Humanities/Social Sciences Class Descriptions

Coming Soon

Coming Soon

This class will explore the judicial processes of the Roman Republic. Starting with the Regicide of the Tarquin King, followed by the first legal code, the Laws of the 12 Tables, all the way to the Codes of Emperor Justinian. This Semester will explore the foundation of the Roman Legal system that endures in some forms to this day. Like a traditional mock trial program, the class will hear cases, and students will defend themselves. Real historical cases will be studied and trial parts assigned to the class, which will be debated from the perspective of Plebes and Senators of ancient Rome. The class will serve as the jury and, if necessary, select period-appropriate verdicts and explain how they arrived at their decisions, while striving for period accuracy.

Topics in this Series: Crime & Punishment in Ancient Greece (Semester 1); Roman law, From Republic to Empire (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

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

Assignments: Google Drive (period maps, photographs and recreations) and YouTube (videos) links will be e-mailed to parents/students for homework or supplemental investigation.

Textbooks: None

Assessments: Will not be given.

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

After the failure of the initial land invasions in the South, the Union was forced to regroup and implement a new strategy. Plan "B", or The Anaconda Plan, was developed by General Winfield Scott, a seasoned warrior with 50 years of service to the American military. The Anaconda Plan was so named because it sought to "strangle" the South with a blockade, crippling its export-based economy and rendering them unable to support their war effort. This was economic warfare, and in the age of steam, rail transport, and ironclad warships, it would be the modern way to wage total war.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will each form a 10" X 14" shaped, foam diorama of a portion of the US coastline, with important southern harbors and their defensive fortifications. Students will each receive scale ironclad and sailing vessels to populate their scene. Once individual projects are constructed, students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create a larger battlefield. Students will spend the remainder of the quarter learning about the tactics and outcomes of the military engagement while playing a table-top strategy game using their fleets! Can the Confederate Navy run the blockade, or will the Union Navy successfully annihilate their coastal forts and ships?

The instructor will use maps and visual presentations to explain the historical background and circumstances leading up to the specific battle. Course documents, such as period 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 year's Civil War Series include: First Battle of Manassas (Quarter 1); The Anaconda Plan, Civil War Naval Battles (Quarter 2); The Atlanta Campaign and Sherman's March to the Sea (Quarter 3); and The Siege of Petersburg, the fall of Richmond (Quarter 4).

By June 1864, the end was near for the Confederacy. All that stood between the Union Army and Richmond was a series of forts interconnected by trenches at Petersburg, to the south. This battle, like Vicksburg before it, was war on a scale that would not be seen again until WWI. The most famous battle site along the miles of trenches was the Battle of the Crater. Using explosives, the Union Army undermined the Confederate lines and blew up an entire fort, expecting to decisively win the battle in July. Unfortunately, unprepared units rushed into The Crater without knowing the full plan. They were stuck there when Confederates counter-attacked in a siege that would last nine more months, until late March 1865, just weeks before the Confederacy's final surrender at Appomattox Courthouse.
Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will each form a 10" X 14" shaped, foam diorama of a portion of a battlefield from the campaign. Students will each receive 1:72 scale miniature soldiers to populate their scene. Once individual projects are constructed, students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create larger scenes. Students will spend the remainder of the quarter learning about the tactics and outcomes of the military engagement while playing a table-top strategy game. Student strategists will use a simplified version of the Fire and Fury gaming rule system for moving troops and equipment.
The instructor will use maps and visual presentations to explain the historical background and circumstances leading up to the specific battle. Course documents, such as period 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 year's Civil War Series include: First Battle of Manassas (Quarter 1); The Anaconda Plan, Civil War Naval Battles (Quarter 2); The Atlanta Campaign and Sherman's March to the Sea (Quarter 3); and The Siege of Petersburg, the fall of Richmond (Quarter 4).

The second phase of the Union's master plan to destroy the Confederacy's resistance was to split it in two along its major supply route, the Mississippi River. Having accomplished this on July 4, 1863, with the Fall of Vicksburg, it was time to dismantle the Confederacy. General William T. Sherman would march from the Union-controlled Mississippi River across Tennessee to invade Georgia. He would lead his troops through Atlanta and on to the coast through Savannah, with the express purpose not of just fighting Confederate armies, but destroying anything of economic value to the South, leaving it in ashes. Railways were wrecked, farms and cotton fields burned, slaves freed, and the countryside scoured for food as his army fed off the land. This was a campaign of "Scorched Earth." While this was happening, General Ulysses S. Grant was commanding the rest of the Union to begin the capture of the Confederate Capital at Richmond.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will each form a 10" X 14" shaped, foam diorama of a portion of a battlefield from the campaign. Students will each receive 1:72 scale miniature soldiers to populate their scene. Once individual projects are constructed, students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create larger scenes. Students will spend the remainder of the quarter learning about the tactics and outcomes of the military engagement while playing a table-top strategy game. Student strategists will use a simplified version of the Fire and Fury gaming rule system for moving troops and equipment.

