Schedule List View

This is a place-holder for the Principles of Biology lecture. Students should register for the Principles of Biology Lab, which will automatically enroll them in both class sections. A physical meeting room will be designated for on-campus students who have classes immediately before or after this virtual session.

Prerequisites: See class description

A tsunami threatens Sumatra. A cyclone strikes the Solomon Islands. High tides hit Hilton Head. Sub-zero temps settle over Sugar Land, Texas. Atmospheric and oceanic phenomena are in the news every single day! Are there any forces on earth more powerful or influential than atmospheric and oceanic sciences? These fields affect almost every aspect of human existence, and understanding them can answer questions from, 'Should I bring an umbrella today?' to 'How deadly will this year's drought be in Dakar?' and 'How will changes in the Gulf Stream affect the migration and mating of Minke Whales?' Atmospheric science is an interdisciplinary field that applies geology, astronomy, physics and chemistry to meteorology, climatology and environmental science. In this year-long laboratory science course, students will explore the fields of Atmospheric Science first semester and Oceanic Science second semester. Atmospheric Science is the study of the physical and chemical aspects of the atmosphere which can encompass a wide variety of topics such as weather forecasting, climate change, air quality, etc. Key themes in the study of Atmospheric Science include the gas laws (temperature, pressure, volume) and air movement (buoyancy, angular momentum). Students will learn about the spectra of sunlight, reflection and refraction, and evaluate how surfaces respond to sunlight. The class will also learn about the tools of atmospheric science, such as weather instruments, rain gage, anemometer, thermometer, and barometer, and how to read weather maps and forecast hurricane paths. Oceanography is the study of the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the ocean. Key themes in oceanography include ocean-land interaction, atmosphere-ocean interactions (such as El Nino and La Nina cycles), wave motion, tidal cycles, currents, and thermohaline circulation. The class will consider water chemistry and the oceanic carbon cycle. Finally, students will learn how we measure and map the ocean and use earth system computer models. Weekly discussions will be paired with labs. Some lab assignments will take multiple weeks, and some will use computers and a spreadsheet to analyze publicly available data. Note: This class has a Tuesday, in-person lecture section from 10:00 am - 10:55 am in addition to the Friday lab section from 9:30 am - 10:55 am. Workload: Students should expect to spend 3-4 hours per week outside of class. ,p>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/Materials: Students should download or purchase Practical Meteorology: An Algebra-based Survey of Atmospheric Science (2018) by Roland Stull (ISBN 978-0888652836). The textbook can be downloaded for free online or purchased for $54.00 online. The textbook for oceanic sciences section will be identified before the start of Semester 2. https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/books/Practical_Meteorology/ https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/books/Practical_Meteorology/world/print.html Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $100.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class. What to Bring: Students will need to bring laptop computers to some class sessions for modeling and data analysis labs. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in laboratory science for purposes of a high school transcript

Prerequisites: None

This class has an in-person lecture on Tuesdays (10:00 am - 10:55 am) and in-person lab and activities on Fridays (9:30 am - 10:55 am). Students must take lecture and lab together. Registration for the Lab section will automatically enroll the student in the Lecture section. Through the study of chemistry, high school students will learn the science behind things they observe every day! Chemistry explains properties of the food we eat, the beverages we drink, the medicines we take, the fibers we wear, and fuels in the cars we drive. Chemistry is a foundation to understanding the world around us and fundamental to other sciences such as biology, physics, geology, and environmental science. This full-year laboratory course makes chemistry come alive through at-home readings, practice problems, supplementary activities, and in-person hands-on labs to demonstrate key concepts. Course themes include matter, changes in state, scientific measurement, atomic structure, electrons in atoms, and characteristics of the periodic table. Students will then study ionic, metallic, and covalent bonding, chemical names and formulas, and chemical reactions. Further chemistry topics include the behavior of gases, water and aqueous solutions, acids, bases, and salts; oxidation-reduction reactions, solutions, and thermochemistry. Students will learn the skills necessary for successful study of chemical reactions and molecular phenomena, using common high school laboratory chemicals, glassware, and techniques. This is not a course done in microscale using pre-mixed solutions: students will learn to calculate molarity and use dimensional analysis to mix solutions, calculate yields, analyze errors, and construct graphs. Example labs include experiments in molar mass, hydrates, precipitates, filtration, density, distillation, reactants, single and double displacement, acid/base titration, polymers, heat of fusion, heat of vaporization, and stoichiometry. Class demonstrations will model other chemical concepts and processes, such as a radioactive cloud chamber. 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 are generally on a college prep or STEM track and have additional assignments and alternative scoring. Honors students' homework will be graded and recorded as part of the students' total earned points. On-level students' homework will be corrected and graded, but not factored into their total earned points. 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. In addition, at the parents' discretion, students may take this course as an "audit" in which they still read chapters, attend lectures, participate in labs, but do not do problem sets or laboratory reports. This approach provides an experiential and conceptual overview of chemistry, but should not be counted as a full year credit. Workload: All students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class on pre-reading and lab reports. Honors students can expect an additional 1-2 hours on weekly problem sets. Pre-reading and pre-lab work is required so in-person class time can be spent on highlights, class discussion, homework review, and labs. In addition, most weeks students should plan for additional meeting time and coordination with their lab partners in-person, by phone, shared documents, or via virtual meeting. Students will also be required to read one scientific, non-fiction book or current events article each quarter and prepare a 2-page summary and response book report. 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. Parents can have an observer account in Canvas to review assignments and graded work. Students will have weekly readings and mandatory pre-lab assignments. The pre-lab assignment 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 homework, unit tests, lab reports, book reports, and semester exams. 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 Prentice Hall Chemistry by Wilbraham, Staley, et. al. 2008 edition (ISBN #978-0132512107). 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 scientific calculator 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.

Prerequisites: Algebra I

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 alive 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!

In 1916 The Great War had been churning through men and material for two years. Something had to be done- warring countries were driving deep into debt and losing entire generations of young men at the front. The armies had to go "Over the Top." Great Battle Plans were drawn up for massive, simultaneous attacks across the whole of Western Europe. In secret, the British built new technological horrors to drive through the German lines: land battleships bristling with guns, covered in armor and belching smoke and fire. The gears of war reached as far as Gallipoli in Turkey and the deserts of the Middle East. In the West, an untapped American giant slowly stirred to war. Provoked by unrestricted submarine warfare, diplomatic intrigue, and a righteous desire to defend democracy, would America arrive in time to decide the outcome of the Great War?

This semester will study later years of WWI, the major battles of the Western Front, where tens of thousands of men went "over the top" of their trenches to near certain death, as well as the desperate attempts to break the stalemate in other theaters of war with new technologies.

Note: This is a 1 hour, 55 minute class with a 10-minute break part way through. This is a 13-week class that will not meet on 10/18/2024.

Topics in this Series: WWI- No Man's Land 1914-1915 (Semester 1) and WWI- Over the Top 1916-1918 (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

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

Assignments: Period maps, photographs, and re-creations will be posted on a class Google Drive, and video links from YouTube will be e-mailed to parents and students for homework or supplemental investigation.

Assessments: Will not be given.

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

Prerequisites: None

Kids take to the stage as they collaboratively write and perform their very own play with unique characters and an original storyline. Will we have a mix-up or a masterpiece when we meddle with monarchs, mischief-makers, merry men, and maidens? Students will begin with improvisational games to get to know each other and start to brainstorm about their original play. Through group activities and guided discussion, the student 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. The class will learn the practical aspects of acting, as they work on script read-through, blocking, costume/prop design, and planning the show. Student actors will explore skills such as stage movement, character development, emotional expression, and observation/concentration while learning to portray their original character. 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 last day of the Once the script is fully developed with everyone's parts, 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.

Prerequisites: None

Humans have been obsessed with Mars since long before Galileo Galilei first saw it with a telescope in 1610. Ancient humans recognized the orangish planet as one of the brightest objects in the night sky, and long before the ancient Romans named the planet after their god of war, ancient Egyptian and Chinese astronomers recorded the motion of the planet. More than 350 years after Galileo, America’s Mariner 4 completed the first successful fly-by of Mars on 15 July 1965. Although half of all attempted missions to Mars have failed, the US has successfully gotten several orbiters, landers, probes, rovers, and even a small helicopter to the red planet. This semester, students will learn about scientists’ ambitious plans to reach the red planet in their lifetime! The class will review the planned US missions and overview the known challenges of a journey to Mars. While considering the exploration of the planet, the class will undertake a semester-long project to build a replica rover. Working in teams, students will hack a Power Wheels ride-on vehicle and reconfigure it into a model Mars rover chassis. They will rebuild and rewire the vehicles to be remote-controlled and add an equipment mounting platform. The class will learn about and install components like mini solar panels, LED lighting, drone launch pad, robotic arm, and camera mounts. During this project, students will learn to use a variety of small hand tools and perform simple electrical wiring and circuitry work. During the semester, the class will host a number of virtual and in-person guest speakers on the topic of Mars exploration. The group will also hold one session off-site at the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum education complex where a Smithsonian educator will lead the students through a Mars Mission workshop. In that workshop, student teams will design a mock mission to Mars using constraints such as budget, payload, fuel, power consumption, and scientific value of their planned Martian activities. Will they “return” from Mars, and what will they bring back? This a 14-week semester class that meets 1.5 hours per week. There is a supply fee of $75.00 due payable to the instructor on/before the first week of class.

Prerequisites: None

More than 70% of the Earth's surface is water! Understanding the planet's oceans and freshwater systems is critical to understanding life on our planet- from beginnings in the seas to the water cycle that supports ongoing life. The study of aquatic and marine biology provides a basis for understanding much of the chemistry, physics, biology, and meteorology on our planet. Budding marine biologists will travel inland to learn about freshwater systems like lakes and ponds, rivers and streams before returning to the coast to study marshes and estuaries followed by extreme marine environments. The focus will be on hands-on, dynamic learning, and students will engage in several demonstrations and experiments in each class. Second quarter, students will learn the basics of Riparian Biology, the study of aquatic life in rivers and streams. The class will discuss differences in water flow, sedimentation, and hydrodynamics that are used to classify riparian habitats and will learn about the characteristic assemblages of organisms that occur in different flow regimes. Students will compare various major river systems around the world and study the diversity of riverine biomes and organisms. Topics in this Series: Lakes and Ponds (Quarter 1); Rivers and Streams (Quarter 2); Marshes and Estuaries (Quarter 3); and Extreme Marine (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $20.00 is due payable to the instructor on/before the first day of class.

Prerequisites: None

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.

First quarter, students will meet famous artists such as Grandma Moses, Mary Cassatt, Eric Carle, Patrick Dougherty, Alex Calder, Helen Frankenthaler and River Lobe. They will develop unique projects that highlight the methods, material and media used by each artist such as painting, sculpting, drawing, and inspired creations.

Topics in this Series: Media of the Masters (Quarter 1); Animal Artists (Quarter 2); Murals, Monuments, and Museums (Quarter 3); Stellar Celestial Subjects (Quarter 4). Supply Fee: There is a supply fee of $25.00, payable to the instructor on the first day of class which covers consumable class materials such a specialty papers, watercolor pencils, and paints.

Prerequisites: None

Tween artists can get in on the action as they learn about a different artist or artistic style each week and create a representative piece using a wide range of artistic supplies such as tempura and water color paints, pastels, pencils, cray pas, oil pastel crayons, specialty papers, sculpting media, and embellishments.

Second quarter, tweens will dabble with watercolor explorations and endeavor to discover when the use of watercolors started. They will look at the most renowned watercolorists and most famous paintings and create projects inspired by those works and watercolor techniques. Some of the multimedia supplies used this quarter include liquid watercolors, solid watercolors, pencil watercolor on specialty paper, and canvases.

