America’s Story (Middle School History)
Grades: 5-8
In this upper elementary/middle school course, we will examine the history of America through the lens of God’s providential purposes and provision. We will primarily draw from the narrative history presented in Angela O’Dell’s America’s Story vol.1 and Peter Marshall’s books The Light and the Glory and From Sea to Shining Sea. Studying America’s story during this pivotal period in our history will include learning about the men and women whose words, actions and faith in God helped lay our nation’s foundation. We will look at documents and institutions that they put in place to create “a more perfect union.” For the older students, optional writing assignments and supplemental reading may be assigned. It is my hope that through this course, a foundation of understanding might be developed that would enable our students to rightly assess and discern current events in the light of God’s enduring faithfulness and intervention. In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “I have lived a long time, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?”
This course requires a 40 dollar supply fee.
Elementary History
Story of the World Vol 3
Tutor: Debbie Christensen
Elementary Geography (U.S.)
Tutor: Debbie Christensen
Little House on the Prairie
Tutor: Debbie Christensen
Travel back in time to the wind-swept prairies of the Great Plains and the fascinating life of Laura Ingalls Wilder! The books of the Little House series will serve as the foundation for a year-long unit study of geography, literature, history, and science/nature combined with plenty of hands-on activities and crafts to bring Laura’s world to life. As we read and discuss the books, you will have a chance to do some journaling and creative writing of your own. We’ll follow the Ingalls family from Wisconsin to Dakota Territory, and find out more about life in the 1800s—from one-room schoolhouses to the hardships of pioneer life—and much more.
This class is intended to be educational but a lot of fun! Five of Laura’s books were set in South Dakota; this will be taught from the perspective of a South Dakota native whose own family homesteaded in the state in 1885.
Suggested grades: 4-6
High School American History
•Catch the flame of patriotic passion!
•Learn from our past successes and failures!
•Marvel at American ideas and inventions that changed the world!
•Prepare to meet heroes, heroins, villains, and vagabonds!
Please note: Mrs. Larkin has been known to wear a George Washington mask, display Thomas Jefferson and James Madison bobble heads, pass around civil war bullets and artifacts, and generally bring in anything she can think of that will make US History interesting, memorable, and fun.
Drawing from multiple resources and curriculum, Liz Larkin will make American History come alive! Mrs.Larkin prefers reading, watching videos, and taking virtual tours over text books. Homework will consist of presentations of projects and papers and an opportunity to show all they’ve learned on periodic exams.
Curriculum for U.S. History: Dave Raymond’s U.S. HISTORY (I have a group rate for curriculum.)https://compassclassroom.com/shop/product/american-history/
High School World History
- Deception!
- Ambition!
- Love!
- Adoration!
- Destruction!
- Creation!
Drama, drama, drama! “What has been will be again/ what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”-Ecclesiastes 1:9. Toss out your tedious text books and fuzzy memories of dry dates! It’s time to travel back in time, all around the world to hear the dramatic tales that make up “World History”.
Drawing from multiple resources and curriculum, Liz Larkin will make World History come alive! Mrs.Larkin prefers reading, watching videos, and taking virtual tours over text books. Homework will consist of presentations of projects and papers and an opportunity to show all they’ve learned on periodic exams.
Curriculum for World History: Dave Raymond’s MODERNITY (I have a group rate for curriculum.)https://compassclassroom.com/shop/product/modernity-world-history-curriculum/
“Antiquity” Ancient World History (1.0 Credit)
Instructor: Liz Larkin Fall 2021-Spring 2022
“Antiquity” weaves a tapestry of passionate stories depicting:
Young love and old grudges;
Ancient alliances and budding hostilities;
The delight of cradling a newborn baby;
The sorrow of cradling a lifeless loved one.
The study of ancient world history develops students’ understanding of the timeless truth of being human! Regardless of race, age, social status: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ”(Romans 3:23-24 ESV).
“Dave Raymond begins with Genesis, then traces world history all the way to the life of Christ. This incredible series synthesizes the events recorded in the Bible with ancient history, showing clearly how God’s providence directed the events in the ancient world. A must-have series for those wanting their children to have a Biblical worldview of history.”- Compassclassroom.com
“Course Requirements:Ages: 13+ (We recommend children be over age 13 to take this class due to mature content in some pagan civilizations. Please be aware of some brief artistic nudity in some of the historical artwork that is presented in the course.)” – Compassclassroom.com
Methods of Evaluation:
Participation (10 %)
Weekly Quizzes based on the lectures (15%)
Midterm Exam (Fall/Spring) (25%)
Topical Project (Fall/Spring) (25%)
Semester Final Exam (Fall/Spring) (25%)
How does it all work together?
