| HOME | CALENDAR | CONTACT US | CURRICULUM SITES | MEMBERSHIP | CHEC | SPORTS |
Class Descriptions
2009 - 2010
[Some of you have read this document for four years in a row! Little things change and HUGE things change, so please make yourself read ALL the areas applicable to your family : )! You will find what you need to purchase, if anything, for the classes your kids are in.]
[Lead teachers, if I have explained your class badly (very possible) or you need to add or take away something that parents need to know or purchase, please let me know ASAP!! A lot of these descriptions were written in full or in part by others --- thank you so much for helping!]
Lunch and Assembly
Lunch
Bring your lunch for a time of fellowship. The only beverage allowed in the building is water.
If at all possible, we eat lunch outside --- picnic style. You might want to keep some sort of blanket in your car for this weekly fun event.
After we finish eating, whether we eat inside or out, please check you children’s eating area to make sure it is appropriately cleaned up.
NO SNACK TIME this year for the 1st and up – The consensus on snacks (from the feedback sheet) is that a snack is too hard to make happen and takes too long at Co-op. If your child needs a morning snack, one mom suggested keeping snacks in the car to eat right before arriving at Co-op. Brilliant!
MORNING Assembly
At 9:30, (re-read that time and say it out loud three times!) Now, where were we ….. At 9:30, we have a quick assembly in the auditorium. We say the Pledge of Allegiance, pray, and share quick announcements before we’re off to our morning classes. Your day and your kids’ day will go better if you are on time! Be there (at 9:30) or be square! If you need to drop things in your classroom beforehand, allow time for that. Students in the high school literature class are excused from assembly on days that Literature meets. Otherwise, all students should be in assembly.
What time does assembly start ; )? What time do you need to leave your house to be at North Ridge Church of Christ on time? Just curious : ).
Preschool and Kindergarten
Please note: Children will be placed in nursery, preschool, and kindergarten classes using their ages as of September 1.
Nursery: Birth – 18 month
Nursery Coordinator: Karen R.
The babies and young toddlers will receive tender love and care. A child in this class needs to have a bag and cup with his name on them. Babies will need to eat lunch with their mothers so that our nursery teachers can dine with their children. Please try to pick up your babies right at lunch time, so the nursery caregivers can get to lunch with their own children. If your baby needs a diaper change after lunch, please take care of it before moving onto your class. Obviously, if you notice it right before you are supposed to be lead teaching an after-lunch class, just explain as you drop the baby off.
We ask that when a nursing mom is going to be in the nursery for a several minutes, she remind a nursery caregiver to take a break. We need those nursery workers to get out and see the outside world too! Obviously, there always needs to be plenty of free hands left available when a nursery worker takes a break.
Younger Preschoolers (YPS): 18 month – 3 ½ ish
Lead Teacher: Tabitha D.
The younger preschoolers will have arts and crafts, reading, games, outside play, nap time, and more. All of these wonderful things happen while they play, of course! : ). Have your child bring a labeled water bottle or sippy cup each week. Because they will have a nap time, each child must also bring a labeled Kindermat. (Wal-Mart school supplies aisle). We will keep the mats at Co-op until the end of the school year. If you left a mat last year, we still have it in the storage room.
The YPS class will have some time outside every day, so keep this in mind when choosing their clothes and shoes for the day.
The YPS child needs to be picked up at lunch time by a parent or older sibling. Try not to be late so the teachers can get to lunch with their children too! If you are going to have an older sibling pick up your child, make sure the teachers are introduced to him or her. After lunch, please take your potty-trained YPS to the potty or change the diaper of your un-potty-trained YPS so they are ready for a good nap.
Older Preschoolers (OPS): 3 ½ ish - under 5
Lead Teacher: Amy D.
The older preschoolers will enjoy unit studies based on the letter of the week. This will involve them in developmentally appropriate arts and crafts, reading, games, music, outside play, and more. Students need to bring a labeled water bottle or sippy cup each week. Because they will have a rest time, each child needs to bring a labeled Kindermat. (Wal-Mart school supplies aisle). We will keep the mats at Co-op until the end of the school year. If you left a mat last year, we still have it in the storage room.
The OPS class will have some time outside every day, so keep this in mind when choosing their clothes and shoes for the day.
The OPS child needs to be picked up at lunch time by a parent or older sibling. Try not to be late so the teachers can get to lunch with their children too! If you are going to have an older sibling pick up your child, make sure the teachers are introduced to him or her.