Topics in this Series: Mysteries of Abstract Art (Quarter 1), Watercolor Explorations (Quarter 2), French vs American Artists (Quarter 3), Origin Art (Quarter 4). Supply Fee: There is a supply fee of $25.00, payable to the instructor on the first day of class which covers consumable class materials such a specialty papers, watercolor pencils, and paints.

Prerequisites: None

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. First quarter, beginning dancers will learn the story of  Alice in Wonderland, a 3-act ballet by Christopher Wheeldon based on the classic Lewis Carroll tale. In class, they work to identify, apply, demonstrate, and integrate the following techniques from the Vaganova ballet method such as: 1st-6th positions, marching and skipping, demi plie, grand plie, saute, bourree, grand jete, and tendu, along with pas de chat, pas de bourree, arabesque, arabesque saute, and soutenu. Students will develop their physical conditioning by core leg and arm strength. A demonstration of skills learned will be showcased for parents on the last class each quarter. 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. Topics in this series: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Quarter 1); The Nutcracker (Quarter 2); Swan Lake (Quarter 3); and Don Quixote (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

Discover the world of robotics using kids' favorite, interlocking building bricks! Students will build and program 3-4 different whimsical, mechanized projects each quarter using the WeDo 2.0 robotics system by LEGO Education. First quarter, students will build, program, and model fascinating friends from under the sea such as a whale, shark, crab, and sea turtle. Their robots will be built using special-shaped LEGO components from the WeDo Educational set, motors, motion sensors, tilt sensors and a programmable, Bluetooth control unit ("brain"). Student will use classroom tablets to program the control units using an intuitive drag-and-drop coding modules. Prior experience with LEGO or coding is not required. All equipment is furnished. Topics in this Series: Under the Sea (Quarter 1), Wings and Things (Quarter 2); Perfect Pets (Quarter 3), and Reptiles Robots (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

Kids are naturally curious about chemistry! Chemistry explains the properties, behaviors, and interactions of materials around us: things we eat, drink, clean with, wear, drive, and even play with. Kids can use chemistry to understand how things taste, smell, mix, melt, combust, feel, and whether they are recyclable or rubbish, helpful or harmful, nutritious or not. Chemistry is key to understanding the world around us, including other areas of science. In this class, kids begin to use scientific words to describe their observations and will become familiar with some science apparatuses. Second quarter, kids will discover chemistry in action and in industry. They will grow great crystals and test how to treat tarnished metal. Our chemists will discover how cabbage juice can be used to check for acids and bases. They will discover how to melt ice with salt and how to remove salt from solution (desalinization). Students will make simple cell batteries to power a small light bulb. What shines brighter- a potato or a pomelo- and why? The class will learn to use basic chemistry to do copper plating and explore the properties of paint. A lab fee of $20.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class. Topics in this series include: Chemistry in the Kitchen (Quarter 1), Chemistry in Action (Quarter 2), Chemistry at Home (Quarter 3), and Chemistry of Toys (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

This is a place-holder for the Chemistry lecture. Students should register for the Chemistry Lab, which will automatically enroll them in both class sections.

Prerequisites: Algebra I

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 "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, or 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. Readiness Students must be age five (5) by the start of the program or have the teacher's approval for younger. To be successful in this program, entering kindergartners must be able to do the following preschool-level skills: (1) be able to separate from parents with little discomfort; (2) be able to sit and listen to a story or stay on a task for 10 minutes; (3) be able to follow simple, age-appropriate directions from the teacher or another adult; (4) be able to write and recognize his/her first name; (5) be able to hold and use crayons and scissors correctly; (6) be completely self sufficient in a public restroom (wiping, flushing, washing hands, etc.) Other Notes:

• Children should bring a bagged lunch and water bottle to each session.
• There is a $50.00 material fee for class consumables due payable to the teacher on the first day of class.
• Parents can choose to drop children off for this program (different than Compass's school-year policies for 55 minute classes.)
• Registration for this program is by 13-week semester.
• Parents who are shopping around or applying to alternate kindergarten programs should review the Compass withdrawal policy.

Prerequisites: See class decription for skills needed

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 "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, or 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. Readiness Students must be age five (5) by the start of the program or have the teacher's approval for younger. To be successful in this program, entering kindergartners must be able to do the following preschool-level skills: (1) be able to separate from parents with little discomfort; (2) be able to sit and listen to a story or stay on a task for 10 minutes; (3) be able to follow simple, age-appropriate directions from the teacher or another adult; (4) be able to write and recognize his/her first name; (5) be able to hold and use crayons and scissors correctly; (6) be completely self sufficient in a public restroom (wiping, flushing, washing hands, etc.) Other Notes:

• Children should bring a bagged lunch and water bottle to each session.
• There is a $50.00 material fee for class consumables due payable to the teacher on the first day of class.
• Parents can choose to drop children off for this program (different than Compass's school-year policies for 55 minute classes.)
• Registration for this program is by 14-week semester.
• Parents who are shopping around or applying to alternate kindergarten programs should review the Compass withdrawal policy.

Prerequisites: See class decription for skills needed

Students will enjoy making delicious recipes and family favorites that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. 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:

• Asparagus Gruyere Puff Pastry Bundles
• Dumpling Soup
• Green Bean Salad
• Sicilian Brussels Sprouts
• Italian Sheet Pan Chicken
• Beef-Cheddar Mac & Cheese
• Apple Pecan Tarts (contains nuts)

Prerequisites: None

Students will enjoy making delicious recipes and family favorites that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. 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:

• Grissini (Italian bread sticks)
• Curried Cauliflower Soup
• Harvest Thanksgiving Salad
• Apple Stuffing Balls
• Beef Stroganoff
• Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
• Chocolate, Pear, Walnut Phyllo Treats (contains nuts)

Prerequisites: None

In Cover-to-Cover, middle school-aged students will read renowned classics and award-winning young adult literature. This book discussion group will examine a different theme each quarter to introduce students to literary analysis. Students will read, examine, and compare two full-length novels that share similar themes through facilitated discussions and extension activities which encourage students to make personal connections to what is read. The group will evaluate themes, characters, setting, and writing style. Second quarter, students will examine the genre of fantasy novel with The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy and The Call of the Wild by Jack London. 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: Adventure (Quarter 1); Fantasy (Quarter 2); Dystopian (Quarter 3); and Mystery & Detective (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 $11.50 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.

Prerequisites: None

Students will delve into the world of crime scene investigators (CSIs) as seen each week on Law and Order, NCIS, and the CSI television series! Students will be introduced to the field of forensic science which is the application of science, such as biology, chemistry, pharmacology, and physics, to the criminal justice system. First semester, students will learn the scientific methodologies used in forensic investigation and how to process a crime scene. They will practice measuring, sketching, photographing, documenting, collecting, preserving, and cataloging crime scene evidence. Students will also apply observation skills, interpret evidence, and use logic and deductive reasoning to the investigative process. Each week, students will perform in-class labs and activities to understand common, investigative forensics such as fingerprinting, including identifying fingerprint patterns, and learning how to find and lift latent fingerprints. The class will practice techniques for collecting and analyzing blood and saliva samples, blood typing, and evaluating blood spatter. The class will expand their forensic toolbox with impression evidence, such as footprints and tire tracks, and making molds thereof. They will learn how fibers, fabrics, hair, poison, drugs, pollen, insects, and other trace evidence can be used to unravel a crime. Students will also consider arson evidence, toxicology, and toolmarks in criminal investigative analysis as well as how ballistics, such as firearms evidence and bullet trajectories, are used in investigations. The class will use case studies and forensic data from actual crimes- both solved and unsolved- to see how forensic science is used in investigating and prosecuting cases in the criminal justice system. The class will have occasional guest speakers from the criminal justice system and at least one field trip to a police crime lab. This course is taught by a PhD candidate and professor of Criminology, Tayler Shreve. It is an introduction to criminology for teens who are interested in becoming practitioners or professionals in the vast criminal justice system or those who enjoy true crime books, blogs, or movies. Rating/Advisory: For sensitive students, please note that in the examination of actual crimes, violence such as assault and murder will be discussed. References may be made to illicit substances and weapons used in the commission of crimes. Course content will be filtered to be age-appropriate for high school students in the instructor's judgement. For example, real crime scene photos may be shown with evidentiary details, but not victims or body parts. Students may read autopsy reports, but they will not be shown autopsy photos, and cases of rape will be referred to as sexual assault with no intimate details. Topics in this Series: Fundamentals of Forensic Science (Semester 1) and Cold Case Files (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester will receive priority pre-registration for second semester. Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class. Assignments: There are assignments both in and out of the classroom. Students have the ability to submit assignments based on their learning style(s): written assignments, presentations, spoken recordings (podcast, TedTalk, etc.). Assessments: Students will receive feedback on all assignments. There are no exams in this course, however points will be assigned for completed assignments, participation, and attendance. Textbook/Materials: Articles and case studies will be posted by the instructor as downloadable pdfs. Lab/Supply Fee: A lab fee of $100 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class. Non-Meeting Days: In addition to the scheduled days-off on the published Compass schedule, this class does not meet on 9/23/24. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in humanities or career exploration for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: None

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.

First quarter covers chapter Chapter 8 in the Level 1 textbook and features recipes the following recipes:

Culinary vocabulary will also be introduced each week. Students will leave this class with an introduction to culinary careers in the hospitality industry and a beginning foundation in culinary arts. Additionally, students will be able to take charge of a home kitchen, prepare advanced dishes, and adhere to safety and hygiene standards. They will have nutrition-planning and cooking skills that will enrich the lives of their friends and families.

Notes: Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

Topics in this Series: Mixed Up! (Stir-Fries & Casseroles)- Quarter 1; Roasted! (Grilled, Baked & Broiled Dishes)- Quarter 2; Stuffed! (Filled Meats & Vegetables)- Quarter 3; Skewered! (Kabobs & Grilled Skewers)- Quarter 4. Students continuing from the prior quarter will receive priority pre-registration for next quarter.

Prerequisites: Students must be in 9th grade (minimum age 14) to take this class. 7th-8th graders must have Instructor's permission to enroll. This class is best suited for students who can follow instructions, complete sequential tasks, and work in a group.

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

Assignments: Cooking assignments, practicing skills at home, and related homework will be given in class and e-mailed to students and parents. Brief written assignments may be given, such as recipe modification or development.

Assessments: Individual feedback will be given in class. Formal assessments will not be given. At the end of the second quarter, enrolled students will be required to complete an online Virginia Food Handler Course for food safety certification through the county health department, which will cost $25.00

Textbook/Materials: Students should purchase or rent the selected textbooks and workbooks. Used copies are acceptable.

Required Tools/Materials: Culinary students will be expected to begin to acquire their own tools. Students should purchase and bring with them each week the following basic, minimum tools and supplies:

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $75.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class for perishable food items, ingredients, and supplies that are used in this class. For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

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

Prerequisites: Prior Tween or Teen Cooking Class or Instructor Permission

Calling crooked criminals who commit creepy crimes! Convening colorful characters who corroborate clues and constables who collaborate to crack the case! Connect with a kooky cast in Detective Drama. Using materials from a commercial mystery role playing game (RPG), students will be guided through the facts of a fictitious case. Student sleuths will be follow clue cards, eclectic evidence, and phony forensics to uncover a crime. Emphasis will be on critical thinking, problem solving skills, and improvisation through the portrayal of unique characters involved in the crime. Students will be encouraged to develop a strong, compelling character, an original costume, a backstory, and of course, an alibi.

