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Register here to let Compass know that you are working towards the 2023-24 American Citizenship Award. There is a $15.00 facility/activity fee for a Non-Compass student to receive this award. The cost of the actual award (certificate and pin) is funded by outside sources. A Non-Compass student is one who is not enrolled or has not been enrolled in the award year. This registration is used to create a list of participants who will receive further notices from Compass about the award cycle. Additional information about the ACA can be found on the award webpage.

Register here to let Compass know that you are working towards the 2023-24 President's Volunteer Service Award. There is a $15.00 facility/activity fee for a Non-Compass student to receive this award. The cost of the actual award package (medal and certificate) is funded by outside sources. A Non-Compass student is one who is not enrolled or has not been enrolled in the award year. This registration is used to create a list of participants who will receive further notices from Compass about the award cycle. Additional information about the PVSA can be found on the Compass award webpage.

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.

This class will be taught in a Hybrid format with an online lecture on Mondays (10:00 am - 10:55 am) over a live, online platform and in-person lab and activities on Wednesdays (9:30 am - 10:55 am). Registration for the Lab section will automatically enroll the student in the Lecture section. This is a full-year, lab-based course that covers traditional concepts in physics. Physics is a college-preparatory course that encourages students to engage in scientific inquiry, investigations, and experimentation so they develop a conceptual understanding and basic scientific skills. Physics will help students understand phenomena in the physical world such as the forces on a roller coaster, wave action at the beach, speakers for their music, batteries in electric cars, and the electronics that power their favorite devices. Students will develop an in-depth conceptual and analytical understanding of principles such as Newton's laws of motion, work and energy, momentum, circular motion, thermodynamics, sound, properties of light, electric fields and energy, and magnetism. This course will use algebra- and trigonometry- based mathematical models to introduce the fundamental concepts that describe mechanics. The course is designed to emphasize scientific thinking and reasoning, problem solving, and experimentation. Meeting Dates: This is a 29-week course that will not meet during the week of May 13-17. Prerequisites/Corequisites: Students should have completed Algebra I, Geometry, and basic, right-angle trigonometry before taking this course. Students should be concurrently enrolled in Algebra II or PreCalculus when taking this course. For those students who have not covered trigonometry or other key Algebra II topics prior to encountering them in this course, the instructor will recommend resources and videos for independent review or instruction. Students are encouraged to buy the textbook over the summer to work through the Math Review section before September. The emphasis in this course is teaching/learning physic concepts, not teaching or re-teaching mathematical concepts. Class Expectations: For both in-person and virtual class meetings, students are expected to come prepared, have class materials, and be ready to participate in class discussions and activities. During virtual lectures (Mondays), students are expected to be seated at a desk or table and have their cameras on. Workload: Students should expect to spend 4 - 6 hours of independent study/homework every week consisting of pre-reading chapters, taking detailed notes on concepts before class, completing problem-solving activities, analyzing data, and writing formal lab reports. Assignments: All assignments and announcements will be posted on Google classroom management site. There, students access assignments; upload lab reports, message instructor and classmates; and attend virtual conferences. Parents can view the course instructions and materials via their students’ accounts. Assessments: The instructor will assign points for correct answers on quizzes and tests, and points/feedback for lab reports. Homework assignments will be marked as complete or incomplete. Parents can calculate a letter grade using the student's points earned divided by points available. Textbook/Materials: Students should purchase or rent Physics by James S. Walker (2014 ed.) (ISBN #9780131371156.) Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $100.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class. Supplies/Equipment: Students will need access to a computer with working camera, internet, a graphing calculator, a ruler, writing supplies, colored pens for graphs, highlighters, plain, lined, and graph paper, a 1-inch three ring binder, and a Five Star, 8.5" X 11" Quadrille-Ruled Notebook. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component full credit in laboratory science for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: Algebra I, Geometry with minimum co-requisite Algebra II

This class has an in-person lecture on Mondays (10:00 am - 10:55 am) and in-person lab and activities on Fridays (9:30 am - 10:55 am). Registration for the Lab section will automatically enroll the student in the Lecture section. Massive mudslides in Monterrey. New fossils found in the Philippines. Uranium unearthed near Uluru. The curiosities of geology are in the news every single day! Geology is a study of the physical Earth- past and present- including its history, composition, structures, forces, and cycles, all of which shape our world. Students will explore the Earth's spheres including the geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, and atmosphere, as well as the cycles of the Earth such as the water, rock, and carbon cycles. A key theme in this course is Earth's history including formation, rock cycle, plate tectonics, and geo-dynamics. The class will also look at minerology and petrology where they will identify minerals and rocks through physical testing, understand the mineral composition, and relate their findings to the forces that produce different structures and conditions. The class will cover geochemistry which includes the carbon cycle, water cycle, and hydrothermal chemical processes, along with geomorphology which deals with landforms and what can be inferred about the geology from the resulting structures and features. Natural hazards such as hurricanes, landslides, and volcanoes will be explored, along with the niche topics of remote sensing and glacial physics. Weather, oceanography, space, and planetary science will be only briefly discussed since these topics are explored in other, year-long Compass courses. Ultimately, this course prepares students to be scientifically literate as well as prepare them for future courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and environmental science. In this year-long laboratory science course, students will pair weekly discussions with experiments and activities that demonstrate concepts such as erosion, rock/mineral classification, tectonics using an earthquake table, spectra/light analyses to determine mineral content, and more. Students' laboratory work may also include citizen scientist initiatives using data and images collected by NASA and other institutions. Some lab activities may use computers and a spreadsheet to analyze publicly available data. The class will perform some field work such as stream-mapping at nearby Sugarland Run and an optional field trip to Billy Goat's trail in Great Falls. Workload: Students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class on reading and assignments. Levels: This class will be offered on two levels: Honors and On-Level. All class members share the core, weekly lesson and participate in the same in-class labs and activities. Honors students will be assigned supplemental articles, videos, and/or additional homework problems each week. Students register online for the same course, but must indicate which level they wish to study at the start of the year. Students may move down a level (from Honors to On-Level) at any time. However, once classes have started, students may not "bump up" a level. Assignments: All assignments will be posted on password-protected Canvas classroom management site. There, students access assignments, upload homework, take automated quizzes and tests, track grades, and message instructor and classmates. Assessments: Completed assignments will be assessed points. Parents can calculate a letter grade using the student's points earned divided by points available, in weighted categories that include assignments, labs, quizzes, tests, projects, and presentations. Parents may view all scoring and comments at any time through the Canvas site. Textbook: The class will use a free, online textbook, OpenGeology.org Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $100 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class. What to Bring: Students will need class supplies at each class meeting and will need a laptop at some sessions for laboratory work. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in Lab Science for purposes of a high school transcript.

Students will learn to think like inventors and designers when creating 3D! 3D design is used not only for modeling and fabricating objects but is also at the heart of many cutting-edge technologies such as AR and VR, video game design, interactive exhibits, and more. 3D printing is used in nearly all industries and design fields today from art to animation, manufacturing to medicine, and engineering to entertainment. In this class, students will first learn to use Tinkercard, a 3D modeling software that works in solid forms (like LEGO bricks). Then, students will transition to MeshMixer, a software that creates smooth, curved, organic shapes (like clay). They will learn to think about their design from all angles and how to subtract forms to create holes, voids, and concave features, and add forms to create projections, contours, appendages, and convex details. They will discover the limitations of 3D printing and how to handle overhanging elements or delicate details. Students will practice the artistic design process with simple sketches before diving into the software. They will be encouraged to use reference material, whether photos, a model, or even by modifying existing, public domain 3D files. Students will use an iterative printing process in which they print their project, check it for design intent, functionality, or fit, make modifications, and print again. The class will learn how to save and convert between 3D solid object files (.stl) and object files (.obj) and work with metadata fields to protect the intellectual property of their designs. To demonstrate the range and capability of 3D-printed designs, favorite student projects include D & D miniatures, cosplay props, Minecraft-designed creations, and beloved characters such as anime, baby Yoda, and Pokemon creatures. Second semester, continuing students will progress to more complex assemblies including multiple parts and parts with hinges. Second semester, some students may wish to work with alternative filaments such as TPU (rubber), metal, or magnetized filament. Because of the studio format, new students can enroll second semester. The class instructor is a design engineer with 3D Herndon and expert in 3D technologies and other areas of design and invention. A typical class will be structured with 5-10 minutes of lecture or demonstration of a new design skill, followed by 40 minutes of design "studio" time where students can receive trouble-shooting support and design tips from the instructor and have dedicated work time, and 5-10 minutes of sharing time at the end of class. As a studio class, students will work on individual projects at their own pace. Topics in this Series: As an open studio for individual projects, students may continue from one semester to the next or enroll mid-year. Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester. Prerequisites: None What to Bring:Students will need to bring a laptop to class for design work. Workload: Students should expect to spend 0-1+ hours per week outside of class. Assignments: Project criteria will be explained in class to students. Assessments: Informal, qualitative feedback will be given in class throughout the semester as the student works. Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $40.00 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class for 3D printing and filament. This provides the student with 800 g of printed product per semester. Students who are prolific designers and print often will be asked to pay an additional $5.00 per 100 g or fraction thereof. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Visual Arts, Technology, or Career Exploration for purposes of a high school transcript.

Kids take to the stage as they collaboratively write and perform their very own play with unique characters and an original storyline.Will their superheroes have super speed or stupendous strength? What happens when these characters collide with vicious villains? Students will begin with improvisational games to get to know each other, then read through the two, prepared scripts together. Through group activities and guided discussion, they will create new characters, brainstorm variations, craft plot changes, add lines, and cast their parts. The instructor will then update and customize the class script with the students' input. The class will learn the practical aspects of acting, as they work on script read-through, blocking, costume/prop design, and planning the show. Students will develop their own "actor's toolkit" of voice, body, and imagination in this creative process! Actors will grow in confidence and communication skills in preparation for a final sharing with parents on the final day of the quarter. Once the script is fully developed with everyone's parts, about half-way through the quarter, it will be emailed to parents. Parents will be expected to help their children memorize their script/lines/cues and assemble a simple make-at-home costume, ideally from clothing items and accessories you already own and a little creativity. Note: Students who are emerging readers (not able to read at a 3rd/4th grade level) would be better suited to the Young Actor's Playhouse class, rather than this level. Topics in this Series: The Craziest Dream Ever (Quarter 1), Mix Up on Mars (Quarter 2), Super DUper New Superheroes (Quarter 3), Twisted Treasure Tale (Quarter 4).

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. Third quarter, the class will meet American artists Robert Lobe, Andy Warhol, Grandma Moses, Keith Haring, Eric Carle, Martin Puryear, Faith Ringgold, and Frank Lloyd Wright. The class will overview the life and times of each artist and look at a sampling of their works to understand preferred subjects, style, techniques, and mediums. Then, the students will create a weekly project to represent the featured artist, such as Grandma Moses-inspired simple subject art; pop art like Keith Haring and Andy Warhol; and Frank Lloyd Wright's amazing stained glass designs. 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. Third quarter, young dancers will learn the story of Fairy Doll, composed by Bayer, Tchaikovsky, Rubenstein, Drigo, and Lyadov and performed as a ballet since 1903. 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:

• Eggs Benedict
• Baked Oatmeal
• Protein-Packed on-the-Go Bites
• Hash Brown Casserole
• Spinach and Sweet Potato Frittata
• Granola and Energy Bars
• Red Pepper Avocado Eggs
• Chilled Chia Breakfast Pudding

Can your child sit in a circle for story time? Line up for lunch? Take turns talking? This one-day, 3-hour (half-day) program is a "taste" of kindergarten for 5- year-olds. Start your child's week off right with "Monday mornings with Miss M" at Compass Kindergarten. Children will work in a small group with an experienced early elementary educator for this dynamic, play-based program that offers regular interaction and socialization. This fun, activity-based program will create rhythm and routine in a homeschooled kindergartner's week and give them a sense of community and a peer group. Children will practice routines and transitions as they move through the morning. Each session will include some simple structure such as a daily arrival song/greeting, circle time, story, snack time, activity, lunch, active game, and closing/goodbyes. Through games and activities, they will also practice key childhood social skills such as sharing, taking turns, and entering play with others. Academic basics such as the ABCs, days of the week, colors, shapes, and number sense will be integrated into activities involving fairy tales, nature and art. The teacher will provide ideas for parents to work on at home with their child during the week. Compass Kindergarten is offered in three weekly sessions: Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Registration is stand-alone for each day so parents can register for one, two, or all three. While each kindergarten class will give children the opportunities for learning and playing in a social environment along with classroom routines, each of the three days will focus on a particular area of study and discovery of how each is connected. On Mondays, the focus will be on Language Arts where students will be exposed to folktales, seasonal stories, and classic favorites while also practicing basic reading and writing skills such as sound blends, digraphs and long vowel sounds. Parents can choose to drop children off for this program (different than Compass's school-year policies for 55 minute classes.) Children should bring a bagged lunch and water bottle to each session. There is a $40.00 material fee for class consumables due payable to the teacher on the first day of class. Registration for this program is by 16-week semester with priority registration for continuing students. Students must be age five (5) at the start of the program. Parents who are shopping around or applying to alternate kindergarten programs should review the Compass withdrawal policy.

