Another View of Classes

Homeschool Swim Lessons are taught at the Reston YMCA located 0.9 miles/ 3 minute drive from Compass's classroom facility. For more information on swimming lessons, see the program webpage. Young Beginners is for very young students with little to no swim experience and will cover YMCA Level 1 skills including water acclimation, floatation, water movement, putting face in the water, swimming 5 feet without a floatation device, and becoming comfortable on back in water. Please note that these skills will be introduced and progress at different rates depending on the comfortable level and experience of enrolled students and may take more than one quarter to complete. At times, students might be moved to a different swimming group (same day, same time, different instructor) to better match the experience level of enrolled children. Lessons are 40 minutes long, running from 0:05 until 0:45 after the hour, leaving enough time to towel dry, change clothes, and return to Compass for your next class. Students should bring a swimsuit, towel, and change of clothes. Googles and swim caps are optional. A parent (or parent proxy) is required to remain on site. Parents may wait on poolside benches or lobby seating. YMCA waivers must be signed and returned for each swimmer. All registration is completed through Compass. All YMCA swimming classes are taught by certified, experienced, background-checked adult instructors with experience teaching children. Consider enrolling your child in both Tuesday and Thursday classes to improve their rate of learning.

Elementary artists can get in on the action as they learn about a different artist or artistic style each week and create a representative piece using a wide range of artistic supplies such as tempura and water color paints, pastels, pencils, cray pas, oil pastel crayons, specialty papers, sculpting media, and embellishments. Second quarter, students will consider art inspired by the five, largely unexplored oceans that cover more than 70% of the planet. The class will use a variety of materials and techniques to represent scenes of the ocean, waves, beaches, islands, and the unique, colorful plant and animal life found only in those watery ocean worlds. Topics in this Series: Picasso in Perspective (Quarter 1); Original Works of the Worlds Oceans (Quarter 2); American Artist Spotlight (Quarter 3); Destination Art (Quarter 4). Supply Fee: There is a supply fee of $20.00, payable to the instructor on the first day of class which covers consumable class materials such a specialty papers, watercolor pencils, and paints.

Young dancers will practice skills in musicality, balance, flexibility, and coordination as they learn to dance as a group. Each quarter, a different musical fairytale ballet will provide the inspiration and the music for the class. Dancers will become familiar with the story of the ballet and the orchestral music as they go through their own routine. The music, story, and characters will serve as an inspiration for creative movement.

Second quarter, young dancers will learn the story of The Nutcracker, composed by Tchaikovsky, and performed as a ballet since 1892.. In class, dancers will learn to recognize, understand, and apply techniques from the Vaganova ballet method such as: 1st - 6th positions, marching and skipping, demi plie, grand plie, saute, bourree, grand jete, and tendu. Students will also develop their physical conditioning and learn teamwork. Dancers in this level must be minimum age 4 by the start of class.

A demonstration of skills learned will be showcased for parents on the last class each quarter. Registration is for one morning class, however students who wish to further their skills are encouraged to sign up for both Monday and Wednesday morning lessons. Compass ballet students will have an opportunity to audition for the Alchemy Ballet Academy Winter Performance (including excerpts from The Nutcracker).

Ballet students are expected to wear appropriate attire. Young ladies must wear a leotard with skirt (attached or detached), pink tights, and soft pink ballet shoes in canvas or leather. Young men must wear a slim-fitting white t-shirt, black shorts, white socks, and soft black ballet shoes in canvas or leather. Alchemy Ballet offers an optional kit of one leotard with skirt, one pair of tights, and one pair of soft shoes for $25.00 or soft shoes only for $6.50.

Prerequisites: None

Teens can now enjoy a hearty, healthy start to the morning with Breakfast Table cooking classes at Compass! Teens will enjoy the fun and friendship of making and eating breakfast together. At the same time, they will learn valuable life skills in meal planning and cooking essentials, while ensuring that they have a well-balanced, nutritious start to their day. The Compass chefs' breakfast adventures will include:

• Breakfast Egg Casserole
• Banana Waffles
• Morello Cherry and Vanilla Steel-Cut Oats
• Perfect Hash Browns
• Breakfast Burritos
• Biscuits and Gravy
• Mushroom & Leek Quiche

Students will enjoy making flavorful fall recipes and family favorites that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Festive Fall recipes are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. Each class will focus on a portion of a meal including appetizer, salad, soup, side dish, main dish, and dessert. The Compass chefs' culinary adventures will include:

• Corn Dip
• Chicken Vegetable Soup
• Cucumber and Feta Salad
• Southwestern Cheesy Chicken
• Garlic Ginger Carrots
• Sweet Potato Souffle
• Cranberry Curd Mini Tart

Calling crooked criminals who commit creepy crimes! Convening colorful characters who corroborate clues and constables who collaborate to crack the case! Connect with a kooky cast in Compass's new Detective Drama. Using materials from a commercial mystery role playing game (RPG), students will be guided through the facts of a fictitious case. Student sleuths will be follow clue cards, eclectic evidence, and phony forensics to uncover a crime. Emphasis will be on critical thinking, problem solving skills, and improvisation through the portrayal of unique characters involved in the crime. Students will be encouraged to develop a strong, compelling character, an original costume, a backstory, and of course, an alibi. Second quarter, students will unravel the Mystery of the Lost Jewels of the Titanic! On April 10, 1912, the luxury steamship the RMS Titanic set sail from Southampton, England to New York City. It was the first transatlantic trip for this luxury ship and many of the passengers aboard were wealthy industrialists, celebrities, and high-ranking officials. The wealthiest of these passengers was John Jacob Astor IV. Mr. Astor was carrying precious jewels with him across the Atlantic worth more than $10 million. Many of the passengers knew of Mr. Astor and his famed jewels. Find out who stole John Jacob Astor's jewels in this thrilling historical fiction mystery. In this workshop, students will experiment with acting and improvisation and working as a team. This class is best suited for students who are active listeners, are flexible and easily adapt, have a sense of humor, and enjoy working in a collaborative group. Students need to be able to stay in sync with the flow of the class. This is not an "anything goes" or free-for-all class. Because of the age of the students in this class, only capers such as burglaries or kidnappings will be portrayed instead of murders. Topics in this Series: The Case of the Missing Crown (First Quarter); The Mystery of the Lost Jewels of the Titanic (Second Quarter); Mystery at the Fair (Third Quarter), and The Missing Mona Lisa (Fourth Quarter). There is a class supply fee of $20.00 due payable to the instructor on the first day for the class RPG materials, printing, props, and investigation folders.

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.

Prerequisites: None

Salut! French with Friends is an introductory French class for elementary-aged students. The class will be taught in a predominantly immersion environment. Limited cues in English will be used to prompt students or explain difficult concepts. French language instruction will be presented in a natural learning sequence beginning with nouns (such as colors, numbers, clothing, foods, animals, family members, days/dates, etc), adjectives, beginning verbs, greetings, and simple phrases. Songs, games, stories, and hands-on activities will be used in class to review vocabulary and phrases. Emphasis will be on conversation, but students will be encouraged to learn to spell and sound out written French. Aspects of Francophone culture such as holidays, foods, and traditions will be incorporated in the classes. Each quarter introduces new themes and new vocabulary in French, so continuing students can continue to build their language basics. However, themes and units are non-sequential, so students may enroll in this level in any quarter. The goal of this introductory course is to lay foundations in sounds, vocabulary, and simple phrases while having fun and building confidence in a foreign language. Fluency should not be expected at this level.

