RecordedCourseCatalog2016 2017

2016 / 2017 School
Year
Recorded Course
Catalog
Unlimited Access
www.homeschoolconnections.com
Table of Contents
About Our Instructors....................................................................................... 5
Contact Information / Fees............................................................................. 15
Instructor Access Optional Grading Service.................................................16
NEW Live, Interactive Courses in 2016/2017.................................................20
Unlimited Access Recorded Courses............................................................22
American Sign Language............................................................................22
Archeology/History...................................................................................... 23
Architecture/History.................................................................................... 23
Fine Arts...................................................................................................... 24
Business...................................................................................................... 24
Computer Programming..............................................................................25
Economics................................................................................................... 26
German....................................................................................................... 26
Government/Law......................................................................................... 28
Greek.......................................................................................................... 32
History........................................................................................................ 32
Latin............................................................................................................ 45
Life Skills..................................................................................................... 48
Literature.................................................................................................... 48
Math............................................................................................................ 67
Philosophy / Logic....................................................................................... 73
Science....................................................................................................... 77
Spanish....................................................................................................... 86
Speech........................................................................................................ 88
Test Prep (ACT/SAT)..................................................................................... 89
Theology..................................................................................................... 91
Writing...................................................................................................... 101
Courses by Instructor...................................................................................111
How to Get the Most Out of Unlimited Access!.............................................118
Frequently Asked Questions.........................................................................119
Aquinas Writing Advantage: What is it?.......................................................122
Suggested Scope and Sequences................................................................123

Aquinas Writing Advantage.......................................................................123
Basic Scope and Sequence for High School..............................................127
History Scope and Sequence: Sixth to Twelfth Grade................................130
Build Your Teen's College Skill Set: Suggested Scope and Sequence........132
FAQ: Accreditation........................................................................................ 134
Sample Transcript......................................................................................... 136
About Our Instructors

Monica Ashour, MTS, MHUM
With 20 years of experience in the classroom and Master
Degrees in Humanities and Theological Studies from the
University of Dallas, Monica Ashour comes to us with a breadth
and depth of vision that solidifies and electrifies high school
students. A published author, international speaker, and expert
in Pope John Paul IIs seminal work, the Theology of the Body
(TOB), Miss Ashours approach to theology is quite distinct for
she sees TOB as Angelo Cardinal Scola doesas a foundational
way of seeing the Sacramental View of Reality, which can be
applied to any area of the Churchs teachings. She is co-founder and executive
director of the Theology of the Body Evangelization Team, Inc.
(TOBET; www.tobet.org). Her published books include Theology of the Body Marriage
Preparation (TOBET Publishing), ToB for Tots, her childrens series for 1-4 year olds
and ToB for Kids for 5-8 year olds (Pauline Books and Media), the Parents Guide to
Theology of the Body for Teens: Middle School Edition and Social Networking: How to
Plug in without Tuning Out (Ascension Press). Miss Ashour is currently developing a
TOB Curriculum for Pre-school to 4th Grade students. Miss Ashour teaches
theology.
Dayspring Brock, MHum
Miss Brock has a B.A. in history with a minor in philosophy
from Dallas Baptist University and a Masters of Humanities
with a concentration in literature from the University of
Dallas. She has been teaching middle school students for the
past nine years and has a particular love for this age group.
This will be her third term educating homeschoolers online.
Once upon a time, she was homeschooled herself! Currently,
Ms. Brock teaches reading to at an inner city charter school
in Dallas. She entertains (with an almost unhealthy vigor) a
love for literature, politics, history, films, fairy tales, and music. She especially loves it
when students are willing to go deep into the imaginative world of a book and learn
to express that world through writing and speaking. Miss Brock teaches
literature.
Erin Brown Conroy, MA, MFA
Professor Brown Conroy has been teaching writing for 20
years, including teaching students in private colleges,
universities, and online. She was an online professor of
College-Level Writing and Research for Patrick Henry College
(six years) and taught writing, leadership and management,
and health and wellness for Cornerstone Universitys
Professional and Graduate Studies Division (eight years).
Professor Brown Conroy is an author of several non-fiction
books, including Simplified Writing 101: Top Secrets for
College Success, EB Conroys Simplified Vocabulary
Guide, and Twenty Secrets to Success with Your Child. She has
designed online courses and curriculum programs for over 25 years and speaks at
conferences on education and learning, reading, and writing. Erin has a BS and MA
from Western Michigan University (WMU) and a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative
Writing from Western State Colorado University (WSCU) in Genre Fiction. A member of
the Society of Childrens Book Authors and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Science Fiction
and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), and Catholic Writers Guild (CWG), she is also
a professional fiction writing editor and coach; judges writing contests; and has been
a freelance professional writer in marketing/web writing and ghostwriting for twenty
years. Professor Brown Conroy also authored True North Reading: The Complete
Mastery Reading and Spelling Program a five-level multisensory learn-to-read
program online for children ages two to sixteen at www.truenorthreading.com. Prof.
Brown Conroy, who has been homeschooling for over 30 years, currently
homeschools the youngest two of her 13 children who still live at home. Professor
Brown Conroy is the Master Teacher and the Program/Course Designer of
the Aquinas Writing Advantage (AWA) program.
Phillip Campbell
Phillip Campbell holds a BA in European History from Ave Maria
University and a certificate in Secondary Education through
Madonna University. He has a background as a Youth Director
and RCIA instructor. He teaches history and Scripture for the St.
Augustine Homeschool Enrichment Program. Mr. Campbell is the
author of the popular fantasy-epic Tale of Manaeth. He
manages and writes for independent publisher Cruachan Hill
Press, which publishes books of historical and theological
interest. He is the editor of The Complete Works of St. Cyprian
of Carthage [Arx Publishing] as well as the author of the new
childrens history book series Story of Civilization [TAN Books]. Mr. Campbells
writings have also appeared in such publications as St. Austin Review and The
Distributist Review. Mr. Campbell served as the Mayor of Howell, MI from 2011 to
2015. He and his wife homeschool their five children. Mr. Campbell teaches
history, formal logic, and economics.
Kris Correira, PA-C, MHP
Kris Correira, PA-C, MHP is a homeschooling mom of three
boys. She has been a physician assistant for over 20 years
and works in the emergency department of St. Francis
Hospital. She taught paramedic students at Quinsigamond
Community College for 20 years and taught human biology
labs at Eastern Connecticut State University. She has over 15
years of experience teaching online classes.
She received her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Biological
Sciences and Computer Science from Wellesley College, and
her Physician Assistant Certificate and Masters of Health Professions degree from
Northeastern University.
She is the head of her parish pro-life committee, is a member of the Witness
for Life committee addressing end-of-life issues, and is involved with promoting
Catholic womens health.
You can find Kris on the web posting about science resources on
AtHomeScience.blogspot.com, Facebook.com/AtHomeScience,
Twitter.com/AtHomeScience
You can follow her pro-lifework on NatureAndDignity.blogspot.com,
Facebook.com/NatureAndDignity/, Twitter.com/nature_dignity
You can also find her at daily Mass, Adoration, or whatever event is going on
at her parish. Professor Correira teaches biology.
MacBeth Derham
MacBeth Derham is a retired homeschooling mother of four very different children,

and wife to Don. She studied biology at Mount Holyoke College, and has taught
natural history in the field for over 25 years. She currently teaches small classes in
her homeschool group, mentors for Aquinas Learning, tutors math and science
privately, and is the 4th grade catechist in her parish's Faith and Formation program.
She blogs occasionally at http://macbethsopinion.blogspot.com. She speaks at
homeschool conferences on the interdisciplinary need for nature study. Mrs.
Derham teaches science.
Kathy Dutton
Kathy Dutton holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the
University of Michigan, as well as a BA in Accounting from
University of Michigan. Her early career involved research,
including work with catalytic converts, neurology, and
immunology. Mrs. Dutton has nearly 20 years of teaching and
tutoring experience across various venues, including at the
university, private tutoring, homeschool group classes, and
public and Catholic schools.
Mrs. Dutton graduated her youngest child from the
family homeschool in 2014. She teaches Catholic religious
education and Confirmation preparation classes for her parish.
Additionally, Mrs. Dutton devotes time to the Flint Regional
Science and Engineering Fair, an ISEF-associated fair. Mrs.
Dutton teaches science.
Dan Egan
Daniel Egan received his B. S. in Geography from Northern
Kentucky University, but his true love has been teaching Biblical
Greek in Cincinnati since 2001 to high school and grade school
children. He occasionally can be heard on EWTNs Sunrise
Morning Show on their Bible Tidbit segment. Dan loves to study
the Bible to evangelize. He is happily married to Arica Egan and they have 5 children
so far. He has been a student of Gary Michutas since 2003. Mr. Egan teaches
Biblical Greek and religion.
Tom Frederick, MS
Mr. Frederick is a Physics and Mathematics teacher at Saline High School in Michigan.
He has twenty-plus years of classroom experience helping young people understand
and apply concepts in mathematics and physics. He holds a Master of Science in
Physics Education from Eastern Michigan University, as well as a Bachelors of Science
in Mathematics from the University of Michigan. Mr. Frederick teaches online, does
one on one tutoring, and has had a stint as an associate professor at a local technical
college. In addition to being a teacher, Mr. Frederick was a Cross Country Coach for
15 years as well as the Coordinator of Youth Ministry and Confirmation Director for
seven years at his local parish. In that time he built up the youth program from a
handful of moderately committed kids to 75-100 young people packing the youth
room every Sunday night! Suffice to say, he enjoys working with middle and high
school aged young adults in a myriad of different venuesand especially enjoys
living and sharing his Catholic faith. He and his wife have homeschooled several of
their six awesome children. In his spare time, Mr. Frederick enjoys running, scripture
study, fixing computers, gardening, and keeping up a small orchard. He can be found
online at www.physicsisphun.org. Mr. Frederick teaches math and science.
Allison Gingras, MEd
Allison Gingras, holds a Master's Degree in Education from Lesley
University in Cambridge, MA. She is a Catholic homeschooling
mother of three. Her daughter, Faith, is adopted from China and
is profoundly deaf. It is through Mrs. Gingrass experience
in learning American Sign Language (ASL), to communicate and
teach her daughter, along with a desire to provide an opportunity
for more people to learn this beautiful language that
has prompted her to teach ASL. Mrs. Gingras has offered ASL
classes in various homeschool settings including three years for her homeschool coop. Mrs. Gingras teaches American Sign Language (ASL).
Robert Gotcher, PhD
Dr. Gotcher is an independent educator and scholar. He has
taught at a major seminary, graduate and undergraduate
students, lay ministry students, diaconal candidates, and high
school students. He and his wife, Kathy, are raising their seven
children in Franklin, Wisconsin. Dr. Gotcher has been actively
involved in the homeschooling of his children. He has taught
Latin, literature, physics, astronomy, and religion to
homeschooled students. He has a special devotion to the
classical trivium of grammar, logic, and rhetoric, especially as
they pertain to the written arts. Dr. Gotcher graduated from the
University of Notre Dame with a B.A. Liberal Studies. He received his M.A. in Theology
of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul and his Ph.D. from Marquette University.
Dr. Gotcher teaches Literature, Theology, Writing, and Logic.
David Harris, PhD
Dr. David Harris is an Associate Professor in the Economics Department at
Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. After obtaining his undergraduate
degree from Benedictine College in 1997, he earned his M.S. from Iowa
State University in 1999 and his Ph.D. from the University of MissouriKansas City in 2008. His areas of research interest are Catholic Social
Teaching, the history of economic thought, and social economics. After
spending time as a full-time volunteer working with the poor and
underserved population of Milwaukee, he taught personal finance classes
before coming to Benedictine. Dr. Harris teaches Economics.
Emily Henry
Emily Henry grew up in Michigan with her parents, two brothers,
and several cats. All three children were homeschooled and
graduated with a diploma from the Noah Webster Academy for
homeschoolers. She attended Ave Maria College in Michigan until
its closure in 2006. From there, she transferred to Hillsdale College,
where she completed her BA in Classical Studies and English.
Beginning in 2009, Emily taught several subjects at homeschool coops throughout the mid-Michigan area, including Latin, History, English, Bible, and
Earth Science. Although she enjoyed teaching all subjects, Latin will always be her
first love. She now lives with her wonderful husband in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Mrs. Henry teaches Latin and literature.
Jean Hoeft, MA
Jean Hoeft has been a math and algebra teacher for 23 years.
She has a BA from the University of Michigan and a MA from
Marygrove University. Jean has taught the confirmation class
at her Catholic parish for 28 years. She loves gardening,
sudoku puzzles, raising chickens, reading, knitting, and
everything Catholic. Mrs. Hoeft teaches Math.
Alexis Mausolf, MA
Alexis Mausolf is a Catholic mother of two children whom she
homeschooled through the elementary grades. She has a
Bachelors degree in Russian studies from Washington and Lee
University and a Masters degree in German from Florida State
University. Before her marriage she lived in Germany for a year,
teaching English at several colleges. She has taught German at the
college level in the States for a number of years and enjoys working
with homeschoolers. Her husband is from Germany too, and they
practice speaking German at home in Texas with theirKindern. Professor Mausolf
teaches German.
Gary Michuta
Gary Michuta is the author of a half-dozen books on apologetics
and evangelism, including The Case for the Deuterocanon:
Arguments and Evidence and How to Wolf-Proof Your Kids: A
Practical Guide to Keeping Your Kids Catholic. Gary is an awardwinning columnist for The Michigan Catholic archdiocesan
newspaper. He has given hundreds of parish talks and seminars
on Catholic apologetics and evangelism over his twenty-five plus
years as a professional apologist. Gary has also publically
debated anti-Catholics and has appeared on numerous Catholic
programs such as Catholic Answers Live, The Journey Home, and Kresta in the
Afternoon. He currently lives in southeast Michigan with his wife and three children.
Mr. Michuta teaches theology.
Lisa Mladinich
Lisa Mladinich is a Catholic wife and homeschooling mom
who absolutely loves teaching for Homeschool Connections!
She is an author and speaker whose dynamic presentations
on faith, catechetics, and women's issues can be heard at
events around the country, as well as on Catholic TV and
radio. Lisa is the bestselling author of "True Radiance:
Finding Grace in the Second Half of Life," (Servant Books)
about the authentic beauty of our souls. Her newest book is
due out in August 2016, a prayer book for children
called, "Heads Bowed: Prayers for Catholic School Days" (Liguori Publications).
Lisa's other writing can be found at AmazingCatechists.com; her blog at
Patheos.com, Water into Wine; her columns for CATECHIST Magazine; and her
booklets, "Be an Amazing Catechist: Inspire the Faith of Children" and "Be an
Amazing Catechist: Sacramental Preparation" from Our Sunday Visitor (in English and
Spanish). She has contributed to anthologies such as "Why Should I Learn This?" from
Homeschool Connections, "Word by Word: Slowing Down With the Hail Mary" (Ave
Maria Press), "The Catholic Mom's Prayer Companion: A Book of Daily Reflections"
(due out August 2016, Ave Maria), and "Tending the Temple: 365 Days of Spiritual and
Physical Devotions," published by Bezalel Books.
For more information, visit Lisa's dedicated page atAmazingCatechists.com or
connect with her on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Google Plus. Mrs. Mladinich
teaches theology.
Emily Nardozzi, M.Ed.
Mrs. Nardozzi received her undergraduate degree in mathematics
and secondary education from Saint Mary's College of Notre
Dame in 2009. She then participated in Notre Dame's ACE
(Alliance for Catholic Education) program where she earned her
Masters in Education. Mrs. Nardozzi taught at St. Jude in St.
Petersburg, FL for three years and at Father Gabriel Richard in
Ann Arbor, MI for four years. She has loved every minute of being
a teacher and feels so blessed to teach in environments where she can express her
Catholic faith, which is so dear to her. Mrs. Nardozzi teaches mathematics.
Jason Negri, MS, JD
Mr. Negri has his bachelors and masters degrees from
Franciscan University of Steubenville, and his law degree from
Ave Maria School of Law. He was a member of Ave Maria Law
Schools inaugural class of 2003, and is now a practicing
attorney in Michigan. He is also Assistant Director of the
Patients Rights Council, a non-profit group devoted to end-oflife medical ethics and is an elected Trustee of Hamburg Township. He and his wife
Samantha homeschool their children. Mr. Negri has taught on the high school,
college, and graduate level. Professor Negri teaches law and government.
Kevin OBrien
Mr. OBrien hosts the television series The Theater of the Word on
EWTN and can also be seen on episodes of EWTNs The Apostle of
Common Sense, The Quest for Shakespeare, and The Journey
Home. He portrays J. R. R. Tolkien on several Tolkien
specials hosted by Joseph Pearce. Most recently Mr. OBrien has
appeared in two movies, Manalive, based on the novel by G. K.
Chesterton, and To Follow the Light: the Conversion of John Henry
Newman.
In addition, Mr. OBrien has performed and produced 35 audio books, and is
the only person in history to play every part in a Shakespeare play (twice!), which he
did for his audio readings of The Merchant of Venice and Macbeth for Ignatius Press.
Along with fellow Homeschool Connections instructor Joseph Pearce, he is co-founder
of the website The Christian Shakespeare, which publishes essays demonstrating the
Catholic worldview of the world's greatest dramatist: www.christianshakespeare.com.
Mr. OBrien is also a writer and regular contributor to The St. Austin
Review and Gilbert Magazine. ACS Press will publish his autobiography in 2016. You
can visit his website at www.thewordinc.org. Mr. OBrien teaches speech, drama,
and literature.
Dave Palmer, MTS
10
Mr. Palmer received his Master in Theology degree from the University
of Dallas. He is a great lover of Thomistic philosophy and is currently
working on an outline summary of the entire Summa Theologica. His
specific area of interest is the restoration of Christian philosophy in
our culture according to the philosophy of St. Thomas. His new book
St. Thomas Aquinas for Everyone: 30 Quick and Fun Lessons,
Activities and Outdoor Adventures Based on the Summa Theologica is
already getting high praise. Mr. Palmer holds a Bachelors degree in
Communications/Journalism from Southern Methodist University
and Masters in Broadcast Meteorology from Mississippi State University. He is
currently the Executive Director of the Guadalupe Radio Network Catholic radio
station in North Texas. Mr. Palmer has taught theology (Sacraments and Scripture) at
Bishop Dunne Catholic High School in Dallas. He is married to Paula and has two
daughters, Ena and Maura, and one son, Patrick. Mr. Palmer teaches philosophy.
Joseph Pearce
Joseph Pearce is the editor of the Ignatius Critical Editions of
Othello, Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice, Julius
Caesar, Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth. He is the
author of Shakespeare on Love: Seeing the Catholic Presence
in Romeo and Juliet and two other books on Shakespeare: The
Quest for Shakespeare: The Bard of Avon and The Church of
Rome and Through Shakespeares Eyes: Seeing the Catholic
Presence in the Plays. He has hosted two 13-part seasons of The Quest for
Shakespeare for EWTN. He is Director of the Center for Faith & Culture and Writer-inResidence at Aquinas College in Nashville, editor of the St. Austin Review, and has
also authored books on great Christian writers such as G. K. Chesterton, J. R. R.
Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and Alexander Solzhenitsyn. His conversion story can be read in
his autobiography Race with the Devil: My Journey from Racial Hatred to Rational
Love. Professor Pearce teaches literature.
Geralyn Rea, ME
Geralyn Rea was born and raised in Wichita, KS, but journeyed north to complete her
B.A. in English at Hillsdale College in Michigan. After graduating summa cum laude,
she ventured down south to Texas to begin her Master of English degree at the
University of Dallas. While working for the university and completing her degree,
Geralyn also served as a writing, literature, and standardized testing tutor for
homeschoolers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. While tutoring, she rediscovered a
passion for teaching, rivaled only by her love of the written word, and she is anxious
to share both of these passions with all of her students. Geralyn lives with her husband near Dallas, TX, and
she is looking forward to the joys of motherhood as she and her husband welcome their first child. Mrs.
Rea teaches literature.
Carol Reynolds, PhD
11
Dr. Carol Reynolds weaves energy, humor, and history into

