Circle Christian School

CCS High School Class Descriptions

Pre-Algebra (Grade 9)

Mrs. Melody Washington  

 

This course will include all concepts for standard Pre-Algebra objectives.  The purpose of this course is to develop the mathematical concepts and processes that can be used to solve real world and mathematical concepts needed for success in Algebra I.  Students are required to complete all class and homework assignments and mandatory participation in semester tests.  A TI-83 calculator is required during the second semester.  (TI-86/89 and Casio graphing calculators are not recommended.)  Students in high school will receive a 1.0 credit in Pre-algebra upon successful completion of the course and objectives.  The required text is McDougal Little PreAlgebra.

Algebra I Honors (Grades 9-12)

This course will include all concepts for standard high school Algebra I concepts.  Students are required to complete all class and homework assignments and mandatory participation in semester tests.  A TI-83 calculator is required.  (TI-86/89 and Casio graphing calculators are not recommended.)  Students will receive a 1.0 credit in Algebra I Honors upon successful completion of the course and objectives.  The prerequisite for the course is Pre-Algebra.  The required text is McDougal Littell Algebra I.

Algebra II Honors (Grades 9-12)

Mrs. Melody Washington

 

 This course will include all concepts for standard high school Algebra II concepts.  Students are required to complete all class and homework assignments and mandatory participation in semester tests.  A TI-83 calculator is required.  (TI-86/89 and Casio graphing calculators are not recommended.)  Students will receive a 1.0 credit in Algebra II Honors upon successful completion of the course and objectives.  The prerequisite for the course is Algebra I.  The required text is McDougal Littell Algebra II.

 

Mrs. Melody Washington 

 

This course will include all the concepts for standard high school geometry along with review and geometric use of algebra concepts.   Students are required to complete all class and homework assignments and mandatory participation in semester tests.  Required tools are a protractor, a compass, metric/standard measure straightedge, and a TI-83 calculator.  (TI-86/89 and Casio graphing calculators are not recommended.)  Students will receive a 1.0 credit in Geometry Honors upon successful completion of the course and objectives.  The prerequisite for the course is Algebra I.  The required text is McDougal Littell Geometry.

American Sign Language I (Grades 9-12)

Mrs. Tracy Lytle

The purpose of this course is to enable students to begin to acquire proficiency in the language through a linguistic, communicative, and cultural approach to language learning.  Emphasis is placed on the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, and on acquisition of the fundamentals of applied grammar.  Cross-cultural understanding is fostered and real-life applications are emphasized throughout the course. The textbook used will be "The Joy of Signing"  Students will receive 1.0 credit in American Sign Language I upon successful completion of the course and objectives.   (ASL is not considered a foreign language by most colleges but may be taken in lieu of a foreign language college prep requirement for college admission purposes.) 

 

American Sign Language II (Grades 9-12)

Spanish I (Grades 9-12)

Ms. Julie Dennen

The purpose of this course is to enable students to begin to acquire proficiency in the language through a linguistic, communicative, and cultural approach to language learning.  Emphasis is placed on the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, and on acquisition of the fundamentals of applied grammar.  Cross-cultural understanding is fostered and real-life applications are emphasized throughout the course.  The textbook used will be "Ya Versa Gold" Level I, Heinle and Heinle, Prentice Hall.  Students will receive 1.0 credit in Spanish I upon successful completion of the course and objectives.   

Spanish II (Grades 9-12)

English I Honors (Grade 9)

Mrs. Ann Mary Gerrity

The purpose of this course is to encourage students to strengthen their communication skills as they study the areas of grammar, vocabulary, apologetics, literature, and writing.  This course will follow an American Literature theme.  Students will have the opportunity to learn and practice critical thinking skills that have become necessary in today's changing world. They will learn to write different types of documents which will afford confidence in their writing. The students will read two book selections for each semester and will explore other authors, history points, and poetry that will correlate with the main text. Using various media and research techniques, they will strengthen their comprehension skills as they read and share their literary interpretations in a class presentation. Viewing dramatic depictions of literature will stimulate learning. Study skills, organizational skills, and research skills will be integrated in the course throughout the year.  Upon successful completion of the course and objectives, students will receive a 1.0 credit in English I Honors. 

 

The textbooks used will be:

ABeka's Grammar and Composition III

Writer's Inc.

