Science & Technology Class Descriptions

Students will learn to think like inventors and designers when creating 3D! 3D design is used not only for modeling and fabricating objects but is also at the heart of many cutting-edge technologies such as AR and VR, video game design, interactive exhibits, and more. 3D printing is used in nearly all industries and design fields today from art to animation, manufacturing to medicine, and engineering to entertainment.
In this class, students will first learn to use Tinkercard, a 3D modeling software that works in solid forms (like LEGO bricks). Then, students will transition to MeshMixer, a software that creates smooth, curved, organic shapes (like clay). They will learn to think about their design from all angles and how to subtract forms to create holes, voids, and concave features, and add forms to create projections, contours, appendages, and convex details. They will discover the limitations of 3D printing and how to handle overhanging elements or delicate details.

Students will practice the artistic design process with simple sketches before diving into the software. They will be encouraged to use reference material, whether photos, a model, or even by modifying existing, public domain 3D files. Students will use an iterative printing process in which they print their project, check it for design intent, functionality, or fit, make modifications, and print again. The class will learn how to save and convert between 3D solid object files (.stl) and object files (.obj) and work with metadata fields to protect the intellectual property of their designs.

To demonstrate the range and capability of 3D-printed designs, favorite student projects include D & D miniatures, cosplay props, Minecraft-designed creations, and beloved characters such as anime, baby Yoda, and Pokemon creatures.

Second semester, continuing students will progress to more complex assemblies including multiple parts and parts with hinges. Second semester, some students may wish to work with alternative filaments such as TPU (rubber), metal, or magnetized filament. Because of the studio format, new students can enroll second semester.

The class instructor is a design engineer with 3D Herndon and expert in 3D technologies and other areas of design and invention. A typical class will be structured with 5-10 minutes of lecture or demonstration of a new design skill, followed by 40 minutes of design "studio" time where students can receive trouble-shooting support and design tips from the instructor and have dedicated work time, and 5-10 minutes of sharing time at the end of class. As a studio class, students will work on individual projects at their own pace.
Topics in this Series: As an open studio for individual projects, students may continue from one semester to the next or enroll mid-year. Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

Prerequisites: None

What to Bring: Students will need to bring a laptop to class for design work.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 0-1+ hours per week outside of class.

Assignments: Project criteria will be explained in class to students.

Assessments: Informal, qualitative feedback will be given in class throughout the semester as the student works.

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $25.00 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class for 3D printing and filament. This provides the student with 800 g of printed product per semester. Students who are prolific designers and print often will be asked to pay an additional $5.00 per 100 g or fraction thereof.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Visual Arts, Technology, or Career Exploration for purposes of a high school transcript.

Students will learn to think like inventors and designers when creating 3D! 3D design is used not only for modeling and fabricating objects but is also at the heart of many cutting-edge technologies such as AR and VR, video game design, interactive exhibits, and more. 3D printing is used in nearly all industries and design fields today from art to animation, manufacturing to medicine, and engineering to entertainment.
In this class, students will first learn to use Tinkercard, a 3D modeling software that works in solid forms (like LEGO bricks). Then, students will transition to MeshMixer, a software that creates smooth, curved, organic shapes (like clay). They will learn to think about their design from all angles and how to subtract forms to create holes, voids, and concave features, and add forms to create projections, contours, appendages, and convex details. They will discover the limitations of 3D printing and how to handle overhanging elements or delicate details.

Students will practice the artistic design process with simple sketches before diving into the software. They will be encouraged to use reference material, whether photos, a model, or even by modifying existing, public domain 3D files. Students will use an iterative printing process in which they print their project, check it for design intent, functionality, or fit, make modifications, and print again. The class will learn how to save and convert between 3D solid object files (.stl) and object files (.obj) and work with metadata fields to protect the intellectual property of their designs.

To demonstrate the range and capability of 3D-printed designs, favorite student projects include D & D miniatures, cosplay props, Minecraft-designed creations, and beloved characters such as anime, baby Yoda, and Pokemon creatures.

Second semester, continuing students will progress to more complex assemblies including multiple parts and parts with hinges. Second semester, some students may wish to work with alternative filaments such as TPU (rubber), metal, or magnetized filament. Because of the studio format, new students can enroll second semester.

The class instructor is a design engineer with 3D Herndon and expert in 3D technologies and other areas of design and invention. A typical class will be structured with 5-10 minutes of lecture or demonstration of a new design skill, followed by 40 minutes of design "studio" time where students can receive trouble-shooting support and design tips from the instructor and have dedicated work time, and 5-10 minutes of sharing time at the end of class. As a studio class, students will work on individual projects at their own pace.
Topics in this Series: As an open studio for individual projects, students may continue from one semester to the next or enroll mid-year. Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

Prerequisites: None

What to Bring: Students will need to bring a laptop to class for design work.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 0-1+ hours per week outside of class.

Assignments: Project criteria will be explained in class to students.

Assessments: Informal, qualitative feedback will be given in class throughout the semester as the student works.

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $25.00 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class for 3D printing and filament. This provides the student with 800 g of printed product per semester. Students who are prolific designers and print often will be asked to pay an additional $5.00 per 100 g or fraction thereof.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Visual Arts, Technology, or Career Exploration for purposes of a high school transcript.

Students will learn to think like inventors and designers when creating 3D! 3D design is used not only for modeling and fabricating objects but is also at the heart of many cutting-edge technologies such as AR and VR, video game design, interactive exhibits, and more. 3D printing is used in nearly all industries and design fields today from art to animation, manufacturing to medicine, and engineering to entertainment.
In this class, students will first learn to use Tinkercard, a 3D modeling software that works in solid forms (like LEGO bricks). Then, students will transition to MeshMixer, a software that creates smooth, curved, organic shapes (like clay). They will learn to think about their design from all angles and how to subtract forms to create holes, voids, and concave features, and add forms to create projections, contours, appendages, and convex details. They will discover the limitations of 3D printing and how to handle overhanging elements or delicate details.

Students will practice the artistic design process with simple sketches before diving into the software. They will be encouraged to use reference material, whether photos, a model, or even by modifying existing, public domain 3D files. Students will use an iterative printing process in which they print their project, check it for design intent, functionality, or fit, make modifications, and print again. The class will learn how to save and convert between 3D solid object files (.stl) and object files (.obj) and work with metadata fields to protect the intellectual property of their designs.

To demonstrate the range and capability of 3D-printed designs, favorite student projects include D & D miniatures, cosplay props, Minecraft-designed creations, and beloved characters such as anime, baby Yoda, and Pokemon creatures.

Second semester, continuing students will progress to more complex assemblies including multiple parts and parts with hinges. Second semester, some students may wish to work with alternative filaments such as TPU (rubber), metal, or magnetized filament. Because of the studio format, new students can enroll second semester.

The class instructor is a design engineer with 3D Herndon and expert in 3D technologies and other areas of design and invention. A typical class will be structured with 5-10 minutes of lecture or demonstration of a new design skill, followed by 40 minutes of design "studio" time where students can receive trouble-shooting support and design tips from the instructor and have dedicated work time, and 5-10 minutes of sharing time at the end of class. As a studio class, students will work on individual projects at their own pace.

Topics in this Series: As an open studio for individual projects, students may continue from one semester to the next or enroll mid-year. Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $25.00 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class for 3D printing and filament. This provides the student with 800 g of printed product per semester. Students who are prolific designers and print often will be asked to pay an additional $5.00 per 100 g or fraction thereof.

Students will learn to think like inventors and designers when creating 3D! 3D design is used not only for modeling and fabricating objects but is also at the heart of many cutting-edge technologies such as AR and VR, video game design, interactive exhibits, and more. 3D printing is used in nearly all industries and design fields today from art to animation, manufacturing to medicine, and engineering to entertainment.
In this class, students will first learn to use Tinkercard, a 3D modeling software that works in solid forms (like LEGO bricks). Then, students will transition to MeshMixer, a software that creates smooth, curved, organic shapes (like clay). They will learn to think about their design from all angles and how to subtract forms to create holes, voids, and concave features, and add forms to create projections, contours, appendages, and convex details. They will discover the limitations of 3D printing and how to handle overhanging elements or delicate details.

Students will practice the artistic design process with simple sketches before diving into the software. They will be encouraged to use reference material, whether photos, a model, or even by modifying existing, public domain 3D files. Students will use an iterative printing process in which they print their project, check it for design intent, functionality, or fit, make modifications, and print again. The class will learn how to save and convert between 3D solid object files (.stl) and object files (.obj) and work with metadata fields to protect the intellectual property of their designs.

To demonstrate the range and capability of 3D-printed designs, favorite student projects include D & D miniatures, cosplay props, Minecraft-designed creations, and beloved characters such as anime, baby Yoda, and Pokemon creatures.

Second semester, continuing students will progress to more complex assemblies including multiple parts and parts with hinges. Second semester, some students may wish to work with alternative filaments such as TPU (rubber), metal, or magnetized filament. Because of the studio format, new students can enroll second semester.

The class instructor is a design engineer with 3D Herndon and expert in 3D technologies and other areas of design and invention. A typical class will be structured with 5-10 minutes of lecture or demonstration of a new design skill, followed by 40 minutes of design "studio" time where students can receive trouble-shooting support and design tips from the instructor and have dedicated work time, and 5-10 minutes of sharing time at the end of class. As a studio class, students will work on individual projects at their own pace.

Topics in this Series: As an open studio for individual projects, students may continue from one semester to the next or enroll mid-year. Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $25.00 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class for 3D printing and filament. This provides the student with 800 g of printed product per semester. Students who are prolific designers and print often will be asked to pay an additional $5.00 per 100 g or fraction thereof.

Every single week there are gripping headlines heralding new developments and discoveries in the fields of astronomy, astrophysics, and space exploration:" NASA's Artemis II announced its crew. Space X Starship self-destructed. Europe's JUICE will go to Jupiter. James Webb Space Telescope finds oldest proto-galaxies. China, Russia, India, and South Korea are in a new space race to reach the moon. A total solar eclipse will be viewed in 2026." These are exciting fields to follow, and this is a thrilling time to learn about space science in Compass's "All About Astronomy" series.

First quarter, students will learn about classical and modern land-based star-gazing. What could the ancients detect with their sundials? What did the Egyptians and Greeks observe with their astrolabes, and how did Galileo Galilei's use of the telescope change our understanding of astronomy? Fast-forward to today's land-based observatories. What will the new, Giant Magellan Telescope tell us from a mountaintop facility in Chile when it is completed in 2025? In this class, students will look at the oldest and newest technologies for ground-based observation of the skies. They will discover what limitations exist with even the most modern equipment and how astronomers compensate for those. Students will enhance their understanding of astronomical observation with in-class projects such as building a telescope, a sundial, and an astrolabe.

Topics in this series include: Classical & Current Star-Gazing (Quarter 1); Mission to the Moon (Quarter 2); Modern & Space-Based Searches (Quarter 3); and Mission to Mars (Quarter 4)

Every single week there are gripping headlines heralding new developments and discoveries in the fields of astronomy, astrophysics, and space exploration: "NASA's Artemis II announced its crew. Space X Starship self-destructed. Europe's JUICE will go to Jupiter. James Webb Space Telescope finds oldest proto-galaxies. China, Russia, India, and South Korea are in a new space race to reach the moon. A total solar eclipse will be viewed in 2026." These are exciting fields to follow, and this is a thrilling time to learn about space science in Compass's "All About Astronomy" series.

Fourth quarter, students will mimic NASA in planning a mission to and habitat on Mars. The class will begin by looking at past Mars explorations. They will evaluate what is known about the red planet from fly-bys, orbiters, landers, and rovers. They will review what are the known challenges of a journey to Mars and anticipated conditions on the surface. The class will divide up and work in teams to design a mission to Mars and temporary Martian base camp. Students will brainstorm about what is needed to sustain and shelter the astronauts, power their space craft, what key scientific studies should be made, and how to return the crew and their findings to Earth. They will look at the technologies available to select their rocket (or design an all-new one), crew cabin, scientific equipment, lander, Mars vehicle, shelter, and spacesuits. Teams will be given constraints such as budget, payload, fuel, power consumption, and scientific value of their planned Martian activities. They will have to consider all of the challenges of returning to Earth. What will they be able to bring back from Mars?

Topics in this series include: Classical & Current Star-Gazing (Quarter 1); Mission to the Moon (Quarter 2); Modern & Space-Based Searches (Quarter 3); and Mission to Mars (Quarter 4)

Every single week there are gripping headlines heralding new developments and discoveries in the fields of astronomy, astrophysics, and space exploration: "NASA's Artemis II announced its crew. Space X Starship self-destructed. Europe's JUICE will go to Jupiter. James Webb Space Telescope finds oldest proto-galaxies. China, Russia, India, and South Korea are in a new space race to reach the moon. A total solar eclipse will be viewed in 2026." These are exciting fields to follow, and this is a thrilling time to learn about space science in Compass's "All About Astronomy" series.

Second quarter, students will mimic NASA in planning a mission to the moon. The class will begin by looking at past moon explorations. They will evaluate the mid-century Apollo moon landings to understand how long the journey took, how long crews went for, what supplies and provisions were sent, and what the rockets, crew cabins, and space suits were capable of. Then, the class will divide up and work in teams to design a new mission to the moon. They will look at the technologies available to select their rocket (or design an all-new one), crew cabin, scientific equipment, lander, lunar vehicle, and spacesuits. Teams will be given constraints such as budget, payload, fuel, power consumption, and scientific value of their planned lunar activities. They will have to consider all of the challenges of returning to Earth. Will they be able to bring loads of moon rocks back?

Topics in this series include: Classical & Current Star-Gazing (Quarter 1); Mission to the Moon (Quarter 2); Modern & Space-Based Searches (Quarter 3); and Mission to Mars (Quarter 4)

Every single week there are gripping headlines heralding new developments and discoveries in the fields of astronomy, astrophysics, and space exploration: "NASA's Artemis II announced its crew. Space X Starship self-destructed. Europe's JUICE will go to Jupiter. James Webb Space Telescope finds oldest proto-galaxies. China, Russia, India, and South Korea are in a new space race to reach the moon. A total solar eclipse will be viewed in 2026." These are exciting fields to follow, and this is a thrilling time to learn about space science in Compass's "All About Astronomy" series.

Third quarter, students will learn about modern space exploration and space-based observations. They will discover the differences among satellites, telescopes, probes, orbiters, landers, rovers, fly-bys, and crewed spacecraft and what each can tell us about space. The class will look at some missions that are underway such as: Mars Perseverance Rover (operational), Mars Ingenuity Helicopter (operational), Lucy asteroid fly-by (en route- 2023); Parker Solar Probe (en route- 2025); Mercury Planetary Orbiter (en route- 2025); ESA Solar Orbiter (en route- 2026); Dragonfly fly-by to Venus and Titan (planned for 2027); JUICE Jupiter Fly-by (en route- 2028) and the more than 40-year-old Voyager 1, 2, and New Horizons which have left solar system and are still transmitting. Students will examine images sent back to Earth from a variety of research craft to understand the value and limitations of each type. The class will learn about modern types of telescopes: reflecting, refracting, multi-mirrored and radio, and how spectroscopy is used to measure astronomical phenomena. Students will enhance their understanding of modern observations with in-class projects such as building a spectroscope and evaluating space images for a citizen-scientist initiative.

Topics in this series include: Classical & Current Star-Gazing (Quarter 1); Mission to the Moon (Quarter 2); Modern & Space-Based Searches (Quarter 3); and Mission to Mars (Quarter 4)

A band of brainy bottlenose dolphins sport sponges on their snouts to scour the sharp seabed. A captive cougar is conditioned to cry and claw his cage for a carcass. An enormous Newfoundland is nervous from noise and needs narcotics. Humans are fascinated by some of our closest cousins, cuddly companions, and other curious creatures who behave in some bizzare and baffling ways.

Take an exciting dive into the interplay of genetics and environment as we consider origins and causes of animal behaviors as adaptations, and real-life applications in animal welfare and husbandry. Learn about the genetics of dog breeds and dog behaviors; discoveries in dog, bird, and primate communication and problem-solving; how operant and classical conditioning work; how stress affects learning and performance in humans and other species; recent advances in "cooperative care"; and more. Together, we will read and evaluate a scientific study on dog behavior, practicing critical thinking and aspects of peer review. A vet tech speaker (accompanied by a special guest) will offer a glimpse into animal behavior from the clinical perspective.

Prerequisites: Students should have a very strong, high school level reading fluency. Note on Levels: Mature students in Grades 7-8 are welcome to enroll. Upon request, instructor can suggest optional readings for older, advanced students who plan college studies in biology, psychology, neuroscience, or anthropology.

Workload: The student should expect to spend 2-3 hours/week outside class.

Assignments: Homework is essential to the course and not optional. Students will be expected to prepare for Friday
discussions with readings, videos, homework, and brief quizzes posted on Canvas.

Semester Project: Choose one of four project options: (1) hands-on behavioral investigation or experiment with your own pet, (2) wild or captive animal observation, (3) volunteer work or "shadowing" with an animal organization or veterinary professional, or (4) a brief research paper or digital media project.

Assessments: Instructor feedback and grades will be entered in Canvas, where a letter grade is based on percentage of
points earned.

Communication: As students and parent observers need separate Canvas accounts, please provide a student email address at least three weeks prior to the start of class. Instructor checks Canvas Inbox messages several times per week.

Materials: Instructor provides readings, but students may need supplies for individual projects (e.g., props, illustrated trick-
training guide, grooming tools, treats).

Supply Fee: A supply fee of $10.00 is due to instructor on or before the first day of class.

Credit: Families may wish to count this course as a half-credit in science for purposes of a high school transcript. This academic elective complements (but does not replace) a core high school lab biology course and includes several topics often covered in high school psychology.

Discover the world of robotics using kids' favorite, interlocking building bricks! Students will build and program a different whimsical, mechanized project each week using the WeDo 2.0 robotics system by LEGO Education.

Fourth quarter, students will model and motorize creepy crawly creatures such as a crab, praying mantis, scorpion, snail, ant, spider, tadpole, and more.

Their robots will be built using special-shaped LEGO components from the WeDo Educational set, motors, motion sensors, tilt sensors and a programmable, Bluetooth control unit ("brain"). Student will use classroom tablets to program the control units using an intuitive drag-and-drop coding modules.

Prior experience with LEGO or coding is not required. All equipment is furnished.

Topics in this Series: Animated Animals (Quarter 1), Jurassic Giants (Quarter 2); Rush Hour! (Quarter 3), and Creepy Crawlies (Quarter 4).

Discover the world of robotics using kids' favorite, interlocking building bricks! Students will build and program a different whimsical, mechanized project each week using the WeDo 2.0 robotics system by LEGO Education.

Fourth quarter, students will model and motorize creepy crawly creatures such as a crab, praying mantis, scorpion, snail, ant, spider, tadpole, and more.

Their robots will be built using special-shaped LEGO components from the WeDo Educational set, motors, motion sensors, tilt sensors and a programmable, Bluetooth control unit ("brain"). Student will use classroom tablets to program the control units using an intuitive drag-and-drop coding modules.

Prior experience with LEGO or coding is not required. All equipment is furnished.

Topics in this Series: Animated Animals (Quarter 1), Jurassic Giants (Quarter 2); Rush Hour! (Quarter 3), and Creepy Crawlies (Quarter 4).

Discover the world of robotics using kids' favorite, interlocking building bricks! Students will build and program a different whimsical, mechanized project each week using the WeDo 2.0 robotics system by LEGO Education.

Second quarter, modern robotics will bring extinct Jurassic world to life with projects such a Brachiosaur, T-Rex, Megalodon Shark, Pterodactyl and their current cousins- the Komodo Dragon and Crocodile.

Their robots will be built using special-shaped LEGO components from the WeDo Educational set, motors, motion sensors, tilt sensors and a programmable, Bluetooth control unit ("brain"). Student will use classroom tablets to program the control units using an intuitive drag-and-drop coding modules.

Prior experience with LEGO or coding is not required. All equipment is furnished.

Topics in this Series: Animated Animals (Quarter 1), Jurassic Giants (Quarter 2); Rush Hour! (Quarter 3), and Creepy Crawlies (Quarter 4).

Discover the world of robotics using kids' favorite, interlocking building bricks! Students will build and program a different whimsical, mechanized project each week using the WeDo 2.0 robotics system by LEGO Education.

Second quarter, modern robotics will bring extinct Jurassic world to life with projects such a Brachiosaur, T-Rex, Megalodon Shark, Pterodactyl and their current cousins- the Komodo Dragon and Crocodile.