Can your child sit in a circle for story time? Line up for lunch? Take turns talking? This one-day, 3-hour (half-day) program is a "taste" of kindergarten for 5- year-olds. Start your child's week off right with "Monday mornings with Miss M" at Compass Kindergarten. Children will work in a small group with an experienced early elementary educator for this dynamic, play-based program that offers regular interaction and socialization. This fun, activity-based program will create rhythm and routine in a homeschooled kindergartner's week and give them a sense of community and a peer group. Children will practice routines and transitions as they move through the morning. Each session will include some simple structure such as a daily arrival song/greeting, circle time, story, snack time, activity, lunch, active game, and closing/goodbyes. Through games and activities, they will also practice key childhood social skills such as sharing, taking turns, and entering play with others. Academic basics such as the ABCs, days of the week, colors, shapes, and number sense will be integrated into activities involving fairy tales, nature and art. The teacher will provide ideas for parents to work on at home with their child during the week. Compass Kindergarten is offered in three weekly sessions: Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Registration is stand-alone for each day so parents can register for one, two, or all three. While each kindergarten class will give children the opportunities for learning and playing in a social environment along with classroom routines, each of the three days will focus on a particular area of study and discovery of how each is connected. On Fridays, the focus will be on Science and exploration of the natural world through stories, crafts, and observations both inside and outside the classroom. Themes include seasons, weather, local animals, and the five senses. Parents can choose to drop children off for this program (different than Compass's school-year policies for 55 minute classes.) Children should bring a bagged lunch and water bottle to each session. There is a $40.00 material fee for class consumables due payable to the teacher on the first day of class. Registration for this program is by 16-week semester with priority registration for continuing students. Students must be age five (5) at the start of the program. Parents who are shopping around or applying to alternate kindergarten programs should review the Compass withdrawal policy.

Students with a curiosity for culinary careers will explore many aspects of cooking for the hospitality industry and for themselves. In this advanced cooking class, students will make delicious, advanced recipes and learn skills that are the foundation for a future career in culinary arts. This class will get students excited about new foods, flavors, and techniques as they gain a working knowledge of food planning and preparation. Each quarter, new technical, kitchen skills are introduced, and each week, a new recipe is made in class that demonstrates the featured food group or cooking style. Third quarter covers Chapter 6 in the Level 1 textbook and features Soups and Stews including:

• Chicken Gnocchi
• Pasta Fagioli
• Chicken Corn Chowder
• Lentil Soup
• Posole
• Butternut Squash Bisque
• Chicken and Dumplings
• Chili Cook-Off

• Foundations of Restaurant Management & Culinary Arts: Level 1, published by National Restaurant Association (ISBN# 978-0138019389)
• Foundations of Restaurant Management & Culinary Arts: Level 2, published by National Restaurant Association (ISBN# 978-0131380226)
• Activity Guide for Foundations of Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts Level 1, published by National Restaurant Association (ISBN# 978-0137070503)
• Activity Guide for Foundations of Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts Level 2, published by National Restaurant Association (ISBN# 978-0131380714)

In Digital Workshop, students will become immersed in the digital worlds of Minecraft that they will learn to navigate and transform through coding! What can you do if your vision of a unique Minecraft world cannot be built with the standard blocks and virtual raw materials? You need to change it yourself! Students will create mods (modifications) to the classic game in order to create a wide variety of new elements, custom structures, cool new effects, upgraded mechanics, and improved gameplay to enhance their entire Minecraft experience. Students use their imaginations to make Minecraft do what they want it to do- through the power of modding. Minecraft projects created in this class will run on PC/laptop (i.e. Java) versions of Minecraft and will not be compatible with tablet, phone, or console versions of Minecraft. Digital Workshop 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: ROBLOX Makers (Quarters 1, 2); Minecraft Modders (Quarters 3, 4).

In this 16-week course, students will build on the first semester basics and learn intermediate skills of Electronic Music Production from industry professional, DJ, producer, and musician Eric Jao. Eric brings 30+ years of working in the music industry, touring the world, and performing with artists like Madonna, Shakira, Rhianna, and Linkin Park. He is the developer of the Mix Major curriculum which he will teach in person at Compass. Students will learn sampling, music effects, remixing vocals, and learn to automate some features to create unique sounds. As students progress beyond the core curriculum, they will learn how to use effects and automation to expand and enhance their music production skills. Students do not need to play an instrument or be able to read music for this course. Instead, they need to have a love of music and the desire to create their own, original songs. Students will use Ableton Live software which is used by the world's biggest pop music and electronic music artists including Marshmello, Illenium, Skrillex, and the Chainsmokers. Meet your instructor here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5en5nx5zag Note:  This class is for students who completed Semester 1 Electronic Music Production. New students cannot be accommodated in this class. Workload: Students should expect to spend 1 or more hours per week outside of class. Assignments: Students will be encouraged to continue to work on their music at home. Assessments: Will not be given. What to Bring: Students should bring a laptop (Windows or Mac). Chrome books will not work with the required software. Software: Students will need to sign up and pay for the Appleton Software which will be approximately $269 with an instructor-negotiated student discount. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component partial credit in Fine Arts or Career Exploration for purposes of a high school transcript.

Tween builders will use LEGO construction components in this hands-on engineering class. Each week, students will build a different project from the LEGO Education 9686 curriculum which will introduce concepts in simple machines, complex machines, mechanical engineering, or structural engineering. Using the engineering design process, students will build a basic mechanism, test it, gather data, and then modify their design to improve performance. Students will learn to take measurements such as distance traveled, use a stopwatch, record and graph their findings on paper. This approach introduces applied physics concepts in a subtle way, encouraging observation of physical phenomena such as forces and relationships without being bogged down by equations. Students will work with ordinary LEGO bricks, beams, and plates along with specialized components such as gears, toothed elements, wheels and axles, pulleys, and motors. Second semester projects focus on motorized vehicles with more iterations of testing, modifying, and retesting a powered car, a dragsters, a space walker, and the complete design-build of a lifter that can hoist more than 50 grams higher than 20 cm. There is a $20.00 supply fee due payable to the instructor on the first day for a lab notebook. Topics in this series include Advanced Apparatus (Semester 1) and Visionary Vehicles (Semester 2). There is a $50.00 supply and equipment fee due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

From aerial videos of natural disasters to stealthy behind-the-lines views of military movements and spectacular nature cinematography, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) provide a safe and cost- effective means to enhance the visual experience and capture new vantage points of the world around us. This quarter-long class combines drone technologies with photography and videography for an integrated STEM skillset that can serve as a hobby or career. This course provides an introduction to drone safety and operation, including the crucial TRUST (The Recreational UAS Safety Test) certification required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for recreational UAS operations. Students will learn the distinctions between recreational and commercial drone use and delve into vital topics such as LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) and RID (Remote Identification) that are essential for the safe and creative operation of drones for photography and videography. This class also places an emphasis on capturing high-quality footage with a drone for content production. By the end of the quarter, students will possess the skills, knowledge, TRUST certification, and a solid understanding of the fundamentals of content creation. Students will complete a videography project that they plan, storyboard, film, and edit. There are no prerequisites for this class, making it an ideal starting point for young drone enthusiasts. The course instructor holds FAA certification and has a background in film and television production. Because of Compass's proximity to Dulles airport and location within controlled airspace, drones cannot be flown at Compass nor operated indoors. Concepts will be covered in class, and students will have weekly assignments to accomplish outside of class in accordance following the recreational and academic drone use guidelines, laws and regulations. The instructor will have drones to loan to students. To check-out a drone, a parent or guardian must sign a form accepting financial and legal responsibility for the drone and provide a refundable deposit. Alternatively, students may use their own camera-capable drone. The class size is limited to 8 students because of the number of available drones, and the class is being offered both 3rd quarter and 4th quarter (select one).

Prerequisites: None

Learn about fashion of the 19th century Europe and America as you sew your own 19th century stays with a corset kit. The corset is a classic 19th century hourglass shape and can be used for a great range of silhouettes. Lightly boned, it smooths the line of the body from bust to hip. It is cut in the shorter French style of the period from shaped pieces. Corset kits come in white cotton coutil in our full range of sizes. The corset is finished with grommeted backs and adjustable back lacing. The kit for the class includes everything you need to make your own beautiful, authentic corset: pre-cut corset pieces in natural cotton coutil, instruction guide, steel bones and bone casing, silver grommets, tipped lacing in white, yardage of matching cotton to make bias edging, thread for sewing the corset on your machine. Students will be guided by instructor Judith Harmon who has a degree in costume design, creates the costumes for many local theaters, and teaches Compass sewing classes. The class is recommended for intermediate to advanced stitchers, including students who have taken her Learn to Sew classes. Students who are unfamiliar with machine sewing should schedule at least 4 hours of private sewing lessons through Compass before the start of class. Introduction to sewing will not be taught in this class. Students will also need to bring a portable sewing machine to class each week. If you are purchasing a new sewing machine for the class, a Singer Heavy Duty Sewing Machine, 4400 series, model is recommended. ($160-$180 from Amazon or JoAnn Fabrics). Students who are bringing a pre-owed or loaned sewing machine are expected to have the machine professionally serviced before the start of class. Students must bring bobbins, replacement needles, the foot pedal, power cord, owner's manual, and extension cord to class each week. A student who forgets his/her sewing machine or who must send their machine to the shop may rent one from the instructor for $20.00 per hour. Students should also bring a basic sewing kit. Required: Two weeks before the class begins in person, students should send the instructor their size, bust, and waist measurements and pay the material fee, so their kits can be prepared prior to the start of class. Students who are unsure of their measurements can watch the following video on how to take your own measurements: https://vimeo.com/169735158 Prerequisites: Recommended for intermediate to advanced stitchers such as those who have taken the Learn to Sew class or have experience using sewing machine. Alternatively, the student must enroll in 4-hours of private sewing instruction before the start of class. Workload: Students should expect to spend 1 hour per week outside of class. Assignments: Will be made in class and notes/lectures will posted in the Google Classroom platform. Assessments: Informal feedback will be provided as students work. Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $130.00 is due payable to the instructor no less than two weeks before the start of class for the corset kit. Students can also elect to purchase a basic sewing kits from the instructor for $25.00. What to Bring: Sewing machine (recently serviced, with owner's manual foot pedal, power cord, bobbins, and replacement needles); basic hand-sewing kit; 1.25 yards of decorative cotton fabric (optional). Optional: Students who wish to personalize their corsets, can furnish 1.25 yds of non-stretch cotton material and matching thread to use as a decorative outer layer to the corset coutil. Non-Meeting Days: In addition to the scheduled days-off on the published Compass schedule, this class does not meet on 10/20/23. Topics in this Series: Historical Corsets- 18th Century (Semester 1), Historical Corsets- 19th Century (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Art, Career Exploration, or General Elective for purposes of a high school transcript

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 third term at Hogwarts! This term we welcome Professor Snape to instruct us on making a useful cauldron, and Professor Slughorn who will teach us to concoct Amortensia just in time for Valentine's Day. Of course, you'll also make crafts related to your core classes, including Bowtruckles (Care of Magical Creatures), Patronuses (Defense Against the Dark Arts), 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.

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. Third quarter, junior engineers will tackle Monster Machines, building conveyor belts, elevators, catapults, tunnel-boring diggers, and a ferris wheel. 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

Kinder Kitchen will get 5-year-olds excited about helping in the kitchen. Kinder cooks will enjoy simple recipes that that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Menus are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. Recipes may expose students to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. The young chefs' culinary adventures will include:

• Apple Salsa with Cinnamon Pita
• Turkey Bacon Egg Cups
• Hearty Mac and Cheese
• Sticky Buns
• Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs
• Air Fried Banana Bread
• Ranch Chickpea Snackers
• Mini Lemon Cheesecakes (gelatin)

Everyone can learn to sing! If you want to learn to sing songs from your favorite movies or Broadway block busters, this class is for you! Selections from this semester come from Hal Leonard's "Kids' Musical Theatre Collection, Vol 2" with select hits from Annie, The Muppets Take Manhattan, Toy Story, Oliver, The Music Man, and more. Singers will be expected to memorize pieces and participate in the semester performance (May 14 ) along with one additional rehearsal outside of regular class hours. The semester's repertoire will include at least one group choral number. Students will work on other music as solos, duets, or small group numbers. This introduction to vocal development and performance includes posture, breathing, intonation, and the principles of blending vocal harmonies. Basic musical notation will be introduced as well as melodic and harmonic intervals. No previous musical experience is required- just the joy of singing! This is a 14-week class that does not meet on 1/30/24 or 2/6/24. Topics in this Series: Best of Disney (Semester 1); Kids Musical Theater (Semester 2) Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $28.00 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class for a class songbook.

