Classical Academy for Homeschoolers

Class Descriptions 5-8

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Language Arts

The Language Arts program is balanced and comprehensive. The language arts processes of reading, writing, listening, and speaking are taught in an integrated and inter-related manner. Students will work independently, as well as collaboratively, to learn how to understand what they read and evaluate an author’s assumptions and claims. Students will conduct research that will require the analysis of resources and accurate interpretation of literary and informational text. They will use technology and digital media strategically and capably to enhance their reading, writing, speaking, listening and language use.

Humanities

Humanities is an interdisciplinary course in history, philosophy, and literature, with a focus on major aspects of the Western tradition. In these courses, students will examine the development of a wide variety of ideas and forms of expression that have exerted a major influence on world cultures. Through guided independent reading, lectures, class discussions, essays and projects, students will learn to interpret literary, historical, and philosophical texts and to conduct independent critical assessment of documents and ideas. Students will also learn independent research and writing skills.

Math

Most classes will have three lessons taught per week, with math problems to be completed at home Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We will check homework and answer questions. Quizzes and tests will be given, some in-class, others to take home. Please check Google Classroom for all assignments. Games, activities, and an after school math club are additional learning tools.

Science

In our Science classes, we use the Prentice Hall Science Explorer textbooks to guide students through the Science curriculum. The Science program is designed to support parents by providing labs and hands-on activities that enrich the textbook assignments completed at home.

Basic understanding of the Scientific Method is developed along with reporting skills and emphasis on real world applications of scientific concepts. Students are encouraged to ask questions, investigate and understand the natural world as scientists do, using experimenting, observations, logic, critical thinking, problem solving and collecting evidence through measurement and organizing data (math is an integral part of science) before coming to a conclusion.

Understanding the world we live in and developing evidence based thinking are important skills useful across all school subjects and throughout our life.

Engineering Through History

The Engineering Through History class will explore some of the great Engineering feats and inventions that helped to shape the world throughout history. Each class will focus on key inventions during the time period that the students are studying in their Humanities class. Students will learn what Engineering is, the different fields of Engineering and how the Engineering Design Process works. Then we will take that knowledge and apply it to different hands-on challenges throughout the course where the students will work in teams to design and build their own projects that simulate the engineering of historical inventions. Students will learn the science principles behind the inventions and the challenges that the historical inventors faced in their time and how they overcame them.