Quarter(s): 3,4

Day(s): Fri

Open Spots: 2

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! 1943, two years into one of the most brutal conflicts in human history,  the Axis forces were finally on the back foot in Eastern Europe. After their devastating defeat at Stalingrad, the Nazi war machine looked to a third Summer Offensive to try and regain the initiative in the East. Newly rearmed with some of the heaviest armor and most advanced weapons the world had ever seen before, Hitler's generals desperately tried tp repeat the successes of the early years, this time with counters to the new Soviet technologies and hastily assembled armies. If they had failed, the tide will have truly turned, and The Axis would be forced to go on the defensive, fighting over the rubble of their homes, destroyed by Allied bombers before the Soviets can even arrive. Either way, the war must end, in the fields of Eastern Europe, or the Ruins of Berlin! This semester, in cooperation with the War Room Military Intelligence Class, will study how the Soviet Union turned the tide on the Eastern Front, looking at the tactics, technology and economics behind this near total war, where the price of failure was nothing less than extinction. At the end of the semester, every student will understand the conditions that led to war, the objectives for both sides, and how successful or realistic these objectives were, both from a modern academic point of view and from the historical point of view given each country's available information. This will be accomplished with primary sources, newsreels from the time, propaganda material, and modern analysis. The instructor will provide online access to all of this material via Google Drive and a class YouTube Playlist.

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

Day(s): Fri

Open Spots: 2

Where does the money come from for stimulus checks or a tax cut? How is a debt different than a deficit? These topics can be understood with a practical, every-day, concept-based approach to Economics. This course in applied economics spans key themes in micro-economics and macro-economics in a tangible, approachable way using cases and real examples from the community around us and avoids the traditional math-heavy, dull, and difficult study of the field. Economics is all about choosing and then deciding. It involves the study of how and why these choices and decisions are made and then determining their outcomes for a person, a firm, or even a nation. Sometimes the study of economics is referred to as the study of the political economy because it involves public decisions. For this course, we start off with smaller units first--often called micro-economics--and stress practical or applied concepts. Later, the course will examine the larger-scale implications for using the tools of economics to better understand public policy formation and to explore case studies on such issues as alleviating poverty, addressing climate change, and protecting public health. The course starts small and moves to larger subjects over time. It offers students an opportunity to explore ideas, evaluate case studies, discuss them in class, and then write about them. The course encourages the development of critical thinking skills using the basic terms and concepts of applied economics. Class Meetings: This is a 27-week year-long class that begins on September 15, 2023. The class will not not meet on 10/20/23, 2/23/24, or 3/22/24, but there will be a class meeting on 3/15/24 during spring make-up-week. Prerequisites: None Levels: The course provides a substantive, full-credit experience in either an Honors or On-Level track. All students complete the same assignments for Semester 1. Near the end of Semester 1, students may decide to differentiate their workload and continue On-Level or at an Honors level for Semester 2. Honors students will have more in-depth assignments with longer and additional readings, more practice of synthesis and analysis, and additional writing. Both tiers offer a substantial, full-credit experience. Students register online for the same course. Workload: Students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class on homework. Assignments: Assignments will consist of readings, worksheets, individual and group projects, including a final paper and presentation. All assignments will be posted on password-protected Google classroom site. There, students access assignments, upload homework, take automated quizzes and tests, track grades, and message instructor and classmates. Assessments: Points will be awarded for the competition of assignments, quizzes, and projects, and parents can assign a grade based on the number of points earned as compared to the number of points available. Textbook/Materials: The instructor will provide pdfs of articles or links to weekly readings or videos. In addition, students will use a booked called, What Ever Happened to Penny Candy.  There is a supply fee of $17.50 due payable to Compass on the first day for a copy of the book. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as full credit in Economics for purposes of a high school transcript.

Quarter(s): 3,4

Day(s): Fri

Open Spots: 4

Coming soon