Looking at Middle-earth

Based on the books, not the movies, this course considers many facets of J. R. R. Tolkien’s mythic creation, especially as embodied in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. (Acquaintance with The Silmarillion or the multi-volume History of Middle-earth won’t go amiss, but is not required.) In a fairly free and un-pressured context, we look at Tolkien’s world-building, his use of language, his theology of “subcreation”, and certain facets of his life and professional work as a philologist that have a bearing on the vision he created. I’ve been a fan of Tolkien’s works since I was thirteen, and never tire of sharing them with a new generation.

Syllabus: Looking at Middle-earth

A Second Summer Full of Shakespeare!

A second summer full of Shakespeare — we go through ten of the Bard's lesser-known plays, touching comedy, tragedy, history, and romance:

• Comedy:
  • Love’s Labour’s Lost
  • The Comedy of Errors
  • The Merry Wives of Windsor
  • All’s Well That Ends Well
• Tragedy:
  • Antony and Cleopatra
  • Coriolanus
• History:
  • Henry VI, Parts 1, 2, and 3
• Romance:
  • The Winter’s Tale

Syllabus: Summer Shakespeare II

Molding Your Prose

Students write a sequence of exercises based on the same basic narrative material. Along the way, they learn that written material does not steer itself: it can be adapted almost infinitely to a variety of forms and requirements. In this respect, this course is an introduction to both other writing courses and to literary study.

Molding Your Argument

Modeled on "Molding Your Prose", this course involves developing a sequence of arguments from the same topics by varying their structure to correspond to a range of pre-defined forms, from simple thesis statements and simple paragraphs, through the five-paragraph essay, the Thomistic scholastic model, and the Roman rhetorical outline applied by Cicero and his contemporaries.

Starting From Scratch

Learn the elements of basic programming using the innovative SCRATCH programming platform developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab. SCRATCH lets student developers assemble pre-compiled code blocks, forcing them to focus on developing conceptual programming skills that can be applied to any advanced programming language ... and create working animations within minutes.

Syllabus: Introduction to Programming with SCRATCH

The Chemical History of the Candle

Using the lectures and lab demonstrations of the original "Mr. Wizard" — Michael Faraday — as a starting point, we will discuss the nature of matter and experiment with beeswax, measure the level of oxygen in the atmosphere, split water into hydrogen and oxygen, and copper-plate pennies.

Syllabus: The Chemical History of the Candle

The Forces of Nature

Using a simple introduction to physics and Faraday's lections on Force and Matter, we'll lay the groundwork for further study of physics by exploring the kinematics and dynamics of falling bodies and projectiles, measuring the expansion of gases as they heat up, and observe the behavior of excited electrons as they produce emission spectra.

Syllabus: The Forces of Nature

Around the World in Nine Weeks

Lay the foundation for the study of history, literature, language and the events happening all around us as we explore the seven continents, the oceans, and the ways in which we map and chart information about their features.

Latin I

Latin I and Latin II together provide the elements of the language in a disciplined context, with an emphasis on mastery of inflections and syntactical constructions. Latin I covers the first twenty chapters of Frederic Wheelock's Wheelock's Latin Grammar.

Syllabus: Latin I

Latin II

Latin II continues the elementary course begun in Latin I, covering the last twenty chapters of Wheelock's Latin Grammar. By the end of the course, students have encountered representative passages of a variety of prose and poetry, and are prepared to continue with a wide range of material.

Syllabus: Latin II

Latin I and II Exam Access

Students enrolling in Latin II or Latin III from Scholars Online or from other institutions will be granted access through summer of 2019 to the Latin I and Latin II Mastery examinations so they may review weak areas prior to starting their fall courses.

Latin III: (Intermediate Level) Readings in Latin History and Literature

Latin III will offer a regular course of readings from the text anthology focusing primarily on Republican Rome, regular reading in the history texts, and vocabulary and grammar quizzing and review. A student should normally expect to spend an hour to an hour and a half outside class each day in preparation: half an hour to an hour of translation, fifteen minutes of vocabulary drill, and fifteen minutes of reading in the historical material. The amount of time required will vary with the student's flexibility with translating.