After lunch, please take your OPS to the potty so they are ready for rest time.
Kindergarten (K):
Lead Teacher: Stephanie Y.
The Kindergarteners will enjoy a literature-rich unit approach that will complement your homeschooling. This group will participate in Bible stories, featuring Rod and Staff coloring books, while simultaneously focusing on an attribute of God through weekly Scripture and song with Beth P. The kindergarteners will have some time outside every day, so keep this in mind when choosing their clothes and shoes for the day.
Your kindergartner will need to bring a one-subject spiral composition book on the first day. Stephanie will put their names on them and keep them at Co-op for the year. Each week please send a bag, backpack, or satchel, and labeled water bottle.
First through Fourth Grades
Every 1st-4th grader will need:
1. A labeled backpack or satchel to carry their supplies in.
2. An inexpensive binder or folder to hold science papers, art productions, and journal (1st – 4th only and the journal will be provided)
3. a pencil (every week!!!)
4. a water bottle for PE
Other supplies as noted in the descriptions below. Preparing the backpack or satchel the night before is an excellent opportunity for the younger students to learn responsibility.
The students rotate hourly through classrooms for language, Hands on His-story, science, history, and PE. First and second graders will travel as a class, and third and fourth graders will travel as a class. Although the two age groups will have the same classes, the content will be tailored developmentally to the various ages. Each of the classes is described below.
God’s Order (1st – 2nd)
Lead Teacher: Dora H.
God, the wise and perfect Creator, ordered our universe precisely. This year our 1st/2nd graders will look at that order in a big-to-little scope. We will begin with big things like the solar system and time, meander through medium things like U.S. geography, neighborhood, and family, and end with smaller things like the systems of our bodies. This class will aim to solidify concepts in a hands-on, concrete way. Along the way we hope to fill many “holes” that may exist for our homeschooled students with fun memorization of calendar information, address, books of the Bible, and even some Spanish.
Writing (3rd – 4th)
Lead Teacher: Christie G.
This class hopes to be a fun writing accent to your rich at-home language instruction. Using a variety of curricula, including The Writing Tales: Level One by Amy Hastings Olsen, Story Starters by Karen Andreola, and The Institute for Excellence in Writing by Andrew Pudewa, we will introduce strong writing habits. We will round out the year with a variety of quality children’s literature and poetry. Students will typically bring home a short writing assignment weekly. Assignment details will come via e-mail.
Your homeschool should provide all the other parts of the traditional language curriculum: grammar, spelling, reading, vocabulary and more. If you need ideas for curriculums to cover these non-co-op subjects, ask on the CHEC loop. Other moms have favorites they’d love to share!
Zoology 3 – Land Animals of the Sixth Day
Lead Teacher: Cristen W.
We will continue to use Apologia's elementary science curriculums. The book for this year is Exploring Creation with Zoology 3 – Land Animals of the Sixth Day by Jeannie Fulbright. To learn more about this curriculum and see sample material, go to www.highschoolscience.com, choose elementary science, choose Land Animals. Rainbow Resource also has a nice explanation of the curriculum at http://rainbowresource.com/prodlist.php?sid=1250708044-1328858&subject=11&category=2701
We recommend that families purchase this book to read at home so that the Co-op class time can be used to enrich what is taught in the text. There will be hands-on activities, narrating/journaling, and chapter-related discussion in class. The older class will be engaged in learning and practicing the scientific process.
The book is about $35 from Apologia but can be purchased cheaper elsewhere.
For instance, it is $26.50 from Rainbow Resource. Here is the link to this specific product: http://rainbowresource.com/product/Exploring+Creation+with+Zoology+3%3A+Land+Animals+of+the+Sixth+Day/005555/1250708044-1328858
It is $26.29 at The Scroll in Tyler. http://www.thescroll.org/hsconnection/search.php?mode=search&page=1
His-Story through American History
Lead Teacher: Joy G.
Using selected timeline figures as a "springboard," we will travel back in time. Through our discoveries, students will continue to learn that the Sovereign God has chosen them to be a part of His Story right now. They will be inspired by how He has always used people, places, and events to fulfill His glorious plan for the redemption of mankind and His creation!
CHEC Elementary US History Brief
CHEC Elementary History Syllabus
Hands on America (fall) and Music (spring) with an emphasis on American/Patriotic Songs
Lead Teacher: Kristie G. (fall)/Cammy B. (spring)
The kids will build 3-D models of items/buildings, and make and play games related to the colonial period. This will be a fun, hands-on way to see and experience what they are learning about in the earliest part of American history.
