcanoes, oceans, plants, animals, and taking care of the planet.  we will make some things to take home, and do some fun experiments in class.

Elections: I will divide the class into two political parties, and they will name themselves.  I will ask them to come up with 5 big issues their party wants to tackle-as long as they are somehow current events.  After that they will come up with a platform.  I will get copies of voter guides so they can read them, and as many party platforms as I can find also, and I will lead discussions on topics they are interested in-and I will educate myself on the topics they are interested in.  After they come up with a platform they will nominate a candidate from their party and there will be a debate, and then voting.  The kids who will get the most out of the class are those who will commit to listening to a radio program, read a newspaper, or watch a tv news show with your guidance. 

Fairy Tales: I will be teaching a class for the 5-6 year olds called Fairy Tales. We will learn about/read/discuss classic fairy tales and each week we will have an activity to reinforce each tale... acting it out, making a craft, making up our own fairy tales, etc. It will be lots of fun!

Food Science:

Four Seasons: Come and have fun with the seasons.  We will do crafts, read books and just have fun. If we have enough we might even do a skit for the sharing day.

History Simulations: Through role-playing, students re-create turning points in 20th-century U.S. history. These turning points include a Doughboy boot camp during WWI, life on the Henry Ford assembly line, Lindbergh’s solo flight across the Atlantic, a soup kitchen during the Depression, radio shows during the 40’s and Japanese-American evacuation during WWII. Each simulation includes a background essay on the topic, and the opportunity for class members to work together to actually participate in these important American History experiences.

I Love America: In this class the children will have the opportunity to learn all about this great country through some really fun hands on games and art activities. We will be learning about some of the American Symbols and each week we will be practicing The Pledge of Allegiance in sign language with the goal in mind to sign the Pledge of Allegiance on Show and Tell day at the end of the session.

Middle Ages:

The Old West: We will study Cowboys, Indians, Gunfighters, wagon trains and trails, life in the Old West, and other topics of interest regarding that period of time in history.

Preamble to the Constitution:

Preschool: Hey preschoolers!  This session we will be focusing on numbers.  Counting, calendaring, singing, etc.  It will be a lot of fun!  I'm really looking forward to it!

The Private Eye: I am so excited about this class!!!  It will be sooo fun!  It's very hands on.  The Private Eye is a program about the drama and wonder of LOOKING CLOSELY at the world,  THINKING BY ANALOGY, and CHANGING SCALE.  It's also about THEORIZING.  It is designed to develop higher thinking skills (it'll make you smarter), develop creativity, and develop scientific literacy.  All that and it is fun.  We will be using jeweler loupes (a type of magnifying glass) and microscopes.  It will be an exciting journey in exploring.

Stories and Stuff: We will be having fun with some children favorites like 'If You Give a Moose a Muffin', 'Harold and the Purple Crayon', Caps for sale'. Each week we will read the story and have fun acting it out, playing with puppets, or doing a craft to relate to the story.