everything she does. After a career as a professor at Southern
Methodist University, Dallas, Professor Carol and husband Hank
moved to a ranch and began creating Fine Arts courses for
students and adults. Her unprecedented Discovering Music: 300
Years of Interaction in Western Music, Arts, History, & Culture and
Exploring Americas Musical Heritage reach across the world. Her
new course History of Early Sacred Music will appear this summer,
as well as online courses on Russian Music, Research Skills for
Students Entering College, and a new series on American Music.
A pianist and organist, she is a popular speaker for the Van Cliburn Series, The Dallas
Symphony, opera companies, and museums. She works frequently in Eastern Europe
and Russia as Study Leader for The Smithsonian. Dr. Reynolds teaches fine arts.
Jean Rioux, PhD
Dr. Rioux is an award-winning professor and chair of the
philosophy department at Benedictine College, where
he has taught for 30 years. A graduate of Thomas
Aquinas College, he earned his Master's and Ph.D. in
philosophy from the University of St. Thomas in
Houston. Specializing in the thought of Aristotle and
Thomas Aquinas, he has published textbooks in logic
and natural philosophy and a number of articles in the
philosophy of mathematics and other topics. A book on
Thomas' philosophy of mathematics is in the works. He and Benedictine's chair of
theology regularly offer co-taught great books classes in philosophy and theology. Dr.
Rioux and his wife, Maria, raise their children in a renovated farmhouse in rural
Kansas. They have been designing their own curricula and educating their children at
home for nearly 30 years. Dr. Rioux teaches philosophy.
Ed Rivet, MPA
Ed Rivet has a B.S. in Pre-Law and Public Policy and a
Masters in Public Administration both from Michigan State
University. Mr. Rivet has served as the Right to Life of
Michigans Legislative Director since 1988. He has written and
helped enact dozens of laws, including the nations first
complete ban on human cloning, and banning assisted
suicide in the face of the assault on human life by Jack
Kevorkian and Geoffrey Fieger. Mr. Rivet has done countless
media interviews, appearing in the Wall Street Journal, New
York Times, USA Today, plus live interviews on CNN and Good Morning America. Mr.
Rivet teaches government.
Ricardo Rodriguez, PhD
Ricardo Rodriguez is an assistant professor of physics at Ave
Maria University. He holds a B.S.(Physics) and B.S. (Mathematics)
from Universidad de Los Andes. His M.S. and PH.D. are from Iowa
State University. Dr. Rodriguez lives in Ave Maria, Florida with his
wife and children. Dr. Rodriguez teaches science.
12
Domenico Ruggiero, MS-EM

Mr. Ruggiero holds a Bachelors of Science in Aerospace
Engineering from the University of Florida and a Masters
degree in Industrial Engineering Engineering Management
from the University of Central Florida. For most of his
professional career, Mr. Ruggiero has worked at or near the
NASA Kennedy Space Center. He has worked on the Space
Shuttle Program as an Orbiter Structures Engineer for United
Space Alliance. Currently he works for a large government
consulting firm, where he has held many roles including
Systems Engineer on the NASA Constellation Program and the
NASA Commercial Crew Transportation Systems Program. More recently, he works as
a data analyst & productivity automation expert for a variety of government
agencies including every branch of the US military the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA).
Mr. Ruggiero and his wife, Sonia, are proud parents to 3 young boys. In
addition to the importance of close personal relationships with his wife and sons, he
strives to maintain a healthy work-life balance so that he can impress upon the
children other practical skills in addition to their homeschool academics such as
outdoor skills, physical fitness, craftsmanship, gardening, sports, community service,
and entrepreneurship. Related efforts have focused on establishing a Catholic
homestead for his family. Mr. Ruggiero teaches science and programming.
Henry Russell, PhD
Dr. Henry Russell is Headmaster of the St. Augustines Homeschool
Enrichment Program founded with his wife Crystal, which tutors
more than 70 students. He is also the President of the SS Peter
and Paul Educational Foundation, dedicated to founding an
orthodox Catholic Liberal Arts college in southeast Michigan. A
graduate of Princeton and South Caroline (M.S.), Dr. Russell
completed his graduate work at Louisiana State University.
Formerly the Chairman of Ave Maria Colleges Department of
Literature, he has also been a professor at Franciscan University of Steubenville and
Wake Forest University. He is the founding faculty member of St. Robert Southwell
Creative Writing Workshop held in Mahwah, New Jersey. Dr. Russells works include
The Catholic Shakespeare Audio Series available from Kolbe Academy. He was the
Associate Editor of The Formalist from 1990-2004 and his writings have been
published in various journals. He was honored to edit Dr. Alice von Hildebrands
groundbreaking volume, The Privilege of Being a Woman. Dr. Russell teaches
literature.
Irma Luz Schmitt, MA
Mrs. Schmitt was born in Tamaulipas, Mexico. She graduated from
the Instituto Tecnolgico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey
(Monterrey Institute of Technology) with a Bachelors degree in
Accounting and a Masters Degree in Education. In 2005, she
earned a certification from Cambridge University to teach English
as a second language.
Mrs. Schmitt has worked as an accountant at Catepillar, Cedetel
and Sorteo Tec and she worked at Universidad Virtual del Tec de
Monterrey as part of a team that initiated online courses in
Accounting. Mrs. Schmitt has taught accounting, humanities, and
Latin American studies at Universidad LaSalle in Ciudad Victoria. Additionally, she
13
taught English as a second language in the Centro de Lenguas de la Universidad

Autonoma de Tamaulipas. While there she also participated in a distance-learning
program to train teachers who teach English in elementary public schools. Mrs.
Schmitt and her husband live in Delaware where they homeschool their 10-year-olddaughter. Mrs. Schmitt teaches Spanish.
Alison Stanley, JD
Alison Stanley has a B.A. from Michigan State University and a law
degree from the University of Michigan. She loves to study history,
especially how it pertains to legal and political issues of today. Mrs.
Stanley is a mother of five children, all who has been
homeschooled at some point. Alisons work before becoming a
stay-at-home mother included work in the United States District
Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, as well as at the
Honigman Miller Schwartz & Cohn Law Firm.
Professor Stanley teaches government/law and history.
Sally Thomas
Mrs. Thomas is a poet, essayist, fiction writer, and homeschooling mother of four,
currently living and writing in North Carolina. Over the last two decades, Mrs.
Thomass writing has appeared widely in publications large and small including, The
New Yorker, First Things, Lay Witness, Verily, the Catholic journal Dappled Things, and
the homeschooling journal Mater et Magistra. Her debut poetry collection, Brief Light:
Sonnets and Other Small Poems, appeared in 2012. She is the author of the poetry
chapbook, Fallen Water. She holds a B.S. in English and secondary education from
Vanderbilt University; she has done extensive graduate work in literature and
creative writing. Her teaching background includes experience in both the high
school and college classroom. A convert to Catholicism from the Anglican tradition,
Mrs. Thomas serves her rural parish as First Communion catechist and chorister. Mrs.
Thomas teaches Poetry.
Matt Watkins, MS
Matt Watkins is a homeschooling father of 11 children along with
Rachel Watkins, creator of Little Flowers Girls Club. The family has
been homeschooling for more than two decades. His three older
children have graduated from college with another currently
enrolled at a local State university. Matt works as an
environmental program manager at a state environmental
protection agency. He holds his Master of Science in
Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins University.
He is a Ph.D. candidate in Urban Affairs & Public Policy at the
University of Delaware. Mr. Watkins teaches Environmental
Science.
Christopher Zehnder, MA
14
Christopher Zehnder holds a bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts from Thomas Aquinas
College, Santa Paula, California, and a Master of Arts in Theology from Holy Apostles
College and Seminary, Cromwell, Connecticut. He has taught history, theology, Latin,
English grammar, composition, English literature, and universal
literature at Catholic secondary schools in Connecticut and
California. He has developed curricula in history and language
arts. In addition to his work in education, Mr. Zehnder has
edited two monthlies and written for various publications on
historical, political, and theological subjects. He currently is
general editor for the Catholic Textbook Project, and is the
author of three of the project's books: From Sea to Shining Sea:
The Story of America; Light to the Nations II: the Making of the
Modern World; and Lands of Hope and Promise: A History of
North America (to be published). He lives with his wife,
Katherine, and their seven children in Tehachapi, California,
raising goats, chickens, and vegetables.
Mr. Zehnder teaches history, government, and theology.
GRADING SUPPORT
Maureen Ryan
Mrs. Ryan has worked as an editor and writer for more than two
decades, but her passion is mentoring young studentsincluding
her own three-homeschooled childrenand helping them
discover the joy of learning. Mrs. Ryan has a B.A. in English and
studied interactive learning at Teachers College, Columbia
University. As the executive editor for Scholastics Teacher
website, she helped refine the educational publishers interactive
teaching tools and web-based lesson plans for grades PreK-12 and
re-launched the sites online writing tutorials hosted by awardwinning authors. Mrs. Ryan also helped build Scholastics Parent
website with resources and articles to make it easier for moms and dads support
learning at home. She has worked as an editor, writer, and consultant for numerous
other clients including The New York Times Company, Everyday Health, and Simon
and Schuster. In addition to writing freelance and for her own pleasure, Mrs. Ryan
currently mentors students for Aquinas Learnings New York Center. As part of the
classical education program, she meets once a week with homeschooled children and
mentors them in a range of subjects. With Homeschool Connections, Mrs. Ryan feels
extremely blessed to be able to be able to combine her love for mentoring and
writing with an opportunity to serve homeschool families. Mrs. Ryan grades
papers for Aquinas Writing Program.
Donna Graziose, MA; MLS
Mrs. Donna Graziose is a Catholic wife and homeschooling mother of four. Donna has
a background in fine arts and photography. While earning her first Masters Degree in
Art, she began working in an academic art library. There, she developed a passion
for archives and digital libraries and went on to earn a Masters Degree in Library
Science.
After working on many exciting digital projects in the library, Donna left her
employment to homeschool her children. She is grateful for the homeschooling
lifestyle: spending precious time with her children and focusing their education on
15
faith and family. Donna currently works part time as an Adjunct Librarian at
Farmingdale State University of New York. Mrs. Graziose grades papers for
Aquinas Writing Program.
Sharon Hamric-Weis, JD
Sharon Hamric-Weis received her undergraduate degree in Secondary English
Education from the California University of Pennsylvania and taught both middle and
high schools courses at the Palm Beach County School system. During her last year
of teaching, Mrs. Hamric-Weis converted to the Catholic Church and was confirmed.
Upon her acceptance to the Dickinson School of Law, she and her husband then
relocated to her home state of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Hamric-Weis practiced law as
Assistant Counsel for the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole and has been
published in the Dickinson Journal of International Law, as well as working as a
decision writer for the Pennsylvania Board of Workers Compensation. After working in
law, Mrs. Hamric-Weis left her employment to raise her children and homeschool for
several years before returning to work as a paraprofessional teaching and caring for a
student with multiple disabilities. She is happy to be homeschooling her three
children, and teaching the advanced writing courses for Homeschool Connections.
Mrs. Hamric-Weis grades papers for Aquinas Writing Program.
16
Contact Information / Fees