First quarter, students will search for signs of a missing museum piece. Metropolitan master investigator Tony Malkovich learns that quiet community of Cardiff is not so quaint. He is hired to help the locals, but is seems the citizens are set on stopping him. He suspects a sneaky swindler slips through town after snatching the prized painting.

In this workshop, students will experiment with acting and improvisation and working as a team. This class is best suited for students who are active listeners, are flexible and easily adapt, have a sense of humor, and enjoy working in a collaborative group. Students need to be able to stay in sync with the flow of the class. This is not an "anything goes" or free-for-all class. Because of the age of the students in this class, only capers such as burglaries or kidnappings will be portrayed instead of murders.

Topics in this Series: Missing from the Museum (Quarter 1), The Computer Caper (Quarter 2), Pocketing the Prized Jewels (Quarter 3), and Brazen Bank Robbery (Quarter 4). There is a class supply fee of $20.00 due payable to the instructor on the first day for the class RPG materials, printing, props, and investigation folders.

Prerequisites: None

Middle schoolers embrace technology and easily navigate digital sources like apps, webpages, and online video platforms. In Digital Studio, they will transform from users of these tools to the designer and coders of their own content. In this cutting edge class, students will be introduced to one of the world's fastest-growing programming languages: Python. It is the programming language used by Google, NASA, YouTube, and the CIA! Middle schoolers will learn how to code with Python to create apps and games. Digital Studio 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 Part 2, "Intro/Advanced" 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: Intro to Python Programming (Semester 1), and Coding Virtual Reality (Semester 2),

Prerequisites: None

In this introductory high school English workshop, students will be introduced to the concepts of literary genres and analytical writing. Each quarter, the class will examine one select work or genre. Students will learn to recognize figurative language, tone, subtext and diction, identify symbolism and imagery, and develop an awareness of narrative perspective and of the social-historical contexts in which these works were created. First quarter will feature The Novel: Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Sallinger.

Composition: Students will also learn the fundamental components of academic writing, including how to construct a thesis statement that makes an argument, how to support their ideas effectively with textual evidence, how to organize an argument logically, and how to cite sources in MLA format. Some class periods will be dedicated Writing Lab session in which students write in-class in order to get on-the-spot support and feedback from the teacher. Students should bring laptops to these class sessions.

Topics in this Series: The Novel (Quarter 1), Poetry (Quarter 2), The Play (Quarter 3), and The Epic (Quarter 4). Students who continue from one quarter to the next will receive priority registration.

Prerequisites: Students should be able to read at grade level, and it is recommended that students have had a middle school writing class.

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

Assignments: All assignments will be posted in a Google Classroom management site. Students will need their own gmail accounts to access Google Classroom.

Assessments: Students' written assignments will be graded using a rubric and assigned points that the homeschool parent can use when assigning an overall class grade.

Textbook/Materials: Because students will need clean, inexpensive copies of each novel to mark in, and 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 $15.00 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class for the select novel.

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 passages/pages.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a partial credit in English for purposes of a high school transcript.

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.

Prerequisites: None

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

The color name in the class title refers to the collectable token students will earn each quarter they take the class. Collect all 8! Students may enroll in FUNctional Fitness at any time, regardless of the color name No one color is a prerequisite for any other color, and tokens can be earned in any order.

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!

Prerequisites: None

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 first term at Hogwarts! In addition to your core wizarding classes, special projects will be inspired by guest Professor Quirrell such as a Time Turner, a Constellation Caster, and an Embossed Dragon Box.

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.

Topics in this Series: Quirrell's Creations (Quarter 1); Pomfrey's Potions (Quarter 2); Flitwick's Favorites (Quarter 3); and Lockhart's Fabrications (Quarter 4)

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $35.00 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.

Prerequisites: None

Reflections on a rainy day, a sheepish sister smirking, a white-washed winter wonderland- all captured in dynamic digital images. Learn the art, craft, and history of photography for hobby, home, or as a possible profession. Students will learn about observation, perspective, and choosing their subjects. They will discuss the exposure triangle and elements of photographic composition, including lighting and exposure. The class will review different genres of photography such as portraiture, nature, sports, black and white, etc., and discuss finding their own "voice" in their photographs. Students will expand on photography fundamentals with an exploration of three special topics: nature photography, portraiture, and black and white photography. For each unit, teen photographers will learn techniques and camera settings that highlight the genre. First, students will have fun taking pictures of friends and family. They will learn how to capture natural expressions and record unique personalities when photographing people. They will be introduced to the lighting, posing, and composition for creating studio and lifestyle portraiture. Students will practice as both photographers and the models. In the spring, students will take advantage of the buds and blooms to learn to photograph natural subjects. Students will practice seeing the world around them including details, macro-observations, close-range subjects, and elements of composition. They will learn to do isolation studies using natural light to photograph objects and plants in their environment. The class will discuss and practice techniques for landscapes, seasons, weather, water, reflections, and animals in nature and captivity. Finally, students will learn how to make beautiful black and white images and what elements to look for to make a stunning monochromatic composition. Each week, class time will be split among the review of photographic examples including works by noteworthy photographers, discussion of techniques and camera settings, and hands-on, outdoor photography exercises. The instructor will also teach photo-editing with a free web-based software For this class, students will be required to prepare two projects: a presentation on a photographer of their choice and a special photography showcasing their favorite photographs from the semester. On the last day, there will be an art show for the parents. Prerequisites: None Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class. Assignments: In addition to the two projects described, students will have weekly homework taking photographs and occasional quizzes. Assessments: Students will receive ongoing, informal assessments and feedback on their photographs. Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $20.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class. What to Bring: Students are encouraged to bring digital SLR cameras, but any digital camera that is better than a phone camera will be adequate. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Fine Arts for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: None

Students will use LEGO to design and build simple engineering projects out of everyone's favorite building toy! In this 90 minute class, students will explore concepts and vocabulary in physics, mechanical engineering, structural engineering, aerospace engineering, and architecture while playing with their creations. First quarter, junior engineers will tackle Fantastic Fliers and Space Race with projects inspired by the Space Station, Shuttle, Mars Rover, Gondola Gliders, Helicopeters, and Airplanes. 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. Notes:(1)Students must be minimum age 5 and able to separate from their parents for this class. (2) Projects are built from shared, Compass-owned components, so students will not bring completed projects home. Parents, however, can step into class 15 minutes before the end of each session to photograph their child's construction. Topics in this Series: Fantastic Fliers & Space Racers (Quarter 1); Articulated Animals(Quarter 2); Winter Wonders (Quarter 3); Construct a Carnival (Quarter 4)

Prerequisites: None

FUNctional Fitness es un programa dinámico de educación física para
niños que incorpora ejercicios completos para que los niños se levanten y se muevan al mediodía. No hay dos entrenamientos iguales, pero las actividades de cada día incorporan ejercicios dirigidos a 10 áreas: resistencia cardiovascular, resistencia, fuerza, flexibilidad, potencia, velocidad, coordinación, agilidad, equilibrio y precisión. FUNctional Fitness se centra en movimientos funcionales que son fundamentales para todos los aspectos del juego y el ejercicio: tirar, empujar, correr, lanzar, trepar, levantar y saltar. Los entrenamientos son escalables y adaptables al nivel de cada individuo, y el énfasis está en la diversión, la seguridad y la realización personal en lugar de la competencia entre compañeros de clase. Cuando el tiempo lo permita, se podrán realizar algunos ejercicios al aire libre. Los desafíos físicos de FUNctional Fitness fomentarán la confianza en uno mismo, la concentración y ayudarán a sentar las bases para una vida de fitness.

El nombre del color en el título de la clase se refiere a la ficha coleccionable que los estudiantes ganarán cada trimestre que tomen la clase. ¡Colecciona los 8! Los estudiantes pueden inscribirse en FUNctional Fitness en cualquier momento, independientemente del nombre del color. Ningún color es un requisito previo para ningún otro color y las fichas se pueden ganar en cualquier orden.

Todo el equipamiento está amueblado. Se pide a los estudiantes que usen ropa holgada y cómoda, como pantalones para correr o pantalones deportivos, y calzado deportivo cómodo y con apoyo.

Prerequisites: None

Why do I have to get shots? What is an appendix? Why do I get a fevers? Kids have lots of questions about their own bodies and development. Kids' Clinic answers these questions and more in the context of fun, age-appropriate medical lessons and in-class activities which will introduce children to themes in science, medicine, anatomy, and biology. First quarter, kids will learn how to conduct a basic medical examination using the correct tools: stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, otoscope, and thermometer. The class will learn about vaccines, ear infections, colds, and food allergies. Finally, the class will begin human anatomy by learning several major organ systems of the human body- circulatory, respiratory, and musculoskeletal. There is a supply fee of $18.00 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 a real stethoscope. Topics in this Series: Physician (Quarter 1); Nutritionist (Quarter 2), Wilderness Medic (Quarter 3), ENT/Dentist- Hearing, Taste, Smell (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

LEGO Robotics Training Team is a semester-long "boot camp" and training ground for future FIRST LEGO League (FLL) competitors. The Training Team allows Compass students to work through a complete FLL challenge to ensure that they understand the project and enjoy the process before joining a competition team. Training Team students are sub-divided into smaller teams that compete against each other in building and coding challenges at a more relaxed pace than FLL competition teams which may require 6-10+ hours per week.

Compass Training Team members will complete a full FLL challenge from a previous year. They will learn 21st century skills in robotics and programming while enjoying the camaraderie of working as a team to solve challenges. Kids will gain confidence and build skills in leadership and communication. The Training Team members will compete in-house against each other, but will not participate in a regional competition in 2024-25.

FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is an accessible, guided, beginners' robotics program that encourages teamwork, discovery, innovation, and problem-solving. The FLL competition is comprised of three components: the Robot Game, an Innovation Project, and Core Values. The Robot Game is an annual theme-based challenge that encourages kids to think of technology solutions to real-world problems. Teams design and program an autonomous robot that scores points on a themed table-top playing field. Past challenges have been inspired by environment, transportation, accessibility, and exploration. FLL team members engage in brainstorming, research, design, and coding while practicing the engineering design process of building, testing, re-building, re-testing, etc. Students will work with LEGO Mindstorms EV3 robotics components and use drag-and-drop coding blocks to program their robots on laptop computers. No robotics or programming experience is necessary to join the Training Team, but it is beneficial if students have experience building with LEGO Technics components (beams, gears, and axel pins rather than bricks with studs).

FLL members have fun with friends, encourage and support each other, and learn the art of gracious competition. In addition to the robot challenge, FLL team members compete in short, on-the-spot challenge problems in the Innovation Project phase of the competitions. FLL is also known for its philosophies of "professionalism" and "cooperation" which are expressed in the organization's Core Values of discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork, and fun. Teams are also judged on how well they promote and exhibit these core values.

Prerequisites: None

This class will use an interactive role-playing game (RPG) to immerse students in Medieval History. Students will be assigned land and titles to create a mock feudal system in which students collaborate and compete with classmates to better understand medieval society. By chance or choice, will they amass armies, capture castles, take titles, and repel rivals, or fail and fade into the pages of history?

First semester begins in 1066 with the last successful occupation of Britain, the Norman Conquest by William, Duke of Normandy following the Battle of Hastings. The class will examine the history of Normandy and how the conquest eliminated the existing Saxon nobility. Students will learn how the Normans were able to maintain control of the countryside with a comparatively small occupying force, using control of language, law, and lethal force. In addition, the class will study the resistance, both the real forces and the legends the resistance inspired in the English people. Students will evaluate the history of earlier resistance by the British peoples and compare how previous conquests affected their culture.