The instructor will use maps and visual presentations to explain the historical background and circumstances leading up to the specific battle. Course documents, such as period 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 year's Civil War Series include: First Battle of Manassas (Quarter 1); The Anaconda Plan, Civil War Naval Battles (Quarter 2); The Atlanta Campaign and Sherman's March to the Sea (Quarter 3); and The Siege of Petersburg and the Fall of Richmond (Quarter 4).

Students will engage in a hands-on 3D battle strategy game using the military dioramas that they make!

In late 1944, the outcome of the Second World War was no longer in doubt, however, the ongoing fighting was just as lethal. Hitler was desperate to pull off a miraculous victory in the West, and he set his sight on the Ardennes, a "quiet" sector of the front in Luxembourg where the Allies had sent badly damaged units to recover from fierce fighting elsewhere. The Allies believed that Germany would not invade through the forest in the winter, especially with the dire circumstances they faced everywhere else. This was a miscalculation. Hitler used this opportunity to ram the last functioning units to attempt to "drive the Allies back into the sea" and take the port of Antwerp in a conflict known as The Battle of the Bulge.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will each form a 10" X 14" shaped, foam diorama with landscape elements (hills, valleys, rivers, ridges, vegetation, airfields, etc) to represent a scene of a famous historical engagement. Students will each receive scale miniature naval ships to populate their scene. Once individual projects are constructed, students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to approximate the larger battlefield terrain. Students will spend the remainder of the quarter learning about the tactics and outcomes of the military engagement while playing a table-top strategy game. Student strategists will use a simplified version of the Axis and Allies gaming rule system for moving troops and equipment. Along with their classmates, students will see how this battle progressed and test different outcome scenarios that might have occurred with different battlefield choices.

The instructor will use maps and visual presentations to explain the historical background and circumstances leading up to the specific battle. Course documents, such as period 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 year's series include: Pearl Harbor (Quarter 1), Guadalcanal (Quarter 2), D-Day (Quarter 3), and Battle of the Bulge (Quarter 4).

Students will engage in a hands-on 3D battle strategy game using the military dioramas that they make!

In late 1944, the outcome of the Second World War was no longer in doubt, however, the ongoing fighting was just as lethal. Hitler was desperate to pull off a miraculous victory in the West, and he set his sight on the Ardennes, a "quiet" sector of the front in Luxembourg where the Allies had sent badly damaged units to recover from fierce fighting elsewhere. The Allies believed that Germany would not invade through the forest in the winter, especially with the dire circumstances they faced everywhere else. This was a miscalculation. Hitler used this opportunity to ram the last functioning units to attempt to "drive the Allies back into the sea" and take the port of Antwerp in a conflict known as The Battle of the Bulge.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will each form a 10" X 14" shaped, foam diorama with landscape elements (hills, valleys, rivers, ridges, vegetation, airfields, etc) to represent a scene of a famous historical engagement. Students will each receive scale miniature naval ships to populate their scene. Once individual projects are constructed, students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to approximate the larger battlefield terrain. Students will spend the remainder of the quarter learning about the tactics and outcomes of the military engagement while playing a table-top strategy game. Student strategists will use a simplified version of the Axis and Allies gaming rule system for moving troops and equipment. Along with their classmates, students will see how this battle progressed and test different outcome scenarios that might have occurred with different battlefield choices.

The instructor will use maps and visual presentations to explain the historical background and circumstances leading up to the specific battle. Course documents, such as period 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 year's series include: Pearl Harbor (Quarter 1), Guadalcanal (Quarter 2), D-Day (Quarter 3), and Battle of the Bulge (Quarter 4).

Students will engage in a hands-on 3D battle strategy game using the military dioramas that they make!

The liberation of France from Nazi control began when 156,000 allied American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along the heavily fortified coast of France's Normandy region. Code-named Operation Overlord, the invasion was the largest amphibious military assault in history. Allied Supreme Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower described this massive operation as, "the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world." The Battle of Normandy began on June 6, 1944, and was known as D-Day. By late August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated, and by the following spring, the Allies had defeated the Germans. The Normandy landings have been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will each form a 10" X 14" shaped, foam diorama with landscape elements (hills, valleys, rivers, ridges, vegetation, airfields, etc) to represent a scene of a famous historical engagement. Students will each receive scale miniature naval ships to populate their scene. Once individual projects are constructed, students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to approximate the larger battlefield terrain. Students will spend the remainder of the quarter learning about the tactics and outcomes of the military engagement while playing a table-top strategy game. Student strategists will use a simplified version of the Axis and Allies gaming rule system for moving troops and equipment. Along with their classmates, students will see how this battle progressed and test different outcome scenarios that might have occurred with different battlefield choices.