Handbook The Scarlet Letter
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Old Man and the Sea
To Kill a Mockingbird
Screwtape Letters

English II Honors (Grade 10)

Mrs. Ann Mary Gerrity

The purpose of this course is to provide integrated experience in varied areas of language arts including listening, viewing, speaking, and most importantly, reading and writing of the English language. This course will follow a British Literature theme.  The study will begin with a comprehensive overview of usage and mechanics.  After structure skills have been refreshed, the course will cover writing techniques, types of essays, presentation of analysis, and different media forms in literature. The course will focus on different aspects of British literature.  The students will be taught to respond critically to the selections covered using other sources to validate views that are being stated or implied. Comparing God's word to the text will be a primary goal of this course. Understanding of the text will be achieved through media presentation, literary presentations, weekly reading analysis in multiple essay forms, and research of other authors, history, and works of the same time period. Study skills, organizational skills, and research skills will be integrated in the course objectives throughout the year. Upon successful completion of the course and objectives, students will receive a 1.0 credit in English II Honors. 

 

The textbooks used will be:

ABeka's Grammar and Composition IV

Writer's Inc. Handbook

Lord of the Rings:  The Fellowship of the Rings
Lord of the Rings:  The Two Towers
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

English III and IV Honors (Grades 11-12)

Mrs. Ann Mary Gerrity

The purpose of this course will be to provide skill building in varied areas of literature and writing to bolster college preparedness.  The scope and sequence will include listening, viewing, speaking, and most importantly, interpreting the written word. This course will begin with a brief overview of usage and mechanics and literary device. The focus will then be on different types of essays and on authors covering a world literature theme that will include reading four titles which correlate with all other areas of study. The students will be taught to respond critically to the selections covered using other sources to validate views that are being stated or implied. Comparing God's word to the text will be a primary goal of this course. Understanding of the text will be achieved through media presentation, literary presentations, weekly reading analysis in multiple essay forms, and research of other authors, history, and works of the same time period. Students will learn the research process and will be required to write a research paper. Upon successful completion of the course and objectives, students will receive a 1.0 credit in either English III Honors or English IV Honors based on the student's designated 11th or 12th grade level. Since this is a two-year cycle course, the same materials used last year will not be repeated. 

 

The textbooks used will be:

ABeka's Handbook of Grammar and Composition

ABeka's Workbook VI for Handbook of Grammar and Composition

Writer's For College Handbook

Plato's Republic

Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography

Hamlet
Screwtape Letters
Lord of the Flies

Physical Science Honors (Grades 9 - 12)

The course presents such topics as the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, weather, the structure of the earth, the physics of motion, Newton's Laws, gravity, and astrophysics. There will be many hands-on experiments which all use household chemicals and supplies. Students are expected to fulfill all class and homework assignments. The textbook used will be "Exploring Creation with Physical Science" by Dr. Jay Wile. Students in high school will receive 1.0 credit in Physical Science Honors upon successful completion of the course and objectives.

Biology I Honors (Grades 9 - 12)

Mrs. Alicia Braswell

 

This course is a college-prep biology course that provides a detailed introduction to the methods and concepts of general biology.  Heavily emphasizing the vocabulary of biology, it provides the student with a strong background in the scientific method, the five-kingdom classification scheme, microscopy, biochemistry, cellular biology, molecular and Mendelian genetics, evolution, dissection, and ecosystems.  It also provides a complete survey of the five kingdoms in Creation.  The textbook used will be "Exploring Creation with Biology", 2nd Edition by Dr. Jay Wile.  Students will receive a 1.0 credit in Biology I Honors upon successful completion of the course and objectives.

Chemistry I Honors (Grades 10 - 12)

Mr. Brian Snyder

This course is designed to give the student a rigorous foundation in chemistry in preparation for a college-level course.  The course covers significant figures, units, classification, the mole concept, stoichiometry, thermochemistry, atomic structure, Lewis structures, molecular geometry, and acids and bases.  The textbook used will be "Exploring Creation With Chemistry" 2nd Edition by Dr. Jay Wile.  In order to be able to understand this text, the student needs to have completed Algebra I.  Students will receive 1.0 credit in Chemistry I Honors upon successful completion of the course and objectives.