Their robots will be built using special-shaped LEGO components from the WeDo Educational set, motors, motion sensors, tilt sensors and a programmable, Bluetooth control unit ("brain"). Student will use classroom tablets to program the control units using an intuitive drag-and-drop coding modules.

Prior experience with LEGO or coding is not required. All equipment is furnished.

Topics in this Series: Animated Animals (Quarter 1), Jurassic Giants (Quarter 2); Rush Hour! (Quarter 3), and Creepy Crawlies (Quarter 4).

Discover the world of robotics using kids' favorite, interlocking building bricks! Students will build and program a different whimsical, mechanized project each week using the WeDo 2.0 robotics system by LEGO Education.

Third quarter, rush hour comes to Compass as students build and program automated vehicles like a dune buggy, Formula 1 race car, tow truck, tractor trailer, bus, and more.

Their robots will be built using special-shaped LEGO components from the WeDo Educational set, motors, motion sensors, tilt sensors and a programmable, Bluetooth control unit ("brain"). Student will use classroom tablets to program the control units using an intuitive drag-and-drop coding modules.

Prior experience with LEGO or coding is not required. All equipment is furnished.

Topics in this Series: Animated Animals (Quarter 1), Jurassic Giants (Quarter 2); Rush Hour! (Quarter 3), and Creepy Crawlies (Quarter 4).

Discover the world of robotics using kids' favorite, interlocking building bricks! Students will build and program a different whimsical, mechanized project each week using the WeDo 2.0 robotics system by LEGO Education.

Third quarter, rush hour comes to Compass as students build and program automated vehicles like a dune buggy, Formula 1 race car, tow truck, tractor trailer, bus, and more.

Their robots will be built using special-shaped LEGO components from the WeDo Educational set, motors, motion sensors, tilt sensors and a programmable, Bluetooth control unit ("brain"). Student will use classroom tablets to program the control units using an intuitive drag-and-drop coding modules.

Prior experience with LEGO or coding is not required. All equipment is furnished.

Topics in this Series: Animated Animals (Quarter 1), Jurassic Giants (Quarter 2); Rush Hour! (Quarter 3), and Creepy Crawlies (Quarter 4).

Discover the world of robotics using kids' favorite, interlocking building bricks! Students will build and program a different whimsical, mechanized project each week using the WeDo 2.0 robotics system by LEGO Education.

First quarter, students will construct Animated Animals such as a hopping bunny, lumbering elephant, creeping frog, leaf-munching giraffe, trotting horse, mommy and baby bird, flapping owl, and a prowling, growling tiger.

Their robots will be built using special-shaped LEGO components from the WeDo Educational set, motors, motion sensors, tilt sensors and a programmable, Bluetooth control unit ("brain"). Student will use classroom tablets to program the control units using an intuitive drag-and-drop coding modules.

Prior experience with LEGO or coding is not required. All equipment is furnished.

Topics in this Series: Animated Animals (Quarter 1), Jurassic Giants (Quarter 2); Rush Hour! (Quarter 3), and Creepy Crawlies (Quarter 4).

Discover the world of robotics using kids' favorite, interlocking building bricks! Students will build and program a different whimsical, mechanized project each week using the WeDo 2.0 robotics system by LEGO Education.

First quarter, students will construct Animated Animals such as a hopping bunny, lumbering elephant, creeping frog, leaf-munching giraffe, trotting horse, mommy and baby bird, flapping owl, and a prowling, growling tiger.

Their robots will be built using special-shaped LEGO components from the WeDo Educational set, motors, motion sensors, tilt sensors and a programmable, Bluetooth control unit ("brain"). Student will use classroom tablets to program the control units using an intuitive drag-and-drop coding modules.

Prior experience with LEGO or coding is not required. All equipment is furnished.

Topics in this Series: Animated Animals (Quarter 1), Jurassic Giants (Quarter 2); Rush Hour! (Quarter 3), and Creepy Crawlies (Quarter 4).

Why does too much caffeine give you insomnia? Does Gatorade after exercise really help? How does ibuprofen make pain go away? Answers to these questions and thousands more can be found in the field of biochemistry. Biochemistry is the 20th century branch of medicine that uses chemistry to study biological processes in living organisms at the cellular and molecular level. Biochemistry has connections to the fields of genetics, microbiology, forensics, immunology, and medicine.

In this class, students will overview atomic structure and electron orbitals to understand how and why chemical bonds form. They will learn about the bipolar properties of the water molecule and several common chemical groups in order to understand and predict the behavior of larger molecules. Students will become familiar with the major classes of macromolecules present in living organisms (carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and fats) and use classic chemistry experiments to identify unknown macromolecules. The role of each type of macromolecule in your body's cells will be discussed.

Students will investigate environmental conditions that can affect the structure of proteins and will design their own experiment to explore the ability of a protein to maintain its function after exposure to factors that will disrupt its native structure. In the DNA extraction lab, students will learn how each reagent they use is functioning on a biochemical level to enable the release of cellular DNA. Students will be invited to choose what source they would like to extract DNA from. The class's final investigation will be to understand how protein enzymes and nucleic acids work together in the processes of transcription and translation to produce new proteins.

Topics in this Series: BioChemistry Basics (Semester 1), Decoding DNA and Genetics (semester 2). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $40.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

This class will be taught in a Hybrid format with an online lecture on Mondays (10:00 am - 10:55 am) over a live, online platform and in-person lab and activities on Fridays (9:30 am - 10:55 am). Registration for the Lab section will automatically enroll the student in the Lecture section.

This full-year lab science course introduces classic biology topics updated for the 21st century. Biology studies living things and their relationships from microscopic to massive, ancient to modern, arctic to tropic. Our survey includes: (1) cellular and molecular biology, (2) ecology, (3) genetics, (4) biology of organisms (with selected human health and anatomy topics), and (5) evolution and diversity.

You will observe microscopic organisms and give monarch butterflies a health exam before tagging them for their 2,800 mile migration to Mexico. You will extract DNA, model its processes, and learn how scientists manipulate this magnificent molecule to make mice glow. You will observe animal behavior, test your heart rate, and practice identifying and debunking pseudo-science.

By the end of the course, students will be able to explain the nature of science as a system of knowing; cite evidence for foundational theories of modern biology; explain basic biological processes and functions; describe structures and relationships in living systems; outline systems of information, energy, and resources; demonstrate valid experimental design; discern ethical standards; relate their values and scientific ideas to decision-making; and apply biology knowledge to their own health.

Students are responsible for pre-reading and reviewing new material such as readings from the textbook and additional popular and scholarly sources, videos, and animations PRIOR to class meetings. In-person sessions focus on active discussion, clarification, exploration of content, review, modeling, and hands-on activities.

Labs address not only technical skills and sequential operations, but also forming testable predictions, collecting data, applying math, drawing conclusions, and presenting findings. Hands-on dissection, always optional, is taught with preserved crayfish and fetal pigs.

Sensitive issues: human reproduction is not taught separately, but mentioned as students learn about other, related topics such as sperm, eggs, stem cells, genetic disease, hormones, fetal development, breast-feeding, adolescence, and HIV. While there may be some debate-style discussion of topics such as GMO, abortion will not be debated. Birth control and sex education are not covered, but distinctions between gender and biological sex are discussed in detail in the genetics unit. Evolution is embedded in every topic, from molecular to ecological, inseparably from other content. It is addressed in a scientific context, not from a faith standpoint.

Levels: The course provides a substantive, full-credit experience on either an Honors or On-Level track. All class members share core material and participate in the same labs. Honors has longer or additional readings, more analytical work, and more thorough and difficult assessments. Brief, required summer assignments are due in August for those who elect to take Honors. Students register online for the same course, but must indicate which level they wish to study via e-mail by August 15. Students may move down a level (from Honors to On-Level) at any time.

Prerequisites: Students should be very strong, independent readers and able to understand graphs, tables, percentages, decimals, ratios, and averages.

Workload: All students should expect to spend 4-6 hours outside of class reading and preparing homework. Homework includes term cards, brief written responses, weekly online quizzes, unit tests, occasional lab reports, and some creative assignments including sketching. Students will sometimes prepare short, in-class presentations, participate in group projects, run simulations, or conduct simple experiments at home.

Assignments: All assignments will be posted on password-protected Canvas classroom management site. There, students access assignments; upload homework, take automated quizzes and tests; track grades; message instructor and classmates; and attend virtual conferences.

Assessments: Completed homework, projects, quizzes, and tests receive points and narrative feedback. Parents can calculate a letter grade using the student's points earned divided by points available, in weighted categories that include assignments, reading quizzes, tests, and participation and presentations. Parents may view all scoring and comments at any time through the Canvas site.

Textbook/Materials: Students must purchase or rent the textbook Biology Now: Third High School Edition (2022) published by WW Norton. A 360-day digital license directly from the publisher costs $53.00 HERE (ISBN: 978-0-393-54247-9) or $130 when bundled with a hardcover text (ISBN 978-0-393-54010-9). Used books may be available from 2022-23 students. Core textbook readings are supplemented by the instructor with updated information drawn from sources such as peer-reviewed science journals, popular science publications, and podcasts.

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $130 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Supplies/Equipment: Students will need access to a computer/internet, compound microscope with 400X magnification and cool lighting, splash goggles, water-resistant/acid-resistant lab apron, kitchen or postal scale, 3-ring binder, approximately 400- 3"x5" index cards; and plain, lined, and graph paper. Some of these supplies are used at home. Weekly "Read Me First" web pages and class announcements on Canvas tell students what items to bring to class.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in Lab Science for purposes of a high school transcript.

This is a place-holder for the Biology lecture. Students should register for the Biology Lab, which will automatically enroll them in both class sections. A physical meeting room will be designated for on-campus students who have classes immediately before or after this virtual session.

Children love to imagine and construct with everyone's favorite modular block building toys! Modeled after LEGO components, students will use proprietary sets of modular bricks to complete simple engineering projects! In this 75-minute class, students will explore concepts and vocabulary in physics, mechanical engineering, structural engineering, and architecture while playing with their creations.

Second quarter, students will experiment with goofy gadgets and imaginative machines as they discover how engineered creations work and help around the house. Projects will include the laundry machine, a conveyer belt, a mixer, and more.

Each class begins with a short discussion and demonstration of the day's project and concepts. Students build individually. Instructors will provide individual assistance, facilitate challenges, and suggest performance testing, competitions, and modifications to projects.

Notes: (1) Students must be minimum age 5 and able to separate from their parents for this class. (2) Projects are built from shared, instructor-owned components, so students will not bring completed projects home. Parents, can step into class 10 minutes before the end of each session to photograph their child's construction.

Topics in this Series: Wacky Wheels (Quarter 1); Crazy Cool Creations (Quarter 2); Whirl & Wheel Wonders (Quarter 3); Playful Projects (Quarter 4)

Children love to imagine and construct with everyone's favorite modular block building toys! Modeled after LEGO components, students will use proprietary sets of modular bricks to complete simple engineering projects! In this 75-minute class, students will explore concepts and vocabulary in physics, mechanical engineering, structural engineering, and architecture while playing with their creations.

Fourth quarter, students will create contraptions representing sports and hobbies with projects like a bowling, soccer, and a catapult.

Each class begins with a short discussion and demonstration of the day's project and concepts. Students build individually. Instructors will provide individual assistance, facilitate challenges, and suggest performance testing, competitions, and modifications to projects.

Notes: (1) Students must be minimum age 5 and able to separate from their parents for this class. (2) Projects are built from shared, instructor-owned components, so students will not bring completed projects home. Parents, can step into class 10 minutes before the end of each session to photograph their child's construction.

Topics in this Series: Wacky Wheels (Quarter 1); Crazy Cool Creations (Quarter 2); Whirl & Wheel Wonders (Quarter 3); Playful Projects (Quarter 4)

LEGO Mindstorms components and motors are not just for building robots! These interconnecting pieces can be constructed into an infinite number of unique, mechanized machines- much like an erector set!

Second quarter, students will discover what happens when simple machines are combined to work together. They will be challenged to develop a unique, individual segment of a maze that moves a ball from point A to point B, and each segment will link to a classmate's invention to keep the ball moving! They will use complex machines (compounded simple machines) with additional motors and more components to move the ball through a series of lifts, automated carts, moving gates, escalators, and more! Will each contraption transfer the ball to its neighbor without hitting the floor? Can they pass the ball to their neighbor without hitting the floor? This project is inspired by the LEGO Great Ball Contraption competition, which is similar to Rube Goldberg inventions. See http://greatballcontraption.com/ or You Tube videos for impressive examples of the Great Ball Contraption. Second quarter students will be challenged to build bigger, better, more complex contraptions with compound machines and more mechanization!

Topics in this Series: Gadgets & Gizmos (Quarter 1); Widgets and Whatsits (Quarter 2): Marble Mazes (Quarter 3); and Crazy Contraptions (Quarter 4).

LEGO Mindstorms components and motors are not just for building robots! These interconnecting pieces can be constructed into an infinite number of unique, mechanized machines- much like an erector set!

Each week, students will build a new gadget or gizmo like a mechanized inchworm, a ball shooter, a claw, an insect-like crawler, and more. Students will incorporate simple machines, complex machines, and small motors into their projects. They will work with new parts, more gears, and specialty pieces that they have not used even in prior 'Build It Better' classes.

Topics in this Series: Gadgets & Gizmos (Quarter 1); Widgets and Whatsits (Quarter 2): Marble Mazes (Quarter 3); and Crazy Contraptions (Quarter 4).

LEGO Mindstorms components and motors are not just for building robots! These interconnecting pieces can be constructed into an infinite number of unique, mechanized machines- much like an erector set!

First quarter, students will be challenged to develop a unique, individual segment of a maze that moves a ball from point A to point B, and each segment will link to a classmate's invention to keep the ball moving! They will be challenged to incorporate as many simple machines as possible into their maze. They will learn about levers, inclined planes, wheel and axle, wedges, screws, and pulleys while inventing. Can they move a ball through a maze with a ramp (inclined plane), a flipper (lever), or lowered bucket (pulley) without using their hands? Can they pass the ball to their neighbor without hitting the floor? This project is inspired by the LEGO Great Ball Contraption competition, which is similar to Rube Goldberg inventions. See http://greatballcontraption.com/ or You Tube videos for impressive examples of the Great Ball Contraption. Second quarter students will be challenged to build bigger, better, more complex contraptions with compound machines and more mechanization!

Topics in this Series: Gadgets & Gizmos (Quarter 1); Widgets and Whatsits (Quarter 2): Marble Mazes (Quarter 3); and Crazy Contraptions (Quarter 4).

LEGO Mindstorms components and motors are not just for building robots! These interconnecting pieces can be constructed into an infinite number of unique, mechanized machines- much like an erector set!

Each week, students will build a new widget or "whatsit" creation like a functioning scissor lift, a creeping spider, or a gripper. Engineer a mechanized doodler, a spirograph machine, and more. Students will incorporate simple machines, complex machines, and small motors into their projects. They will work with new parts, more gears, and specialty pieces that they have not used even in prior 'Build It Better' classes.

Topics in this Series: Gadgets & Gizmos (Quarter 1); Widgets and Whatsits (Quarter 2): Marble Mazes (Quarter 3); and Crazy Contraptions (Quarter 4).

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.

Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.
Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.
Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.
Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.
Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.
Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.
Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.
Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.
Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.
Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.
Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.
Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.
Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.
Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.
Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.
Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Imagine a phone app that could quickly reunite lost pets, connect the poor with resources that they need, or report a problem in the community! Code for a Cause is the Compass-based Technovation hub where middle school and high school girls will participate in the "world's largest technology entrepreneurship program for girls." Each year, Technovation teams solve real world problems through technology that they develop!
Through Technovation, girls work with women mentors, identify a problem in their community, develop a mobile app, and launch a startup. Since 2010, 140,000 girls around the world have developed mobile apps and small businesses to solve problems ranging from food waste and nutrition to women's safety, education, and much more. In this year-long program, girls will work in teams and learn the skills they need to change the world through technology.

First semester, the class will participate in team building activities and will be introduced to coding. Students will use Ozaria from Code Combat, a Python-based platform that applies stories and a gamified approach to teach the logic of coding and terminology. Once students understand these fundamentals, they will apply what they've learned in the PyCharm application outside of Code Combat's environment.

Second semester, students will form teams of 2-3 girls who will brainstorm and identify a community problem. They will propose a mobile app or AI solution to the issue and conduct market research to see if their idea is unique and feasible. Next, the team will begin developing an app following the Technovation curriculum using Python for the logic and Kivy for the Graphical User Interface. In class, girls will be coached step-by-step on the process of creating an interactive application. Finally, girls will learn how to brand their app, create a business plan, look at what it would take to bring the app to market and plan and record a pitch video for their app.

The weekly Technovation work sessions will be facilitated by an experienced Technovation coach and cybersecurity engineering student at GMU. In addition, there will be guest speakers spread throughout the semester talking on topics such as APIs, AI ethics, Marketing, Pitching to Investors, and more. Guest speakers in the past have had job titles such as CEO, Senior Cybersecurity Executive, Manager of Marketing and Communications, and Software Developer.

Participation in Technovation gives girls the confidence to pursue more computer science courses (70%) and the foundation to eventually major in computer science (26%). Technovation teams are in 100 countries, and the program is sponsored by Oracle, Google, 3M, Adobe Foundation, and others.

Level: All students will meet together, but student teams will compete in either Junior or Senior division depending the ages of the team members as of August 1, 2026: Junior Division is for girls ages 13-15, and Senior Division is for girls ages 16-18. In addition to the app and competition document, the Junior division has an additional submission of a User Adoption Plan. The Senior division has an additional submission of a Business Plan.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class.

Assignments: Will be posted on Teams classroom for students, and key reminders will be emailed to parents.

Assessments: Students will receive informal feedback throughout the project.

Lab/Supply Fee: A software fee of $50.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class for access to Code Combat.

What to Bring: For this class, students should bring their laptop and charger. Chromebooks or Tablets cannot be used.

Non-Meeting Days: In addition to the scheduled days-off on the published Compass schedule, this class will not meet on 12/12/25, 1/16/26 or 5/15/26, plus one other date in both fall and spring to be announced.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in Technology or Career Exploration for purposes of a high school transcript.

**Returning students meet for 1 hour (2:00 pm- 2:55 pm) first semester and for 2 hours (1:00 pm- 2:55 pm) second semester so they do not have to repeat instruction in Python coding.**

Imagine a phone app that could quickly reunite lost pets, connect the poor with resources that they need, or report a problem in the community! Code for a Cause is the Compass-based Technovation hub where middle school and high school girls will participate in the "world's largest technology entrepreneurship program for girls." Each year, Technovation teams solve real world problems through technology that they develop!
Through Technovation, girls work with women mentors, identify a problem in their community, develop a mobile app, and launch a startup. Since 2010, 140,000 girls around the world have developed mobile apps and small businesses to solve problems ranging from food waste and nutrition to women's safety, education, and much more. In this year-long program, girls will work in teams and learn the skills they need to change the world through technology.

First semester, the class will participate in team building activities and will be introduced to coding. Students will use Ozaria from Code Combat, a Python-based platform that applies stories and a gamified approach to teach the logic of coding and terminology. Once students understand these fundamentals, they will apply what they've learned in the PyCharm application outside of Code Combat's environment.

Second semester, students will form teams of 2-3 girls who will brainstorm and identify a community problem. They will propose a mobile app or AI solution to the issue and conduct market research to see if their idea is unique and feasible. Next, the team will begin developing an app following the Technovation curriculum using Python for the logic and Kivy for the Graphical User Interface. In class, girls will be coached step-by-step on the process of creating an interactive application. Finally, girls will learn how to brand their app, create a business plan, look at what it would take to bring the app to market and plan and record a pitch video for their app.

The weekly Technovation work sessions will be facilitated by an experienced Technovation coach and cybersecurity engineering student at GMU. In addition, there will be guest speakers spread throughout the semester talking on topics such as APIs, AI ethics, Marketing, Pitching to Investors, and more. Guest speakers in the past have had job titles such as CEO, Senior Cybersecurity Executive, Manager of Marketing and Communications, and Software Developer.

Participation in Technovation gives girls the confidence to pursue more computer science courses (70%) and the foundation to eventually major in computer science (26%). Technovation teams are in 100 countries, and the program is sponsored by Oracle, Google, 3M, Adobe Foundation, and others.

Level: All students will meet together, but student teams will compete in either Junior or Senior division depending the ages of the team members as of August 1, 2026: Junior Division is for girls ages 13-15, and Senior Division is for girls ages 16-18. In addition to the app and competition document, the Junior division has an additional submission of a User Adoption Plan. The Senior division has an additional submission of a Business Plan.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class.