Students will examine case studies taken from primary source documents in art and literature to learn how warfare, architecture, politics, law, and religion interplay to create the history of the world. Students will complete a semester project on the Bayeux Tapestry. They will build on this base of knowledge to continue the study of English history in future semesters.

In this semester's RPG, all students are Normans and assigned a medieval English county and awarded the title of title of "count" or "countess." Students will develop their own coat of arms in the unit on heraldry. Each begins with similar wealth, populations, knights, and land, and waits to see how their fates unfold each week in a custom game described as a complicated, semester-long game of Risk or Medieval Axis & Allies.

Topics in this Series: Rise of Norman Power (Semester 1), Crusades and Conquests (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: Reading assignments will be assigned in class and noted in the weekly e-mail.

Assessments: Short, open note in-class quizzes will be given, and students will have a semester project.

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.

Prerequisites: None

Students will tackle a variety of puzzles, games, and riddles each week that will develop their critical thinking, logic, math reasoning, and problem-solving skills while having loads of fun in class! Hands-on activities may use cards, dice, coins, cubes, toothpicks, math board games, math card games, and of course, lots of numbers. Every activity is in essence a math problem, and students will learn tips and techniques for tackling the challenges.

For each new puzzle, game, and riddle, students will learn concepts and strategies that they can apply to solving ANY math challenge, such as: the phases of solving a problem, what to do when you get stuck, how to make predictions, how to generalize from specific cases, and what questions to ask yourself. Example activities include the game of Thirty One, logic grids, cryptograms, and deduction games. Through these weekly activities, students will learn that math isn't just something done at a desk with pencil and paper, but is present everywhere you look, and that the ability to think mathematically can be not only useful, but also fun!

Students can take this class each quarter as a different selection of puzzles, games, and activities will be introduced each session. Topics in this series include: Brain Games (Quarter 1), Brain Teasers (Quarter 2), Brain Blast (Quarter 3), and Brain Busters (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

Mindful Mosaics is run as a studio art class where students create unique compositions and work at their own pace under the guidance of an experienced mosaic artist. Each quarter, students are taught new design, cutting, layout, and finishing techniques and are introduced to new mosaic materials which they can incorporate into inspired, original pieces. The instructor can suggest possible themes for projects based on the featured materials, but most students work on individual projects that reflect their own interests, hobbies, or decor.

Students who are new to mosaics will complete a quick checkerboard project (complete with wooden checkers) to teach pattern, layout, and lines before starting an individual projects. For each project, students will choose from a variety of substrates- rectangular, square, shaped, or circular backboards (typically first-year students), or special forms or 3D objects (experienced students). Each project will expand a student's understanding of color, pattern, rhythm, texture, and spacing as they complete rich, dimensioned compositions. Students will be able to incorporate other glass, ceramic, and porcelain tiles into their projects and may select feature elements such as beautiful glass gems, millefiori, sliced stone, metallic ornaments, mirrored bits, or shells, to serve as focal points in their mosaic piece. The mosaic can be monochromatic, complimentary, or contrasting colors. A broad pallet of colors is always available, and new colors are added each quarter to reflect the season.

Students will develop a skillset for mosaic artistry over multiple quarters or years. As each student demonstrates mastery of basic skills, safety, and artistic expression, that student will be taught advanced techniques, materials, tools, composition, and color theory. A typical progression in mosaics is: (1) Whole tiles in symmetric design on a flat, rectangular substrate with emphasis on proper spacing and adhesion; (2) Tile cut with nippers in themed design and individual color choices on a flat wood substrate; (3) Sheet glass cut with pistol grip, breaking, and/or running pliers with emphasis on composition, color, and design on a flat or curved substrate; (4) Progress to 3D substrate and advanced adhesives; (5) Learn porcelain and ceramic cutting, special adhesives, and advanced design.

Note:There is no prerequisite for this class. The number of projects completed each quarter depends on the student's work speed and attendance in class. Compass parents are welcome to register for the class to work alongside their teens, or to work on their own, while their teen is in another Compass class.

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

Assessments: will not be given.

Materials Fees: All material fees are due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class by cash, check or electronic payment. Materials used vary depending on a student's experience with mosaic.

Beginner Material Fee: $40.00 for a selection of Beginner Materials, including:

Advanced Material Fee: $50.00 for a selection of Advanced Materials including:

Additional Fee: There may be additional fees for premium materials such as tesserae (by request and consultation with instructor), mother of pearl, 24 kt gold tiles (market rate), or specially cut substrates.

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

Prerequisites: None

Natural Leaders is an outdoor education and leadership program. Each week, the group will venture into the woods surrounding Lake Fairfax for an authentic, immersive adventure featuring hiking, outdoor skills, leadership, and camaraderie. At each meeting, students take turns in different roles that are key to the group's success, safety, and fun such as: coordinator (plan out the group's schedule for the day); navigator (following the map, practice orienteering); naturalist (investigate and present a lesson about local plants, animals or ecology); skills coaches (research, practice, and demonstrate a skill to others, such as knot tying or whittling); game master (plan and teach an group game or challenge); and safety officer (present on a safety or first aid topic) They will also learn survival skills such as fire-building, edible plants, building shelters, use of knives, and safety/first aid. The student-led portions of the program promote group cohesion, cooperation, and friendship, while students benefit from the positive peer pressure to come prepared for their weekly roles and responsibilities. Tweens and teens will also become more confident and comfortable as leaders and outdoor adventurers as their self-reliance skills grow. Natural Leaders is supervised by an experienced Natural Leaders mentor, trained and supported in providing a positive experience and managing safety. They typically have a passion for sharing nature with kids, and may have a background in a range of skills such as wilderness first aid, survival skills, tracking, primitive skills, and experience in hiking, camping, rock climbing, water sports, etc. Natural Leaders meets weekly rain, snow, or shine, in all temperatures. Students should always dress is layers for the forecasted weather conditions. Registered students will receive more detailed instructions about what to wear, what to bring, and where to meet prior to the start of the program.

Prerequisites: None

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 1-1.5 hours per day on reading, review, and homework on most non-class days. Homework assignments will run on a 7-day cycle, with assignments posted on Thursdays and due the following Thursday. Students are advised to start homework once it is assigned (i.e., not wait until the night before it is due). Weekly homework assignments will be of a length that a student should be able to complete them in two or three at-home work sessions. Solutions will be provided for some homework problems, but students are expected to show all steps of their 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: Student progress will be assessed by: (1) The instructor checking that weekly homework sets are attempted and complete and (2) detailed grading of periodic take-home tests. Parents will be able to view accumulated points awarded in the class for the purpose of determining a parent-awarded course grade. See the instructor's webpage for detailed homework and test policy, including late work and re-work. 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: None

7 weeks X 25-minute Private Music Lesson weeks for new or returning, beginner or advanced students with Jessica Hall in:

Song/Theory Books/Sheet Music: Instructor will provide an Amazon link for parent to order the recommended music 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.

Prerequisites: None

7 weeks X 25-minute Private Music Lesson weeks for new or returning, beginner or advanced students with Jessica Hall in:

Song/Theory Books/Sheet Music: Instructor will provide an Amazon link for parent to order the recommended music 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.

Prerequisites: None

7 weeks X 25-minute Private Music Lesson weeks with Ney Mello in:

Song/Theory Books/Sheet Music: Instructor will make recommendations to purchase or reimburse him, depending on instrument and level. New guitar students should purchase a tablature book from Compass for $8.00.

1-Hour Lessons: Students who wish to have a 55-minute lesson (two consecutive 1/2 hour time slots) should contact Compass to receive a discounted rate of $100 per hour (instead of 2 X $55 per hour)

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.

Prerequisites: None

Reading and writing affect a student's achievement in all aspects of schoolwork, so strong language arts skills are fundamental to success in homeschooling. This weekly class is a small group of 3-6 students who read and write at a similar level. Students follow a comprehensive language arts curriculum under the guidance of an experienced reading specialist. Each Monday class 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 a complete, self-contained language arts curriculum where families will not need additional resources in reading, comprehension, composition, spelling, and grammar. 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 aloud 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. READINESS: As a comprehensive language arts curriculum, a student must be at a similar grade level ability in reading, comprehension, and writing. Early readers who have not learned to write, for example, or emerging readers who struggle with comprehenion, may not be a good fit for this class. In addition, students must have the hand-eye coordination and basic handwriting skills to be able to copy the instructor's many notes, examples, and definitions from the classroom white board into their own notebook. 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 in language arts or who have a difference in skill level between their reading and writing may be recommended for a second, weekly class meeting on Fridays or 1-on-1 private instruction to make up ground in reading or writing skills. Additional class meetings or private instruction will be an additional cost. ATTENTION! Parents should not register for a Reading Rally class until they have had a Language Arts Skills Inventory (i.e. brief assessment) and placement determination by the reading specialist. This must be scheduled separately through Compass at a cost of $125.00. The fee is due prior to the assessment and is not refundable in the event the child is not recommended for a reading group. The instructor has experience working with reluctant and fearful readers, those who are late bloomers, neurodivergent, dyslexic, and ESOL students. However, she might recommend a more complete evaluation by another professional if she suspects other learning differences are impacting the student's langauge arts learning. Students will work from a spiral bound copy of reading textbook and workbook by Pearson. A class fee of $72.00 is due payable to Compass for the required books. Students continuing from one semester to the next will receive priority registration to remain with their reading group.

Prerequisites: None

Reading Rangers is a supplemental reading class for beginning readers. The class is whole language inspired with phonics and decoding games, partner reading, and vocabulary lists for home. The group will explore habits of curious readers through the examination of renowned children's picture story books from authors such as Leo Lionni, Robert McCloskey, Eric Carle, AA Milne, Michael Bond, Janell Cannon, Mem Fox, Hans Christian Andersen, Aesop, the Brothers Grimm, and others. Other books will also be selected based on the interests and level of the enrolled children. The class will discuss characters, setting, sequence of events, and predict outcomes. Children may repeat this class each quarter as new books will be introduced each session, and stories will not be repeated.

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.

Reading/Skills Readiness; 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.) Students should be able to read the following sight words: all, am, are, at, ate, be, black, brown, but, came, day, did, do, eat, four, get, go, good, have, he, in, into, is, like, must, new, no, now, on, our, out, please, pretty, ran, ride, saw, say, she, so, soon, that, the, there, they, this, to, too, under, want, was, well, went, what, white, who, will, with, yes.

Prerequisites: None

Learn to play the violin! Students will learn the fundamentals of playing the violin using the Suzuki method. They will begin by learning how to hold the instrument, how to correctly grasp the bow, parts of the instrument, and the names of the open strings. Students will be taught sequential techniques by adding one finger at a time to each string until they can play a complete scale. The class will be taught to play in unison from sheet music. At the end of the semester, the class will be able to play several simple tunes and will demonstrate 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.

Class Expectations: Students will be asked to bring their violin, bow, and case to every class. In order to fully benefit from the in-class instruction, daily, at-home practice is expected. A student violin can be purchased or rented from most music stores and should be set up professionally by a local music store or a string luthier. The cost of the class sheet music is included. This is a 13-week semester class, and the week off will be announced by the instructor.

Prerequisites: None

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.

First semester, the class will create fantasy-inspired worlds. Students, along with their instructor, will develop an in-class world as an example. Students 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: Fantasy (Semester 1), Science Fiction (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

Prerequisites: Reading/writing at grade level.

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

Assignments: Will be posted in a Google Classroom.

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 class.

Textbook/Materials: Students have the option of purchasing a discounted subscription to World Anvil (worldanvil.com) for approximately $35.00.