The instructor will use maps and visual presentations to explain the historical background and circumstances leading up to the specific battle. Course documents, such as period 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 year's series include: Pearl Harbor (Quarter 1), Guadalcanal (Quarter 2), D-Day (Quarter 3), and Battle of the Bulge (Quarter 4).

Students will engage in a hands-on 3D battle strategy game using the military dioramas that they make!

The liberation of France from Nazi control began when 156,000 allied American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along the heavily fortified coast of France's Normandy region. Code-named Operation Overlord, the invasion was the largest amphibious military assault in history. Allied Supreme Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower described this massive operation as, "the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world." The Battle of Normandy began on June 6, 1944, and was known as D-Day. By late August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated, and by the following spring, the Allies had defeated the Germans. The Normandy landings have been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will each form a 10" X 14" shaped, foam diorama with landscape elements (hills, valleys, rivers, ridges, vegetation, airfields, etc) to represent a scene of a famous historical engagement. Students will each receive scale miniature naval ships to populate their scene. Once individual projects are constructed, students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to approximate the larger battlefield terrain. Students will spend the remainder of the quarter learning about the tactics and outcomes of the military engagement while playing a table-top strategy game. Student strategists will use a simplified version of the Axis and Allies gaming rule system for moving troops and equipment. Along with their classmates, students will see how this battle progressed and test different outcome scenarios that might have occurred with different battlefield choices.

The instructor will use maps and visual presentations to explain the historical background and circumstances leading up to the specific battle. Course documents, such as period 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 year's series include: Pearl Harbor (Quarter 1), Guadalcanal (Quarter 2), D-Day (Quarter 3), and Battle of the Bulge (Quarter 4).

Students will engage in a hands-on 3D battle strategy game using the military dioramas that they make!

The opening stage of the Pacific Theater of WWII was a painful lesson for the United States, especially the Navy. Starting with the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that crippled much of the fleet, Japan continued with devastating and coordinated strikes across the whole Pacific that pushed the US and its allies back across thousands of miles of ocean. That changed at Midway, when the outnumbered US fleet ambushed and wrecked the Japanese on their way to take yet another isolated island. This opened the way for the US to go on the offensive and regain the initiative, starting between Hawaii and Allied Australia, in the Solomons at Guadalcanal. Rather than focus solely on the ground campaign, this class will also include a naval component, using models of the ships that fought the many naval battles of Guadalcanal at the infamous Iron Bottom Sound.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will each form a 10" X 14" shaped, foam diorama with landscape elements (hills, valleys, rivers, ridges, vegetation, airfields, etc) to represent a scene of a famous historical engagement. Students will each receive scale miniature naval ships to populate their scene. Once individual projects are constructed, students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to approximate the larger battlefield terrain. Students will spend the remainder of the quarter learning about the tactics and outcomes of the military engagement while playing a table-top strategy game. Student strategists will use a simplified version of the Axis and Allies gaming rule system for moving troops and equipment. Along with their classmates, students will see how this battle progressed and test different outcome scenarios that might have occurred with different battlefield choices.

The instructor will use maps and visual presentations to explain the historical background and circumstances leading up to the specific battle. Course documents, such as period 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 year's series include: Pearl Harbor (Quarter 1), Guadalcanal (Quarter 2), D-Day (Quarter 3), and Battle of the Bulge (Quarter 4).

Students will engage in a hands-on 3D battle strategy game using the military dioramas that they make!

The opening stage of the Pacific Theater of WWII was a painful lesson for the United States, especially the Navy. Starting with the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that crippled much of the fleet, Japan continued with devastating and coordinated strikes across the whole Pacific that pushed the US and its allies back across thousands of miles of ocean. That changed at Midway, when the outnumbered US fleet ambushed and wrecked the Japanese on their way to take yet another isolated island. This opened the way for the US to go on the offensive and regain the initiative, starting between Hawaii and Allied Australia, in the Solomons at Guadalcanal. Rather than focus solely on the ground campaign, this class will also include a naval component, using models of the ships that fought the many naval battles of Guadalcanal at the infamous Iron Bottom Sound.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will each form a 10" X 14" shaped, foam diorama with landscape elements (hills, valleys, rivers, ridges, vegetation, airfields, etc) to represent a scene of a famous historical engagement. Students will each receive scale miniature naval ships to populate their scene. Once individual projects are constructed, students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to approximate the larger battlefield terrain. Students will spend the remainder of the quarter learning about the tactics and outcomes of the military engagement while playing a table-top strategy game. Student strategists will use a simplified version of the Axis and Allies gaming rule system for moving troops and equipment. Along with their classmates, students will see how this battle progressed and test different outcome scenarios that might have occurred with different battlefield choices.