Marine Science I Honors (Grades 10 - 12)

Mrs. Alicia Braswell

 

This course concentrates on marine wildlife and marine habitats.  It provides a survey of members of each biological kingdom that live in marine environments.  The student will learn about the microscopic organisms that make life in the ocean possible including details about their interesting habits and life cycles.  The student will learn about the anatomy of many macroscopic marine creatures such as clams, starfish, and sharks, and how these creatures and their physical surroundings form marine ecosystems such as intertidal zones, estuaries, coral reefs, continental shelf communities, epipelagic communities, and deep-ocean communities.  The course ends with a study of marine resources and mankind's relationship with the sea.  The textbook used will be "Exploring Creation with Marine Biology", by Dr. Jay Wile.  Students will receive a 1.0 science credit in Marine Science I Honors upon successful completion of the course and objectives.  The prerequisite for this course is that students must have completed a first-year biology course, preferably "Exploring Creation with Biology" by Dr. Jay Wile.

 

Mrs. Alicia Braswell

 

This course will enable the students to develop an understanding of the relationships between the structures and functions of the human body.  The content will include a study of cells and tissues, homeostasis, human genetics, growth and development, body composition, structure and function, internal and external changes and responses, connections between anatomy, physiology, medicine, technology, society, and the environment.  It will use applications of scientific knowledge, methodology, and historical context to solve problems along with the use of some laboratory technologies.  The textbook used will be "The Human Body: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made" by Dr. Jay Wile.  Note: This text covers both the anatomy and the physiology of the human body's eleven organ systems in detail, including frank illustrations and descriptions. (Format:  2 volume set)  Students will receive a 1.0 credit in Anatomy and Physiology Honors upon successful completion of the course and objectives.  The prerequisite for the course is that students need to have completed one year each of high school biology and chemistry before taking this advanced biology course.   

SAT Prep (Grades 10*- 12)

Ms. Kristen Linduff

The purpose of the SAT Prep course is to enable students to develop learning strategies, critical-thinking skills, and problem-solving skills to strengthen and enhance their performances on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) Reasoning Test for the verbal, math, and essay sections.  The content will include learning strategies, strategies for acquiring, storing, and retrieving information, organizational skills, and test-taking skills.  Students will become familiar with the structure of the test by taking practice exams, and will review fundamental math and reading principles in order to build verbal competence and math reasoning performance.  In addition to other supporting materials, the main texts that will be used are "The Official SAT Study Guide" and "Editor in Chief, Level C1."  Students will receive .5 elective credit in Critical Thinking and Study Skills and .5 elective credit in Liberal Arts Math upon successful completion of the course and objectives.  
 
*10th grade students need to have completed at least Algebra I and II or Algebra I and Geometry.

American History Honors (Grades 9 - 12)

Mr. Rick Keaton

Mr. Rick Keaton

The purpose of this course is to enable students to gain an understanding of American government and political behavior that is essential for effective citizenship and active involvement in a democratic American society and the importance of civic participation in the democratic political process.  In the study of economics, the students will gain the knowledge and decision-making tools necessary for understanding how society organizes its limited resources to satisfy its wants and the choices they must make as producers, consumers, investors, and taxpayers.  The textbooks used will be BJU "American Government" 2nd Edition and "Economics".  Students will earn .5 credit in American Government Honors and .5 credit in Economics Honors upon successful completion of the course and objectives. 

 

World History Honors (Grades 9-12)

 

Mrs. Tammy Lanzi

 

Students will delve into historical documents in order to obtain knowledge of the past, analyze examples for instruction, and examine models to imitate in their present day.  Beginning at the rise of the nation-state, students will survey the development of religion and the impact of religious thought on societies, survey the evolution of political systems and philosophies, and interactions between science and society.  Students will learn about the origin of economic systems and philosophies, the influence of significant historical figures and events through to the present day.  The purpose is to equip students with a foundation of knowledge that will enable them to discern what should be imitated and what should be avoided.  The textbook used will be BJU "World History", 3rd Edition.  Students will receive a 1.0 credit in World History Honors upon successful completion of the course and objectives.

 

Biblical Worldview:  The Truth Project (Grades 11 - 12)

 

Mr. Rick Keaton

The students will study what it means to have a Biblical worldview in all areas of life. Students will be introduced to the truth claims of God in philosophy, ethics, anthropology, theology, science, history, sociology, law, American history, labor, and community involvement. The course is utilizes the curriculum of Focus on the Family Institute.  Students will earn .5 elective credit in Semantics and Logic and .5 elective credit in Philosophy upon successful completion of the course and objectives.