Homeschool Connections Contact Information:
Email address: info@homeschoolconnections.com
Toll-free phone number: (888) 372-4757 (leave a message and we will return your
call)
Website: www.homeschoolconnections.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/homeschoolconnection (Videos of instructors
and course details)
You can also find Homeschool Connections on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Unlimited Access (Recorded Courses): Over 275 recorded courses are

available for $1 the first seven days and then only $30 per month thereafter. The
monthly fee is an automatic deduction. You can cancel anytime, OR you can choose
the annual option at $330 (one month FREE). Your entire family will have Unlimited
Access to all of the available recorded courses and support materials (lectures,
quizzes, answer keys, etc.). Live courses are converted to Unlimited Access 6 to 8
weeks after completion.
Instructor Access (Optional Grading Service): While answer keys are

provided for most courses, some parents have asked for extra help, particularly in
writing. Therefore, we offer grading services for several courses at an additional fee.
Fees vary; see the Table of Contents for more details.
Multiple-User Access: This service is for families who prefer to have separate
Unlimited Access accounts for each child instead of the family sharing a single
account. The cost is an additional $10 per month ($40) for two students OR an
additional $20 per month ($50) for three or more students. If you pay annually the
cost is $440 / $550 per year instead of $330.
Course Materials: To help you keep expenses down, we provide materials free
online or as a PDF file when possible. In the case of the literature courses, the books
should be easily available from your library. Some courses do require the purchase of
lab materials, workbook, and/or a textbook. In those cases, we provide information to
find them inexpensively or used on the course page if possible. See individual course
listings for required course materials.
Equipment: You need a computer and High Speed Internet (not dial up). Thats it.
Headsets are recommended for a better listening experience. If you like to watch
lectures on the television, you may need to purchase a wireless connection or a
simple HDMI cable to hook the computer to the television. To test your system to see
if your Flashplayer version is correct and your connection is correct please click here:
http://na1cps.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm This
page will do a 4 point diagnostic to make sure your system is setup properly for class.
New Service: Single Access will be available Fall 2016. Single Access will allow
you to purchase single courses if you do not want to subscribe to all 275 courses.
Refund Policy: Unlimited Access: Monthly subscribers, If you forget to cancel

and notify us within 24 hours, we will refund the payment. Annual subscribers, the
first 7 days are free. After that, refunds are prorated less one month. Single Access:
95% refund if requested within 7 days. Instructor Access: Upon signing up
17
with Instructor Access (optional grading service), the parent and instructor will work
out a schedule together within a week of payment. Students are required to turn in
homework on schedule, unless other arrangements are made in advance. If
homework is not timely, then grading is not guaranteed and the Instructor Access fee
is forfeited (no refund).
18
Instructor Access Optional Grading

Service
What is Instructor Access?
Most of our recorded courses offer free answer keys. The only time answer keys are
not provided is when the answers require a unique composition, such as Latin
composition or essay assignment. Parents sometimes request grading services, even
with courses that supply answer keys. For these two reasons, Homeschool
Connections offers Instructor Access. This optional service gives you direct access to
the teacher who will grade your students schoolwork. The price varies based on the
difficulty of grading. Below is a list of courses that currently offer Instructor Access.
We are continually adding to this service, so please dont hesitate to email us if you
would like help with a course not on this list.
Which Courses Are Included? What is the Price Per Course?
Economics
Economics As If People Matter (Micro and Macro) with Phillip Campbell
$55 for the weekly homework of the entire 12-week course
Additional $25 for the semester-long research paper.
Government/Law
Government: Introduction to Law with Jason Negri, JD
$50 for the entire 9-week course
The First Amendment: Five Freedoms with Alison Stanley, JD
$50 for the entire 8-week course (extensive writing assignments)
Government: Constitutional Law; Supreme Court Jurisprudence I with Alison Stanley,
JD
The Federalist Papers with Alison Stanley, JD
History
Middle School History: Revolutionary War
Middle School History: Civil War
Both with Alison Stanley, JD
$35 per course, 10 to 12 weeks.
History/Archeology: Archeological Survey of the Old and New Testaments with Phillip
Campbell
$55 for entire 10-week course (research paper)
Time and Life of Ancient Romans (High School only) with Phillip Campbell
12 Inventions That Changed the World with Phillip Campbell
$55 for 12-week course
Catholic Middle Ages
Modern American History
19
Both with Phillip Campbell

$35 for each 12-week course
Latin
Middle School Latin, Part One or Middle School Latin, Part Two
Both with Emily Henry
Latin I, Part One or Latin I, Part Two
Latin II, Part One or Latin II, Part Two
All with Emily Henry
Latin III/IV, Part One or Latin III/IV, Part Two
Both with Emily Henry
Literature
Literature: Tolkien and Fairy Stories with Robert Gotcher, Ph.D.
$25 for all 6 classes.
Math
Saxon 5/4
Saxon 6/5
Saxon 7/6
Saxon 8/7
All with Jean Hoeft, MS
$65 per 30-week course for grading
$215 per 30-week course for tutoring
Pre-Algebra Part One or Pre-Algebra Part Two (Middle School)
Algebra Part One or Algebra Part Two
Algebra II Part One or Algebra II Part Two
Geometry Part One or Geometry Part Two
Advanced Math Topics (Pre-Calculus) Part One or Advanced Math Topics (Pre-Calculus)
Part Two
Calculus, Part One or Part Two
All with Jean Hoeft, MS
$30 per 12- to 15-week course for grading
$105 per 12- to 15-week course for tutoring
Trigonometry Boot Camp with Jean Hoeft, MS
$15 for entire 6-week course for grading
$55 for entire 6-week course for tutoring
Philosophy
Thomistic Christian Philosophy, Part One or Part Two
Both with Dave Palmer
Science
Topics in Life Science I; The Cell (Middle School) with Kris Corriera, PA-C, MHP
$30 for entire 12-week course
Engineering and Design Labs with Jean Hoeft, MS
20
$25 for 5 Labs (students choose from 12 labs)

Heart and Lungs; the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems (Anatomy &
Physiology)
Blood and Immunity; Hematology and Immune System (Anatomy & Physiology)
Musculoskeletal System and Nervous System (Anatomy & Physiology)
Digestive and Urinary Systems (Anatomy & Physiology)
All with Kris Correira, PA-C, MHP
$50 per 12-week course
Conceptual Physics, Part One or Part Two
with Thomas Frederick, MS
$75 per 14-week semester, includes Quizzes, Tests, and Web Interactive Activities.
Chemistry I, Part One or Chemistry I, Part Two (includes optional lab);
Advanced Chemistry, Part One or Advanced Chemistry, Part Two
with Kathy Dutton
$100 per semester course, or
$70 for labs only, per semester, or
$40 for tests only, per semester.
Test Prep
ACT/SAT English and Writing Test Prep
Taught by Erin Brown Conroy; Graded by Sharon Hamric Weis, JD
$70 for the 2-week course includes writing assignments.
Theology
Theology: Introduction to the Old Testament
Theology: Introduction to the New Testament
Both with Robert Gotcher, Ph.D.
$55 per course, each 8 lessons. Includes writing assignments.
Theology: World Religions
Robert Gotcher, Ph.D.
$55 for entire 15-week course.
Aquinas Writing Advantage
Mastering Microsoft Word
Taught by Erin Brown Conroy; Graded by Donna Graziose
$45 for a 4-week course
Middle School Essential Writing 1: Punctuation and Grammar
Middle School Essential Writing 2: Sentences and Paragraphs
Middle School Simplified Writing 1: Your All-Encompassing Foundational Writing
Course
$85 for entire 8-week course
Middle School Simplified Writing 2: Essays and Papers
21
Taught by Erin Brown Conroy; Graded by Maureen Ryan

High School Essential Writing 1: Punctuation and Grammar
Taught by Erin Brown Conroy; Graded by Maureen Ryan
$65.00 for 6-week course
High School Essential Writing 2: Paragraphs and Essays
Taught by Erin Brown Conroy, graded by Sharon Hamric Weis
High School Simplified Writing 1: Your All-Encompassing Foundational High School
Writing Course
Taught by Erin Brown Conroy, graded by Sharon Hamric Weis
Vocabulary and Writing, Part One or Vocabulary and Writing, Part Two
Both taught by Erin Brown Conroy, graded by Maureen Ryan
High School Simplified Writing 2: Rhetoric, Essays, and Papers
High School Simplified Writing 3: Research Writing (College Prep)
Both taught by Erin Brown Conroy, graded by Sharon Hamric Weis
Fiction Writing: Plot and Structure
Fiction Writing: Characters and Dialogue
Fiction Writing: Description and Setting
Fiction Writing: Theme, Style, and Point of View
Fiction Writing: Conflict and the Breakout Novel
Fiction Writing: Authoring a Book
Each taught and graded by Erin Brown Conroy
Advanced Fiction Writing 1: The Heros Journey and Mythic Structure
Taught and graded by Erin Brown Conroy
$95 for an 8-week course
Advanced Fiction Writing 2: The Heros Journey and Mythic Structure
Taught and graded by Erin Brown Conroy
$95 for an 8-week course
How do I sign up?
To sign up for Instructor Access, visit the course page on the Moodle website. You will
see a PayPal button in the introductory module. Click on that and follow the
instructions. You do not need a PayPal account, most credit cards are accepted. If you
need to pay by check, please email us at homeschoolconnections@gmail.com to
make arrangements.
Upon receipt of your payment for Instructor Access, the instructor will contact you to
make arrangements for turning in homework and grading. A schedule will be agreed
upon so that homework is timely.
22
NEW Live, Interactive Courses in

2016/2017
As live, interactive courses are completed they are converted to recorded
courses and moved to Unlimited Access. This usually occurs within six to
eight weeks. The following live, interactive courses are tentatively scheduled
to become available later in the 2016/2017 school year as recorded courses.
Note: Occasionally a live, interactive course is canceled due to unforeseen
events and therefore do not become part of the Unlimited Access service.
Available Spring 2017

A History of Government in Europe and America, Part One
Lives of the Saints: Revealing the Glory of God, Part One
Middle School U.S. History: Part One (1492-1847)
American History: Lands of Hope and Promise, Part One
Contemporary U.S. History
Advanced Latin, Part One
Middle School Greek Mythology
Christmas in Literature, Film, and Music
Mythology in Literature
Love and the Meaning of Life
Beyond the Lord of the Rings
Typology 1: Divinization as Human Duty: The Person, Nature, and
Sacramental Typology
Glencoe Middle School Math 2, Part One
Glencoe Pre-Algebra, Part One
Personal Finance: Math for Real Life
St. Thomas on the Human Person
Introduction to Earth Science
Middle School Life Science: The Human Body
Physical Science, Part One
Botany
Geology
Debate and Argumentation
Science SAT/ACT Test Prep
Middle School Catechesis: The Baltimore Catechism (Part 1: The Creed)
Answering the Ultimate Protestant Objections on Salvation, Justification, and
Purgatory
An Introduction to the Catholic Faith: The Didache, Part One
High School Simplified Writing 2: Beyond the Five-Paragraph Essay
Business Writing 1: Professional Business Writing Essentials
Screenwriting, Part One
Available Summer 2017

A History of Government in Europe and America, Part Two
Lives of the Saints: Revealing the Glory of God, Part Two
Middle School U.S. History: Part Two (1847-1991)
23
American History: Lands of Hope and Promise, Part Two

Archaeology of the Ancient World
Advanced Latin, Part One
A Mastery of Mysteries
A World Without God
Typology 2: Seeing Typology in Literature
Glencoe Middle School Math 2, Part Two
Glencoe Pre-Algebra, Part Two
Introduction to Probability and Statistics
Introduction to Ornithology (The Study of Birds)
Middle School STEM Engineering
Physical Science, Part Two
Geology, Part Two
Middle School Catechesis: The Baltimore Catechism (Part 2: The
Commandments)
Discovering Your Authentic Beauty & Making Life Full and Fun for Girls
True Radiance! Discovering Your Authentic Beauty as a Young Woman
Angels and Demons
An Introduction to the Catholic Faith: The Didache, Part Two
Is the New Testament Reliable? Exploring Its Authenticity, Integrity, and
Veracity
Introduction to the "New Atheism" (Theistic Apologetics)
Middle School Writing Essentials 3: Punctuation and Grammar II
Middle School Writing Essentials 4: Excellent Sentence and Paragraph Writing
II
Middle School Simplified Writing 3: Writing the Excellent Essay
Middle School Simplified Writing 4: Writing Form and Style
Foundations of Journalism I
Screenwriting, Part Two
24
Unlimited Access Recorded Courses

American Sign Language
American Sign Language (ASL) I

Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 6th to 9th grade, although older students are welcomed if
they have no experience in ASL and have a strong desire to take this course.
Suggested credit: 1/2 semester ASL or Foreign Language
Instructor: Allison Gingras, M.Ed.
Course description: This course is a beginning American Sign Language (ASL)
course for those who would like a strong foundation in learning to communicate with
American Sign Language. Students will learn and practice fingerspelling, identifying
and signing words used in everyday life; asking questions; special structure of
sentences in ASL; the role of expression (non manual markers) in communication; the
foundations of ASLs history; Deaf culture; and practice words and sentences.
Course materials: Everything is provided free online by the instructor.
Homework: Weekly practice of the signs and conversations covered in the course,
and watching videos of signing.
American Sign Language (ASL) II

Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: ASL I
they a strong desire to take this course.
Course description: This course is a second-level American Sign Language (ASL)
American Sign Language. Students will learn how to use classifiers, mouth
morphemes, and quantifiers, as well as identify and sign words used in everyday life
and practice conversations.
Course materials: Everything is provided free online from the instructor.
Homework: Weekly practice of the signs and conversations covered in the course
American Sign Language (ASL) III

Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: ASL II
Suggested grade level: 6th to 9th, although older students are welcomed if they a
strong desire to take this course.
Course description: This course is a third-level American Sign Language (ASL)
American Sign Language.
Course materials: Everything is provided FREE online from the instructor.
25
American Sign Language (ASL) IV

Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: ASL III
they a strong desire to take this course.
Course description: This course is a fourth-level American Sign Language (ASL)
American Sign Language.
Course materials: Everything is provided FREE online from the instructor.
Archeology/History
An Archaeological Survey of the Old and New

Testaments
Total classes: 10
Duration: 55 minutes
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th
Suggested credit: 3/4 semester Archeology or History. Add reading / writing
assignment for full semester.
Instructor: Phillip Campbell
Course description: This class uses chronology of biblical history to acquaint
students with some of the most important archaeological sites of the Holy Land. The
content of this class is based on four interrelated components: [1] Geography:
Instruction on the geography of the Holy Land and the greater Middle East [2]
Archaeology: An introduction to the principles of basic archaeological methodology in
theory and practice [3] Apologetics: Demonstrations of how archaeological research
has generally confirmed the biblical narratives [4] History: Using the schema of
salvation history as a pattern through which to learn about geography and
archaeology.
Course materials: FREE online sources provided by the instructor. No textbook
required.
Homework: Homework consists of a semester-long research project/paper with
different components due at various intervals throughout the semester. Instructor
Access available for this course.
Architecture/History
Christian Architecture through the Ages

Total classes: 4
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 7th to 12th grade.
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester Architecture; Art; or World History. Add another
course for a full semester.
26
Course description: This course will acquaint students with the basic components
of Christian ecclesiastical architecture, beginning with the basilicas of the late
patristic era and moving through the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque,
Neo-Classical and Neo-Gothic.
Course materials: Provided free by the instructor.
Homework: Minimal amount of reading; test at the end of the week with suggestions
for further reading.
Fine Arts
Discovering Western Culture through Music and the

Arts
Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None. No musical background is necessary.
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Art/Music Appreciation or Fine Arts
Instructor: Carol Reynolds, Ph.D. (Professor Carol)
Course description: Journey with Professor Carol through Western History, using
music as the focal point but weaving in visual art (painting, sculpture), dance,
theater, architecture, and literature. The study of music and the Fine Arts supports
the understanding of history, geography, and culture. Elements of science,
technology, and language are included in the course as well. Sessions will focus on
the years between 1600 and World War One, but will present an overview of
Medieval/Renaissance Sacred Music.
Course materials: 1. Discovering Music online curriculum by Professor Carol will be
made available to students for half of the regular price ($30 for four months
subscription). 2. Music selections assigned by the instructor. These can be accessed
in one of four ways. Choose the one that best suits your family: a) Free by searching
your public library or YouTube; b) Classical Archives ($8 per month); c) Naxos ($20
per year); OR d) purchase 3-CD set from the instructor (HSC discounted price
$34.95).
Homework: This is not a course for the faint of heart. Well have a lot of fun as we
discover music together, but students should expect a good amount of work outside
of the classroom in that discovery. Homework entails: 1. Viewing recorded classes in
advance to the live classes. 2. Viewing assigned artwork and listening to music. 3.
Interactive quizzes. 4. A midterm and a final exam (fill-in-blank, short essays, long
essays, with answers/suggested answers). 5. Unit project. Due to the nature of the
medium, we encourage students more than ever to share their learning experience
and the resources used in this course with the rest of their family.
Business
Fundamentals of Business
Total classes: 14
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th grade
27
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Business or Economics. For a full year of

Business, add Business Law.
Instructor: Carl Rossini, DBA
Course description: This course introduces the student to the theory and practice
of business, including economic systems (totalitarianism, socialism, and capitalism),
macroeconomics, the business cycle, the balance of trade, money and banking, the
consumer value proposition, marketing and media, stocks and bonds, the profit and
loss and balance sheets, operations and computer systems, and leading employees.
Course materials: No text, there will be online readings provided free by the
instructor.
Homework: Reading. Weekly short essay questions to encourage critical thinking
and research skills. Midterm and final quizzes. Approximately 3 hours per week in
addition to weekly lecture.
Business Law
Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Business or Law
Instructor: Alison Stanley, JD
Course description: This course will acquaint students with the legal environment
in which businesses operate. More specifically, the course will explore the differences
between criminal and civil law and the various areas of business law including white
collar crime, tort law, contract law, bankruptcy, patent, and trademark law. Also,
alternative forms of business organizations and rights of consumers will be examined.
Landmark cases will be reviewed to enhance students understanding of the material.
Course materials: All course materials provided free by the instructor.
Homework: Homework will include reading, watching instructional videos, and
answering questions. One midterm quiz and a final exam. Expect 30 to 60 minutes
per week in addition to attending class and studying for tests.
Computer Programming
Computer Programming 101

Total classes: 15
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Prerequisite: Installation of the Python 2 and Python 3 programming languages
(free downloads from http://www.python.org) should be accomplished prior to the
start of the first class. Python is available for multiple computer operating systems.
Student should have a general familiarity with computers the ability to open
applications, use menu-driven commands, and type using the keyboard so that the
emphasis of time can be placed on specific programming lessons.
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Computer Programming
Instructor: Domenico Ruggiero
28
Course description: This is an entry-level course for students with little to no

programming experience. It is also for those who are familiar with programming with
an interest in learning the Python. Computer programming develops creativity,
reasoning, and problem solving. It provides an opportunity for the programmer to
create a completely new piece of software that can be used and shared with others.
During development, the programmer thinks through the proper sequence of
instructions and logic needed by the computer to execute the program. And when
programs dont perform as expected, problem solving techniques are utilized to
troubleshoot and resolve the issue.
Students will be writing executable code very early in the course and build
upon their skills throughout the course with an ever-expanding set of commands. The
Python programming language is a modern computer language and one of the
easiest languages to use (and there are MANY out there). Once the basics of
programming are mastered, individuals find it easy to learn more complex
programming languages and utilize their unique qualities to perform specific
functions best suited for those languages. Gaining an understanding of computer
programming is a skillset that will serve students well personally and professionally.
Course materials: See prerequisite section for a list of required software
applications. Extensive handouts and online resources provided free by the instructor.
Python documentation. Some book recommendations will be provided but are not
required for purchase.
Homework: Assignments will build on expanding knowledge base. Some
assignments will have a Catholic theme to them. Assignments may include, but are
not limited to, (1) writing small programs that perform a specific task or solve a
specific problem, (2) reviewing printed code and identifying where problems exist, (3)
reading resources to learn more about the various features and capabilities of
Python, and (4) open creativity periods where the student will develop programs of
their own design around their interests.
Students can expect 2 to 5 hours of time per week (outside of class time) dedicated
to homework, which is dependent upon the students typing rate and proficiency by
keeping up with the studies. Additional time, if available, is encouraged so that the
student can experiment with personal programs, reverse-engineer other programs,
and maintain proficiency through repeated practice.
Economics
Economics Camp: Introduction to Catholic Social

Teaching
This is a good foundational course to precede any economic course or program.
Total classes: 4
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th grade. However any enthusiastic high school
age student can succeed.
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester Economics. Add another economics course for a full
semester credit.
Course description: Introduction to the Church's social teaching on man, economy,
and the state. Studying the benefits and pitfalls of the modern economy through the
lens of Catholic Tradition.
Course materials: Provided free online by instructor.
Homework: Light reading. Comprehensive exam at the conclusion.
Economics as if People Matter (Micro and Macro)

29
Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Economics
Course description: This class is geared toward providing young people with a
holistic approach towards economic principles based on six objectives: (1) introducing
students to basic economic principles such as supply and demand, competition, etc.
(2) studying and the life and thought of eminent economists (3) introducing principles
of personal financial management (budgeting, frugality, etc.) (4) looking at economic
problems through a Catholic perspective (5) critically examining current economic
problems.
Course materials: "The Worldly Philosophers" by Robert Heilbroner (older editions
work), www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/068486214X/catholictreas-20.
Homework: Consists of moderate reading (30-50 pages per week) and short essay
questions, with a research project on a topic of their choosing. Instructor Access
available for this course.
Essential Economics
Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Economics
Course description: Key microeconomic and macroeconomic terminology and
principles will be explained. More specifically, the course will examine how consumer
demand effects the prices and supply of goods and services, how corporate
purchasing and production-related decisions coalesce. Moreover, the class will
explore factors that drive the national economy, such as unemployment rates, gross
domestic product (GDP), overall price levels, and inflation. American fiscal policy and
the function of the Federal Reserve Bank will be also be described.
Course materials: "Economics In Our Times" by Roger A. Arnold (Revised Edition
1999), ISBN 0-538-42620-9,
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0538426195/catholictreas-20.
Homework: Reading, quizzes, and short essays. Homework will average 1 to 2 hours
weekly.
German
German I, Parts One and Two

Total classes: 60
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full year German or Foreign Language
Instructor: Alexis Mausolf
Course description: This 16-week course will introduce students to German
vocabulary, grammar, and culture with bi-weekly meetings. The program focuses on
building a solid German vocabulary and developing comprehension of the written and
spoken German language. Each class features pronunciation practice, conversation,
new grammar concepts, and cultural trivia. Students will complete regular homework,
quizzes and chapter tests, dictations, and a short presentation at the end of the
semester. To demonstrate that it is a living language, everything from nursery
30
rhymes, songs, and proverbs to commercials and cartoons will be incorporated as

learning aids.
Course materials: German is Fun Book 1: Lively Lessons for Beginners by Elsie M.
Szecsy, published by Amsco. (best ordered directly from publisher
http://amscopub.com) The Everything Learning German Book with CD, second
edition, by Edward Swick, MA. Published by Adams Media
(www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/159869989X/catholictreas-20).
Homework: Learning a foreign language requires regular practice. Ideally, at least
half an hour per day should be spent on German, i.e. completing the grammar drills
assigned, memorizing vocabulary, reading for comprehension, taking tests or
quizzes, listening to online German news broadcasts, and generally becoming
familiar with the language.
German II, Parts One and Two

Total classes: 84 (3 per week for 28 weeks)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: German I
Suggested credit: One full year German or Foreign Language
Instructor: Alexis Mausolf, MA
Course description: This twenty-eight-week course will continue the progress of
students who have already had a year of German by adding to their knowledge of
vocabulary, grammar and culture. The class met two times per week plus the
instructor filmed a third class: the first two classes covered the mechanics of the
language grammar and reading and the third hour was devoted to conversation.
The course features pronunciation practice, conversation, new grammar concepts,
and cultural trivia with an emphasis on reading comprehension. Students complete
regular homework, quizzes and chapter tests, dictations and two projects during the
semester. We use everything from nursery rhymes, songs, and proverbs to
commercials and cartoons to aid the acquisition of this modern and living European
language.
Course materials: 1. German Grammar Drills, Second edition, by Ed Swick,
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0071789456/catholictreas-20; 2. Two Klett
readers from the Stadt, Land, Fluss series. These are small German chapter books to
be used in addition to the grammar text. They are called Blinder Passagier and
Spannende Tour im Schwarzwald, both by Andrea Maria Wagner. One can order these
from the International Book Service at 1-800- 277-4247, or at ibis@IBIService.com;
3. A good German dictionary. Langenscheidt or Duden are well-known publishers, but
are not required. There are also decent dictionaries on the internet if you do not
choose to buy a physical dictionary; 4. If you still have Everything Learning German
from the German I course, it could prove to be a handy supplement too.
Homework: At least hour per day should be spent on German. When not
completing grammar drills or homework assignments, students should be learning
vocabulary, listening online to the German news, reading and re-reading the texts
given, and studying for the quizzes and tests.
German I for Middle School, Parts One and Two

Total classes: 24
Duration: 1 hour
Instructor: Alecia Rolling
Prerequisite: None
31
Suggested credit: One full year German or Foreign Language.

Course description: This course covers a years worth of German. We use a childs
approach of learning the language through music, storytelling, and poetry. Each class
consists of vigorous grammar drills, a quiz, cultural activities, and storytelling. At the
end of the year, the student should be able to carry out short conversations in
German and write short, simple stories. This is tested with a final exam.
Homework: Composition, translation, and memorization of grammar charts and
rules and of various German poems and songs. Answer key provided.
Course materials: German Grammar Drills by Ed Swick and German Made Simple
by Arnold Leitner, Ph.D.
Government/Law
Pro-Life Boot Camp: Learning the Facts and Effective

Communication.
Total classes: 4
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester credit Government. Add another government
course for a full semester credit.
Instructors: Ed Rivet, MPA & Jason Negri, JD
Course description: Learn the pro-life facts and effective messaging /
communication. The course will cover the legal and ethical case for the pro-life
position, from conception to natural death, an assessment of the current legal and
political landscape surrounding the issues, and tips on how to best present them to
others.
Course materials: Twenty Answers, End of Life Issues, published by catholic
Answers press and available online at http://shop.catholic.com/20-answers-end-oflife.html. Other materials provided free by the instructors.
Homework: Reading and automated quizzes.
Government, Democracy, and Citizenship

Total classes: 9
Instructor: Ed Rivet, MPA
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 3/4 of a semester Government. To give full credit, add a reading
assignment from Mr. Rivet's supplemental reading list plus an essay on the book(s).
Or add another government course.
Course description: American government has been called the most radical
experiment in self-governing in human history based on its unique system of
democracy and citizen involvement. Learn how the fundamental elements of
American government are supposed to work, how they actually work, and the role
and responsibility each citizen has in our government and our future."
Course materials: All course material is made up of primary documents available
FREE online. Answer Key available.
Homework: Weekly homework and research project. Answer key provided.
U.S. Citizenship and Civics

Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: None
32

Suggested credit: 1 full semester Government or Civics
Instructor: Jason Negri, MS/JD
Course description: This course is an introduction to this thing we call civics.
Immigrants to the United States need to pass a test to become citizens - we take it
for granted. The class covers a little bit of everything: history, government, politics,
law, and economics. Together, they give a frame of reference for understanding this
experiment in ordered liberty that we call America.
Homework: Almost every week weekly current-events reports and two to three
larger projects/papers.
Political Philosophy & Systems

Total classes: 8
Prerequisite: none
Suggested credit: 2/3 semester Government. You can add Mr. Rivet's Suggestion
Government Reading List or another government course to make a full semester
credit.
Course description: This course will expose students to the roots of various political
philosophies and systems, including ancient democracies in Athens and Rome, as
well as an in depth review of socialism and communism. A highlight of this class is
the study of Marx's Communist Manifesto, which challenges students to put economic
and social justice into a political context. Critical thinking and essay writing are more
emphasized in this course.
Course materials: Free online and printable resources provided by instructor.
Homework: Reading, quizzes, essay questions, and online research. Expect 1 to 3
hours each week on homework.
American Elections: Democracy in Action

Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of American government.
Suggested credit: 1/2 semester Government. Add another government course for a
full semester credit.
Course description: This 6-week course will explore the "ins and outs" of the
33
American electoral process, with a special emphasis on the upcoming presidential

election. The course began 5 weeks prior to the November 2012 presidential election,
with the last class a wrap up, just 3 days after we elected a new president. Along with
weekly lectures, there were some interactive features during the class time, with a
little "prognostication" contest on the outcome of certain elections.
Course materials: Provided free by the instructor or online.
Homework: Students will have a variety of "home"work assignments reading,
research, some essays, etc. Students are going to be STRONGLY encouraged to
volunteer at least a couple hours of their time to any candidate or issue campaign of
their choice during the 6-week period. Automated quizzes and answer guide provided
to help parents in grading.
Advanced American Government

Total classes: 9
Instructor: Ed Rivet
Prerequisite: Government, Democracy, and Citizenship or other introductory
American government course.
Suggested credit: 3/4 of a semester credit. To give full credit, add reading
assignments from Mr. Rivet's supplemental reading list plus an essay on the book(s).
Or combine with another government course.
Course description: Building on the fundamentals from the prerequisite course, this
course will delve deeper into political and economic theory. There will be a deeper
review of constitutional (common) law developed by our courts and a deeper
exploration into the legislative process. There will be more emphasis on class
participation each session, with less straight lecturing.
Course materials: Online resources, a couple books that are readily available in
libraries or cheap on Amazon.
Homework: Much more essay-based assignments than prerequisite course - analysis
and articulation that shows a grasping of the subject matter. Students will study
specific pending legislation in detail and propose their own bills. Answer key
provided.
Introduction to Law; Fundamentals of the American

Legal System
Total classes: 9
Duration: 1 hour
Instructor: Jason Negri, MS JD
Prerequisite: American Government recommended
Suggested credit: 2/3 semester credit Government or Law. For a full semester
credit, combine with another law/government course.
Course description: An introduction to the legal system that surrounds us, governs
us and influences us every day, even if we're not aware of it. This course will give a
basic understanding of some fundamental concepts of the American legal system
and will review some of the different areas of law.
Course materials: Law 101 (3rd ed.) by Jay M. Feinman; various cases and other
materials FREE.
Homework: Approx. 2 hours of preparatory reading & homework per week.
Instructor Access available for this course.
Constitutional Law: Supreme Court Jurisprudence I

Total classes: 12
34
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: At least one semester of American Government or equivalent.
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Government or Law
Course description: Students will explore many different facets of Americas
highest court, such as:
-- Where does the Supreme Court get its power?
-- What IS the power of the Supreme Court vis--vis the executive and legislative
branches?
-- How does a case get to the Supreme Court?
-- What are the ways a Justice can interpret the Constitution (e.g., strict
construction)?
-- How is a Justice nominated to the Supreme Court?
-- What has the Supreme Court held regarding abortion?
-- What is due process?
-- What criminal procedure rights has the Supreme Court carved out?
In answering these questions, the U.S. Constitution as well as the following cases will
be examined in depth: Marbury v. Madison, Ex parte Merryman, Miranda v. Arizona
and Roe v. Wade. Other cases not listed will also be explored.
Course materials: Provided FREE online.
Homework: Weekly reading of course cases and short essay questions. Answer
key/guide provided. Instructor Access available for this course.
The First Amendment: Five Freedoms

Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Basic understanding of American government
Suggested credit: 2/3 semester Government or Law. Combine with other
government/law courses for full credit.
Instructor: Alison Stanley, J.D.
Course description: This class will explore why the First Amendment was included
in the Bill of Rights and what freedoms it protects. Landmark Supreme Court cases
interpreting the First Amendment will be studied to help flesh out the meaning of this
critical freedom. Also, during this class, we will debate the constitutionality of the
HHS Mandate.
Course materials: Instructor will provide free materials on a weekly basis.
Homework: This class does not have a significant amount of homework. Prior to
each class, the student may be required to read an abridged Supreme Court opinion
and answer a few questions. Instructor Access available for this course.
The Federalist Papers

Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Government
Course description: This twelve-week course will explore, in depth, the eighty-five
essays authored by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. Special focus
will be on Federalist Papers No. 10, 39, 51, 78, and 84. There are six topics explored
in the Federalist Papers, as described by Alexander Hamilton in the Federalist No. 1: "
The utility of the UNION to your political prosperity" (No. 2-14); "the insufficiency of
35
the present Confederation to preserve that Union" (No. 15-22); "the necessity of a
government at least equally energetic with the one proposed to the attainment of
this object" (No. 23-36); "the conformity of the proposed constitution to the true
principles of republican government"covered in No. 37 through No. 84; "its analogy
to your own state constitution" and the additional security which its adoption will
afford to the preservation of that species of government, to liberty and to prosperity"
(No. 85). Additionally, the class will reference Anti-Federalist papers, many written
anonymously, which favored a Bill of Rights and countered the strong federal
government advocated in the Federalist Papers.
Course materials: Primary documents and more provided free by Professor Stanley
or found free online.
Homework: Reading the original documents and reading or watching other relevant
material on the Internet. There are short answer homework questions each week and
a final exam at the end of the term. Answer key/guide provided. Instructor Access
Government & Politics, Parts One and Two

Total classes: 20
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: year government. With optional self-study assignments for full
year credit.
Course description: This course presents a broad survey on American government,
the basics of political philosophy and comparisons of governing and political systems.
Studies will include a review of key judicial system functions and features and a mock
legislative committee process.
Course materials: Free online and printable resources provided by instructor.
Homework: Reading, quizzes, essay questions, and online research. Expect 1 to 3
hours each week on homework.
Greek
Introduction to Biblical Greek, Parts One and Two

Total classes: 28
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Basic English Grammar
Suggested grade level: 7th grade and up.
Suggested credit: 1 full year Biblical Greek or foreign language.
Instructor: Dan Egan
Course description: In this course, we begin with the alphabet, which is not as
frightening as might be thought. Then we will progress slowly into Nouns and
adjectives. A part of the class will be given to Christian Greek symbols and their
meanings. We will also focus on Greek roots found in English words to build our
English vocabulary an excellent boost for the SAT vocabulary section. There will be
10-15 minutes of homework every night and progress will be seen in a few short
weeks. By the 3rd week we will be reading short passages from the Greek New
Testament.
Course materials: Basics of Biblical Greek, Deluxe Edition (2nd Edition) by William
Mounce, ISBN # 0310250870,
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0310250870/catholictreas-20
Homework: Daily homework from 5 to 15 minutes in duration each day. Automated
quizzes and answer keys provided.
36
History
Light to the Nations I: A History of Christian

Civilization, Christ to 1750, Parts One and Two
Total classes: 24
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full year History
Instructor: Christopher Zehnder
Course description: This course examines how Christendom the society founded
on the Catholic Church and her Faith came to be. It looks at the cultural,
intellectual, historical, and religious foundations upon which Christendom was raised.
It then examines the events of the Reformation through the beginnings of the 18th
century the period when the unity of Christendom in the Catholic faith was
shattered. The course is divided into two parts. Part One (first semester) begins with
a brief review of history before the birth of Christ and continues to the period of the
Medieval Reformation in the 11th and 12th centuries. Part Two (second semester)
continues the story, from the rise of nation states in the Middle Ages to about 1750.
Course materials: The text for the course (both Part One and Part Two) is Light to
the Nations I: The History of Christian Civilization, published by and available from
www.catholictextbookproject.com. Purchase the teacher's manual for answer keys.
Both the text and the teacher's manual are available in book form or as an eBook.
Homework: Students read assigned portions of the text. Lectures focus on those
events and ideas that are the keys for understanding the historical periods under
consideration. Answers are found in the teachers manual (see course materials).
Dawn of History: Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Persia

(Middle School)
Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester history
Course description: This foundational course in world history will introduce
students to the world's first great civilizations. Focus will be on Mesopotamia, Egypt,
China and Persia, but we will also briefly visit ancient Anatolia, Assyria, India and
Palestine. Students will learn about the material culture, political history, intellectual
life, religious customs and contributions of each society to the advancement of
civilization. In addition, ancient religions will be critically examined in their negative
elements as perversions of natural law and in their positive elements as preparatio
evangeli, preparations for the Gospel.
Course materials: The Pharoahs of Ancient Egypt by Elizabeth
Payne, www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0394846990/unamsanccath-20, as well
as The Usborne Book of the Ancient World, www.amazon.com/Ancient-WorldIllustrated-History/dp/0746012330/unamsanccath-20. Primary documents provided
online free by the instructor.
Homework: Reading and automated quizzes (graded by the computer for immediate
feedback). Estimated commitment: 2-3 hours per week. Essay-style final graded by
the parent.
The Glory of Ancient Greece (Middle School)

37
Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: None. Recommended but not required: Middle School History: Dawn of
History.
Suggested credit: One full semester History
Course description: This course will immerse students in the life and thought of the
ancient Greeks, the founders of western civilization. The course will trace the history
of the Greek peoples from their origins as Bronze Age warriors through their path to
democracy and the ascendancy of the Greek empires under Athens and later
Alexander. We will also focus considerably on the contributions of the Greeks to
philosophy, politics and architecture and read primary sources from ancient Greek
authors like Herodotus, Polybius, Plato and Euripedes.
Course materials: The Book of the Ancient Greeks (Memoria Press),
www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1615381120/unamsanccath-20 and Mythology by
Edith Hamilton, www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00BUFN59M/unamsanccath-20.
Primary documents provided online free by the instructor.
feedback). Estimated commitment: 2-3 hours per week.
The Life and Times of the Ancient Romans (Middle

School)
Total classes: 12
Suggested credit: 1 full semester History
Prerequisite: None. "Foundations of Christian Historiography" is recommended but
not required
Course description: This course traces the origins and development of the Roman
people from their birth as an Iron Age tribe on the banks of the Tiber to their
emergence as a world empire. Besides conventional history, the course also looks at
the cultural life of the Romans (religion, art, literature) as well as show how the early
Church was born out of the Roman milieu of the first, second, and third centuries.
Towards the last few weeks, Roman history and Church history fuse together as the
world transitions from Rome to the Middle Ages.
Course materials: The Romans by Anthony Kamm,
feedback). Plan at least one to two hours on homework each week in addition to
watching the lecture.
Res Publica Romana (Middle School)

Total classes: 10
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: semester History or Ancient History. Add another course or
reading for full credit.
Course description: "Res Publica Romana" is a middle school course exploring the
history of the Roman Republic (500-27 BC). This ancient era was one of great stability
and very different from the Roman monarchy that preceded it and the Roman Empire
38
that followed it. Indeed, the government of the United States is modeled, in part, on
the Roman republican government.
This course will explore following: (1) the primary historical events of the ancient
Roman Republic, including Second Punic War and the ruler Julius Caesar (2) the
governmental system of the Romans and its strengths and weaknesses, (3) a
comparison of the Roman governmental model to the United States Constitutional
government, and (4) an introduction of the Roman gods.
Course materials: All course materials are provided free by the instructor.
Homework: Weekly assignments and reading of approx. 30 to 60 minutes. Answer
keys provided. Additionally, a final project is assigned.
The Crusades: On A Quest for Christendom (Middle

School)
Total classes: 10
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None.
Suggested credit: semester History. Add another course or reading for full credit.
Course description: What shaped the Middle Ages were the "Crusades," military
campaigns endorsed by the Popes for the greater glory of God. This class will define
what a "Crusade" is, maps, purposes and effects of the Crusades as well as
investigate important figures of the Catholic Church during this era.
Course materials: Everything provided free by the instructor
Homework: Homework will be approximately to 1 hour per week. There will be a
final project and a final exam at the completion of the course.
The French Revolution: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity,

or Death (Middle School)
Total classes: 10
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: semester History. Add another course or reading for a full credit.
Course Description: In 1789, a three-part revolution began in France due to grave
inequality between the three classes (Estates), the distressed financial condition of
the French government and the widespread dissemination of Enlightenment ideals.
The rebellion was radical and violent, leading to the abolition of the monarchy and
execution of King Louis XVI. Although the monarchy returned to this country, the
French Revolution drastically altered Europe forever by abolishing feudalism and
promoting the principles of equality and natural right.
Course materials: All course materials will be supplied free by the instructor.
Homework: Homework is approximately 30 minutes a week consisting of original
reading from the time period, as well as educational videos. A final project also will be
assigned which will be presented at the last class. Moreover, a final exam will be
given.
The Rise and Fall of the Missions of Alta California,

Parts One and Two (Middle School)
Total classes: 24
Prerequisite: None
39
Suggested grade level: 7th grade and up

Suggested credit: 1 full year History or American History
Instructor: Christopher Zehnder, MA
Course description: This course will tell the story of the mission system that Fray
Junpero Serra established in California, the various struggles he and his successors
faced in bringing Christ and civilization to the primitive peoples of California and the
opposition they faced from both Spanish and California officials. It is a dramatic story
that includes many dramatic events: Indian rebellion, heroic sacrifice, and
martyrdom. It is a tragic story, too, for it tells of the promise of the mission system
and how it was ultimately destroyed.
Course materials: Instructor provides texts (primary source and otherwise) in PDF
format to students.
Homework: Weekly reading. Lectures will focus on those events and ideas that are
the keys for understanding the historical periods under consideration. Essay tests
given after Week III, Week V, and Week VII.
The American Revolution; Liberty! (Middle School)

Total classes: 10
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: semester History or American History
Course description: Students will explore the following:
-- The Road to the Revolution.
-- What makes people push for change?
-- What was the cost of British troops in the Colonies?
-- What was the cause and effect of the Stamp Act?
-- The Boston Massacre
-- The Boston Tea Party
-- Declaration of Independence
-- What does it mean to be American?
-- How have societys perceptions of liberty changed over time?
-- Colonial Leaders
-- British Heroes
-- Great Battles of the Revolutionary War
-- Daily Life of a Revolutionary War Soldier
-- The Treaty of Paris
Course materials: Provided FREE by the instructor.
Homework: Short written essays, reading assignments, and final. Answer keys
provided. Instructor Access available for this course.
The Civil War Years; A Nation Divided (Middle School)

Total classes: 10
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: semester History or American History. Add another history
course or extra reading for full credit.
Instructor: Alison Stanley
Course description: This course will explore the political, economic and legal issues
that existed during the Civil War years, including federalism, slavery, the Dred Scott
decision, the suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus, the Emancipation
Proclamation, and the Gettsyburg Address. Key figures and major battles will be
40
discussed and life as a soldier will be investigated. Moreover, there will be a brief look
at the Reconstruction period. Any pertinent Catholic statements on the War will be
introduced.
Homework: Short written essays, reading assignments and final. Answer keys
World War I; What Price Glory (Middle School)