P.E. & Games
Lead Teacher: Dora H.
The kids will play games outside, weather permitting, with the goal of enjoying group play, having fun, and learning teamwork.
Please dress your child appropriately for the day’s weather! We will go out on cold days as long as is not raining. If your child wears nice shoes to Co-op that are not appropriate for running and playing, please throw a pair of sneakers (or whatever) in his or her backpack. Don’t forget that water bottle!
Fifth and Sixth Grades
Fifth- and sixth-graders will travel together, rotating through history, science, writing, book club, Hands on His-story/Music.
His-Story through American History
Lead Teacher: Joy G.
Using selected timeline figures as a "springboard," we will travel back in time. Through our discoveries, students will continue to learn that the Sovereign God has chosen them to be a part of His Story right now. They will be inspired by how He has always used people, places, and events to fulfill His glorious plan for the redemption of mankind and His creation!
CHEC Elementary US History Brief
CHEC Elementary History Syllabus
Zoology 3 – Land Animals of the Sixth Day
Lead Teacher: Cristen W.
We will continue to use Apologia's elementary science curriculums. The book for this year is Exploring Creation with Zoology 3 – Land Animals of the Sixth Day by Jeannie Fulbright. To learn more about this curriculum and see sample material, go to www.highschoolscience.com, choose elementary science, choose Land Animals. Rainbow Resource also has a nice explanation of the curriculum at http://rainbowresource.com/prodlist.php?sid=1250708044-1328858&subject=11&category=2701
We recommend that families purchase this book to read at home so that the Co-op class time can be used to enrich what is taught in the text. There will be hands-on activities, narrating/journaling, and chapter-related discussion in class. The older class will be engaged in learning and practicing the scientific process.
The book is about $35 from Apologia but can be purchased cheaper elsewhere.
For instance, it is $26.50 from Rainbow Resource. Here is the link to this specific product: http://rainbowresource.com/product/Exploring+Creation+with+Zoology+3%3A+Land+Animals+of+the+Sixth+Day/005555/1250708044-1328858
It is $26.29 at The Scroll in Tyler. http://www.thescroll.org/hsconnection/search.php?mode=search&page=1
Book Club
Lead Teacher: Christie G./Beth P.
The students will be reading historical fiction set during the time of America’s history and biographies of people from the same period. They will read assigned chapters and answer questions at home. Weekly reading IS required to participate fully in the class. Through class discussion, in-class projects, and literature circles, the students will learn about plot, theme, and character development. In addition, students will be introduced to various literary devices such as simile, metaphor, foreshadowing, imagery, and the use of dialogue.
5th & 6th Book List & Note from Christie
5/6 Writing
Lead Teacher: Carrie H.
5/6 Writing at co-op will complement the language curriculum that you are doing at home. The class time will be used to develop writing traits that will not only make the students better writers, but more comfortable with writing. The 6+1 Writing Traits approach will be used in this class. Read more about this approach at http://www.thetraits.org/index.php. After you read the “About” summary on this page, go to the bottom to “Quick Links” and choose “Trait Definitions.” There you will get a good understanding of what your student will be learning. The students will be doing activities in class to learn and practice these traits. They will have writing assignments at home to continue practicing the skills learned in class. The assignment of the week will be emailed to the parent (the home teacher).
Each homeschool should provide all the other parts of the traditional language curriculum: grammar, spelling, reading, vocabulary and more. If you need ideas for curriculums to cover these non-co-op subjects, ask on the CHEC loop. Other moms have favorites they’d love to share!
Hands on America (fall) and Music (spring) with an emphasis on American/Patriotic Songs
Lead Teacher: Kristie G. (fall)/Cammy B. (spring)
The kids will build 3-D models of items/buildings, and make and play games related to the colonial period. This will be a fun, hands-on way to see and experience the what they are learning about in the earliest part of American history.
More to come on the spring music class.
Junior High School (7th – 8th Grades)
Literature
Lead Teacher: Christie G/Beth P.
Over the course of the year, students will read both fiction and biographies, focusing on lives lived well for and in Christ. The class will also involve at least one parent-assigned book project. Students will read the assigned chapters and answer questions at home, then discuss the book in class. Please know that it is difficult to select literature that is challenging to every student, yet completely unobjectionable in every way, especially for students at this age. Therefore, please feel free to pre-read or inquire further about any or all of the books that are assigned..
