Class Descriptions 2020-2021
How to use this document
Do not print! The big font is for easy on-screen reading and makes this document very long and expensive for printing.
Parents should read EVERY SECTION including the General Information for each category that applies to their family. There are changes every year.
If viewing this document on your phone, you may use your phone's back arrow < to go back to the contents' links; if on your computer, the links are listed on the side of the document.
In each class description, note what to purchase for students, if anything. Even if two descriptions sound similar for children of different ages, please read each description, looking for small changes in supplies or expectations.
Any class or rental fees are paid at orientation, and books rented are picked up that same day.
If readers have a paper and pen ready to record supplies needed, they will avoid having to read this document twice. Only required or recommended items are listed for each class. Parents and students will want to think through how they do and organize their work because they will likely need additional school supplies to bring to co-op (such as writing utensils, notebooks, dividers, binders, and notebook paper).
If there are questions, parents should ask immediately so this document can be improved. Lead teachers, please make suggestions to correct or clarify.
Underlined words that turn green when you select them are links with further information and/or ordering information. Just click on them. Sometimes only one link is given. On that page, scroll down to get the ISBN number so shopping can be done wherever the family would like.
In explaining annual course rotations, "odd years" refers to school years beginning in an odd numbered year (i.e. 2001-2002), and "even years" refers to school years beginning in an even numbered year (i.e. 2002-2003).
For now, only the lead teachers are listed under each class name.
PRESCHOOL, KINDERgarten and Elementary
Due to COVID-19 restrictions requiring Plan B, preschool, kindergarten and elementary CHEC will not meet in person during the fall of 2020. Many elementary classes will offer online sequencing, but not all. Please refer to the Classroom Connections to see what is offered for each class.
Please also note that these class descriptions describe Plan A. Plan B adaptations can be found in the Classroom Connections.
Elementary
First -- Sixth Grades Curriculum Coordinator – Christie G.
First and second graders travel as a unit.
Third and fourth graders travel as a unit.
Fifth and sixth graders travel as a unit.
Although the three double-grade groups often have the same subjects, the content is adjusted to be developmentally appropriate for the various ages.
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1st-6th General Supply List:
◻ Backpack or satchel (labeled with child's name)
◻ Inexpensive binder or folder (to hold handouts, art, etc.)
◻ Sharpened Pencil (every week!!)
◻ 1st-4th Water Bottle for PE (labeled with child's name)
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A note about PE water bottles: this can be their lunch bottle refilled or a new bottle, but if it is their lunch bottled refilled, that refilling should be done at the end of lunch with mom, not at the beginning of PE.
Helpful Tip:
Preparing the backpack or satchel the night before is an excellent opportunity for the younger students to learn responsibility. An index card in the backpack with a printed list of the weekly contents is convenient.
Writing Workshop – 1st-4th Graders
Lead Teacher – Amy Mc.
Online sequencing available
First through 4th grade students participate in low-stress writing workshops at co-op. The focus of these classes is to learn the process of writing and how to evaluate writing. The elementary writing classes provide the time and opportunity for young authors to build and strengthen writing skills, share their work, find their voice, and develop a love for writing.
The cornerstone of instruction is the 6+1 traits. The instructional text for the classes is 6 + 1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide, Grades 3 and Up by Ruth Culham. This book is for the teachers -- both co-op teachers and home teachers, but not for the students. Parents should consider purchasing and reading this book in segments as their students get to each of the six traits. This equips the parents to use the vocabulary of 6+1 to support their students and to discuss and evaluate their students' writing at home. Parents enjoy having a clear approach to interact with their students at home, building on the foundation laid by teachers at co-op.
Parents can apply this method regardless of the type of writing they (or other curricula) assign at home. The book by Ruth Culham is a great resource for parents of ALL age groups, even high school. There are many wonderful resources online for using this concept. Search “6+1 Writing Traits" in any search engine. Pinterest is loaded with ideas.
At home, parents use their preferred writing assignments or curricula to keep their students writing, or they simply use journaling assignments to make writing happen. Most weeks, students are given writing prompts to complete at home, although these are meant to be a help and never mandatory assignments. There is an assumption that elementary students are writing at home for their parents, and once the child writes anything, the parents can use the 6+1 writing concept to interact with their students about their writing. Many parents have found specific curricula and writing plans to use at home that complement what the students are learning at co-op. For example, consider Daily 6-Trait Writing. Parents are encouraged to share good resources (websites, worksheets, programs, etc.) on the loop and at the Moms' Table.
Each 1st through 4th grade student needs a folder with brads and a spiral notebook with wide-rule paper. It is helpful if the first graders have notebooks with handwriting paper suitable for beginning writers. They should be ready to transition to regular notebook paper in the spring.
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1st-4th Writing Workshop Supply List:
◻ Spiral Notebook with wide-rule paper
◻ (1st Grade) Notebook with handwriting paper for beginning writers - something with a vertical layout such as this.
◻ Bradded Folder
◻ Sharpened Pencil
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Combined Book Club and Writing – 5th-6th Graders
Lead Teacher : Jessica S.
Splash of Spanish : Andrea C.
Online sequencing available
The aim of this class is to take a Charlotte Mason approach to reading and writing, combining both living books and narration as a steppingstone into independent reading and writing.
2020-2021 Book Club Book List (in the order to be read)
1. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
2. Hate that Cat by Sharon Creech
3. Frindle by Andrew Clements
4. George Muller: The Guardian of Bristol’s Orphans by Janet & Geoff Benge
5. Homesick: My Own Story by Jean Fritz
6. Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
Weekly reading IS required to participate fully in this class. The Book Club books have been carefully selected to provide a slow-paced reading schedule that accommodates all reading levels. Nevertheless, if a parent sees a child struggling with a book, the parent should not hesitate to step in and do some reading aloud or some shared reading with him or her.
The writing portion of the class is based upon 6 + 1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide, Grades 3 and Up by Ruth Culham. The Culham book is written for the teachers (home and co-op), not for the students. Parents may wish to purchase the book to familiarize themselves with what their students are learning at co-op.
In class, the students will take turns giving oral narrations over the week’s assigned reading. (A narration is a retelling in one’s own words of something that has been read or heard.) These narrations will help students retain the subject matter in the books, and it will give them practice with active listening and telling back. Students will then use the 6+1 Writing rubrics to improve their narrations and form good habits of storytelling and writing. Students will have the opportunity to produce at least one narration per week over that week’s reading, and each narration should illustrate one of the writing elements covered in the writing curriculum (such as: voice, word choice, sentence fluency, the use of literary devices, etc.). Videoed examples of how to practice narration at home will be posted online to help parents understand what they should expect from their child.
A reading schedule will be posted on the classroom connection, and parents should make every effort to secure copies of the books for their children by the appointed times. Many of the books selected are available at local libraries, at used bookstores and in the homeschool community for borrowing. Students may use e-readers if they are permitted to bring them to co-op to use in class.
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5th/6th Book Club/Writing Supply List:
◻ Composition notebook to record narrations
◻ Pencil and eraser
◻ Books from the book club list above. These are also posted on the Classroom Connection page.
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SPLASH OF SPANISH – not online
A short Spanish lesson will be provided at the beginning of 5th and 6th grade Book Club/Writing. Basic Spanish vocabulary and a bit of grammar will be introduced. Lessons will be short and sweet.
Science – Elementary Science program
Apologia's Exploring Creation elementary science books are the texts for the elementary science classes. There are seven books in this series. The six years of elementary co-op science are taught from our favorite six volumes.
For all of the elementary science book choices, owning a book gives parents free resources to go with that book at www.apologia.com/bookextras. A password can be found in the introduction to each book.
There might be a small fee associated with some science classes for take-home projects. This will be collected during the year or at orientation.
1st/2nd Grades Elementary Science
Lead Teacher: Karla D.
Lead Teacher: Lisa P.
Online sequencing available
The 1st/2nd and 3rd/4th science classes follow a rotation through four Apologia elementary textbooks. The rotation is as follows:
Year 1: Botany (Apologia's Exploring Creation with Botany)
Year 2: Astronomy (Apologia's Exploring Creation with Astronomy)
Year 3: Swimming Creatures (Apologia's Exploring Creation with Zoology 2 - Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day)
Year 4: Flying Creatures (Apologia's Exploring Creation with Zoology 1 - Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day)
2020-2021 is Astronomy!
Because the teachers in 1st/2nd science cover the content and use suggested activities in these books thoroughly enough, purchasing the books to read at home is not necessary for class participation in this age group. Of course, families may want to have the book at home for their own purposes, especially if older siblings in the 3rd/4th grade are reading the same material. Those families who do choose to follow along will find a helpful reading schedule on the Classroom Connections, though such participation is not at all expected or required.
Again, the purchase of any of these books is NOT necessary for 1st/2nd graders’ learning experience at co-op.