Literature Roundtable is a Socratic seminar style literary analysis class for high school students. Instead of a broad, general survey of literature, Literature Roundtable students will examine a focused genre or topic in literature through critical evaluation and rich discussion. Second semester, the class will examine classic mystery and detective novels and evaluate the genre for what makes thrilling, suspenseful stories. Works covered will include: The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (considered to be the first detective novel), Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories Vol.1 (Arthur Conan Doyle), a novel by Agatha Christie (TBD), and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Students taking this course should be self-motivated and engaged readers who come to class prepared to participate in weekly discussions. The instructor will provide guiding questions for each novel to help students understand how to gather textual evidence to support their insights into the text, a necessary precursor to the type of evidence gathering required to construct the literary analysis essays they will be expected to write in high school and college. Students will also be assigned creative and analytical extension activities in class designed to enhance their understanding of each novel, such as rewriting a scene, imagining a conversation between characters from different books, developing a prequel or sequel scene, or writing a review. A key skill that will be taught in this class is how to annotate texts. Students will begin by examining samples of the instructor's own annotated novels, then move on to annotating in class as a group, learning the kinds of details to search for, such as recurring themes and motifs, symbolism, character development, diction (word choice), and setting. This incremental process will teach students how to annotate independently and how to ask their own questions, a skill which is the precursor to developing thesis statements. Meeting Days:  This is a 14- week class that will not meet on March 29 and May 17. Topics in this Series: The Gothic Novel (Semester 1) and The Mystery & Detective Novel (Semester 2). Continuing students from the first semester receive priority pre-registration for the second semester. Prerequisites: Students should be able to read and comprehend at a minimum 9th grade level for this course. Per Compass guidelines, accelerated 8th grade students may register for this course, however, in addition to the 9th+ grade reading level, they must possess the maturity to handle high school level topics and more mature discussion. Workload: Students should expect to read approximately 100 pages per week with a pen or pencil in hand for annotating. Students may use audio books as a supplement, but they should still be prepared to follow along and annotate the hard copy of the novel. Assignments: Weekly reading assignments will be posted on Google Classroom. Students will need their own email addresses to access the system, and parents may be set up as additional "observers" to their teen's account. Assessments: A point scale of 1-3 will be used to evaluate students based on their level of preparation, their participation in discussion, and their completion of extension activities. Parents may use the total points earned to calculate a grade. 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, a "class bundle" of mass market paperbacks will be pre-purchased for students. (See Supply Fee below). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $44.00 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. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in English for purposes of a high school transcript. For a full credit in English, families would need to "bundle" this course with additional coursework in composition.

Does your child learn best by hands-on activities, crafts, games, and stories? Number Ninjas is based on the belief that children need to work with mathematics in a concrete, physical, and tangible way in order to learn fundamental concepts. Young students will love learning numerical concepts in this interactive, exploration-based class where work with numbers feels like a game. Third quarter, students will play games, complete puzzles, and examine riddles as an introduction to logic, critical thinking, and reasoning skills. This class covers many of the 1st and 2nd grade Standards of Learning for math. Weekly update e-mails to parents will include suggestions for practice at home and extension activities. Topics in the Series: Patterns & Properties (Quarter 1), Money Math (Quarter 2), Learning Logic (Quarter 3), and Math in Nature (Quarter 4).

This is a complete course in Pre-Algebra that will provide an introduction to basic algebra concepts and a review of arithmetic algorithms with an emphasis on problem solving. The major topics covered in this course are Numbers and Operations, Expressions & Properties, Equations & Inequalities, Functional Relationships and Ratios, Percent & Proportions. Students will learn to use formulas to solve a variety of math problems encompassing geometry, measurement probability, and statistics. Students will also be applying their learning to real life scenarios to solve problems. Prerequisites: Students must be fluent in the four basic operations- addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. They will need to show proficiency and have a thorough command of basic computation. In addition, a basic, introductory understanding and ability to work with fractions and decimals is required to solve equations and simplify expressions. If you are unsure about your child's readiness for this class, the instructor will recommend one or more practice platforms and/or assessments to confirm placement. Workload: Students should expect to spend 3-4 hours per week outside of class to complete practice problems, homework, and assessments. Assignments: All assignments will be posted on password-protected Canvas classroom management site. There, students access assignments, upload homework, link to quizzes and tests, track grades, and message the instructor and classmates. Assessments: All chapter tests will be taken outside of class with parental oversight to maximize in-class instructional time. Points will be assigned for completed homework, quizzes, and tests. A letter grade will not be assigned, but parents can use total points earned versus total points offered to assign a grade for purposes of a homeschool transcript. Parents can view total points earned at any time through the Canvas site. Textbook: The selected textbook is available free online, and a link will be posted on Canvas. Students who prefer a hard copy textbook may purchase or rent McDougall Littell's Pre-Algebra (ISBN #978-0618250035). As an alternative, for any student who struggles with reading, the textbook can be purchased as an audio CD (ISBN #978-0618478828). What to Bring: TI-34 calculator Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in Mathematics for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: Preparation for Pre-Algebra, or equivalent 6th/7th math

Reading affects a student's achievement in all aspects of schoolwork, so strong literacy skills are fundamental to success in homeschooling. This weekly class is a small reading group where students are placed with 2-4 peers who read at a similar level to follow a comprehensive language arts curriculum under the guidance of experienced reading specialist Catherine Vanlandingham. Each Monday meeting will include a short story with select vocabulary words, a graphic organizer, main themes, and embedded learning objectives. Students will continue to practice language arts skills at home with easy-to-implement "page a day" workbook activities assigned by the instructor and implemented by the parents. For most early elementary learners, enrollment in Reading Rally can serve as either a supplement to another at-home reading curriculum or as a complete, self-contained language arts curriculum. Weekly readings are organized around thematic units. The instructor will teach students how to approach a new story as a fun reading puzzle. For example, before reading in class, students will conduct a "picture walk" to overview and predict elements of the story from the illustrations, review a graphic organizer to assist in writing sentences, define vocabulary words, and preview summary questions. Then, the instructor will read the story aloud, model good reading practices, and encourage students to read. Students will only be asked to read aloud when they feel comfortable and have built trust in their group. All follow-up activities are designed around learning objectives such as decoding, comprehension, prediction, visualization, and verbalization. First time registrations in Reading Rally include the cost of a 30-minute, individual assessment conducted in-person or virtually by Mrs. Vanlandingham. Parents are encouraged to contact Compass to schedule their child's reading assessment before registering. Families register without the assessment for grade-level placement must be prepared to reschedule to a different reading group if indicated by the assessment. Grade level references in Reading Rally are based on scope, sequence and pacing that correlate to the Grade Level Equivalent (GLE) standards of learning. Students who are more than one year behind in GLE may be recommended for a second, weekly class meeting on Fridays or in additional 1-on-1 private reading instruction to make up ground in reading skills. The instructor has experience working with reluctant and fearful readers, those who are late bloomers, neurodivergent, dyslexic, and ESOL students. The instructor may recommend a more complete evaluation by a neuropsychologist if she suspects other learning differences are impacting the student's reading. Students will work from a spiral bound copy of reading textbook and workbook by Pearson. A class fee of $68.00 is due payable to Compass for class materials. Students continuing from one semester to the next will receive priority registration to remain with their reading group and do not have to pay for an additional assessment.

The Industrial Revolution of the 18th century built modern society and represented the most significant and rapid transformation in human history. This lured the population away from rural farms into urban centers where they could work in factories, kick-starting the consumer culture that continues to this day. Whole ways of life would be changed, or even destroyed altogether, replaced by an industrial machine hungry for resources, outputting goods and luxuries at a scale never before seen. How these goods were made and transported to new markets of eager consumers would make or break the fortunes of many. Moving on from Agrarian America, the class will transition from farm to factory. Students will begin the semester as "independently wealthy" barons and tycoons of various mid-century industries. The class will use a custom Role-Playing Game to simulate a fully industrialized economy. From day one, students will be assigned to key roles in industry, from railroads and shipping, to a variety of factories or resource extraction. They must manage their initial investments wisely or risk being overrun by their classmates. They will endeavor to dominate their market and rule the supply and demand, or risk ending up penniless. In true role-playing fashion, will create characters and build their "backstories" to fit into this economy. Will they be Carnegies and Rockefellers, or will they run out of steam? Using the lessons taught in class, students will navigate their interconnected business world, learning to either cooperate with or destroy their rivals. Using their carefully documented ledgers, the class will learn to manage key business elements, from keeping their labor force happy enough not to strike, forging deals and making partnerships, and of course, influencing government policy to their benefit. The end of the semester should make clear how each business is interdependent on another, the benefits of cooperation or forceful acquisition. What role does a good (or bad) government play in encouraging and safeguarding investment and for whose benefit? Above all, it should stress the importance of keeping orderly records, making safe vs highly rewarding investments, and how to successfully manage working relationships. By recreating the circumstances of the industrial revolution, and navigating them in the role playing game, students should understand the why and how, to the history they've played through. Topics in this Series: Agrarian America (Semester 1), Industrial America (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester. Prerequisites: None Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class. Assignments: Course documents including period plans, photographs and recreations will be made available through a class Google Drive link emailed to parents (and students who provide their email address), as well as a class reading list of articles/excerpts and YouTube playlist for any videos watched in class or assigned as homework. Assessments: Informal assessments will be given at the instructor's discretion, but assignments will not be scored or graded. Each student's financial success in the game will be an indicator of their learning and participation for purposes of assigning a grade. Parents will also be given shared access to their student's business plan with instructor and ledger, with instructor comments at the conclusion of class. Textbook/Materials: None What to Bring: Paper or notebook, pen or pencil Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in History, Economics, or Business for purposes of a high school transcript.

Continue to learn to play the violin! Students will learn more advanced skills such as shifting on the violin and playing vibrato. Students will learn to play violin repertoires and practice additional scales. The class will be taught to play in unison from a songbook of arranged works. At the end of the semester, the class will be able to play several short pieces and will perform for the parents. Music education enhances teamwork and cooperative learning and provides children with a path for self-expression. Scientific research has shown that music lessons not only improve organizational skills and executive functioning but that they also develop self-confidence. Semester 1, Beginner Violin I students will have priority registration to enroll in Beginner Violin II to continue their musical education. Other students may enroll in the second semester if they have had prior instruction equal to the first semester, or if they are willing to schedule and pay for individual lessons with this instructor to cover 1st semester skills prior to or around the start of the class. Those wishing to enroll in 2nd semester course without the Compass 1st semester class will be asked to play for the instructor in order to demonstrate skill level and establish placement. Class Expectations: A student violin can be purchased or rented from most music stores (Foxes Music Company in Falls Church is recommended). The student should be professionally measured and fitted for the violin by the music store or a string luthier. Students should also have a shoulder rest fitted to their violin. Students will be asked to bring their violin, bow, shoulder rest, case, small notebook, Suzuki music book, and pencil to every class. In order to fully benefit from the in-class instruction, daily, at-home practice is expected. Supply Fee: There is a supply fee of $23.30 payable to Compass on the first day for the Suzuki violin book 1. This is a 15-week semester class, and the week off will be announced by the instructor.

Did you know that the ukulele is not just a miniature guitar? It is a member of the Portuguese lute family, but its sound was popularized in Hawaiian music. Ukulele's fun, compact size also appeals to kids and is a great "first" stringed instrument! In this class, kids will continue to build their skills on ukulele. Students will learn expansion of chords, to include minor chords, 7th chords, sharps, and flats. They will begin to play individual notes and chords on each piece that they learn and will learn self-accompaniment. Sample songs taught at this level include “You Are My Sunshine”, “Michael Row the Boat Ashore”, “Octopus’ Garden”, “Rainbow Connection”, and “All My Loving”. Each student should purchase or rent a good quality ukulele for the class. Semester 1, Ukulele for Beginner I students will have priority registration to enroll in Beginner 2 level to continue their musical education. Other students may enroll in the second semester if they have had prior instruction equal to the first semester, or if they are willing to schedule and pay for individual lessons with this instructor to cover 1st semester skills prior to or around the start of the class. Those wishing to enroll in 2nd semester course without the Compass 1st semester class will be asked to play for the instructor in order to demonstrate skill level and establish placement. Lab/Supply Fee: For new students, there is a class fee of $15.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class for a music notebook. This is a 14-week class in a 16-week semester with no class meetings on 2/1/24 and 2/8/24.

