Quarter(s): 3,4

Day(s): Mon

Open Spots: 3

Why do Hindus hurl colored powder during Holi, Jewish families build backyard huts for Sukkot, and some Orthodox claim to hide the Ark of the Covenant? If questions like these spark your curiosity, you're ready to explore the fascinating world of global religions! In this deeply interactive course, we'll dive into the major religious traditions that shape cultures, communities, and lives around the globe. Students will consider faiths such as Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Orthodoxy, Shintoism, Confucianism, Protestantism, and a range of indigenous beliefs and practices. The class will examine what makes each tradition unique in its creeds, rituals, and cultural impact, as well as the tenets that guide their followers. Expect thoughtful conversations, open-minded inquiry, and engaging explorations of faith, meaning, and practice. Respectful participation is key and curiosity is required! Your instructor brings both academic depth and lived experience to the classroom. With two degrees in history and extensive field experience with world religions--including five years of experience teaching Catholic education, three years as a historian for the LDS Church, and even officiating weddings for a Druid community-- she offers a unique and welcoming perspective on the world's belief systems. Expect thoughtful conversations, open-minded inquiry, and engaging explorations of faith, meaning, and practice. Respectful participation is key-and curiosity is required! Assignments: Articles and readings will be posted in the online classroom portal. Homework: Students should expect 1-2 hours of reading and informal research outside of class. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a partial credit in history/humanities for purposes of a high school transcript.

Quarter(s): 3,4

Day(s): Mon

Open Spots: 2

Perhaps you have heard that "knowing is half the battle." This class will realize that as we examine the roles of military intelligence and espionage in conflicts. A fundamental goal of military intelligence is to fight smarter, not harder, on the battlefield. For context and inspiration, the class will examine the history of the real spies of WWII, their methods, failures, and successes. This second semester picks up in 1944, after campaigns in Africa in 1942 and Axis losses in Italy. From here our goal is to identify the site of Axis counter offensiveor the Allied invasion of Fortress Europe, determine their strength and direct appropriate defensive resources. From there, we must take the fight to the enemy's homeland, all while frustrating any potential Axis spies attempts to infiltrate the class! The continuing mission, should students choose to accept it, is to use actual enigma codes and a modified tabletop RPG (role playing game) system to simulate missions, write encoded messages, and attempt to crack the enemy's defense plan as the Soviet Union moves into Germany to end the Nazi Threat. While Compass's 3D History classes will simulate the battles in the field, this class will assume the supporting role by attempting to infiltrate German lines with field agents. War Room students in the "headquarters" will direct both their field agents and the missions of the frontline troops in 3D History. The decisions of War Room students on Monday will affect the play of 3D History students on Friday, and outcomes of the 3D History role play on Friday will dictate the work of the War Room the following Monday. While co-registration in both classes is not required, some students may want to dual register in order to see both the tactical and strategic aspects of a major engagement and how military intelligence affects the outcomes. This course is recommended for teens who have a passion for military history or an interest in a future career in intelligence. Topics in this Series: Brains That Broke the Blitzkreig (Semester 1) and Directing the Downfall (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester. Workload: Students should expect to spend 0-1 hour per week outside of class. Assignments: Course documents including period maps, photographs and recreations will be made available through a class Google Drive link emailed to parents and students, as well as a class YouTube playlist for any videos watched in class or assigned as homework.

Quarter(s): 3,4

Day(s): Mon

Open Spots: 3

Why read about key military battles on maps or in books when you can learn about them hands-on, in three dimensions, using historical miniature gaming? In 3D History, pivotal engagements come to life for new and experienced students, as they navigate a table-top terrain, deploy hundreds of miniature soldiers, ships, and tanks... all while playing a military strategy game. Each student will have the opportunity to fight a battle from both sides, allowing them to test various strategies, try multiple scenarios, predict different outcomes, and rewrite history- an effective way to gain a deeper understanding of what actually happened and why! When America entered the war in 1941, the Allied leaders agreed they had one priority: the destruction of Nazi Germany's ability to wage war and Hitler's nightmare regime. However, an army is not built overnight, and it took time to learn how to fight in the modern era. It was not enough to simply have the most tank or planes. An army had to be able to leverage them on the battlefield with proper coordination and up-to-date tactics. Learned in the bloody North Africa campaign, the US Army joined its allies to sweep across the Mediterranean into Italy. Their hope was to knock the birthplace of facism out of the war quickly and enter Germany to end the war in a fast, blitzkrieg style. This was not to be, as the Allies still had some lessons to learn, necessitating the most famous invasion in history, Operation Overlord, and the liberation of France by punching through the vaunted Atlantic Wall into Fortress Europe. This began the road to V-day in Europe for the Allied powers who reached the Soviet Union's Eastern Front in just under a year. In that year, the entire population of Germany was in the path of destruction as the Allies fought non-stop an increasingly desperate German army that was losing its dream of a thousand-year empire. Students will fight the last battles of the European theater on land, sea, and air using a wide range of miniature soldiers, vehicles, and ships. From the largest amphibious invasions in history to tank battles across France, Italy, and Germany, students will study the technical and strategic elements that led to the outcomes of the battle. They will attempt to recreate the Axis or Allied successes (or failures) in a miniature strategy game. Upon completing the semester, every student will understand the consequences of the war, the objectives of both sides, and how successful or realistic these objectives were. This will be supported with primary sources, newsreels from the time, propaganda material, and modern analysis. Note: This is a 1 hour, 55 minute class with a 10-minute break part way through. Topics in this Series: WWII- The Invasion of Fortress Europe 1943-45 (Semester 1) and WWII- Operation Downfall 1944-45 (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester. Workload: Students should expect to spend 0-1 hours per week outside of class. Assignments: Period maps, photographs, and re-creations will be posted on a class Google Drive, and video links from YouTube will be e-mailed to parents and students for homework or supplemental investigation. Assessments: Will not be given. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in History for purposes of a high school transcript.