Syllabus: Latin III

Latin IV (Preparation for the AP Exam)

This course follows the College Board's AP 2012 revised curriculum for Latin (Caesar and Vergil). It cannot be called AP Latin, since I am not seeking official approval from the College Board, but our students routinely go on to take the exam and to do well in it. Students read all assigned passages from the De Bello Gallico and the Aeneid, with an eye to the nuances of language and the literary features of both works, including Latin metrics and figures of speech, as well as their cultural and political backgrounds. We begin with fairly moderate readings; as students improve in fluency and stamina, we work up to reading about 120 lines of Vergil in a week. The AP Exam is not required but a student who completes the course successfully will be prepared to take it.

Syllabus: Latin IV

Introduction to Greek

This course, together with Greek II, is a fairly complete exposure to Attic (classical) Greek using the thorough, if weighty, book by Hansen and Quinn. Greek I covers Units I-X. Students tackle vocabulary, morphology, grammar, and syntax issues including active, passive, and middle voice verbs, first through third declension nouns, conditional clauses, and multiple uses of the participle. By the end of the first year, most students can make reasonably good progress through the Greek New Testament with little more assistance than a lexicon.

Syllabus: Greek I

Intermediate Greek

Greek II covers Units XI - XX in Hansen and Quinn. Students continue establishing mastery of basic vocabulary, contracted and irregular verbs, the imperative mood, comparison of adjectives and adverbs, and indirect statements and questions. Exercises include both Greek translation and composition, and readings from Plato's Gorgias. By the end of the two-year sequence, students are ready to tackle Attic authors, and in the past have tested into upper-division college-level courses in Greek.

Syllabus: Greek II

Greek III: (Intermediate Level) Readings in Greek History and Literature

Students are now ready to sample a variety of authors, including Aesop, Herodutus, Thucydides, Theophrastus, and Lucian. In the spring semester, we tackle as much of Socrates' Apology as time allows. (In recent years, we have been able to complete the whole of the Apology.) The goal is to move from mastery of forms and constructions to a synthetic fluency in reading Greek.

Syllabus: Greek III

Greek VI: Homer

This course is an advanced-level reading course, encompassing the entirety of Plato’s enchanting (and rather amusing) dialogue about rhetoric, the Gorgias. I have apportioned the readings so that we should be able to complete the whole by the end of the year, but apt students may complete the material in less time and continue with Aristotle's writings.

Syllabus: Greek VI

Fairy Tales, Myths, and Folklore

This class is primarily for students in 6th-8th grade who are just developing a literary awareness. They will be encouraged to grapple with a story and start asking questions about it. Using classic texts such as Bulfinch's Mythology, Just So Stories, the fairy tales of Hans Christian Anderson and the Brothers Grimm (in readily available online editions or in printed compliations), students develop critical thinking skills that cover the full narrative spectrum of each story, from overarching concepts and plot to fine details and character development.

The Thought Plickens

Sixth through eight grade students prepare for the more intensive reading and critical thinking assignments of high school by reading formative novels including Alice in Wonderland, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Jungle Books, The Prince and the Pauper, and Treasure Island. These stories help students transitioning into their teenage years to develop an awareness to social structures in the world at large. Reading for both overarching themes and for details that support the story, students become literary detectives - seeking out general plot themes and picking apart the minutiae of character, narrative and historical background.

World Literature

Focusing on the contents of a single anthology, this course attempts to expose students to the variety of literary genres and types around the world from the earliest times to the present day. We discuss a variety of topics, including the problems of translation, the nature of excerpts, the nature of the hero, the formation of an authorial voice, and genres such as lyric, drama, proverb, myth, and epic. We read three major plays entire, including Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, Shakespeare's The Tempest, and Ibsen's A Doll's House.

Syllabus: World Literature

Western Literature to Dante

This course is unique opportunity for high school students to encounter an extensive selection of literature of the ancient and mediaeval West, from Biblical materials through mediaeval epic and romance. The course engages the student in a large amount of reading, exploring the larger themes and issues involved with reading such material. This course has been taught since 1996, and has often been cited by graduating seniors as their favorite class in the literature sequence. Works include Greek plays in translation, the Aeneid, Boethius' Consolation of Philosophy, the Bible, the Iliad and the Odyssey, Dante's Divine Comedy, the Volsunga Saga, the Song of Roland, and the Story of King Arthur and His Knights.