Students will review the basics of plot, theme, and basic character development as they learn to evaluate a variety of genres. While attention will be given to the use of literary devices, homework will be limited to weekly reading assignments and a possible book-related assignment. Through group discussion and activities of selected books, the student will be encouraged to evaluate godly characteristics perceivable through literature as they further solidify their Christian worldview.
7th & 8th Grade Book List & Note from Christie
American History
Lead Teacher: Rhonda S.
The junior high and senior high classes will be using the eleven-book series The History of US by Joy Hakim as a text for American History. You can read a little about this series from Rainbow Resource here: http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/History+of+US+10-Volume+Set+3rd+Edition+R. The class time will be used to discuss the reading that the students will be assigned for Monday – Thursday. To complete the series by May, the students will begin reading before Co-op starts and read during periods of time that Co-op is not meeting --- like during the very long Co-op winter break --- but not so much that it would interfere with your families Christmas break. (cont’)
When you read the Rainbow Resource description of these books, you
will see that there are concerns about this series. The co-op teachers will be using the Sonlight Guide along with the books to explain a Christian perspective on the material. Sonlight has a good explanation of why and how they use the History of US: http://www.sonlight.com/100-00.html (Scroll down to “Curriculum Overview”). When you read from this link, keep in mind that we are only using the History of US in this class, not all the other resources this article refers to. This series is used by a lot of homeschool and Christian groups because Mrs. Hakim does such a fine job of telling the story of our country.
These books are very expensive. You may choose to purchase them, BUT they are also available at almost any city library. I called the Mount Pleasant library to ask if they could get more copies through inter-library loans. They assured me that they would do their best. If you don’t live in MP, check with your library. If they don’t have the series, perhaps you could suggest it as a good investment for the library : ). You will only need to check out one book of the eleven book series at a time.
CHEC Junior and Senior High Writing Program
A NOTE ON GRAMMAR:
Although grammar will naturally come up in the writing classes and curriculums, we will NOT cover formal grammar in the CHEC writing classes. For a student to be in a CHEC writing class, he must be doing a formal grammar program at home. At orientation, you will be asked to provide the name of the grammar program you will be doing at home with your writing student. If you do not feel equipped to “teach” grammar at home, you can learn alongside your student. We all need good grammar : ).
Most formal grammar curriculums include composition, so you may choose to skip that part of the curriculum you choose since the students will already be doing writing at Co-op. Some formal grammar curriculums you might consider are ABeka’s 7th-10th series Grammar and Composition www.abeka.com (around $15 for the student book and around $18 for the teacher’s key), Rod and Staff’s 2nd – 10th series Grammar and Composition http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/list/Building_Christian_English_Series/ (around $40 for the complete grade package), Bob Jones University Press’s Writing and Grammar http://rainbowresource.com/prodlist.php?sid=1218598034-1213724&subject=7&category=1493 (around $80 for the complete package, but you might not need the complete package).
There are obviously other strong formal grammar programs out there! There are also other light and fun programs that might be great IF your older student already has a strong understanding of grammar and just needs to maintain that knowledge. If you feel that your older student has mastered formal grammar, please let us know and we can arrange an exemption.
HOMEWORK:
To participate in a writing class the students MUST do the writing assignments and submit them in the form required by the teacher (or curriculum). The teachers will let the parents know if the student is not handing in his or her work or if they are not following instructions, but the parent really should know the status of the work as they oversee it at home. As in all classes, you should find time to occasionally talk to your student’s writing teacher and ask for an honest assessment of your child’s diligence and progress.
WriteShop 1
Lead Teacher: Leigh Ann K.
For a description of the curriculum, see http://www.writeshop.com/. Choose WriteShop I. The teacher will teach the week's lesson at Co-op. The students will do four days of homework (nicely laid out in the student manuals) and bring their papers back to class for marking. Each student will need a student workbook (Workbook 1 $45.95 Rainbow Resource, http://rainbowresource.com/product/WriteShop%3A+Incremental+Writing+Pgm+Workbook+1/002472/1218598034-1213724). You might be able to buy one used. We’ve used this curriculum four years, so there are lots of used ones floating around in CHEC and CHEMPA. Ask on the loop. There are also several used-curriculum sites listed at www.chempa.org.
This writing program emphasizes clarity, conciseness, and word choice. We will focus on writing strong paragraphs through a wide range of writing activities and by teaching clear editing techniques.
WriteShop 2
Lead Teacher: Leigh Anne K.