The instructor will use maps and visual presentations to explain the historical background and circumstances leading up to the specific battle. Course documents, such as period 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 year's series include: Pearl Harbor (Quarter 1), Guadalcanal (Quarter 2), D-Day (Quarter 3), and Battle of the Bulge (Quarter 4).

The Trojan War is famously recounted in Homer's Epic, the Iliad. However, the Iliad was written in the 8th century BCE, making it one of, if not the oldest written stories in Western culture. The actual history however, remained lost for almost two thousand years since the time of the bronze age collapse, until the famed city was rediscovered in the 1800s by several archaeologists and excavated. This class will focus on the historical sites, modeling as accurately as possible the Bronze Age civilization and methods of architecture and warfare, to recreate the mythical ten-year siege of Troy, as ancient Greek heroes would have experienced it.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, paint, and miniatures, each student will craft a 10 X 16 diorama. In class, they will view historical maps, artistic renderings, and/or photographs to understand the topography and development of this time and place in history. Students will customize their dioramas with landforms, landscape elements, waterways, and structures to represent a scene from this period. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with 1:72 scale miniature figures. Students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to approximate a larger terrain and then compete in a history-based role-playing game which will reinforce lessons about the culture, economy, and/or warfare of the time. Each student will have at least one board and 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 year's series include:

Ancient Egypt & the Sea Peoples (Quarter 1); Ancient Greece & the Trojan War (Quarter 2); The Roman Republic (Quarter 3); and Viking Invasions (Quarter 4)

After the height of the Hellenistic period, when Greek Culture dominated the Mediterranean world, two rivals would emerge onto the scene- Carthage, on the coast of North Africa, and Rome in central Italy. Rome had tangled with the Greek successor states before, and despite losing, had fought so doggedly that King Phyrrhus of Epirus would declare, "one other such victory would utterly undo him" showing Rome's resolve to keep fighting after massive defeats. This gives us the phrase, "Pyrrhic victory," for a win so costly that it may as well have been a defeat. Rome suffered massive defeats in the second of three punic wars, at the hands of Carthage's greatest general, Hannibal. The winner of these titanic clashes would dominate for another 500 years and shape the core of Western History and Culture. Two empires enter, only one leaves! Hannibal's brilliance versus Roman obstinance.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, paint, and miniatures, each student will craft a 10 X 16 diorama. In class, they will view historical maps, artistic renderings, and/or photographs to understand the topography and development of this time and place in history. Students will customize their dioramas with landforms, landscape elements, waterways, and structures to represent a scene from this period. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with 1:72 scale miniature figures. Students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to approximate a larger terrain and then compete in a history-based role-playing game which will reinforce lessons about the culture, economy, and/or warfare of the time. Each student will have at least one board and 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 year's series include:

Ancient Egypt & the Sea Peoples (Quarter 1); Ancient Greece & the Trojan War (Quarter 2); The Roman Republic (Quarter 3); and Viking Invasions (Quarter 4)

In the "dark ages" of Europe, the Germanic barbarians and former invaders who settled in Western Europe had their turn at being menaced by ferocious pagans from the far corners of the world- the Vikings! Anglo Saxon Britain and Francia (i.e. proto-France) were some of the first victims of the marauding Viking raids, but over three centuries, Viking pillaging and piracy would reach from the North African coast and Sicily, all the way to the Middle East! The reputation for plunder and violence was earned, but not the entire story. Archaeological evidence shows that the "Vikings" actually spent more time exploring and trading, bringing goods from as far away as China to burial mounds in Northern Europe. This class will discuss the perfect storm of conditions that made Viking life possible, and recreate their home port coastal villages.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, paint, and miniatures, each student will craft a 10 X 16 diorama. In class, they will view historical maps, artistic renderings, and/or photographs to understand the topography and development of this time and place in history. Students will customize their dioramas with landforms, landscape elements, waterways, and structures to represent a scene from this period. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with 1:72 scale miniature figures. Students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to approximate a larger terrain and then compete in a history-based role-playing game which will reinforce lessons about the culture, economy, and/or warfare of the time. Each student will have at least one board and 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 year's series include:

Ancient Egypt & the Sea Peoples (Quarter 1); Ancient Greece & the Trojan War (Quarter 2); The Roman Republic (Quarter 3); and Viking Invasions (Quarter 4)

Virginia experienced fighting from the earliest days of the Civil War, throughout the conflict, and at the very end near Appomattox Courthouse following the Confederacy's loss of its capital in Richmond. Virginia saw almost every type of battlefield fought in the war, from the fields of Manassas to the mountains in the Shenandoah and from the first ironclad battles around Hampton Roads to sieges on a scale never before seen at Petersburg. There is Civil War history all around Virginia.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will each form a 10" X 14" shaped, foam diorama of a portion of a battlefield from the campaign. Choices will include some of the Civil War's earliest battles, like Bull Run and Manassas, the Defenses of Washington, guerilla battles in the Shenandoah Valley, or great sieges like Petersburg. Students will each receive 1:72 scale miniature soldiers to populate their scene. Once individual projects are constructed, students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create larger scenes. Students will spend the remainder of the quarter learning about the tactics and outcomes of the military engagement while playing a table-top strategy game. Student strategists will use a simplified version of the Fire and Fury gaming rule system for moving troops and equipment.

The instructor will use maps and visual presentations to explain the historical background and circumstances leading up to the specific battle. Course documents, such as period 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 year's Civil War Series include: First Battle of Manassas (Quarter 1); The Anaconda Plan, Civil War Naval Battles (Quarter 2); The Atlanta Campaign and Sherman's March to the Sea (Quarter 3); and The Siege of Petersburg, the fall of Richmond (Quarter 4).

Before the founding of the America, there were thirteen original British colonies, and Virginia was the oldest, as well as one of the largest and most influential. Often called "The Birthplace of Presidents," Virginia gave us many of the country's Founding Fathers, like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and James Madison. It was in Virginia, at Yorktown, that the American War of Independence would come to an end, and Virginians would be present at most major battles of the Revolution. Students will create a diorama board of a famous Revolutionary battle relevant to Virginia, choosing from the battle of the Great Bridge at Norfolk, the Battle of Vincennes with the Virginia militia in Indiana, or the Battle of Yorktown.

Each student will create an individual diorama. Students will craft and hand-shape their scene on a 10 x 16 inch foam board using artistic, model-making techniques. They will customize their dioramas with landscape elements, waterways, structures of the time, and paint. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with 1:72 scale miniature figures and combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create a larger terrain. Students will then compete in a history-based strategy game. This will reinforce lessons about the culture, economy, warfare, and politics of the time. Each student will have at least one board and 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 year's series include Virginia History: Jamestown and the Powhatan Confederacy, 1607 (1st quarter), The American War of Independence (2nd quarter), The War of 1812 (3rd quarter), and The Civil War 1861-1865 (4th quarter).

After the American war of Independence, the young nation of the United States struggled to gain its footing internationally, especially in the eyes of its former colonial masters, Great Britain. The class will discuss the lead-up to the War of 1812, from the perspectives of the young American nation and the British Empire, how America's first political parties opposed or supported the war, and the national consequences that would result. Once the diorama boards are completed, students will re-enact battles like the burning of Washington.

Each student will create an individual diorama. Students will craft and hand-shape their scene on a 10 x 16 inch foam board using artistic, model-making techniques. They will customize their dioramas with landscape elements, waterways, structures of the time, and paint. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with 1:72 scale miniature figures and combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create a larger terrain. Students will then compete in a history-based strategy game. This will reinforce lessons about the culture, economy, warfare, and politics of the time. Each student will have at least one board and 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 year's series include Virginia History: Jamestown and the Powhatan Confederacy, 1607 (1st quarter), The American War of Independence (2nd quarter), The War of 1812 (3rd quarter), and The Civil War 1861-1865 (4th quarter).

Learn world geography through hands-on, interactive play rather than by studying flat, dull maps! Many great games feature play on map-based game boards that can be used as teaching tools. Visual and kinesthetic learners will remember where Mongolia and Madagascar are when they have amassed miniature armies there! The instructor will use board games from his personal collection as teaching tools. In addition, he creates custom boards to use with established game rules and pieces.

Second quarter, students will learn about Ancient Greece and The Roman Empire using the games Successors and Conquest of the Empire. The class will be able to identify and locate the extent of Ancient Greece which encircled the Aegean Sea, reached Asia minor, abutted the coastal regions of the Persian Empire, and stretched to Byzantium and Macedonia. The class will also learn about the extent of the Roman Empire which was one of the largest in history, with contiguous territories throughout Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. The Roman Empire reached Hadrian's wall in northern England, Euphrates in Syria, the Nile River Valley in Egypt, and the plains of north Africa, completely encircling the Mediterranean Sea.