Lab/Supply Fee: Included

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

Prerequisites: None

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.

Prerequisites: None

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.

Prerequisites: None

What are the effects of strength training versus endurance training on performance? What is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise? How do you prevent- or recover from- sports related injuries? Questions like these can be answered by a kinesiologist! Kinesiology is the study of human movement which includes aspects of anatomy, physiology, pathology, psychology, sociology, and biomechanics. Kinesiologists look at the effects of exercise to help prevent injury or speed recovery, improve movement and function throughout life, and enhance the quality of life for their patients, clients, or athletes. The study of kinesiology can prepare a student for a career in preventive and rehabilitative exercise and wellness programs, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic training, or sports medicine. Some use kinesiology as the foundation for careers as physicians, nurses, first responders, nutritionists, chiropractors, osteopaths, orthopedists, personal trainers, coaches, and athletic trainers. First semester is an introduction to the field of kinesiology including a survey of human anatomy and overview of careers and credentialing in the field. Students will learn about the metrics used to measure progress for fitness, strength, or the rehabilitation of injury. They will learn how to check vital signs and perform the basics of a physical exam for an athlete. Students will perform in-class activities and labs such as a bone lab, strength tests, muscular endurance tests, rehabilitation lab, and practice the emergency care for injuries. Students will make at least one visit to the nearby YCMA gym to practice common exercises, including how to instruct others to do them. Note: This course is not a PE class, a health course, or a lab science, but contains elements of each as a career exploration course taught by an adjunct professor of kinesiology and certified athletic trainer.

Prerequisites: None

7 weeks X 25-minute Private Music Lesson weeks for new or returning, beginner or advanced students with Jessica Hall in:

Song/Theory Books/Sheet Music: Instructor will provide an Amazon link for parent to order the recommended music 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.

Prerequisites: None

7 weeks X 25-minute Private Music Lesson weeks for new or returning, beginner or advanced students with Jessica Hall in:

Song/Theory Books/Sheet Music: Instructor will provide an Amazon link for parent to order the recommended music 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.

Prerequisites: None

7 weeks X 25-minute Private Music Lesson weeks with Ney Mello in:

Song/Theory Books/Sheet Music: Instructor will make recommendations to purchase or reimburse him, depending on instrument and level. New guitar students should purchase a tablature book from Compass for $8.00.

1-Hour Lessons: Students who wish to have a 55-minute lesson (two consecutive 1/2 hour time slots) should contact Compass to receive a discounted rate of $100 per hour (instead of 2 X $55 per hour)

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.

Prerequisites: None

This program has two in-person meetings each Monday: a 45-minute instrument family sectional at 10:50 am and a 55-minute all-instrument group practice session from 1:00 pm- 1:55 pm. Band students must take both sectional and group together. Registration for a sectional will automatically enroll the student in the group session. Enjoy the camaraderie and cooperation of making music with others in a school band! Join the first homeschool concert band in the region at Compass. This band is for beginner and advanced beginner musicians of brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. Students in beginner percussion will learn to play the snare drum and mallet instruments (such as glockenspiel and xylophone). They will learn proper stick and mallet grip, posture, and playing position for concert percussion instrumentals. Students will learn the fundamentals of music reading. The group will practice short songs in Concert B-flat and Concert E-flat major (and their relative minors) on mallet instruments and basic rudiments on snare drum. Students will practice audiation skills by singing, moving, and playing percussion instruments and will play both cooperatively in small ensembles and independently. Students in beginner woodwinds will learn to play the flute or clarinet (4th-8th grade) or alto saxophone (7th-8th grade only). They will learn how to hold their instruments with proper posture and hand position and correct embouchure (mouth position and blowing technique) for the instrument. Students will receive instruction on the parts of their instruments and how to safely, correctly, and independently assemble and clean them. Students will learn the fundamentals of music reading, and the group will practice short songs in Concert B-flat and Concert E-flat major (and their relative minors). Students will practice audiation skills by singing, moving, and playing woodwind instruments and will play both cooperatively in small ensembles and independently. Students in beginner brass will learn to play the trumpet, trombone, or euphonium (4th-8th grade) and French horn or tuba (7th-8th grade students only). They will learn how to hold their instruments with proper posture and hand position and correct embouchure (mouth position and blowing technique) for the instrument. Students will receive instruction on the parts of their instruments and how to safely, correctly, and independently assemble and clean them. Students will learn the fundamentals of music reading, and the group will practice short songs in Concert B-flat and Concert E-flat major (and their relative minors). Students will practice audiation skills by singing, moving, and playing woodwind instruments and will play both cooperatively in small ensembles and independently. Students will need to rent or purchase an instrument and accessories for the band. See the linked list by instrument. There is a $33.00 supply fee due payable to Compass on/before the start of class for the "Do It! Play (a Band Instrument)" book and workbook and the sheet music songs used for the group band performance.>

Prerequisites: None

Snappy comebacks, one-liners, sarcasm, exaggeration, irony...and teenagers. These things just go together! Improv gives kids an outlet for fun, creative stories and spontaneous humor. Teens who find amusement in the unexpected and humor in the unpredictable will enjoy improvisational acting!

First semester, actors will explore the basics of improvisation, story-telling, and stagecraft through activities and exercises that encourage cooperation, communication, and teamwork. With fun, interactive improv games such as "Yes, and.." and "Improved Stories," students will learn how to use short form improv to play off each other to convey character, emotion, situation, setting, and to highlight their scene partners. The variety of improv activities each week will help develop the "group mind" and class dynamic. Small group and partner work will boost teens' confidence and trust in a supportive environment.

Improvisation is the art of entertaining with connected, unpredictable twists and turns often seen from the great comedians and best live entertainers. Improv students will improve their ability to think on-their-feet, play off each other, and react with spontaneous wit, sarcasm, and irony. Actors' creative thinking and communication skills will be strengthened as they work "outside-of-the-box" and learn to read their audience.

Improv can be for everyone! No previous experience is needed. Beginners are welcome, and experienced students will further develop their improv skills. If you have taken this class before, go ahead and take it again because no two classes are ever alike. This class is best suited for students who are active listeners, flexible, and easily adapt, have a sense of humor, and can work collaboratively in a group. Students need to be able to stay in sync with the flow of the class. This is not an "anything goes" or free-for-all class.

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

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

Assignments: If any, will be sent to parents and students by e-mail.

Assessments: Informal, qualitative feedback will be given in class throughout the semester. A quantitative score/grade will not be provided.

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

Prerequisites: None

Are you interested in learning a new language that is used right here in America? Are you intrigued by a modern language that has no written form? Do you want to find out why American Sign Language is much more closely linked to French Sign Language than British Sign Language? If so, American Sign Language (ASL) is a great language for you! In this class, students will learn the basic skills in production and comprehension of ASL while covering thematic units such as personal and family life, school, social life, and community. Each unit will include presentations and readings on Deaf culture and Deaf history. Students will learn fingerspelling and numbers, developing conversational ability, culturally appropriate behaviors, and fundamental ASL grammar. Class time will be dedicated to interactive ASL activities and face-to-face signing practice with the instructor and partners. ASL students will have a Deaf instructor. She regularly teaches all-hearing classes and is an excellent role model for students to meet and interact with a native speaker of ASL and to lean natural facial expressions, gestures, and body language used in Deaf communications. ASL students will have more confidence when they encounter Deaf instructors in college or greet speakers of ASL in social settings. Because the instructor is Deaf, students are not permitted to speak aloud in class. This approach improves visual attention and encourages immersion in the language. Students will be able to ask questions of the instructor by writing on individual white boards, but they will be encouraged to sign in order to communicate with the instructor. Lessons are facilitated with Power Point presentations, and a professional ASL interpreter will assist the class on the first day of class. Enrolled students are not expected to know any sign language prior to beginning ASL I. Hundreds of colleges and universities, including all public institutions of higher learning in Virginia, accept ASL as a distinct foreign language. This allows hearing and Deaf students to fulfill foreign language requirements for admission to college. Teens who have difficulty writing, spelling, or have challenging pronunciation in English, can be successful with ASL as a second or foreign language choice. Penn State University research demonstrated that the visual and kinesthetic elements of ASL helped to enhance the vocabulary, spelling, and reading skills in hearing students. Workload: Students should expect to spend 2-3 hours each week outside of class on required vocabulary exercises, readings, and signing practice. Assignments: Homework assignments will be posted online in the Canvas digital classroom platform. There may be some brief written assignments, but for most homework assignments, students will be asked to post short videos of themselves signing. Students will need either a camera phone or webcam to complete these assignments. Assessments: The instructor will assign points using a class rubric for the parent's use in assigning a course grade. Course rubrics will evaluate students on their sign production, fingerspelling, ASL grammar, facial expressions including "above the nose" grammar (brows and body movement), and "below the nose" modifiers (lip expressions). Textbook/Supply Fee: There is a supply fee of $50.00 payable to Compass for the digital access code for the interactive e-textbook, TRUE+WAY ASL. With their subscription, students may also accces a free searchable, bilingual ASL & English dictionary, called What's the Sign? Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in World Languages for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: None

Elementary artists can get in on the action as they learn about a different artist or artistic style each week and create a representative piece using a wide range of artistic supplies such as tempura and water color paints, pastels, pencils, cray pas, oil pastel crayons, specialty papers, sculpting media, and embellishments.

Second quarter, students will examine famous art featuring animals such as Winslow Homer's "Fox Hunt", Paul Gauguin's still life "Three Puppies", Franz Marc's "The Tower of Blue Horses" and "Donkey Frieze" and the vivid patterned pop art of Dean Russo. Projects will mimic the colors and styles of these works with vivid color pigments, watercolor, acrylic paints, and other materials.

Topics in this Series: Media of the Masters (Quarter 1); Animal Artists (Quarter 2); Murals, Monuments, and Museums (Quarter 3); Stellar Celestial Subjects (Quarter 4). Supply Fee: There is a supply fee of $25.00, payable to the instructor on the first day of class which covers consumable class materials such a specialty papers, watercolor pencils, and paints.

Prerequisites: None

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.

First quarter, young (beginning) dancers will learn the story of The Little Humpbacked Horse, also known as the "Tsar-Maiden"; a ballet based on the fairy tale by Pyotr Yershov and choreographed by Arthur Saint-Leon and set to music by Cesare Pugni since 1864.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. A demonstration of skills learned will be showcased for parents on the last class each quarter.

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.

Topics in this series: The Little Humpbacked Horse (Quarter 1); The Nutcracker (Quarter 2); Swan Lake (Quarter 3); and Don Quixote (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

If you like to "Turn Up the Music" (Chris Brown, 2012), "Play That Funky Music" (Wild Cherry, 1976), or "Dance to The Music" (Sly and The Family Stone, 1967), then you know that there is an impressive variety of American music. America is the birthplace of some of the most influential genres of music and musicians in the world. Much of the world's modern music has roots in American blues, jazz, or rock, while American music has elements from West Africa, the West Indies, and diverse communities such as New Orleans, Detroit, Memphis, St. Louis, Nashville, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and the Bronx. American music has influenced behavior and culture such as dance, entertainment, fashion, technology, popular opinion, lexicon, marketing, and more.

This is a focused class in music appreciation for students who enjoy listening to or playing music. The class will evaluate a century of American music by listening to and discussing influential performers, writers, and producers. Students will learn to identify music elements unique to each genre- melody, rhythm, harmony- and will develop a musical vocabulary to help them think and talk about musical works. They will also explore innovations in instruments and technologies that evolved with the music, such as drums being placed in a "set" at the advent of jazz music, the rise of electric instruments, and electronic production/mixing.