The real emphasis is on reading a large volume of material and getting comfortable with the alien and familiar in cultures separated from us by long stretches of time. It also serves as an introduction to classical literature for those who are interested in pursuing Greek and/or Latin seriously.

Syllabus: Western Literature to Dante

English Literature

This is an introductory survey of English literature from the earliest survivals to the twentieth century. We approach the literature historically, tracing the developments of themes, ideas, and techniques of writing, as well as looking at the long and fascinating history of the language itself. The course is built around a very solid textbook, England in Literature, part of the "America Reads" series from Scott, Foresman. I will supplement the readings along the way with several novels and plays, and some incidental smaller items to be made available online.

The course attempts to introduce the student as well to the idea of close reading of texts: whereas Western Literature to Dante focuses on extensive reading of a wide range of material, all of it in translation, English Literature is more intensive: it looks at a smaller body of material more closely. In part this is possible because we will be examining most of the texts as they were originally written, with only the occasional minor adjustments for spelling. The Old and Middle English materials (not normally accessible to high school students without considerable specialized language study) are given here in modern translations, but beginning in the Renaissance, texts are as originally written. Throughout the course we try to mold careful and analytical readers, responding to the literature with a discerning and charitable eye.

Syllabus: English Literature

American Literature

American Literature is a survey of American literature from colonial times to the late twentieth century. Once again, we take a generally historical approach to the material, tracing the development of particular themes, ideas, and techniques of writing, and examining the kaleidoscopic interactions of the many strands of the American population and culture. We especially try to dig into issues of theme and symbolic language in the works of the great nineteenth-century masters Melville and Hawthorne. The course is built around a basic textbook, The United States in Literature, part of the "America Reads" series from Scott, Foresman. It is slightly less thorough than its companion volume England in Literature, which serves as the backbone for English Literature, but I have supplemented its readings quite extensively with outside readings. Please see the required texts and readings pages for particulars. Contact me about this if you are interested.

Syllabus: American Literature

Senior English

This course attempts to fill some of the gaps left by the other courses in the sequence, and to revisit older authors and topics of particular importance, while helping to build a greater synthetic understanding of literary operations and theory, and a stronger proficiency in writing. Accordingly it includes some French classicism, the Russian novel, German proto-romanticism, and the English gothic as well as more Shakespeare, Greek tragedy, Hawthorne, Melville, and Austen. We will primarily read modern literature in the western tradition, with a few excursions into areas that seem too important to ignore - some of which are also specially noted as relevant in the College Board's AP materials.

The other point of this class is to address the requirements of the College Board Advanced Placement English program, leading to the AP exam. Taking the AP Exam, however, is not required.

Note: The College Board has begun to audit all curricula offered with the AP label. Having examined their standards, I have decided not to pursue their approval: it seems clear to me that meeting their expectations would entail dumbing the course down considerably. We cannot call this course AP English, therefore, but its substance is basically unchanged from the days when we did. It has provided solid preparation for students intending to take the AP Exam.

Syllabus: Senior English

Algebra

Algebra I is the gateway course for college admissions. This course examines 1) the acquisition, analysis, and display of data (graphs and charts), 2) multiple representations of linear and quadratic relations, equations, inequalities, and functions, and 3) factoring and multiplying expressions. As time permits, we may examine 1) experimental and theoretical probability and 2) simple trigonometry. Throughout, careful reasoning and real understanding are encouraged and prized.

Syllabus: Algebra I

Geometry

In this course, you will develop a logical system of thought. You will examine the properties of geometric shapes, and make conclusions about them using your logical system. This course covers most of Euclidean Geometry and some modern Geometry using traditional western tools of compass and straightedge and eastern tools of paper folding (origami) and modern tools (Geometer Sketchpad). Analytic Geometry is included to reinforce previously learned Algebra skills. The early part of the course has the students investigating geometric phenomena and collecting conjectures about what they see. Later on the students prove the conjectures they have collected.