This semester begins in the aftermath of the 100 Years War between England and France, with multiple succession crises and ongoing civil wars. The widespread unrest was the result of England’s failure to dominate France on the mainland and because of the weak rule of King Henry VI of England. He inherited the throne as a boy at the peak of English power in the 100 Years War, but whose inexperience ultimately led to a French victory in the conflict. In the absence of a strong monarch, the nobility of England, having grown their own military power and political influence, struggled instead with their own neighbors in all out civil war and anarchy. Powerful dukes laid their own claims to the throne, and the two most powerful houses, Lancaster and York fought a series of deadly wars, supported by outside factions from France and Scotland. This was the historical inspiration for A Game of Thrones! There were wedding massacres, assassinations, pitched battles, spies, and intrigue! This historical crisis is where the Compass role play will begin. Students will assume roles as English lords, managing their own fiefs and raising armies to see the rightful heir crowned, or carving out their own domain, free from overlordship. Will they remain loyal to their rightful king or seek foreign aid to put someone else on the throne? Will they win through force of arms on the battlefield or through guile and subterfuge? Students will examine in-depth case studies and fit them together like an "illuminated manuscript of history," learning how warfare, politics, law, and religion interplay to create the History of the World. Cases will be based on primary source documents from art and literature which the class will use to create a mock feudal system in which students will take period-appropriate collaborative and/or competitive roles with classmates to better understand medieval society. Topics in this Series: 100 Years War (Semester 1), The English Civil War (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester. Prerequisites: None Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class on readings. Assignments: Course documents including period maps, photographs and articles 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. Assessments: Short, open note in-class quizzes will be given. In addition, students will complete a semester project. Textbook/Materials: All readings will be posted in a Google Classroom. What to Bring: Paper or notebook; pen or pencil; assigned articles Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in world history for purposes of a high school transcript.

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. What will happen when penguins and polar bears meet seals and snowy owls in icy incidents and snowy scenes? 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).

This is a complete course in high school Algebra I which will cover fundamental concepts in algebra and provide a solid foundation of mathematical literacy, problem solving, reasoning, and critical thinking skills that are necessary for the exploration of more advanced and rigorous topics in mathematics. This course is designed to emphasize the study of algebraic problem-solving with the incorporation of real-world applications. Topics in Algebra I include number systems, linear systems, rational numbers, complex numbers, exponents, roots, radicals, quadratic equations, polynomials, factoring, absolute values, ratios, and proportions. In addition, the course will cover solving and graphing systems of functions, linear equations, and inequalities. Students will explore these topics through class discussions, practice problems, and open-ended problem-solving. Prerequisite: Students should have a solid foundation in pre-algebra topics in order to take this class. Workload: Students should expect to spend 1.25-1.75 hours per day on reading, review, and homework on most non-class days. Homework assignments will run on a 13-day cycle in this class with: a new unit introduced on a Friday (day 1), lecture on Wednesday (day 6), questions and answers on the next Friday (day 8), and homework due the next Wednesday (day 13). After introduction of a new topic (day 1), students will be expected to read the assigned section and look through worked, sample problems before the lecture the following Wednesday (day 6). Solutions will be provided for some homework problems, but students are expected to show all steps of all work. Assignments: The Canvas online class management system will be used to post assignments and scores. Students should have their own e-mail address in order to be set up as users of the Canvas system. Parents can also be set up as Canvas guests/observers for purposes of tracking the student's progress and workload. Assessments: In this class, the instructor will assess a student's progress by checking that weekly homework sets are complete and giving periodic take-home tests; class participation is also strongly encouraged. Parents will be able to view accumulated points awarded in the class for the purpose of determining a parent-awarded course grade. Textbook: Students should purchase or rent the required textbook for this class: Algebra I: Expressions, Equations, and Applications by Paul A. Foerster. It is available in a few different editions, each of which is virtually identical: 2nd edition (ISBN-10 020125073X, ISBN-13 978-0201250732), 3rd edition (ISBN-10 0201860945, ISBN-13 978-0201860948), and Classic edition (ISBN-10 020132458X, ISBN-13 978-0201324587). It is also available under the title Foerster Algebra I, Classics edition (ISBN-10 0131657089, ISBN-13 978-0131657083). A calculator is not needed for this course. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a complete credit in Algebra I for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: Pre-Algebra

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! First quarter, students will be challenged to develop a unique, individual segment of a maze that moves a ball from point A to point B, and each segment will link to a classmate's invention to keep the ball moving! They will be challenged to incorporate as many simple machines as possible into their maze. They will learn about levers, inclined planes, wheel and axle, wedges, screws, and pulleys while inventing. Can they move a ball through a maze with a ramp (inclined plane), a flipper (lever), or lowered bucket (pulley) without using their hands? Can they pass the ball to their neighbor without hitting the floor? This project is inspired by the LEGO Great Ball Contraption competition, which is similar to Rube Goldberg inventions. See http://greatballcontraption.com/ or You Tube videos for impressive examples of the Great Ball Contraption. Second quarter students will be challenged to build bigger, better, more complex contraptions with compound machines and more mechanization! Topics in this Series: Gadgets & Gizmos (Quarter 1); Widgets and Whatsits (Quarter 2): Marble Mazes (Quarter 3); and Crazy Contraptions (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

In the style of "High School Musical" or a glee club, Compass Chorale is for tween singers who want to have fun taking their vocal performance to the next level. This semester-long program will focus on choral arrangements of contemporary pieces with 2- and 3- part harmonies. Singers will be expected to memorize pieces and participate in the semester performance (May 14) along with one additional rehearsal outside of regular class hours. This program includes instruction on vocal development and performance such as posture, breathing, intonation, and the principles of blending vocal harmonies. Basic musical notation will be introduced as well as melodic and harmonic intervals. Compass Chorale is for students who took Learn to Sing class(es) at Compass, those who have other musical theater experience. First time new singers and younger students who have choral experience must receive instructor approval to enroll. Students are encouraged to enroll early because the number, ages, experience, and vocal parts of the students will determine which songs selected. There is a $25.00 fee for a music notebook due payable to the instructor on the first day of class. This is a 14-week session that will not meet on 1/30/24 and 2/6/24.

Prerequisites: Approval of Instructor or Brief Audition

Students will enjoy making hearty favorites and winter weather comfort foods that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Winter Warm-Up 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:

• Caramelized Onion Flatbread
• Cauliflower Leek Soup
• Greek Chickpea Salad
• Cheesy Potato Bake
• Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs
• Broccoli and Wild Rice Casserole
• Root Beer Float Cupcakes
• Chocolate Souffle

In Digital Lab, students will become immersed in the digital worlds of Minecraft that they will learn to manipulate through coding the Redstone resource that can be transformed into electricity, circuits, and complex machines. Go beyond simply playing Minecraft to become a Redstone engineer. In the world of Minecraft, Redstone is the resource that powers, animates, and automates elements. Students will learn how to use command and structure coding blocks to incorporate Redstone into their builds to take Minecraft to the next level. Through creating a series of mini-games in an amusement park, students will learn the fundamentals for building with Redstone to create more complex and interactive worlds. Minecraft projects created in this class will run on PC/laptop (i.e. Java) versions of Minecraft and will not be compatible with tablet, phone, or console versions of Minecraft. Digital Lab 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: ROBLOX Coders (Quarters 1, 2); Minecraft Redstone Engineers (Quarters 3, 4).

Students will learn how to think like electrical engineers as they learn about conductors, batteries, and circuits to understand how electricity powers the things they use every day. Discover basic electrical engineering using batteries and circuits with a variety of components. Through class discussions and hands-on experiments, students will learn about parallel and series circuits and experiment with resistance using Snap Circuits kits. Students will learn how to wire and power lights, a fan motor, and a speaker. On the final day of class, each student will design, build, and share their own, unique circuit project. 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 $10.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Prerequisites: None

Bonjour! French for Fun is a play-based, language immersion class for young students. Much like learning their native language, children will be exposed to French sounds, vocabulary, and phrases through songs, games, stories, interactive and hands-on activities. Limited cues in English will be used to prompt students in the first few weeks. French language instruction will be presented in a natural learning sequence beginning with themes such as colors, numbers, clothing, foods, animals, family members, days/dates, parts of the house, common objects, body parts, etc. Greetings and simple phrases will be woven into each class. Students will learn numbers, the alphabet, and specific sounds of French pronunciation. Writing, spelling, and grammar will not be emphasized in this class. 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. Students may join French for Fun during any quarter.

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:

• Asian Lettuce Wraps
• Japanese Egg Drop Soup
• Chopped Cabbage Salad With Sesame
• Egg Fried Rice
• Chicken Pad Thai (nuts)
• Potstickers
• Filipino Stir Fry
• Sticky Coconut Rice

Homeschool musicians who play violin, viola, cello, or bass are invited to join this homeschool string ensemble! Musicians will have an opportunity to develop orchestral skills and enjoy the experience of practicing, playing, and performing as a group. The ensemble will start each week with tuning and warm-ups such as playing musical scales and simple exercises. Then the musicians will work on several group songs each semester where they will improve musical literacy, learn to follow the directions from the conductor, and learn to play in different keys-- as a group. During the final session of the semester, a concert will be held for friends and family. This ensemble is intended for advanced beginner, intermediate, and advanced strings students who are currently and concurrently enrolled in private lessons. As a guideline, a student should be able to play a D major scale in two octaves on his/her instrument. Students are expected to be able to locate notes on their instruments, read music and be able to identify all rhythmical patterns. Students with less experience may be asked to play for the conductor or to submit a brief video to help establish placement. The instructor will provide the ensemble repertoires, and these arrangements will be specially composed to accommodate the range of abilities of all stringed players in the ensemble. Participants are expected to prepare and practice at home for at least 15 - 20 minutes per day. The cost of the class music is included. This is a 15-week semester program, and the week off will be announced by the instructor.

Prerequisites: Approval of Director or Brief Audition

Do you want to learn one of the top five coding languages? Javascript is part of every software developer's toolbox. Learn an array of core programming concepts with JavaScript by experimenting with a series of digital challenges. Begin by programming animated memes and creating filters then tackle advancedskills suc h as interactive 3D experiences to program character movements, object interactions, and level creation. Javascript is a versatile, easy-to-learn beginner-level programming language and gateway to foundational concepts in computer science. Students will learn how to code apps and games as they practice the computer science design cycle of writing code, executing the code, interpreting the results, revising the code syntax based on the output. The class will cover the fundamental building blocks of programming including: variables, mathematical operators, logical operators, and boolean arithmetic. They will also learn about data types, built-in functions, conditional statements, for- loops, defining functions, function stacks, interpreting error messages, exception handling, and add-on libraries. At each step, the class will create basic programs and fun, interactive content. Topics in this Series: Python Programming (Semester 1), JavaScript Programming (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester. Prerequisites: Algebra I, recommended Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class. Assignments: Will be given in class. Assessments: Will not be given. Lab/Supply Fee: The class tuition includes a student technology fee that covers the rental of classroom laptops and all software and licenses installed on the laptops. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Technology or Career Elective for purposes of a high school transcript.

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. Junior Artists will study and create art that showcases winter with projects such as aerial view snowman, winter trees snow painting, polar bear art process, newspaper winter landscape, and fold, and print winter reflection. They will examine samples from artist who worked in similar material themes or styles. 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.

Krav Maga is the Israeli martial art which teaches self defense and fitness. Students of Krav Maga are taught a series of strategies to assess and respond to common situations, such as facing a bully. Kids are always taught first and foremost to get away, to get help, and to try to deescalate the situation. When that fails, students practice a technique that includes a warning strike followed by escape, and finally, they learn how to stand up for themselves and how to counterattack if a situation escalates and becomes threatening. Kids are empowered and gain confidence when they rehearse how to handle real-life situations. Exercises and in-class practice incorporate balance, coordination, energy, and other key elements of fitness along with life skills such as confidence, teamwork, respect, discipline, and respect. Students may enroll in Krav Maga at any time, and everyone will begin as a white belt. Each quarter, students will practice the full range of skills, but there will be two "featured" moves that a student can earn a belt stripe for being able to demonstrate. Featured moves will include a combative strike and a defensive escape technique. No one stripe is a prerequisite for any other color, and color stripes can be earned in any order. Third quarter, students will have the chance to earn a Yellow Stripe. Featured moves include: cover defense and wrist locks (red stripe); straight punch defense and bear hugs (orange stripe); head movement defense and front 2-handed choke (yellow stripe); round kick defense and back 2-handed choke (green stripe); front kick defense and guillotine choke (blue stripe); clinch defense and rear choke (purple stripe); ground striking defense and head lock defense (brown stripe); and 360 defense and full Nelson (black stripe). Students will be able to test for belt promotions to move through the ranks of white belt, yellow belt, orange belt, etc. On average, it is estimated that a student will be ready for a belt test after four quarters/four color stripes. Belt testing will be by coach approval. Topics in this Series: Red Stripe (1st Quarter), Orange Stripe (2nd Quarter), Yellow Stripe (3rd Quarter) and Green Stripe (4th Quarter). Assessments: Belt testing for promotion will be by coach recommendation, but on average will take 4 quarters. Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $10.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class for the t-shirt and white belt (new students) or $5.00 for the white belt (returning students). An belt test fee of $25.00 is due payable to the instructor when a student is ready to test for promotion. What to Bring: Refillable water bottle. What to Wear: In lieu of a full martial arts uniform, students will be asked to wear a class t-shirt provided by the instructor. Students should also wear shorts, leggings, or loose, comfortable athletic pants, and comfortable athletic shoes or sneakers with their class t-shirt.