Assignments: Will be posted on Teams classroom for students, and key reminders will be emailed to parents.

Assessments: Students will receive informal feedback throughout the project.

Lab/Supply Fee: A software fee of $50.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class for access to Code Combat.

What to Bring: For this class, students should bring their laptop and charger. Chromebooks or Tablets cannot be used.

Non-Meeting Days: In addition to the scheduled days-off on the published Compass schedule, this class will not meet on 12/12/25, 1/16/26 or 5/15/26, plus one other date in both fall and spring to be announced.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in Technology or Career Exploration for purposes of a high school transcript.

Can your child sit in a circle for story time? Line up for lunch? Take turns talking? This one-day, 3-hour (half-day) program is a "taste" of kindergarten for 5- year-olds. Start your child's week off right with "Mornings with Miss M" at Compass Kindergarten. Children will work in a small group with an experienced early elementary educator for this dynamic, play-based program that offers regular interaction and socialization.

This fun, activity-based program will create rhythm and routine in a homeschooled kindergartner's week and give them a sense of community and a peer group. Children will practice routines and transitions as they move through the morning. Each session will include some simple structure such as a daily arrival song/greeting, circle time, story, snack time, activity, lunch, active game, and closing/goodbyes. Through games and activities, they will also practice key childhood social skills such as sharing, taking turns, and entering play with others. Academic basics such as the ABCs, days of the week, colors, shapes, and number sense will be integrated into activities involving fairy tales, nature and art. The teacher will provide ideas for parents to work on at home with their child during the week.

Compass Kindergarten is offered in three weekly sessions: Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. Registration is stand-alone for each day so parents can register for one, two, or all three. While each kindergarten class will give children the opportunities for learning and playing in a social environment along with classroom routines, each of the three days will focus on a particular area of study and discovery of how each is connected.

On Fridays, the focus will be on science and exploration of the natural world through stories, crafts, and observations both inside and outside the classroom. Themes include seasons, weather, local animals, and the five senses. As a bonus, Compass kindergarten students assist in carring for the Compass lab animals (1 gecko, 3 bearded dragnons, 1 fire-bellied toad, and 1 rat.)

Readiness: Students must be age five (5) by the start of the program or have the teacher's approval for younger. To be successful in this program, entering kindergartners must be able to do the following preschool-level skills: (1) be able to separate from parents with little discomfort; (2) be able to sit and listen to a story or stay on a task for 10 minutes; (3) be able to follow simple, age-appropriate directions from the teacher or another adult; (4) be able to write and recognize his/her first name; (5) be able to hold and use crayons and scissors correctly; (6) be completely self sufficient in a public restroom (wiping, flushing, washing hands, etc.)

Other Notes: Children should bring a bagged lunch and water bottle to each session. There is a $50.00 material fee for class consumables due payable to the teacher on the first day of class.

Parents can choose to drop children off for this program (different than Compass's school-year policies for 55 minute classes.)

Registration for this program is by 14-week semester with priority registration for continuing students.

Parents who are shopping around or applying to alternate kindergarten programs should review the Compass withdrawal policy.

Can your child sit in a circle for story time? Line up for lunch? Take turns talking? This one-day, 3-hour (half-day) program is a "taste" of kindergarten for 5- year-olds. Start your child's week off right with "Mornings with Miss M" at Compass Kindergarten. Children will work in a small group with an experienced early elementary educator for this dynamic, play-based program that offers regular interaction and socialization.

This fun, activity-based program will create rhythm and routine in a homeschooled kindergartner's week and give them a sense of community and a peer group. Children will practice routines and transitions as they move through the morning. Each session will include some simple structure such as a daily arrival song/greeting, circle time, story, snack time, activity, lunch, active game, and closing/goodbyes. Through games and activities, they will also practice key childhood social skills such as sharing, taking turns, and entering play with others. Academic basics such as the ABCs, days of the week, colors, shapes, and number sense will be integrated into activities involving fairy tales, nature and art. The teacher will provide ideas for parents to work on at home with their child during the week.

Compass Kindergarten is offered in three weekly sessions: Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. Registration is stand-alone for each day so parents can register for one, two, or all three. While each kindergarten class will give children the opportunities for learning and playing in a social environment along with classroom routines, each of the three days will focus on a particular area of study and discovery of how each is connected.

On Fridays, the focus will be on science and exploration of the natural world through stories, crafts, and observations both inside and outside the classroom. Themes include seasons, weather, local animals, and the five senses. As a bonus, Compass kindergarten students assist in carring for the Compass lab animals (1 gecko, 3 bearded dragnons, 1 fire-bellied toad, and 1 rat.)

Readiness: Students must be age five (5) by the start of the program or have the teacher's approval for younger. To be successful in this program, entering kindergartners must be able to do the following preschool-level skills: (1) be able to separate from parents with little discomfort; (2) be able to sit and listen to a story or stay on a task for 10 minutes; (3) be able to follow simple, age-appropriate directions from the teacher or another adult; (4) be able to write and recognize his/her first name; (5) be able to hold and use crayons and scissors correctly; (6) be completely self sufficient in a public restroom (wiping, flushing, washing hands, etc.)

Other Notes: Children should bring a bagged lunch and water bottle to each session. There is a $50.00 material fee for class consumables due payable to the teacher on the first day of class.

Parents can choose to drop children off for this program (different than Compass's school-year policies for 55 minute classes.)

Registration for this program is by 14-week semester with priority registration for continuing students.

Parents who are shopping around or applying to alternate kindergarten programs should review the Compass withdrawal policy.

Students will delve into the world of crime scene investigators (CSIs) as seen each week on Law and Order, NCIS, and the CSI television series! Students will be introduced to the field which combines knowledge of biology, chemistry, and physics! They will learn how to examine a crime scene and collect evidence. They will perform labs and hands-on activities such as different kinds of fingerprinting, finger print patterns, and learning how to find and lift latent fingerprints. The class will practice identifying footprints and making molds. They will further their skills in collecting and analyzing evidence through labs and hands-on activities that demonstrate fiber and hair analysis. They will test different fabrics, and learn how to use pollen and insects to determine the location of a crime. Students will use equipment similar to CSI analysts and FBI detectives such as microscopes and chromatography and combine those techniques along with logic, deductive reasoning, and the scientific method to solve mock crimes and CSI mysteries. Students will take notes and record their findings in science journals/notebooks.

There is a $50.00 lab fee due payable to the instructor before or on the first day of class.

Topics in this Series: CSI Forensic Science Lab (Semester 1), Comparative Anatomy Dissection Lab (Semester 2).

How genetically similar are an orangutan and a gorilla? How can two siblings have different eye color? How tall will you grow? Answers to these questions and thousands more can be found in a study of genetics and the instruction-carrying molecules, DNA.

In this class, students will survey the structure and function of DNA, genes and chromosomes to understand how organisms generate everything from this simple code. They will discover how cells 'silence' or modulate the expression of certain genes. The class will learn how gene expression vectors used for making biopharmaceuticals and discuss how organisms can be modified for use in agriculture, commonly called GMOs (genetically modified organisms).

Students will follow in the footsteps of some of Mendel's ground-breaking heredity research and use Punnett squares to predict the inheritance of traits. They will learn about incomplete dominance, co-dominance, sex-linked disorders, and epigenetics to predict disease in offspring such as the pedigree of hemophilia in Europe's royal families. Students will examine mitotic and meiotic cell division under the microscope and use manipulatives to illustrate the complexities of chromosome movement during cell division. The class will understand what aneuploidy is and several diseases associated with it and then use karyotyping to diagnose patients. They will learn about the maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA (mDNA) and the endosymbiont theory. Students will use restriction enzymes and gel electrophoresis while participating to complete a DNA fingerprinting lab.

Topics in this Series: BioChemistry Basics (Semester 1), Decoding DNA and Genetics (semester 2). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $30.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

In Digital Clubhouse, students will take their first steps towards coding by completing web-based challenges, interactive stories, games, and animations to develop fluency in essential computer skills and a fun, interactive introduction to the world of coding.

Our youngest coders will use the simple drag-and-drop block programming language designed for kids. Kids will learn the logic statements, variable inputs, algorithms, and sequencing patterns behind coding. Using a colorful and visual framework to reach young learners, each lesson includes hands-on activities and problem-solving adventures to develop a foundation for future coding classes. Non-readers should wait another year and not register for this level.

Digital Clubhouse is a computer lab environment in which students work through the Black Rocket curriculum under the direction of computer science coaches. The lab environment allows students to enroll at any quarter, fosters brand new coders, and encourages those with prior coding experience. In the "Intro" level of a course (i.e., Part 1), students will work through the fundamentals of a new digital skill. In the "Continuing" level (i.e., Part 2), students who continue from "Intro" will develop new skills and will design and code an individual project. New students who enroll in "Intro" will begin with the introductory lessons. In order to differentiate instruction between new and continuing students, coaches work with small pull-out groups, pairs, or individuals to provide additional support as needed. The class tuition includes a student technology fee that covers the use of instructor-provided classroom laptops loaded with the required software, applications, and licenses. At the end of the class, students will receive access to Black Rocket's interactive learning platform to continue their coding journey at home.

Topics in this Series: Young Coders (Quarters 1, 2); Code Breakers (Quarters 3, 4).

In Digital Lab, students will explore conceptualization, level design, graphics, sounds, and simple coding to make their first video game in a 2D platformer environment.

Digital Lab is a computer lab environment in which students work through the Black Rocket curriculum under the direction of computer science coaches. The lab environment allows students to enroll at any quarter, fosters brand new coders, and encourages those with prior coding experience. In the "Intro" level of a course (i.e., Part 1), students will work through the fundamentals of a new digital skill. In the "Continuing" level (i.e., Part 2), students who continue from "Intro" will develop new skills and will design and code an individual project. New students who enroll in Part 2, "Intro/Continuing" will begin with the introductory lessons. In order to differentiate instruction between new and continuing students, coaches work with small pull-out groups, pairs, or individuals to provide additional support as needed. The class tuition includes a student technology fee that covers the use of instructor-provided classroom laptops loaded with the required software, applications, and licenses. At the end of the class, students will receive access to Black Rocket's interactive learning platform to continue their coding journey at home.

Topics in this Series: Design a 2D Video Game (Quarters 1, 2); Design a 3D Video Game (Quarters 3, 4).

Do you want to learn one of the top five coding languages? Javascript is part of every software developer's toolbox. Learn an array of core programming concepts with JavaScript by experimenting with a series of digital challenges. Begin by programming animated memes and creating filters then tackle advancedskills suc h as interactive 3D experiences to program character movements, object interactions, and level creation. Javascript is a versatile, easy-to-learn beginner-level programming language and gateway to foundational concepts in computer science.

Students will learn how to code apps and games as they practice the computer science design cycle of writing code, executing the code, interpreting the results, revising the code syntax based on the output. The class will cover the fundamental building blocks of programming including: variables, mathematical operators, logical operators, and boolean arithmetic. They will also learn about data types, built-in functions, conditional statements, for- loops, defining functions, function stacks, interpreting error messages, exception handling, and add-on libraries. At each step, the class will create basic programs and fun, interactive content.

Do you want to learn the world's fastest growing programming language that is used by Google, NASA, YouTube and the CIA? Python is a versatile, easy-to-learn beginner-level programming language and gateway to foundational concepts in computer science.

Students will learn how to code apps and games as they practice the computer science design cycle of writing code, executing the code, interpreting the results, revising the code syntax based on the output. The class will cover the fundamental building blocks of programming including: variables, mathematical operators, logical operators, and boolean arithmetic. They will also learn about data types, built-in functions, conditional statements, for- loops, defining functions, function stacks, interpreting error messages, exception handling, and add-on libraries. At each step, the class will create basic programs and fun, interactive content.

Topics in this Series: Python Programming (Semester 1), JavaScript Programming (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

Prerequisites: Algebra I, recommended

Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class.

Assignments: Will be given in class.

Assessments: Will not be given.

Lab/Supply Fee: The class tuition includes a student technology fee that covers the rental of classroom laptops and all software and licenses installed on the laptops.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Technology or Career Elective for purposes of a high school transcript.

In Digital Workshop, kids will take their stop-motion movies to the next level. They will create a story with Stikbots, Legos, action figures, or all three, then, watch their stories come to life using special stop-motion software which adds special effects. Students will need to bring in favorite figures, Stikbots, or Legos from home, but all other equipment will be provided.

Digital Workshop is a computer lab environment in which students work through the Black Rocket curriculum under the direction of computer science coaches. The lab environment allows students to enroll at any quarter, fosters brand new coders, and encourages those with prior coding experience. In the "Intro" level of a course (i.e., Part 1), students will work through the fundamentals of a new digital skill. In the "Continuing" level (i.e., Part 2), students who continue from "Intro" will develop new skills and will design and code an individual project. New students who enroll in Part 2, "Intro/Continuing" will begin with the introductory lessons. In order to differentiate instruction between new and continuing students, coaches work with small pull-out groups, pairs, or individuals to provide additional support as needed. The class tuition includes a student technology fee that covers the use of instructor-provided classroom laptops loaded with the required software, applications, and licenses. At the end of the class, students will receive access to Black Rocket's interactive learning platform to continue their coding journey at home.

Topics in this Series: Stop Motion Animation (Quarters 1, 2) and Stop Action Short Film (Quarters 3,4).

Students will investigate the comparative anatomy of a variety of organisms and organs through a semester-long dissection study. Students will complete dissections of organisms from a range of phyla, in order of increasing complexity of the organism. A preliminary list of dissections includes: a sponge, hydra, flatworms, clam, earth worm, starfish, grasshopper, crayfish, crab, squid, octopus, bony fish, and shark. Students will examine major systems in each such as digestion and respiration. Students will also investigate characteristics of major organ systems in higher order animals through the dissections of a heart, brain, kidney, eye,
muscles/tendons, and intestines/stomach.

The class will cover lab safety, practice proper dissection techniques, and learn how to set up and maintain a lab journal with notes and drawings of cells, organs, and organisms. Students will also use microscopes to look at tissue samples throughout the semester.

The final list of organs and organisms may vary depending on availability. This class will not include the dissection of amphibians, reptiles, or mammals due to cost, class duration, and ethical and safety concerns. The instructor will provide links to recommended, online virtual dissections of these additional phyla.

Prerequisites: Students must be able to read at grade level and have age/grade-level dexterity and fine motor skills for the detailed
instrument work in this class.

Lab/Supply Fee: A lab fee of $120 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this Series: CSI Forensic Science Lab (Semester 1), Comparative Anatomy Dissection Lab (Semester 2).

The best way to understand a biome is to build (a model) one! A biome is a large zone on Earth characterized by its climate, soil, vegetation, and organisms with special adaptations for the unique environment. In modeling biomes, students will learn how they are different than similar ecological concepts like habitats and ecosystems. Students will discover how human activities, such as deforestation and habitat destruction, are transforming biomes.
In this science-themed diorama class, students will be exposed to concepts such as trophic levels, the water cycle, biological competition, geographic isolation, convergent evolution, species diversification, natural vs unnatural climate change, food webs, habitat loss, and ecological niches, while they are working on their models.

Arid Biomes, or deserts, are found across the globe and are characterized by their scant precipitation (less than 20 inches per year) and dry conditions. Vegetation and wildlife in these areas have special adaptations for surviving with little water and few nutrients. Deserts cover about 20% of the Earth's surface and can be very hot or very cold. Students will concentrate on the hot, arid biomes found in sub-tropical areas.

Each student will create an individual diorama. Students will craft and hand-shape their scene on a 10 x 14 inch foam board using artistic, model-making techniques. They will customize their dioramas with landforms, dunes, plant life, and paint. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with miniature figures and combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create a larger terrain. Students will then compete in a zoology-based survival strategy game. Each student will create one board and receive a set of miniatures to take home with them. Course documents such as maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. There is a $25.00 materials fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this series include: Tropics (The Rainforest)- Quarter 1; Tundra (The Arctic)- Quarter 2; Arid (The Desert)- Quarter 3; and Grasslands (The Savanna)- Quarter 4.

The best way to understand a biome is to build (a model) one! A biome is a large zone on Earth characterized by its climate, soil, vegetation, and organisms with special adaptations for the unique environment. In modeling biomes, students will learn how they are different than similar ecological concepts like habitats and ecosystems. Students will discover how human activities, such as deforestation and habitat destruction, are transforming biomes.
In this science-themed diorama class, students will be exposed to concepts such as trophic levels, the water cycle, biological competition, geographic isolation, convergent evolution, species diversification, natural vs unnatural climate change, food webs, habitat loss, and ecological niches, while they are working on their models.

Arid Biomes, or deserts, are found across the globe and are characterized by their scant precipitation (less than 20 inches per year) and dry conditions. Vegetation and wildlife in these areas have special adaptations for surviving with little water and few nutrients. Deserts cover about 20% of the Earth's surface and can be very hot or very cold. Students will concentrate on the hot, arid biomes found in sub-tropical areas.

Each student will create an individual diorama. Students will craft and hand-shape their scene on a 10 x 14 inch foam board using artistic, model-making techniques. They will customize their dioramas with landforms, dunes, plant life, and paint. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with miniature figures and combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create a larger terrain. Students will then compete in a zoology-based survival strategy game. Each student will create one board and receive a set of miniatures to take home with them. Course documents such as maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. There is a $25.00 materials fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this series include: Tropics (The Rainforest)- Quarter 1; Tundra (The Arctic)- Quarter 2; Arid (The Desert)- Quarter 3; and Grasslands (The Savanna)- Quarter 4.

The best way to understand a biome is to build (a model) one! A biome is a large zone on Earth characterized by its climate, soil, vegetation, and organisms with special adaptations for the unique environment. In modeling biomes, students will learn how they are different than similar ecological concepts like habitats and ecosystems. Students will discover how human activities, such as deforestation and habitat destruction, are transforming biomes.
In this science-themed diorama class, students will be exposed to concepts such as trophic levels, the water cycle, biological competition, geographic isolation, convergent evolution, species diversification, natural vs unnatural climate change, food webs, habitat loss, and ecological niches, while they are working on their models.

Arid Biomes, or deserts, are found across the globe and are characterized by their scant precipitation (less than 20 inches per year) and dry conditions. Vegetation and wildlife in these areas have special adaptations for surviving with little water and few nutrients. Deserts cover about 20% of the Earth's surface and can be very hot or very cold. Students will concentrate on the hot, arid biomes found in sub-tropical areas.

Each student will create an individual diorama. Students will craft and hand-shape their scene on a 10 x 14 inch foam board using artistic, model-making techniques. They will customize their dioramas with landforms, dunes, plant life, and paint. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with miniature figures and combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create a larger terrain. Students will then compete in a zoology-based survival strategy game. Each student will create one board and receive a set of miniatures to take home with them. Course documents such as maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. There is a $25.00 materials fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this series include: Tropics (The Rainforest)- Quarter 1; Tundra (The Arctic)- Quarter 2; Arid (The Desert)- Quarter 3; and Grasslands (The Savanna)- Quarter 4.

The best way to understand a biome is to build (a model) one! A biome is a large zone on Earth characterized by its climate, soil, vegetation, and organisms with special adaptations for the unique environment. In modeling biomes, students will learn how they are different than similar ecological concepts like habitats and ecosystems. Students will discover how human activities, such as deforestation and habitat destruction, are transforming biomes.
In this science-themed diorama class, students will be exposed to concepts such as trophic levels, the water cycle, biological competition, geographic isolation, convergent evolution, species diversification, natural vs unnatural climate change, food webs, habitat loss, and ecological niches, while they are working on their models.

Grassland biomes are found on every continent (except Antarctica) and are flat, open regions dominated by grass with scattered trees and shrubs, and a warm, dry climate. Tropical grasslands, known as savannas, cover half the continent of Africa as well as areas of Australia, India, and South America. Compass ecologists will focus on African savannas where large, diverse animals such as elephants, wildebeest, warthogs, zebras, rhinos, gazelles, hyenas, cheetahs, lions, leopards, ostrich, and other birds and small mammals, graze and hunt in the expansive grasslands.

Each student will create an individual diorama. Students will craft and hand-shape their scene on a 10 x 14 inch foam board using artistic, model-making techniques. They will customize their dioramas with landforms, waterways, plant life, and paint. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with miniature figures and combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create a larger terrain. Students will then compete in a zoology-based survival strategy game. Each student will create one board and receive a set of miniatures to take home with them. Course documents such as maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. There is a $25.00 materials fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this series include: Tropics (The Rainforest)- Quarter 1; Tundra (The Arctic)- Quarter 2; Arid (The Desert)- Quarter 3; and Grasslands (The Savanna)- Quarter 4.