Topics may include: similar and congruent figures, angles, geometric proofs, conjectures, counter examples, if-then statements, inductive and deductive reasoning, valid and invalid reasoning, postulates and proof, coordinate geometry, transformational geometry, transformation matrices, special right triangles. Class sessions will take place using a virtual white board (WIZIQ). All class sessions are archived for review by the students or if the student is unable to attend for any reason. Students will need to register with WIZIQ prior to their first class session and will receive a secure invitation from the instructor to attend class sessions. Homework will be assigned and discussed during the class time. Only quizzes and tests will be sent to each student (as well as their parents) as both .docx & .pdf documents and returned to the instructor for evaluation. Students will have an opportunity to correct all assessments to show mastery. It is the responsibility of the parents to supervise their student while completing each assessment. The evaluations will be returned to both the student and parent.

Example Syllabus from 2018: Geometry

Advanced Algebra

As far as possible, students are allowed to investigate algebraic concepts and processes before being introduced to the formulas and symbolic representations. Topics for exploration will include: linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, rational, and irrational functions. You will expand your understanding of the number system to include complex numbers, and you will develop an understanding of the concepts of elementary trigonometry, elementary probability, and sequences and series. You also will learn to model real-world problems using these concepts. A graphing calculator will be required at this level and beyond.

Class sessions will take place using a virtual white board (WIZIQ). All class sessions are archived for review by the students or if the student is unable to attend for any reason. Students will need to register with WIZIQ prior to their first class session and will receive a secure invitation from the instructor to attend class sessions. Homework will be assigned and discussed during the class time. Only quizzes and tests will be sent to each student (as well as their parents) as both .docx & .pdf documents and returned to the instructor for evaluation. Students will have an opportunity to correct all assessments to show mastery. It is the responsibility of the parents to supervise their student while completing each assessment. The evaluations will be returned to both the student and parent.

Example Syllabus from 2018: Advanced Algebral

Pre-Calculus with Trigonometry

Pre-Calculus, is the bridge course to Calculus. We will integrate rigorous real world mathematical scenarios with technology - Calculator and Dynamic Software. We will cement the concept that variables really vary. Beyond the traditional topics, we will be able to study concepts such as harmonic analysis of complex wave patterns and logistic functions for restricted populations growth. We will examine problems from multiple perspectives - graphical, tabular, functional, and situational. And we will revisit one of our tools from Geometry to assist us in our analysis of complex functions.

Class sessions will take place using a virtual white board (WIZIQ). All class sessions are archived for review by the students or if the student is unable to attend for any reason. Students will need to register with WIZIQ prior to their first class session and will receive a secure invitation from the instructor to attend class sessions. Homework will be assigned and discussed during the class time. Only quizzes and tests will be sent to each student (as well as their parents) as both .docx & .pdf documents and returned to the instructor for evaluation. Students will have an opportunity to correct all assessments to show mastery. It is the responsibility of the parents to supervise their student while completing each assessment. The evaluations will be returned to both the student and parent.

Example Syllabus from 2018: Pre-Calculus

Calculus

The topics for this course include Limits, Derivatives, and Integrals (both Definite and Indefinite). We will explore tools and techniques for applying these concepts, such as the Derivatives of Products and Quotients, and the Chain Rule. We will also form connections with the physical world, both for understanding and also for application. We'll use computers and apps where appropriate. This course uses an unusual format, using two phases. First, we go through Calculus Made Simple in 8 weeks for a fast overview of the subject. Second, we then turn to APEX Calculus for a deeper and more rigorous view.

Natural Science 1

Natural Science is a unique two-year course for junior high and early high school students, designed to provide the background and skills in earth, life, and physical sciences necessary for success in intensive college-preparatory courses in the sciences, specifically Scholars Online's AP compliant courses in Biology, Chemistry, Physics 1 and Physics 2. The core concepts of modern science are presented in their social and historical context, rather than as abstract theories isolated from each other or their historical roots. In year one, we explore the basic principles underlying both the physical and life sciences, including concepts of matter, early theories of planetary astronomy, the classification of living things, the establishment of engineering principles, the beginning of modern physiology and anatomy, and the development of classical mechanics, as we move through the history of scientific ideas from the ancient world to the seventeenth century.

Students learn to apply and recognize the limitations and advantages of scientific methodology, experimental and observational methods, to use mathematical methods for data analysis, and to appreciate not only the interrelations between different areas of scientific knowledge, but how the methods of critical analysis of observations developed, and how social forces shaped modern science. The first year covers astronomy, biology, matter theory, engineering, and mathematics during ancient, medieval, and Renaissance periods.