First semester will explore music from the 1920s to the 1960s encompassing the genres of blues, ragtime, jazz, boogie-woogie, swing, soul, rhythm and blues, rock-and-roll, Motown, pop, funk, disco. Featured artists will include Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Marvin Gaye, Chuck Berry, Elvis, James Brown, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Simon and Garfunkel, Fleetwood Mack, Robert Johnson, Scott Joplin, John McLaughlin, and many others. Find out why the Rolling Stones and the Beatles claim they were influenced by Little Richard, and why the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame described Jimi Hendrix as "arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music."

Like other fine arts classes, music appreciation is a fun break from academics which enriches and engages students in a topic they enjoy. Genres that will not be highlighted in this course include gospel, folk, country, western, tejano, reggae, zydeco, or salsa.

Topics in this Series: 19202-1960s (Semester 1), 1970s-2020s (Semester 2), etc. Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

Prerequisites: None

Students will enjoy the logic and challenge of the timeless strategy board game as they learn and play chess with classmates. In Advanced Beginner Chess 2, students will learn skills and strategies that build upon each other such as: counting in chess, double attack tactics, controlling and using the center, king and pawn endgames, key positions in rook and pawn endgames, principles of minor piece endgames, and simple, pawn-less endgames.

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. Students should have 15-20 hours of chess instruction prior to enrolling in Advanced Beginner Chess, or a working knowledge of most skills taught in the Compass Beginner Chess level.

Prerequisites: None

Students will enjoy making delicious recipes and family favorites that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. 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:

• Asparagus Gruyere Puff Pastry Bundles
• Dumpling Soup
• Green Bean Salad
• Sicilian Brussels Sprouts
• Italian Sheet Pan Chicken
• Beef-Cheddar Mac & Cheese
• Apple Pecan Tarts (contains nuts)

Prerequisites: None

Students will enjoy making delicious recipes and family favorites that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. 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:

• Asparagus Gruyere Puff Pastry Bundles
• Dumpling Soup
• Green Bean Salad
• Sicilian Brussels Sprouts
• Italian Sheet Pan Chicken
• Beef-Cheddar Mac & Cheese
• Apple Pecan Tarts (contains nuts)

Prerequisites: None

Don't write poetry? Think you can't draw? Maybe not, but you may still want a creative way to record your thoughts, feelings, dreams, and ideas! Journaling is an ongoing process of discovery and exploration that allows one to be conscious of and connect with his/her own thoughts, emotions and ideas. It is a form of expression that supports both academic and personal growth. Creative journaling is not writing daily "Dear Diary" style entries on dated pages. Instead, students will explore various journaling methods, blending self-expression and self-discovery to guide them in learning new ways to problem-solve, achieve goals, and process emotions. Students will work with several writing techniques and a range of art media to develop a personal journal throughout the quarter and will have the opportunity to expand on it in subsequent quarters. Techniques such as freeform writing, black-out poetry, stream-of-consciousness writing, and creative list making will be explored, in addition to experimenting with a wide variety of layered techniques and mixed media with collage, photography, cardstock, book pages, art markers, stencils, tempera sticks, acrylic, paints, washi tape, and stickers. Weekly prompts will cover a range of topics such as gratitude, compassion, ambitions, choices, fear, self-care, and self-esteem as they relate to the students' personal lives and current events. Conversation around the prompts will complement the students' work in their individual journals. Topics in this Series: Journal work is done in an open studio environment that allows students to join in any quarter throughout the year. Prerequisites: No formal writing or art experience is needed. All teens are welcome. Workload: Work outside of class is encouraged but optional. Assessments: Not provided. Lab/Supply Fee: A supply fee of $35.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class. Fee covers art journal for student to use in class and shared class supplies (paints, inks, brushes, markers, collage materials, glue, washi tape, etc.) What to Wear: Students may wish to have an apron or old shirt to wear when working with paints. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in English, Fine Arts, or general Elective for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: None

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. This quarter, our storytellers will tell the tale of a great race. They will describe who was in the chase, what was their pace, and why the great haste.

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 ____?"

Students should be able to read, write, and spell at the second grade level or higher for this class. 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 Wonders to further encourage communication and storytelling skills. The supply fee is included in the class tuition.

Prerequisites: None

In Digital Workshop, kids will become immersed in the digital universe of Minecraft! Students will learn how to create a custom map, design structures to share between worlds, build with Redstone and Command blocks, and create custom textures for you to import at home or share with friends. 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 Part 2, "Intro/Advanced" 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: Minecraft Designers (Quarters 1, 2) and Python Programmers (Quarters 3,4).

Prerequisites: None

Imagine an elegant mansion dinner party disrupted by discovery of a dead body and numerous possible weapons: a candlestick, a lead pipe, a rope, and a wrench. Picture a saavy socialite, a courageous colonel, a wealthy widow, a plucky professor, a femme fatale, and others...all who have a motive in the murder. How would you tell this story on stage? Have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes to bring a production to stage? It takes a team of people to put on a show: stage managers, specialized designers for costumes, sets, props, lighting, music, and sound. There are also choreographers, fight directors, a dramaturge, a technical director, casting director, publicist, producer, and stage director to guide them all. This class will explore the different roles of the production team, designers, and crew responsibilities as students analyze a script and make decisions as if they were the Director. Under the guidance of a theater professional, students will learn how the pre-production and design teams develop the director's vision to bring a production to life! Students will begin by reading and analyzing a script without stage directions or notes. The group will make technical and artistic decisions to formulate a vision for the production. Students will learn to notate stage directions (such as 'stumble in from downstage right') and how to block scenes. They will make aesthetic decisions on set design and props, costuming, and technical effects such as lighting, sound effects, or music. The class will consider casting requirements and discuss the audition process. Example class projects include sketching costume concepts, creating a miniature set, and preparing audition notices. This class is recommended for beginners as well as experienced theatre and production students. Every script is different and offers new sets of challenges. The emphasis in this course is on the vision, design decisions, and the teamwork required to bring a performance to stage, but the class will not be putting on an actual production. Students who want to further their study of theatrical production might wish to co-register for Compass courses in sewing, cosplay accessories, or one of several acting/improvisation classes. Topics in this Series: Clue! (Semester 1), Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (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: Will be reviewed in class and posted in a Google classroom. Assessments: Qualitative feedback will be given throughout the semester. A quantitative score/grade will not be provided. Textbook/Materials: Furnished by instructor. Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $25.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class for a copy of the licensed script and project materials. What to Bring: Script and notes. 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.

Prerequisites: None

Become a world-traveling eco adventurer and earth scientist without leaving Compass! Study the world's most exciting and diverse ecosystems and learn about the incredible biologic and geologic phenomena that shape them. Venture into caves and coasts, tundra and taiga, and forests and fjords. Each week, student scientists will begin by locating the fascinating features on a map before learning about these incredible habitats from the ground-up, starting with the geology of a place, then working their way through the climate, biome, flora, and fauna. Hands-on labs and in-class activities will reinforce regional and ecological diversity by examining rock types, classifying plants, observing insects, or modelling weather phenomena. Bundle up! Second quarter, students will journey to the northern latitudes. The class begin in the frozen north of the Arctic Circle, then travel south through Greenland, Russia, and Europe. Students will see how some animal and human populations deal with environmental extremes through seasonal migrations. Along the way, the class will learn about cold weather phenomena, polar ice, tundra and taiga (coniferous forest) biomes, inland seas, and the seasonal effects of polar nights and midnight sun. Topics in this Series: The Americas and Antarctica (Quarter 1); Northern Latitudes (Quarter 2); Africa and Asia (Quarter 3); and All About Islands (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $20.00 is due payable to the instructor on/before the first day of class.

Prerequisites: None

This full-credit high school English class will focus on developing critical reading and writing skills through the study of a range of canonical and post-colonial genres and texts written in English. Through exposure to a variety of voices across time periods and geographical regions, students will investigate major themes, such as the importance of language as a locus of power, the continuity of human nature, and the role of the imagination. Fall semester will focus on canonical British texts such as the epic poem Beowulf, selections from Canterbury Tales (Chaucer), Shakespeare's Macbeth, and a selection of Romantic poetry. Writing Lab: An essential component of this course will be an in-class Writing Lab. Students will write two or three critical response papers and a full-scale literary analysis essay each term. Students will continue to hone the components of academic writing, including how to construct a thesis statement that makes an argument, how to support their ideas effectively with textual evidence, how to organize an argument logically, and how to cite sources in MLA format. Students should bring a laptop to class one day per week for in-class writing. Topics in this Series: British Literature, Part I (Semester 1) and British Literature, Part II (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester. This is a 13.5 week course that will not meet on 11/7/23. Prerequisites: Students should be able to read at grade level and have completed Introduction to Genre or equivalent high school level writing class. Students are expected to take an active role in discussion and complete all writing assignments. Workload: Students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class. Assignments: All assignments will be posted in a Google Classroom management site. Students will need their own gmail accounts to access Google Classroom. Assessments: Students' written assignments will be graded using a rubric and assigned points that the homeschool parent can use when assigning an overall class grade. Textbook/Materials: Because students will need clean, inexpensive copies of each novel to mark in, and 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 $34.00 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class for the class pack of books and handouts. What to Bring: Students should bring the current literature, 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 passages/pages. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a half-credit (one semester) or full credit (both semesters) in English for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: Introduction to Genres or equivalent

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.

Prerequisites: None

Compass cooks will enjoy a culinary tour of the world with Global Gourmet classes! Menus feature a 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:

Students will be eating what they make each week and bringing home the recipes and leftovers. These engaging cooking classes will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade. Culinary vocabulary and terms are introduced each week, with no-pressure verbal review of those words the following week.

Notes: Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

Topics in this Series: Best of the British Isles (Quarter 1), Savory Scandinavian (Quarter 2), Tasty Thai (Quarter 3), Great Greek (Quarter 4).

Was the Tea Party a party? What really happened on Revere's fateful ride? Meet Alexander Hamilton on a new stage! In this class, students will learn about American History through graphic novels. Kids will not realize they are absorbing factual information and learning about history through the entertaining, illustrated, short-form novels. Through colorful, dramatic graphics and an approachable conversational tone, graphic novels show kids that history can be thrilling! Each quarter will begin with an overview of the graphic novel genre including vocabulary unique to the illustrations and format (panels, speech bubbles, etc.) by looking at several other examples of graphic novels. Each week, students will read a portion of a graphic novel at home from the Saddleback Educational Publishing Graphic, US History Series. In class, the novels and historical content, key historical characters, and events will be discussed. Extension activities will be incorporated such as reading, listening, or watching excerpts of other accounts of the same historical events. Students will think they are talking about cool, comic-style books, but the facilitated class discussion will lay the groupwork for an understanding of US History, chronology, and critical thinking skills. First quarter will cover the American Revolution through the graphic novels: The New World(1500-1750), The Fight for Freedom (1750-1783), and The US Emerges(1783-1800). Students are expected to read approximately one half of one graphic history novel (25-30 pages) per week which they may read individually or read aloud with their families. These novels are generally considered at an ages 8-12 reading level. Build a graphic history library. Collect all 12 (3 per quarter)! Because students will need the same editions of all three graphic novels to be able to refer to the passages on the same page numbers, class sets of the graphic novels will be purchased for students. A supply fee of $48.00 will be due payable to Compass on or before the first day of class for three novels. Topics in this series include: The American Revolution (Quarter 1); Westward Ho! (Early 19th Century) (Quarter 2); The Civil War (Quarter 3); and The 20th Century (Quarter 4)

Prerequisites: None

Get your child to read the classics without a clash! Children will become familiar with the world's best-known authors and timeless tales through the approachable illustrated format of graphic novels. Kids will not realize they are reading literature and being introduced to literary analysis as they read these entertaining, illustrated, short-form stories.