The best way to understand a biome is to build (a model) one! A biome is a large zone on Earth characterized by its climate, soil, vegetation, and organisms with special adaptations for the unique environment. In modeling biomes, students will learn how they are different than similar ecological concepts like habitats and ecosystems. Students will discover how human activities, such as deforestation and habitat destruction, are transforming biomes.
In this science-themed diorama class, students will be exposed to concepts such as trophic levels, the water cycle, biological competition, geographic isolation, convergent evolution, species diversification, natural vs unnatural climate change, food webs, habitat loss, and ecological niches, while they are working on their models.

Grassland biomes are found on every continent (except Antarctica) and are flat, open regions dominated by grass with scattered trees and shrubs, and a warm, dry climate. Tropical grasslands, known as savannas, cover half the continent of Africa as well as areas of Australia, India, and South America. Compass ecologists will focus on African savannas where large, diverse animals such as elephants, wildebeest, warthogs, zebras, rhinos, gazelles, hyenas, cheetahs, lions, leopards, ostrich, and other birds and small mammals, graze and hunt in the expansive grasslands.

Each student will create an individual diorama. Students will craft and hand-shape their scene on a 10 x 14 inch foam board using artistic, model-making techniques. They will customize their dioramas with landforms, waterways, plant life, and paint. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with miniature figures and combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create a larger terrain. Students will then compete in a zoology-based survival strategy game. Each student will create one board and receive a set of miniatures to take home with them. Course documents such as maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. There is a $25.00 materials fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this series include: Tropics (The Rainforest)- Quarter 1; Tundra (The Arctic)- Quarter 2; Arid (The Desert)- Quarter 3; and Grasslands (The Savanna)- Quarter 4.

The best way to understand a biome is to build (a model) one! A biome is a large zone on Earth characterized by its climate, soil, vegetation, and organisms with special adaptations for the unique environment. In modeling biomes, students will learn how they are different than similar ecological concepts like habitats and ecosystems. Students will discover how human activities, such as deforestation and habitat destruction, are transforming biomes.
In this science-themed diorama class, students will be exposed to concepts such as trophic levels, the water cycle, biological competition, geographic isolation, convergent evolution, species diversification, natural vs unnatural climate change, food webs, habitat loss, and ecological niches, while they are working on their models.

Tropical rainforest biomes are equatorial regions that are warm and wet with diverse vegetation that forms a canopy. Humidity and a covering of leaf litter create a layer of nutrients which supports a wide variety of vegetation. Tropical rainforests are famous for terrestrial biodiversity, including insects, birds, and mammals.

Each student will create an individual diorama. Students will craft and hand-shape their scene on a 10 x 14 inch foam board using artistic, model-making techniques. They will customize their dioramas with landforms, waterways, plant life, and paint. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with miniature figures and combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create a larger terrain. Students will then compete in a zoology-based survival strategy game. Each student will create one board and receive a set of miniatures to take home with them. Course documents such as maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. There is a $25.00 materials fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this series include: Tropics (The Rainforest)- Quarter 1; Tundra (The Arctic)- Quarter 2; Arid (The Desert)- Quarter 3; and Grasslands (The Savanna)- Quarter 4.

The best way to understand a biome is to build (a model) one! A biome is a large zone on Earth characterized by its climate, soil, vegetation, and organisms with special adaptations for the unique environment. In modeling biomes, students will learn how they are different than similar ecological concepts like habitats and ecosystems. Students will discover how human activities, such as deforestation and habitat destruction, are transforming biomes.
In this science-themed diorama class, students will be exposed to concepts such as trophic levels, the water cycle, biological competition, geographic isolation, convergent evolution, species diversification, natural vs unnatural climate change, food webs, habitat loss, and ecological niches, while they are working on their models.

Tropical rainforest biomes are equatorial regions that are warm and wet with diverse vegetation that forms a canopy. Humidity and a covering of leaf litter create a layer of nutrients which supports a wide variety of vegetation. Tropical rainforests are famous for terrestrial biodiversity, including insects, birds, and mammals.

Each student will create an individual diorama. Students will craft and hand-shape their scene on a 10 x 14 inch foam board using artistic, model-making techniques. They will customize their dioramas with landforms, waterways, plant life, and paint. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with miniature figures and combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create a larger terrain. Students will then compete in a zoology-based survival strategy game. Each student will create one board and receive a set of miniatures to take home with them. Course documents such as maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. There is a $25.00 materials fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this series include: Tropics (The Rainforest)- Quarter 1; Tundra (The Arctic)- Quarter 2; Arid (The Desert)- Quarter 3; and Grasslands (The Savanna)- Quarter 4.

The best way to understand a biome is to build (a model) one! A biome is a large zone on Earth characterized by its climate, soil, vegetation, and organisms with special adaptations for the unique environment. In modeling biomes, students will learn how they are different than similar ecological concepts like habitats and ecosystems. Students will discover how human activities, such as deforestation and habitat destruction, are transforming biomes.
In this science-themed diorama class, students will be exposed to concepts such as trophic levels, the water cycle, biological competition, geographic isolation, convergent evolution, species diversification, natural vs unnatural climate change, food webs, habitat loss, and ecological niches, while they are working on their models.

Arctic tundra biomes are located at the most extreme parts of the globe, north of boreal forests, and are defined by long, cold winters and cool summers. Tundra biomes have inhospitable conditions with very cold temperatures and low levels of precipitation. These areas have little biodiversity with species who have evolved to have special adaptations such as thick fur and the ability to hibernate. Vegetation is sparce and simple such as shrubs, grasses, mosses, and lichens due to the frozen permafrost layer under the soil surface.

Each student will create an individual diorama. Students will craft and hand-shape their scene on a 10 x 14 inch foam board using artistic, model-making techniques. They will customize their dioramas with landforms, waterways, plant life, and paint. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with miniature figures and combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create a larger terrain. Students will then compete in a zoology-based survival strategy game. Each student will create one board and receive a set of miniatures to take home with them. Course documents such as maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. There is a $25.00 materials fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this series include: Tropics (The Rainforest)- Quarter 1; Tundra (The Arctic)- Quarter 2; Arid (The Desert)- Quarter 3; and Grasslands (The Savanna)- Quarter 4.

The best way to understand a biome is to build (a model) one! A biome is a large zone on Earth characterized by its climate, soil, vegetation, and organisms with special adaptations for the unique environment. In modeling biomes, students will learn how they are different than similar ecological concepts like habitats and ecosystems. Students will discover how human activities, such as deforestation and habitat destruction, are transforming biomes.
In this science-themed diorama class, students will be exposed to concepts such as trophic levels, the water cycle, biological competition, geographic isolation, convergent evolution, species diversification, natural vs unnatural climate change, food webs, habitat loss, and ecological niches, while they are working on their models.

Arctic tundra biomes are located at the most extreme parts of the globe, north of boreal forests, and are defined by long, cold winters and cool summers. Tundra biomes have inhospitable conditions with very cold temperatures and low levels of precipitation. These areas have little biodiversity with species who have evolved to have special adaptations such as thick fur and the ability to hibernate. Vegetation is sparce and simple such as shrubs, grasses, mosses, and lichens due to the frozen permafrost layer under the soil surface.

Each student will create an individual diorama. Students will craft and hand-shape their scene on a 10 x 14 inch foam board using artistic, model-making techniques. They will customize their dioramas with landforms, waterways, plant life, and paint. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with miniature figures and combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create a larger terrain. Students will then compete in a zoology-based survival strategy game. Each student will create one board and receive a set of miniatures to take home with them. Course documents such as maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. There is a $25.00 materials fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this series include: Tropics (The Rainforest)- Quarter 1; Tundra (The Arctic)- Quarter 2; Arid (The Desert)- Quarter 3; and Grasslands (The Savanna)- Quarter 4.

Kids are curious about electricity- the magic that powers the toys, games, and electronics they love. In this class, kids will experiment with aspects of electricity- conductors, batteries, and circuits- to take the mystery out of electricity and inspire future engineers.

Learn about electricity basics such as atoms and what makes a material a conductor or an insulator. In the first investigation of electric circuits, students will use their own bodies to complete a circuit that lights up LED lights and sounds a siren! The class will learn about open and closed circuits and discuss why the human body has a current. Students will learn to use a volt meter and measure their own body's voltage. Next, the class will explore the conductivity of fruits and vegetables. Kids will be asked to bring one or more samples of fruits or veggies from home to measure the voltage, experiment on, and compare results. They will also build circuits with these foods and experiment with attaching power sources in series to increase the voltage. The third area of exploration will be building paper circuits. Students will apply the principles they learned to build a light-up postcard. Finally, the class will learn about magnetism, what a magnet is, and why it behaves that way. Students will explore which items are attracted to a magnetic and which are not, and they will share their findings. Next, they will make their own magnets out of paper clips. We will discuss the magnetic poles of the earth and build a compass, to discover where we are.

Topics in this Series: Battery Blast (Quarter 1); Cool Conductors (Quarter 2); Simple Circuits (Quarter 3); and Super Circuits (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $25.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Kids are curious about electricity- the magic that powers the toys, games, and electronics they love. In this class, kids will experiment with aspects of electricity- conductors, batteries, and circuits- to take the mystery out of electricity and inspire future engineers.

Students will continue the exploration of electricity through fun circuits and creative conductive materials. Kids will build free-form circuits with conductive dough. They will learn about open, closed, and short circuits and experiment with polarity and resistance. Projects include making a lamp, crafting a snail with glowing eyeballs, building an ohm meter and more. Students will also have the option of experimenting with dough recipes to affect the level of conductivity. During the final class, students will complete a project of their own choosing that they can bring home and keep using a battery pack, wires, dough, LED, motor switch and/or buzzer.

Topics in this Series: Battery Blast (Quarter 1); Cool Conductors (Quarter 2); Simple Circuits (Quarter 3); and Super Circuits (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $15.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Kids are curious about electricity- the magic that powers the toys, games, and electronics they love. In this class, kids will experiment with aspects of electricity- conductors, batteries, and circuits- to take the mystery out of electricity and inspire future engineers.

Discover basic electrical engineering using batteries and circuits with a variety of components. Through class discussions and hands-on experiments, students will learn about parallel and series circuits and experiment with resistance using Snap Circuits kits. Students will learn how to wire and power lights, a fan motor, and a speaker. On the final day of class, each student will design, build, and share their own, unique circuit project.

Topics in this Series: Battery Blast (Quarter 1); Cool Conductors (Quarter 2); Simple Circuits (Quarter 3); and Super Circuits (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $10.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Kids are curious about electricity- the magic that powers the toys, games, and electronics they love. In this class, kids will experiment with aspects of electricity- conductors, batteries, and circuits- to take the mystery out of electricity and inspire future engineers.

Continue to explore electrical engineering! The class will begin with a brief introduction to Snap Circuits using lights, fan motors, and sound speakers. Next, the class will be introduced to a variety of detectors that we will build into alarms. Students will configure a momentary alarm, pencil alarm, water alarm, and an intruder alarm. On the final day of class, each student will design, build, and share their own, unique alarm project.

Topics in this Series: Battery Blast (Quarter 1); Cool Conductors (Quarter 2); Simple Circuits (Quarter 3); and Super Circuits (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $10.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

In this class, middle school students will learn to work as independent investigators using the scientific method. Students will observe the systems under investigation, choose a pattern or trend that interests them, and then develop a testable hypothesis. Students will learn how to: design a scientific experiment for either a laboratory or field setting, choose appropriate controls, minimize investigator bias, correctly perform measurements and to record and analyze data.

During first quarter, students will design experiments relating to animal behavior. Possible areas of investigation include behavior at the individual level (such as substrate selection with pill bugs or millipedes); learned behavior with planaria; foraging and habitat preferences with personal pets; territoriality among betta fish or hissing cockroaches; or social behavior with ant colonies. Others may design experiments that test intraspecific interactions, predator-prey relationships, or animal competition.

Students will learn how to locate peer-reviewed scientific literature to research their subject. By the end of the quarter, students will have completed their independent investigations, summarized the results in a poster, and will present their data to the class. Each quarter will focus on a different aspect of science.

A lab fee of $20.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this Series: Animal Behavior (Quarter 1), Chemistry (Quarter 2), Environmental Science (Quarter 3), and Microbiology & Human Behavior (Quarter 4).

In this class, middle school students will learn to work as independent investigators using the scientific method. Students will observe the systems under investigation, choose a pattern or trend that interests them, and then develop a testable hypothesis. Students will learn how to: design a scientific experiment for either a laboratory or field setting, choose appropriate controls, minimize investigator bias, correctly perform measurements and to record and analyze data.

During second quarter, students will design experiments relating to chemistry! Our focus will be on chemical reactions that we observe in everyday life and/or hear about in the news. Students will design experiments that test the chemistry of food, household products, or environmental agents. Possible areas of investigation include the effects of street runoff on water quality, how increasing levels of carbon dioxide change the acidity of freshwater and seawater, and the effects of acid rain on plant growth.

Students will learn how to locate peer-reviewed scientific literature to research their subject. By the end of the quarter, students will have completed their independent investigations, summarized the results in a poster, and will present their data to the class. Each quarter will focus on a different aspect of science.

A lab fee of $20.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this Series: Animal Behavior (Quarter 1), Chemistry (Quarter 2), Environmental Science (Quarter 3), and Microbiology & Human Behavior (Quarter 4).

In this class, middle school students will learn to work as independent investigators using the scientific method. Students will observe the systems under investigation, choose a pattern or trend that interests them, and then develop a testable hypothesis. Students will learn how to: design a scientific experiment for either a laboratory or field setting, choose appropriate controls, minimize investigator bias, correctly perform measurements and to record and analyze data.

Third quarter, students will investigate an aspect of environmental science such as water quality, air pollution, contaminants affecting native species, or man-made materials affecting the indoor environment. Depending on thier area of focus, students may use microscopes, spectrometers, or other equipment and learn to keep science journals/notebooks.

Students will learn how to locate peer-reviewed scientific literature to research their subject. By the end of the quarter, students will have completed their independent investigations, summarized the results in a poster, and will present their data to the class. Each quarter will focus on a different aspect of science.

A lab fee of $20.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this Series: Animal Behavior (Quarter 1), Chemistry (Quarter 2), Environmental Science (Quarter 3), and Microbiology & Human Behavior (Quarter 4).

In this class, middle school students will learn to work as independent investigators using the scientific method. Students will observe the systems under investigation, choose a pattern or trend that interests them, and then develop a testable hypothesis. Students will learn how to: design a scientific experiment for either a laboratory or field setting, choose appropriate controls, minimize investigator bias, correctly perform measurements and to record and analyze data.

Third quarter will focus on investigations of small and/or microscopic organisms such as Planaria, Euglena, brine shrimp and tardigrades (water bears). Students will spend time using microscopes, making slides, and learning to keep science journals/notebooks. Our overall themes will be understanding processes that are important for organisms' survival at the microscopic scale, and comparing these lifestyles and adaptations to those from macro-scale ecological communities with which students are more familiar.

Students will learn how to locate peer-reviewed scientific literature to research their subject. By the end of the quarter, students will have completed their independent investigations, summarized the results in a poster, and will present their data to the class. Each quarter will focus on a different aspect of science.

A lab fee of $20.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this Series: Animal Behavior (Quarter 1), Chemistry (Quarter 2), Environmental Science (Quarter 3), and Microbiology & Human Behavior (Quarter 4).

Students will learn how to think like electrical engineers as they learn about conductors, batteries, and circuits to understand how electricity powers the things they use every day.

Learn about electricity basics such as atoms and what makes a material a conductor or an insulator. In the first investigation of electric circuits, students will use their own bodies to complete a circuit that lights up LED lights and sounds a siren! The class will learn about open and closed circuits and discuss why the human body has a current. Students will learn to use a volt meter and measure their own body's voltage. Next, the class will explore the conductivity of fruits and vegetables. Kids will be asked to bring one or more samples of fruits or veggies from home to measure the voltage, experiment on, and compare results. They will also build circuits with these foods and experiment with attaching power sources in series to increase the voltage. The third area of exploration will be building paper circuits. Students will apply the principles they learned to build a light-up postcard. Finally, the class will learn about magnetism, what a magnet is, and why it behaves that way. Students will explore which items are attracted to a magnetic and which are not, and they will share their findings. Next, they will make their own magnets out of paper clips. We will discuss the magnetic poles of the earth and build a compass, to discover where we are.

Topics in this Series: Battery Blast (Quarter 1); Cool Conductors (Quarter 2); Simple Circuits (Quarter 3); and Super Circuits (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $25.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Students will learn how to think like electrical engineers as they learn about conductors, batteries, and circuits to understand how electricity powers the things they use every day.

Students will continue the exploration of electricity through fun circuits and creative conductive materials. Kids will build free-form circuits with conductive dough. They will learn about open, closed, and short circuits and experiment with polarity and resistance. Projects include making a lamp, crafting a snail with glowing eyeballs, building an ohm meter and more. Students will also have the option of experimenting with dough recipes to affect the level of conductivity. During the final class, students will complete a project of their own choosing that they can bring home and keep using a battery pack, wires, dough, LED, motor switch and/or buzzer.

Topics in this Series: Battery Blast (Quarter 1); Cool Conductors (Quarter 2); Simple Circuits (Quarter 3); and Super Circuits (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $15.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Students will learn how to think like electrical engineers as they learn about conductors, batteries, and circuits to understand how electricity powers the things they use every day.

Discover basic electrical engineering using batteries and circuits with a variety of components. Through class discussions and hands-on experiments, students will learn about parallel and series circuits and experiment with resistance using Snap Circuits kits. Students will learn how to wire and power lights, a fan motor, and a speaker. On the final day of class, each student will design, build, and share their own, unique circuit project.

Topics in this Series: Battery Blast (Quarter 1); Cool Conductors (Quarter 2); Simple Circuits (Quarter 3); and Super Circuits (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $10.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Students will learn how to think like electrical engineers as they learn about conductors, batteries, and circuits to understand how electricity powers the things they use every day.

Continue to explore electrical engineering! The class will begin with a brief introduction to Snap Circuits using lights, fan motors, and sound speakers. Next, the class will be introduced to a variety of detectors that we will build into alarms. Students will configure a momentary alarm, pencil alarm, water alarm, and an intruder alarm. On the final day of class, each student will design, build, and share their own, unique alarm project.

Topics in this Series: Battery Blast (Quarter 1); Cool Conductors (Quarter 2); Simple Circuits (Quarter 3); and Super Circuits (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $10.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

This class has an in-person lecture on Tuesdays (10:00 am - 10:55 am) and in-person lab and activities on Fridays (9:30 am - 10:55 am). Student mus take lecture and lab together. Registration for the Lab section will automatically enroll the student in the Lecture section.

Through the study of chemistry, high school students will learn the science behind things they observe every day! Chemistry explains properties of the food we eat, the beverages we drink, the medicines we take, the fibers we wear, and fuels in the cars we drive. Chemistry is a foundation to understanding the world around us and fundamental to other sciences such as biology, physics, geology, and environmental science.

This full-year laboratory course makes chemistry come alive through at-home readings, practice problems, supplementary activities, and in-person hands-on labs to demonstrate key concepts. Course themes include matter, changes in state, scientific measurement, atomic structure, electrons in atoms, and characteristics of the periodic table. Students will then study ionic, metallic, and covalent bonding, chemical names and formulas, and chemical reactions. Further chemistry topics include the behavior of gases, water and aqueous solutions, acids, bases, and salts; oxidation-reduction reactions, solutions, and thermochemistry.

Students will learn the skills necessary for successful study of chemical reactions and molecular phenomena, using common high school laboratory chemicals, glassware, and techniques. This is not a course done in microscale using pre-mixed solutions: students will learn to calculate molarity and use dimensional analysis to mix solutions, calculate yields, analyze errors, and construct graphs. Example labs include experiments in molar mass, hydrates, precipitates, filtration, density, distillation, reactants, single and double displacement, acid/base titration, polymers, heat of fusion, heat of vaporization, and stoichiometry. Class demonstrations will model other chemical concepts and processes, such as a radioactive cloud chamber.

Prerequisites: High school Algebra I

Workload: All students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class on pre-reading and lab reports. Pre-reading and pre-lab work is required so in-person class time can be spent on highlights, class discussion, homework review, and labs. In addition, most weeks students should plan for additional meeting time and coordination with their lab partners in-person, by phone, shared documents, or via virtual meeting. Students will also be required to read one scientific, non-fiction book or current events article each quarter and prepare a 2-page summary and response book report.