You've dreamed about going to Hogwarts, and now is your chance to experience a year of magical classes! In this maker class, students will create projects inspired by their core classes at Hogwarts (Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Potions, and Transfiguration) and a Hogwarts guest professor. Students learn to work with a variety of materials and learn a broad range of crafting skills such as hand-sewing, painting, papercrafting (including precision cutting, folding, and stenciling) sculpting, and wireworking to create magical pieces inspired by the World of Harry Potter. Welcome to the second term at Hogwarts! This term we welcome Professor Sprout who will have you working with fresh herbs and making your own Mandrake. Of course, you'll also make crafts related to your core classes, including Nifflers (Care of Magical Creatures), Potion Bottles (Potions class), and more! This is a great class for Harry Potter fans who love the magical world, even for those who have not read all of the books or watched all of the movies. Projects and class discussions are geared to not reveal significant series spoilers. Note: A few classes may include a Harry Potter-inspired food creation or personal care product. The ingredients will be identified in advance, and students with food or ingredient allergies or dietary restrictions will need to check before handling/consuming. Substitute ingredients cannot be provided for those with food allergies or restrictions. Note: Project themes or materials are subject to change due to availability or sourcing at the time of the class. Topics in this Series: Guest Prof. Dumbledore (Quarter 1); Guest Prof. Sprout (Quarter 2); Guest Profs. Snape & Slughorn (Quarter 3), and Guest Profs. Hagrid & Hooch (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $40.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class. What to Bring: Students should bring good scissors for cutting paper/fabric, a ruler, and a low temp, mini hot glue gun to class each week.

Toffee. Taffy. Truffles... End the day on a sweet note! Students will enjoy making and eating delicious confections. Each week they will prepare a fresh, handmade dessert or sweet such as: pies, cakes, cookies, tarts, trifles, mousses, puddings, candies, fudge, brittle, or chocolates. The class will include some icing, decorating, and garnishing techniques for completed desserts. This quarter, the Compass bakers' culinary adventures will include:

• Red Velvet Crackle Cookies
• Whoopie Pies
• Mini Cherry Cheesecakes
• Cardamom Cakes
• Banana Split Bites
• Gummy Candy (vegan)
• Festive Cranberry Cake With Pecans (nuts)

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.

Prerequisites: None

Reading Rally is a supplemental reading and writing class for 5- and 6- year-olds. The class is whole language inspired with phonics games, partner reading, simple journaling, and self-created spelling lists for home. The group will explore habits of good readers and writers through examples of well-loved children's authors. Students must already be able to recognize each letter and corresponding sound of the alphabet, be familiar with simple blends, know a few beginner sight words (such as I, am, and no), and must be able to write their own name. This class section is for continuing, first quarter students. 

Homeschool Swim Lessons are taught at the Reston YMCA located 0.9 miles/ 3 minute drive from Compass's classroom facility. For more information on swimming lessons, see the program webpage. During the first lesson, students will be observed and determined to be Beginner or Advanced Beginner level, and the class will be divided accordingly among two instructors. Beginners level is for students with little to no swim experience and will cover YMCA Level 1 skills such as water acclimation, floatation, water movement, putting face in the water, swimming 5 feet without a floatation device, and becoming comfortable on back in water. Advanced Beginners level will review all skills in beginner-level class and add YMCA Level 2 skills such as stamina, swimming one length of the pool (25 yards), performing elementary backstroke, rotary breathing, becoming comfortable in deep water, and stroke introduction to include: front crawl, backstroke, and elementary breaststroke. Please note that these skills will be introduced and progress at different rates depending on the comfortable level and experience of enrolled students and may take more than one quarter to complete. At times, students might be moved to a different swimming group (same day, same time, different instructor) to better match the experience level of enrolled children. Lessons are 40 minutes long, running from 0:05 until 0:45 after the hour, leaving enough time to towel dry, change clothes, and return to Compass for your next class. Students should bring a swimsuit, towel, and change of clothes. Googles and swim caps are optional. A parent (or parent proxy) is required to remain on site. Parents may wait on poolside benches or lobby seating. YMCA waivers must be signed and returned for each swimmer. All registration is completed through Compass. All YMCA swimming classes are taught by certified, experienced, background-checked adult instructors with experience teaching children. Consider enrolling your child in both Tuesday and Thursday classes to improve their rate of learning.

Acting is an adventure! Young actors work together to create and perform their very own play with unique characters and an original storyline. Will someone let the "cat out of the bag" or will our pet friends find themselves "barking up the wrong tree" on this pet-venture? Join us for purr-fectly hair-raising fun! Students will begin with improvisational games to get to know each other and to begin to brainstorm about their original play. Through group activities and guided discussion, the young actors will decide on characters, conflict, and conclusion, and the story they want to tell. The script will be developed and customized for this class with input from the students. Young actors will explore skills such as sensory awareness, listening, stage movement, character development, emotional expression, and observation/concentration while learning to portray their original character. Young actors will learn aspects of acting by script read-through, blocking, costume/prop discussion, and planning the show. Through individual and group activities, young actors build confidence in preparation for a final sharing for parents. Students will work from a simple, written script, but emerging readers can be accommodated. Parents will be emailed the script after the 3rd or 4th class and will be expected to help their children memorize their lines and assemble a simple make-at-home costume, ideally from clothing items and accessories you already own and a little creativity. All actors must be at least age 6 to sign up for this class. Topics in this Series: Medieval Mix-Up (Quarter 1), Cat & Dog Drama (Quarter 2), Arctic Adventure (Quarter 3) and Silliest Circus (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. Dates: Please note that this is a 6-week class that begins on October 31 instead of October 24. Topics in this Series: Gadgets & Gizmos (Quarter 1); Widgets and Whatsits (Quarter 2): Marble Mazes (Quarter 3); and Crazy Contraptions (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

Students will enjoy making flavorful fall recipes and family favorites that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Festive Fall recipes are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. Each class will focus on a portion of a meal including appetizer, salad, soup, side dish, main dish, and dessert. The Compass chefs' culinary adventures will include:

• Corn Dip
• Chicken Vegetable Soup
• Cucumber and Feta Salad
• Southwestern Cheesy Chicken
• Garlic Ginger Carrots
• Sweet Potato Souffle
• Cranberry Curd Mini Tart

Children are full of stories and bubbling over with big ideas! In this class, students will learn how to capture their creative vision into a simple story that they will write and illustrate. Second quarter, our storytellers will detail what happens when they drift off into a delightful daydream. Students will learn how to build a Story Arc through guided, weekly activities. They will discover the key elements to composing a story such as crafting characters, posing a problem, advancing the action, constructing the climax, and writing the resolution- through brainstorming questions like, "Who is in your story?", "Where does this take place?", "What does that look like?" and "What happened after ____?" Emerging writers or readers are welcome and will receive support, if needed, to get their own words written down. Psst- don't tell your child, but this class helps lay the foundation in language arts for more advanced creative writing and composition. Pair this class with Acting: Kids Theater or Writing Well to further encourage communication and storytelling skills. The supply fee is included in the class tuition. Topics in this Series: A Peculiar Puzzle (Quarter 1); Delightful Daydream (Quarter 2); Magic Kingdom (Quarter 3); and Hero's Journey (Quarter 4).

Anyone can learn to draw! A professional artist will teach kids how to draw a variety of projects by breaking down complex forms and figures into simple shapes and giving them dimension through shading, shadow, and textures. Projects will focus on fantasy and fictional subjects which are a great choice to keep beginning artists from becoming frustrated when their work does not look "the real thing." Second quarter, students will develop their drawing skills on projects featuring fantasy figures. Kids will enjoy projects with dragons, ogres, ghouls, aliens or elves where they can practice drawing techniques without the pressure of trying to replicate real life. Student's drawings will be in regular #2 pencil in a sketchbook. There is a $15.00 material fee payable to the instructor on the first day for a sketchbook and shared classroom art supplies. Topics in this Series include: Comic Art & Characters (Quarter 1); Fantastical Figures (Quarter 2), Comics with a Cast of Characters (Quarter 3), and Playful Portraits (Quarter 4)

Students will continue their study of fascinating world of animals and learn what characteristics set different phyla and groups apart from each other. Weekly labs will answer questions like, "How do animals regulate temperature?", and "How do animals fight disease?" Students will understand different means of respiration in animals through an examination of fish gills and lungs. They will observe behavior instincts in worms. The class will observe differences in animal habitats and discuss the impact of habitat destruction and environmental changes on different groups of animals. Students will to keep science journals/notebooks. There is a $20.00 supply/lab fee due payable to the instructor on the first day. Topics in Series: Extreme Animal Kingdom: Extraordinary Organisms (Quarter 1); Extreme Animal Kingdom: Fascinating Phyla (Quarter 2); Up Close! Micro Investigator (Quarter 3); Up Close! Macro Investigator (Quarter 4)