Prerequisites: None

Lunch-N-Learn is a supervised lunch hour for kids ages 8-12 whose parents are unable to be on campus during their break. If a family is unable to find a suitable class during a specific hour, kids can enroll in Lunch-N-Learn where they will eat their own lunches or snacks with other kids under the supervision of a Compass staff member. Lunch is not provided. Parents can make arrangements for food delivery such as Grub Hub, Door Dash, or Uber Eats. Some snacks are available for sale at Compass. During each hour, Compass staff will show educational programming such as Planet Earth, National Geographic, or How It's Made. Students are encouraged to bring homework, games, or puzzles to work on after lunch is finished. Students may bring tablets or hand-held video games but must have headphones or ear buds. The content of any video game or video steamed at Compass must be rated "E" for everyone. Students must be enrolled in other classes at Compass to participate in Lunch-N-Learn. The lunchtime program cannot be a student's only class at Compass.

Prerequisites: None

Lunch-N-Learn is a supervised lunch hour for kids ages 8-12 whose parents are unable to be on campus during their break. If a family is unable to find a suitable class during a specific hour, kids can enroll in Lunch-N-Learn where they will eat their own lunches or snacks with other kids under the supervision of a Compass staff member. Lunch is not provided. Parents can make arrangements for food delivery such as Grub Hub, Door Dash, or Uber Eats. Some snacks are available for sale at Compass. During each hour, Compass staff will show educational programming such as Planet Earth, National Geographic, or How It's Made. Students are encouraged to bring homework, games, or puzzles to work on after lunch is finished. Students may bring tablets or hand-held video games but must have headphones or ear buds. The content of any video game or video steamed at Compass must be rated "E" for everyone. Students must be enrolled in other classes at Compass to participate in Lunch-N-Learn. The lunchtime program cannot be a student's only class at Compass.

Prerequisites: None

Earth is an ocean planet! Life began in the oceans, and they are the linchpin of the biological, chemical, and physical processes that allow our planet to support life. This class will give students a basic understanding of the chemistry, physics and biology of earth's oceans. We'll also learn how oceans are informing our search for life on other planets. The focus will be on hands-on, dynamic learning, and students will engage in hands on demonstrations and experiments during each class. During the third quarter, students will continue to examine the amazing variety of marine habitats around the world. We'll explore marine habitats that are found in the open ocean (or limnetic zones) including near surface and deep water biomes, abyssal plains, deep trenches, hydrothermal vents, and polar waters. The geographic distribution, food webs, important primary producers and consumers, representative species, and notable species interactions for each biome will be discussed and compared to other marine and terrestrial biomes. Over the course of the quarter, students will assemble a "ship's log" of our virtual expedition which will include a map of the ocean biomes of the earth, with detailed sections on each biome we investigate. Topics in this Series: Oceanography (Quarter 1); Coastal Biomes (Quarter 2); Open Water Habitats (Quarter 3); and Marine Animal Close-Up (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

Witness the wonders of winter! Bundle up and look for signs of how animals live in the cold. Discover tracks in the snow, uncover nests and borrows, and find out who munched on twigs or bark. Observe transformations in plant life, moss, and fungus, and watch the changes to the watershed. 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. 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.

This is a complete course in high school PreCalculus which will cover fundamental concepts and provide a solid foundation of mathematical literacy, problem solving, reasoning, and critical thinking skills that are necessary for the exploration of more advanced and rigorous topics in mathematics. Topics in Precalculus include functions: polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric (right angle and unit circle). In addition, the course will cover polar coordinates, parametric equations, analytic trigonometry, vectors, systems of equations/inequalities, conic sections, sequences, and series. Students will explore these topics through class discussions, practice problems, and open-ended problem solving. Prerequisite: Students should have a solid foundation Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry in order to take this class. Workload: Students should expect to spend 1.25-1.75 hours per day on reading, review, and homework on most non-class days. Homework assignments will run on a 13-day cycle in this class with: a new unit introduced on a Friday (day 1), lecture on Wednesday (day 6), questions and answers on the next Friday (day 8), and homework due the next Wednesday (day 13). After introduction of a new topic (day 1), students will be expected to read the assigned section and look through worked, sample problems before the lecture the following Wednesday (day 6). Solutions will be provided for some homework problems, but students are expected to show all steps of all work. Assignments: The Canvas online class management system will be used to post assignments and scores. Students should have their own e-mail address in order to be set up as users of the Canvas system. Parents can also be set up as Canvas guests/observers for purposes of tracking the student's progress and workload. In lieu of a graphing calculator, students should have access to websites desmos.com and wolframalpha.com for graphing assignments. Assessments: In this class, the instructor will assess a student's progress by checking that weekly homework sets are complete and giving periodic take-home tests; class participation is also strongly encouraged. Parents will be able to view accumulated points awarded in the class for the purpose of determining a parent-awarded course grade. Textbook: Students should purchase or rent the required textbook for this class: Precalculus: Mathematics for Calculus, 6th edition by Stewart, Redlin, and Watson (ISBN-10 0840068077, ISBN-13 978-0840068071). A scientific calculator similar to the Casio fx-115ES PLUS is required for this class. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a complete credit in Precalculus for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: Algebra II

Would your behavior change if you suddenly found yourself working as a prison guard? Are your opinions influenced by others? If you were in distress, would it be better to have more people around you, or fewer? How do we define abnormality and classify mental disorders? How common are mental disorders and which are the most prevalent? How do mental disorders vary across cultures? The answers to these questions and others like them may surprise you! This class will begin by introducing students to the study of social interaction and human nature by reading, discussing and analyzing four influential cases that have shaped the way we understand social psychology today. Students will investigate factors that affect human behavior in different social settings and will learn about group behavior, the bystander effect, obedience to authority and more. Halfway through the semester, we will switch gears and examine the nature, causes, and treatment of mental disorders. We will examine case studies by renowned psychologists including Dr. Mary Pipher. These readings will be at the core of this class, leading to ongoing, intellectually stimulating discussions. Topics covered will include phobias, PTSD, eating disorders, OCD, addiction, schizophrenia, dementia and more. Students will learn how to analyze field work, evaluate theories, and think critically about how these studies apply to the world around them. They will also have an opportunity to share research on a personal topic of interest. Topics in this Series: Neuropsychology and Cognition (Semester 1) and Social and Abnormal Psychology (Semester 2) Workload: Students should expect to spend 2 hours per week outside of class on readings. Students will be expected to prepare for weekly discussions by reading the selected case study and answering questions. Assignments: All assignments will be posted on password-protected Canvas classroom management site. There, students can access assignments and upload homework. Extension assignments may include watching a short video clip, creating discussion questions, or suggesting a follow-up study. Assessments: The instructor will assign points for class participation and homework that the parents can use in assigning a grade. Lab/Supply Fee : None. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Social Sciences for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: None

Reading Rangers is a supplemental reading and writing class for beginning readers. The class is whole language inspired with phonics and decoding games, partner reading, simple journaling, and vocabulary lists for home. The group will explore habits of curious readers and writers through the examination of renounded children's picture story books. The class will discuss characters, setting, sequence of events, and predicting outcomes and will write simple sentences. Students should be able to read Level 1 books such as Frog & Toad and Little Bear. (In other words, students in this group should have processed beyond Bob-type books, but also not be more advanced than Level 1 readers.) Please note this class is designed for students to enjoy a fun, new dimension of reading with peers and a teacher, but this will not take the place of a comprehensive language arts curriculum and daily reading practice.

Students will learn all about the tools that scientists use to see microscopic world up close! Discover how different tools aid in microscopic observations- from magnifying glasses to microscopes- and learn what different magnifications can reveal about the microscopic universe. Students will learn the parts of a microscope and how to make slides. In labs, they will make slides using living and non-living organisms, stain an onion peel, and make a wet-mount slide to observe the nucleus. The class will examine microscopic plants (aquatic plant leaf) and animals (hydra and daphnia). Students will also practice keeping a lab notebook and making detailed observations and drawings of what they observe. 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)

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.

This class is a multi-media art sampler for our youngest artists! Preschoolers will experiment with a wide variety of materials such as tempera paints, finger paints, watercolors, color pencils, markers, cray pas, oil pastels, charcoals, tissue paper, and specialty papers through a guided, weekly themed project. Third quarter, preschool artists will learn all about Textures through mixing and experimenting with a variety of media. Students must be a minimum of 3-1/2 years old for this class and be able to work in a small group setting independent of their parent or caregiver. Note: This is a 45 minute class that meets from 11:10 am - 11:55 am (students may not enter classroom until 11:10 am) Topics in this Series: Creative Color (Quarter 1); Super and Shapes (Quarter 2), Terrific Texture (Quarter 3), and Fun with Forms (Quarter 4). Supply Fee: There is a supply fee of $12.00, payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Prerequisites: None

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.

This is a complete course in high school Algebra I which will cover fundamental concepts in algebra and provide a solid foundation of mathematical literacy, problem solving, reasoning, and critical thinking skills that are necessary for the exploration of more advanced and rigorous topics in mathematics. This course is designed to emphasize the study of algebraic problem-solving with the incorporation of real-world applications. Topics in Algebra I include number systems, linear systems, rational numbers, complex numbers, exponents, roots, radicals, quadratic equations, polynomials, factoring, absolute values, ratios, and proportions. In addition, the course will cover solving and graphing systems of functions, linear equations, and inequalities. Students will explore these topics through class discussions, practice problems, and open-ended problem-solving. Prerequisite: Students should have a solid foundation in pre-algebra topics in order to take this class. Workload: Students should expect to spend 1.25-1.75 hours per day on reading, review, and homework on most non-class days. Homework assignments will run on a 13-day cycle in this class with: a new unit introduced on a Friday (day 1), lecture on Wednesday (day 6), questions and answers on the next Friday (day 8), and homework due the next Wednesday (day 13). After introduction of a new topic (day 1), students will be expected to read the assigned section and look through worked, sample problems before the lecture the following Wednesday (day 6). Solutions will be provided for some homework problems, but students are expected to show all steps of all work. Assignments: The Canvas online class management system will be used to post assignments and scores. Students should have their own e-mail address in order to be set up as users of the Canvas system. Parents can also be set up as Canvas guests/observers for purposes of tracking the student's progress and workload. Assessments: In this class, the instructor will assess a student's progress by checking that weekly homework sets are complete and giving periodic take-home tests; class participation is also strongly encouraged. Parents will be able to view accumulated points awarded in the class for the purpose of determining a parent-awarded course grade. Textbook: Students should purchase or rent the required textbook for this class: Algebra I: Expressions, Equations, and Applications by Paul A. Foerster. It is available in a few different editions, each of which is virtually identical: 2nd edition (ISBN-10 020125073X, ISBN-13 978-0201250732), 3rd edition (ISBN-10 0201860945, ISBN-13 978-0201860948), and Classic edition (ISBN-10 020132458X, ISBN-13 978-0201324587). It is also available under the title Foerster Algebra I, Classics edition (ISBN-10 0131657089, ISBN-13 978-0131657083). A calculator is not needed for this course. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a complete credit in Algebra I for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: Pre-Algebra