Second quarter, students will discover some of the most beloved British books from the pages of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Mark Twain, and Jonathan Swift. Discover the super sleuth duo of Holmes and Watson through intriguing classic cases and crimes in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Meet Hank Morgan, an American time-traveler who brings modern knowledge and know-how to medieval times in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court., and follow an adventurer to fantastical lands in Gulliver's Travels.

Through colorful, dramatic graphics and an approachable conversational tone, graphic novels show kids that literature can be enthralling! Each quarter will begin with an overview of the graphic novel genre including vocabulary unique to the illustrations and format (panels, speech bubbles, etc.) by looking at several other examples of graphic novels. Each week, students will read a portion of a graphic novel at home from the Saddleback Educational Publishing Graphic, Illustrated Classics Series. In class, literary elements and character analysis will be discussed. Extension activities such as reading, listening, or watching excerpts of other tellings of the same tale will take place in class. Students will think they are talking about cool, comic-style books, but the facilitated class discussion will introduce kids to classic works of literature and perhaps interest them to later read the complete novel.

Students are expected to read approximately one half of one graphic novel (25-30 pages) per week which they may read individually or read aloud with their families. These novels are generally considered at the ages 8-12 reading level.

Collect all 12 (3 per quarter)! Build an illustrated classic library. Because students will need the same editions of all three graphic novels to be able to refer to the passages on the same page numbers, class sets of the graphic novels will be purchased for students. A supply fee of $48.00 will be due payable to Compass on or before the first day of class for 3 novels.

Topics in this series include: The Most Extreme Adventures (Quarter 1); Best of British Books (Quarter 2); Shakespeare Shorts (Quarter 3), and Classic Adventure Quests (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

Learn the fundamentals of playing the guitar! In this class, students will learn basic melodies such as Happy Birthday, Jingle Bells, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, as well as classic rock favorites like Smoke on the Water, etc. Kids will learn to play chords and strumming patterns for familiar songs 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.

Prerequisites: None

This year-long, hands-on science course is a survey of key concepts in the fields of Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth Science which will give 7th and 8th grade students the fundamentals they need to tackle high school-level Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Environmental Science. Topics covered in this course will not only provide a foundation for higher level science, but will also boost the student's confidence and fluency in discussing scientific issues, applying scientific terminology, and using scientific equipment. Content covered in this course will also enable a teen to become a more educated reader and consumer of scientific news and information. General life science themes include life cycles, food webs, scientific classification, cell structure, and human body systems. Topics in chemistry include states of matter, atomic structure, elements and the Periodic Table, and chemical reactions and solutions. Themes in physics include motion, position, speed and acceleration, weight (mass), gravity, friction, buoyancy and density, and electricity and magnetism. The earth science unit will cover the rock cycle, minerals, rocks, fossils, weathering and erosion. In this class, students will learn about the principles of scientific investigations and engineering practices, the Scientific Method, and preparation of formal lab reports. They will practice taking measurements, recording data, converting units of measure, and related mathematical concepts such as significant figures, International System of Units, scientific notation, graphs, and data analysis. Students will learn how to provide evidence to support explanations and solutions for their investigations. This class is appropriate for a tween or teen who has had limited middle school level science and who wants to prepare for high school science. In general, a topic will be discussed one week and then the corresponding lab or activity will be performed in class the following week. Microscope work will be used in some life science labs. Meeting Dates: This is a 29-week course that will not meet during the week of May 23-16, 2025. Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class on reading and homework assignments. Assignments: All class announcements and assignments will be communicated via a Google Classroom. Assessments: Informal, qualitative and constructive feedback will be given on submitted assignments. A quantitative score/grade will not be provided. Textbook: Students should purchase Everything You Need to Ace Science in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide by Workman Publishing (ISBN # 978-0761160953) Materials: Students should bring the following supplies to each class: colored pencils, glue stick, pens or pencils to write with, and a ruler. Lab/Supply Fee: A lab fee of $100.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class. Credit: This course is not recommended as a high school credit.

Prerequisites: None

Jiu-Jitsu Fit is a fun, interactive, physical fitness program for tweens incorporating the Brazilian self-defense martial art of Jiu-Jitsu. Students will follow a well-rounded physical fitness program that incorporates moves and strategies of Jiu-Jitsu to increase strength, flexibility, conditioning, endurance, coordination, balance, and fun! Students will practice techniques for resolving conflicts, dealing with bullies, projecting confidence, and developing stranger awareness in the games and exercises they complete in class. Jiu-Jitsu Fit helps tweens stay active, builds self-esteem, and encourages teamwork. Jiu-Jitsu uses grappling and ground work in addition to standing self-defense positions.

The color name in the class title refers to the collectable token students will earn each quarter they take the class. Collect all 8! Students may enroll in FUNctional Fitness at any time, regardless of the color name No one color is a prerequisite for any other color, and tokens can be earned in any order.

Some partner work may be co-ed. Students will work on mats in socks or bare feet and should come to class wearing loose, comfortable clothing, such as running pants or sweatpants and bring a refillable water bottle.

Prerequisites: None

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, artist, or culture and view sample works. Then, they will create a project in the style of the featured artist or culture using a wide variety of materials, 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.

First quarter, Junior Artists will learn about French Artists from the genres of Impressionism and Post Impressionism to include Rodin, Cezanne, Seurat, Degas, Renior, Monet, Matisse and Gauguin. These artists were sculptors, painters, draftsmen, and print makers. Each artist influenced the art world with style, color study and interpretation in their own personal way. Students will discuss which artist featured dancers in his subjects, who experimented in color, and which was multi talented artist using many mediums. Junior artists' projects will vary, from painting, to doing drawings, print-making, sculpting, and color studies.

Topics in this Series: Imitate the Impressionists (Quarter 1); Destination Art (Quarter 2); Multi-Media Masters (Quarter 3); Native American Art (Quarter 4). Supply Fee: There is a supply fee of $25.00, payable to the instructor on the first day of class which covers consumable class materials such a specialty papers, watercolor pencils, and paints.

Prerequisites: None

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. First quarter, students will have the chance to earn a Blue 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: Blue Stripe (1st Quarter), Purple Stripe (2nd Quarter), Brown Stripe (3rd Quarter) and Black 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 $6.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class- for new students only- for a white belt to collect the colored stripes! A 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: Participants should wear their belt along with shorts, leggings, or loose, comfortable athletic pants, and comfortable athletic shoes or sneakers.

Prerequisites: None

Young readers and writers will explore classic tales in a variety of creative, multi-media interpretations. Pulling from classic children's literature including fairy tales, fables, and favorites, such as Newberry Award medalists, the group will explore 3-4 well-known stories each quarter (generally spending 2 weeks per tale).

First quarter will feature Amazing Adventures with the stories of Jack and the Beanstalk, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, and The Gingerbread Man.

For each story, the instructor will share a lively read-aloud of the featured story. Next, the class will watch a short clip of an animated, televised, or stage version of the same story. Finally, the group will hear a re-telling of the same story from a different angle, such as one adapted to a theme, a different era, or a different culture. Students will discuss what was the same and what was different among the different adaptations. Was a character added or omitted? Was the performed version true to the original? Finally, students will write and illustrate their own, original re-telling of the story by changing characters, setting, or even crafting a surprise, new ending. New Twists on Old Tales introduces some basic literary elements and rudimentary literary analysis skills to encourage children to think more deeply about what they read.

Topics in this Series: Amazing Adventures (Quarter 1), Favorite Fairy Tales (Quarter 2), Friend Stories (Quarter 3), and Morals from Fables (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

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.

Second quarter, students will explore many different facets of measurement including length, weight, volume, temperature, and time. We will explore these concepts using everyday items like paperclips, tablespoons, and string and math manipulatives like color tiles, nets, centimeter cubes, and more. Each class will include a measuring tool like a clock, stopwatch, ruler, and scale that students will be able to use. We will learn tricks for making estimates and be able to compare and order items (heavy to light, short to tall, etc.)

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: Play with Place Value (Quarter 1), Measurement Madness (Quarter 2), Super Shapes (Quarter 3), and Fun with Fractions (Quarter 4). Supply Fee: Included

Prerequisites: None

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 and Properties, Equations and Inequalities, Functional Relationships and Ratios, Percent and 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. See the instructor's webpage for detailed homework and test policy, including late work and re-work. 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: None

7 weeks X 25-minute Private Music Lesson weeks with Jessica Eastridge in:

Prerequisites: None

7 weeks X 25-minute Private Music Lesson weeks with Jessica Eastridge in:

• Any beginner-level woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument;
• Advanced beginner and above-level in clarinet, saxaphone, trombone, euphonium;
• ukulele

Prerequisites: None

7 weeks X 25-minute Private Music Lesson weeks for new or returning, beginner or advanced students with Jessica Hall in:

• Piano;
• Voice;
• Ukuele

Song/Theory Books/Sheet Music: Instructor will provide an Amazon link for parent to order the recommended music 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.

Prerequisites: None

6 weeks X 55-minute Private Music Lesson weeks with Ney Mello in:

Song/Theory Books/Sheet Music: Instructor will make recommendations to purchase or reimburse him, depending on instrument and level. New guitar students should purchase a tablature book from Compass for $8.00.

1-Hour Lessons: Students who wish to have a 55-minute lesson (two consecutive 1/2 hour time slots) should contact Compass to receive a discounted rate of $100 per hour (instead of 2 X $55 per hour)

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.

Prerequisites: None

Reading and writing affect a student's achievement in all aspects of schoolwork, so strong language arts skills are fundamental to success in homeschooling. This weekly class is a small group of 3-6 students who read and write at a similar level. Students follow a comprehensive language arts curriculum under the guidance of an experienced reading specialist. Each Monday class 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 a complete, self-contained language arts curriculum where families will not need additional resources in reading, comprehension, composition, spelling, and grammar. 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 aloud 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. READINESS: As a comprehensive language arts curriculum, a student must be at a similar grade level ability in reading, comprehension, and writing. Early readers who have not learned to write, for example, or emerging readers who struggle with comprehenion, may not be a good fit for this class. In addition, students must have the hand-eye coordination and basic handwriting skills to be able to copy the instructor's many notes, examples, and definitions from the classroom white board into their own notebook. 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 in language arts or who have a difference in skill level between their reading and writing may be recommended for a second, weekly class meeting on Fridays or 1-on-1 private instruction to make up ground in reading or writing skills. Additional class meetings or private instruction will be an additional cost. ATTENTION! Parents should not register for a Reading Rally class until they have had a Language Arts Skills Inventory (i.e. brief assessment) and placement determination by the reading specialist. This must be scheduled separately through Compass at a cost of $125.00. The fee is due prior to the assessment and is not refundable in the event the child is not recommended for a reading group. The instructor has experience working with reluctant and fearful readers, those who are late bloomers, neurodivergent, dyslexic, and ESOL students. However, she might recommend a more complete evaluation by another professional if she suspects other learning differences are impacting the student's langauge arts learning. Students will work from a spiral bound copy of reading textbook and workbook by Pearson. A class fee of $XX.00 is due payable to Compass for the required books. Students continuing from one semester to the next will receive priority registration to remain with their reading group.

Prerequisites: None

Student engineers will be challenged to design, build, and program a Sumo robot to compete in compete in table-top combat. Will the robotic sumo wrestler be able to shove a full can or topple an opponent with the use of motors, sensors, and articulated components?