This course is taught using the Scholars Online Chat software, which allows the teacher to embed graphics, mathematical equations, and movies in the chat session, with complete logging available for the entire year. Audio software is deliberately not used, as a means of enforcing students students to think clearly and write precisely. [Students with limited online bandwidth can also participate fully in the course.

Syllabus: Natural Science I

Natural Science 2

Natural Science is a unique two-year course for junior high and early high school students, designed to provide the background and skills in earth, life, and physical sciences necessary for success in intensive college-preparatory courses in the sciences, specifically Scholars Online's AP compliant courses in Biology, Chemistry, Physics 1 and Physics 2. The core concepts of modern science are presented in their social and historical context, rather than as abstract theories isolated from each other or their historical roots. In year two, we explore the basic principles underlying both the physical and life sciences, including chemical reactions, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, relativity, nuclear physics, ecology, evolution and geology, cellular biology, and modern cosmology as we move through the history of scientific ideas from the seventeenth century to our own time.

Students learn to apply and recognize the limitations and advantages of scientific methodology, experimental and observational methods, to use mathematical methods for data analysis, and to appreciate not only the interrelations between different areas of scientific knowledge, but how the methods of critical analysis of observations developed, and how social forces shaped modern science. The second year covers the development of modern science since the Renaissance, including the development of chemistry, thermodynamics, genetics, quantum mechanics, relativity, information science, ecology and cosmology.

This course is taught using the Scholars Online Chat software, which allows the teacher to embed graphics, mathematical equations, and movies in the chat session, with complete logging available for the entire year. Audio software is deliberately not used, as a means of enforcing students students to think clearly and write precisely. [Students with limited online bandwidth can also participate fully in the course.

Syllabus: Natural Science II

Astronomy

This course provides an introduction to the principles of modern astronomy, including basic constellation recognition, apparent motions of celestial objects, development of the Copernican model of the solar system, telescope optics, characteristics of solar system planets, stellar structure and life cycles, and current theories on the origin of the universe.

The instructor worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory during the Viking and Voyager missions, and has taught astronomy at the college level.

This course is taught using the Scholars Online Chat software, which allows the teacher to embed graphics, mathematical equations, and movies in the chat session, with complete logging available for the entire year. Audio software is not used to allow students with limited internet access to participate fully, and to encourage precise thinking and writing skills.

Syllabus: Astronomy

Honors and AP/Honors Biology

• Why is all living matter composed of cells?
• How do organisms obtain energy for growth and reproduction?
• How can the four nucleotides of DNA combine to produce millions of different species of organisms?
• Why do some animals living in colonies, while others live alone or in small, temporary family groups?
• What are the challenges facing an evolutionary explanation of life on earth...or on other planets?

We'll tackle all this and a lot more in Scholars Online's Core Biology course!

The Scholars Online Core Biology is intended for students wish to complete a high school biology lab course but who cannot commit the time required for AP Biology. The Core program builds on concepts of matter acquired in junior high or basic chemistry, covering organic chemistry, the structure and components of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, cellular respiration and photosynthesis, genetics and heredity, evolution and speciation, comparative anatomy with an emphasis on human anatomy and physiology, plant structure, growth, and reproduction, and ecology at the high school level. Core Biology students must complete two safety and skills checkout labs and eight lab exercises in addition to homework, chapter quizzes, semester reports and cumulative exams to receive high school credit. Students taking this course should be prepared for the SAT II Biology Examination and the biology questions on the ACT Science Examination.

The AP Option for Dedicated Students

Students who do wish to receive AP credit in biology can combine the Core program with an AP option that add material at the college level required for AP credit, including in depth discussion of key topics in modern biology including microbiology, genetic engineering, current applications of evolution theory and its limitations, and ecological trends, as well as a rigorous lab program including twenty labs. Students attempting the AP option and completing minimal requirements will receive Honors credit even if they do not complete all AP labs.

Syllabus: Core and AP Biology

Honors and AP/Honors Chemistry

• Why do some elements combine to for millions of kinds of molecules, while atoms of other elements don't form molecules, even with each other?
• How does the electron structure of an atom determine its ability to form chemical bonds?
• How can we predict the outcome of a reaction if we vary the concentration, temperature, or pressure of the reacting components?
• Why are gases, liquids, and solids different if they are all made of the same elements?
• Why does sodium chloride burn with a yellow flame, while lithium chloride burns with a bright red flame?