This class has an in-person lecture on Tuesdays (12:00 pm - 12:55 pm) and in-person lab and activities on Fridays (12:00 pm - 12:55 pm). Registration for the Lab section will automatically enroll the student in the Lecture section. Did you know?. . . The brain is only 2% of the mass of a body, but demands 20% of our oxygen and blood supply. Babies are born with 300 bones, but have only 206 by adulthood, and every second, your body produces 25 million new cells. The anatomy and physiology of the human body is a fascinating field filled with astonishing facts about how we function. Students interested in going into any health or wellness careers in the future should consider taking anatomy and physiology: medicine (doctor), nursing, sports or rehabilitative medicine, medical assistant, medical technician, radiology/imaging, physical therapy, veterinarian, or personal trainer, as examples. In this full-credit high school lab science course, the class will move through systems of the body starting with a holistic look at the cells and tissues as the building blocks and homeostasis as the regulating process (unit 1). The class will study support and movement with an examination of the musculoskeletal system (unit 2), and "communication, control, and integration" (unit 3) through the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, endocrine system, and senses. The class will also cover "transportation and defense" (unit 4) which encompasses the circulatory system, lymphatic system, and immune responses. Finally, the class will examine respiration, nutrition and excretion (unit 5) encompassing respiratory and urinary system, upper and lower digestive tracts, and nutrition, metabolism, and more. The course will conclude with a look at reproduction and human development (unit 6) include the male and female systems, growth, and genetics/heredity. Weekly, hands-on labs and dissections will correspond to lecture content to reinforce concepts. A partial list of labs includes: blood typing, muscle biophysics, enzymes/digestion, urinalysis, kidneys and blood filtration, and bone construction. Comparative vertebrate anatomy will be examined through four dissections: owl pellet (for vole and shrew skeletal remains), frog, dogfish, and fetal pig. A venipuncture lab unit will teach the basic principles and techniques of phlebotomy. Classwork will come from assigned readings in the text. Students will also be assigned four scientific and non-fiction books on anatomy and physiology (The Body: A Guide for Occupants; The Icepick Surgeon; Stiff, The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers; and Women in White Coats) to read and discuss. Students will be required to write one formal lab report per semester and practice technical writing skills. Prerequisites: High school Algebra I Levels: This course provides a substantive, full-credit experience on either an on-level or honors track. All class members complete the same core material and participate in the same labs. Students taking the course at the honors level have additional weekly assignments. Students must identify their level prior to the start of class. At any point in the year, a student may transition from honors to on-level if the workload exceeds the students' expectations. Workload: Students should expect to spend 3-4 hours per week outside of class, with and additional 1-2 hours weekly for honors students. Outside work must be completed to support the "flipped classroom" approach to this course in which the student pre-reads and prepares much of the lecture content at home, allowing in-person class time to be spent on highlights, class discussion, homework review, and labs. In addition, students should plan for additional meeting and coordination time some weeks with their lab partners in-person, by phone, using shared documents, and/or via virtual meeting. Assignments: All assignments will be posted on password-protected Canvas classroom management site. There, students access assignments, upload homework, take automated quizzes and tests, track grades, and message the instructor and classmates. Students will have a mandatory pre-lab assignment that must be completed prior to lab and will serve as the student's "ticket" into the lab session each week. Assessments: Students will earn points for completed lab write-ups, chapter homework, and book reviews. Parents can calculate a letter grade using the student's points earned divided by points available. Parents may view all scoring and comments at any time through the Canvas site. Textbook/Materials: Students should purchase or rent two books: Understanding Anatomy & Physiology: A Visual, Auditory, Interactive Approach, 3rd Edition, by Gale Sloan (ISBN 978-08036-7645-9) and Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology (workbook) by Valerie Scanlon (ISBN #978-0-8036-6938-3). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $125 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class for a composition notebook, graph paper, lab equipment and supplies, and safety supplies. What to Bring: Students should bring a paper or a notebook, pen or pencil, and a set of colored pencils to class each week. What to Wear: Students should not wear any loose, drapey clothing to lab. They should also come to class with long hair tied back and should wear closed toe shoes. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in Lab Science for purposes of a high school transcript.

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 $10.50 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 3, students will learn fundamental skills such as: discovered checks and attacks, pins and double checks, counting, checkmate drills, keeping the king safe in the opening, tactics (forks, skewers, x-rays), opening principles. 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 3 as his/her first class.

Prerequisites: None

Students will enjoy making hearty favorites and winter weather comfort foods that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Winter Warm-Up 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:

• Caramelized Onion Flatbread
• Cauliflower Leek Soup
• Greek Chickpea Salad
• Cheesy Potato Bake
• Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs
• Broccoli and Wild Rice Casserole
• Root Beer Float Cupcakes
• Chocolate Souffle

Students will enjoy making hearty favorites and winter weather comfort foods that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Winter Warm-Up 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:

• Caramelized Onion Flatbread
• Cauliflower Leek Soup
• Greek Chickpea Salad
• Cheesy Potato Bake
• Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs
• Broccoli and Wild Rice Casserole
• Root Beer Float Cupcakes
• Chocolate Souffle

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. Third quarter, our storytellers will create lords and ladies who live within the twisting towers and turrets of the castle. Will the jester win the joust, or will the noble knight be victorious? 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).

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." Ka-pow! Zowie! Third quarter, students will continue to develop their skills in comics illustration with the addition of a villain and a sidekick to the main character. Students will learn to create their characters out of stacked simple shapes and will practice drawing them in different positions (running, kicking flying, etc.) They will learn how to develop a story line with a problem, a mix-up or misunderstanding, and resolution that can be told in just a few scenes, and the class will learn how to portray motion and interactions among multiple characters. Students' practice illustrations will be drawn with regular #2 pencil on paper. Later in the quarter, they will ink and color their work on a 3-or 6-panel comic page to complete their first comic. 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)

The best way to understand a biome is to build (a model) one! A biome is a large zone on Earth characterized by its climate, soil, vegetation, and organisms with special adaptations for the unique environment. In modeling biomes, students will learn how they are different than similar ecological concepts like habitats and ecosystems. Students will discover how human activities, such as deforestation and habitat destruction, are transforming biomes. In this science-themed diorama class, students will be exposed to concepts such as trophic levels, the water cycle, biological competition, geographic isolation, convergent evolution, species diversification, natural vs unnatural climate change, food webs, habitat loss, and ecological niches, while they are working on their models. Arid Biomes, or deserts, are found across the globe and are characterized by their scant precipitation (less than 20 inches per year) and dry conditions. Vegetation and wildlife in these areas have special adaptations for surviving with little water and few nutrients. Deserts cover about 20% of the Earth's surface and can be very hot or very cold. Students will concentrate on the hot, arid biomes found in sub-tropical areas. Each student will create an individual diorama. Students will craft and hand-shape their scene on a 10 x 14 inch foam board using artistic, model-making techniques. They will customize their dioramas with landforms, dunes, plant life, and paint. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with miniature figures and combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create a larger terrain. Students will then compete in a zoology-based survival strategy game. Each student will create one board and receive a 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 series include: Tropics (The Rainforest)- Quarter 1; Tundra (The Arctic)- Quarter 2; Arid (The Desert)- Quarter 3; and Grasslands (The Savanna)- Quarter 4.

Eureka Math 4 is a full-year, complete math curriculum for students who have mastered the equivalent of Eureka's Math 3 content (below). This class meets twice a week and is designed to be a full program where students receive instruction in person at Compass and complete homework on off-days at home. Parents do not have to select a curriculum or deliver the instruction, but rather are expected to ensure that homework is being completed before class and assisting the student in checking attempted homework. Topics in Eureka 4 include:

• Four basic operations with whole numbers to solve work problems.
• Factors and multiples
• Multi-digit place value
• Adding and subtracting multi-digit whole numbers
• Multiplication of multi-digit whole numbers using several methods
• Division of four-digit dividend by one digit divisor
• Fraction equivalents and common decimal equivalents
• Adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators
• Word problems with measurement and conversion from larger unit to smaller
• Representing and interpreting data
• Drawing and classifying lines, angles, and shapes
• Introduction to angles and angle measurements

• Has learned/memorized all math facts fluently: addition/subtraction (1-20) and multiplication/division through 10 x 10
• Represents and solves problems using multiplication and division
• Solves word problems with the 4 basic operations
• Uses place value understanding to perform multi-digit arithmetic
• Adds and subtracts within 1000
• Understands fractions as part of a whole
• Understands area and perimeter

Monopoly, Scrabble, Clue! Who doesn't enjoy gathering with friends or family for a good game? Students will become future game inventors responsible for designing a new, non-electronic board or card game. Each week, students will play games in class to explore design concepts and game mechanics of a specific genre of game. They will begin to understand what elements are needed in every game and what makes a "good" game that everyone will enjoy. Students will examine starting and ending conditions in a game, scalability (for more or fewer players), and how points, progress, or powers are earned or tracked as players move through a game. Students will then begin to outline their ideas for their very own, original game. Third quarter, students will learn about Dice Games which can use traditional, 6-sided dot dice, specialty dice (4, 8, 10, 12 or 20 faces), or graphic dice with pictures, symbols, or colors. Example dice games include Liar's Dice, Farkle, and Yahtzee. Students will sketch out their ideas, create prototype dice, write all rules, and design any supplementary playing pieces. Next, students will test-play their prototype dice game with classmates to get constructive feedback and refine their rules. Once the prototype dice game has been tested through play, students will begin their final design, inking blank dice and finalizing game accessories. Most students will be able to complete two different dice games third quarter. The quarter will conclude with a game "publishing" party where students will "pitch" their concept through a 30-second advertisement and play the final version with friends. Some students may be interested in submitting their games to a national young inventors' competition. There is a $15.00 material/supply fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class for blank boards, cards, dice, spinners, and shared art materials. Topics in this series include: Cooperative Board Games (Quarter 1); Card Games (Quarter 2); Dice Games (Quarter 3); and 2-Player Games (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:

• Asian Lettuce Wraps
• Japanese Egg Drop Soup
• Chopped Cabbage Salad With Sesame
• Egg Fried Rice
• Chicken Pad Thai (nuts)
• Potstickers
• Filipino Stir Fry
• Sticky Coconut Rice

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. Junior Artists will study and create art that showcases winter with projects such as aerial view snowman, winter trees snow painting, polar bear art process, newspaper winter landscape, and fold, and print winter reflection. They will examine samples from artist who worked in similar material themes or styles. 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.

Krav Maga is the Israeli martial art which teaches self defense and fitness. Students of Krav Maga are taught a series of strategies to assess and respond to common situations, such as facing a bully. Teens are always taught first and foremost to get away, to get help, and to try to deescalate the situation. When that fails, students practice a technique that includes a warning strike followed by escape, and finally, they learn how to stand up for themselves and how to counterattack if a situation escalates and becomes threatening. Teens are empowered and gain confidence when they rehearse how to handle real-life situations. Exercises and in-class practice incorporate balance, coordination, energy, and other key elements of fitness along with life skills such as confidence, teamwork, respect, discipline, and respect. Students may enroll in Krav Maga at any time, and everyone will begin as a white belt. Each quarter, students will practice the full range of skills, but there will be two "featured" moves that a student can earn a belt stripe for being able to demonstrate. Featured moves will include a combative strike and a defensive escape technique. No one stripe is a prerequisite for any other color, and color stripes can be earned in any order. Third quarter, students will have the chance to earn a Yellow Stripe. Featured moves include: cover defense and wrist locks (red stripe); straight punch defense and bear hugs (orange stripe); head movement defense and front 2-handed choke (yellow stripe); round kick defense and back 2-handed choke (green stripe); front kick defense and guillotine choke (blue stripe); clinch defense and rear choke (purple stripe); ground striking defense and head lock defense (brown stripe); and 360 defense and full Nelson (black stripe). Students will be able to test for belt promotions to move through the ranks of white belt, yellow belt, orange, etc. On average, it is estimated that a student will be ready for a belt test after four quarters/four color stripes. Belt testing will be by coach approval. Topics in this Series: Red Stripe (1st Quarter), Orange Stripe (2nd Quarter), Yellow Stripe (3rd Quarter) and Green Stripe (4th Quarter). Workload: Students should expect to spend 0-2 hours per week outside of class. Assessments: Belt testing for promotion will be by coach recommendation, but on average will take 4 quarters. Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $10.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class for the t-shirt and white belt (new students) or $5.00 for the white belt (returning students). An belt test fee of $25.00 is due payable to the instructor when a student is ready to test for promotion. What to Bring: Refillable water bottle. What to Wear: In lieu of a full martial arts uniform, students will be asked to wear a class t-shirt provided by the instructor. Students should also wear shorts, leggings, or loose, comfortable athletic pants, and comfortable athletic shoes or sneakers with their class t-shirt. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Physical Education for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: None

Lunch-N-Learn is a supervised lunch hour for kids ages 8-12 whose parents are unable to be on campus during their break. If a family is unable to find a suitable class during a specific hour, kids can enroll in Lunch-N-Learn where they will eat their own lunches or snacks with other kids under the supervision of a Compass staff member. Lunch is not provided. Parents can make arrangements for food delivery such as Grub Hub, Door Dash, or Uber Eats. Some snacks are available for sale at Compass. During each hour, Compass staff will show educational programming such as Planet Earth, National Geographic, or How It's Made. Students are encouraged to bring homework, games, or puzzles to work on after lunch is finished. Students may bring tablets or hand-held video games but must have headphones or ear buds. The content of any video game or video steamed at Compass must be rated "E" for everyone. Students must be enrolled in other classes at Compass to participate in Lunch-N-Learn. The lunchtime program cannot be a student's only class at Compass.