Student engineers will be challenged to design, build, and program a robot to complete several unique mazes in the fastest possible time. Students will learn to program their robots to make "decisions" when exploring an unfamiliar maze such as "go straight until you encounter a wall" and "turn to the right if you run into an obstacle."

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, gyro, ultrasonic, and/or 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 programming 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. Topics in this Series: Maze Runner (Quarter 1), Sumo Bots (Quarter 2), Mars Rover (Quarter 3), and Explore Atlantis (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

Successful social skills can help kids navigate almost every aspect of their lives. Building confidence in social settings can help improve self esteem and comfort in group settings, sports, new endeavors, with family, in public, or just hanging out with friends. Every child can benefit from improved social skills, but some need a little more practice. In this class, kids will work with a certified, licensed therapist to develop strategies for navigating different social challenges- from conversation skills and identifying feelings and emotions, to seeing perspective, handling stress, talking to parents, making friends, tolerating siblings, and more. The small group class will be highly interactive with games, role playing, videos, modelling behavior, and projects using a evidence-based, social-emotional curriculum

Kids will benefit most from taking Social Skills for several quarters. Some activities will be new each quarter, and some will be repeated for reinforcement. As new students join the group, the dynamic will shift, better imitating real life scenarios. Kids' confidence and comfort level will grow when they have multiple quarters to practice their social skills.

Prerequisites: None

"S" is for science, and "A" is for art in the study of STEAM, but have you thought about the science in art? Artists must understand the science of the materials that the use: how they tint and texturize, mix and melt, dye and dry, blend or bend. There is a complex community of scientists and engineers with specialties in polymers, glass, chemicals, paper, and textiles who design the materials that artists use to create their art. This class will learn about the science and properties of some unique artistic processes and materials and how and why they work.

Second quarter, the class will experiment with the chemistry and behavior of paints and dyes. Students will work with dyes that float, suminagashi (Japanese ink marbling) techniques, and photoreactive paper. They will experiment with centrifugal chromatography and the science of colors. The class will discover where pigments come from- both natural and synthetic- and look at special types such as glow-in-the-dark pigments. Students will discover the difference and unique properties of oil paints, acrylic paints, and gouache paint with respect to blending, dry time, texture, sheen, etc. Other class activities include making and using your own paint, working with thermochromic pigments (change color based on temperature), and using photoreactive paper (chemical changes based on light exposure).

Topics in this series: Resins & Polymers (Quarter 1), Paints & Dyes (Quarter 2), Optical Illusions & Color (Quarter 3), and Paper Engineers (Quarter 4). There is an $15.00 supply fee due payable to the instructor on the first day.

Prerequisites: None

Tweens take over as they collectively brainstorm and collaboratively write their own play. Find out what happens when tweens "act out" the unique characters and an original storyline they created. Disorder in the court! What causes a trial to turn tumultuous? Loud-mouth lawyers, a jokester judge, a wily witness, or a delirious defendant? What pandemonium plagues the prosecution in this hectic hearing?

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 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 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, it will be emailed to parents. Parents will be expected make sure their tweens memorize their script/lines/cues and assemble a simple make-at-home costume, ideally from clothing items and accessories they already own and a little creativity.

Topics in this Series: Haunted House of Horrors (Quarter 1), Chaos in the Courtroom (Quarter 2), No Exit Escape Room (Quarter 3) and Rock Start Rivalry (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

A chihuahua needs a check-up. A beagle with a bellyache. Vaccinations for Vizsla pups. Sometimes even our canine friends need medical care! Lots of kids love animals, and some even think about becoming veterinarians and animal specialists. There is a lot of science in the care and keeping of animals.

In this class, future dog veterinarians will learn all about dog care (nutrition, exercise, grooming), dog anatomy, and dog behavior. Kids will learn to recognize signs that a dog is unfriendly, afraid, aggressive or unwell. They will learn to perform steps of a well-pet check-up and identify some common medical care and preventatives recommended for dogs. The class will also learn about dog behavior and training. Kids will discover some of fun and fascinating facts, similarities, and differences in dog groups and specific breeds. Students will learn about dog's relationship with humans and the many jobs and duties that dogs perform for humans. Finally, students will take one class session to journey to other corners of the continents to meet some wild members of the dog (Canidae) family such as the dingo, jackal, wild dog, fox, and wolf species (and, hey, why aren't hyenas on the list?)

Each class meeting will include hands-on and interactive demonstrations, simulations, role-playing, activities, games, stories, or short video clips to convey the information. During the first week, students will receive a lab coat and clinic name tag, a plush dog for demonstrations, and a class workbook. They will "adopt" and name their dog, and during the final week, they will receive a diploma. (Pets, lab coats, name tags, and workbooks will remain at Compass between classes so they are not forgotten at home). There is a $31.00 supply fee due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this series include: Discover Dogs (Quarter 1), Pocket Pets (Quarter 2), Reptile Roundup (Quarter 3) and Wildlife Rescue (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

Wannabe Writers is a beginning writing class for first graders. Students will use creative journaling and illustrations to respond to simple writing prompts. The class will explore the use of various punctuation for simple sentences and will use new vocabulary words to express an idea. Each week, students will share their completed writing and drawings with their classmates. For this level, students must be able to read a Level 1 reader independently and possess the readiness skills outlined below. Children may repeat this class each quarter as new prompts and writing techniques will be introduced each session, and assignments will not be repeated. Note:: This class is designed for students to enjoy a fun, new dimension of writing with peers and a teacher, but this will not take the place of a comprehensive language arts curriculum and regular writing practice. Writing Readiness: Enrolling students must be able to (1) recognize, spell and write his/her first and last name; (2) recognize and write all upper case and lower case letters and know the corresponding sounds; (3) spell and pronounce simple blends, (4) recognize the following sight words: all, am, are, at, ate, be, black, brown, but, came, day, did, do, eat, four, get, go, good, have, he, in, into, is, like, must, new, no, now, on, our, out, please, pretty, ran, ride, saw, say, she, so, soon, that, the, there, they, this, to, too, under, want, was, well, went, what, white, who, will, with, yes; (5) spell and write all 2-letter sight words unaided; (6) be familiar with simple sentence structure; and (7) hold and use a pencil correctly.

Prerequisites: None

Wee Writers is a simple journaling class for emergent kindergarten writers ages 5 and 6. Beginning writers will use basic sight words and phonetics while writing about feelings and experiences. Students will learn basic sentence structure with noun-verb construction, initial capital letter, and ending punctuation. Beginning sentences such as, "I lik cak." or "I drnk wtr." would be typical of emergent writers. Students will illustrate their journal entries and have opportunities to share and discuss their writing with peers. Children may repeat this class each quarter as new writing activities will be introduced each session.

Note:: This class is designed for students to enjoy a fun, new dimension of writing with peers and a teacher, but this will not take the place of a comprehensive language arts curriculum and regular writing practice.

Writing Readiness; Enrolling students must be able to (1) recognize and write his/her first name; (2) recognize and write each letter of the alphabet and know the corresponding sounds; and (3) hold and use crayons and scissors correctly.

Social Readiness; Students must be age five (5) by the start of the class. To be successful in this program, kindergartners must be able to do the following preschool-level skills: (1) be able to separate from parents with little discomfort; (2) be able to sit and stay on a task for 10 minutes; (3) be able to follow simple, age-appropriate directions from the teacher or another adult; (4) be completely self-sufficient in a public restroom (wiping, flushing, washing hands, etc.)

Prerequisites: None

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.

Prerequisites: None

Find fascinating things in late fall! Hike through piles of fallen leaves. See farther through the bare branches. Look for evidence of animals getting ready for winter and birds migrating to warmer locales. Discover changes in plant life, observe stream ecology, and watch for changes in the weather!

Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under!

A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills.

Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature. The group exploration/activities in the woods are for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated.

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

Prerequisites: None

Have fun the final weeks of summer! Look forward to early fall! Animals are active and sunning themselves. Plants are mature, and flowers have gone to seed. The stream may have slowed down from summer drought, but discoveries at the water's edge abound. Step outdoors to each week to explore nature with a senior naturalist/outdoor educator. Take a break from sit-down classes, indoor activities, and screen time to explore the natural world, get fresh air, and exercise. The group will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon while they discover all the secrets that woods hold when you stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn-over, and peek under! A portion of each session will be seeking and discussing what is found each season. Students will get to know native animals and key types of plants and trees in our area. Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things they encounter outdoors, observing and appreciating discoveries in nature, safe exploration of the woods, and how to be a good steward of nature. The class will also discuss outdoor skills such as shelter and outdoor safety. Students will play games in the woods to practice outdoor skills. Visit the Compass Nature Quest class webpage for more information on the program, location, and Frequently Asked Questions. Students should come prepared for class with outdoor/play clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and/or insect repellent, a hat, and jacket or layered outerwear depending on the weather/temperature. The group exploration/activities in the woods are for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated. Students must be minimum age 5 by the start of class, be comfortable separating from their parents for the duration of class and must be able to stay in a group and follow instructions.

Prerequisites: None

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.

Prerequisites: None

Step back in time each week for a one-of-a-kind rendez vous with key personalities in American history. First quarter appearances will focus on the 1600s and 1700s. Meet great Americans such as Martha Washington, John Adams, and Frederick Douglass. (The full line-up of appearances will be published by June 1.

Each week a professional, costumed living history interpreter will deliver a compelling first-person performance portraying his or her role in American history. Living history actors are the professionals employed by museums, historical sites, and conferences. They have typically studied their historical character for years and tell their story in first person. Presentations are conversational in style, occasionally involve the audience, and conclude with spontaneous audience Q & A. Watch the historical actors answer 21st century questions in character with period replies!

Students will receive a packet each quarter with biographies, puzzles, and activities about each famous personality that we will meet. Note: Students younger than age 8 must be accompanied by a paid parent or adult. Parents and siblings interested in the program must register and pay separately.

Topics in this series include: The 1700s (Quarter 1); The 1800s (Quarter 2); The Civil War (Quarter 3); and the 20th Century (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

Step back in time with American History Alive for a one-of-a-kind living history rendez vous with Benjamin Frankin as portrayed by Rob Devitis of Philadelphia, on Monday, September 23. Living history actors are the costumed scholars employed by museums, historical sites, and conferences. Presentation will be conversational in style, first person narrative, and conclude with spontaneous audience Q & A. Watch the historical actor answer 21st century questions in character with period replies! Students younger than third grade (or age 8) must be accompanied by a paid, registered parent or adult. This is a one-day admission for this performance only. One day tickets are $25.00.

Prerequisites: None

Step back in time with American History Alive for a one-of-a-kind living history rendez vous with Thomas Jefferson as portrayed by Steve Edenbo of Philadelphia, PA, on Monday, October 7. Living history actors are the costumed scholars employed by museums, historical sites, and conferences. Presentation will be conversational in style, first person narrative, and conclude with spontaneous audience Q & A. Watch the historical actor answer 21st century questions in character with period replies! Students younger than third grade (or age 8) must be accompanied by a paid, registered parent or adult. This is a one-day admission for this performance only. One day tickets are $25.00.

Prerequisites: None

7 weeks X 25-minute Private Music Lesson weeks with Jessica Eastridge in:

• Any beginner-level woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument;
• Advanced beginner and above-level in clarinet, saxaphone, trombone, euphonium;
• ukulele

Prerequisites: None

7 weeks X 25-minute Private Music Lesson weeks with Jessica Eastridge in:

• Any beginner-level woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument;
• Advanced beginner and above-level in clarinet, saxaphone, trombone, euphonium;
• ukulele

Prerequisites: None