Book Information:
Be aware that there are many supplementary resources mixed in with the textbooks on the sites below. Consider also that Mardel is within driving distance if you are interested in seeing the books. Lastly, consider asking around for books in the group for borrowing or purchasing used.
Reviews and prices of the elementary science books can be found here:
Apologia
Christian Book Distributors
Rainbow
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1st/2nd Science Supply List:
◻ OPTIONAL: Apologia's Exploring Creation with Astronomy
◻ 1" 3-ring binder
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3rd/4th Grades Elementary Science
Lead Teacher: Karla D.
Lead Teacher: Lisa P.
Online sequencing available
The 1st/2nd and 3rd/4th science classes follow a rotation through four Apologia elementary textbooks. The rotation is as follows:
Year 1: Botany (Apologia's Exploring Creation with Botany)
Year 2: Astronomy (Apologia's Exploring Creation with Astronomy)
Year 3: Swimming Creatures (Apologia's Exploring Creation with Zoology 2 - Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day)
Year 4: Flying Creatures (Apologia's Exploring Creation with Zoology 1 - Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day)
2020-2021 is Astronomy!
3rd/4th grade science students each need to purchase a plastic 1” 3-ring binder.
Parents of 3rd/4th grade students need to go to the CHEC website to download and print pages custom made for this class. The notebooking pages should be placed in each student's 3-ring binder and brought to the first co-op class. Binders will be kept at co-op for the school year.
The co-op teacher’s reading schedule is available on the 3rd/4th grade Classroom Connection. The weekly reading exposes the students to the concepts before they come to class so they are prepared to review the material and complete activities. Most students at this age benefit from the parent reading it aloud.
Why pre-read? Those students who pre-read are noticeably more engaged in the class discussions. They often share things they found interesting in the reading, which enriches what is happening in the class. Pre-reading is an investment that pays off.
Book Information:
Be aware that there are many supplementary resources mixed in with the textbooks on the sites below. Also, consider that Mardel is within driving distance if you are interested in seeing the books. They usually have competitive prices and need to be supported. Lastly, consider asking around for books in the homeschool community for borrowing or purchasing used.
Reviews and prices of the elementary science books can be found here:
Apologia
Christian Book Distributors
Rainbow
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3rd/4th Science Supply List:
◻ Apologia' Exploring Creation with Astronomy
◻ Plastic 1" 3-ring binder
◻ Notebooking Pages from CHEC's website - Printed, Punched and Placed in the Binder (see above for more info)
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5th/6th Grades Elementary Science
Lead Teacher – Karen R.
Online sequencing available
Supplies for at-home labs during Plan B are available for purchase by Aug. 7. See email from Karen R. for details.
The 5th/6th science class alternates learning about Anatomy and Physiology (odd numbered years) and Chemistry and Physics (even numbered years). The texts for these classes are Apologia's Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology and Apologia's Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics.
2020-2021 is Chemistry and Physics!
For this age group, the families need to purchase or borrow the book being used in class and use the co-op teacher’s reading schedule to expose the students to the concepts before they come to class. Class time is used to review the material and do the related activities. Most, if not all, of the 5th/6th grade students are able to do their science reading on their own.
Why pre-read? In response to this question, the teachers shared that they can tell which students have had exposure to the concepts before class. Those students are more engaged in the class discussions and seem to be building on a foundation. They often share with the class things they found interesting in the reading, which enriches what is happening in the class. Pre-reading is an investment that pays off.
When each family has a copy of the textbook at their house, this gives the teacher freedom to use materials associated with the text with no concern for copyright infringement. If the password in the book is ever needed for materials on the Apologia website, each family needs to have a book in their home dedicated to their family alone (borrowed or owned). No one should ask for or share the password to get material.
Book Information:
Be aware that there are many supplementary resources mixed in with the textbooks on the sites below. Also, consider that Mardel is within driving distance if you are interested in seeing the books. They usually have competitive prices and need to be supported. Lastly, consider asking around for books in the homeschool community for borrowing or purchasing used.
Reviews and prices of the Chemistry and Physics book can be found here:
Apologia
Rainbow
Christian Book Distributors
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5th/6th Science Supply List:
◻ Apologia's Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics
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Social Science/History
Foundations – 1st/2nd Graders
Lead Teacher: Aliza K.
Lead Teacher - Activities: Kim S.
Online sequencing available
The purpose of this class is to build a firm foundation for the future when a deeper understanding of more advanced academic concepts is expected. This class focuses on all those little things that we may forget to teach at home but are essential building blocks. Class time is devoted to a variety of hands-on activities and read-alouds that foster students' understanding of the world God has made and where they fit into it. Specifically, the class aims to teach some important geography (U.S. and World). Think of it as a fun, busy, and potentially messy time hanging important hooks in the brain.
Foundations is a two-year rotation that focuses on the world the children live in. Last year the students "packed their bags" and headed out into the World! This year they will be introduced to the regions of the United States of America and explore some national treasures found in each region. To help explore this great nation, the class enlists the help of their good friend Flat Stanley. Each student colors their Flat Stanley and then chooses a relative or friend who lives within the U.S. and mails him there via a field trip to the Mount Pleasant Post Office. Hopefully when each Flat Stanley returns, he has a letter along with pictures, maps, postcards, or artifacts that children can bring in and share with the class. Flat Stanley's adventures are tracked on a large map for the whole class to see. While Flat Stanley is having adventures all around the country, the class is having its own adventures! For example, they explore the volcanoes of Hawaii and canyons of Arizona, learn bear safety from Park Rangers in Wyoming, and experience the shooting waters of Old Faithful!! They head to Washington, D.C. to learn about the national monuments, how the capital building came to be, and all about the White House. Amazingly, this is done while never leaving their classroom!
Please make sure your child has a pencil every Friday.
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Foundations Supply List:
◻ Pencil
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Elementary History – 3rd/4th and 5th/6th Graders
Lead Teacher - Story Telling: Joy G.
Lead Teacher - Activities: Laura B.
Online sequencing available
Using people and events as a springboard to travel back in time, Joy tells the tales of God’s hand in history. Students discover and continue to learn that the sovereign God has chosen them to be a part of His Story right now. They are inspired by how He has always used people, places, and events to fulfill His glorious plan for the redemption of mankind and His creation!
Laura uses activities and crafts to help the students experience different cultures and times.
The class text is The Mystery of History (MOH). The MOH website has general information about the series and specific information about the four volumes. There is also a video on the homepage that briefly describes the program. Although there are four volumes of the Mystery of History curriculum, this class covers only the first three volumes in 3rd-6th grade history (over four years). Here is the schedule showing the volumes used in the 4-year rotation.
1st year - MOH Vol. 1
2nd year - MOH Vols. 1 & 2
3rd year - MOH Vols. 2 & 3
4th year - MOH Vol. 3
This school year (2020-2021) is the 3rd year in the rotation, so the class will use The Mystery of History, Volume 2: The Early Church and the Middle Ages and The Mystery of History, Volume 3: The Renaissance, Reformation, and Growth of Nations.
For families interested in using MOH books at home, a reading plan is provided on the Elementary History Classroom Connection.
According to the MOH copyright agreement, each family must have a license to participate in a class where resources from the curriculum are used. This license is yours if:
· your family purchases the books (see below for sites), or
· your family borrows the books, or
· you purchase a license from CHEC for each MOH volume for each of your children in the class. This option does not offer written material to read during the week. Cost is $5 per child in class. On years where two volumes are used, $5 per child will be paid per volume. Those who purchased the license for the same volume last year or four years ago need not repurchase a license for the same child.
Parents interested in purchasing the license per student or with questions about the licensing issue should contact Laura B.
The books can be found online here:
Bright Ideas Press
Christianbook.com
Rainbow Resource
The Mystery of History
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3rd-6th History Supply List:
◻ Either The Mystery of History, Volume 2: The Early Church and the Middle Ages and The Mystery of History, Volume 3: The Renaissance, Reformation, and Growth of Nations OR Pay $5 per child per book for the licensing fee
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Fine Arts
Music - 1st/2nd Graders
Lead Teacher: Brandi T.
Splash of Spanish: Andrea C.
“The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.” - J.S. Bach
Students have fun learning about musical styles, composers, and instruments through listening and movement. Through visual aids, games, and physical activity, we will learn rhythms and begin music theory and ear training.
SPLASH OF SPANISH
A short Spanish lesson will be provided at the beginning of 1st and 2nd grade Music. Basic Spanish vocabulary and a bit of grammar will be introduced. Lessons will be short and sweet.
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1st/2nd Music Supply List:
◻ Folder or 3-ring binder for music handouts. Please bring to every class.
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Music - 3rd/4th Graders
Lead Teacher: Brandi T.
Splash of Spanish: Andrea C.