See http://www.writeshop.com/writeshopii.htm for a description of WriteShop II (and WriteShop I). There is a short review of the techniques learned in WriteShop I at the beginning of WriteShop II. The teacher will teach the week's lesson at Co-op. The students will do four days of homework (nicely laid out in their student manuals) and bring their papers back to class for marking. Each student will need a student workbook (Workbook 2 $45.95 Rainbow Resource). http://rainbowresource.com/product/WriteShop%3A+Incremental+Writing+Pgm+Workbook+2/002474/1218601979-1605205 . You might be able to buy one used. There are several used-curriculum sites listed at www.chempa.org, or you might ask if anyone from a previous year's class wants to sell theirs.
This writing program builds on the foundation set by WriteShop 1, emphasizing clarity, conciseness, and word choice.
CHEC Junior and Senior High Science Program
AT HOME:
The content of the sciences course is learned at home through the wonderful and easy-to-read Apologia texts --- under the supervision of the parents! Parents need to make sure that their science student is working through the material at a pace to be ready for the lab classes at Co-op (usually 5 – 7 pages per day). The parent will oversee the reading/learning, the answering of the On Your Own questions, the completion of the Study Guide(Chapter Review), Practice Problems (only in Chemistry and Physics), and the testing. Because Apologia was written for the homeschool family, all this can easily be done with a non-science parent and a diligent student! All you need is the text and the solutions manual --- and to make sure the work is being done! The first module (like a chapter) will need to be read before the first Co-op lab class on September 11. We provide a year-long science calendar for the students to follow. You should follow the lab teacher’s calendar instead if one is provided. All classes will allow two full weeks to complete each module.
AT CO-OP:
The labs and experiments are done at Co-op. This means that the mess is made and cleaned up at Co-op. The teachers will oversee the experiments and put them in context of the chapter. In some of the books there are a few chapters that don’t have experiments. Those chapters will be supplemented with appropriate videos, guest speakers, and/or teacher lectures.
THE TEXTS:
We use the first editions in all the classes, but 2nd editions have been used by students in our classes with no problem. Go to www.highschoolscience.com to learn about the curriculums. The books for all the junior high and senior high science classes are available to rent from Co-op. You will get your student’s book at orientation.
General Science Lab
Lead Teacher: Clare A.
Apologia Science is the curriculum. See www.highschoolscience.com to learn about the curriculum. If you follow the Apologia pattern, General Science done in the 7th grade. In this class we will do the experiments/labs for Apologia General Science. You should be covering science at home by overseeing their work through the textbook. Students will be given a lesson plan (see the science calendar on the CHEC site), and they must be up-to-date and prepared when they come to class so they can participate in the learning experience. Students may rent the text, Exploring Creation with General Science from CHEC.
Physical Science Lab
Lead Teacher: Laura B.
Apologia Science is the curriculum. If you follow the Apologia Pattern, Physical Science is done in the 8th grade. If you have an older child who has not done Physical Science, they are welcome in this class. In this class we will do the experiments/labs for Apologia Physical Science. You should be covering science at home by overseeing their work through the textbook. Students will be given a lesson plan (see the science calendar on the CHEC site), and they must be up-to-date and prepared when they come to class so they can participate in the learning experience there. Students may rent the text, Exploring Creation with Physical Science from CHEC.
CHEC Junior and Senior High Math Program
HOMEWORK:
Homeschooled students benefit from self-teaching and taking responsibility for their education. We feel that if we give a good textbook to the students, they can be their own best teacher. We also feel that it is important for the students to have answers to the homework --- when they are doing it. The students are encouraged to do several problems (3 – 5) and then to stop and check their work for accuracy. Traditionally, students do the entire homework set and THEN check the work. Without checking along the way for correct answers, they are possibly practicing the skill being learned WRONG. Only perfect practice makes perfect! So, to be clear, the answers are given to the student to check their work AS THEY DO the homework, not after they complete it. If you think your child will be tempted to cheat (copy the answers without doing the work), you can keep the solutions manual, having him seek you out for the answers every few problems. Your choice : ).
Important: There is only so much that can be done in one hour per week; therefore the student must be very industrious at home during the week. During class, we will answer questions about the previous week's work, but the majority of the time will be spent getting them ready to do the next week's work through overviews of the upcoming concepts and through working examples. The assignments are given by the teacher. Tests are provided by the curriculum and/or the teacher. Some teachers will grade the tests if the parents prefer it.