Topics in this series include: Early Civilizations (Quarter 1); Ancient Greece & Rome (Quarter 2), Medieval Europe (Quarter 3), and The Modern World (Quarter 4). There is a $15.00 supply fee due to the instructor on the first day of class for custom-printed maps and shared class materials.

Learn world geography through hands-on, interactive play rather than by studying flat, dull maps! Many great games feature play on map-based game boards that can be used as teaching tools. Visual and kinesthetic learners will remember where Mongolia and Madagascar are when they have amassed miniature armies there! The instructor will use board games from his personal collection as teaching tools. In addition, he creates custom boards to use with established game rules and pieces.

Third quarter, students will learn about the vast Medieval world through a collection of games. The class will learn about the Anglo-Saxon region through the game Britannia, a Viking game, and Medieval Risk.

Topics in this series include: Early Civilizations (Quarter 1); Ancient Greece & Rome (Quarter 2), Medieval Europe (Quarter 3), and The Modern World (Quarter 4). There is a $15.00 supply fee due to the instructor on the first day of class for custom-printed maps and shared class materials.

Learn world geography through hands-on, interactive play rather than by studying flat, dull maps! Many great games feature play on map-based game boards that can be used as teaching tools. Visual and kinesthetic learners will remember where Mongolia and Madagascar are when they have amassed miniature armies there! The instructor will use board games from his personal collection as teaching tools. In addition, he creates custom boards to use with established game rules and pieces.
Fourth quarter, students will learn about the geography of the modern world using a custom map and the game of Risk and several editions of the game Axis and Allies.

Topics in this series include: Early Civilizations (Quarter 1); Ancient Greece & Rome (Quarter 2), Medieval Europe (Quarter 3), and The Modern World (Quarter 4). There is a $15.00 supply fee due to the instructor on the first day of class for custom-printed maps and shared class materials.

Discover geography and diverse cultures in this interactive, imaginary tour of the world. Each quarter, students will take a classroom journey to two distinct nations. They will locate the highlighted countries on the world map and complete a map project before buckling in for a fictional flight to the featured locales. Once they have "arrived" in the country, they will begin with an introduction to home and school life by meeting a child through a story or video. Students will learn to recognize similarities and appreciate differences when they compare that child's home, clothing, food, town, daily activities, and school to their own. In subsequent weeks, our Globe Trotters will learn about the culture and traditions of the country through songs, games, projects, and activities that highlight elements like folktales, customs, celebrations, distinct features, language, points of interest, or native species.

Third quarter, students will journey to China and England. China is the world's most populous country. Its territory is the third largest in size, encompassing great snowy mountains, large desert basins, steppes, mangrove swamps, and rainforests. China has rich mineral and natural resources and unique animal species such as the giant panda, pangolin, and giant salamanders found nowhere else. China's famed Great Wall is experienced by millions of visitors each year. England is part of Great Britain and has a longtime relationship with the US. In England, visitors can find the ancient rock sculptures at Stonehenge, Roman ruins in the form of forts, roads, and aqueducts, Early Medieval, and Gothic construction. England has a rich literary history consisting of pagan folklore with goblins, elves, and witches and Middle Ages Robin Hood, King Arthur, Beowulf, to the modern Harry Potter franchise. The modern monarchy in Great Britain is still revered around the world. Example projects from these countries many include a celebration of Chinese Lunar New Year and tile-making, embroidery, and high tea (England).

Students will be excited by geography and culture when approached through this engaging, multi-disciplinary exploration of diverse countries of the globe! Topics in this Series include Egypt and Korea (Quarter 1); Philippines and Germany (Quarter 2); China and England (Quarter 3); New Zealand and Ghana (Quarter 4). A supply fee of $15.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Discover geography and diverse cultures in this interactive, imaginary tour of the world. Each quarter, students will take a classroom journey to two distinct nations. They will locate the highlighted countries on the world map and complete a map project before buckling in for a fictional flight to the featured locales. Once they have "arrived" in the country, they will begin with an introduction to home and school life by meeting a child through a story or video. Students will learn to recognize similarities and appreciate differences when they compare that child's home, clothing, food, town, daily activities, and school to their own. In subsequent weeks, our Globe Trotters will learn about the culture and traditions of the country through songs, games, projects, and activities that highlight elements like folktales, customs, celebrations, distinct features, language, points of interest, or native species.