“The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.” - J.S. Bach
3rd and 4th grade students explore composers, learn ear training, and sing using sheet music. Please supply a 1” 3-ring binder to collect materials for music theory, instrument recognition, and sheet music.
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3rd/4th Music Supply List:
◻ 1" 3-ring binder
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SPLASH OF SPANISH
A short Spanish lesson will be provided at the beginning of 3rd and 4th grade Music. Basic Spanish vocabulary and a bit of grammar will be introduced. Lessons will be short and sweet.
Art – 5th Graders
Lead Teacher: Crystal C.
Online sequencing available
The 5th graders spend the first half of the year drawing and the second half painting. Most supplies are provided by co-op. Each child is assigned a numbered box during drawing, and a numbered felt roll-up (painting tools container) during painting to use throughout the class. Parents of 5th grade students pay a $3 art fee to maintain these supplies and purchase consumable products. Parents should discuss with their students the importance of caring for the supplies in their boxes so they will be in good condition for the students who will use their boxes next year.
From Crystal:
Drawing: The students experience the joys of being creative and expressing themselves through art while learning the basics of drawing. They will build a foundation for drawing by learning to sketch lines and basic shapes to build what they see. They learn about space, shape, proportions, 2D and 3D, shading, light and dark, texture, perspective, composition, layout, design, balance, etc. Students will also touch on art history and look at famous drawings from master artists. While this is not a project-driven class, one goal includes working toward a frame-able final drawing project to be displayed at the end of the school year.
Painting: The academics of painting include the science of color-mixing, how to identify the different types and uses of paintbrushes, looking at master painters from the past, and more! Painting skills include color-mixing, handling all the different types of paint brushes, doing a little “follow-the-leader” work and more-- and ending with a big end-of-year paint project on canvas.
On painting days aprons will be provided by the teacher.
Students will need to purchase a sketchbook for weekly drawing assignments. The specifications are below:
· size 8 x 10 up to 9 x 13
· white paper
· "acid-free" (if possible)
· at least 25 pages
· does not have to be expensive
· can be found locally at Wal-Mart and Staples (can also sometimes be found at grocery stores or dollar stores) and at Michaels or Hobby Lobby.
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5th Grade Art Supply List:
◻ Pay $3 art fee
◻ sketchbook
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Music Appreciation – 6th Graders
Lead Teacher: Debbie C.
Online sequencing available
Over the course of the year, students journey from the Baroque Period of music to the Modern Period. Students learn not only about specific pieces of music, but also about the composers—where they lived, what was going on at the time to influence their lives, etc. They also study the formation of the orchestra and each type of musical instrument. Through listening to music together in class, students learn how to identify music by great composers and name instruments by sound. Students will learn how to take notes in class, and a minimal amount of work may be done at home.
Each student needs a composition notebook to make a portfolio of major composers, dates, major works, etc.
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6th Grade Music Supply List:
◻ Composition notebook
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PE & Games – 1st/2nd and 3rd/4th Graders
Lead Teacher: Heather V.
Online sequencing available
The students play games outside, weather permitting, with the goal of learning to exercise their bodies through teamwork in a group play setting.
The three requirements for PE include:
· Proper attire - good shoes (no flip flops)
· Plenty to drink - bring a water bottle labeled with the student’s name
· Positive attitude
Unless you communicate with the PE teachers that you have given your student a pass on PE for a specific day or time, we expect him or her to participate happily. If there is a pass given, the student should stay with the parent in the building.
Our goal is to glorify Christ through our attitudes and actions. He has given us amazing bodies to perform marvelous actions. Hopefully through exercise and the fun of play, we can glorify Him in all we do.
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1st-4th PE Supply List:
◻ Water bottle (labeled with child's name)
◻ Good shoes (no flip flops)
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JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
7th and 8th Grades
Curriculum Coordinator - Christie G.
Junior High History - Online for the Fall
Lead Teacher: Cristen W.
This class will be led online during Plan B CHEC. A syllabus with assignments and links will be kept on the class website page. Students should stay up to date on their assignments so they can seamlessly transition when Plan A resumes.
Most public schools and many private schools offer state history in the 7th grade and United States history in 8th grade. CHEC has discovered that to do justice to U.S. history, the class needs more time to study the people and events of the entire country. Therefore, junior high U.S. history is offered on a two-year rotation. Odd-numbered years cover the explorers up to the Civil War. Even-numbered years begin with the Civil War and go as close to recent history as time allows. Whether a student comes into junior high history the first or second half does not matter. They learn both halves eventually.
Texas history, being better understood in the context of the United States’ history, is studied as it naturally arises in the story. Texas geography and government are addressed in short units.
Students read assigned pages each week to prepare for classroom lectures and discussions. Frequent at-home activities enhance the reading and help develop the study skills necessary to engage and retain content-based subjects (such as history and science).
The 10-book series A History of US by Joy Hakim is the primary text for this class. Books 1-5 are used on odd years, and books 6-9 are used even years (book 10 is not required for co-op). Although this series is very expensive new, it can be borrowed from local libraries, borrowed or purchased from other CHEC/CHEMPA members, and purchased used, whole or in parts, on sites like amazon.com.
The Hakim series is used by many homeschool and Christian groups because Mrs. Hakim does such a fine job of telling the story of the country. She is thorough and interesting, but occasionally her perspective is inconsistent with a Biblical worldview or conservative viewpoint. The co-op teachers are aware of the viewpoint and challenge the students to think through what is true. Sonlight has a
good explanation of why and how they use A History of US. Sonlight explains, “We balance Hakim's more liberal perspective with extensive notes in the Instructor's Guide (IG). These notes offer counter arguments to some of Hakim's perspectives. With A History of US and the IG combined, you have an extraordinary tool to help your children think critically about and truly understand [U.S.] history.” The CHEC JH History teachers have the Sonlight Instructor’s Guide to use as a resource. It is assumed that junior high students are old enough to parse out different perspectives, especially with co-op presenting input from a Biblical worldview and a more conservative view of history. Parents are encouraged to interact with their students about what they are reading. For instance, the teachers do not assign much of the first book, which covers "pre-history" from a non-creationist perspective. It is a GREAT opportunity for parents and kids to read and discuss what others believe and then what the Bible has to say about creation.
Here are three places to look at the Hakim book:
Co-op owns a set of Texas history textbooks that are checked out to students at orientation. Although there is no rental fee, there is a fee if the book is lost or abused.
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7th/8th History Supply List:
◻ A History of US, books 6-9, by Joy Hakim
◻ Composition Notebook
◻ Map colors/crayons
◻ Texas History textbook (provided for free by CHEC)
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Junior High Writing Program
The writing programs at CHEC focus on developing clear and effective communication of ideas and positions with proper structure and style, and when necessary, correct documentation of sources.
A NOTE ON GRAMMAR
Although grammar naturally comes up in the writing classes and curricula, teachers do NOT cover formal grammar in the CHEC writing classes. For a student to be in a CHEC writing class, he must be doing a grammar program at home. If a parent does not feel equipped to teach grammar at home, she can learn alongside her student. Everyone needs good grammar.
Most formal grammar curricula include composition. Parents should consider skipping some, most, or all the composition assignments in their grammar curricula since students are already taking writing at co-op.
There are MANY grammar programs available for purchase. Ask for favorites on the loop.
*****Recommended Resource for 7th/8th grade*****
Although co-op writing teachers do not teach formal grammar, they often mark grammar and mechanical mistakes when giving feedback on a paper. Because the students are all using different grammar programs at home, it is difficult, if not impossible, for the teacher to send them to the appropriate pages in their grammar programs.
Since every home should have a good grammar handbook with all grammar and mechanics rules, CHEC is asking all families with junior high students in a writing class to consider purchasing Writers INC: A Student Handbook for WRITING and LEARNING. Then teachers can easily point their students to a needed explanation in this resource.
Writers INC has everything from rules on commas to how to write a cause-and-effect essay. It is an excellent resource for every family and one that students need now and in college. There are several editions; any should do.
Writers INC is NOT a grammar curriculum. It does not provide exercises and practice. Students need to continue their grammar development through a curriculum that challenges them to practice and edit using the rules of the English language.
Amazon is one place to purchase new and used copies of Writers INC.
HOMEWORK
To participate in a writing class, the students MUST complete the writing assignments the week they are due and submit them in the form required by the teacher (or curriculum). The teachers should let the parents know if the student is not handing in his or her work or not following instructions, but the parent really should know the status of the work as she oversees it at home. As in all classes, parents should find time occasionally to talk to their students' writing teachers and ask for an honest assessment of the students' diligence and progress. Sometimes teachers need encouragement to share honestly how students are doing-- especially if it is not all good news.
WriteShop I
Lead Teacher: Nancy H.