In most math classes students will need a one-subject 100-page spiral notebook and two good pencils.
Junior High Math (7th or 8th)
Lead Teacher: Lisa S.
This traditional junior-high math curriculum (Mathematics Today - Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich), has been purchased by the Co-op for parents to check-out for the year at orientation. There will be a reasonable rental fee. Algebra can follow this course.
Pre-Algebra (8th)
Lead Teacher: Lisa S.
This traditional pre-Algebra curriculum (Basic College Math – Addison-Wesley) has been purchased by Co-op for the parents to check out for the year at orientation. There will be a reasonable rental fee.
Independent Studies
If there is an hour that your student does not need what is being offered by Co-op, you can choose for your child to do work assigned by you.
High School (9th - 12th Grades)
Renaissance and Reformation Literature
Lead Teacher: Mike S.
Although this is a high school course, 8th graders that are strong readers are also welcome. This year the students will be reading literature from the Renaissance and Reformation period. He will distribute a syllabus and the first book at orientation. (As a hint of what might be read, this is the reading list from this time period four years ago: Luther, On Christian Liberty; Marlowe, Doctor Faustus; Shakespeare, Othello; Cervantes, Don Qijote; Milton, Paradise Lost)
This class will meet on Fridays at North Ridge Church of Christ at 8:45. Some classes will meet on Tuesday at lunch.
Mike will purchase the books as cheaply as possible --- trying to buy used. The cost of books is usually about $25 per semester. Karen Reed will collect the money for books every few books.
Note: This course meets Fridays before Co-op 8:45 – 9:45 and some Tuesdays at lunch.
American History
Lead Teacher: Kirsten G.
The junior high and senior high classes will be using the eleven-book series The History of US by Joy Hakim as a text for American History. You can read a little about this series from Rainbow Resource here: http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/History+of+US+10-Volume+Set+3rd+Edition+R. The class time will be used to discuss the reading that the students will be assigned for Monday – Thursday. To complete the series by May, the students will begin reading before Co-op starts and read during periods of time that Co-op is not meeting --- like during the very long Co-op winter break --- but not so much that it would interfere with your families Christmas break.
When you read the Rainbow Resource description of these books, you
will see that there are concerns about this series. The co-op teachers will be using the Sonlight Guide along with the books to explain a Christian perspective on the material. Sonlight has a good explanation of why and how they use the History of US: http://www.sonlight.com/100-00.html (Scroll down to “Curriculum Overview”). When you read from this link, keep in mind that we are only using the History of US in this class, not all the other resources this article refers to. This series is used by a lot of homeschool and Christian groups because Mrs. Hakim does such a fine job of telling the story of our country. (cont’)
These books are very expensive. You may choose to purchase them, BUT they are also available at almost any city library. I called the Mount Pleasant library to ask if they could get more copies through inter-library loans. They assured me that they would do their best. If you don’t live in MP, check with your library. If they don’t have the series, perhaps you could suggest it as a good investment for the library : ). You will only need to check out one book of the eleven book series at a time.
CHEC Junior and Senior High Writing Program
A NOTE ON GRAMMAR:
Although grammar will naturally come up in the writing classes and curriculums, we will NOT cover formal grammar in the CHEC writing classes. For a student to be in a CHEC writing class, he must be doing a formal grammar program at home. At orientation, you will be asked to provide the name of the grammar program you will be doing at home with your writing student. If you do not feel equipped to “teach” grammar at home, you can learn alongside your student. We all need good grammar : ).
Most formal grammar curriculums include composition, so you may choose to skip that part of the curriculum you choose since the students will already be doing writing at Co-op. Some formal grammar curriculums you might consider are ABeka’s 7th-10th series Grammar and Composition www.abeka.com (around $15 for the student book and around $18 for the teacher’s key), Rod and Staff’s 2nd – 10th series Grammar and Composition http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/list/Building_Christian_English_Series/ (around $40 for the complete grade package), Bob Jones University Press’s Writing and Grammar http://rainbowresource.com/prodlist.php?sid=1218598034-1213724&subject=7&category=1493 (around $80 for the complete package, but you might not need the complete package).
There are obviously other strong formal grammar programs out there! There are also other light and fun programs that might be great IF your older student already has a strong understanding of grammar and just needs to maintain that knowledge. If you feel that your older student has mastered formal grammar, please let us know and we can arrange an exemption.