We'll tackle all this and a lot more in Scholars Online's Honors Chemistry course!

Honors Chemistry builds on concepts of matter acquired in junior high or basic chemistry, covering atomic structure, electron configuration, the nature of chemical bonds, aspects of acid-base and precipitation reactions, simple solution preparation, chemical equilibria, and energy. Honors Chemistry students must complete three safety and skills checkout labs and eight lab exercises in addition to homework, chapter quizzes, semester reports and cumulative exams to receive high school credit. Students taking this course should be prepared for the SAT II Chemistry Examination and the chemistry questions on the ACT Science Examination.

The AP Option for Dedicated Students

Students who do wish to receive AP credit in chemistry can combine the Honors program with an AP option that add material at the college level required for AP credit, including in depth discussion of additional topics that may include organic chemistry, biochemistry, and the characteristics of chemical families, depending on student interest. Students must complete three safety checkout labs and nineteen lab exercises to receive AP credit. Students attempting the AP option and completing minimal requirements will receive Honors credit even if they do not complete all AP labs.

Syllabus: Honors and AP Chemistry

Honors and AP/Honors Physics

The Honors Physics course is a complete survey course covering the key concepts in both classical mechanics and modern physics. Students learn the principles of linear and circular motion, conservation laws, kinematics and dynamics, energy, momentum, and thermodynamics in the fall semester, then tackle modern physics topics in electricity, magnetism, optics, electrical and magnetic fields, light wave mechanics, quantum mechanics, and nuclear energy during spring semester. Honors students must complete ten labs in addition to homework, quizzes, and joint class presentations.

The AP Option for Dedicated Students

The Honors Physics course may be combined with the AP Option for students wishing AP credit.

Many students are unable to take two years to cover the AP curriculum for Physics 1 and 2 to gain a complete understanding of the principles required for college level work in physics, astronomy, or engineering. Together with the Honors Physics course, the AP option provides a unique AP-approved opportunity for the dedicated student to complete the requirements for both AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2 in a single year. Note that the AP Physics 1 and 2 combination involves a very significant time commitment. Up to 15 hours per week may be required for Honors and AP chat preparation, quizzes, in depth lab work and AP examination preparation. However, students intending on pursuing an engineering or physical science career who successfully complete the intensive combined course will find themselves well prepared for more advanced college courses.

Syllabus: Honors and AP Physics

World History to 1790

Year one of this two-year World History covers political, social, and economic developments in all parts of the world, beginning with the prehistorical development of tools and agriculture, and examining in turn the ancient cultures of Mesopotamia, India, and China before looking at the classical world of Greece and Rome, the rise of Islam and Byzantium, and pre-Columbian cultures in the Americas. Later chapters look at African kingdoms and cultures, the medieval dynasties of Japan and China, and the rise of Mongol tribes in Asia before returning to medieval and Renaissance Europe, the age of European exploration, and the establishment of absolute and constitutional monarchies.

Lectures and readings provide students with a solid grounding in the key names, dates, civilizations, and movements of world history, while seminar-type live chat discussions help students develop the tools of historiography and explore unifying thems on use of resources, the establishment of communities, and the expression of power across time periods and geographical boundaries.

Dr. Christe McMenomy and Dr. Bruce McMenomy provide different interpretations of key movements and events, helping students develop their own interpretations of history.

Syllabus: World History I

World History since 1790

Year two of this two-year World History course continues the overview of political, social, and economic developments in all parts of the world, beginning with the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment, then continuing with the colonization of Africa, the rise of the Ottoman Empire in Asia, the continuity of dynastic rule in China and the development of the shogunate order in Japan. Focus then shifts to the revolutions in America and Europe and the Industrial Revolution, the rapidly changing economics and power struggles of imperialism, and the struggle for national identity in the wake of World War I. Most of the later part of the course focusses on developments in the twentieth century, including the rise and fall of superpowers and the stuggle over globalization.

Lectures and readings provide students with a solid grounding in the key names, dates, civilizations, and movements of world history, while seminar-type live chat discussions help students develop the tools of historiography and explore unifying thems on use of resources, the establishment of communities, and the expression of power across time periods and geographical boundaries.