Total classes: 10
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: semester History or American History. Add another course or
extra reading for full credit.
Course description: World War One was known at the time as the Great War. It was
the War to End All Wars. However, little was won and much was lost. We will explore
the events leading up the World War I, famous generals and battles and any relevant
legal issues that arose in America during this time period.
Course materials: Provided free online or by the instructor.
Homework: Original sources and legal documents will be reviewed, as well as short
videos watched and analyzed. Answer key provided.
World War II; Allies vs. Axis (Middle School)

Total classes: 10
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None. Recommended but not required: World I: What Price Glory
offered Fall 2013.
Suggested credit: semester History or American History. Add another course for
full credit.
Course description: We will explore the events leading up the World War II, famous
generals and battles and any relevant legal issues that arose in America during this
time period.
Course materials: Provided free online or by the instructor.
Homework: Original sources and legal documents will be reviewed, as well as short
videos watched and analyzed. Answer key provided.
Making of the Modern World: Light to the Nations,

Parts One and Two
Total classes: 24
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggesting credit: 1 full year World History
Instructor: Christopher Zehnder, MA
Course description: This course examines how the Modern World --- our world --came to be. It looks at the revolutionary ideas that created, first in Europe and then
the entire world, an understanding of man and his relationship to God, the Church,
and the state that was in many respects radically different from the understanding of
these things that prevailed in the Middle Ages. Ideas influence deeds, and thus the
course examines historical events, showing how they flowed from the struggle
41
between those who held to traditional conceptions and those who embraced the new
ideas. Events influence ideas, and thus we study how the events of history helped
modify and develop both the new ideas and the traditional vision of the world. The
course is divided into two parts. Part I (first semester) begins with the scientific
revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries and concludes with the attempt steered by
Prince Klemens von Metternich, to reestablish the ancient regime after the fall of
Napoleon's empire. Part II (second semester) continues the story, beginning with a
study of Romanticism and concluding with Vatican II and the post-conciliar world.
Course materials: The text for the course (both Part One and Part Two) is Light to
the Nations II: The Making of the Modern World, published by and available from
http://www.catholictextbookproject.com/. Purchase the Teacher Manual (eBook is
available inexpensively) for answer key to end-of-chapter review questions.
consideration.
Foundations of Christian Historiography

It is recommended that high school students take this short course before taking
other history courses as it lays a good foundation for all high school history studies.
Total classes: 4
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester. For full credit, combine with another history
course.
Course description: Foundations of Christian Historiography explores the discipline
of history from a Christian worldview. This course will educate students in the various
ways people have viewed history throughout the ages, discuss the importance of
retaining a Christian framework in our pursuit of historical studies, and train students
to see subtle (or not so subtle) anti-Christian presuppositions in popular portrayals of
historic events. Students will also learn how to prepare and draft research papers on
historical topics, including how to utilize source material and cite sources. This class
is essential for anyone interested in studying history at the college level and will be
helpful for all Catholics, for whom history, tradition and theology are so tightly
interwoven.
Course materials: Available free by the instructor or online.
Homework: This is a lecture course with no homework. Optional homework with
answer keys provided. Optional recommended reading list also supplied.
History/Theology: Church History; Trinitarian

Total classes: 4
Duration: 1 hour
Instructor: Monica Ashour, M.T.S., M.Hum.
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester History or Theology. Add another course for full
credit.
Course description: Christs kenosis and appointment of apostles, evangelists,
pastors, or teachers (Eph 4:7-11)] illuminates the change in Christs life from being
formed by history to forming history. All existences, both before him and after him,
receive their meaning from Christs existence (Von Balthasar, A Theology of History,
76). As such, in this course, the students explore the historical and transcendent
aspects of the Church from its inception in the heart of the Father (Catechism of
42
the Catholic Church) to its eschatologicalits end of timeexistence.

Course goal: The student will examine Trinitarian Theology (the Church that was in
the heart of the Father), through the Churchs preparation in the Old Testament, to
Jesus founding and His sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The student, moved
by such knowledge of Gods love for His people, will, in turn, be devoted even more
readily to the Church.
Course materials: Optional reading assignments provided.
Homework: None
Dawn of History: Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Persia

Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester History or Ancient History
Course description: This foundational course in world history will introduce
students to the world's first great civilizations. Focus will be on Mesopotamia, Egypt,
China and Persia, but we will also briefly visit ancient Anatolia, Assyria, India and
Palestine. Students will learn about the material culture, political history, intellectual
life, religious customs and contributions of each society to the advancement of
civilization. In addition, ancient religions will be critically examined in their negative
elements as perversions of natural law and in their positive elements as preparatio
evangeli, preparations for the Gospel.
Course materials: The Anvil of Civilization by Leonard
Cottrell, www.amazon.com/Anvil-Civilization-LeonardCottrell/dp/0451613678/unamsanccath-20. Additional primary source documents
provided online free by the instructor.
Homework: Weekly automated quizzes and readings. Estimated commitment: 2-3
hours per week.
The Glory of Ancient Greece

Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None. Recommended but not required: Foundations of Christian
Historiography and Dawn of History.
Course description: This course will immerse students in the life and thought of the
ancient Greeks, the founders of western civilization. The course will trace the history
of the Greek peoples from their origins as Bronze Age warriors, through their path to
democracy and the ascendancy of the Greek empires under Athens and later
Alexander. We will also focus considerably on the contributions of the Greeks to
philosophy, politics and architecture and read primary sources from ancient Greek
authors like Herodotus, Polybius, Plato and Euripedes.
Course materials: The Greek Way by Edith Hamilton, www.amazon.com/gp/offerlisting/0393310779/unamsanccath-20, in addition to primary documents provided
online free by the instructor.
Homework: Weekly quizzes, weekly readings, with an essay-style Final Exam.
Estimated commitment: 2-3 hours per week.
The Life and Times of the Ancient Romans

Total classes: 12
43
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th grade, but more geared towards 11th-12th.
9th-10th are acceptable so long as student has mature to advanced reading
comprehension.
Prerequisite: None. "Foundations of Christian Historiography" is recommended but
not required
Course description: This course traces the origins and development of the Roman
people from their birth as an Iron Age tribe on the banks of the Tiber to their
emergence as a world empire. Besides conventional history, the course also looks at
the cultural life of the Romans (religion, art, literature) as well as show how the early
Church was born out of the Roman milieu of the first, second, and third centuries.
Towards the last few weeks, Roman history and Church history fuse together as the
world transitions from Rome to the Middle Ages.
Course materials: The Romans by Anthony Kamm,
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0415458250/catholictreas-20.
Homework: Weekly automate quizzes and readings. High school version also has
weekly short essay questions. Instructor Access available for the high school
course.
Catholic Middle Ages

Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Course description: An in depth study of the cultural, political, intellectual and
artistic life of the Middle Ages with a focus on the contributions of the Catholic Church
to medieval civilization.
Course materials: Evolution of the Medieval World by David Nicholas is the required
textbook (www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0582092574/catholictreas-20). It is
recommended to purchase the paperback used as it can be found quite
inexpensively. For students who would like to delve deeper into the study of the
Middle Ages, Mr. Campbell provides an additional reading list of living books,
homeschoolconnectionsonline.blogspot.com/2010/08/catholic-middle-ages-readinglist.html.
Homework: Homework consists of reading assignments and the completion of a
series of mini-essay questions. Instructor Access available for this course.
The Crusades: Defending Christendom

Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None.
Suggested grade level: 9th through 12th grade
Course description: Touching every aspect of social, political and religious life
during the Middle Ages (1095-1798 AD) were the "Crusades." These were not
unprovoked wars led by Christians against non-Christians. This class will dispel the
myths of the Crusades in order to further the student's understanding of authentic
Catholic Church history.
44
More specifically, this class will explore the following: (1) the four essential
ingredients to a "crusade," (2) the various Popes who called or endorsed Crusades,
including Pope Urban II and Innocent III, (3) the preaching of St. Bernard of Clairvaux,
(4) the political and social structure of the Eastern and European world during the
Middle Ages, and (5) intricacies of various Crusades.
Course materials: Everything provided free by the instructor.
Homework: Homework is approximately 1-2 hours per week. There is a final exam at
the completion of the course. Answer keys provided.
The Rending of Christendom (1417-1648)

Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th grade. 9th to 10th grade also if they have
above average reading skills.
Instructor: Mr. Phillip Campbell
Course description: This 12-week course will acquaint students with the pertinent
people and ideologies that led directly or indirectly to the outbreak of the Protestant
Revolt. Protestant ideas will be contrasted with Catholic theology throughout in order
to give the course an apologetic dimension in addition to the historical. Students will
see how the ideologies of Protestantism affected the various nations of Europe
politically and how many of the attitudes and assumptions of modernity are rooted in
16th and 17th century developments. Students will also learn how the Church
responded to these changes to the traditional order.
Course materials: Readings are taken from The Rending of Christendom Primary
Document Catholic Study Course by Phillip Campbell. Guidance in grading the essays
can be found in The Rending of Christendom Answer Key booklet, sold separately.
Homework: Homework will consist of readings from source book, as well as the
completion of a series of mini-essay questions and short quizzes weekly. Estimated
homework time all week, including re-watching recordings and review notes, is 3.5
hours per week.
Early Modern Europe: 1648-1789

Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: None. Introduction to Christian Historiography and Rending of
Christendom recommended.
Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th grade; 9th to 10th grade with above average
reading and comprehension skills.
Suggested credit: 1 full semester History or World History
Course description: As Europe recovers from the age of the religious wars,
advances in science and the opening up of the New World will lead to new challenges
that will first strain and then finally break the old order of Christendom.
Course materials: From Absolutism to Revolution 1648-1848 by Herbert H. Rowen,
ed. by Norman F. Cantor (1965),
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000AN3EYG/unamsanccath-20 (A quick
online search revealed more than 50 used copies available between $1 and $5).
Additional primary source readings provided free by the instructor
Homework: Five hours per week, including attending the live class, watching
recordings, completing reading assignments, online quizzes, and occasional short
answer or mini-essay questions.
45
Modern European History; 1789-1991

Total classes: 14
Prerequisite: Recommended but not required: Rending of Christendom
Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th grade. 9th to 10th grade students
with above average reading and comprehension skills can also do well.
Suggested credit: 1 full semester History or Modern History
Course description: This class will acquaint students with the people,
movements and events that have contributed to the formation of Modern
Europe, defined as the period of the French Revolution to the present.
Economic, political, military and ideological trends will be examined with an
aim of helping students understand the problems of contemporary Europe
and those areas once under European control.
Homework: Homework consists of textbook readings coupled with primary
source readings provided by the instructor with weekly quizzes and
occasional essays.
History and Culture of Imperial Russia

Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester History or Fine Arts
Instructor: Dr. Carol Reynolds (Professor Carol)
Course description: Beginning with ancient Russia and the medieval princes, well
study the major developments that shaped Imperial Russia through the Bolshevik
Revolution. Well cover the roots of Russian Christianity, the effect of European
influence, and the primary cultural and military development under the Riurik and
Romanov tsars. Well examine architecture, folk art, music, and the key contributions
of Russian authors Pushkin, Gogol, Dostoevsky, and Tolstoi. We will also study factors
that led to the fall of the Romanov tsars and the rise of the Bolsheviks. Well end with
a look at the arts and culture in the early Soviet period. Taught in an interactive
weekly webinar, the course requires the viewing of a one-hour pre-recorded class
session with Professor Carol in preparation for the webinar.
The course also will feature a number of video sequences filmed by Professor Carol
on location in Russia.
Course materials: Land of the Firebird by Susanne Massie [Hearttree Press], 1980.
Used and new copies (paperback and hard copy) are available at
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/096441841X/catholictreas-20. Subscription
with Prof. Carols website.
Homework: In addition to the required pre-recorded class session in preparation of
the weekly webinar, each unit contains a homework assignment that reinforces and
expands the class sessions. These assignments are rich in visual images, music, and
clips from historical documentaries. Approximate time needed to devote to the
assignments: 2 hours/week. Students should also allot 1-2 hours weekly for reading
in Land of the Firebird.
Tests: Midterm and a final exam.
North American History: From Columbus to the 20th

Century, Parts One and Two
46
Total classes: 24
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: No prerequisite. Recommended: History of the Modern World
Suggested credit: 1 full year History or American History
Instructor: Christopher Zehnder
Course description: This course examines the history of the major civilizations of
North America from the discovery of America in 1492 to the early 1970s. We will
discuss the events, cultural movements, and ideas that led to the founding of the
United States and contributed to its development as both a major power and
influence both in North America and the world as a whole. The course examines the
development of Latin America after the 18th century by examining concurrently the
history of Mexico and thus provides a counterpoint to U.S. history by looking at how
the ideas that predominated in Anglo-America worked themselves out in a very
different social and cultural context. In addition to the common themes discussed in
standard American history courses, this course highlights the role of the Catholic
Church and the Catholic faithful in U.S. and Latin American history and how Catholics
adjusted themselves to a civilization that in many respects was very different from
what they had known in Europe. The course is divided into two parts. Part I (first
semester) begins with Columbus' discovery of America to the beginning of the Civil
War in the United States. Part II (second semester) continues the story, beginning
with the Civil War and concluding with the beginnings of our contemporary world in
the early 1970s.
Course materials: The text for the course (both Part One and Part Two) is Lands of
Hope and Promise, A History of North America, published by and available from
www.catholictextbookproject.com. The text is available only as an eBook at this time.
consideration.
The History of Latin America

Total classes: 13
Prerequisite: None. Recommended: Introduction to Christian
Historiography and Modern European History.
Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th grade; 9th and 10th grade students with above
average reading and comprehension skills.
Suggested credit: 1 full semester World History or American History
Course description: Americans routinely hear about problems all over the globe,
but seldom do we have the historical hindsight to understand the origin of these
conflicts. In "The History of Latin America", students will survey of the history and
culture of Central and South America, from the Spanish and Portuguese colonial
period through the age of the revolutions and into the region's troubled modern
period. Focus will be on South and Central America but will also touch on the
Caribbean with an emphasis on illustrating how the region's past relates to its
modern character.
Course outline:
Week 1: Geography: Introduction to the geography of south and central America
Week 2: Pre-Columbian Peoples: Cultures of south and central America prior to
Columbus
Week 3: First Contact: Initial contacts with the Europeans and the Conquest
Week 4: Brazil: The calamitous history of South America's largest nation
Week 5: The Caribbean: Culture and history of the Caribbean islands
Week 6: The Catholic Church: The role of the Church in creating the culture of Latin
47
America
Week 7: Culture and Society: Distinctive cultural characteristics of Latin America
Week 8: New Spain: The creation of Mexico
Week 9: The Age of Liberty: Revolution rocks Latin America throughout the 19th
century
Week 10: Banana Republics: Latin America and U.S. influence in the early 20th
century
Week 11: The Strong Men: Pinochet, Peron, and the Latin American dictatorships
Week 12: The Spectre of Communism: Latin America's experiment with socialism and
communism
Week 13: Unresolved Issues: Contemporary problems in Latin America
Course materials: Provided free by instructor.
Homework: Five hours per week, including attending the live class, watching
recordings, completing reading assignments, online quizzes, and occasional short
answer or mini-essay questions.
Early American History (1492 to 1763); Discovery to

the Dawn of Revolution
Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester History or American History
Course description: This course will take students through the formative years of
our continent, beginning with the Spanish and Portuguese explorations of the New
World, leading up through the settlements of Jamestown, Plymouth, and the Jesuit
missions in New France, and culminating in the great war for the continent waged
between France and Britain from 1755 to 1763, setting the stage for the American
War of Independence one decade later, highlighting specifically the contributions
made by Catholics in the settlement of North America.
Course materials: All materials provided FREE by the instructor.
Homework: Weekly reading and automated quizzes.
U.S. History: Revolution, Republic and Union (17631865)

Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester History or American History
Instructor: Philip Campbell
Course description: This class will lead students from America's War of
Independence to the surrender of Lee at Appomattox, focusing on the concepts of
regionalism and nationalism as the United States develops throughout the 19th
century, and highlighting the contributions of Catholics to our nation's development.
Homework: Weekly reading and automated quizzes.
History Camp: The Great Depression; 1929 to 1941

Total classes: 4
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
48

Suggested credit: 1/3 semester History, American History, or Economics. Add
another course for full credit.
Course description: This course helps students understand one of the most pivotal
events in American history, the Great Depression. We will examine the development
of banking in the United States as a backdrop to the events of 1929, study the Wall
Street Crash of October 29th, 1929 and its consequences and follow the unfolding of
the Depression around the world and the United States' attempt to mitigate the
disaster. This class will also lead students in comparing the financial markets of 1929
to those of today and speculate on whether or not another disaster of the magnitude
of the Depression could happen again.
Course materials: There is no mandatory reading. However, The Great Depression
by Robert McElvaine is recommended,
Homework: Short answer assignments. Answer keys provided.
History Camp: Understanding the Second Vatican

Council
Total classes: 4
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester History, Modern History, or Theology. For full credit,
add another course or recommended reading.
Course description: This course guides students through the history of the
tumultuous years surrounding the Second Vatican Council. Students study the
important events and persons of the Conciliar years and dig into the sixteen
documents promulgated by the Council, including Lumen Gentium, Sacrosanctum
Concilium, Gaudium et Spes, Nostra Aetete and Dei Verbum.
Course materials: Recommended (not mandatory) reading: The Ratzinger Report
by Joseph Cardinal
Ratzinger (www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/089870085X/unamsanccath-20),
What Went Wrong with Vatican II by Ralph McInerny
(www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0918477794/unamsanccath-20), and The Rhine
Flows into the Tiber by Ralph Wiltgern
(www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0895551861/unamsanccath-20).
Homework: Short answer assignments. Answer keys provided.
Modern American History; 1865 to 2000

Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None. Any background in early American History helpful, but not
required. Mr. Campbells Great Depression History Camp is a good addendum to this
course.
Suggested credit: 1 full semester History, American History, or Modern History
Course description: Beginning in the ashes of the Civil War, this course will take
students through the industrial revolution and into modern America, helping them to
understand complex events as the rise of American industrialism, the Great
Depression, the Cold War, Vietnam War, cultural revolution of the 1960's, America's
involvement in the Middle East and much more, all from a Catholic perspective.
49
Course materials: Textbook: A People and A Nation Vol. II, 6th edition, by Norton,
Katzman, et al. Make to get the inexpensive 6th edition,
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0618005528/unamsanccath-20.
Homework: Homework consists of approximately 20-30 pages of textbook reading
per week, plus briefer readings from primary sources that will be provided free online.
Students are expected to complete 2 to 4 essays weekly. These are good "higher
level thinking" questions for further discussion with parents. Answers can very greatly
and often there isn't a single right or wrong answer.
World History: 12 Inventions That Revolutionized the

World
Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester History or World History
Course description: This class will look at the development of twelve of the world's
most revolutionary inventions, focusing not only on their mechanical development,
but also on how they changed culture and altered the way man views his place in the
cosmos. Man's capacity to invent is a result of his being made in the image of God,
the original Creator. This class explores the creative capacity of mankind and how
man has shaped and reshaped his own self-understanding through his inventions,
beginning with the alphabet and ending with the Internet.
Course materials: Online sources will be provided as needed by the instructor. No
textbook required.
Homework: Homework consists of automated quizzes, plus a semester-long
research project/paper with different components due at various intervals throughout
the course. Instructor Access available for this course.
Latin
Latin I Boot Camp: Introduction to Latin

Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 2/3 semester Latin or Foreign Language. Add another course for
full credit.
Instructor: Catherine Alvis
Course description: Students new to Latin will be introduced to the fundamental
forms of Latin, beginning with 1st and 2nd declension, and also present, imperfect
and future tenses of verbs. We will explore Roman Culture, English derivatives of
Latin and famous Romans in addition to developing a solid foundation for students
looking to enter Latin I in the fall.
Course materials: Cassel's Latin-English Dictionary. However, it is not required if
you already have a Latin-English dictionary.
Homework: Up to 30 minutes a day.
Latin II Boot Camp: Grammar Intensive

Total classes: 12
50

Prerequisite: The student who wishes to enroll in this camp has at least learned the
1st through 3rd noun and adjective declensions as well as the 1st through 4th
conjugations of the present tense. If the student has not learned this, he or she is
encouraged to take Latin I Camp or enroll in Latin II camp with the understanding
that it will be difficult and fast-paced.
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Latin or Foreign Language
Course description: The focus of this camp is grammar. Each class will consist of
vigorous grammar drills, a quiz, and grammar practice with the teacher, translation,
and composition. The student who takes this camp is encouraged to follow with Latin
II.
rules and of the Ave Maria, Pater Noster, and Credo. Homework is estimated to be 1
hour per day.
Course materials: Latin-English dictionary. Other materials are available FREE
online.
Latin II/III Boot Camp: Cattus Petasatus

Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Latin I or equivalent.
Suggested credit: 2/3 semester Latin or Foreign Language. Add another course for
full credit.
Instructor: Catherine Alvis
Course description: Together we will work through translating familiar fables in
Latin including Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat. We will work our way through a couple
of other well-known stories, learn vocabulary, and explore some history of Rome.
Course materials: Cassel's Latin-English Dictionary. However, it is not required if
you already have a Latin-English dictionary. Other materials will be provided by the
instructor FREE. Optional: Cattus Petasatus by Dr. Suess (Cat in the Hat translated to
Latin).
Homework: Up to 30 minutes a day.
Middle School Latin, Parts One and Two

Total classes: 28
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 7th and 8th grade
Suggested credit: 1 full year Latin or Foreign Language
Instructor: Emily Henry
51
Course description: Students will be introduced to basic Latin grammar and

vocabulary through fun activities and homework assignments. They will also be
encouraged to use certain online resources to help them develop good study habits.
This course will prepare students for Latin One. Materials will be supplied by the
instructor.
Course materials: Latin dictionary. All other course materials provided free by the
Mrs. Henry.
Homework: Students should spend a half hour a day, four days a week on their
homework. Instructor Access available for this course.
Latin I, Parts One and Two (Wheelock)

Total classes: 24
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Course description: Students new to Latin will be introduced to all verb and noun
forms and will translate famous Latin anecdotes from Wheelock's 'Sententiae
Antiquae'. English Grammar will be emphasized in addition to discussing famous
Roman speakers. Students will have a more comprehensive understanding of Latin
forms than in Latin 1/2.
Course materials: The first half of Wheelock Latin. Digital answer keys available
free from Wheelocks publisher.
Homework: An average of one hour per day 4 days a week. Students assigned
practice sentences in class, and memorize vocabulary and new forms with each new
lesson. Vocabulary and translation quizzes given periodically. Instructor Access
Latin II, Parts One and Two (Wheelock)

Total classes: 24
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Latin I
Course description: Students who have completed a full year of Latin are welcome
to Latin II. Students will become proficient in both English Grammar and in all Latin
forms. We will also discuss Roman thinkers and their influence on the Roman
Republic. From time to time we will also translate some short stories from
"Wheelock's Short Stories".
Course materials: The second half of Wheelock Latin. Digital answer keys available
free from Wheelocks publisher.
Homework: An average of one to one half hour 4 days a week. Students memorize
all new forms including any new vocabulary. Translation and vocabulary quizzes given
periodically. Instructor Access available for this course.
Latin III/IV College Preparatory, Parts One and Two

52
Total classes: 24
Duration: I hour
Prerequisite: Two to three years of Latin, has completed the Wheelock's textbook,
or equivalent.
Course description: This course is an advanced study of Latin for students who
enjoy the language, have covered all the basic grammatical concepts, and are still
eager for more! We will focus primarily on translation, with a few grammatical
pointers/mini-lessons as needed. We will work through portions of Vergil's Aeneid,
translating the original epic poem from Latin into English. Students will be required to
prepare a certain number of lines for each class. We will cover our translations
together; discuss the grammar and syntax, etc. We will also explore other ancient
authors such as Augustine and will translate portions of the Latin Mass together. This
course will prepare students for college level Latin.
Course materials: Pharr's Aeneid
(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0865164215/catholictreas-20)
Homework: Students will spend 1-2 hours per day (depending on proficiency in
Latin) on translations. This course will cover portions of Vergil's Aeneid, the Latin
Mass, and St. Augustine. Students will gain practice with both ancient, Church, and
Medieval Latin. There will be two exams. Instructor Access available for this
course.
Latin I, Parts One and Two (Dooge)

Total classes: 24
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: One full year Latin or Foreign Language
Course Description: The course focuses on the students ability to compose Latin,
allowing for a greater mastery of the language than what is often found with other
approaches that focus on translation. Each class will consist of rigorous grammar
drills, a quiz, some history, new grammar presentations, and practice. At the end of
the year, the student should be able at the very least to compose a short, simple
story using the present and future tenses. This will be tested with a final exam.
Course materials: Required Text: "Latin for Beginners" by Benjamin L. D'ooge
(available FREE online); Recommended: Cassell's Latin-English Dictionary.
rules and of various Roman speeches and Church prayers. Answer key provided.
Latin II, Parts One and Two (Dooge)

Total classes: 24
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Latin I or equivalent: Students who wish to take this course should at
least be able to decline nouns and adjectives of the 1st through 3rd declensions and
work with verbs of the 1st through 4th conjugations in the present tense from memory.
They should also be able to compose short Latin sentences.
Suggested credit: One full year Latin or Foreign Language
Course Description: The course focuses on the students ability to compose Latin,
allowing for a greater mastery of the language than what is often found with other
53
approaches that focus on translation. Each class will consist of rigorous grammar
drills, a quiz, some history, new grammar presentations, and practice. At the end of
the year, the student should be able at the very least to compose a short story,
history, or poem using the entire active and passive verb tenses. This will be tested
with a final exam.
Course materials: Required Text: "Latin for Beginners" by Benjamin L. D'ooge;
Recommended: Cassell's Latin-English Dictionary.
rules and of various Roman speeches and Church prayers. Answer key provided.
Life Skills
How to be an Excellent Student: Note Taking, Test

Taking, and How to Get an A
Total classes: 4
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester Life Skills or Text Prep
Instructor: E. B. Conroy, MA
Course description: This course is designed to help your student become strong,
confident, and able to study for any high school level course with success.
Course materials: All materials provided free from the instructor.
Homework: This is a lecture course with approximately 2 hours of outside-of-class
work per week.
Job Search Skills

Total classes: 4
Duration: 1 hour
Instructor: Derek Prentice
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 11th to college level
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester Life Skills
Course description: Your parents have given you a great education in your
homeschool. Some of you may be on your way to college. Are you ready to take your
education and skills to the workplace? This course will teach you how to find and get
your dream job.
Course materials: Available FREE online.
Homework: Prepare a plan for your future career.
Personal Finance
Total classes: 4
Duration: 45-55 minutes
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester Life Skills or Personal Finance
Instructor: David Harris, Ph.D.
Course description: Students will gain an understanding of very basic financial
literacy. The course includes discussions of concepts like spending, saving,
budgeting, credit, and what financial matters should concern students as they begin
to enter adulthood.
Course materials: Available FREE to students online.
Homework: None
54
Literature
Middle School Introduction to Literature: Why and

How to Study Literature
We recommend starting your middle school literature studies with this course. It will
help you succeed in your other literature courses.
Total classes: 6
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: semester Literature, Literary Analysis, or English. Combine
with another literature or writing course for full credit.
Instructor: Geralyn Rea, ME
Course description: Studying literature is a part of all school success -- and middle
school is the time to start. A solid introduction to literature -- including how we read
and study literature -- gives you a strong foundation that goes through high school
and into college. This course introduces students to the beauty and importance of the
world of literature, in both school and our daily lives. Different types and genres
of literature will be introduced, and special focus will on giving you the tools that
prepare you for literary analysis in future academic courses. This course will conclude
with a discussion of specific literary works from different genres, including the
practice of basic analysis skills. After taking this course, your student should be ready
to move into any other literature course with confidence.
Course materials: All reading materials provided by the instructor.
Homework: Reading and completing coursework, including short writing
assignments and quizzes. Expect at least an hour of homework per week, depending
upon the students reading level.
Literature/Writing: The Heroic in Arthurian Literature

(Middle School)
Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: The ability and willingness to read approximately 10-15 pages per
day; write 2 page papers every 3 weeks; a fair to ample interest in fantasy or
medieval romance; and a love for things knightly!
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Literature or English
Instructor: Dayspring Brock
Course description: This course is for those who have heard of King Arthur and are
intrigued by the twisting, winding tales that surround his legend. Our theme for the
course will be The Heroic. These stories often show how the hero or the knight finds
his way through a maze of temptation to find the good. The medieval times were
complex and shifting times. A hero who was capable of facing the unknown and
finding courage and hope through the aid of faith in God presented hope for mankind.
Sound familiar? We will explore what medieval heroes do that made them heroic and
what happens when heroes lose their footing.
Course materials:
1. The Once and Future King by Terence Hanbury White, 2. The Romance of Tristan
and Iseult (Dover Books ) J. Bedier (Adapter), Hilaire Belloc 3. Sir Gawain and the
Green Knight; Pearl; [and] Sir Orfeo by J.R.R. Tolkien 4. Idylls of the King and a New
Selection of Poems (Signet Classics) Alfred Tennyson
55
Its best if you use the same publications as listed here. There will be a couple of
readings that are excerpts from texts. The instructor will provide them FREE as PDF
files.
Homework: Once-a-week quizzes. Papers due every 2 to 3 weeks.
Mark Twain; Friends, Fiends, and Freedom in the