Fourth quarter, students will journey to New Zealand and Ghana. New Zealand is an island nation in the South Pacific that was first inhabited by Polynesians who settled and developed the Maori culture just 700 years ago. New Zealand is predominantly mountainous with climates that range from arid to wet and active volcanoes due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire. New Zealand recognizes the monarch of Great Britain as its monarch, and English is the dominant language. Ghana is warm and tropical nation in equatorial West Africa. Because of its rich natural resources, especially gold, at times there were castles and forts built by the Portuguese, Swedish, Danish, Dutch and Germans in Ghana before trade there fell under British control. Because of its flat plains and low hills, the country has very diverse plants and animals, and many that are considered threatened or critically endangered. Example projects from these countries may include Maori "tatoos" and poi balls (New Zealand), Kente cloth and beads (Ghana).

Students will be excited by geography and culture when approached through this engaging, multi-disciplinary exploration of diverse countries of the globe!

Topics in this Series include Egypt and Korea (Quarter 1); Philippines and Germany (Quarter 2); China and England (Quarter 3); New Zealand and Ghana (Quarter 4). A supply fee of $15.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Discover geography and diverse cultures in this interactive, imaginary tour of the world. Each quarter, students will take a classroom journey to two distinct nations. They will locate the highlighted countries on the world map and complete a map project before buckling in for a fictional flight to the featured locales. Once they have "arrived" in the country, they will begin with an introduction to home and school life by meeting a child through a story or video. Students will learn to recognize similarities and appreciate differences when they compare that child's home, clothing, food, town, daily activities, and school to their own. In subsequent weeks, our Globe Trotters will learn about the culture and traditions of the country through songs, games, projects, and activities that highlight elements like folktales, customs, celebrations, distinct features, language, points of interest, or native species.

Second quarter, students will journey to the Philippines and Germany. The Philippines are an archipelago nation of more than 7600 separate islands located on the Pacific Rim of Fire with 23 active volcanos and at least 5 earthquakes felt each day! The Philippines has colorful traditions with unique ties to Spain as a former colony, but also to Oceania, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. There, visitors can find one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world and rich natural resources. Germany is in Central Europe on the Baltic and North seas and is the most populous country in the EU. Germany has a strong economy and is a global power in industrial, scientific and technological sectors. Many Americans came claim German heritage as there was a long tradition of German immigration in early America. Example projects from these countries may include a Parole (or Christmas lantern) from the Philippines and Christmas cones from Germany.

Students will be excited by geography and culture when approached through this engaging, multi-disciplinary exploration of diverse countries of the globe! Topics in this Series include Egypt and Korea (Quarter 1); Philippines and Germany (Quarter 2); China and England (Quarter 3); New Zealand and Ghana (Quarter 4). A supply fee of $15.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Separate fact from fiction in the study of law and order. Did you know that on average it can take up to six months to get a DNA report, not same day? Did you realize that law enforcement only spend 4% of their time on violent crimes, not in high-speed car chases or high stakes foot races? This course is taught by a PhD candidate and adjunct professor in Criminology, Tayler Shreve. It is a survey of the Criminal Justice system for teens who are interested in becoming practitioners or professionals in this vast field which includes attorneys, investigators, detectives, forensic scientists, law enforcement officers, corrections officials, wardens, FBI, DEA, or ATF agents, researchers, or advocates.

Second semester, the class will take the information they have learned about criminals, crimes, cases, and law enforcement, and find out what happens when this information is brought into the judicial system. The class will learn to follow a case from discovery to trial while examining real documents such as rap sheets, case files, summary of the case, and the pre-sentencing reports. Students will consider the roles of police officer, detective, prosecutor, defense attorney, and judge and how each party forms a theory and strategy about the case. The class may take a field trip to a courtroom to see legal proceedings.

This course is not a study in social justice or reform but instead relies heavily on the facts, statistics and policies of our existing criminal justice system, details that every advocate and reformer should also understand.

Rating/Advisory: For sensitive students, please note that in the examination of actual crimes, violence such as assault and murder will be discussed. References may be made to illicit substances and weapons used in the commission of crimes. Course content will be filtered to be age-appropriate for high school students in the instructor's judgement. For example, real crime scene photos may be shown with evidentiary details, but not victims or body parts. Students may read autopsy reports, but they will not be shown autopsy photos, and cases of rape will be referred to as sexual assault with no intimate details.

Topics in this Series: Crimes and Cases (Semester 1), Courts and Corrections (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

Prerequisites: Students should be on-level for high school reading and comprehension.

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

Assignments: The instructor offers a Choose-Your-Own-Assignment policy in which students will be required to complete a certain number of assignments out of a selection of assignments offered. This allows a student to drill down on themes that they prefer and spend less time on topics that they do not prefer. All assignments will be posted on password-protected Canvas classroom management site. There, students access assignments, find course documents, upload homework, track points earned, and message instructor and classmates.