Assignments: All assignments will be posted on password-protected Canvas classroom management site. There, students access assignments, upload homework, take automated quizzes and tests, track grades, and message instructor and classmates. Parents can have an observer account in Canvas to review assignments and graded work. Students will have weekly readings and mandatory pre-lab assignments. The pre-lab assignment must be completed prior to lab and will serve as the student's "ticket" into the lab session each week.

Assessments: Students will earn points for completed homework, unit tests, lab reports, book reports, and semester exams. Parents can calculate a letter grade using the student's points earned divided by points available. Parents may view all scoring and comments at any time through the Canvas site.

Textbook/Materials: Students should purchase or rent Prentice Hall Chemistry by Wilbraham, Staley, et. al. 2008 edition (ISBN #978-0132512107).

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $125 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class for a composition notebook, graph paper, lab equipment and supplies, and safety supplies.

What to Bring: Students should bring a paper or a notebook, pen or pencil, and a scientific calculator each week.

What to Wear: Students should not wear any loose, drapey clothing to lab. They should also come to class with long hair tied back and should wear closed toe shoes.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in Lab Science for purposes of a high school transcript.

This is a place-holder for the Chemistry lecture. Students should register for the Chemistry Lab, which will automatically enroll them in both class sections.

This year-long, hands-on science course is a survey of key concepts in the fields of Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth Science which will give 7th and 8th grade students the fundamentals they need to tackle high school-level Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Environmental Science. Topics covered in this course will not only provide a foundation for higher level science, but will also boost the student's confidence and fluency in discussing scientific issues, applying scientific terminology, and using scientific equipment. Content covered in this course will also enable a teen to become a more educated reader and consumer of scientific news and information.

General life science themes include life cycles, food webs, scientific classification, cell structure, and human body systems. Topics in chemistry include states of matter, atomic structure, elements and the Periodic Table, and chemical reactions and solutions. Themes in physics include motion, position, speed and acceleration, weight (mass), gravity, friction, buoyancy and density, and electricity and magnetism. The earth science unit will cover the rock cycle, minerals, rocks, fossils, weathering and erosion.

In this class, students will learn about the principles of scientific investigations and engineering practices, the Scientific Method, and preparation of formal lab reports. They will practice taking measurements, recording data, converting units of measure, and related mathematical concepts such as significant figures, International System of Units, scientific notation, graphs, and data analysis. Students will learn how to provide evidence to support explanations and solutions for their investigations.

This class is appropriate for a tween or teen who has had limited middle school level science and who wants to prepare for high school science.

In general, a topic will be discussed one week and then the corresponding lab or activity will be performed in class the following week. Microscope work will be used in some life science labs. For a more robust introduction to life and lab sciences, students may want to concurrently register for the Dissection Lab class and/or the Bio Chem Learning Labs program.

Meeting Dates: This is a 29-week course witht the week off to be announced.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class on reading and homework assignments.

Assignments: All class announcements and assignments will be communicated via a Google Classroom.

Assessments: Informal, qualitative and constructive feedback will be given on submitted assignments. A quantitative score/grade will not be provided.

Textbook: Students should purchase Everything You Need to Ace Science in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide by Workman Publishing (ISBN # 978-0761160953)

Materials: Students should bring the following supplies to each class: colored pencils, glue stick, pens or pencils to write with, and a ruler. In addition, a laptop computer will be needed some weeks in class for data collection and some weeks at home for online quizlets.

Lab/Supply Fee: A lab fee of $100.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Credit: This course is not recommended as a high school credit.

This year-long, hands-on science course is a survey of key concepts in the fields of Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth Science which will give 7th and 8th grade students the fundamentals they need to tackle high school-level Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Environmental Science. Topics covered in this course will not only provide a foundation for higher level science, but will also boost the student's confidence and fluency in discussing scientific issues, applying scientific terminology, and using scientific equipment. Content covered in this course will also enable a teen to become a more educated reader and consumer of scientific news and information.

General life science themes include life cycles, food webs, scientific classification, cell structure, and human body systems. Topics in chemistry include states of matter, atomic structure, elements and the Periodic Table, and chemical reactions and solutions. Themes in physics include motion, position, speed and acceleration, weight (mass), gravity, friction, buoyancy and density, and electricity and magnetism. The earth science unit will cover the rock cycle, minerals, rocks, fossils, weathering and erosion.

In this class, students will learn about the principles of scientific investigations and engineering practices, the Scientific Method, and preparation of formal lab reports. They will practice taking measurements, recording data, converting units of measure, and related mathematical concepts such as significant figures, International System of Units, scientific notation, graphs, and data analysis. Students will learn how to provide evidence to support explanations and solutions for their investigations.

This class is appropriate for a tween or teen who has had limited middle school level science and who wants to prepare for high school science.

In general, a topic will be discussed one week and then the corresponding lab or activity will be performed in class the following week. Microscope work will be used in some life science labs. For a more robust introduction to life and lab sciences, students may want to concurrently register for the Dissection Lab class and/or the Bio Chem Learning Labs program.

Meeting Dates: This is a 29-week course witht the week off to be announced.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class on reading and homework assignments.

Assignments: All class announcements and assignments will be communicated via a Google Classroom.

Assessments: Informal, qualitative and constructive feedback will be given on submitted assignments. A quantitative score/grade will not be provided.

Textbook: Students should purchase Everything You Need to Ace Science in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide by Workman Publishing (ISBN # 978-0761160953)

Materials: Students should bring the following supplies to each class: colored pencils, glue stick, pens or pencils to write with, and a ruler. In addition, a laptop computer will be needed some weeks in class for data collection and some weeks at home for online quizlets.

Lab/Supply Fee: A lab fee of $100.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Credit: This course is not recommended as a high school credit.

**This class will be taught in a Hybrid format with an online lecture on Mondays (10:00 am - 10:55 am) over a live, online platform and in-person lab and activities on Wednesdays (11:00 am - 11:55 am). Registration for the Lab section will automatically enroll the student in the Lecture section.**

Why do Mentos candies in Coke make a fizzy mess? How do skateboarders survive spins on a half-pipe? What causes some lithium-ion batteries to burst into flames? Answers to these questions can be found in the study of high school science!

Interdisciplinary Science is a year-long, introductory high school science course which examines the living and non-living worlds. This survey course introduces key concepts from Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, which will lay the foundation for students to pursue more rigorous, year-long high school science courses in each discipline.

Students will learn about the principles of scientific investigations and engineering practices, the Scientific Method, and the basic format of a lab report. They will practice taking measurements, recording data, converting units of measure, and related mathematical concepts such as International System of Units, scientific notation, graphs, and data analysis. Students will learn how to provide evidence to support explanations and solutions for their investigations.

Topics in biology will include molecular, cellular, classification, organisms, populations, and ecosystems. Students will explore the relationships between living things and their environments. The chemistry units will cover the composition of matter, atomic structure and periodic table, and chemical bonds and reactions, while the survey of physics will include forces and motions; conservation of energy, thermal energy, electricity and magnetism; and wave phenomena, characteristics, behavior, including electromagnetic and sound waves.

Meeting Dates: This is a 29-week course with the week off to be announced.

Format: This is a hybrid course with the lecture taught synchronously online on Mondays and hands-on experiments done in a lab on Wednesdays.

Prerequisites: Students should have completed 8th grade math or a course in Pre-Algebra prior to taking Interdisciplinary Science. They should be familiar with ratios, rates, proportions, decimals, percents, exponents, and solving one-variable equations.

Class Expectations: For both in-person and virtual class meetings, students are expected to come prepared, have class materials, and be ready to participate in class discussions and activities. During virtual lectures (Mondays), students are expected to be seated at a desk or table and have their cameras on.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class on reading and homework assignments.

Assignments: All class announcements and assignments will be communicated via Google Classroom.

Assessments: Informal, qualitative and constructive feedback will be given on submitted assignments. A quantitative score/grade will not be provided.

Textbook: Students should purchase or rent Physical Science - Interactive Science by Pearson / Savvas Publishing (ISBN # 978-0133209266) and Biology For Dummies (ISBN # 978-1119345374 )

Materials: Students should bring the following supplies to each class: Five Star spiral graph ruled notebook, scientific calculator, colored pencils, glue stick, pens or pencils to write with, and a ruler. Students will be asked to bring a laptop to class on some days.

Lab/Supply Fee: A lab fee of $100.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in Lab Science for purposes of a high school transcript.

This is a place-holder for the Interdisciplinary Science lecture. Students should register for the Interdisciplinary Lab, which will automatically enroll them in both class sections. A physical meeting room will be designated for on-campus students who have classes immediately before or after this virtual session.

More than 4.4 billion people saw their personal data stolen in just three of the top data breeches in the last decade! Key personal, financial, and business data is unintentionally released, or worse, hacked, when digital information is not properly secured in cyberspace. Cyber-viruses have crippled and compromised major businesses and governments. This is why the cybersecurity industry is in high demand, with a job growth projection of 33% per year and starting salaries in excess of $125,000!

This course will provide a hands-on perspective of common cybersecurity attacks, explain their mechanisms so that students can learn how to mitigate their impacts, discuss why these attacks pose constant threats to netizens, and introduce tools, techniques, and processes used to put us in a better position in the battle against cybercrimes.

Computer crime is an area of study that is rapidly growing in today's socio-technical environment. Both profit and non-profit organizations have increasingly emphasized the importance and visibility of cybersecurity. With the easy access and use of malicious computing tools, people can commit crimes with and against computers. There is a growing need for a future IT workforce to be equipped with the skills to investigate and respond to these threats. Hence, this course will introduce the topics of cybersecurity attacks and defense. Students will be exposed to critical cybersecurity concepts, including threat detection, data encryption, system vulnerabilities, secure network protocols, and real-world attack simulations, equipping them with the technical skills needed to protect digital assets and counter evolving cyber threats.

Students will explore key concepts in cybersecurity, including cyber safety, cryptography, system administration, and internet fundamentals. They will learn how to protect personal data, the basics of encryption, and the role of operating systems and applications in security. The course will cover internet protocols, the Internet of Things (IoT), and the physical components of cybersecurity, including network devices and peripheral security. Finally, students will analyze real-world case studies of cybersecurity breaches, such as the Mirai DDoS attack, Yahoo 2013, and SolarWinds, to understand the impact of these threats.

Prerequisites: None

Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class.

Assignments: All assignments will be posted on a Google Classroom. There, students access assignments, hands-on labs, and take automated quizzes and tests.

Assessments: Completed assignments will be assessed points. Parents can calculate a letter grade using the student's points earned divided by points available, in weighted categories that include assignments, labs, quizzes, tests, projects, and presentations.

What to Bring: Students should bring a laptop with charger each week. Chromebooks, tablets, and phones are not sufficient for the applications in this class.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Career Exploration, Technology, or Applied Computer Science for purposes of a high school transcript.

More than 4.4 billion people saw their personal data stolen in just three of the top data breeches in the last decade! Key personal, financial, and business data is unintentionally released, or worse, hacked, when digital information is not properly secured in cyberspace. Cyber-viruses have crippled and compromised major businesses and governments. This is why the cybersecurity industry is in high demand, with a job growth projection of 33% per year and starting salaries in excess of $125,000!

This course is an introduction to fundamentals of cybersecurity in an interactive, information technology (IT) class taught by a cybersecurity practitioner. The course is designed to give students an overview of cybersecurity as a potential career field and get them interested in pursuing cybersecurity learning at a higher level by preparing for the CyberPatriot national youth cyber defense competition. CyberPatriot, created by the Air Force Association, is a nationwide program that puts students in the role of IT professionals tasked with protecting a company's computer systems.

First semester, students will learn the basics of three computer operating systems (OS): Windows, Windows Server, and Linux. The class will learn to systematically examine key elements of an operating system to identify vulnerabilities that might appear due to set-up errors or malware in areas such as password policies, unwanted files, out-of-date apps and browsers, and incorrect user and administrator set-up. Students will learn how to apply best practices to fix those vulnerabilities.

Students will put their knowledge to the test in a nationwide cyber defense competition- Cyber Patriots. Compass teams of 4-5 teens will collaborate to "secure" (i.e. clean and correct) three mock computers in 4-hour competitions. As part of the class, students will be expected to remain at Compass on 3 Friday afternoons: in late October, mid-November, and mid-December from 3:30 pm-7:30 pm. In these 4-hour sessions, class members will eat pizza and snacks while identifying and correcting vulnerabilities. Points will be awarded for their findings and solutions, and teams earning enough points will be invited to a semi-final competition in mid-January.

Students' work on operating systems will take place on virtual machines that do not interfere with the student's own computer.

Prerequisites: None.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class completing reading and virtual labs.

Assignments: Will be posted on a Teams classroom for students, and key reminders will be emailed to parents.

Assessments: Students will receive informal feedback throughout the semester.

Class Fee: There is fee of $225 to register a co-ed team and no cost to register an all-girl team. The team fee will be divided among the 3, 4, or 5 people on the team.

What to Bring/Equipment: Students must bring a PC or Mac laptop to class each week. These should be no more than 3 years old. Chromebooks and tablets cannot be used. Students should also bring their laptop charger to class each week.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Technology or Career Exploration for purposes of a high school transcript.

Do you want to learn one of the top five coding languages? Javascript is part of every software developer's toolbox. Learn an array of core programming concepts with JavaScript by experimenting with a series of digital challenges. Begin by programming animated memes and creating filters then tackle advancedskills suc h as interactive 3D experiences to program character movements, object interactions, and level creation. Javascript is a versatile, easy-to-learn beginner-level programming language and gateway to foundational concepts in computer science.

Students will learn how to code apps and games as they practice the computer science design cycle of writing code, executing the code, interpreting the results, revising the code syntax based on the output. The class will cover the fundamental building blocks of programming including: variables, mathematical operators, logical operators, and boolean arithmetic. They will also learn about data types, built-in functions, conditional statements, for- loops, defining functions, function stacks, interpreting error messages, exception handling, and add-on libraries. At each step, the class will create basic programs and fun, interactive content.

Topics in this Series: Python Programming (Semester 1), JavaScript Programming (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

Prerequisites: Algebra I, recommended

Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class.

Assignments: Will be given in class.

Assessments: Will not be given.

Lab/Supply Fee: The class tuition includes a student technology fee that covers the rental of classroom laptops and all software and licenses installed on the laptops.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Technology or Career Elective for purposes of a high school transcript.

Do you want to learn the world's fastest growing programming language that is used by Google, NASA, YouTube and the CIA? Python is a versatile, easy-to-learn beginner-level programming language and gateway to foundational concepts in computer science.

Students will learn how to code apps and games as they practice the computer science design cycle of writing code, executing the code, interpreting the results, revising the code syntax based on the output. The class will cover the fundamental building blocks of programming including: variables, mathematical operators, logical operators, and boolean arithmetic. They will also learn about data types, built-in functions, conditional statements, for- loops, defining functions, function stacks, interpreting error messages, exception handling, and add-on libraries. At each step, the class will create basic programs and fun, interactive content.

Topics in this Series: Python Programming (Semester 1), JavaScript Programming (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

Prerequisites: Algebra I, recommended

Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class.

Assignments: Will be given in class.

Assessments: Will not be given.

Lab/Supply Fee: The class tuition includes a student technology fee that covers the rental of classroom laptops and all software and licenses installed on the laptops.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Technology or Career Elective for purposes of a high school transcript.

Students will use LEGO to design and build simple engineering projects out of everyone's favorite building toy! In this 90-minute class, students will explore concepts and vocabulary in physics, mechanical engineering, structural engineering, aerospace engineering, and architecture while playing with their creations.

Second quarter, junior engineers will tackle Awesome Automobiles, building pull-back motorcycles, belt-drive fire jeeps, gear-driven dragsters, and car carriers.

Each class begins with 10-minutes of free build from tubs of LEGO components followed by a short discussion and demonstration of the day's project and concepts. Students build individually or in groups. Instructors will provide individual assistance, facilitate challenges, performance testing, competitions, and modifications to projects. Some projects may have been introduced in prior year's sessions, but each new build is unique, and student's building skills and understanding will have grown.

Students must be minimum age 5 and able to separate from their parents for this class.

Topics in this Series: Super Structures (Quarter 1); Awesome Automobiles (Quarter 2); Monster Machines (Quarter 3); Colossal Construction (Quarter 4).

Students will use LEGO to design and build simple engineering projects out of everyone's favorite building toy! In this 90-minute class, students will explore concepts and vocabulary in physics, mechanical engineering, structural engineering, aerospace engineering, and architecture while playing with their creations.

Second quarter, junior engineers will tackle Awesome Automobiles, building pull-back motorcycles, belt-drive fire jeeps, gear-driven dragsters, and car carriers.

Each class begins with 10-minutes of free build from tubs of LEGO components followed by a short discussion and demonstration of the day's project and concepts. Students build individually or in groups. Instructors will provide individual assistance, facilitate challenges, performance testing, competitions, and modifications to projects. Some projects may have been introduced in prior year's sessions, but each new build is unique, and student's building skills and understanding will have grown.

Students must be minimum age 5 and able to separate from their parents for this class.

Topics in this Series: Super Structures (Quarter 1); Awesome Automobiles (Quarter 2); Monster Machines (Quarter 3); Colossal Construction (Quarter 4).

Students will use LEGO to design and build simple engineering projects out of everyone's favorite building toy! In this 90-minute class, students will explore concepts and vocabulary in physics, mechanical engineering, structural engineering, aerospace engineering, and architecture while playing with their creations.

Fourth quarter, students will build colossal vehicles like monster trucks and hulking construction vehicles and model enormous developments such as a massive waterfront development, a towering sky scraper, and a expansive space station.

Each class begins with 10-minutes of free build from tubs of LEGO components followed by a short discussion and demonstration of the day's project and concepts. Students build individually or in groups. Instructors will provide individual assistance, facilitate challenges, performance testing, competitions, and modifications to projects. Some projects may have been introduced in prior year's sessions, but each new build is unique, and student's building skills and understanding will have grown.

Students must be minimum age 5 and able to separate from their parents for this class.

Topics in this Series: Super Structures (Quarter 1); Awesome Automobiles (Quarter 2); Monster Machines (Quarter 3); Colossal Construction (Quarter 4).

Students will use LEGO to design and build simple engineering projects out of everyone's favorite building toy! In this 90-minute class, students will explore concepts and vocabulary in physics, mechanical engineering, structural engineering, aerospace engineering, and architecture while playing with their creations.

Fourth quarter, students will build colossal vehicles like monster trucks and hulking construction vehicles and model enormous developments such as a massive waterfront development, a towering sky scraper, and a expansive space station.

Each class begins with 10-minutes of free build from tubs of LEGO components followed by a short discussion and demonstration of the day's project and concepts. Students build individually or in groups. Instructors will provide individual assistance, facilitate challenges, performance testing, competitions, and modifications to projects. Some projects may have been introduced in prior year's sessions, but each new build is unique, and student's building skills and understanding will have grown.

Students must be minimum age 5 and able to separate from their parents for this class.

Topics in this Series: Super Structures (Quarter 1); Awesome Automobiles (Quarter 2); Monster Machines (Quarter 3); Colossal Construction (Quarter 4).

Students will use LEGO to design and build simple engineering projects out of everyone's favorite building toy! In this 90-minute class, students will explore concepts and vocabulary in physics, mechanical engineering, structural engineering, aerospace engineering, and architecture while playing with their creations.

Third quarter, junior engineers will tackle Monster Machines, building conveyor belts, elevators, catapults, tunnel-boring diggers, and a ferris wheel.

Each class begins with 10-minutes of free build from tubs of LEGO components followed by a short discussion and demonstration of the day's project and concepts. Students build individually or in groups. Instructors will provide individual assistance, facilitate challenges, performance testing, competitions, and modifications to projects. Some projects may have been introduced in prior year's sessions, but each new build is unique, and student's building skills and understanding will have grown.

Students must be minimum age 5 and able to separate from their parents for this class.

Topics in this Series: Super Structures (Quarter 1); Awesome Automobiles (Quarter 2); Monster Machines (Quarter 3); Colossal Construction (Quarter 4).

Students will use LEGO to design and build simple engineering projects out of everyone's favorite building toy! In this 90-minute class, students will explore concepts and vocabulary in physics, mechanical engineering, structural engineering, aerospace engineering, and architecture while playing with their creations.

Third quarter, junior engineers will tackle Monster Machines, building conveyor belts, elevators, catapults, tunnel-boring diggers, and a ferris wheel.

