Schedule and Room Assignments

4th quarter classes begin the week of March 18, 2024. 

You can see key dates in our Google calendar or view our Academic Calendar. You can also view the schedule as a grid (below) or as a list.

Quarter beginning March 18, 2024

View by Grade(s)

Monday

9:00
9:30
10:00
10:30
11:00
11:30
12:00
12:30
1:00
1:30
2:00
2:30
3:00
3:30
4:00
4:30
5:00
D:5

Introduction to CS: JavaScript Programming*

Introduction to CS: JavaScript Programming*Closed

Quarter(s): 3,4

Day(s): Mon

Open Spots: 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. 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.

11:00 am-12:55 pm

8th-12th

(Semester Long)

H-7

3D Design & Printing Studio*

3D Design & Printing Studio*Closed

Quarter(s): 3,4

Day(s): Mon

Open Spots: 2

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 $40.00 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.

10:00 am-10:55 am

9th-12th

(Semester Long)

3D Design & Printing Studio- Middle School*

3D Design & Printing Studio- Middle School*Closed

Quarter(s): 3,4

Day(s): Mon

Open Spots: 4

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 $40.00 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.

11:00 am-11:55 am

6th-8th

(Semester Long)

H-20

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Training*

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Training*Closed

Quarter(s): 1,2,3,4

Day(s): Mon

Open Spots: 4

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 EMT. An EMT, or Emergency Medical Technician, is a frontline healthcare worker who, in Virginia, can work as early as age 16 once certified. Work as an EMT can be a young adult's side gig throughout college and can help them earn clinical hours that advanced medical programs want to see. This year-long course will cover medical terminology, anatomy, trauma scenarios- such as bleeding, broken bones, wounds, head injuries, and medical scenarios- such as illness, seizures, stroke, and cardiac or respiratory distress. The class will learn field techniques like using a tourniquet, applying dressings, splinting, testing blood glucose level, taking vital signs, and administering a few, limited OTC medications. Students will identify the role of an EMT during a mental health crisis and how to help deescalate a confrontation. They will discover how HIPPA, privacy, consent, and legal issues play in the EMT's role and how EMTs interface with law enforcement, hospitals, and other specialties in the community. Students in this class will use critical thinking skills to reason through problems they might encounter during emergencies. Finally, students will learn how to care for themselves in a field which can be emotionally and physically draining. This course is organized to prepare students to take the National Registry exam and earn their Virginia license as an EMT. Once licensed, a student can volunteer as an EMT on an ambulance until age 18 when he/she can be paid. At age 18, certified individuals could work for private transport companies or as a Clinical Technician in an Emergency Room. Notes: (1) Students must be age 16 no later than October 1 to enroll in this course. (2) Some colleges will retroactively award a student credit for earning their EMT certification. Prerequisite: Students should 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 May 14 and 21. Workload: Students should expect to spend 6 hours per week outside of class. 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 may 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 2024. 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:

  • Lightning X Small First Responder Stocked EMT Trauma Bag (student's choice of 7 colors) on Amazon.
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 $50.00 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.

1:00 pm-2:55 pm

10th-12th

(Year Long)

C-24

LEGO Robotics Training Team*

LEGO Robotics Training Team*Closed

Quarter(s): 3,4

Day(s): Mon

Open Spots: 0

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 2023-24. 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. There is a $40.00 supply/equipment fee payable to Compass on the first day for practice competition materials.

10:00 am-11:55 am

4th-6th

(Semester Long)