Compass cooks will enjoy a culinary tour of the world with Global Gourmet classes! Menus feature variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients seasoned and prepared to represent regional flavors and traditional dishes from the featured country. Recipes are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. The Compass chefs' gastronomy adventures will include:

• Guacamole and Salsa
• Tortilla Soup
• Mexican Corn Salad
• Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
• Enchiladas
• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Mexican Cinnamon Trifle

Jiu-Jitsu Fit is a fun, interactive, physical fitness program for tweens incorporating the Brazilian self-defense martial art of Jiu-Jitsu. Students will follow a well-rounded physical fitness program that incorporates moves and strategies of Jiu-Jitsu to increase strength, flexibility, conditioning, endurance, coordination, balance, and fun! Students will practice techniques for resolving conflicts, dealing with bullies, projecting confidence, and developing stranger awareness in the games and exercises they complete in class. Jiu-Jitsu Fit helps tweens stay active, builds self-esteem, and encourages teamwork. Jiu-Jitsu uses grappling and ground work in addition to standing self-defense positions. Some partner work may be co-ed. Students will work on mats in socks or bare feet and should come to class wearing loose, comfortable clothing, such as running pants or sweatpants and bring a refillable water bottle.

This class is a multi-media art sampler for our youngest artists! Each week students will learn a few fun facts about a type of art or artist, view sample works, and then will create a project in the style of the artist using a wide variety of materials and representative colors, patterns, textures, and embellishments. Young artists will have the opportunity to work with a different media each week such as tempera paint, various papers, color pencils, markers, tissue paper, translucent tracing paper, cray pas, oil pastels, charcoals, and watercolors. Second quarter, students will learn about famous artists and their favorite animals or pets! Featured artists include Hockney, Pollock, Picasso, Kahlo, O'Keefe, Rockwell and Klee. Which artist painted a rooster? Who liked crazy, colored geometric cats, and who else favored standard American hounds? Whose self-portraits included monkeys, black cats, and parrots? Through weekly projects, Junior Artists will learn about and make their animal projects while learning about the artist, the technique, and the subject matter. Topics in this Series: Kings and Queens- Kids' Medieval Art (Quarter 1); Artists & their Animals (Quarter 2); Whimsical Winter Works (Quarter 3); Scenic Seascapes (Quarter 4). Supply Fee: There is a supply fee of $20.00, payable to the instructor on the first day of class which covers consumable class materials such a specialty papers, watercolor pencils, and paints.

Kids encounter fractions everyday but may not realize it! They intuitively understand half of a cookie, one quarter of cake, or a third of a pizza. Each week students will use real world examples to illustrate fraction concepts such as part of a whole, part of a set, number lines, comparing fractions, and more. For example, have you ever wondered where music notes get their names? Explore fractions as part of a whole by examining a measure and how different notes make up the whole. Students will create rhythms and be able to explain the math behind the music. Enjoy games? Learn a new version of the game War and dazzle your friends with tricks to quickly compare fractions in your head. Do you like to cook? Fractions are found in recipes that kids like to bake. Explore what it means to buy three quarters of a pound of cheese at the deli, be half way to grandma's house, and express that there were 72 red Legos in a package of 500. Fractions even pop up in telling time- half past ten or quarter 'til one. Fractions can be learned through hands-on experiments with everyday objects. Students will cut, chop, slice, and separate to see that 2/6 is the same as 1/3. They will experiment with combining fractions, such as doubling or tripling a recipe. These activities will provide a real-life understanding of different denominators and equivalent fractions. Students will practice problem solving skills, reasoning, and basic math in this class. Demystify fractions and enjoy math in your daily life! Dates: Please note that this is a 6-week class that begins on November 2 instead of October 26 Topics in this Series: Measurement Madness (Quarter 1); Fun with Fractions (Quarter 2); Geometry Games (Quarter 3); and Simple Statistics (Quarter 4)

Prerequisites: None

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. Students must be minimum age 5 by the start of class, be comfortable separating from their parents for the duration of class and must be able to stay in a group and follow instructions.

Buenos dias! Spanish Amigos (Friends) is a fun, play-based, Spanish immersion class for young students. Much like learning their native language, students will be exposed to the sounds, vocabulary, and phrases in Spanish through songs, games, stories, interactive and hands-on activities. Limited cues in English will be used to prompt students in the first few weeks. The teacher will bring toys and objects each week to give kids tangible, hands-on examples of the vocabulary being introduced. Each quarter introduces new themes and new vocabulary in Spanish, so children can continue to build their language basics. However, themes and units are non-sequential, so students may enroll in this level in any quarter. The goal of this introductory course is to lay foundations in sounds, vocabulary, and simple phrases while having fun and building confidence in a foreign language. Instruction will be predominantly verbal, but key vocabulary words may be written down for students to begin a sense of spelling. Students will be encouraged to write down new words each week, but reading, writing, spelling, and note-taking will not be expected. Fluency should not be expected at this level. Material/Supply Fee: The instructor will order a South-American written/published Spanish activity book for students in-class use after assessing their ages/skill levels. Parents will be asked to reimburse the instructor for the expense, typically $10-$15.

Homeschool Swim Lessons are taught at the Reston YMCA located 0.9 miles/ 3 minute drive from Compass's classroom facility. For more information on swimming lessons, see the program webpage. During the first lesson, students will be observed and determined to be Beginner or Advanced Beginner level, and the class will be divided accordingly among two instructors. Beginners level is for students with little to no swim experience and will cover YMCA Level 1 skills such as water acclimation, floatation, water movement, putting face in the water, swimming 5 feet without a floatation device, and becoming comfortable on back in water. Advanced Beginners level will review all skills in beginner-level class and add YMCA Level 2 skills such as stamina, swimming one length of the pool (25 yards), performing elementary backstroke, rotary breathing, becoming comfortable in deep water, and stroke introduction to include: front crawl, backstroke, and elementary breaststroke. Please note that these skills will be introduced and progress at different rates depending on the comfortable level and experience of enrolled students and may take more than one quarter to complete. At times, students might be moved to a different swimming group (same day, same time, different instructor) to better match the experience level of enrolled children. Lessons are 40 minutes long, running from 0:05 until 0:45 after the hour, leaving enough time to towel dry, change clothes, and return to Compass for your next class. Students should bring a swimsuit, towel, and change of clothes. Googles and swim caps are optional. A parent (or parent proxy) is required to remain on site. Parents may wait on poolside benches or lobby seating. YMCA waivers must be signed and returned for each swimmer. All registration is completed through Compass. All YMCA swimming classes are taught by certified, experienced, background-checked adult instructors with experience teaching children. Consider enrolling your child in both Tuesday and Thursday classes to improve their rate of learning.

Acting is an adventure! Young actors work together to create and perform their very own play with unique characters and an original storyline. Will they meet daring dragons, jolly giants, wacky witches, and other mythical monsters in their supernatural spectacle? Students will begin with improvisational games to get to know each other and to begin to brainstorm about their original play. Through group activities and guided discussion, the young actors will decide on characters, conflict, and conclusion, and the story they want to tell. The script will be developed and customized for this class with input from the students. Young actors will explore skills such as sensory awareness, listening, stage movement, character development, emotional expression, and observation/concentration while learning to portray their original character. Young actors will learn aspects of acting by script read-through, blocking, costume/prop discussion, and planning the show. Through individual and group activities, young actors build confidence in preparation for a final sharing for parents. Students will work from a simple, written script, but emerging readers can be accommodated. Parents will be emailed the script after the 3rd or 4th class and will be expected to help their children memorize their lines and assemble a simple make-at-home costume, ideally from clothing items and accessories you already own and a little creativity. All actors must be at least age 6 to sign up for this class. Topics in this Series: Fantastic Fables (Quarter 1), Magical Monsters (Quarter 2), Outrageous Outer Space (Quarter 3) and Under the Sea Secrets (Quarter 4).