Each class begins with 10-minutes of free build from tubs of LEGO components followed by a short discussion and demonstration of the day's project and concepts. Students build individually or in groups. Instructors will provide individual assistance, facilitate challenges, performance testing, competitions, and modifications to projects. Some projects may have been introduced in prior year's sessions, but each new build is unique, and student's building skills and understanding will have grown.

Students must be minimum age 5 and able to separate from their parents for this class.

Topics in this Series: Super Structures (Quarter 1); Awesome Automobiles (Quarter 2); Monster Machines (Quarter 3); Colossal Construction (Quarter 4).

Students will use LEGO to design and build simple engineering projects out of everyone's favorite building toy! In this 90-minute class, students will explore concepts and vocabulary in physics, mechanical engineering, structural engineering, aerospace engineering, and architecture while playing with their creations.

First quarter, junior engineers will tackle Super Structures, using the Pyramids of Giza, the Great Wall of China, the Seattle Space Needed, Eiffel Tower, and the world's biggest bridges for their inspiration.

Each class begins with 10-minutes of free build from tubs of LEGO components followed by a short discussion and demonstration of the day's project and concepts. Students build individually or in groups. Instructors will provide individual assistance, facilitate challenges, performance testing, competitions, and modifications to projects. Some projects may have been introduced in prior year's sessions, but each new build is unique, and student's building skills and understanding will have grown.

Students must be minimum age 5 and able to separate from their parents for this class.

Topics in this Series: Super Structures (Quarter 1); Awesome Automobiles (Quarter 2); Monster Machines (Quarter 3); Colossal Construction (Quarter 4).

Students will use LEGO to design and build simple engineering projects out of everyone's favorite building toy! In this 90-minute class, students will explore concepts and vocabulary in physics, mechanical engineering, structural engineering, aerospace engineering, and architecture while playing with their creations.

First quarter, junior engineers will tackle Super Structures, using the Pyramids of Giza, the Great Wall of China, the Seattle Space Needed, Eiffel Tower, and the world's biggest bridges for their inspiration.

Each class begins with 10-minutes of free build from tubs of LEGO components followed by a short discussion and demonstration of the day's project and concepts. Students build individually or in groups. Instructors will provide individual assistance, facilitate challenges, performance testing, competitions, and modifications to projects. Some projects may have been introduced in prior year's sessions, but each new build is unique, and student's building skills and understanding will have grown.

Students must be minimum age 5 and able to separate from their parents for this class.

Topics in this Series: Super Structures (Quarter 1); Awesome Automobiles (Quarter 2); Monster Machines (Quarter 3); Colossal Construction (Quarter 4).

Kids can learn some basics of biochemistry when they can touch it and test it! Kids will delve into the structure and function of nucleic acids. They will use 3D modeling kits to construct DNA and RNA. Students will understand the higher, ordered structure of DNA into chromosomes. They will touch on mendelian genetics and inheritance and apply their knowledge as 'Dragon Breeders' during a lab exercise. Kids will explore the mechanics of gene expression through transcription and translation using manipulatives. Finally, students will extract DNA from samples of their choosing and conclude with discussions of tissue-specific gene expression and transgenics.

Topics in this Series: Kids' Chemistry Lab: Atoms & Molecules (Quarter 1); Kids' Chemistry Lab: Properties of Matter (Quarter 2); Kids' BioChemistry Lab: Manipulating Molecules (Quarter 3); and Kids' BioChemistry Lab: Discovering DNA (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $15.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Kids can learn some basics of biochemistry when they can touch it and test it! Students will explore key macromolecules such as lipids, fats, carbohydrates, and protein. They will perform a 'mystery lab', in which they use standard chemistry assays to identify unknown samples of macromolecules. Students will discover the functions of these macromolecules including, structure, energy storage and intracellular/ intercellular communication. Students will use hands-on experiments probe the factors that affect protein structure and conduct assays to examine their effect on the protein's function. The class will learn how their body builds important polymers, required for life, using dehydration synthesis. Students will discuss how living organisms harvest energy by using hydrolysis reactions when metabolizing food and how they store energy in the chemical bonds of sugar or fat.

Topics in this Series: Kids' Chemistry Lab: Atoms & Molecules (Quarter 1); Kids' Chemistry Lab: Properties of Matter (Quarter 2); Kids' BioChemistry Lab: Manipulating Molecules (Quarter 3); and Kids' BioChemistry Lab: Discovering DNA (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $15.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Kids can understand basic chemistry when they can touch it and test it! In this hands-on class, kids will learn about the structure of atoms and how that accounts for the predictable behavior of molecules. They will learn about the periodic table and make 3D models of atoms and electron orbitals. Kids will learn to differentiate between different types of bonds (ionic, hydrogen, Van der Waals, covalent, polar covalent). They will perform both reversible and irreversible chemical reactions and learn how to identify each group. Kids will experiment with endergonic and exergonic reactions while learning to think about how energy is stored and released in the breaking and forming of chemical bonds. Kids will even try their hand at writing simple chemical formulas. Finally, students will design and run experiments to demonstrate gas laws using temperature, pressure, and volume.

Topics in this Series: Kids' Chemistry Lab: Atoms & Molecules (Quarter 1); Kids' Chemistry Lab: Properties of Matter (Quarter 2); Kids' BioChemistry Lab: Manipulating Molecules (Quarter 3); and Kids' BioChemistry Lab: Discovering DNA (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $25.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Kids can understand basic chemistry when they can touch it and test it! In this hands-on class, kids will learn about the structure of matter and how that accounts for the predictable behavior of materials. Kids will design and conduct experiments to impose changes in states of matter. The class will learn about the unique properties of water and how it defines life as we know it on Earth. They will build 3D models of water and of ice and be able to explain how and why ice, a solid, is less dense than water, a liquid. Kids will explore density in hands-on labs that challenge their intuition and understanding of size, mass, and weight when comparing different materials. Students design and conduct experiments in osmosis, diffusion or semi-permeability. Finally, the nature of plasma will be introduced along with an observation of the movement of energy between objects.

Topics in this Series: Kids' Chemistry Lab: Atoms & Molecules (Quarter 1); Kids' Chemistry Lab: Properties of Matter (Quarter 2); Kids' BioChemistry Lab: Manipulating Molecules (Quarter 3); and Kids' BioChemistry Lab: Discovering DNA (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $15.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

LEGO Robotics Training Team is a semester-long "boot camp" and training ground for future FIRST LEGO League (FLL) competitors. The Training Team allows Compass students to work through a complete FLL challenge to ensure that they understand the project and enjoy the process before joining a competition team. Training Team students are sub-divided into smaller teams that compete against each other in building and coding challenges at a more relaxed pace than FLL competition teams which may require 6-10+ hours per week.

Compass Training Team members will complete a full FLL challenge from a previous year. They will learn 21st century skills in robotics and programming while enjoying the camaraderie of working as a team to solve challenges. Kids will gain confidence and build skills in leadership and communication. The Training Team members will compete in-house against each other, but will not participate in a regional competition in 2025-26.

FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is an accessible, guided, beginners' robotics program that encourages teamwork, discovery, innovation, and problem-solving. The FLL competition is comprised of three components: the Robot Game, an Innovation Project, and Core Values. The Robot Game is an annual theme-based challenge that encourages kids to think of technology solutions to real-world problems. Teams design and program an autonomous robot that scores points on a themed table-top playing field. Past challenges have been inspired by environment, transportation, accessibility, and exploration. FLL team members engage in brainstorming, research, design, and coding while practicing the engineering design process of building, testing, re-building, re-testing, etc. Students will work with LEGO Mindstorms EV3 robotics components and use drag-and-drop coding blocks to program their robots on laptop computers. No robotics or programming experience is necessary to join the Training Team, but it is beneficial if students have experience building with LEGO Technics components (beams, gears, and axel pins rather than bricks with studs).

FLL members have fun with friends, encourage and support each other, and learn the art of gracious competition. In addition to the robot challenge, FLL team members compete in short, on-the-spot challenge problems in the Innovation Project phase of the competitions. FLL is also known for its philosophies of "professionalism" and "cooperation" which are expressed in the organization's Core Values of discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork, and fun. Teams are also judged on how well they promote and exhibit these core values.

LEGO Robotics Training Team is a semester-long "boot camp" and training ground for future FIRST LEGO League (FLL) competitors. The Training Team allows Compass students to work through a complete FLL challenge to ensure that they understand the project and enjoy the process before joining a competition team. Training Team students are sub-divided into smaller teams that compete against each other in building and coding challenges at a more relaxed pace than FLL competition teams which may require 6-10+ hours per week.

Compass Training Team members will complete a full FLL challenge from a previous year. They will learn 21st century skills in robotics and programming while enjoying the camaraderie of working as a team to solve challenges. Kids will gain confidence and build skills in leadership and communication. The Training Team members will compete in-house against each other, but will not participate in a regional competition in 2025-26.

FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is an accessible, guided, beginners' robotics program that encourages teamwork, discovery, innovation, and problem-solving. The FLL competition is comprised of three components: the Robot Game, an Innovation Project, and Core Values. The Robot Game is an annual theme-based challenge that encourages kids to think of technology solutions to real-world problems. Teams design and program an autonomous robot that scores points on a themed table-top playing field. Past challenges have been inspired by environment, transportation, accessibility, and exploration. FLL team members engage in brainstorming, research, design, and coding while practicing the engineering design process of building, testing, re-building, re-testing, etc. Students will work with LEGO Mindstorms EV3 robotics components and use drag-and-drop coding blocks to program their robots on laptop computers. No robotics or programming experience is necessary to join the Training Team, but it is beneficial if students have experience building with LEGO Technics components (beams, gears, and axel pins rather than bricks with studs).

FLL members have fun with friends, encourage and support each other, and learn the art of gracious competition. In addition to the robot challenge, FLL team members compete in short, on-the-spot challenge problems in the Innovation Project phase of the competitions. FLL is also known for its philosophies of "professionalism" and "cooperation" which are expressed in the organization's Core Values of discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork, and fun. Teams are also judged on how well they promote and exhibit these core values.

Earth is an ocean planet! Life began in the oceans, and they are the linchpin of the biological, chemical, and physical processes that allow our planet to support life. This class will give students a basic understanding of the chemistry, physics and biology of earth's oceans. We'll also learn how oceans are informing our search for life on other planets. The focus will be on hands-on, dynamic learning with demonstrations or experiments in each class session.

During the second quarter, students will take a detailed look at the amazing variety of marine habitats around the world. We'll explore marine biomes that are found along the coasts: tropical coral reef systems, temperate kelp forests, tidal communitites, salt marshes, mangrove forests, and rocky shores. The geographic distribution, food webs, important primary producers and consumers, representative species, and notable species interactions for each biome will be discussed and compared to other marine and terrestrial biomes. Over the course of the quarter, students will assemble a "ship's log" of our virtual expedition which will include a map of the ocean biomes of the earth, with detailed sections on each biome we investigate.

A lab fee of $20.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this Series: Oceanography (Quarter 1); Coastal Biomes (Quarter 2); Open Water Habitats (Quarter 3); and Marine Animal Close-Up (Quarter 4).

Earth is an ocean planet! Life began in the oceans, and they are the linchpin of the biological, chemical, and physical processes that allow our planet to support life. This class will give students a basic understanding of the chemistry, physics and biology of earth's oceans. We'll also learn how oceans are informing our search for life on other planets. The focus will be on hands-on, dynamic learning with demonstrations or experiments in each class session.

During the fourth quarter, we'll be moving from a big picture perspective, looking at ecology and biomes, to focus in on individual species and how they live. We'll trace the evolution of the major groups of marine plants and animals, to see how their morphology and adaptations became more complex and diverse over time. The class will zoom in on representative species, let students vote on the most interesting, and compile a Case Studies science log that profiles these species. We'll also have a chance to observe and interact with living aquatic organisms in our classroom. Come meet bioluminescent dinoflagellates and feed an anemone!

A lab fee of $20.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this Series: Oceanography (Quarter 1); Coastal Biomes (Quarter 2); Open Water Habitats (Quarter 3); and Marine Animal Close-Up (Quarter 4).

Earth is an ocean planet! Life began in the oceans, and they are the linchpin of the biological, chemical, and physical processes that allow our planet to support life. This class will give students a basic understanding of the chemistry, physics and biology of earth's oceans. We'll also learn how oceans are informing our search for life on other planets. The focus will be on hands-on, dynamic learning with demonstrations or experiments in each class session.

In first quarter Oceanography, students will examine physical processes such as the global ocean circulation and the role of oceans on the planet's weather patterns, temperatures, salinity, and major ocean currents. The class will discover the physics of the ocean including light and waves, along with some the oceans' primary chemistry processes like carbon dioxide sequestration and nitrogen cycling. Students will learn about the geography of the ocean basins, mid-ocean ridges, plate tectonics, and island formation, along with the habitable zones: wetlands, intertidal, sub-tidal nearshore, photic zone of the open ocean, and deep sea.

A lab fee of $20.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this Series: Oceanography (Quarter 1); Coastal Biomes (Quarter 2); Open Water Habitats (Quarter 3); and Marine Animal Close-Up (Quarter 4).

Earth is an ocean planet! Life began in the oceans, and they are the linchpin of the biological, chemical, and physical processes that allow our planet to support life. This class will give students a basic understanding of the chemistry, physics and biology of earth's oceans. We'll also learn how oceans are informing our search for life on other planets. The focus will be on hands-on, dynamic learning with demonstrations or experiments in each class session.

During the third quarter, students will continue to examine the amazing variety of marine habitats around the world. We'll explore marine habitats that are found in the open ocean (or limnetic zones) including near surface and deep water biomes, abyssal plains, deep trenches, hydrothermal vents, and polar waters. The geographic distribution, food webs, important primary producers and consumers, representative species, and notable species interactions for each biome will be discussed and compared to other marine and terrestrial biomes. Over the course of the quarter, students will assemble a "ship's log" of our virtual expedition which will include a map of the ocean biomes of the earth, with detailed sections on each biome we investigate.

A lab fee of $20.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this Series: Oceanography (Quarter 1); Coastal Biomes (Quarter 2); Open Water Habitats (Quarter 3); and Marine Animal Close-Up (Quarter 4).

You might have gone through high school using beginner-level Google tools like Docs, Sheets, and Slides, but to prepare for college and career, it might be time to learn Microsoft Office 365. While Google Workspace applications are generally liked for their ease of collaboration and cloud-based accessibility, Microsoft Office 365 tools are preferred in many majors and industries for their advanced features, refinement, and computing power. Any high school student who plans to pursue a college major in business, science, engineering, or other data-driven field should learn Microsoft Office, and anyone wishing to enter the job market or enhance their resume with recognized credentials as a Certified Microsoft Office Specialist should take this class. Furthermore, any student bound for college or the work world who is not proficient in these computer applications can take this class to catch up on 21st century skills.

Second semester, students will work through official Microsoft study materials to become certified as a Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) in Excel. Working in Excel will help as student create and manage worksheets and workbooks that can become professional-looking budgets, financial statements, sales invoices, data logs, and performance charts. Specific skills covered in the Excel Associate curriculum include: creating cells and ranges; creating tables; applying formulas and functions; creating charts and objects; creating and editing a workbook with multiple sheets; and using a graphic element to represent data visually.

An additional benefit of this course may be earned college credit. The American Council on Education (ACE) has recommended that MOS certifications in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint be considered as computer application in higher education institutions. 1800 accredited ACE-member, degree-granting colleges, universities, and other education-related organizations may award college credit to students who earned these certifications.

Prerequisite: Basic keyboarding skills.

Levels: Students who take this course on-level can earn MOS certifications. Students who take both semesters of this course will additionally qualify as a Microsoft Office Specialist: Associate level for earning at least three certifications. Students who wish to pursue a more rigorous curriculum and designate this as an "honors" level course on their transcript can self-study for the Microsoft Office Specialist: Expert level which requires two additional exams passed at the Expert level (and additional testing fees of $200.)

Equipment: Students should bring a laptop to class which has a local copy of Microsoft Office 2019 installed or a current subscription and access to Microsoft Office 365.

Course Materials: Students will work from the official Microsoft Office Specialist study guides that will be provided in class and is included in the course tuition

Assessment: Students will take computer-based exams for each application: The MO-110: Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 Apps)and the MO-310: Microsoft PowerPoint (Microsoft 365 Apps) first semester and the MO-210: Microsoft Excel (Microsoft 365 Apps) second semester.

Testing Fees: A fee of $100 per exam is required to take the Microsoft Office Specialist exams.

Non-Meeting Days: In addition to the scheduled days-off on the published Compass schedule, this class will have two other days off with the actual dates to be announced.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Career Exploration or Technology for purposes of a high school transcript.

You might have gone through high school using beginner-level Google tools like Docs, Sheets, and Slides, but to prepare for college and career, it might be time to learn Microsoft Office 365. While Google Workspace applications are generally liked for their ease of collaboration and cloud-based accessibility, Microsoft Office 365 tools are preferred in many majors and industries for their advanced features, refinement, and computing power. Any high school student who plans to pursue a college major in business, science, engineering, or other data-driven field should learn Microsoft Office, and anyone wishing to enter the job market or enhance their resume with recognized credentials as a Certified Microsoft Office Specialist should take this class. Furthermore, any student bound for college or the work world who is not proficient in these computer applications can take this class to catch up on 21st century skills.

First semester, students will work through official Microsoft study materials to become certified as a Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) in Word and Power Point. Working in Word will help a student create attractive and professional-looking reports, multicolumn newsletters, resumes, business correspondence. Specific skills covered in the Word Associate curriculum include: managing documents; inserting and formatting text, paragraphs, and sections; managing tables and lists; creating and managing references; inserting and formatting graphic elements; and managing document collaboration. Working in Power Point will help a student create and manage professional-looking presentations that may be used for sales pitches, employee training, instructional materials, or exhibit slideshows. Specific skills covered in the Power Point Associate curriculum include: creating slide content; inserting and formatting text, shapes, and images; inserting tables, charts, SmartArt, 3D models, and media; applying transitions and animations; managing slides; and managing multiple presentations.

An additional benefit of this course may be earned college credit. The American Council on Education (ACE) has recommended that MOS certifications in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint be considered as computer application in higher education institutions. 1800 accredited ACE-member, degree-granting colleges, universities, and other education-related organizations may award college credit to students who earned these certifications.

Prerequisite: Basic keyboarding skills.

Levels: Students who take this course on-level can earn MOS certifications. Students who take both semesters of this course will additionally qualify as a Microsoft Office Specialist: Associate level for earning at least three certifications. Students who wish to pursue a more rigorous curriculum and designate this as an "honors" level course on their transcript can self-study for the Microsoft Office Specialist: Expert level which requires two additional exams passed at the Expert level (and additional testing fees of $200.)

Equipment: Students should bring a laptop to class which has a local copy of Microsoft Office 2019 installed or a current subscription and access to Microsoft Office 365.

Course Materials: Students will work from the official Microsoft Office Specialist study guides that will be provided in class and is included in the course tuition

Assessment: Students will take computer-based exams for each application: The MO-110: Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 Apps)and the MO-310: Microsoft PowerPoint (Microsoft 365 Apps) first semester and the MO-210: Microsoft Excel (Microsoft 365 Apps) second semester.

Testing Fees: A fee of $100 per exam is required to take the Microsoft Office Specialist exams.

Non-Meeting Days: In addition to the scheduled days-off on the published Compass schedule, this class will have two other days off with the actual dates to be announced.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Career Exploration or Technology for purposes of a high school transcript.

Physician. Physical Therapist. Phlebotomist. Paramedic. Did you know that the Healthcare Industry makes up more than 18% of the US economy and employs 20 million workers in the US? Chances are that several Compass teens will work in this field. This course is designed to give students an overview of the healthcare field and a foot in the door to begin work as an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) or Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

Second semester will introduce the Crisis Care that every EMR/EMT must know when they encounter a medical mystery: triage, testing, and treating a patient. Students will learn what to do in the event of illness, anaphylaxis, seizures, stroke, and cardiac or respiratory distress. Every class will include practical, hands-on skills training and labs such as taking vital signs, testing blood glucose levels, administering medications, or using an automatic external defibrillator (AED). Students will identify the role of an EMR/EMT during a mental health crisis and how to help deescalate a confrontation. Throughout the course, the class will learn medical terminology and aspects of human anatomy related to Crisis Care. They will use critical thinking skills to reason through problems they might encounter during emergencies. Finally, they will discover how HIPPA, privacy, consent, and legal issues play in the EMR/EMT's role and how these emergency responders interface with law enforcement, hospitals, and other specialties in the community.
EMRs/EMTs are first-on-the-scene, frontline healthcare workers. In Virginia, individuals age 16 or older who earned their license can volunteer or be hired to work on an ambulance, a private medical transport service, or as an assistant or technician in clinical settings. Work as an EMR/EMT can be a young adult's full time job, side gig through college, or help them earn clinical hours that advanced medical programs want to see.