Prerequisites: None

Lunch-N-Learn is a supervised lunch hour for kids ages 8-12 whose parents are unable to be on campus during their break. If a family is unable to find a suitable class during a specific hour, kids can enroll in Lunch-N-Learn where they will eat their own lunches or snacks with other kids under the supervision of a Compass staff member. Lunch is not provided. Parents can make arrangements for food delivery such as Grub Hub, Door Dash, or Uber Eats. Some snacks are available for sale at Compass. During each hour, Compass staff will show educational programming such as Planet Earth, National Geographic, or How It's Made. Students are encouraged to bring homework, games, or puzzles to work on after lunch is finished. Students may bring tablets or hand-held video games but must have headphones or ear buds. The content of any video game or video steamed at Compass must be rated "E" for everyone. Students must be enrolled in other classes at Compass to participate in Lunch-N-Learn. The lunchtime program cannot be a student's only class at Compass.

Prerequisites: None

Witness the wonders of winter! Bundle up and look for signs of how animals live in the cold. Discover tracks in the snow, uncover nests and borrows, and find out who munched on twigs or bark. Observe transformations in plant life, moss, and fungus, and watch the changes to the watershed. 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.

30-minute Private Music or Voice Lessons X 7 weeks with Wyndy Fredrick in piano, flute, ukulele, clarinet, or voice. Song/Theory Books: After the first lesson for new students, the instructor will select and purchase a Music or Voice book and collect reimbursement from the parent. Continuing students should bring their current book(s). Cancellation/Rescheduling: In the event of a change in your schedule, Compass requires 24 hours notice to reschedule the private lessons. Every effort will be made to reschedule the session at a time that is mutually agreeable to the teacher, the student/client, and Compass. In the event of a no-show or change/cancellation occurring less than 24 hours before the scheduled instruction session, pre-paid fees will be forfeited and no refund will be offered.

30-minute Private Music or Voice Lessons X 7 weeks with Wyndy Fredrick in piano, flute, ukulele, clarinet, or voice. Song/Theory Books: After the first lesson for new students, the instructor will select and purchase a Music or Voice book and collect reimbursement from the parent. Continuing students should bring their current book(s). Cancellation/Rescheduling: In the event of a change in your schedule, Compass requires 24 hours notice to reschedule the private lessons. Every effort will be made to reschedule the session at a time that is mutually agreeable to the teacher, the student/client, and Compass. In the event of a no-show or change/cancellation occurring less than 24 hours before the scheduled instruction session, pre-paid fees will be forfeited and no refund will be offered.

Reading affects a student's achievement in all aspects of schoolwork, so strong literacy skills are fundamental to success in homeschooling. This weekly class is a small reading group where students are placed with 2-4 peers who read at a similar level to follow a comprehensive language arts curriculum under the guidance of experienced reading specialist Catherine Vanlandingham. Each Monday meeting will include a short story with select vocabulary words, a graphic organizer, main themes, and embedded learning objectives. Students will continue to practice language arts skills at home with easy-to-implement "page a day" workbook activities assigned by the instructor and implemented by the parents. For most early elementary learners, enrollment in Reading Rally can serve as either a supplement to another at-home reading curriculum or as a complete, self-contained language arts curriculum. Weekly readings are organized around thematic units. The instructor will teach students how to approach a new story as a fun reading puzzle. For example, before reading in class, students will conduct a "picture walk" to overview and predict elements of the story from the illustrations, review a graphic organizer to assist in writing sentences, define vocabulary words, and preview summary questions. Then, the instructor will read the story aloud, model good reading practices, and encourage students to read. Students will only be asked to read aloud when they feel comfortable and have built trust in their group. All follow-up activities are designed around learning objectives such as decoding, comprehension, prediction, visualization, and verbalization. First time registrations in Reading Rally include the cost of a 30-minute, individual assessment conducted in-person or virtually by Mrs. Vanlandingham. Parents are encouraged to contact Compass to schedule their child's reading assessment before registering. Families register without the assessment for grade-level placement must be prepared to reschedule to a different reading group if indicated by the assessment. Grade level references in Reading Rally are based on scope, sequence and pacing that correlate to the Grade Level Equivalent (GLE) standards of learning. Students who are more than one year behind in GLE may be recommended for a second, weekly class meeting on Fridays or in additional 1-on-1 private reading instruction to make up ground in reading skills. The instructor has experience working with reluctant and fearful readers, those who are late bloomers, neurodivergent, dyslexic, and ESOL students. The instructor may recommend a more complete evaluation by a neuropsychologist if she suspects other learning differences are impacting the student's reading. Students will work from a spiral bound copy of reading textbook and workbook by Pearson. A class fee of $80.00 is due payable to Compass for class materials. Students continuing from one semester to the next will receive priority registration to remain with their reading group and do not have to pay for an additional assessment.

Design, build, and program an explorer robot to navigate newly discovered, unmapped ancient tomb. Each week, students will improve their robots though the addition of new sensors and components and will program their devices to navigate a maze and collect treasure. 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. 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. Third quarter, Sew Fun students will be ready for nighttime with cozy crafts that they have sewed for themselves: slippers, a sleep mask, a pillow, and a wall hanging from fleece and felt. 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 $40.00 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 expository speaking by playing hilarious storytelling games and practicing narrative assignments. Students will gain confidence in public speaking by writing and practicing speeches that explain something that they already know about! Students will teach the audience about Minecraft, music, monkeys, magic, or more in short, personal expository speeches. They will learn how to best present data and details to the audience, 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

Prerequisites: None

The tantalizing aroma of cookies in the oven. A mouth-watering burst of mint. The silky feel of melted chocolate. The sticky sweet of fresh-made caramel. A subtle hint of lemon. Student bakers will enjoy these delicious sensations- and more- as they explore the world of baking homemade desserts. Sweet Shop treats are scrumptious, fun, and simple to make. Each week they will prepare a fresh, handmade dessert or sweet such as: pies, cakes, cookies, tarts, trifles, mousses, puddings, candies, fudge, brittle, or chocolate. The class will include some icing, decorating, and garnishing techniques for completed desserts. This quarter, the Compass bakers' culinary adventures will include:

• Strawberry Chocolate Truffles
• Cake Parfait
• Chocolate-Glazed Puff Donuts
• Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes
• Sweet Potato Cheesecake
• Lemon Ricotta Mini Bundt Cakes
• Maple Cupcakes (nuts)
• Chocolate Espresso Muffins (decaf)

Students will become immersed in the imaginary worlds they construct in this unique course that encompasses elements of fiction writing, sociology, and anthropology. Worldbuilding is the foundation of speculative fiction, such as sci-fi and fantasy, role-playing games, videos, comics, and other visual media. Countless examples of Worldbuilding exist in the movies and books we consume every day such as Tolkien's Middle Earth, the many elaborate settlements of the Star Wars franchise, and the popular RPG, Dungeons and Dragons. In this course, students will develop a fictional locale. Will it be a small village in a known place, a new planet, or an original universe? Students will be guided through an interactive, iterative process of "top-down" design of their unique world, determining broad characteristics first then then elaborating with increasing detail. Builders will make coherent and integrated decisions on geography, climate, ecology, flora, fauna, inhabitants, races, history, social customs, language, religion, origin story, powers/magic, legal system, currency, and technology. The class will read excerpts and watch clips of well-known fictional works which will provide strong examples of each of the elements. Second semester, the class will create Elemental worlds which depict imaginary civilizations that exist underwater like Avatar: The Way of Water, in the sky like Cloud City on the planet Bespin in the Star Wars universe, or in and inferno-filled underworld, for example. Students, along with their instructor, will develop an in-class world as an example. They will use the lessons and exercises reviewed in class to further develop their individual world project. Students will be expected to keep a notebook of decisions and details as they progress through designing the elements of their world. Students will have the option to purchase a discounted student subscription to World Anvil, a web-based subscription service which allows students to create maps, timelines, and other tools to organize their made-up world. Each student will be expected to make a PowerPoint presentation at the end of the semester which addresses each of the built-world elements. Topics in this Series: Post Apocalyptic Worlds (Semester 1), Elemental Worlds (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester will receive priority pre-registration for second semester. Prerequisites: None Workload: Students should expect to spend 2 hours per week outside of class. Assignments: Will be posted in a Google Classroom and consist of weekly responses to prompts Assessments: The instructor will assign points for a final semester presentation and completed "Creative Sparks" which are written responses to weekly prompts. Parents may use the student's earned points versus total possible points to calculate a grade for the purposes of a homeschool transcript. Textbook/Materials: Students have the option of purchasing a discounted subscription to World Anvil (worldanvil.com) for approximately $35.00. Lab/Supply Fee: Included Non-Meeting Days: None. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in language arts for purposes of a high school transcript.

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.

30-minute Private Music or Voice Lessons X 7 weeks with Wyndy Fredrick in piano, flute, ukulele, clarinet, or voice. Song/Theory Books: After the first lesson for new students, the instructor will select and purchase a Music or Voice book and collect reimbursement from the parent. Continuing students should bring their current book(s). Cancellation/Rescheduling: In the event of a change in your schedule, Compass requires 24 hours notice to reschedule the private lessons. Every effort will be made to reschedule the session at a time that is mutually agreeable to the teacher, the student/client, and Compass. In the event of a no-show or change/cancellation occurring less than 24 hours before the scheduled instruction session, pre-paid fees will be forfeited and no refund will be offered.

30-minute Private Music or Voice Lessons X 7 weeks with Wyndy Fredrick in piano, flute, ukulele, clarinet, or voice. Song/Theory Books: After the first lesson for new students, the instructor will select and purchase a Music or Voice book and collect reimbursement from the parent. Continuing students should bring their current book(s). Cancellation/Rescheduling: In the event of a change in your schedule, Compass requires 24 hours notice to reschedule the private lessons. Every effort will be made to reschedule the session at a time that is mutually agreeable to the teacher, the student/client, and Compass. In the event of a no-show or change/cancellation occurring less than 24 hours before the scheduled instruction session, pre-paid fees will be forfeited and no refund will be offered.

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:

• Chocolate Oat Scones
• Walnut Date Bread (nuts)
• Marzipan (nuts)
• Chocolate Cherry Bread
• Marshmallow Fondant
• Apple Bread Pudding
• Creme Brulee
• Cinnamon Dulce De Leche Cake

This class will explore the judicial processes of the Roman Republic. Starting with the Regicide of the Tarquin King, followed by the first legal code, the Laws of the 12 Tables, all the way to the Codes of Emperor Justinian. This Semester will explore the foundation of the Roman Legal system that endures in some forms to this day. Like a traditional mock trial program, the class will hear cases, and students will defend themselves. Real historical cases will be studied and trial parts assigned to the class, which will be debated from the perspective of Plebes and Senators of ancient Rome. The class will serve as the jury and, if necessary, select period-appropriate verdicts and explain how they arrived at their decisions, while striving for period accuracy. Topics in this Series: Crime & Punishment in Ancient Greece (Semester 1); Roman law, From Republic to Empire (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester. Workload: Students should expect to spend 0-1 hours per week outside of class. Assignments: Google Drive (period maps, photographs and recreations) and YouTube (videos) links will be e-mailed to parents/students for homework or supplemental investigation. Textbooks: None Assessments: Will not be given. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in World History or Civics for purposes of a high school transcript.

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.

Prerequisites: None

Middle school students will learn how to improve their critical thinking for deeper understanding using strategies in reading comprehension. They will learn how to construct a basic logical syllogism, how to spot classic logical fallacies in arguments, and how to build clear, compelling, and persuasive arguments. The class will evaluate examples from age-appropriate fiction and nonfiction works where a dilemma is presented or a claim is made. Students will learn to ask, "Is this a good argument? Is it well constructed and convincing?" They will discover how to define terms and break a whole concept into its component parts in order to formulate and defend their own arguments. Second semester, the class will examine non fiction works such as President John F Kennedy's inaugural address "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country"), Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech, TED Talks, or even comedian James Beitch on his famous rant about spam email. Middle school students should expect to spend an average of two hours per week on reading and short written responses for this class. Topics in this series include: Short Stories (Semester 1) and Non-Fiction (Semester 2).