· Each week = 1 Lesson/Chapter (Comprised of 5 lectures.)
· Students are responsible to watch the 5 lectures by Thursday’s Class each week. Lectures are less than 30 minutes each. Students should definitely take notes.
· Thursday/Class Day! We will begin each class with a quiz to encourage and provide accountability for students to watch and take notes on the lectures. Then, we’ll discuss the events, people, universal truths, etc. using the Socratic method.
A syllabus and calendar will be provided on the first day of class. There are 26 lessons in total. The group rate for the streaming course is $66 dollars (it includes the lectures, the student reader, and the teacher’s manual). Once I receive your $66 payment, I’ll send you the link for the course.
You can use Venmo @James-Larkin-19
or drop a check in the mail to 9314 Brian Run Ln. Springfield, VA 22153.
High School Geography
Anissa Tyler
North Star Geography
GEOGRAPHY is more than just place names and outline maps—it’s understanding how the world around us works! North Star Geography gives students a deep understanding of how geography impacts all of us every day-with real-life applications for college, career, citizenship, and ministry.
Written from a distinctly Christian perspective by a homeschool grad (now a homeschool dad), North Star Geography is a full high school credit. he lessons which are available in hardback book, CD, or download format cover:
It covers:
- Geography Skills (such as reading maps and navigation)
- Physical Geography (the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere)
- Human Geography (social structures, culture and heritage, interacting with the environment)
Government and Economics
Victoria Rose
This course is one of a kind.
Government as taught in Declaration Statesmanship – There is no other course like it available to the American high school student. It unites history, philosophy, and what we call ‘civics’ in a dynamic blend of narrative and argument. As much as possible it deploys original sources and fundamental texts, and the writing of the authors endeavors to match, as their capacities allowed, the thoughtfulness and elegance of the authors who inspired us.
The second semester, focused on economics, based on the Russel Kirk’s work Economics: Work and Prosperity. Kirk’s many years of experience as an essayist, journalist, lecturer, critic, biographer, novelist, and historian of ideas gave him a range of understanding and felicity of expression that bring clarity, liveliness, and optimism to the study of economics from the Christian perspective.
Worldview (Understanding the Faith or Understanding the Times?)
Mr. Rose
For the last three years STARS’s worldview instruction has been based upon Summit Ministries’ trilogy of courses Understanding the Faith, Understanding the Times, and Understanding the Culture. Understanding the Times was the first two-semester curriculum to be fully deployed as an app supported by teacher and student licenses which provided access to a very robust selection of 36 weeks of course material. In 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 we used Understanding the Times (UTT), and in 2019-2020 we used Understanding the Culture (UTC). This year we are offering both Understanding the Faith (UTF) – for the first time, and Understanding the Times (UTT).
The courses follow a flow of UTF to UTT to UTC but none are a prerequisite to another. If your student can only take one during his/her time remaining in high school, I recommend UTT.
Students enrolling in one of these courses will be charged tuition ($400) and an app license fee/hard copy text book fee ($75). The instructor will purchase licenses and texts (at a reduced rate) for the class directly from Summit. Please provide student’s first and last name as well as an email address for the app.
To help with your course selection the following is provided:
Understanding the Faith (UTF)
Dr. Jeff Myers explores the answers to deep questions about Christianity, including whether God created the universe, the existence of heaven and hell, the resurrection, and more.
Learning to defend the Christian worldview is critical for those who want to share their faith with an unbelieving world. Theology and apologetics aren’t just academic exercises for pastors and church leaders; they are worthy endeavors for every believer.
For a preview of the text book Understanding the Faith, first three chapters CLICK HERE
Understanding the Times (UTT)
Understanding the Times is a classic invitation to the study of worldviews, a guided tour of the answers to life’s ultimate questions.
It examines the six most prominent worldviews influencing the world today (Christianity, Islam, Secularism, Marxism, New Spirituality, and Postmodernism), and it shows how their influence manifests in the key academic disciplines operating in America’s institutions of higher learning today (Theology, Philosophy, Ethics, Biology, Psychology, Sociology, Law, Politics, Economics and History).
Cathy Duffey reviews Understanding the Times HERE
If we help students master the world of ideas, they will be significantly less likely to be taken captive by false philosophies (Colossians 2:8) and significantly more likely to understand the times in which they live and know how to be responsible citizens (1Chronicles 12:32). So, join the hundreds of classrooms and families across the country (and around the globe!) equipping students to Understand the Times.
starsloveslearning.com 