For a description of the curriculum, see www.writeshop.com and choose WriteShop I. This writing program emphasizes clarity, conciseness, word choice, and sentence variety. The focus is on learning to write strong paragraphs by practicing a wide range of writing activities and by practicing clear editing techniques.
This class is for all 7th graders and new-to-co-op 8th graders. Because WriteShop II builds on the foundation laid by WriteShop I, 8th graders are placed in WriteShop I for the first year to learn the program. This is to increase their comfort and likelihood of success in the co-op writing program.
The teacher introduces each week's lesson at co-op, and the students complete four related days of homework in their student workbooks. The week's lessons usually produce a paper (short paragraph - 5-10 sentences long), which they bring back to class for feedback. Parents oversee the homework and check the writing assignments for required elements using check sheets from the manual. There is instruction at orientation on how to do this. Parents do not need to purchase teacher manuals to do their part; the answer key will be scanned and uploaded onto the website with password protection for the parents to access online for their reference.
The 4th edition used at co-op has traditionally been in a large, navy three-ring binder. That is still available. If purchased from WriteShop, they now publish the exact same information in a soft-side workbook. Either type book, binder or soft-side, is correct for co-op.
Most families make copies of needed sheets, so the manual stays clean for future children/students.
Each 7th grade student needs a WriteShop I Student Workbook:
It is also available as a downloadable PDF E-book that can be purchased from WriteShop and printed for multiple students in your family.
Families may be able to borrow or buy one used. Because CHEC has used this curriculum many years, there are plenty of copies floating around CHEC and CHEMPA. Ask on the loop to borrow or buy.
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WriteShop 1 Supply List:
◻ WriteShop 1 Student Workbook
◻ Colored pencils
◻ Pencil and loose-leaf paper
◻ Good thesaurus - not a junior thesaurus
◻ Good dictionary - not a junior dictionary
◻ Optional: Copies of consumable sheets if using for more than one child
◻ Optional, but recommended: Writer's INC
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WriteShop II
Lead Teacher: Chauna G.
For a description of the curriculum, see www.writeshop.com. Choose WriteShop II. During the fall semester, WriteShop II reviews and expands on the techniques learned in WriteShop I. In the spring, students begin writing basic five-paragraph essays. The year typically ends with an historical essay which is polished by the students and shared on presentation day.
This class is for 8th graders who have completed WriteShop I.
The teacher introduces each week's lesson at co-op, and the students complete four related days of homework in their student workbooks. The week's lessons usually produce a paper (a paragraph or essay), which they bring back to class for feedback. Parents oversee the homework and check the writing assignments for initial requirements using check sheets from the manual. There is instruction at orientation on how to do this. Parents do not need to purchase teacher manuals to do their part; the answer key is scanned and uploaded onto the website with password protection for the parents to access online for their reference.
The 4th edition used at co-op has traditionally been in a large, red three-ring binder. That is still available. If purchased from WriteShop, they now publish the exact same information in a soft-side workbook. Either type book, binder or soft-side, is correct for co-op.
Most families make copies of needed sheets, so the manual stays clean for future children/students.
Each student needs a WriteShop II Student Workbook:
It is also available as a downloadable PDF E-book that can be purchased from WriteShop and printed for multiple students in your family.
A family might be able to borrow or buy one used. Because CHEC has used this curriculum many years, there are plenty of copies floating around CHEC and CHEMPA. Ask on the loop to borrow or buy.
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WriteShop II Supply List:
◻ WriteShop II Student Workbook
◻ Pencil & paper
◻ Colored Pencils
◻ Optional: Copies of consumable sheets if using for more than one child
◻ Optional, but recommended: Writer's INC
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Junior High Science Program
AT HOME
The content of the science courses is learned at home through the wonderful and easy-to-read Apologia texts under the supervision of the parents. Parents should ensure that their science students are working through the material at a pace to be ready for the lab classes at co-op (usually 5-7 pages per day). The parents oversee the reading, the completion of the On Your Own questions, the completion of the Study Guide (Chapter Review), and the testing. Because Apologia was written for the homeschool family, this can be done easily with a non-science parent and a diligent student! All that the families need are the texts and the solutions manuals AND the discipline and patterns to make sure the work is being done! The first module (chapter) is read before the first co-op. The year-long science calendar for the students to follow is on the 2020-2021 Info tab of the CHEC website, and most teachers link to it on their Classroom Connection. Students follow the lab teacher’s calendar if a different one is provided. ALL science classes must allow at least two full school weeks to complete the modules. These two weeks—usually ten school days—consist of six reading days, two co-op lab days, one study day, and one test day. If a different schedule is presented, it should give more time on a module, not less.
All testing is done at home, proctored by the parents. This frees co-op days for group activities and instruction that can only happen at co-op. Although parents have test keys, some teachers are available to help with grading tests.
AT CO-OP
The labs and experiments are done at co-op. This means that the mess is made and cleaned up at co-op. The teachers oversee the experiments and put them in the context of the chapter. In some of the books there are a few chapters with no experiments. These modules and others are developed with appropriate videos, guest speakers, and/or teacher lectures.
THE TEXTS
Co-op uses the first editions in the junior high classes, but 2nd editions have been used by students in classes with no problem. The books for all the junior high and senior high science classes (except Nutrition) are available to rent from co-op.
NOTE
After the elementary program where students intensely focus on one scientific topic per year (botany, the human body, astronomy, etc.), the junior high texts, which are a purposefully general overview of the various orders and systems around us, may seem like a light treatment of too many topics. In fact, they often reference a future (high school) science class or text and explain that much more will be learned about a subject in that future class. This is meant to be a teaser, but some parents and students have found it frustrating. There is a reason for these one-year multi-topic approaches, and there are benefits as well.
One of the benefits of these unique junior high years is that students focus on a new kind of learning while the depth of information is manageable. Starting in 7th grade, students learn to read and engage content in a new way. These books are a good transition into reading for knowledge that is expected to be retained, and during these pre-high-school years, students learn that they must work for that knowledge. Beginning in junior high, students will encounter paragraphs that must be read over and over to understand. They will be asked to pull various concepts together and study for chapter tests. Many (if not most) fail the first few tests. This grants an opportunity to evaluate and pinpoint study weaknesses and retake tests. This strategy helps students master the science, but more importantly, they develop study habits for the future. In 7th and 8th grades, much of what they are learning is how to manage a new type of material, and they learn to study.
Because these texts are structured like the senior high Apologia texts, they allow the students to become familiar with the format. The frequent change of topics grants grace: if students fall behind or fail to understand a concept, they do not have to go back to the beginning (as they must do if they miss concepts in Chemistry or Physics, for example). They can just pick themselves up, dust off, and move on, confident that they will see the material again in more depth when they are more mature.
Of course, reading the text and learning to study is a key component of these courses, but until the material is applied (through experiments or demonstrations), students often do not fully grasp the concept. Therefore, students enrolled in the junior high science classes can expect to participate in lots of hands-on experiments each Friday at co-op.
General Science Lab - 7th Graders
Lead Teacher: Ginger C.
Exploring Creation with General Science is the 7th grade text. See Apologia website to learn about the curriculum. Keep in mind that this link is to the 3rd edition of the book, but CHEC teaches from the 1st and 2nd editions.
A lab supply box will be provided by CHEC, checked out to each student, and available to keep at co-op or take home. There will be a replacement fee charged for lost or damaged items.
A nominal lab fee will be charged for this class.
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General Science (7th) Supply List:
◻ Book and Solutions Manual (available to rent)
◻ Lab Box (provided by CHEC)
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Physical Science Lab - 8th Graders
Lead Teacher: Laura B.
Exploring Creation with Physical Science is the 8th grade text. See Apologia website to learn about the curriculum.
A lab supply box will be provided by CHEC, checked out to each student, and available to keep at co-op or take home. There will be a replacement fee charged for lost or damaged items.
A nominal lab fee will be charged for this class.
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Physical Science (8th) Supply List:
◻ Book and Solutions Manual (available to rent)
◻ Spiral notebook (3-subject minimum) or binder with loose leaf paper for taking notes, working the On-Your-Own problems, and completing Study Guides/Tests
◻ Lab Box (provided by CHEC)
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Junior High Math Program - General Information
The Junior High math program aims to lay a solid foundation for students so they are well prepared for higher math classes such as algebra and geometry. Co-op's program includes review of material and skills previously learned, but it also incorporates an introduction to more abstract concepts. Several classes are offered, all with different pacing according to the needs and readiness of the students. One primary purpose of junior high math is to give students time to develop more abstract thinking that comes with maturity (literally allowing time for the brain to get older!).
A traditional high school algebra course is also offered to 8th graders. It is identical to high school algebra--same book, same difficulty.