Best Books for Boys is a facilitated book club just for preteen boys. Boys will read high-quality, age-appropriate literature and expand their understanding of what they read through book discussion and hands-on extension activities. Boys will be encouraged to interact with the story and each other through activities such as acting out or illustrating favorite scenes, discussing and writing alternate endings, prequels, origin or spinoff stories, or researching specific aspects of the story. Through guided class discussion, the group will be exposed to beginning literary analysis in a fun, interactive setting by discussing plot, theme, characters, setting, genre, writing style, and artistry using specific examples from the story. They will learn to analyze characters, their actions and motives, respond to hypothetical questions, make predictions, and answer prompts using examples from the book. Each quarter, the class will read one book that is teacher's choice and a second book that the students select as a group from a short list curated by the instructor and student nominations on the relevant them. Students must read assigned chapters from their books at home, either as individual silent reading, read-aloud with parents' support, or listening to an audiobook edition. Readers will be encouraged to take notes on key passages or questions. All books are selected from among Newbery Medalists and Honor Books, Caldecott Medal books, and proven classics of children's fiction. Topics in this Series and teacher's choice books include: Ingenuity- Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater (Quarter 1); Kindness- Restart by Gordon Korman (Quarter 2); Tolerance- The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare (Quarter 3); and Curiosity- Tales from Moominvalley by Tove Jansson (Quarter 4). Textbook/Materials: Because students will need clean, inexpensive copies of each novel to mark in, and because they must be able to refer to the passages on the same page numbers, copies of mass market paperbacks will be pre-purchased for students for the first book. (See Supply Fee below). Parents will be responsible for buying or checking-out a copy of the second book, once selected. Supply Fee: A class fee of $7.50 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class for Book 1. What to Bring: Students should bring the current novel, paper, pen or pencil and highlighter to class each week. Some students may wish to bring paper clips, adhesive flags or post-it notes for marking pages. Level: This class is for 5th-6th graders. 4th grade students may enroll, but they should be reading above grade level.

Prerequisites: None

Students will enjoy the logic and challenge of the timeless strategy board game as they learn and play chess with classmates. In Beginning Chess 2, students will learn introductory skills such as: back rank mates, five types of draws, elementary checkmates (2Rs+K, K+Q vs. K, K+R vs. K); elementary opening principles, and pawn structure.

Learning and playing chess supports problem solving, decision making, critical and creative thinking, general cognitive ability, scholastic skills, and mathematical achievement (Univ. of Minnesota). Experts suggest that the game of chess teaches analytical and disciplined thinking skills, while raising self esteem, teaching motivation and determination, and sportsmanship (Kasparov Foundation). Each class will be spent half on technique and half in practice matches with classmates while the instructor coaches. A student can enroll in Beginning Chess 2 as his/her first class.

Prerequisites: None

Students will enjoy making flavorful fall recipes and family favorites that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Festive Fall recipes are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. Each class will focus on a portion of a meal including appetizer, salad, soup, side dish, main dish, and dessert. The Compass chefs' culinary adventures will include:

• Corn Dip
• Chicken Vegetable Soup
• Cucumber and Feta Salad
• Southwestern Cheesy Chicken
• Garlic Ginger Carrots
• Sweet Potato Souffle
• Cranberry Curd Mini Tart

Students will enjoy making flavorful fall recipes and family favorites that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Festive Fall recipes are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. Each class will focus on a portion of a meal including appetizer, salad, soup, side dish, main dish, and dessert. The Compass chefs' culinary adventures will include:

• Corn Dip
• Chicken Vegetable Soup
• Cucumber and Feta Salad
• Southwestern Cheesy Chicken
• Garlic Ginger Carrots
• Sweet Potato Souffle
• Cranberry Curd Mini Tart

Children are full of stories and bubbling over with big ideas! In this class, students will learn how to capture their creative vision into a simple story that they will write and illustrate. Second quarter, our storytellers will discover the mysterious mutiny or misfortune that marooned mariners on an isolated island. Will the stranded sailors survive their secluded situation? Students will learn how to build a Story Arc through guided, weekly activities. They will discover the key elements to composing a story such as crafting characters, posing a problem, advancing the action, constructing the climax, and writing the resolution- through brainstorming questions like, "Who is in your story?", "Where does this take place?", "What does that look like?" and "What happened after ____?" Emerging writers or readers are welcome and will receive support, if needed, to get their own words written down. Psst- don't tell your child, but this class helps lay the foundation in language arts for more advanced creative writing and composition. Pair this class with Acting: Kids Theater or Writing Well to further encourage communication and storytelling skills. The supply fee is included in the class tuition. Topics in this Series: A Secret Room (Quarter 1); A Shipwreck (Quarter 2); A Medieval Castle (Quarter 3); and A Winding Path (Quarter 4).

Students will draw in a relaxed, informal studio setting, where they will learn the fundamentals of drawing along with the elements of art and principles of design. Most drawing projects are "student's own" where each artist selects their own subject to incorporate demonstrated techniques such as representing light and dark, creating texture and patterns, and shading to show dimension. Second quarter, students will learn how to draw portraits first by learning how to do proportions and features in a more traditional representation then by exploring fantastic and ficitonal people, beasts, and pets through exaggerating and manipulating proportions while maintaining the basics. The instructor will demonstrate various techniques by developing a sample drawing. Students may elect to follow the class sample or may apply the drawing skills to an entirely unique drawing. This class is suitable for beginners who have never drawn before and for intermediate art students who have worked with other media and are interested in exploring drawing. Drawing can provide a relaxing, needed break from rigorous academic classes and over-scheduled lives in a fun, supportive environment. Topics in this Series: Everyday Objects (Quarter 1), Portraits and Creative Caricatures (Quarter 2), Creating Narrative (Quarter 3), and Imitating Illustration Styles (Quarter 4). Workload: Work outside of class is optional for those who wish to practice their drawing techniques. Assessments: Individual feedback is given in class. Formal assessments will not be given. Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $18.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class for a sketchbook, a pencil box with pencils of varying hardness, and an eraser. Returning drawing students do not need to pay a supply fee and are expected to replace their drawing supplies as needed, with similar or better quality. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Fine Arts for purposes of a high school transcript.

FUNctional Fitness is a dynamic PE program for that incorporates well-rounded exercises to get tweens up and moving mid-day! No two workouts are the same, but each day's activities incorporate exercises that target 10 areas: cardio-vascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. FUNctional Fitness focuses on functional movements that are fundamental to all aspects of play and exercise- pulling, pushing, running, throwing, climbing, lifting, and jumping. Work-outs are scalable and adaptable to different individual's own level, and the emphasis is on fun, safety, and personal accomplishment rather than competition among classmates. When the weather permits, some exercises may be taken outdoors. The physical challenges of FUNctional Fitness will foster self-confidence, focus, and help instill a foundation for a lifetime of fitness. All equipment is furnished. Students are asked to wear loose, comfortable clothing, such as running pants or sweatpants, and comfortable, supportive athletic shoes. FUNctional Fitness continues each quarter, and students may repeat the class to continue to improve fitness. No two workouts are the same!

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.

This class is a multi-media art sampler for our youngest artists! Each week students will learn a few fun facts about a type of art or artist, view sample works, and then will create a project in the style of the artist using a wide variety of materials and representative colors, patterns, textures, and embellishments. Young artists will have the opportunity to work with a different media each week such as tempera paint, various papers, color pencils, markers, tissue paper, translucent tracing paper, cray pas, oil pastels, charcoals, and watercolors. Second quarter, students will learn about famous artists and their favorite animals or pets! Featured artists include Hockney, Pollock, Picasso, Kahlo, O'Keefe, Rockwell and Klee. Which artist painted a rooster? Who liked crazy, colored geometric cats, and who else favored standard American hounds? Whose self-portraits included monkeys, black cats, and parrots? Through weekly projects, Junior Artists will learn about and make their animal projects while learning about the artist, the technique, and the subject matter. Topics in this Series: Kings and Queens- Kids' Medieval Art (Quarter 1); Artists & their Animals (Quarter 2); Whimsical Winter Works (Quarter 3); Scenic Seascapes (Quarter 4). Supply Fee: There is a supply fee of $20.00, payable to the instructor on the first day of class which covers consumable class materials such a specialty papers, watercolor pencils, and paints.