Robotics Challenge Lab*

Robotics Challenge Lab*Closed

Quarter(s): 3,4

Day(s): Mon

Open Spots: 3

Students will explore the science and technology of robotics in an open workshop environment. They will work in pairs by experience level and interests to plan, conceptualize, build, program, and test a robot of their own design. Student partners will set their own design and performance criteria for their robot. Will it be one that plays a game, gathers data, or completes a mission using custom code that the team has written and tested? This laboratory is open to beginners as well as returning students with prior experience. The class will focus on construction and programming, with the goal of having functional robots by the end of the semester. There will be an emphasis on the engineering-design process with repeated build-test-redesign iterations until the robot performs as expected. Student pairs will be encouraged to think creatively and apply problem-solving skills to find unique solutions to their scenario. Groups will move at their own pace, and completed robots may have different levels of complexity depending on the experience of the team. An experienced robotics competitor will serve as a mentor and facilitator during the lab. He will not teach formal lessons but will instead circulate among the partner teams to trouble-shoot and offer advice on hardware and software issues, spending more time with newer builders and programmers. Students will enjoy the collaboration and camaraderie that comes from watching the successes, missteps, and eventual solutions of other teams. They will build with Tetrix Prime metal robotics components, incorporate sensors [such as, ultrasonic distance, infrared (IR) proximity, mini-LIDAR (laser radar), touch, line-following, color- sensing, or sound sensors], electronics, and motors from Tetrix Prizm, and code using the Arduino IDE. Please note: Prior experience with robotics and coding are not required. Also, students do not get to keep finished projects. This is a 15-week course that will begin on January 22.

1:00 pm-2:55 pm

8th-12th

(Semester Long)

Room C-25

Animal Kingdom Alive! (11 AM)*

Animal Kingdom Alive! (11 AM)*Closed

Quarter(s): 4

Day(s): Mon

Open Spots: 1

Pet a parrot, meet a Madagascar hissing cockroach, touch a giant tortoise, study a sea star, and peek at a porcupine! Meet live animals at Compass each week as we explore some of the major animal families through interactive presentations. Each week, wildlife educators will bring a variety of animal ambassadors. They will discuss adaptations, habitats, diets, and diversity in the animal family. They will help students discover similarities and differences among species in animal families. Students will learn about adaptations and plenty of fun facts about the live animals that they meet each week. Our 2024 schedule is:

  • 3/18/2024: Ocean Invertebrates (clam, mussel, oyster, whelk, hermit crab, spider, crab, sea urchin, and horseshoe crab)
  • 3/25/2024: Raptors (hawks, owls, eagles)
  • 4/8/2024: Insects (roaches, tarantualas, centipedes, scorpions, stick bugs)
  • 4/15/2024: Ocean Vertebrates (oyster toadfish, hogchoker fish, small shark, other smaller fishes, and artifacts)
  • 4/22/2024: Tropical Birds (conures, parrots, macaws, parakeet)
  • 4/29/2024: Exotic Mammals (kangaroo, cavy, capybara, porcupine, kinkajou, hedgehog)
  • 5/6/2024: Amphibians (frogs, salamanders)
  • 5/13/2024: Reptiles (snakes, lizards, monitors, tortoises)
This is a 45-minute program. Participants must be age 6 or older for the program.

11:00 am-11:45 am

1st-3rd

Animal Kingdom Alive! (12 PM)*

Animal Kingdom Alive! (12 PM)*Closed

Quarter(s): 4

Day(s): Mon

Open Spots: 1

Pet a parrot, meet a Madagascar hissing cockroach, touch a giant tortoise, study a sea star, and peek at a porcupine! Meet live animals at Compass each week as we explore some of the major animal families through interactive presentations.

Each week, wildlife educators will bring a variety of animal ambassadors. They will discuss adaptations, habitats, diets, and diversity in the animal family. They will help students discover similarities and differences among species in animal families. Students will learn about adaptations and plenty of fun facts about the live animals that they meet each week. Our 2024 schedule is:

  • 3/18/2024: Ocean Invertebrates (clam, mussel, oyster, whelk, hermit crab, spider, crab, sea urchin, and horseshoe crab)
  • 3/25/2024: Raptors (hawks, owls, eagles)
  • 4/8/2024: Insects (roaches, tarantualas, centipedes, scorpions, stick bugs)
  • 4/15/2024: Ocean Vertebrates (oyster toadfish, hogchoker fish, small shark, other smaller fishes, and artifacts)
  • 4/22/2024: Tropical Birds (conures, parrots, macaws, parakeet)
  • 4/29/2024: Exotic Mammals (kangaroo, cavy, capybara, porcupine, kinkajou, hedgehog)
  • 5/6/2024: Amphibians (frogs, salamanders)
  • 5/13/2024: Reptiles (snakes, lizards, monitors, tortoises)

This is a 55-minute program.

12:00 pm-12:55 pm

4th-6th



Art / Music Science / Technology Humanities / Social Sciences Language Arts
Extracurricular Math Foreign Language (Full Classes)
Private Lessons Cooking Lunch N Learn