Core Class Guide
BIBLE
Bible A: This course is an introduction and study of the Bible as a historic document and the inerrant Word of God. Among thematic studies, this course will focus on the first part of the Old Testament from the Pentateuch through the Judges.
Bible B: This course is a study of the Bible as a historic document and the inerrant Word of God. Among thematic studies, this course will focus on the second part of the Old Testament from the Kings through the Minor Prophets.
Bible C: This course is an introduction and study of the Gospel accounts and the early church in the book of Acts. Consideration and study will be given to the harmony of the four gospel accounts. Among thematic studies, this course will focus on the entire New Testament.
Bible D: This course is a study of the application of Bible truths learned from the previous three courses using texts by Phillip Yancy, Os Guinness and John Stott.
HISTORY
Ancient World History: This course explores the Biblical world view of history from the Creation through the Renaissance Period. Students will study significant ancient cultures and develop a clear understanding of history when the Word of God is integrated as the supreme historical authority.
Ancient World History: This course explores the Biblical world view of history from the Enlightenment Period through the events of our time. Students will study significant events that have led us to the present day and see God’s hand as we move toward the return of Jesus Christ.
American History: This course is a survey of United States History from pre-colonization to the Reagan era. Students study political, historical, and spiritual history of the States. Students are expected to compose argumentative essays from primary sources.
Government: This course focuses on the development of the United States government systems including the background and structure of both the U.S. and Missouri Constitutions. Students will complete the state required U.S. Constitution and Missouri Constitution tests as a component of this class.
ENGLISH
Ancient World Literature: This is a reading and writing intensive course that traces the development of Western thought from Creation to the Renaissance. In addition to reading, discussing, memorizing, and analyzing works of literature, students will study the component of language (vocabulary, grammar and usage) and apply them to the writing process regularly.
Modern World Literature: This is a reading and writing intensive course that traces the development of Western thought from the 17th Century to the 20th Century. This study includes authors from Europe and the United States but emphasizes the writers of the British Isles. Students will study the components of language (vocabulary, grammar and usage) and apply them to the writing process regularly.
American Literature: This is a reading and writing intensive course that traces the development of American thought from the 17th Century to the present. Students will study the components of language (vocabulary, grammar and usage ) and apply them to the writing process regularly.
Contemporary Literature: This is a reading and writing intensive course that is designed to be college level work. While students will read works from a variety of genres and time periods, the focus is on analysis from 21st century perspectives. Students will apply their knowledge of vocabulary, grammar, and usage in frequent writing assignments. This class can be taken for Advanced Placement Credit.
MATH
Algebra I: The focus of this course is to build a foundation for the successful study of algebra. Students will become familiar with the following: properties of mathematics; the language of algebra; solving equations; adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing rational numbers and integers; solving inequalities and absolute values; graphing equations and inequalities; introduction to trigonometry; and the study of polynomials.
Algebra II: This course prepares students for high school geometry. Students will study: integers; equations; inequalities; problem solving; rational numbers; ratios and proportions; percent; probabilities; statistics; polynomials; factoring; functions and their graphs; radical expressions; and quadratics.
Geometry: This course introduces geometric concepts that will be used throughout pre-calculus, calculus, and life. Topics include identification of points, rays, lines and planes; deductive reasoning and proofs; congruency and similarity; relationships within triangles, quadrilaterals, and circles; right triangles and trigonometry (sine, cosine, and tangent ratios); measuring area, perimeter, volume, surface area, and circumference; and lastly construction techniques for the geometric figures.
Pre-Calculus: This course prepares students for the study of calculus. Objectives of this course are: complex numbers; polynomials; rational and other algebraic functions; exponential and logarithmic functions; piecewise-defined functions; zeros of polynomials and the remainder theorem; properties and graphs of functions; polynomial and rational inequalities; function composition and inverse functions; systems of equations and inequalities; absolute value and inequalities and functions involving absolute value; the Algebra of matrices and determinants.
Calculus: Calculus is about the relation between a quantity and its rate of change. Objectives include: the study of limits and continuity; derivatives; slope of the tangent line; maximums and minimums; increasing and decreasing; concavity; integration; the area under a curve; volumes and surface area of revolution; arc length; mean value theorem; Rolle’s theorem; curve sketching; asymptotes; holes; and position, velocity, and acceleration. This class can be taken for Advanced Placement Credit.
SCIENCE
Biology: No prerequisites. This course is an introduction to biology, the study of life. Topics to be covered include scientific method, cell structure, the chemistry of life, creation, evolution, cell reproduction, ecology, and the five kingdoms. Biology is taught with a mixture of labs, classroom discussions, and projects.
Chemistry: Prerequisite Algebra I. This course is an introduction to chemistry, the study of matter. Topics to be covered include understanding the periodic table, phases, acids, bases, chemical equations, atomic structure, chemical reaction, conservation of matter, along with other topics. Chemistry is taught with a mixture of labs, practice problems, classroom discussion, demonstrations, and projects
Physics: Prerequisite currently in Pre-Calc or Calc. This course is an introduction to physics, the most basic of the sciences. Topics to be covered include motion, fluids, heat, sound, light, electricity, magnetism, and modern physics. Physics is taught with a mixture of labs, practice problems, classroom discussion, demonstrations, and projects.
Ecology: No prerequisites. This course is a study of the relationships of living organisms (excluding humans) to each other and to the non-living environment in which organisms live. The topics of this course include ecosystems, biomes, biogeochemical cycles, populations, soils, inter- and intra-specific interactions, and the general organization of ecological communities. Ecology is taught through class discussion, field sampling, and classroom activities and projects.
Environmental Science: Prerequisite Ecology. This course is a study of the environmental impacts of human activity on Earth. Topics covered in this course include human population, agricultural impact, water pollution, air pollution, solid waste disposal, renewable resources, nonrenewable resources, energy usage, and nuclear energy. Environmental Science reiterates many ecological concepts from a human standpoint through class discussions, projects, and classroom activities.