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.

Prerequisites: None

Music Makers explores many facets of the musical experience- singing, moving, dancing, listening, and playing instruments. The class will explore musical stories, famous composers, and different genres of music while playing a variety of percussion instruments (drums, sticks, triangles, woodblocks and more!). Students will learn to play a beginning pitched instrument on glockenspiels (a small barred instrument like the xylophone). Using an Orff-based approach, students will learn to read and write beginning musical notation and learn musical terminology all in the context of fun and play. Music Makers classes provide a fun, pressure-free environment to experience music and movement with the goal of general musicianship and excellent preparation for further, individual instrument lessons if desired. Music Makers helps every child acquire the essential building blocks for a future of musical learning! Students may join Music Makers at any quarter, and they may return again and again since new music, themes, and skills are constantly introduced.

Prerequisites: None

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.

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. Dates: Please note that this is a 6-week class that begins on October 31 instead of October 24. Topics in this Series: Lunar Lander (Quarter 1); Battle Bots (Quarter 2); Tomb Explorer (Quarter 3), and Art Bots (Quarter 4)

Kids will learn the basics of hand sewing and discover it is "sew fun" to create items that can play with and use every day. Second quarter, Sew Fun students will make a cozy tie quilt from fleece and cotton and hand-sew decorations and felt patches to personalize it. Kids will learn practical sewing skills such as pinning and placement, a running stitch, attaching a button, scissor skills, stuffing, and working with simple patterns. The group will be working with both pre-cut felt and fabric components and uncut fabric that they will cut, stitch, finish and personalize with buttons and embellishments. Since students may work at different rates, some projects may not be completed in class and will be sent home to finish sewing with the newly learned skills. Students should be at age/grade level for fine motor skills for this class. A material fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class. Note: Project themes or materials are subject to change due to availability or sourcing at the time of the class. Topics in this series include: Build-A-Bear (Quarter 1), Cozy Quilts (Quarter 2), Good Night, Sleep Tight (Quarter 3), and On-the-Go (Quarter 4).

Public speaking skills are essential to academia, success in future careers, and to simply making friends or standing up for yourself! Students will develop their public speaking skills and their own "voice" through the art of storytelling in a fun, supportive environment taught by a public speaking coach. In this class, students will examine the elements of effective storytelling by playing hilarious storytelling games and practicing storytelling assignments. The group will identify the elements of a story and how to structure and write a story that will be told aloud. They will learn about different types of stories, from fiction and fantasy stories to personal narratives, motivational, and persuasive stories. Students will learn how to best perform a story of any kind, conquer any level of nervousness, and become more confident storytellers. They will discover how to use storytelling to enhance anything they do. Each class includes an icebreaker activity, a daily lesson, practice through a game or assignment, individualized feedback, and wrap-up. Students will practice posture, eye contact, enunciation, gestures, pauses, and timing while receiving tips and techniques from the coach and peers. The class will culminate in an end of the quarter presentation for parents. Topics in future quarters include: Finding Your Voice (Expository)- 3rd quarter, and Making Your Point (Persuasive)- 4th quarter

What do Star Wars planet Jakku and Alice's Wonderland have in common? What gives fantasy its unique characteristics? What makes a story science fiction, and why do both genres often include time travel? An understanding of fantasy writing includes a look at science fiction. By seeing the similarities and differences in the works of Jules Verne, Kenneth Grahame, Lewis Carroll, E.B. White, and Madeline L Engle, students will create their own fantasy or sci-fi themed time travel stories. To develop a sense of audience, students will work on story ideas, review drafts and in-progress writing with their peers and incorporate peer feedback as they develop their stories. An anthology of stories will be published at the end of the quarter. The Writers Workshop gives middle school students in grades 6-7 the skills they need for writing, reading, listening, and speaking that come from practicing by putting pen to paper. In class, students will share drafts and in-progress works to receive peer feedback and promote revising and editing skills. Each quarter, students will review samples of literature and write about popular themes using the story elements of that theme. Imagination and creativity come easily to most young writers, but acquiring technical skills is also important. Each quarter, students will focus on specific skills in addition to specific genres as part of their "Writer's Tool Kit." These skills include: grammar basis such as parts and kinds of sentences, plurals, possessives, punctuation; learning how to use a dictionary and a thesaurus; and advanced middle/high school skills like summarizing, outlining, note taking, writing a book report, or citing sources. Homework: Students are expected to write in a journal for a minimum of four minutes per day and respond to prompts that are sent home on an assignment bookmark. They will also be asked to read short assignments such as a chapter or excerpt in preparation for class discussions. Topics in this Series: Creating Children's Books (Quarter 1); Time Travel- Fantasy & Science Fiction (Quarter 2); Time Travel- Historical Fiction (Quarter 3); and Reading Classics, Writing New Endings (Quarter 4).

Homeschool Swim Lessons are taught at the Reston YMCA located 0.9 miles/ 3 minute drive from Compass's classroom facility. For more information on swimming lessons, see the program webpage. Intermediate level is for students who are proficient in Advanced Beginner level skills such as swimming one length of the pool (25 yards), performing elementary backstroke, and becoming comfortable in deep water. Intermediate swimmers will cover Levels 3 of the YMCA program including elementary breaststroke, backstroke, front crawl with rotary breathing all at 25 yards, with work towards Level 4 skills including stamina and increasing all swimming to 50 yards or more, plus breast stroke, elementary butterfly stroke and kick, elementary dives, and turns. Please note that these skills will be introduced and progress at different rates depending on the comfortable level and experience of enrolled students and may take more than one quarter to complete. At times, students might be moved to a different swimming group (same day, same time, different instructor) to better match the experience level of enrolled children. Lessons are 40 minutes long, running from 0:05 until 0:45 after the hour, leaving enough time to towel dry, change clothes, and return to Compass for your next class. Students should bring a swimsuit, towel, and change of clothes. Googles and swim caps are optional. A parent (or parent proxy) is required to remain on site. Parents may wait on poolside benches or lobby seating. YMCA waivers must be signed and returned for each swimmer. All registration is completed through Compass. All YMCA swimming classes are taught by certified, experienced, background-checked adult instructors with experience teaching children. Consider enrolling your child in both Tuesday and Thursday classes to improve their rate of learning.

The warm, welcoming smell of baking bread, flavorful fondant, carefully crackled creme brulee, mile-high mille-feuille, and proper puffed pastry. These are just some of the advanced baking techniques that Compass bakers will learn in Perfecting Pastries. From pate a choux to piecrust, students chefs will create more complex baked items in this course. This quarter, the Compass bakers' culinary adventures will include:

• Puff Pastry
• Cinnamon Swirls
• Chocolate Hazelnut Holiday Tree (nuts)
• Pie Crust And Savory Irish Potato Pie
• Sticky Toffee "Pudding"
• Braided Danish Kringle With Walnuts (nuts)
• Cranberry Curd Pie With Walnut Crust (nuts)

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 enjoy making flavorful fall recipes and family favorites that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Festive Fall recipes are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. Each class will focus on a portion of a meal including appetizer, salad, soup, side dish, main dish, and dessert. The Compass chefs' culinary adventures will include:

• Corn Dip
• Chicken Vegetable Soup
• Cucumber and Feta Salad
• Southwestern Cheesy Chicken
• Garlic Ginger Carrots
• Sweet Potato Souffle
• Cranberry Curd Mini Tart

In Cover-to-Cover, middle school-aged students will read renowned classics and award-winning young adult literature. This book discussion group will examine a different theme each quarter to introduce students to literary analysis. Students will read, examine, and compare two full-length novels that share similar themes through facilitated discussions and extension activities which encourage students to make personal connections to what is read. The group will evaluate themes, characters, setting, and writing style. Second quarter, students will examine elements of mystery and detective novels through The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902) a Sherlock Holmes mystery by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Murder on the Orient Express (1934) by Agatha Christie. Assigned chapters are expected to be read at home, either as read-aloud, individual silent reading, or listening to the unabridged audiobook. Students should come to class prepared to discuss the reading. Classroom discussions will emphasize the use of textual evidence when explaining thoughts and opinions. Students will be assigned creative, short assignments to enhance and demonstrate their understanding of each novel such as quote explications, thematic questions, or imagining a conversation between characters from different books. Topics in this Series: Courage and Bravery (Quarter 1); Mystery/Detective (Quarter 2); Dystopian Worlds (Quarter 3); and Coming of Age (Quarter 4). This is a 6-week course that will not meet on 11/7/23. Textbook/Materials: Because students will need clean, inexpensive copies of each novel to mark in, and because they must be able to refer to the passages on the same page numbers, copies of mass market paperbacks will be pre-purchased and bundled for students. (See Supply Fee below). Supply Fee: A class fee of $20.00 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class. What to Bring: Students should bring the current novel, paper, pen or pencil and highlighter to class each week. Some students may wish to bring paper clips, adhesive flags or post-it notes for marking pages.