HOMEWORK
Homeschooled students benefit from self-teaching and taking responsibility for their education. Given excellent textbooks, students can be their own best teacher. Co-op's perspective is that it is important for the students to have answers to the homework while they are doing it. The students are encouraged to do several problems (3–5 problems) and then stop to check their work for accuracy. Traditionally, students have done the entire homework set and then checked the work. Without checking along the way, however, they are possibly practicing the skill being learned incorrectly. Only perfect practice makes perfect! So, to be clear, the answers are given to the students to check their work as they do the homework, not after they complete it. If a parent thinks a student will be tempted to cheat (copy the answers without doing the work), she might keep the solutions manual, having him seek her out for the answers every few problems.
Important: There is only so much that can be done in one hour per week; therefore, the student must be industrious at home during the week. During class the teachers answer questions about the previous week's work, but most of the time is spent getting the students ready to do the next week's work through overviews of the upcoming concepts and by working examples. The assignments are given by the teachers and duplicated on the Classroom Connections webpage. Tests are provided by the curriculum and/or the teachers.
TEXTS
All math texts are available for rent at a very reasonable cost.
Junior High Math - 7th Graders
Lead Teacher: Dawn W.
Junior High Math carefully reviews arithmetic learned up through 6th grade. Part of this review includes more difficult variable work and more involved work with integers (positive and negative numbers). The goal of this class is to find holes in learning and develop speed and accuracy so that students have a proper foundation for the higher math classes like algebra. Distractions from not knowing basics must be minimized. For instance, when a student moves to algebra, she should be confident about dividing fractions so she can focus on algebraic concepts.
A traditional junior high math book (Mathematics Today - Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich) has been purchased by co-op. Parents of participating students receive the book and pay a reasonable rental fee at orientation. Algebra can follow this course.
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Junior High Math (7th) Supply List:
◻ Book (available to rent)
◻ Pencil
◻ Notebook
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Pre-Algebra - 7th and 8th Graders
Lead Teacher for Plan B: Ashley S.
Lead Teacher for Plan A: Katherine W.
The co-op pre-algebra course is available for 8th graders who choose not to take algebra their 8th grade year. It may also be an excellent fit for 7th graders who are ready for the challenge of a more rigorous course before taking algebra in 8th grade.
Co-op’s pre-algebra course has been designed to enhance students’ critical thinking skills and to begin introducing students to more abstract mathematical concepts. While students experience the excitement of learning algebraic concepts, they have many opportunities to practice arithmetic that may still be a bit rusty. Students work with decimals, fractions, positive and negative numbers, and percentages, but all in an algebraic context. The textbook is full of challenging word problems with the aim of enhancing the mathematical reasoning skills of the students.
A traditional pre-algebra text (McDougal Littel Math, Course 3) has been purchased by co-op. Parents of participating students receive the book and pay a reasonable rental fee at orientation. Algebra can follow this course.
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Pre-Algebra (8th) Supply List:
◻ Book and test solutions manual (available to rent)
◻ Notebook or binder with paper
◻ Simple calculator for occasional use (if a purchase is required, please consider high school needs before purchasing.)
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Algebra I
Lead Teacher: Daniel S.
This traditional algebra I course uses Paul Foerster’s Algebra I, which has been purchased by co-op. Parents of participating students receive the book and pay a reasonable rental fee at orientation.
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Algebra I Supply List:
◻ Book (available to rent)
◻ Notebook or binder with paper
◻ Scientific or Graphing Calculator (see recommendations under High School Math)
◻ Graph Paper
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Electives
Due to COVID restrictions causing Plan B CHEC, no in-person electives will be offered in the fall. Some electives will be led online, while others will not be offered until we reconvene under Plan A.
For the junior high students, there is a two-year rotation of classes during the elective hour. In the even years, shop and home economics have typically been offered. This year junior high students may possibly join the high school in Journalism. 8th graders have the additional option of taking the high school ASL I class.
The Basics – Online for the Fall
Coordinators: Lea C. and Kerri H.
Due to COVID restrictions causing Plan B CHEC, this class will be led online. The teachers will post a syllabus with links that the student can follow as a homeschool course. There will not be any Zoom or online interactive instruction other than the posted assignments on the website page.
This elective will provide weekly video links and/or tutorials in basic home economics and shop skills. From checking and changing a tire or unclogging a sink drain to baking a great loaf of bread and keeping a household budget, this class will provide exposure to basic skills that students ought to know.
Journalism - Not offered in the Fall
This class will not be offered in the fall online. Options are being investigated for the spring.
The goal for the year-long journalism class is to produce a CHEC newspaper with interesting writing, quality photographs and excellent design. This will be accomplished by using the fall semester to overview the different skills and talents that go into making a newspaper. During the spring semester students will apply the information gained during the fall by producing a newspaper. Class topics include ethics in journalism, writing great articles, interviewing skills, photography, satire, sports writing, cartoons and desktop publishing. A field trip to a local newsroom and talks from several accomplished guest speakers will serve to keep the learning interesting and relevant. Students will gain experience working on a team but will also be able to specialize in areas of interest during the spring semester. Students who take this course should be motivated, cheerful, and respectful, and should work diligently on whatever is requested of them. Parents should expect no more than one hour of homework from the class each week.
This class is open to 7th – 12th graders. It will have an attendance cap, and preference will be given to Junior High students. The teacher will provide suggestions for additional work that parents of high school students may want to utilize as they plan high school transcripts.
There will be additional reading assignments, but those are still being researched and evaluated. Plenty of notice will be given once those titles are decided upon.
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Journalism Supply List:
◻ notebook for taking notes
◻ small 3-ring binder for handouts (1/2" should be big enough)
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American Sign Language I (ASL I) - Online for the Fall
Lead Teacher: Dawn W.
Due to COVID restrictions causing Plan B CHEC, this class will be led online. Dawn will post a syllabus with links that the student can follow as a homeschool course. There will not be any Zoom or online interactive instruction other than the posted assignments on the website page. For students to consider continuing to ASL II next year, the parent and student will need to commit time and practice to following the syllabus at home.
Students attending this class will be introduced to American Sign Language through videos, in-class conversation, handouts, and additional reading outside of class to provide a global perspective of deaf culture. Each week students will learn new signs, and in-class conversations will help bridge the gap between learning the sign and reading the sign from the opposite perspective. Deaf culture differs significantly from the mainstream culture in all countries, and the history and progress of the deaf community will be a major topic of discussion. In addition, the class will discuss professional opportunities available to those fluent in ASL.
The syllabus for this class will be based upon the skill level of each student, the number of students in the class, and each student’s need for high school foreign-language credit. A textbook will not be necessary at the beginning of the year, but the class may choose to adopt a curriculum later. If individual students choose to start the year with an ASL curriculum at home (to enhance and add rigor to the ASL education provided at co-op), the teacher is happy to advise.
ASL is recognized as the 3rd most-used language in the world and is deemed a language because it has its own grammar and syntax. ASL is not to be confused with Signing Exact English where English words are just replaced word-for-word with signs.
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ASL I Supply List:
◻ 1" 3-ring binder with loose-leaf paper
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Independent Studies
If there is an hour that a junior high student does not need a course being offered, he may choose to have a "study hall" in the foyer, doing work assigned by parents or visiting quietly. Junior high students may have only one independent study hour.
HIGH SCHOOL
9th - 12th Grades
Curriculum Coordinator - Christie G.
Senior High Writing Program
The writing programs at CHEC focus on developing clear and effective communication of ideas and positions, using proper structure and style while correctly documenting sources.
A NOTE ON GRAMMAR
Although grammar naturally comes up in the writing classes and curricula, formal grammar is not taught in the CHEC writing classes. For a student to be in a CHEC writing class, he must be doing a grammar program at home. Typically, a high school English credit assumes instruction in writing, literature, grammar and vocabulary. Co-op takes the writing portion of the English requirement very seriously, but that does not imply that the other portions may be neglected. If a parent does not feel equipped to teach grammar at home, she can learn alongside her student. Everyone needs good grammar.
If parents are sure their older high school students have mastered basic grammar, they may be tempted to neglect or cease grammar assignments. Because college papers and college entrance exams assume a higher understanding of grammar, a parent should not assume that once basic grammar is mastered, the student can stop studying. Parallelism and the correct case of a pronoun, for instance, are almost always tested on college entrance exams. They are not easily understood just by hearing good grammar spoken. They require detailed understanding of sentence structure and grammar rules.
Most formal grammar curricula include composition. Because the students are taking writing at co-op, most parents have students skip the composition.
There are MANY strong formal grammar programs available. Ask for favorites on the loop.
***** REQUIRED resource *****
Although co-op writing teachers do not teach formal grammar, they often mark grammar and mechanical mistakes when giving feedback on a paper. Because the students are all using different grammar programs at home, it is difficult, if not impossible, for the teacher to send them to the appropriate pages in their grammar programs.
Since every home should have a good grammar handbook with all the rules, CHEC is asking every family with a student in a high school writing class to purchase Writers INC: A Student Handbook for WRITING and LEARNING. Then teachers can easily point their students to a needed explanation in this resource.