Schedule: This is a 14-week semester instead of 16 weeks. The two dates off will be announced based on instructor's professional calendar.

Topics in this Series: Emergency Essentials (Semester 1), Crisis Care (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

Prerequisite: Students must have completed a workshop in CPR prior to taking this course and will be asked to provide a copy of their certification. An option is the Compass 2-day. 6-hour First Aid/CPR training on June 10 and 11. Alternatively, this Instructor can conduct an outside CPR workshop for $80.00 per student.

Levels/Certification: Students under age 16 may enroll in this class, but they must be age 16 by October 1 in order to sit for the EMR or EMT exam in the spring of 2025. Students must take both semesters to prepare for an exam. This class will be taught at two levels concurrently: On-Level which prepares students for the EMR exam and Honors which prepares students for the EMT exam. Both levels meet together for all classes and perform the same in-class activities and labs. Those on the Honors track will have additional readings for EMT preparation.

Students may also enroll in this class for one semester as an elective (i.e. non-exam track). They may also take the class for knowledge and experience with no obligation to take the exam.

Students who wish to take this at the Honors level and continue the EMT track must have a class average of 80% at the end of the first semester to be approved for Honors level second semester. Students who have less than an 80% average may continue the second semester course at the on-level, or EMR, track. Students on the Honors EMT track may need additional review or test prep sessions with the instructor prior to the exam.

Workload: On-level (EMR) students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class on reading assignments and chapter questions. Honors (EMT) students should expect to spend 5-6 hours each week outside of class on reading assignments, chapter questions, and review.

Assignments: Students will be assigned 1-2 chapters each week to read at home each week so class time can be dedicated to the practice of hands-on skills.

Assessments: The instructor will give short quizzes to ensure that students are keeping up with their reading, which is necessary to prepare for the exam. In addition, students will be "signed off" and approved on hands-on skills throughout the course. The National Registry Exam will be administered in May 2025.

Textbook/Materials: Students should purchase or rent Emergency Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured Essentials Package 12th Edition by AAOS (ISBN # 978-1284227222)

Supplies: Students should purchase the following items and bring to class each week:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010G2I3PU/?coliid=I18ZZZ79D6Z0EF&colid=1BQJV62J905ZD&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1

Lab/Supply Fee: A supply fee of $30.00 is due payable to the instructor for consumable and in-class supplies and equipment.

What to Bring: Students should bring their textbook, notebook/paper, pen or pencil, and medical kit to class each week.

What to Wear: Students should wear comfortable clothing that would allow them to participate in occasional demonstrations on the floor.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in Science, Health, Elective, or Career Exploration for purposes of a high school transcript.

Physician. Physical Therapist. Phlebotomist. Paramedic. Did you know that the Healthcare Industry makes up more than 18% of the US economy and employs 20 million workers in the US? Chances are that several Compass teens will work in this field. This course is designed to give students an overview of the healthcare field and a foot in the door to begin work as an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) or Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

First semester will cover the Emergency Essentials that every EMR/EMT must know: stopping bleeding, starting care, and stabilizing a patient. Students will learn what to do in trauma, mass casualty, or hazardous materials incidents where the victims are bleeding or have broken bones, wounds, or head injuries. Every class will include practical, hands-on skills training and labs such as using a tourniquet, applying dressings, and splinting. Throughout the course, the class will learn medical terminology and aspects of human anatomy related to Emergency Essentials. They will use critical thinking skills to reason through problems they might encounter during emergencies. Finally, they will discover how HIPPA, privacy, consent, and legal issues play in the EMR/EMT's role and how these emergency responders interface with law enforcement, hospitals, and other specialties in the community.

EMRs/EMTs are first-on-the-scene, frontline healthcare workers. In Virginia, individuals age 16 or older who earned their license can volunteer or be hired to work on an ambulance, a private medical transport service, or as an assistant or technician in clinical settings. Work as an EMR/EMT can be a young adult's full time job, side gig through college, or help them earn clinical hours that advanced medical programs want to see.

Topics in this Series: Emergency Essentials (Semester 1), Crisis Care (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

Schedule: This is a 12-week semester instead of 14 weeks. The two dates off will be announced based on instructor's professional calendar.
Prerequisite: Students must have completed a workshop in CPR prior to taking this course and will be asked to provide a copy of their certification. An option is the Compass 2-day. 6-hour First Aid/CPR training on June 10 and 11. Alternatively, this Instructor can conduct an outside CPR workshop for $80.00 per student.

Levels/Certification: Students under age 16 may enroll in this class, but they must be age 16 by October 1 in order to sit for the EMR or EMT exam in the spring of 2025. Students must take both semesters to prepare for an exam. This class will be taught at two levels concurrently: On-Level which prepares students for the EMR exam and Honors which prepares students for the EMT exam. Both levels meet together for all classes and perform the same in-class activities and labs. Those on the Honors track will have additional readings for EMT preparation.

Students may also enroll in this class for one semester as an elective (i.e. non-exam track). They may also take the class for knowledge and experience with no obligation to take the exam.

Students who wish to take this at the Honors level and continue the EMT track must have a class average of 80% at the end of the first semester to be approved for Honors level second semester. Students who have less than an 80% average may continue the second semester course at the on-level, or EMR, track. Students on the Honors EMT track may need additional review or test prep sessions with the instructor prior to the exam.

Workload: On-level (EMR) students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class on reading assignments and chapter questions. Honors (EMT) students should expect to spend 5-6 hours each week outside of class on reading assignments, chapter questions, and review.

Assignments: Students will be assigned 1-2 chapters each week to read at home each week so class time can be dedicated to the practice of hands-on skills.

Assessments: The instructor will give short quizzes to ensure that students are keeping up with their reading, which is necessary to prepare for the exam. In addition, students will be "signed off" and approved on hands-on skills throughout the course. The National Registry Exam will be administered in May 2025.

Textbook/Materials: Students should purchase or rent Emergency Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured Essentials Package 12th Edition by AAOS (ISBN # 978-1284227222)

Supplies: Students should purchase the following items and bring to class each week:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010G2I3PU/?coliid=I18ZZZ79D6Z0EF&colid=1BQJV62J905ZD&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1

Lab/Supply Fee: A supply fee of $30.00 is due payable to the instructor for consumable and in-class supplies and equipment.

What to Bring: Students should bring their textbook, notebook/paper, pen or pencil, and medical kit to class each week.

What to Wear: Students should wear comfortable clothing that would allow them to participate in occasional demonstrations on the floor.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in Science, Health, Elective, or Career Exploration for purposes of a high school transcript.

Natural Leaders is an outdoor education and leadership program. Each week, the group will venture into the woods surrounding Lake Fairfax for an authentic, immersive adventure featuring hiking, outdoor skills, leadership, and camaraderie. At each meeting, students take turns in different roles that are key to the group's success, safety, and fun such as: coordinator (plan out the group's schedule for the day); navigator (following the map, practice orienteering); naturalist (investigate and present a lesson about local plants, animals or ecology); skills coaches (research, practice, and demonstrate a skill to others, such as knot tying or whittling); game master (plan and teach an group game or challenge); and safety officer (present on a safety or first aid topic) They will also learn survival skills such as fire-building, outdoor edibles, building shelters, use of knives, and safety/first aid.

The student-led portions of the program promote group cohesion, cooperation, and friendship, while students benefit from the positive peer pressure to come prepared for their weekly roles and responsibilities. Tweens and teens will also become more confident and comfortable as leaders and outdoor adventurers as their self-reliance skills grow. Natural Leaders is supervised by an experienced Natural Leaders mentor, trained and supported in providing a positive experience and managing safety. They typically have a passion for sharing nature with kids, and may have a background in a range of skills such as wilderness first aid, survival skills, tracking, primitive skills, and experience in hiking, camping, rock climbing, water sports, etc. Natural Leaders meets weekly rain, snow, or shine, in all temperatures. Students should always dress is layers for the forecasted weather conditions. Registered students will receive more detailed instructions about what to wear, what to bring, and where to meet prior to the start of the program.

Natural Leaders is an outdoor education and leadership program. Each week, the group will venture into the woods surrounding Lake Fairfax for an authentic, immersive adventure featuring hiking, outdoor skills, leadership, and camaraderie. At each meeting, students take turns in different roles that are key to the group's success, safety, and fun such as: coordinator (plan out the group's schedule for the day); navigator (following the map, practice orienteering); naturalist (investigate and present a lesson about local plants, animals or ecology); skills coaches (research, practice, and demonstrate a skill to others, such as knot tying or whittling); game master (plan and teach an group game or challenge); and safety officer (present on a safety or first aid topic) They will also learn survival skills such as fire-building, outdoor edibles, building shelters, use of knives, and safety/first aid.

The student-led portions of the program promote group cohesion, cooperation, and friendship, while students benefit from the positive peer pressure to come prepared for their weekly roles and responsibilities. Tweens and teens will also become more confident and comfortable as leaders and outdoor adventurers as their self-reliance skills grow. Natural Leaders is supervised by an experienced Natural Leaders mentor, trained and supported in providing a positive experience and managing safety. They typically have a passion for sharing nature with kids, and may have a background in a range of skills such as wilderness first aid, survival skills, tracking, primitive skills, and experience in hiking, camping, rock climbing, water sports, etc. Natural Leaders meets weekly rain, snow, or shine, in all temperatures. Students should always dress is layers for the forecasted weather conditions. Registered students will receive more detailed instructions about what to wear, what to bring, and where to meet prior to the start of the program.

Natural Leaders is an outdoor education and leadership program. Each week, the group will venture into the woods surrounding Lake Fairfax for an authentic, immersive adventure featuring hiking, outdoor skills, leadership, and camaraderie. At each meeting, students take turns in different roles that are key to the group's success, safety, and fun such as: coordinator (plan out the group's schedule for the day); navigator (following the map, practice orienteering); naturalist (investigate and present a lesson about local plants, animals or ecology); skills coaches (research, practice, and demonstrate a skill to others, such as knot tying or whittling); game master (plan and teach an group game or challenge); and safety officer (present on a safety or first aid topic) They will also learn survival skills such as fire-building, outdoor edibles, building shelters, use of knives, and safety/first aid.

The student-led portions of the program promote group cohesion, cooperation, and friendship, while students benefit from the positive peer pressure to come prepared for their weekly roles and responsibilities. Tweens and teens will also become more confident and comfortable as leaders and outdoor adventurers as their self-reliance skills grow. Natural Leaders is supervised by an experienced Natural Leaders mentor, trained and supported in providing a positive experience and managing safety. They typically have a passion for sharing nature with kids, and may have a background in a range of skills such as wilderness first aid, survival skills, tracking, primitive skills, and experience in hiking, camping, rock climbing, water sports, etc. Natural Leaders meets weekly rain, snow, or shine, in all temperatures. Students should always dress is layers for the forecasted weather conditions. Registered students will receive more detailed instructions about what to wear, what to bring, and where to meet prior to the start of the program.

Natural Leaders is an outdoor education and leadership program. Each week, the group will venture into the woods surrounding Lake Fairfax for an authentic, immersive adventure featuring hiking, outdoor skills, leadership, and camaraderie. At each meeting, students take turns in different roles that are key to the group's success, safety, and fun such as: coordinator (plan out the group's schedule for the day); navigator (following the map, practice orienteering); naturalist (investigate and present a lesson about local plants, animals or ecology); skills coaches (research, practice, and demonstrate a skill to others, such as knot tying or whittling); game master (plan and teach an group game or challenge); and safety officer (present on a safety or first aid topic) They will also learn survival skills such as fire-building, outdoor edibles, building shelters, use of knives, and safety/first aid.

The student-led portions of the program promote group cohesion, cooperation, and friendship, while students benefit from the positive peer pressure to come prepared for their weekly roles and responsibilities. Tweens and teens will also become more confident and comfortable as leaders and outdoor adventurers as their self-reliance skills grow. Natural Leaders is supervised by an experienced Natural Leaders mentor, trained and supported in providing a positive experience and managing safety. They typically have a passion for sharing nature with kids, and may have a background in a range of skills such as wilderness first aid, survival skills, tracking, primitive skills, and experience in hiking, camping, rock climbing, water sports, etc. Natural Leaders meets weekly rain, snow, or shine, in all temperatures. Students should always dress is layers for the forecasted weather conditions. Registered students will receive more detailed instructions about what to wear, what to bring, and where to meet prior to the start of the program.

Find fascinating things in late fall! Hike through piles of fallen leaves. See farther through the bare branches. Look for evidence of animals getting ready for winter and birds migrating to warmer locales. Discover changes in plant life, observe stream ecology, and watch for changes in the weather!

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature. The group exploration/activities in the woods are for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated.

Find fascinating things in late fall! Hike through piles of fallen leaves. See farther through the bare branches. Look for evidence of animals getting ready for winter and birds migrating to warmer locales. Discover changes in plant life, observe stream ecology, and watch for changes in the weather!

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature. The group exploration/activities in the woods are for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated.

Have fun the final weeks of summer! Look forward to early fall! Animals are active and sunning themselves. Plants are mature, and flowers have gone to seed. The stream may have slowed down from summer drought, but discoveries at the water's edge abound.

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature. The group exploration/activities in the woods are for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated.

Have fun the final weeks of summer! Look forward to early fall! Animals are active and sunning themselves. Plants are mature, and flowers have gone to seed. The stream may have slowed down from summer drought, but discoveries at the water's edge abound.

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature. The group exploration/activities in the woods are for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated.

Experience the thrill of spring- nature's fastest paced season! Watch as the forest transforms each week with new leaves, flowers, nests, and the full stream bursting with life. It is the time for harvesting wild edibles, enjoying bird-song, and relishing the sights and smells of wildflowers and the fresh spring air.

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature. The group exploration/activities in the woods are for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated. Students must be age 6 by the start of the class, and they must be comfortable separating from their parents for the duration of the class.

Experience the thrill of spring- nature's fastest paced season! Watch as the forest transforms each week with new leaves, flowers, nests, and the full stream bursting with life. It is the time for harvesting wild edibles, enjoying bird-song, and relishing the sights and smells of wildflowers and the fresh spring air.

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature. The group exploration/activities in the woods are for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated. Students must be age 6 by the start of the class, and they must be comfortable separating from their parents for the duration of the class.

Witness the wonders of winter! Bundle up and look for signs of how animals live in the cold. Discover tracks in the snow, uncover nests and borrows, and find out who munched on twigs or bark. Observe transformations in plant life, moss, and fungus, and watch the changes to the watershed.

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature.

Witness the wonders of winter! Bundle up and look for signs of how animals live in the cold. Discover tracks in the snow, uncover nests and borrows, and find out who munched on twigs or bark. Observe transformations in plant life, moss, and fungus, and watch the changes to the watershed.

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature.

Find fascinating things in late fall! Hike through piles of fallen leaves. See farther through the bare branches. Look for evidence of animals getting ready for winter and birds migrating to warmer locales. Discover changes in plant life, observe stream ecology, and watch for changes in the weather!

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature. The group exploration/activities in the woods are for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated.

Children must be minimum age 4 by the start of this class and be able to separate from his parent comfortably AND follow the teacher's instructions.

Have fun the final weeks of summer! Look forward to early fall! Animals are active and sunning themselves. Plants are mature, and flowers have gone to seed. The stream may have slowed down from summer drought, but discoveries at the water's edge abound.

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature. The group exploration/activities in the woods are for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated.

Children must be minimum age 4 by the start of this class and be able to separate from his parent comfortably AND follow the teacher's instructions.

Experience the thrill of spring- nature's fastest paced season! Watch as the forest transforms each week with new leaves, flowers, nests, and the full stream bursting with life. It is the time for harvesting wild edibles, enjoying bird-song, and relishing the sights and smells of wildflowers and the fresh spring air.

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature. The group exploration/activities in the woods are for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated. Students must be age 6 by the start of the class, and they must be comfortable separating from their parents for the duration of the class.

Children must be minimum age 4 by the start of this class and be able to separate from his parent comfortably AND follow the teacher's instructions.

Witness the wonders of winter! Bundle up and look for signs of how animals live in the cold. Discover tracks in the snow, uncover nests and borrows, and find out who munched on twigs or bark. Observe transformations in plant life, moss, and fungus, and watch the changes to the watershed.

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature.

Children must be minimum age 4 by the start of this class and be able to separate from his parent comfortably AND follow the teacher's instructions.

Find fascinating things in late fall! Hike through piles of fallen leaves. See farther through the bare branches. Look for evidence of animals getting ready for winter and birds migrating to warmer locales. Discover changes in plant life, observe stream ecology, and watch for changes in the weather!

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature. The group exploration/activities in the woods are for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated.

Find fascinating things in late fall! Hike through piles of fallen leaves. See farther through the bare branches. Look for evidence of animals getting ready for winter and birds migrating to warmer locales. Discover changes in plant life, observe stream ecology, and watch for changes in the weather!

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature. The group exploration/activities in the woods are for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated.

Find fascinating things in late fall! Hike through piles of fallen leaves. See farther through the bare branches. Look for evidence of animals getting ready for winter and birds migrating to warmer locales. Discover changes in plant life, observe stream ecology, and watch for changes in the weather!

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature. The group exploration/activities in the woods are for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated.

Experience the thrill of spring- nature's fastest paced season! Watch as the forest transforms each week with new leaves, flowers, nests, and the full stream bursting with life. It is the time for harvesting wild edibles, enjoying bird-song, and relishing the sights and smells of wildflowers and the fresh spring air.

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature. The group exploration/activities in the woods are for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated. Students must be age 6 by the start of the class, and they must be comfortable separating from their parents for the duration of the class.

Experience the thrill of spring- nature's fastest paced season! Watch as the forest transforms each week with new leaves, flowers, nests, and the full stream bursting with life. It is the time for harvesting wild edibles, enjoying bird-song, and relishing the sights and smells of wildflowers and the fresh spring air.

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature. The group exploration/activities in the woods are for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated. Students must be age 6 by the start of the class, and they must be comfortable separating from their parents for the duration of the class.

Witness the wonders of winter! Bundle up and look for signs of how animals live in the cold. Discover tracks in the snow, uncover nests and borrows, and find out who munched on twigs or bark. Observe transformations in plant life, moss, and fungus, and watch the changes to the watershed.

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature.

Witness the wonders of winter! Bundle up and look for signs of how animals live in the cold. Discover tracks in the snow, uncover nests and borrows, and find out who munched on twigs or bark. Observe transformations in plant life, moss, and fungus, and watch the changes to the watershed.

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature.

Venture outdoors each week to explore the woods with a senior naturalist and mentor while learning valuable survival skills. Students will learn how to construct a temporary debris shelter, make cordage, identify edibles, track animals, purify water, perform basic first aid, and use maps and compass (orienteering). Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things you encounter outdoors, safe exploration of the woods, how to be a good steward of nature, and what to do if you ever became lost or injured in the woods. Skills will be reintroduced and adapted each each quarter because the available plants, animals, materials, and water sources change with each season. Students will have a blast, develop greater self-confidence, and build a strong connection to nature and to the real world! Explorations in the woodsis for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated. For information on where the class meets, what to wear, and inclement weather, see the webpage for Compass's Nature Quest program.

Venture outdoors each week to explore the woods with a senior naturalist and mentor while learning valuable survival skills. Students will learn how to construct a temporary debris shelter, make cordage, identify edibles, track animals, purify water, perform basic first aid, and use maps and compass (orienteering). Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things you encounter outdoors, safe exploration of the woods, how to be a good steward of nature, and what to do if you ever became lost or injured in the woods. Skills will be reintroduced and adapted each each quarter because the available plants, animals, materials, and water sources change with each season. Students will have a blast, develop greater self-confidence, and build a strong connection to nature and to the real world! Explorations in the woodsis for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated. For information on where the class meets, what to wear, and inclement weather, see the webpage for Compass's Nature Quest program.

Venture outdoors each week to explore the woods with a senior naturalist and mentor while learning valuable survival skills. Students will learn how to construct a temporary debris shelter, make cordage, identify edibles, track animals, purify water, perform basic first aid, and use maps and compass (orienteering). Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things you encounter outdoors, safe exploration of the woods, how to be a good steward of nature, and what to do if you ever became lost or injured in the woods. Skills will be reintroduced and adapted each each quarter because the available plants, animals, materials, and water sources change with each season. Students will have a blast, develop greater self-confidence, and build a strong connection to nature and to the real world! Explorations in the woodsis for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated. For information on where the class meets, what to wear, and inclement weather, see the webpage for Compass's Nature Quest program.