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); Make Your First 3D Video Game (Quarters 3, 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)

Fencing is the clashing of steel and competitive spirit combined with the battle of the wits. Apply the rules of Olympic fencing, and you have a physically and mentally challenging game of strategy, often called, "physical chess." In Beginning Fencing, students will learn the rules of the sport as well as footwork, attacks, parries, responses, and how to judge matches. Beginning students will use the epee, a thin, lightweight sword with broad hand guard and will wear a wireless electronic scoring sensor over layers of protective gear. Returning students will work with both the epee and foil. The physical benefits of fencing are an increase in agility, balance and coordination. Fencing also provides mental benefits such as improved focus, strategy and confidence. Fencing is safety-oriented with blunt tip weapons, chest protectors, chest/sleeve pads, fencing jacket, gloves, and face mask. Students may enroll any quarter. All equipment is provided by the instructor. Students are asked to wear comfortable athletic pants such as running pants or sweatpants (no jeans, no dresses), and low-heeled athletic shoes.

FUNctional Fitness is a dynamic kids' PE program that incorporates well-rounded exercises to get kids up and moving mid-day! No two workouts are the same, but each day's activities incorporate exercises that target 10 areas: cardio-vascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. FUNctional Fitness focuses on functional movements that are fundamental to all aspects of play and exercise- pulling, pushing, running, throwing, climbing, lifting, and jumping. Work-outs are scalable and adaptable to different individual's own level, and the emphasis is on fun, safety, and personal accomplishment rather than competition among classmates. When the weather permits, some exercises may be taken outdoors. The physical challenges of FUNctional Fitness will foster self-confidence, focus, and help instill a foundation for a lifetime of fitness. All equipment is furnished. Students are asked to wear loose, comfortable clothing, such as running pants or sweatpants, and comfortable, supportive athletic shoes. FUNctional Fitness continues each quarter, and students may repeat the class to continue to improve fitness. No two workouts are the same! Students must be minimum age 7 to take this class.

When is it OK to call 911? I got a cut- does it need stitches? What should I do if I get really itchy after a bee sting? Kids have lots of questions about their own bodies and development. Little Doctor Academy helps answer these questions and more in the context of fun, age-appropriate medical lessons and in-class activities that introduce children to themes in science, medicine, anatomy, and biology. Second quarter, kids will learn about the job of a Paramedic and emergency medicine. The class will learn about simple first aid (in a non-scary way) and what to do to help someone who is bleeding, injured, having an allergic reaction, or unconscious. (For kids, the answers to some of these are find a grown-up and call 911). The class will practice applying bandages, splints, and slings. The class will also learn about preventing poisonings and ingestion of incorrect or too much medicine, household cleaners, products in the garage, and non-food items with learning materials from the National Poison Control Center, and the group will have a special visit from an ambulance. There is a supply fee of $20.00 due payable to the instructor on the first day of class for a take-home kit consisting of a medical coat, doctor name tag, class notebook, and take-home manipulatives and props for the medical specialty studied. Topics in this Series: Sports Medicine (Quarter 1); Paramedic (Quarter 2); Virologist (Quarter 3); Neurologist/Ophthalmologist- Brain & Sight (Quarter 4)

Who doesn't love a good "Whodunnit" mystery? In this workshop, teens actors will work together to bring a cast of characters to life through creative adaptations and interpretive improvisation. Using materials from a commercial murder mystery role playing game (RPG), students will assume the personas of outrageous and offbeat characters. As the drama unfolds in rounds guided by clue cards, eclectic evidence, and fictitious forensics, a victim, a motive, and eventually the murderer will be revealed. Student actors will be guided through the development of a strong, compelling character, complete with unique ways of speaking, gesturing, and moving, an original costume, a backstory, and of course, an alibi. At the annual Roman Toga Bash at the Pompey Palace Resort, guests try to outshine each other with the most lavish toga designs on the red carpet. Rumors abound of blackmailers and brewing scandals until one partygoer turns up dead. Who could have done it? In this workshop, students benefit from experimenting with acting and improvisation and working as a team. This class is best suited for students who are active listeners, are flexible and easily adapt, have a sense of humor, and enjoy working in a collaborative group. Students need to be able to stay in sync with the flow of the class. This is not an "anything goes" or free-for-all class. Topics in this Series: Murder in the Escape Room (Quarter 1), Toga Terror (Quarter 2), The Last Will of Hunter Bentley (Quarter 3), Prison Pardon (Quarter 4), etc. Students continuing from the prior quarter will receive priority pre-registration for next quarter. Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-1.5 hours per week outside of class. Assignments: Will be posted in a Google classroom. Assessments: Informal qualitative feedback will be given in class throughout the semester. A quantitative score/grade will not be provided. Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $25.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class for a script and costs related to props and performance license fee. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in fine arts or performing arts for purposes of a high school transcript.

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.

Little kids will learn the basics of hand sewing and discover it is "sew simple" to create fun things they can play with and use every day. Second quarter, Sew Simple students will sew funny, friendly, big-eyed felt "Little Monsters" in an array of bright colors and playful forms (one eye, three eyes, antennas, wings, horns, and goofy gap-teeth). Kids will learn practical sewing skills such as pinning and placement, a running stitch, attaching a button, scissor skills, and stuffing. The group will be working with pre-cut felt components from kits that will be enhanced with buttons and accessories. Since students may work at different rates, some projects may not be completed in class and will be sent home to finish sewing with the newly learned skills. Students should be at age/grade level for fine motor skills for this class and should be a minimum of age 6. A material fee of $35.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class. Note: Project themes or materials are subject to change due to availability or sourcing at the time of the class. Topics in this series include: Sew a Story (Quarter 1), Monster Mash-Up (Quarter 2), Polar Pals (Quarter 3), and Fairytale Fun (Quarter 4).