Writer's INC has everything from rules on commas to how to write a cause-and-effect essay. It is an excellent resource for every family, and one that students need now and in college. There are several editions; any should do.
Writers INC is NOT a grammar curriculum that provides exercises and practice. Students need to continue in their grammar development through a curriculum that challenges them to practice and edit using the rules of the English language.
Amazon is one place to purchase new and used copies of Writers INC.
HOMEWORK
Just as with any core subject class at co-op, the bulk of the work for this class is done at home. To participate in a writing class the students MUST do the writing assignments on time and submit them in the form required by the teacher (or curriculum). The teachers should let the parents know if the student is not handing in his or her work or not following instructions, but the parents really should know the status of the work as they oversee it at home. As in all classes, parents should find time to occasionally talk to their students' writing teachers to ask for honest assessments of their students' diligence and progress. Sometimes teachers need encouragement to share honestly how a student is doing, especially if it is not all good news.
Put That in Writing 1
(PTIW 1 on the schedule)
Lead Teacher: Jennifer B
A description of Put That in Writing, Level One is found here. This curriculum emphasizes the well-written and well-considered paragraph--building opinion and substantiated information into student work. Although the curriculum is written to develop a paragraph, for co-op purposes, the curriculum is tweaked to develop five-paragraph essays.
The teacher introduces the week's lesson at co-op, and the students do four related days of homework in their student manuals. Over several weeks, the lessons have students produce papers which the students bring to class for feedback from the teachers (and sometimes peers). This feedback is provided both during the writing process and on the final product.
A second year of PTIW 1 is available to students that would continue to benefit from the program in their growth as writers. The co-op teacher and home teacher will work together in determining second-year high school writing placement.
Parents oversee the homework. Parents MUST read their students' writing before papers come back to class, and the parents MUST engage their students regarding previous feedback given and regarding each week's writing objectives. Parents should interact with the students using the check sheets from the manual. Students should read their own words aloud to their parents and engage them about what they have said to learn if they are communicating effectively and saying what they mean to say. Friday at co-op should not be the first time a student asks for feedback. The students can expect to accomplish the maximum growth in their writing only by faithfully utilizing their parents.
There is instruction at orientation to teach the parents about the curriculum's format and to explain the expected role of parents of writing students.
Each student needs the spiral student text and answer packet. The answer packet should come with each manual. However, if you buy used or borrow the manual, the answer packet may be missing. There are only a few times in class where the answer packet may be helpful. Students are never required to bring it to class. A solution to missing packets will be discussed at orientation.
Students may use the first or second edition of the text. Here is the book at Rainbow Resource. There are many used copies in the local homeschool community and online, and books are also available for rent from co-op.
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Put That in Writing 1 Supply List:
◻ Put That in Writing, Level One manual with optional answer packet (available to rent)
◻ Writers INC
◻ Pocket folder
◻ Pencil or pen
◻ Notebook or loose-leaf paper for notetaking
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Put That in Writing 2
(PTIW 2 on the schedule)
Lead Teacher: Wendy R.
A description of Put That in Writing, Level Two is found here.
This second high school writing class focuses on preparing the student to produce original compositions in a variety of formats typically expected in college courses. The course aims to benefit both college-bound students and those taking a different path by coaching them through developing and supporting an argument and expressing that argument with precise, yet compelling language.
For those students wishing to pursue further excellence in academic writing, an optional second year is offered in which students concentrate on choosing viable topics, refining voice and style, utilizing college-level references, and asserting and supporting valid arguments. The same PTIW 2 manual will be used for the 2nd year. The co-op teacher and home teacher will work together in determining second-year PTIW-2 placement.
Most of the units from PTIW 2 will be covered each year. Emphasis is placed on gaining experience in the different types of essays required, employing literary devices as well as proper formatting and organization.
Each unit is introduced in class, and the writing process is demonstrated before students work on the corresponding unit at home. The teachers/graders should be considered “writing coaches” who provide both positive feedback and suggestions for areas of improvement in which the student should focus during the coming week. Generally, the students submit a finished essay or a draft each week.
Parents oversee the homework and are required to read their students’ writing before it is submitted as well as read the comments made by CHEC graders. Parents are highly encouraged to engage their students regarding the week's writing objective.
Put That in Writing, Level Two can be purchased from Rainbow. Because this manual is not consumable, used copies are available online and in the CHEC community.
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Put That in Writing 2 Supply List:
◻ Put That in Writing, Level Two manual
◻ Put That in Writing, Level Two Answer packet (if parent desires)
◻ Writers INC
◻ Notebook or loose-leaf paper
◻ Internet access for gaining reference material
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Senior High Science Program
AT HOME
The content of the science courses is learned at home through the wonderful and easy-to-read Apologia texts under the supervision of the parents. Parents need to make sure that their science student is working through the material at a pace to be ready for the lab classes at co-op (usually 5–7 pages per day). The parent oversees the student’s reading, answering the On Your Own questions, completing the Study Guide (a chapter review), working the Practice Problems (only in chemistry and physics), and taking the tests. Parents can grade the tests with the answer book provided. If parents need help evaluating answers and giving a grade, teachers and other parents are available to give input.
Because Apologia was written for the homeschool family, all the above can be done easily with a non-science parent and a diligent student! The only things needed are the text, the solutions manual, and determination to make sure work is being done!
The first module (chapter) is read before the first co-op. The year-long science calendar for the students to follow is on the 2020-2021 Info tab of the CHEC website, and most teachers link to it on their Classroom Connection. Students follow the lab teacher’s calendar if a different one is provided. ALL science classes must allow at least two full school weeks to complete each module. These two weeks—usually ten school days—consist of six reading days, two co-op lab days, one study day, and one test day. If a different schedule is presented, it should allow more time for a module, not less.
All testing is done at home and proctored by the parents. This frees co-op days for group activities and instruction that can only happen at co-op. Although parents have test keys, some teachers are available to help grade tests.
AT CO-OP
The labs and experiments are done at co-op. This means that the mess is made and cleaned up at co-op. The teachers oversee the experiments and put them in the context of the chapter. In some of the books there are a few modules that do not have experiments. Those chapters and others are supplemented with appropriate videos, guest speakers, and/or teacher lectures.
TEXTS
CHEC uses the first editions in the Biology and Anatomy and Physiology classes, and the second editions for Chemistry and Physics. When looking at the books on the Apologia website, it is noticeable that most editions that co-op is using are not the most recent editions of the textbooks. The co-op science teachers carefully evaluate new editions every time they come out, and our teachers make purposeful decisions about which edition to use. Newer is not always better, and great care is taken to make sure that the science is up to date, the book is readable, and the information is accurate. The books for all the junior high and senior high science classes (except Nutrition) are available to rent from co-op for as low as $5/year, depending on the class.
Apologia Biology
Lead Teacher: Rebecca B.
Lab fee (for dissection specimens and materials): approximately $55
See the Apologia website for a description of the course. At co-op, students do only the lab work. The students are responsible for completing all readings, questions, reviews, and testing at home. Biology is blessed to have many expensive microscopes, slide kits, dissection kits, and more. The text, Exploring Creation through Biology, 1st Edition, can be rented from co-op.
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High School Biology Supply List:
◻ Text: Exploring Creation through Biology, 1st Edition (available to rent from co-op)
◻ Notebook (for lab)
◻ Optional: folder for hand-outs
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Apologia Chemistry
Lead Teacher: Karen R.
Prerequisite: Algebra I.
A lab fee will be charged for this class.
See the Apologia website for a description of the course. The students do only the lab work at co-op. The students are responsible for completing all readings, questions, reviews, and testing at home. CHEC owns all the lab equipment needed to perform the experiments. The text, Exploring Creation through Chemistry, 2nd Edition, can be rented from co-op.
A lab supply box will be provided by CHEC, checked out to each student, and available to keep at co-op or take home. There will be a replacement fee charged for lost or damaged items.
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High School Chemistry Supply List:
◻ ◻ Text: Apologia’s Exploring Creation through Chemistry, 2nd Edition (available to rent from co-op).
◻ Composition Notebook (for lab)
◻ Lab box (provided by CHEC)
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Apologia Anatomy and Physiology
Lead Teacher: Craig D.
See the Apologia website for a description of the course. The students do only the lab work at co-op. The students are responsible for completing all readings, questions, reviews, and testing at home. CHEC owns all the lab equipment needed to perform the experiments. The text, The Human Body: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, can be rented from co-op.
Note: If you follow the link above to the Apologia website, you will notice that the 2nd edition course has a new name, Advanced Biology. Co-op's The Human Body textbook is the first edition of Advanced Biology.
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High School Anatomy & Physiology Supply List:
◻ Text: The Human Body: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made (available to rent)
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Apologia Physics
Lead Teacher: Ashley S.