HOMEWORK:
To participate in a writing class the students MUST do the writing assignments and submit them in the form required by the teacher (or curriculum). The teachers will let the parents know if the student is not handing in his or her work or if they are not following instructions, but the parent really should know the status of the work as they oversee it at home. As in all classes, you should find time to occasionally talk to your student’s writing teacher and ask for an honest assessment of your child’s diligence and progress.
WriteShop 2
Lead Teacher: Leigh Anne K.
See http://www.writeshop.com/writeshopii.htm for a description of WriteShop II (and WriteShop I). There is a short review of the techniques learned in WriteShop I at the beginning of WriteShop II. The teacher will teach the week's lesson at Co-op. The students will do the homework from their student manual and bring their papers back to class for grading (marking, not really grading). Each student will need a student workbook (Workbook 2). You might be able to buy one used. There are several used-curriculum sites listed at www.chempa.org, or you might ask if anyone from last year's class wants to sell theirs.
This writing program builds on the foundation set by WriteShop 2, emphasizing clarity, conciseness, and word choice.
Put That in Writing I
Lead Teacher: Norma J.
The teacher will teach the week's lesson at Co-op. The students will do the homework from their student manual and bring their papers back to class for grading (marking, not really grading). To see what the curriculum is about, go www.BarrettsBookshelf.com and find Put That in Writing, Level One. The emphasis is on the well written and well thought out paragraph (and essay) --- moving away from description and towards opinions and information. Each student will need a spiral student text and answer packet. You can purchase from Barretts Bookshelf or from Rainbow http://rainbowresource.com/search.php?sid=1218735817-640819. There may be other sources that are cheaper.
Put That In Writing II
Lead Teacher: Jo Anne C.
The teacher will teach the week's lesson at Co-op. The students will do the homework from their student manual and bring their papers back to class for grading (marking, not really grading). To see what the curriculum is about, go www.BarrettsBookshelf.com and find Put That in Writing, Level Two. The emphasis is on the well written and well thought out essay --- moving away from description and towards opinions and information. Each student will need a spiral student text and answer packet. You can purchase from Barretts Bookshelf or from Rainbow http://rainbowresource.com/search.php?sid=1218735817-640819. There may be other sources that are cheaper.
The Independent Research Paper
Lead Teacher: Gregg C.
This class is for students that have completed PTIW I and II. Others could do this alongside those classes if the parent felt they were capable of keeping up with the longer paper while being faithful in their writing class. This class will have the student working VERY independently. With the help of the teacher, the student will choose a topic for their research paper. They will receive a list of deadlines for things like their thesis statement, their resource list, their outline, and more. They will meet in person with the teacher occasionally, but will be sending in work via email often for him to hold them accountable to keep moving and to give input on how they can be a better organizer and writer. Although this class is on the schedule, the students will be notified when they will be meeting at co-op or when material is due via email.
CHEC Junior and Senior High Science Program
AT HOME:
The content of the sciences course is learned at home through the wonderful and easy-to-read Apologia texts --- under the supervision of the parents! Parents need to make sure that their science student is working through the material at a pace to be ready for the lab classes at Co-op (usually 5 – 7 pages per day). The parent will oversee the reading/learning, the answering of the On Your Own questions, the completion of the Study Guide(Chapter Review), Practice Problems (only in Chemistry and Physics), and the testing. Because Apologia was written for the homeschool family, all this can easily be done with a non-science parent and a diligent student! All you need is the text and the solutions manual --- and to make sure the work is being done! The first module (like a chapter) will need to be read before the first Co-op lab class on September 11. We provide a year-long science calendar for the students to follow. You should follow the lab teacher’s calendar instead if one is provided. All classes will allow two full weeks to complete each module.
AT CO-OP:
The labs and experiments are done at Co-op. This means that the mess is made and cleaned up at Co-op. The teachers will oversee the experiments and put them in context of the chapter. In some of the books there are a few chapters that don’t have experiments. Those chapters will be supplemented with appropriate videos, guest speakers, and/or teacher lectures.
THE TEXTS:
We use the first editions in all the classes, but 2nd editions have been used by students in our classes with no problem. Go to www.highschoolscience.com to learn about the curriculums. The books for all the junior high and senior high science classes are available to rent from Co-op. You will get your student’s book at orientation.
Apologia Physical Science
Lead Teacher: Laura B.
See www.highschoolscience.com for a description of this course. At Co-op, we only do the lab work. The students will be responsible to do all readings, questions, reviews, and testing at home. We provide all the equipment for the labs
Apologia Biology
Lead Teacher: Eric R.