Dr. Christe McMenomy and Dr. Bruce McMenomy provide different interpretations of key movements and events, helping students develop their own interpretations of history.

Syllabus: World History II

Government of the United States

Students examine the system of government as outlined by the United States Constitution and compare and contrast that ideal structure to the form of government functioning in the United States today. Students will collect and evaluate information about current events from the news sources of their own choice. In addition to specific study of the traditional three branches of government and the Amendments, we will consider various schools of constitutional interpretation, the implications of each, and the impact of the media, lobbyists, the military apparatus, and other extra-Constitutional entities on the modern American government. This is not a course designed to instruct students in one single political mindset; instead, it is intended to encourage the students to develop their political understanding and better be able to discuss, analyze, and argue their personal opinions.

Syllabus: American Government

AP Government and Politics Tutorial

This tutorial supports students who are preparing to take the AP Government and Politics exam. In addition to reviewing the material, we will practice test taking strategies, discuss essay questions and structure, and go over practice tests.

French 1

French 1 through live classes with Audio (Skype) and Chat: At the end of the first-year program, it is hoped that the student will have reached an A1 level as defined by the Council of Europe scale. This is a level of basic communication about the speakers’ immediate concrete needs, his or her background, the world surrounding him or her, and everyday routines.

The program focuses on communication skills, grammar, vocabulary, and culture. The grammar allows for formation of simple sentences and questions in the present and in the past. The vocabulary includes words necessary for everyday life such as the family, school, shopping, numbers, etc. The cultures of the French-speaking world are also presented with topics such as greetings, the café, the French family, sports and leisure, friendship, travel in France, and many more. All areas of communication, speaking, listening, reading, and writing are practiced.

The material is presented through a textbook which uses real French documents and media. Ample audio and visual material is provided in the integrated multimedia Supersite. Students do exercises in an online workbook which allows the teacher to give immediate feedback. Students are expected to spend at least thirty minutes to one hour a day studying at home. The most important part of the class, however, is the two weekly hours of online class time, where students put what they are learning into practice and gain confidence in their communication skills. We use Skype for the audio component of our class.

French 2

French 2 with live Audio (Skype) and Chat classes: The second-year program adds to the students’ ability to express complex ideas and reasoning. It is hoped that they will reach a A2 level according to the Council of Europe scale. At this level, students should understand the main points of clear conversations and should be able to manage most situations while traveling. In addition, they should be able to speak simply about their personal interests as well as events, plans, and dreams. All four areas of expression, reading, writing, listening, and speaking are practiced.

The material is presented through a textbook which uses real French documents and media. Ample audio and visual material is provided on the integrated multimedia Supersite. Students do exercises in an online workbook which allows the teacher to give immediate feedback. The most important part of the class, however, is the two weekly hours of online class time, where students put what they are learning into practice and gain confidence in their communication skills. We use the program Skype for the audio component of our class.

Old English

A fairly rigorous introduction to the language and literature of Anglo-Saxon England. This will be a demanding course, covering in a year about what a one-semester college course would cover. We will cover the fundamentals of Old English morphology and syntax, and read an assortment of works, including prose histories, sermons, and poetry including "The Wanderer" and "The Seafarer", and segments of Beowulf.

Advanced Ethics

Alasdair MacIntyre's book, After Virtue, argues that modern moral debates and concepts should be understood as disconnected survivals of a pre-Enlightenment European culture. MacIntyre traces historical concepts of virtue and touches on related areas of philosophy, including theories of meaning. The first part of the course will examine historical materials as background for the second part, which will focus on a careful reading of MacIntyre's book.

Syllabus: Introduction to Reasoning

Cursus Scriptorum

The Cursus Scriptorum is Scholars Online's unique writing program: designed to be as rigorous and comprehensive as possible, following an innovative individualized process, and taking the form of an academic game. Students work through a series of exercises to develop control of the mechanics of grammar and syntax, then go on to develop dialectic skills in organizing material, and finally practice the demands of rhetorical persuasion. The course is asynchronous, to allow students to proceed at their own pace and to allow those with crowded schedules to enroll without having to schedule another appointment, and may be continued from year to year as students gain expertise.

Syllabus: Cursus Scriptorum