Assessments: The instructor will award points for completed assignments that parents can use to assign a grade.

Textbook/Materials: All materials will be links to open-source materials or scans of documents provided by the instructor and posted to the class Canvas site.

Lab/Supply Fee: None

What to Bring: Notebook or paper, pen, or pencil.

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

Would your behavior change if you suddenly found yourself working as a prison guard? Are your opinions influenced by others? If you were in distress, would it be better to have more people around you, or fewer? How do we define abnormality and classify mental disorders? How common are mental disorders and which are the most prevalent? How do mental disorders vary across cultures? The answers to these questions and others like them may surprise you! This class will begin by introducing students to the study of social interaction and human nature by reading, discussing and analyzing four influential cases that have shaped the way we understand social psychology today. Students will investigate factors that affect human behavior in different social settings and will learn about group behavior, the bystander effect, obedience to authority and more.

Halfway through the semester, we will switch gears and examine the nature, causes, and treatment of mental disorders. We will examine case studies by renowned psychologists including Dr. Mary Pipher. These readings will be at the core of this class, leading to ongoing, intellectually stimulating discussions. Topics covered will include phobias, PTSD, eating disorders, OCD, addiction, schizophrenia, dementia and more. Students will learn how to analyze field work, evaluate theories, and think critically about how these studies apply to the world around them. They will also have an opportunity to share research on a personal topic of interest.

Topics in this Series: Neuropsychology and Cognition (Semester 1) and Social and Abnormal Psychology (Semester 2)

Workload: Students should expect to spend 2 hours per week outside of class on readings. Students will be expected to prepare for weekly discussions by reading the selected case study and answering questions.

Assignments: All assignments will be posted on password-protected Canvas classroom management site. There, students can access assignments and upload homework. Extension assignments may include watching a short video clip, creating discussion questions, or suggesting a follow-up study.

Assessments: The instructor will assign points for class participation and homework that the parents can use in assigning a grade.

Lab/Supply Fee : None.

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

Coming soon

The Industrial Revolution of the 18th century built modern society and represented the most significant and rapid transformation in human history. This lured the population away from rural farms into urban centers where they could work in factories, kick-starting the consumer culture that continues to this day. Whole ways of life would be changed, or even destroyed altogether, replaced by an industrial machine hungry for resources, outputting goods and luxuries at a scale never before seen. How these goods were made and transported to new markets of eager consumers would make or break the fortunes of many.

Moving on from Agrarian America, the class will transition from farm to factory. Students will begin the semester as "independently wealthy" barons and tycoons of various mid-century industries. The class will use a custom Role-Playing Game to simulate a fully industrialized economy. From day one, students will be assigned to key roles in industry, from railroads and shipping, to a variety of factories or resource extraction. They must manage their initial investments wisely or risk being overrun by their classmates. They will endeavor to dominate their market and rule the supply and demand, or risk ending up penniless. In true role-playing fashion, will create characters and build their "backstories" to fit into this economy. Will they be Carnegies and Rockefellers, or will they run out of steam?

Using the lessons taught in class, students will navigate their interconnected business world, learning to either cooperate with or destroy their rivals. Using their carefully documented ledgers, the class will learn to manage key business elements, from keeping their labor force happy enough not to strike, forging deals and making partnerships, and of course, influencing government policy to their benefit.

The end of the semester should make clear how each business is interdependent on another, the benefits of cooperation or forceful acquisition. What role does a good (or bad) government play in encouraging and safeguarding investment and for whose benefit? Above all, it should stress the importance of keeping orderly records, making safe vs highly rewarding investments, and how to successfully manage working relationships. By recreating the circumstances of the industrial revolution, and navigating them in the role playing game, students should understand the why and how, to the history they've played through.

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

Prerequisites: None

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

Assignments: Course documents including period plans, photographs and recreations will be made available through a class Google Drive link emailed to parents (and students who provide their email address), as well as a class reading list of articles/excerpts and YouTube playlist for any videos watched in class or assigned as homework.

Assessments: Informal assessments will be given at the instructor's discretion, but assignments will not be scored or graded. Each student's financial success in the game will be an indicator of their learning and participation for purposes of assigning a grade. Parents will also be given shared access to their student's business plan with instructor and ledger, with instructor comments at the conclusion of class.

Textbook/Materials: None

What to Bring: Paper or notebook, pen or pencil

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in History, Economics, or Business for purposes of a high school transcript.

Coming Soon

Coming Soon