See www.highschoolscience.com for a description of the course. At Co-op, students will be doing only the lab work. The students will be responsible to do all readings, questions, reviews, and testing at home. For biology, we are blessed to have four very expensive microscopes, slide kits, dissection kits, and more. The biology students pay for their four (or more) dissection specimens (worm, crayfish, perch, and frog) --- approximately $12.
Apologia Chemistry
Lead Teacher: Karen R.
See www.highschoolscience.com for a description of the course. The students will be doing only the lab work at Co-op. The students will be responsible to do all readings, questions, reviews, and testing at home. We own all the lab equipment needed to perform the experiments, and again, there will be a minimal lab fee. Chemistry students must have completed Algebra I.
Apologia Anatomy and Physiology:
Lead Teacher: Craig D.
See www.highschoolscience.com for a description of the course. The students will be doing only the lab work at Co-op. The students will be responsible to do all readings, questions, reviews, and testing at home. We own all the lab equipment needed to perform the experiments. The students will pay for the dissection specimens for this class. Students in Anatomy and Physiology must have completed Biology and Chemistry.
CHEC Junior and Senior High Math Program
HOMEWORK:
Homeschooled students benefit from self-teaching and taking responsibility for their education. We feel that if we give a good textbook to the students, they can be their own best teacher. We also feel that it is important for the students to have answers to the homework --- when they are doing it. The students are encouraged to do several problems (3 – 5) and then to stop and check their work for accuracy. Traditionally, students do the entire homework set and THEN check the work. Without checking along the way for correct answers, they are possibly practicing the skill being learned WRONG. Only perfect practice makes perfect! So, to be clear, the answers are given to the student to check their work AS THEY DO the homework, not after they complete it. If you think your child will be tempted to cheat (copy the answers without doing the work), you can keep the solutions manual, having him seek you out for the answers every few problems. Your choice : ).
Important: There is only so much that can be done in one hour per week; therefore the student must be very industrious at home during the week. During class, we will answer questions about the previous week's work, but the majority of the time will be spent getting them ready to do the next week's work through overviews of the upcoming concepts and through working examples. The assignments are given by the teacher. Tests are provided by the curriculum and/or the teacher. Some teachers will grade the tests if the parents prefer it.
In most math classes students will need a one-subject 100-page spiral notebook and two good pencils.
Algebra I
Lead Teacher: Lisa S.
This is a traditional Algebra I course, using a curriculum purchased by the Co-op for parents to check-out for the year at orientation. There will be a reasonable rental fee. Important: There is only so much that can be done in one hour per week, therefore the student must be very industrious at home during the week. During class, we will answer questions from the previous week's work, but the majority of the time will be spent getting them ready to do the next week's work through overviews of the coming concepts and working examples. Students will need a one-subject 100-page spiral notebook and two good pencils.
Geometry
Lead Teacher: Karen R.
This is a traditional Geometry course, using a curriculum purchased by the Co-op for parents to check-out for the year at orientation. There will be a reasonable rental fee. Important: There is only so much that can be done in one hour per week, therefore the student must be very industrious at home during the week. During class, we will answer questions from the previous week's work, but the majority of the time will be spent getting them ready to do the next week's work through overviews of the coming concepts and working examples. Students will need a one-subject 100-page spiral notebook and two good pencils. Students will need other supplies, TBA, such as protractors, etc.
Electives and Such
Spanish
Lead Teacher: Laura B.
The class time will be used to not only go over the work done at home in the curriculum, but also to practice speaking Spanish and learn correct pronunciation with Laura and her help teacher Dora H., who both speak Spanish!
You need to purchase Spanish Now! Seventh Edition with audio compact discs (Barron’s). It's all inclusive - textbook, workbook and CD's with dialogue, practice exercises, grammar and audio and happily at a price we can afford, less than $30!
Personal Finance
Lead Teacher: Emily C.
This course will be a one semester course (1/2 credit) done leisurely over both semesters. The students will need to purchase the workbook Discovering God’s Way of Handling Money Teen Study Workbook for approximately $16. We may try to order together to save on shipping. To see what is covered, go to: http://www.crown.org/cartproducts/product.asp?sku=TS2027&aid=. In addition to the workbook topics, the students will learn about checking accounts, credit cards, and a few other necessary practical topics. More to come on this class : ).
Independent Studies
If there is an hour that your student does not need what is being offered by Co-op, you can choose for your child to do work assigned by you.