Public speaking skills are essential to academia, success in future careers, and to simply making friends or standing up for yourself! Students will develop their public speaking skills and their own "voice" through the art of storytelling in a fun, supportive environment taught by a public speaking coach. In this class, students will examine the elements of effective storytelling by playing hilarious storytelling games and practicing storytelling assignments. The group will identify the elements of a story and how to structure and write a story that will be told aloud. They will learn about different types of stories, from fiction and fantasy stories to personal narratives, motivational, and persuasive stories. Students will learn how to best perform a story of any kind, conquer any level of nervousness, and become more confident storytellers. They will discover how to use storytelling to enhance anything they do. Each class includes an icebreaker activity, a daily lesson, practice through a game or assignment, individualized feedback, and wrap-up. Students will practice posture, eye contact, enunciation, gestures, pauses, and timing while receiving tips and techniques from the coach and peers. The class will culminate in an end of the quarter presentation for parents. Topics in future quarters include: Finding Your Voice (Expository)- 3rd quarter, and Making Your Point (Persuasive)- 4th quarter

A Parrott with parasites. A Budgie with a broken beak. A Cockatoo with a cough. Sometimes even our feathered friends need medical care! Lots of kids love animals, and some even think about becoming veterinarians and animal specialists. There is a lot of science in the care and keeping of animals. In this class, future bird veterinarians will learn all about bird care (nutrition, habitat, exercise), bird anatomy, and bird behavior. Kids will learn to recognize signs that a bird is unfriendly, afraid, aggressive, or unwell. They will learn to perform steps of a well-pet check-up and identify some common medical care and preventatives recommended for birds. The class will also learn about bird behavior and natural instincts. Kids will discover fun and fascinating facts, similarities, and differences in pet bird species. Students will learn about the history of domesticated birds as pets and the dangers to the wild bird population when people demand certain species. Finally, students will take one class session to journey to other corners of the continents to meet some wild members of the tropical and exotic bird family to learn why they do not make good pets. Each class meeting will include hands-on and interactive demonstrations, simulations, role-playing, activities, games, stories, or short video clips to convey the information. During the first week, students will receive a lab coat and clinic name tag, a toy bird for demonstrations, and a class workbook. They will "adopt" and name their bird, and during the final week, they will receive a diploma. (Pets, lab coats, name tags, and workbooks will remain at Compass between classes so they are not forgotten at home). There is a $25.00 supply fee due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Writing is one of the most essential communication skills, and it gives kids a voice! In this class, upper elementary-aged students will learn the FUN-damentals of Writing Well! Kids will learn the foundations of good writing, step-by-step, in manageable, weekly pieces. Students will start the year with learning to formulate strong sentences and eventually move to organized, cohesive paragraphs in this class series. Classes will consist of lessons on writing basics, reading great examples (and weak ones) from literature and publications, and in-class writing practice. The emphasis will be on varying sentence structures, word choice, and correct structure- all with fun, creative topics that will keep kids interested in writing! Quarter two will begin with learning to formulate paragraphs from sentences! The class will learn about and practice writing topic sentences, supporting sentences, and the concluding paragraph sentence. Students will write paragraphs in response to a variety of prompts (informational, persuasive, cause and effect, etc). The class will learn to define what they want to convey in a paragraph and how to guide the reader through the points of their paragraph. By the end of quarter two, students will be able to write clear, cohesive and well-organized body paragraphs. The goal for this course is for students to increase their writing fluency, gain confidence, and strengthen their abilities to write clear, cohesive, and grammatically correct sentences and paragraphs. The group will learn the stages of writing--prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing--and various approaches to each stage. Throughout the quarter, mini-lessons on vocabulary and grammar will be presented on topics such as correct capitalization, agreement, tenses, parts of speech, synonyms, etc. Each week, students will have brief homework assignments based on what was covered in class using creative and non-fiction free response prompts to practice techniques at home. Regular writing practice improves fluency and comfort level. Students should expect 45-60 minutes of writing at home throughout the week (3-4 days at 15 minutes per sitting.) Topics in this series include Sentences that Speak (Quarter 1), Planning Paragraphs (Quarter 2), Fascinating Fiction Paragraphs (Quarter 3), and Fun Factual Paragraphs (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

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. Dates: Please note that this is a 6-week class that begins on October 31 instead of October 24. Topics in this Series: Super Structures (Quarter 1); Awesome Automobiles (Quarter 2); Monster Machines (Quarter 3); Colossal Construction (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

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).

Teens will enjoy the logic and challenge of the timeless strategy board game as they learn and play chess with classmates. This is a multi-level class open to Beginners, Advanced Beginners, or Intermediate Players. Instruction will be differentiated based on the make-up of the class, and teens will be placed in pairs or groups depending on experience. Since teens move quickly through lessons and enjoy the interaction of the game, instruction will be approximately 20 minutes, with 35 minutes reserved for weekly in-class matches that are monitored and supported by the coach. Beginners may play as a group against the instructor which is a low-pressure way to learn the game. Teens who are engrossed in their games may continue their play into Friday Teen Game Night. Learning and playing chess supports problem solving, decision making, critical and creative thinking, general cognitive ability, scholastic skills, and mathematical achievement (Univ. of Minnesota). Experts suggest that the game of chess teaches analytical and disciplined thinking skills, while raising self esteem, teaching motivation and determination, and sportsmanship (Kasparov Foundation). Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in logic/reasoning or and elective for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: None

Student artists will enjoy working hands-on, in 3-dimensions with a variety of sculpting and crafting materials to create original Decorative Arts. Assembling decorative items is multi-sensory, and students enjoy the tactile experience of shaping, stacking, forming, flattening, and layering a selection of materials to create unique, personal projects. Decorative art engages a different artistic skillset than coloring, drawing, and writing, and encourages creativity to represent objects in three dimensions. In this studio environment, students will create original hand-made pieces using a range of artistic techniques and a myriad of materials to choose from. Second quarter, students will create beautiful, textured mosaics and will learn to work with materials such as tiles, pebbles, beads, shells, recycled bits, and adhesives. Kids will explore the art of fitting small pieces together to compose a larger, mosaic work. Example past projects include a mosaic with geometric wooden shapes; a fall leaf mosaic incorporating beads; mosaic photo frame, mosaic stepping stone built on a paver, and a mosaic wall hanging with polymer clay components and tiles. All pieces will be grouted after class, off site by the instructor and will be available the next class. A supply fee of $40.00 per student is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class. Topics in this Series: Sculpture Skills (Quarter 1), Marvelous Mosaics (Quarter 2), Fiber Arts Fun (Quarter 3), and Upcycled, Recycled Projects (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

Be part of a team! Join the Compass Collaborative newspaper staff. The Compass student newspaper is growing to include a faculty advisor to help coordinate and schedule the efforts of the student editors, writers, and contributors. The staff will be a mixed age team, with students from 6th-12th grade, where younger students will be informally paired with older students for peer review and feedback on their writing. Students will learn to write with a purpose and create effective factual articles, interviews, and reviews. While taking notes, gathering data, and collecting details may happen outside of class, part of each weekly staff meeting will be dedicated to writing. In weekly meetings, the advisor will discuss examples from a variety of printed media to demonstrate what constitutes 'good' writing and what is less effective. The group will also learn about the formatting, layout, and graphic design elements that go into the newspaper. All staff members will practice editing skills to improve grammar, punctation, and overall clarity and accuracy in their writing. Each quarter, the group will decide on writing assignments and divvy up responsibilities based on individual interests. Staff members will report on Compass news and events, interview teachers, review classes, cover clubs, and write about community happenings that would interest other homeschoolers. Students may opt to write reviews of books, movies, tv shows, games, restaurants, or field trips. They may compose editorials, short stories, or poetry. Some may wish to create an ongoing column about a particular interest such as pets, sports, or space. Staff members may submit their own artwork, comics, or photographs, but will also work with Compass art teachers to get scans of other students' works each quarter. Staff may also elect to include regular features such as a recipe, a puzzle, riddles, jokes, trivia questions, or student poll result in each issue. Staff members will each contribute at least 2-3 items to the Collaborative edition each quarter. Student staff will serve not only as writers and contributors, but also as editors of works that are submitted by other students. One or two high school members will have the opportunity to serve as editors of the student paper, roles that demonstrate leadership and are favorable in the college application process. In addition, one or two other students will serve the layout editors and will be expected to learn newspaper layout using Microsoft Publisher. All students register for the same class, and roles and responsibilities will be reviewed and delegated during the first class meeting. Students will be expected to bring a laptop, notebook, and pen/pencil to each class meeting.