Venture outdoors each week to explore the woods with a senior naturalist and mentor while learning valuable survival skills. Students will learn how to construct a temporary debris shelter, make cordage, identify edibles, track animals, purify water, perform basic first aid, and use maps and compass (orienteering). Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things you encounter outdoors, safe exploration of the woods, how to be a good steward of nature, and what to do if you ever became lost or injured in the woods. Skills will be reintroduced and adapted each each quarter because the available plants, animals, materials, and water sources change with each season. Students will have a blast, develop greater self-confidence, and build a strong connection to nature and to the real world! Explorations in the woodsis for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated. For information on where the class meets, what to wear, and inclement weather, see the webpage for Compass's Nature Quest program.

Venture outdoors each week to explore the woods with a senior naturalist and mentor while learning valuable survival skills. Students will learn how to construct a temporary debris shelter, make cordage, identify edibles, track animals, purify water, perform basic first aid, and use maps and compass (orienteering). Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things you encounter outdoors, safe exploration of the woods, how to be a good steward of nature, and what to do if you ever became lost or injured in the woods. Skills will be reintroduced and adapted each each quarter because the available plants, animals, materials, and water sources change with each season. Students will have a blast, develop greater self-confidence, and build a strong connection to nature and to the real world! Explorations in the woodsis for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated. For information on where the class meets, what to wear, and inclement weather, see the webpage for Compass's Nature Quest program.

**This class will be taught in a Hybrid format with an online lecture on Mondays (9:00 am - 9:55 am) over a live, online platform** and in-person lab and activities on Wednesdays (9:30 am - 10:55 am). Registration for the Lab section will automatically enroll the student in the Lecture section.

This is a full-year, lab-based course that covers traditional concepts in physics. Physics is a college-preparatory course that encourages students to engage in scientific inquiry, investigations, and experimentation so they develop a conceptual understanding and basic scientific skills. Physics will help students understand phenomena in the physical world such as the forces on a roller coaster, wave action at the beach, speakers for their music, batteries in electric cars, and the electronics that power their favorite devices.

Students will develop an in-depth conceptual and analytical understanding of principles such as Newton's laws of motion, work and energy, momentum, circular motion, thermodynamics, sound, properties of light, electric fields and energy, and magnetism. This course will use algebra- and trigonometry- based mathematical models to introduce the fundamental concepts that describe mechanics. The course is designed to emphasize scientific thinking and reasoning, problem solving, and experimentation.

Meeting Dates: This is a 29-week course witht the week off to be announced.

Prerequisites/Corequisites: Students should have completed Algebra I, Geometry, and basic, right-angle trigonometry before taking this course. Students should be concurrently enrolled in Algebra II or PreCalculus when taking this course. For those students who have not covered trigonometry or other key Algebra II topics prior to encountering them in this course, the instructor will recommend resources and videos for independent review or instruction. Students are encouraged to buy the textbook over the summer to work through the Math Review section before September. The emphasis in this course is teaching/learning physic concepts, not teaching or re-teaching mathematical concepts.

Class Expectations: For both in-person and virtual class meetings, students are expected to come prepared, have class materials, and be ready to participate in class discussions and activities. During virtual lectures (Mondays), students are expected to be seated at a desk or table and have their cameras on.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 4 - 6 hours of independent study/homework every week consisting of pre-reading chapters, taking detailed notes on concepts before class, completing problem-solving activities, analyzing data, and writing formal lab reports.

Assignments: All assignments and announcements will be posted on Google classroom management site. There, students access assignments; upload lab reports, message instructor and classmates; and attend virtual conferences. Parents can view the course instructions and materials via their students' accounts.

Assessments: Quizzes, tests, and lab reports will be assigned throughout the course. A detailed answer key will be provided for students to review and correct their own work. Submitted assignments will be checked on Google Classroom to monitor completion and general understanding, but no grades will be assigned by the instructor. Homework will be marked as complete or incomplete. Parents may calculate a letter grade by comparing the total points earned to the total points available, using the provided answer keys.

Textbook/Materials: Students should purchase or rent Physics by James S. Walker (2014 ed.) (ISBN #9780131371156.)

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $100.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Supplies/Equipment: Students will need access to a computer with working camera, internet, a graphing calculator, a ruler, writing supplies, colored pens for graphs, highlighters, plain, lined, and graph paper, a 1-inch three ring binder, and a Five Star, 8.5" X 11" Quadrille-Ruled Notebook.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component full credit in laboratory science for purposes of a high school transcript.

This is a place-holder for the Physics lecture. Students should register for the Physics Lab, which will automatically enroll them in both class sections. A physical meeting room will be designated for on-campus students who have classes immediately before or after this virtual session.

A substantial snowfall in Sapporo or record rain in Ratnapura are noteworthy, but what about methane snow on Pluto's peaks and helium rain with ammonia hailstones on Jupiter? There is nothing new about twice-daily tides at Tybee island, but did you know there is tidal activity on the moon Titan? We know Alaska's Mount Veniaminof is volcanic, but did you know there are also volcanoes on Venus? Seismic activity is called earthquakes on Earth but called marsquakes on Mars!

Planetary science is an interdisciplinary field that combines geology, physics, chemistry, astronomy, seismology, and biology to our understanding of forces and phenomena on Earth and other planets. The class will examine Earth processes such as planetary formation and structure, cratering, tectonics, rock cycle, water cycle, sedimentary cycle, and aspects of oceanography and atmospheric science and evaluate the similar and different conditions on other planets and moons. Students will learn how space expeditions such as the Cassini, Galileo, and Kepler missions have collected valuable images and data on the conditions of other planets and their moons. They will discover how exoplanets have been identified and discuss what conditions might be found on these out-of-solar system planets. Just for fun, the class will tackle the contentious debate on whether Pluto and some other Kuiper belt bodies should be planets.

In this year-long laboratory science course, students will pair weekly discussions with experiments and activities that demonstrate concepts such as crater-dating, energy impact of asteroids in crater formation, erosion/degradation of craters, rock classification, tectonics using an earthquake table, spectra/light analyses to determine mineral content, and more. The class will also learn about the tools of planetary science on earth and in space. Students' laboratory work may also include citizen scientist initiatives using data and images collected by NASA and other institutions. Some lab activities may use computers and a spreadsheet to analyze publicly available data.

Note: This course will include select astronomy topics as they relate to the formation of planets and the solar system and the discovery of exoplanets, but this is not a course in astronomy. Themes such as galactic dynamics and life cycle of stars will not be covered. Also, while this course will include some concepts in atmospheric and oceanic sciences, there will be minimal overlap with the 2024-25 Atmospheric and Oceanic Science course at Compass, so students may take this course without substantial duplication.

Prerequisite: Algebra I should be completed

Class Meetings: This course meets two days per week with a one-hour lecture on  Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am and a laboratory on Fridays at 10:00 am. Students register for the lab section, and enrollment in the lecture section is automatic. Six (6) lab meetings over the duration of the year will take longer than one hour and will start at 9:30 am. The instructor will give students several weeks' notice, but enrolled students should understand that six times in the year, they will have to come for a longer lab session at an earlier start time.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class on reading and assignments.

Assignments: All assignments will be posted on password-protected Canvas classroom management site. There, students access assignments, upload homework, take automated quizzes and tests, track grades, and message instructor and classmates.

Assessments: Completed assignments will be assessed points. Parents can calculate a letter grade using the student's points earned divided by points available, in weighted categories that include assignments, labs, quizzes, tests, projects, and presentations. Parents may view all scoring and comments at any time through the Canvas site.

Textbook/Materials: Students should purchase or rent two textbooks for this class: Envisioning Exoplanets: Searching for Life in the Galaxy by Michael Carroll (ISBN: 978-1588346919); and The Little Book of Exoplanets by Joshua Winn (ISBN: 9780691215471).

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $100.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

What to Bring: Paper or notebook, pen or pencil

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit lab science for purposes of a high school transcript.

This is a place-holder for the Planetary Science lecture. Students should register for the Planetary Science Lab, which will automatically enroll them in both class sections.

Design, build, and program a robotic warrior which can battle other robots in the class on a tabletop arena. Each week, students will improve their robots though the addition of new sensors and components will program their creations to withstand different battle attacks.

Students will use the brand new LEGO Education Spike Prime robotics sets. They will build with motors, wheels/axles, gears, levers, and special components. Students will have to install touch, sound, color, and infrared sensors while also learning to program sequences and commands that use input/output devices for controlled movements and precise turns. Using the drag-and-drop Spike Prime coding menu, students will learn to program their robots while experimenting with key concepts such as fixed values, variables, loops, and logic constructs.
This course integrates science, engineering and computational thinking while introducing physical constraints, units of measurement, and coordinate systems. But, don't worry, this is a beginning robotics class. Prior experience is not expected, but returning students are welcome. Each student will build his/her own robotic project, so students can progress and customize at their own pace. In general, in this class, students will spend two weeks assembling, three weeks programming, and two weeks testing and re-designing their projects.

Topics in this Series: Lunar Lander (Quarter 1); Battle Bots (Quarter 2); Tomb Explorer (Quarter 3), and Soccer Bot Showdown (Quarter 4)

Design, build, and program a robotic warrior which can battle other robots in the class on a tabletop arena. Each week, students will improve their robots though the addition of new sensors and components will program their creations to withstand different battle attacks.

Students will use the LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 robotics sets. They will build with motors, wheels/axles, gears, levers, and special components. Students will have to install touch, sound, color, and infrared sensors while also learning to program sequences and commands that use input/output devices for controlled movements and precise turns. Using the drag-and-drop EV3 coding menu, students will learn to program their robots while experimenting with key concepts such as fixed values, variables, loops, and logic constructs.

This course integrates science, engineering and computational thinking while introducing physical constraints, units of measurement, and coordinate systems. But, don't worry, this is a beginning robotics class. Prior experience is not expected, but returning students are welcome. Each student will build his/her own robotic project, so students can progress and customize at their own pace. In general, in this class, students will spend two weeks assembling, three weeks programming, and two weeks testing and re-designing their projects.

Topics in this Series: Lunar Lander (Quarter 1); Battle Bots (Quarter 2); Tomb Explorer (Quarter 3), and Soccer Bot Showdown (Quarter 4)

Design, build, and program a robotic warrior which can battle other robots in the class on a tabletop arena. Each week, students will improve their robots though the addition of new sensors and components will program their creations to withstand different battle attacks.

Students will use the brand new LEGO Education Spike Prime robotics sets. They will build with motors, wheels/axles, gears, levers, and special components. Students will have to install touch, sound, color, and infrared sensors while also learning to program sequences and commands that use input/output devices for controlled movements and precise turns. Using the drag-and-drop Spike Prime coding menu, students will learn to program their robots while experimenting with key concepts such as fixed values, variables, loops, and logic constructs.
This course integrates science, engineering and computational thinking while introducing physical constraints, units of measurement, and coordinate systems. But, don't worry, this is a beginning robotics class. Prior experience is not expected, but returning students are welcome. Each student will build his/her own robotic project, so students can progress and customize at their own pace. In general, in this class, students will spend two weeks assembling, three weeks programming, and two weeks testing and re-designing their projects.

Topics in this Series: Lunar Lander (Quarter 1); Battle Bots (Quarter 2); Tomb Explorer (Quarter 3), and Soccer Bot Showdown (Quarter 4)

Design, build, and program a robotic vehicle to simulate a lunar lander which can traverse an uneven terrain and collect "moon rocks." Each week, students will improve their landers though the addition of new sensors and components and will program their creations to complete changing lunar challenges.

Students will use the brand new LEGO Education Spike Prime robotics sets. They will build with motors, wheels/axles, gears, levers, and special components. Students will have to install touch, sound, color, and infrared sensors while also learning to program sequences and commands that use input/output devices for controlled movements and precise turns. Using the drag-and-drop Spike Prime coding menu, students will learn to program their robots while experimenting with key concepts such as fixed values, variables, loops, and logic constructs.

This course integrates science, engineering and computational thinking while introducing physical constraints, units of measurement, and coordinate systems. But, don't worry, this is a beginning robotics class. Prior experience is not expected, but returning students are welcome. Each student will build his/her own robotic project, so students can progress and customize at their own pace. In general, in this class, students will spend two weeks assembling, three weeks programming, and two weeks testing and re-designing their projects.

Topics in this Series: Lunar Lander (Quarter 1); Battle Bots (Quarter 2); Tomb Explorer (Quarter 3), and Soccer Bot Showdown (Quarter 4)

Design, build, and program a robotic vehicle to simulate a lunar lander which can traverse an uneven terrain and collect "moon rocks." Each week, students will improve their landers though the addition of new sensors and components and will program their creations to complete changing lunar challenges.

Students will use the brand new LEGO Education Spike Prime robotics sets. They will build with motors, wheels/axles, gears, levers, and special components. Students will have to install touch, sound, color, and infrared sensors while also learning to program sequences and commands that use input/output devices for controlled movements and precise turns. Using the drag-and-drop Spike Prime coding menu, students will learn to program their robots while experimenting with key concepts such as fixed values, variables, loops, and logic constructs.

This course integrates science, engineering and computational thinking while introducing physical constraints, units of measurement, and coordinate systems. But, don't worry, this is a beginning robotics class. Prior experience is not expected, but returning students are welcome. Each student will build his/her own robotic project, so students can progress and customize at their own pace. In general, in this class, students will spend two weeks assembling, three weeks programming, and two weeks testing and re-designing their projects.

Topics in this Series: Lunar Lander (Quarter 1); Battle Bots (Quarter 2); Tomb Explorer (Quarter 3), and Soccer Bot Showdown (Quarter 4)

Design, build, and program a robot to move a ball down a field. Students will design, build, and program robots to compete in two-on-two soccer matches against each other. Can it capture the ball from another robot? Each week, students will improve their robots though the addition of new sensors and components and will program their robots for match-ups with other students.

Students will use the brand new LEGO Education Spike Prime robotics sets. They will build with motors, wheels/axles, gears, levers, and special components. Students will have to install touch, sound, color, and infrared sensors while also learning to program sequences and commands that use input/output devices for controlled movements and precise turns. Using the drag-and-drop Spike Prime coding menu, students will learn to program their robots while experimenting with key concepts such as fixed values, variables, loops, and logic constructs.
This course integrates science, engineering and computational thinking while introducing physical constraints, units of measurement, and coordinate systems. But, don't worry, this is a beginning robotics class. Prior experience is not expected, but returning students are welcome. Each student will build his/her own robotic project, so students can progress and customize at their own pace. In general, in this class, students will spend two weeks assembling, three weeks programming, and two weeks testing and re-designing their projects.

Topics in this Series: Lunar Lander (Quarter 1); Battle Bots (Quarter 2); Tomb Explorer (Quarter 3), and Soccer Bot Showdown (Quarter 4)

Design, build, and program a robot to move a ball down a field. Students will design, build, and program robots to compete in two-on-two soccer matches against each other. Can it capture the ball from another robot? Each week, students will improve their robots though the addition of new sensors and components and will program their robots for match-ups with other students.

Students will use the LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 robotics sets. They will build with motors, wheels/axles, gears, levers, and special components. Students will have to install touch, sound, color, and infrared sensors while also learning to program sequences and commands that use input/output devices for controlled movements and precise turns. Using the drag-and-drop EV3 coding menu, students will learn to program their robots while experimenting with key concepts such as fixed values, variables, loops, and logic constructs.

This course integrates science, engineering and computational thinking while introducing physical constraints, units of measurement, and coordinate systems. But, don't worry, this is a beginning robotics class. Prior experience is not expected, but returning students are welcome. Each student will build his/her own robotic project, so students can progress and customize at their own pace. In general, in this class, students will spend two weeks assembling, three weeks programming, and two weeks testing and re-designing their projects.

Topics in this Series: Lunar Lander (Quarter 1); Battle Bots (Quarter 2); Tomb Explorer (Quarter 3), and Soccer Bot Showdown (Quarter 4)

Design, build, and program a robot to move a ball down a field. Students will design, build, and program robots to compete in two-on-two soccer matches against each other. Can it capture the ball from another robot? Each week, students will improve their robots though the addition of new sensors and components and will program their robots for match-ups with other students.

Students will use the brand new LEGO Education Spike Prime robotics sets. They will build with motors, wheels/axles, gears, levers, and special components. Students will have to install touch, sound, color, and infrared sensors while also learning to program sequences and commands that use input/output devices for controlled movements and precise turns. Using the drag-and-drop Spike Prime coding menu, students will learn to program their robots while experimenting with key concepts such as fixed values, variables, loops, and logic constructs.
This course integrates science, engineering and computational thinking while introducing physical constraints, units of measurement, and coordinate systems. But, don't worry, this is a beginning robotics class. Prior experience is not expected, but returning students are welcome. Each student will build his/her own robotic project, so students can progress and customize at their own pace. In general, in this class, students will spend two weeks assembling, three weeks programming, and two weeks testing and re-designing their projects.

Topics in this Series: Lunar Lander (Quarter 1); Battle Bots (Quarter 2); Tomb Explorer (Quarter 3), and Soccer Bot Showdown (Quarter 4)

Design, build, and program an explorer robot to navigate newly discovered, unmapped ancient tomb. Each week, students will improve their robots though the addition of new sensors and components and will program their devices to navigate a maze and collect treasure.

Students will use the brand new LEGO Education Spike Prime robotics sets. They will build with motors, wheels/axles, gears, levers, and special components. Students will have to install touch, sound, color, and infrared sensors while also learning to program sequences and commands that use input/output devices for controlled movements and precise turns. Using the drag-and-drop Spike Prime coding menu, students will learn to program their robots while experimenting with key concepts such as fixed values, variables, loops, and logic constructs.
This course integrates science, engineering and computational thinking while introducing physical constraints, units of measurement, and coordinate systems. But, don't worry, this is a beginning robotics class. Prior experience is not expected, but returning students are welcome. Each student will build his/her own robotic project, so students can progress and customize at their own pace. In general, in this class, students will spend two weeks assembling, three weeks programming, and two weeks testing and re-designing their projects.

Topics in this Series: Lunar Lander (Quarter 1); Battle Bots (Quarter 2); Tomb Explorer (Quarter 3), and Soccer Bot Showdown (Quarter 4)

Design, build, and program an explorer robot to navigate newly discovered, unmapped ancient tomb. Each week, students will improve their robots though the addition of new sensors and components and will program their devices to navigate a maze and collect treasure.

Students will use the LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 robotics sets. They will build with motors, wheels/axles, gears, levers, and special components. Students will have to install touch, sound, color, and infrared sensors while also learning to program sequences and commands that use input/output devices for controlled movements and precise turns. Using the drag-and-drop EV3 coding menu, students will learn to program their robots while experimenting with key concepts such as fixed values, variables, loops, and logic constructs.

This course integrates science, engineering and computational thinking while introducing physical constraints, units of measurement, and coordinate systems. But, don't worry, this is a beginning robotics class. Prior experience is not expected, but returning students are welcome. Each student will build his/her own robotic project, so students can progress and customize at their own pace. In general, in this class, students will spend two weeks assembling, three weeks programming, and two weeks testing and re-designing their projects.

Topics in this Series: Lunar Lander (Quarter 1); Battle Bots (Quarter 2); Tomb Explorer (Quarter 3), and Soccer Bot Showdown (Quarter 4)

Design, build, and program an explorer robot to navigate newly discovered, unmapped ancient tomb. Each week, students will improve their robots though the addition of new sensors and components and will program their devices to navigate a maze and collect treasure.

Students will use the brand new LEGO Education Spike Prime robotics sets. They will build with motors, wheels/axles, gears, levers, and special components. Students will have to install touch, sound, color, and infrared sensors while also learning to program sequences and commands that use input/output devices for controlled movements and precise turns. Using the drag-and-drop Spike Prime coding menu, students will learn to program their robots while experimenting with key concepts such as fixed values, variables, loops, and logic constructs.
This course integrates science, engineering and computational thinking while introducing physical constraints, units of measurement, and coordinate systems. But, don't worry, this is a beginning robotics class. Prior experience is not expected, but returning students are welcome. Each student will build his/her own robotic project, so students can progress and customize at their own pace. In general, in this class, students will spend two weeks assembling, three weeks programming, and two weeks testing and re-designing their projects.

Topics in this Series: Lunar Lander (Quarter 1); Battle Bots (Quarter 2); Tomb Explorer (Quarter 3), and Soccer Bot Showdown (Quarter 4)