Students will enjoy making hearty favorites and winter weather comfort foods that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Winter Warm-Up 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:

• Caramelized Onion Flatbread
• Cauliflower Leek Soup
• Greek Chickpea Salad
• Cheesy Potato Bake
• Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs
• Broccoli and Wild Rice Casserole
• Root Beer Float Cupcakes
• Chocolate Souffle

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. Third quarter, students will examine the theme of dystopian worlds through The Giver (1993) by Lois Lowry and The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. 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); Other Worlds (Quarter 3); and Coming of Age (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 and bundled for students. (See Supply Fee below). Supply Fee: A class fee of $19.00 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.

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. Third quarter, students will work with a variety of fibers and textiles to create unique, 3-dimensional projects. From fuzzy chenille to fluffy cotton and scratchy jute to scrumptious viscose, students will enjoy the tactile experience of looping, lashing, layering, weaving or knotting assorted textures in fabrics and fibers. Students may also work with burlap, felt, leather, muslin, wool, yarn, or string. Example past projects include a string sculpture, a knotted flannel scarf, a wall hanging, and wool felting projects. Students may sew embellishments such as buttons on their finished projects, but this is not a sewing class. A supply fee of $30.00 per student is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class. This is a 6-week class that begins on February 1. 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

After the height of the Hellenistic period, when Greek Culture dominated the Mediterranean world, two rivals would emerge onto the scene- Carthage, on the coast of North Africa, and Rome in central Italy. Rome had tangled with the Greek successor states before, and despite losing, had fought so doggedly that King Phyrrhus of Epirus would declare, "one other such victory would utterly undo him" showing Rome's resolve to keep fighting after massive defeats. This gives us the phrase, "Pyrrhic victory," for a win so costly that it may as well have been a defeat. Rome suffered massive defeats in the second of three punic wars, at the hands of Carthage's greatest general, Hannibal. The winner of these titanic clashes would dominate for another 500 years and shape the core of Western History and Culture. Two empires enter, only one leaves! Hannibal's brilliance versus Roman obstinance. Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, paint, and miniatures, each student will craft a 10 X 16 diorama. In class, they will view historical maps, artistic renderings, and/or photographs to understand the topography and development of this time and place in history. Students will customize their dioramas with landforms, landscape elements, waterways, and structures to represent a scene from this period. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with 1:72 scale miniature figures. Students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to approximate a larger terrain and then compete in a history-based role-playing game which will reinforce lessons about the culture, economy, and/or warfare of the time. Each student will have at least one board and set of miniatures to take home with them. Course documents such as maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. There is a $25.00 materials fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class. Topics in this year's series include: Ancient Egypt & the Sea Peoples (Quarter 1); Ancient Greece & the Trojan War (Quarter 2); The Roman Republic (Quarter 3); and Viking Invasions (Quarter 4)

Eureka Math 5 is a full-year, complete math curriculum for students who have mastered the equivalent of Eureka's Math 4 content (below). This class meets twice a week and is designed to be a full program where students receive instruction in person at Compass and complete homework on off-days at home. Parents do not have to select a curriculum or deliver the instruction, but rather are expected to ensure that homework is being completed at home and assist the student in checking attempted homework. Topics in Eureka 5 include:

• • Writing and interpreting numerical expressions
  • Understanding place value system
  • Performing four basic operations on multi-digital whole numbers with decimals to hundredths.
  • Adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators
  • Multiplying and dividing fractions
  • Converting units within a measurement system
  • Working with volumes
  • Graphing points on a coordinate plane
  • Classifying 2D figures

• Has learned/memorized all math facts fluently: addition/subtraction (1-20) and multiplication/division through 10 x 10
• Uses four basic operations with whole numbers to solve work problems.
• Understands factors and multiples
• Understands multi-digit place value
• Adds and subtracts multi-digit whole numbers
• Multiplies multi-digit whole numbers
• Divides four-digit dividends by one digit divisors
• Understands fraction equivalents and common decimal equivalents
• Adds and subtracts fractions with like denominators
• Completes word problems with measurements and conversions from larger unit to smaller
• Represents and interpreting data
• Draws and classifies lines, angles, and shapes

Bonjour! French Foundations is an introductory class for middle school-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, days/dates, etc), adjectives, greetings, and simple phrases. Students will learn beginning grammatical constructions such as noun-verb agreement, noun-adjective agreement, adjective placement, and the rules of regular verb conjugation. Students will be encouraged to speak aloud and converse with classmates, but also to learn to sound out, spell, and read beginning, 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, grammar, and usage while having fun and building confidence in a foreign language. Students should be at grade level in their reading. Fluency should not be expected at this level.

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.

This is a complete course in high school Geometry which will cover fundamental concepts and provide a solid foundation of mathematical literacy, problem solving, reasoning, and critical thinking skills that are necessary for the exploration of more advanced and rigorous topics in mathematics. Students will learn deductive reasoning, and logic by completing geometric proofs. Topics in geometry include: lines, angles, congruence, concurrence, inequalities, parallel lines, quadrilaterals, transformations, area, similarity, right triangles, circles, regular polygons, and geometric solids. Students will explore these topics through class discussions, practice problems, and open-ended problem- solving. Prerequisite: Students should have a solid foundation Algebra I in order to take this class. Workload: Students should expect to spend 1.25-1.75 hours per day on reading, review, and homework on most non-class days. Homework assignments will run on a 13-day cycle in this class with: a new unit introduced on a Friday (day 1), lecture on Wednesday (day 6), questions and answers on the next Friday (day 8), and homework due the next Wednesday (day 13). After introduction of a new topic (day 1), students will be expected to read the assigned section and look through worked, sample problems before the lecture the following Wednesday (day 6). Solutions will be provided for some homework problems, but students are expected to show all steps of all work. Assignments: The Canvas online class management system will be used to post assignments and scores. Students should have their own e-mail address in order to be set up as users of the Canvas system. Parents can also be set up as Canvas guests/observers for purposes of tracking the student's progress and workload. Assessments: In this class, the instructor will assess a student's progress by checking that weekly homework sets are complete and giving periodic take-home tests; class participation is also strongly encouraged. Parents will be able to view accumulated points awarded in the class for the purpose of determining a parent-awarded course grade. Textbook: Students should purchase or rent the required textbook for this class: Geometry: Seeing, Doing, Understanding, 3rd edition (ISBN-10 0716743612, ISBN-13 978-0716743613) A calculator is not needed for this course. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a complete credit in Geometry for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: Algebra I

Students will continue to learn the fundamentals of playing the guitar. In this class, students will continue to learn basic melodies, chords, and strumming patterns for familiar songs from a variety of genres such as, "Sweet Jane" (by The Velvet Underground), "House of the Rising Sun," (by Eric Burdon and The Animals) and "Willow" (by Taylor Swift) chosen by the instructor and students. Students are encouraged to bring in music they are interested in learning. New chords and new songs will be added each week as students also learn to read music and basic music theory. Students will also learn how to hold, tune, and care for their guitars. Each student will need a least a beginner level acoustic guitar. Students should be able to read at grade level for this class and should plan to practice at home several times each week. Students should expect to spend 20-30 minutes per day most days practicing chords and melodies from class. There is a materials fee of $8.00 payable to the Compass on the first day of class for a tablature notebook for any student who does not have one from a prior class. New students who wish to enroll 2nd semester should have at least 12-15 hours of prior instruction in order to match the pace of the enrolled students.

Prerequisites: Guitar for Beginners I or equivalent

Why do I have to wash my hands before eating? How long am I contagious to my friends after being sick? Why won't my doctor give me antibiotics for my cold? 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. Third quarter, kids will learn about the field of Virology by learning the differences between viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms that can make them sick. The class will do in-class demonstrations such as glitter used to show how hands pass germs and swabbing surfaces to grow actual cultures. Since viruses are not visible, the class will watch some educational, animated video clips about germs. Students will also talk about vaccinations and how they work to prevent viral illness. The class will learn about common childhood viruses cold, influenza, rotavirus, hand-foot-mouth disease, and now less-common chickenpox, mumps, measles, and more, and common home care for ordinary symptoms. 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)

Lunch-N-Learn is a supervised lunch hour for kids ages 8-12 whose parents are unable to be on campus during their break. If a family is unable to find a suitable class during a specific hour, kids can enroll in Lunch-N-Learn where they will eat their own lunches or snacks with other kids under the supervision of a Compass staff member. Lunch is not provided. Parents can make arrangements for food delivery such as Grub Hub, Door Dash, or Uber Eats. Some snacks are available for sale at Compass. During each hour, Compass staff will show educational programming such as Planet Earth, National Geographic, or How It's Made. Students are encouraged to bring homework, games, or puzzles to work on after lunch is finished. Students may bring tablets or hand-held video games but must have headphones or ear buds. The content of any video game or video steamed at Compass must be rated "E" for everyone. Students must be enrolled in other classes at Compass to participate in Lunch-N-Learn. The lunchtime program cannot be a student's only class at Compass.

Prerequisites: None

Explore the world of gargantuan gods, humble heroes, and malevolent monsters! Mythology is the birthplace of some of the most entertaining and incredible cultural stories ever written. Some ancient myths even have plots that rival today's comics and blockbuster movies. Many myths still have millennia-old appeal because of their timeless tales of good versus evil, life and death, creation and the afterlife. This class explores the origins of early mythology, from the Egyptians to the Greeks and Romans, through epics, plays and poetry. Readers will explore the realm of mythology through short stories, class discussion, analyses, extension activities and projects that will boost comprehension and the understanding of myths as the basis for many other forms of modern media. Students will enjoy reading and discussing battles, romance, treachery, larger than life heroes and characters, intricate gods and goddesses, and all sorts of fantastical creatures! Third quarter, the class will explore Greek and Roman playwrights such as Sophocles and Euripides and meet intriguing characters like the Sphinx. Students will discover the mythological stories told in various genres of plays like tragedies and comedies. The class will learn about the Greek elements of theater, including the chorus, the physical theater, and the devices such as deus ex machina. Students will perform selections from some of the plays in class which will introduce the concept of meter in a fun, informal analyses of Aristotle and Socrates. For this class, students need to be on-grade-level for reading. There is a $10.00 supply fee payable to the instructor on the first day for photocopied reading selections and class materials. Topics in this series include: Ancient Egypt (Quarter 1); Greek and Roman Epics (Quarter 2); Greek and Roman Plays (Quarter 3); Greek and Roman Poetry (Quarter 4)

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.

30-minute Private Music or Voice Lessons X 7 weeks with Wyndy Fredrick in piano, flute, ukulele, clarinet, or voice. Song/Theory Books: After the first lesson for new students, the instructor will select and purchase a Music or Voice book and collect reimbursement from the parent. Continuing students should bring their current book(s). Cancellation/Rescheduling: In the event of a change in your schedule, Compass requires 24 hours notice to reschedule the private lessons. Every effort will be made to reschedule the session at a time that is mutually agreeable to the teacher, the student/client, and Compass. In the event of a no-show or change/cancellation occurring less than 24 hours before the scheduled instruction session, pre-paid fees will be forfeited and no refund will be offered.

30-minute Private Music or Voice Lessons X 7 weeks with Wyndy Fredrick in piano, flute, ukulele, clarinet, or voice. Song/Theory Books: After the first lesson for new students, the instructor will select and purchase a Music or Voice book and collect reimbursement from the parent. Continuing students should bring their current book(s). Cancellation/Rescheduling: In the event of a change in your schedule, Compass requires 24 hours notice to reschedule the private lessons. Every effort will be made to reschedule the session at a time that is mutually agreeable to the teacher, the student/client, and Compass. In the event of a no-show or change/cancellation occurring less than 24 hours before the scheduled instruction session, pre-paid fees will be forfeited and no refund will be offered.

Design, build, and program an explorer robot to navigate newly discovered, unmapped ancient tomb. Each week, students will improve their robots though the addition of new sensors and components and will program their devices to navigate a maze and collect treasure. 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. Topics in this Series: Lunar Lander (Quarter 1); Battle Bots (Quarter 2); Tomb Explorer (Quarter 3), and Art Bots (Quarter 4)

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. Third quarter, Sew Simple students will sew puffy felt Polar Pals such as a perky penguin, a silly seal, and a playful polar bear. 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).

Buenas tardes! Spanish Exploradores (Explorers) is a fun, immersive introductory Spanish class for older elementary students. Much like learning their native language, students will be exposed to the sounds, vocabulary, and phrases in Spanish through songs, games, stories, and hands-on activities. Limited cues in English will be used to prompt students in the first few weeks. The teacher will bring objects each week to give students tangible, hands-on examples of the vocabulary being introduced. In this level, students will be encouraged to begin to combine adjectives with nouns and nouns with verbs. 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. While the theme might be the same as that of a younger level of instruction, more vocabulary will be introduced at the older level. 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, and spelling 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.