Compass cooks will enjoy a culinary tour of the world with Global Gourmet classes! Menus feature variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients seasoned and prepared to represent regional flavors and traditional dishes from the featured country. Recipes are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. The Compass chefs' gastronomy adventures will include:

• Guacamole and Salsa
• Tortilla Soup
• Mexican Corn Salad
• Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
• Enchiladas
• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Mexican Cinnamon Trifle

Great Books for Girls is a facilitated book club just for preteen girls. Girls will read high-quality, age-appropriate literature and expand their understanding of what they read through book discussion and hands-on extension activities. Girls will be encouraged to interact with the story and each other through activities such as acting out or illustrating favorite scenes, discussing and writing alternate endings, prequels, origin or spinoff stories, or researching specific aspects of the story. Through guided class discussion, the group will be exposed to beginning literary analysis in a fun, interactive setting by discussing plot, theme, characters, setting, genre, writing style, and artistry using specific examples from the story. They will learn to analyze characters, their actions and motives, respond to hypothetical questions, make predictions, and answer prompts using examples from the book. Each quarter, the class will read one book that is teacher's choice and a second book that the students select as a group from a short list curated by the instructor and student nominations on the relevant them. Students must read assigned chapters from their books at home, either as individual silent reading, read-aloud with parents' support, or listening to an audiobook edition. Readers will be encouraged to take notes on key passages or questions. All books are selected from among Newbery Medalists and Honor Books, Caldecott Medal books, and proven classics of children's fiction. Topics in this Series and teacher's choice books include: Perseverance- The Borrowers Aloft by Mary Norton (Quarter 1), Freedom- Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown by Maud Hart Lovelace (Quarter 2), Optimism- The Moffats by Eleanor Estes (Quarter 3), and Talent- Dancing Shoes by Noel Streatfeild (Quarter 4) Textbook/Materials: Because students will need clean, inexpensive copies of each novel to mark in, and because they must be able to refer to the passages on the same page numbers, copies of mass market paperbacks will be pre-purchased for students for the first book. (See Supply Fee below). Parents will be responsible for buying or checking-out a copy of the second book, once selected. Supply Fee: A class fee of $8.25 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class for Book 1. What to Bring: Students should bring the current novel, paper, pen or pencil and highlighter to class each week. Some students may wish to bring paper clips, adhesive flags or post-it notes for marking pages. Level: This class is for 5th-6th graders. 4th grade students may enroll, but they should be reading above grade level.

Prerequisites: None

When is it OK to call 911? I got a cut- does it need stitches? What should I do if I get really itchy after a bee sting? Kids have lots of questions about their own bodies and development. Little Doctor Academy helps answer these questions and more in the context of fun, age-appropriate medical lessons and in-class activities that introduce children to themes in science, medicine, anatomy, and biology. Second quarter, kids will learn about the job of a Paramedic and emergency medicine. The class will learn about simple first aid (in a non-scary way) and what to do to help someone who is bleeding, injured, having an allergic reaction, or unconscious. (For kids, the answers to some of these are find a grown-up and call 911). The class will practice applying bandages, splints, and slings. The class will also learn about preventing poisonings and ingestion of incorrect or too much medicine, household cleaners, products in the garage, and non-food items with learning materials from the National Poison Control Center, and the group will have a special visit from an ambulance. There is a supply fee of $20.00 due payable to the instructor on the first day of class for a take-home kit consisting of a medical coat, doctor name tag, class notebook, and take-home manipulatives and props for the medical specialty studied. Topics in this Series: Sports Medicine (Quarter 1); Paramedic (Quarter 2); Virologist (Quarter 3); Neurologist/Ophthalmologist- Brain & Sight (Quarter 4)

Young readers and writers will explore classic tales in a variety of creative, multi-media interpretations. Pulling from classic children's literature including fairy tales, fables, and favorites, such as Newberry Award medalists, the group will explore 3-4 well-known stories each quarter (generally spending 2 weeks per tale). First, the instructor will share a lively read-aloud of the featured story. Next, the class will watch a clip of an animated, televised, or stage version of the same story. Finally, the group will hear a re-telling of the same story from a different angle, such as one adapted to a theme, a different era, or a different culture. Students will discuss what was the same and what was different among the different adaptations. Was a character added or omitted? Was the performed version true to the original? Finally, students will write and illustrate their own, original re-telling of the story by changing characters, setting, or even crafting a surprise, new ending. New Twists on Old Tales introduces some basic literary elements and rudimentary literary analysis skills to encourage children to think more deeply about what they read. Second quarter will feature Animal Adventures with favorites such as The Tortoise and the Hare; The Lion and the Mouse, and Town Mouse & the Country Mouse.

Students of all ages will love the energy and exhilaration of drumming! Students will learn rhythms and drumming patterns from West Africa and other cultures. In this "hands-on" class, students will learn hand-drumming on djembe drums and accompanying percussion accessories such as tambourines, triangles, rhythm sticks, maracas, and bongos. Students will learn the difference between steady beat, rhythms, and polyrhythms, which involve patterning, call and response, and different tonal levels. Drummers will be "in the groove" as they learn single stroke rolls, single and double paradiddle, frills, and patterns. They will be encouraged to experiment with different percussion instruments and to improvise. New drummers are welcome to enroll any quarter, and returning drummers are encouraged to return and continue to learn more complex drumming techniques. Drummers may be divided by age and/or drumming experience in class with each group taught the same rhythm with varying degrees of difficulty. All instruments are provided by the instructor.

Curious coins, baffling balls, confounding cards, and puzzling papers! Students will learn tricks of the trade from a professional magician using the Discover Magic curriculum! This class will unlock the secret tricks of the Green Wand curriculum. Students will unlock the secrets to eight special magic tricks: Radical Ropes, Total Chaos, Money Maker, Picasso Pouch, Future Card, Trap Door, Gifted, and Luck Winner. Each week, kids will learn how to perform a unique magic trick, and students will practice and perfect the illusion in class so they can come home and mystify their friends and family. For each trick, students will receive a custom magic prop and full color instructions, and at the end of each class, every magician will take home a Top Secret file folder with additional tricks they can practice. Student magicians will be given a secret password each week to gain access to an additional magic trick on the Discover Magic website (parents will need to work the magic to set up the child's online account.) Along with the actual magic, students will discuss a life skill each week that is essential to a good magician (and student) such as public speaking, presentation skills, practicing, being prepared, and reading your audience. Magicians who complete the class will receive a certificate and magic wand. Topics in this Series: Perplexing Purple Wand (Quarter 1), Groovy Green Wand (Quarter 2); Bewildering Black Wand (Quarter 3); Baffling Blue Wand (Quarter 4); Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

There are so many ways to do science! This class allows our youngest scientists to explore different careers in the sciences and shows them that science is fun, approachable, and that anyone can do it! Students will use real scientific equipment and learn actual science terminology to investigate questions in different fields. Try out SCUBA gear as a marine biologist, learn the basics for studying DNA, perform experiments in chemistry, and try your hand at operating an ROV (remote operated vehicle). The focus will be on hands-on, dynamic learning, and students will engage in  hands on demonstrations and experiments during each class. Second quarter, we will learn some basics of physics and astronomy. Students will begin by exploring our solar system. They will learn about local planets and make their own glow-in-the-dark Saturn to take home. The class will discuss the newest discoveries such as a possible hydrothermal vents on Jupiter' s moons, a possible Planet X, and water ice on Mars. Then, the class will look at the some of the physics and engineering that are making these discoveries possible. Discover the physics behind the telescopes and other instruments that help us learn about outer space, and the principles of space travel that help us explore. The physics of recent explorations such as the Perseverance Rover and Falcon Heavy Rocket will be discussed. Topics in this Series: Paleontologist, Geologist (Quarter 1); Physicist, Astronomer (Quarter 2) Chemist & Medical Scientist (Quarter 3); Biologist, Entomologist (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $15.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Prerequisites: None

Character Club is an "afterschool" club for some of Compass's most colorful characters! Students will enjoy a wacky Wednesday afternoon filled with imaginative play and active fun. Beloved acting teacher "Miss Judy" (Judith Harmon) will play favorite kid soundtracks and lead sing-alongs and movement-based games and dances such as conga lines, the Macarena, shuffle, and more. Each week she will open her treasure box of costume accessories (hats, vests, masks, tiaras, capes, etc) for kids to transform into fun characters as they sing, dance, and play. Kids are welcome to bring costumes from home. Each Character Club will include a group snack time with juice boxes and snacks (such as Goldfish crackers, pretzels, animal crackers, etc.) provided. Students with allergies to conventional ingredients should bring a snack from home.

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).

Prerequisites: None