See the Apologia website for a description of the course. The students do only the lab work at co-op. The students are responsible for completing all readings, questions, reviews, and testing at home. CHEC owns all the lab equipment needed to perform the experiments. The text, Exploring Creation through Physics, 2nd Edition, can be rented from co-op. Note: those who provide their own text must use the 2nd edition.
A lab supply box will be provided by CHEC, checked out to each student, and available to keep at co-op or take home. There will be a replacement fee charged for lost or damaged items.
A lab fee will be charged for this class.
This class will require 3-4 students to make.
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High School Physics Supply List:
◻ Text: Exploring Creation through Physics, 2nd Edition (available to rent)
◻ Recommended: 3-ring binder for lab notes and activities
◻ Lab box (provided by CHEC)
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Nutrition
Lead Teacher: Tina F.
See the Apologia website for a description of the course. Co-op time will be spent on class discussion and occasional activities, but Nutrition is not considered a lab science. The students are responsible for completing all readings, questions, reviews, and testing at home. The text, Health and Nutrition, is not owned by co-op and must be purchased by the student. The following links lead to the required book and notebook set, but they can be purchased many places:
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High School Nutrition Supply List:
◻ Text: Health and Nutrition and student notebook (NOT available to rent)
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Senior High Math Program
Homeschooled students benefit from self-teaching and taking responsibility for their education. Given excellent textbooks, students can be their own best teacher. Co-op's perspective is that it is important for the students to have answers to the homework while they are doing it. The students are encouraged to do several problems (3–5 problems) and then stop to check their work for accuracy. Traditionally, students have done the entire homework set and then checked the work. Without checking along the way, however, they are possibly incorrectly practicing the skill being learned. Only perfect practice makes perfect! So, to be clear, the answers are given to the students to check their work as they do the homework, not after they complete it. Parents may decide to keep the solutions near them to monitor the students' work as they occasionally check their work. This would provide accountability in using the answers correctly.
Important: There is only so much that can be done in one hour per week. Therefore, the student must be industrious at home during the week. During class, the teachers answer questions about the previous week's work, but most of the time is spent getting them ready to do the next week's work through overviews of the upcoming concepts and by working examples. The assignments are given by the teachers and duplicated on the Classroom Connections webpage. Tests are provided by the curriculum and/or the teachers. Some teachers offer assistance grading the tests if the parents need help.
TEXTS
All math texts are available for rent at a very reasonable cost.
CALCULATORS
Graphing calculators have become an essential part of every American high school math class, and they should be part of co-op math classes as well. The math education that students receive at co-op is excellent, but students are truly hindered in their mathematical development when they do not have a graphing calculator that they are using throughout high school. Co-op will allow any scientific or graphing calculator for Algebra I and Algebra II, but we will only support (give instructions for and know how to operate) TI calculators. The two calculators listed below are both recommended.
1. TI-84 Plus—This expensive (approximately $90) graphing calculator is worth every penny and is recommended for college-bound students. It will be a boon to students on college entrance exams, but only if they have used it consistently for years. Any student from grade 7 or 8 with plans for college will greatly benefit from this calculator. Because of its price, co-op will not require it, but it is very highly recommended. *** Please note that every traditional high-school student in America is likely using a graphing calculator, not a scientific calculator. *** This calculator can be purchased from Walmart, Amazon, and Staples. There are also many used ones available for purchase on Amazon, Ebay, and the local loop. Note: any of the calculators in the TI-80 family of calculators will work, but once a student has chosen her calculator, she should stick with it. That is, students should not borrow a different calculator each year. Any calculator borrowing solution should be a long-term solution.
2. TI-30 XIIS—This very affordable ($15 - $20) scientific calculator will provide the basic functionality that students need for high school. It is only recommended for students who do not plan to attend any college after high school. Students who plan for dual enrollment at NTCC should not use this calculator.
Parents should not make a hasty decision about their calculator purchase. All the math teachers will be happy to discuss and provide counsel about which calculator would be best for each individual student.
Algebra I
Lead Teacher: Daniel S.
This traditional algebra I course uses Paul Foerster’s Algebra I, which has been purchased by co-op. Parents of participating students receive the book and pay a reasonable rental fee at orientation.
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Algebra I Supply List:
◻ Book (available to rent)
◻ Notebook or binder with paper
◻ Scientific or Graphing Calculator (see recommendations)
◻ Graph Paper
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Geometry
Lead Teacher: Katherine W.
This traditional geometry course uses Harold Jacob’s Geometry, which has been purchased by CHEC. Parents of participating students receive the book and pay a reasonable rental fee at orientation.
Note: Please do not purchase an expensive calculator for geometry. Most smart phones or simple calculators (with trig functions) work just fine. If a calculator purchase is necessary, please consider asking for guidance from the CHEC math teachers. Not all calculators are created equal.
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Geometry Supply List:
◻ Textbook (available to rent)
◻ Protractor
◻ Compass
◻ Calculator (see note above)
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Algebra II
Lead Teacher: Shana A.
This traditional algebra II course uses Paul Foerster’s Algebra II and Trigonometry. Although this book includes trigonometry, the class covers only the algebra II portion of the text. Parents of participating students receive the book and pay a reasonable rental fee at orientation.
Students need a graphing or scientific calculator for this class. Students with any plans for college (including dual enrollment at NTCC) should have a graphing calculator. Those with no plans for college may use a scientific calculator. See the section on Calculators above for recommendations.
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Algebra II Supply List:
◻ Book (available to rent)
◻ Scientific or Graphing Calculator (see note above)
◻ Graph Paper
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Trigonometry – Spring Semester Only
Lead Teacher: Ashley S.
This traditional trigonometry course uses Paul Foerster’s Precalculus with Trigonometry. Although this book includes precalculus, the class covers only the trigonometry portion of the text. Parents of participating students receive the book and pay a reasonable rental fee at orientation.
Students need a graphing or scientific calculator for this class. Students with any plans for college (including dual enrollment at NTCC) should have a graphing calculator. Those with no plans for college may use a scientific calculator. See the section on Calculators above for recommendations.
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Trigonometry Supply List:
◻ Book (available to rent)
◻ Scientific or Graphing Calculator (see note above)
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High School Social Studies
CHEC's Social Studies program rotates through the traditional high school courses.
Freshmen and sophomores are on a two-year rotation through World Geography and World History. During odd-numbered years, they study World Geography. During even-numbered years, they study World History.
Juniors and seniors are on a two-year rotation through United States History and U.S. Government. During odd-numbered years, they study U.S. Government. During even-numbered years, they study United States History.
World History
Lead Teacher: Chas C.
Mystery of History, Volume IV is the text for this class. This text was chosen for its unique approach to world history from 1708 to the 21st Century. CHEC students have been exposed to the first three eras of the story of the world's nations and people groups through the elementary history classes and the high school era-based literature class. By using a text focusing on the last few centuries, the class has more time to delve into the complicated world relationships that have developed recently. This should equip students to be more informed citizens and wiser in their worldview.
For class, the students only need the student textbook. A CD comes in the front cover of the textbook and includes activities, quizzes, and tests.
Options for purchasing:
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World History Supply List:
◻ Mystery of History, Volume IV by Linda Lacour Hobar
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United States History
Lead Teacher: Allison A.
This course is a general survey of the history of the United States of America. While we will be using the text America, Pathways To The Present as a backbone text for the class, the goal this year is to assign primary resource material much more heavily and use the textbook to fill in the gaps when needed. This primary resource material will likely be available for free online. The goal for this class is to take a journey through time and walk, as much as possible, in the shoes of the people who helped form and build the country that we call home. With the current challenges facing our nation, the class will spend a great deal of time digging for the truth of our past so it can correctly inform our present.
Prentice Hall's America - Pathways to the Present (5E Survey Student Edition 2003C) is a good read for the students and was selected for its fair treatment of history. The ISBN is 0-13-052849-8, and it has a photo of the Lincoln Memorial on the cover. CHEC has these textbooks available to rent for a nominal fee. Used copies are also available on many sites. Two are listed below.
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American History Supply List:
◻ America - Pathways to the Present (available to rent)
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Electives
CHEC electives are chosen intentionally to prepare students for life but are also traditional high school offerings with the final high school transcript in mind.
CHEC makes every attempt to offer electives in predictable patterns for the ease of high school planning.
Possible odd-year electives: Spanish I, ASL II, Choir, Music Appreciation, Drama, and Journalism
Odd-year electives during the math hour: SAT Math Prep and Traditional Logic I during the first semester and Traditional Logic 2 the second semester.
Possible even-year electives: Spanish II, ASL I, Choir, Speech, Art, Drama, and Journalism
Even-year elective during the math hour: Personal Finance.
The electives offered during the math hour are for the students who have completed CHEC's math series and for those who opt out of CHEC's math.
American Sign Language (ASL) I - Online for the Fall
Lead Teacher: Dawn W.
Due to COVID restrictions causing Plan B CHEC, this class will be led online. Dawn will post a syllabus with links that the student can follow as a homeschool course. There will not be any Zoom or online interactive instruction other than the posted assignments on the website page. For students to consider continuing to ASL II next year, the parent and student will need to commit time and practice to following the syllabus at home.
Students attending this class will be introduced to American Sign Language through videos, in-class conversation, handouts, and additional reading outside of class to provide a global perspective of deaf culture. Each week students will learn new signs, and in-class conversations will help bridge the gap between learning the sign and reading the sign from the opposite perspective. Deaf culture differs significantly from the mainstream culture in all countries, and the history and progress of the deaf community will be a major topic of discussion. In addition, the class will discuss professional opportunities available to those fluent in ASL.
The syllabus for this class will be based upon the skill level of each student, the number of students in the class, and each student’s need for high school foreign-language credit. A textbook will not be necessary at the beginning of the year, but the class may choose to adopt a curriculum later. If individual students choose to start the year with an ASL curriculum at home (to enhance and add rigor to the ASL education provided at co-op), the teacher is happy to advise.
ASL is recognized as the 3rd most-used language in the world and is deemed a language because it has its own grammar and syntax. ASL is not to be confused with Signing Exact English where English words are just replaced word-for-word with signs.
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ASL Supply List:
◻ 1" 3-ring binder with loose-leaf paper
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Spanish II - Online for the Fall
Lead Teachers: Rebecca B. and Rosy S.
Due to COVID restrictions causing Plan B CHEC, this class will be led online. A syllabus with assignments and links will be kept on the class website page. The student should expect to commit time and practice to following the syllabus at home.
Spanish II builds on the foundation begun in Spanish I. Students continue building a working vocabulary and develop communication skills such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will be expected to follow daily assignments in practice workbooks at home which will include grammar and usage instruction using Scripture and Latin cultural readings.
This class will utilize Abeka’s Mas que vencedores Spanish 2 - Books A and B, following Book A in the fall and then segueing into Book B by the spring semester. Parents will be responsible for purchasing these consumable workbooks. The Teacher’s Guide will be available to rent for a small fee from CHEC.
The workbooks can be purchased directly from Abeka, although there are many places to purchase online, either new or used.
This class, offered during the elective hour, will require a reasonable amount of daily attention, much like any other traditional high school coursework.
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Spanish I Supply List:
◻ Mas que vencedores Spanish 2 - Books A and B
◻ Mas que vencedores Spanish 2 Teacher’s Guide (available to rent from CHEC)
◻ Binder
◻ Optional: Spanish/English dictionary
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Art - Online for the Fall
Lead Teacher: Crystal C.
Due to COVID restrictions causing Plan B CHEC, this class will be led online. A syllabus with assignments and links will be kept on the class website page. The student should expect to commit time and practice to following the syllabus at home.
This class will focus on fine art instruction, theory and practice, including drawing and painting. It will also incorporate elements of Art History (using the God and Art DVD series) and Art Appreciation.
Two major projects will be assigned for the year – a fall drawing final project, and a spring canvas painting final project.
Students will be assigned drawing homework each week which will require each student to have an acid-free sketchbook (see dimensions below). In addition, students will need a spiral notebook for notetaking in class each week.
To keep the cost of supplies at a minimum, students will utilize designated co-op art supplies in class. Students will be assigned their own art supply set at the beginning of the school year and will be responsible for the care of their supplies. These are not to be carried home, and parents will be notified if there is any damage or loss to their student’s tools. Please encourage your student to be good stewards of our co-op resources.
This is a quality art class, but every effort will be made to keep it affordable. An initial $10 fee per student will be paid at orientation with the possibility of an additional fee being assessed in the spring.
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Art Supply List:
◻ Sketchbook, 8.5x11" or 8x10", acid free
◻ Spiral notebook, 100 sheets
◻ $10 per student to be paid at orientation
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Choir - Not Offered
Due to COVID restrictions causing Plan B CHEC, this class will not be offered this year.
Speech – Not Offered
Due to COVID restrictions causing Plan B CHEC, this class will not be offered this year. Several options exist for students still needing to take Speech, including pursuing a dual credit option at NTCC or following the curriculum that CHEC uses at home or with friends.
Drama - Spring Only for Plan A
Lead Teacher: Marissa M.
Due to COVID restrictions causing Plan B CHEC, this class will not be offered in the fall. If CHEC is able to meet for Plan A in the spring, this class will be offered to those students who began it in the 2019/2020 school year. This will be their opportunity to complete the course by producing Pride and Prejudice in the spring of 2021.
This class is an intro to theatre arts for students who are interested in acting, stage management, technical theatre, prop/costume/set design, and directing.
Students will acquire and hone life skills such as public speaking, collaborating in a group setting, memorizing, quick thinking, problem solving, considering the feelings of others, and following directions.
Students will perform monologues, produce scenes, and produce a play in the spring.
1-2 hours of weekly homework will include memorizing lines and basic drama terms and definitions, as well as preparing necessary but simple props, costumes, and/or set pieces. As the performance date of the spring play draws near, there may be some out-of-class meetings and dress rehearsals. Students should expect 4-6 hours of outside work per week during the two weeks leading up to production.
Co-op owns a set of drama textbooks that are checked out to students at orientation. Although there is no rental fee, there is a fee if the book is lost or abused.
Drama is available for 8th - 12th grade students. There is an attendance cap, and preference will be given to high school students.
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Drama Supply List:
◻ A 1" 3-ring binder with notebook paper will be needed for scripts and notes.
◻ A sharpened pencil with eraser
◻ Two highlighters of different colors
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Journalism - Not offered in the Fall
This class will not be offered in the fall online. Options are being investigated for the spring.
The goal for the year-long journalism class is to produce a CHEC newspaper with interesting writing, quality photographs and excellent design. This will be accomplished by using the fall semester to overview the different skills and talents that go into making a newspaper. During the spring semester students will apply the information gained during the fall by producing a newspaper. Class topics include ethics in journalism, writing great articles, interviewing skills, photography, satire, sports writing, cartoons, and desktop publishing. A field trip to a local newsroom and talks from several accomplished guest speakers will serve to keep the learning interesting and relevant. Students will gain experience working on a team but will also be able to specialize into areas of interest during the spring semester. Students who take this course should be motivated, cheerful, and respectful, and should work diligently on whatever is requested of them.
Parents should expect no more than one hour of homework from the class each week.
This class is open to 7th – 12th graders. It will have an attendance cap, and preference will be given to Junior High students. Wendy R. will provide suggestions for additional work that parents of high school students may want to utilize as they plan for high school.
There will be additional reading assignments, but those are still being researched and evaluated. Plenty of notice will be given once those titles are decided upon.
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Journalism Supply List:
◻ notebook for taking notes
◻ small 3-ring binder for handouts (1/2" should be big enough)
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Math-Hour Electives
Personal Finance
Lead Teacher: Jeff W.
This year-long course is designed to help students navigate adulthood by teaching them concrete money management skills. Our curriculum is Virtual Business - Personal Finance. This computer-based curriculum provides instruction in areas such as making a budget, buying a house, getting a car loan, buying insurance, paying income taxes, saving for retirement, and investing. Each lesson includes a reading comprehension quiz, a consumer math quiz, and a simulation. In these game-like simulations, students will receive hands-on experience managing the finances of a virtual character. They will practice paying bills on time using online banking. They will compare mortgage lenders and purchase a home. They will even practice filing their income taxes by reading their W-2s and bank statements and filling out a sample 1040 form.
This course requires a $25 fee to cover the cost of the curriculum.
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Personal Finance Supply List:
◻ $25 fee paid at orientation
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SAT Math Prep – Fall Semester Only - Online
Lead Teacher: Ashley S.
Due to COVID restrictions causing Plan B CHEC, this class will be led online. A syllabus with assignments and links will be kept on the class website page.
This class is designed to teach students tips and tricks for mastering the SAT math test. During co-op each Friday, new tips and tricks from the SAT Prep Black Book will be demonstrated and practiced. Then each week at home, students will apply those new skills as they take the math portion of one SAT practice test. Time will be allotted the following Friday to review any interesting questions from the last test before new tips are introduced.
The SAT Math Prep class will require outside work of around one hour per week, with two hours as the absolute maximum.
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SAT Math Prep Supply List:
◻ SAT Prep Black Book: The Most Effective SAT Strategies Ever Published, 2nd Edition
◻ The Official SAT Study Guide, 2020 Edition
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Independent Studies
If there is an hour that high school students do not need a course being offered, they may choose to have a "study hall" in the foyer, doing work assigned by parents or visiting quietly.