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Middle School)
Total classes: 6
Duration: 1 hour
Instructor: Dayspring Brock
Prerequisite: Ability to read, understand, and enjoy Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Suggested credit: semester Literature or English. For full credit, add another
literature or a writing course.
Course description: In his lecture notes concerning his most profound work,
"Huckleberry Finn," Mark Twain says, "a sound heart is a surer guide than an illtrained conscience." One of the most beloved American novels written, this story of a
young Odyssean wanderer discovers friendship and loyalty through the runaway
slave, Jim, and discovers a profound lesson in trusting in the worth of another human
being over and against the societal prejudice of the time. Though the work can often
be taught as a study on American racism, this course will mostly focus on themes of
friendship, loyalty, and the value of the human heart. Students at this age enjoy the
masterful plot of this story and will be thoroughly challenged through its reading and
lectures. Vocabulary and grammar will be reading based and the paper written will
cover a particular theme of the work. The first three lectures will cover the work and
the final three lectures will concern the writing.
Course materials: The Penguin Classic of Huckleberry Finn, ISBN-10: 0143105949.
You are free to use any edition, but the student would be best served if the page
numbers correspond with the teachers edition.
Homework: Vocabulary, reading quizzes, essay assignment, and a Final Exam.
Answer keys provided.
Traitors, Traditions, True Patriots: Literature About

the French and American Revolutions for Middle
School
Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Literature or English
Instructor: Dayspring Brock, MHum
Course description: The literature about these "worst and best of times" is
poignant for our own time. When traitors looked like patriots and patriots turn into
traitors, confusion and deception rued the day. What was needed was a clever yet
heroic loyalist who promoted the true aims of revolution: justice, sacrifice, and love
for one's country. Through the storytelling prowess of either Dickens, Hugo, Dumas,
among others, we will look at how these patriots are made. Aimed for middle school
students, this course will engage the writings and thought of early revolutionary
thinkers and poets by engaging students in the question on every one's mind at the
time: When is it necessary to overthrow a king? Is revolution sometimes necessary?
We will stake out our claims and read three works whose narratives take up these
questions through rich, complex plots and characters. Traitors beware!
56
Class readings and annotations will be expected to be completed by each class time.
There will be a class lecture with discussion built in for each week's class. The first
work we will discuss is the book by Ester Forbes entitled Johnny Tremain. This novel
must be read by our first meeting.
Course materials: Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes; Tale of Two Cities by Charles
Dickens; and The Scarlett Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy.
Homework: Reading of the books and computer quizzes before each class time.
Approximately, 2 hours per week.
Drama and the Human Spirit for Middle School, Parts

One and Two
Total classes: 24
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full year Literature
Instructor: Kevin O'Brien
Course description: From its beginning in ancient Greece and from its inception in
England in the context of the liturgy, drama has always been about man's relation to
God (or "the gods"). This survey course will examine some of the great works of
drama and comedy, focusing on how dramatic art grapples with the question of the
meaning of life and the revelation of God in the human heart.
Course outline:
Class 1: Introduction and Overview
Class 2: Ancient Greece I - selections from Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus
Class 3: Ancient Rome - selections from Plautus & Terence and the Story of St.
Genesius, Patron of Actors
Class 4: Medieval Drama - Mystery and Miracle Plays (various short examples will be
read and discussed)
Class 5: Medieval Drama II - Pageant Plays and selections from Everyman
Class 6: Renaissance Drama - selections from Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe
Class 7: Renaissance Drama - Macbeth by William Shakespeare - I
Class 8: Renaissance Drama - Macbeth by William Shakespeare - II
Class 9: Renaissance Drama - selections from Much Ado about Nothing by William
Shakespeare
Class 10: Restoration and Continental Theater - The Forced Marriage by Moliere
Class 11: Restoration and Continental Theater - Commedia del Arte and other forms
Class 12: Conclusion and Review
Course materials: Will be provided free by the instructor in the form of PDF's and
eBooks; scenes from filmed versions of the plays will be shown during class time.
Homework: Each play should be read before that week's class. Frequent short
quizzes, consisting of multiple choice and essay questions Expect no more than 3 to
4 hours homework per week.
How to Read Great Literature

Total classes: 6
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: The desire to read great literature
Suggested grade level: 10th & above (including adults)
Suggested credit: 1/2 semester Literature or Literary Analysis
Instructor: Joseph Pearce
Course description: The purpose of the course will be to teach students to
read literarily and not simply literally. It will bestow upon them the critical tools they
need to understand every work of literature that they read for the rest of their lives.
57
As such, it is not simply a study of texts but a study of techniques employed by the
greatest writers of Western Civilization. This being so, it is not crucial that any of the
texts are read in their entirety; on the other hand, the more that the student knows
about these works beforehand, the easier it will be for them to grasp the content and
context of each class.
The works that we'll be discussing are the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Consolation of
Philosophy, Beowulf, the Divine Comedy, the General Prologue to the Canterbury
Tales, The Nun's Priest's Tale, several Shakespeare plays, including The Merchant of
Venice, Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear, "The Wreck of the Deutschland", "The Waste
Land", the Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Course materials: Class notes will be made available during class.
Homework: Suggested preparatory reading.
Narnia for Young Adults: The Theology of The

Chronicles of Narnia
Total classes: 6
Prerequisite: Ability to read and enjoy The Chronicles of Narnia
Suggested credit: semester Literature
Course description: C. S. Lewis claimed that he "smuggled theology" into his fiction
"under cover of romance". Professor Pearce will help students discover the deep
Christian theology that Lewis successfully "smuggles" into his work.
Course materials: The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis,
Homework: Students should read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe before the
first class. Homework entails daily reading and weekly quizzes.
Tolkien for Young Adults: The Theology of MiddleEarth

Total classes: 6
Prerequisite: Ability to read and enjoy the works of J. R. R. Tolkien
Suggested credit: semester Literature
Course description: Tolkien's work is infused with a depth of Catholic theology,
which is often overlooked. Professor Pearce will uncover the many ways in which
Middle-Earth is infused with Tolkien's Catholicism.
Course materials: "On Fairy Stories" (provided free as a PDF file); The Silmarillion;
and Lord of the Rings.
Homework: This is an audit course. There is no homework other than reading.
The Hobbit
Note: We offer three different courses on The Hobbit. This one is taught by Professor
Joseph Pearce for 8th to 10th grade. The other two are taught by Dr. Henry Russell
one for middle school and one for high school.
Total classes: 6
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: The ability to read and enjoy the book.
58
Suggested credit: semester Literature or Modern Literature

Course description: Professor Pearce unlocks, in two six-week courses, the Catholic
meaning of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Course materials: The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
Homework: Reading, weekly quizzes, and test.
Lord of the Rings

Note: We offer several courses on Lord of the Rings. This course is taught by
Professor Joseph Pearce for 8th to 10th grade. Dr. Henry Russell also teaches a
complete series: one for middle school and one for high school. Combined with his
Hobbit course, Dr. Russells LOTR will give you a full year of literature credit.
Total classes: 6
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: The ability to read and enjoy the books.
Suggested credit: semester Literature or Modern Literature
Course description: Professor Pearce unlocks, in two six-week courses, the Catholic
meaning of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (see the fall semester for The
Hobbit).
Course materials: Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. Should be completed by
Week 2.
Homework: Reading and weekly quizzes.
The Hobbit or There and Back Again as Gateway to

J.R.R.Tolkien
NOTE: There are two versions of this course. One for middle school and one for high
school.
Total classes: 6
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Ability to read the book with pleasure at about 3 chapters per week.
Suggested credit: semester Literature or Modern Literature. Follow with
Fellowship of the Rings for a full semester.
Instructor: Henry Russell, Ph.D.
Course description: Tolkiens The Hobbit was written as a childrens story and
retains much of the clarity and light-heartedness of its kind. But Bilbo Baggins world
is slowly made richer and deeper both by the authors use of the Catholic elements
from the great medieval saga of Beowulf and the background world of Tolkiens
deepest Elvish imaginings. By the end of the novel, Tolkiens life-long themes of 1) a
long-fought history that shapes the needs of every modern day; 2) the need for
heroism from simple people; 3) the necessity for constant moral vigilance by those
who are destined to lead; 4) the conquest of charity over greed; and 5) the sorrow
and beauty created by these first four themes, have penetrated to the heart of the
reader. The success of this novel convinced Tolkien and his wise and humane
publishers, Allen and Unwin, that the modern world was ready to hear more of the
complex moral and supernatural world, which Tolkien once thought, was of interest
mostly to scholars of the ancient like himself. We will both discuss the book and
welcome comments about the new movie coming out in December.
Course materials: The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien
Homework: One to one and one-half hours per week. Weekly Quiz, Midterm, and
Final. Answer keys provided for parental or self-grading.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

59
school.
Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Ability to read the book and ask questions. Since most students will
have seen the Peter Jackson films and will want to make comparisons, it is probably a
good idea to see them.
Suggested credit: semester Literature or Modern Literature. Precede with The
Hobbit for a full semester.
Course description: This trilogy of novels is too well known for any brief description
to be of use here. They are the most popular books of the twentieth-century and
quite likely to be among the central books of Western literature. The poet Auden
thought they compare well with Miltons Paradise Lost. We will discuss the volumes in
their outer form of a mythologized hero struggle of the kind with which Classical
Liberal Education is replete (from Homers Iliad, and Virgils Aeneid through the Norse
eddas and Anglo-Saxon poems and Arthurian romances). At the same time we will
read them in light of Tolkiens unambiguous declaration that "The Lord of the Rings is
of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but
consciously in the revision. As such they reflect an imagined world that parallels
clearly with the world of suffering and redemption shown forth in a book as deep as
the Bible.
The Fellowship of the Rings takes us from the Hobbit world of ordinary comfort into
confrontation with the evil that has always plagued the created world. It asks for
individual sacrifice from several creatures only to show them that they are linked into
a vast body of those who strive to keep goodness alive, each on very different levels
of culture and consciousness. This ancient body is full of poetry, beauty, and varied
forms of virtue. The fellowship forms to do the impossible and the seemingly suicidal,
and in the mines of Moria and on the banks of the river Anduin, the band is made to
pay a terrible price for thoughtlessness and to fall apart from individual sin.
Course materials: The Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R.Tolkien
Homework: Two hours per week. Weekly Quizzes with answer keys provided for
parental or self-grading.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

school.
Total classes: 7
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Ability to read the book and ask questions.
Suggested credit: semester Literature or Modern Literature. For a full semester,
follow with The Return of the King.
Course description: The Two Towers creates a clear contrast between a culture
based on selflessness and regard for the common good with an anti-culture based on
pure selfishness and the desire to domineer over others. The anti-culture controls
both the two literal towers of Sarumans Orthanc and Cirith Ungolboth of them
forced to serve the even greater tower of Saurons Mordor. The civilization of good
offers the Mark of Rohan as its immediate heroic defender, backed by more ancient
forces of the Ents and the Elves, to some degree coordinated by the towers of the
city of Gondor. Yet the battles between these titanic forces are always being
compared to the personal willingness of two hobbits to give everything they possess
for the sake of the good that they love.
60
Course materials: The Two Towers. J.R.R.Tolkien.

Homework: Two hours per week. Weekly Quizzes with answer keys provided for
parental or self grading.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

school.
Total classes: 7
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Ability to read the book and ask questions.
Suggested credit: semester Literature or Modern Literture. For a full semester,
precede with The Two Towers.
Course description: The Return of the King reaches into the realm of Arthurian
Romance (which is itself based on the resurrection of the Christ), to offer a vision of
Armageddon and world war where defeat means unguessed centuries of darkness,
although victory means holding the darkness only at bay while creating a new
civilization that will be attacked again someday. Here again, the personal agon and
faithfulness of individual creatures is the central necessity for the victory of massive
institutions and allegiances. All literature is moral in its center, and great literature
reflects great moral truth. It was Tolkiens genius to express the great truths of
Christian civilization in a way, which could re-inspire and re-invigorate an age where
many have lost immediate contact with those Christian roots.
Course materials: The Return of the King. J.R.R.Tolkien.
Homework: Two hours per week. Weekly quizzes with answer keys for parental or
self-grading.
Beowulf and Christ

Total classes: 4
Prerequisite: Ability to read, understand, and enjoy Beowulf translated by Charles
W. Kennedy
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester Literature. For full credit, add two of Dr. Russell's
other 4-week courses.
Course description: This great mini epic will be explored as an allegory that
teaches the Anglo-Saxon world, how to transform pagan heroic ethos into a pattern
for Christian heroism, and how to re-envision blind Fate as Godly Providence. The
Charles Kennedy translation is suggested. Be careful not to get a web version that
cuts out the Christian elements. This is a book that lies behind J.R.R. Tolkiens
depiction of Edoras as well as the warlike virtues of Gondor. Suitable for any high
school student who can read the poem and enjoy it. It is preferred that student have
pre-read the poem before the first day of class. There will be no homework assigned
for this course.
Course materials: Beowulf: The Oldest English Epic (Paperback) translated by
Charles W. Kennedy
Homework: None. This is an audit course lectures only.
Canterbury Tales of Geoffrey Chaucer; Trust God and

Tradition
61
(Second in the series Medieval Lessons for Modern Catholics. Each course can be
taken alone or consecutively.)
Total classes: 4
Prerequisite: The ability to read, understand, and enjoy The Canterbury Tales by
Geoffrey Chaucer.
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester Literature or Medieval Literature. For a full
semester, add two of Dr. Russell's other 4-week courses.
Course description: Chaucer was the master at making nobles laugh at the failings
of others until they realized those characters were a bit too much like themselves.
This great moralist, like a comic Dante, lets his characters boast and strut until they
have convicted themselves out of their own mouths. Let him introduce you to the
virtues and vices of his Canterbury Pilgrims and then see how Chanticleer the Rooster
teaches us about predestination and the Church of God. To read Chaucer well is to
see how subtly the typological allegory can be constructed.
Course materials: Dr. Russell recommends Vincent Hopper's Interlinear Translation
from Barron Press (www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1438000138/catholictreas20). That way you can read the Middle English and still see what it means right below
each line. If you get something else, please make sure it tries to be poetry and has
line numbers.
Homework: Weekly quizzes and answer keys provided.
Chesterton; Man of Letters

Total classes: 6
Instructor: Robert Gotcher, Ph.D.
Prerequisite: The ability to read, understand, and enjoy the works of G.K.
Chesterton
Suggested grade level: 11th and 12th
Suggested credit: 1/2 semester Literature, Modern Literature, or English. For a full
semester add Tolkien and Fairy Stories or other literature course
Course Description: G.K. Chesterton, a convert to Christianity, then to Catholicism,
is one of the most popular Christian writers of the Twentieth Century. He wrote
theology, social commentary, literary criticism, fantasy fiction, poetry, and mysteries.
He was a major influence on C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. In this six-week course we
discussed in seminar style some of the major works of Chesterton taken from several
genres, including, for instance, The Everlasting Man or Orthodoxy, the biography of
St. Francis, a Fr. Brown mystery or two, Lepanto, and The Man Who Was Thursday.
Course materials: Links to all of the needed reading FREE online. Or, the books can
be borrowed from the library.
Homework: Weekly quizzes with answer key provided.
The Man Who Was Thursday by Chesterton (Modern

Catholic Classics Series)
Total classes: 6
Suggested grade level: 10th to 12th or college
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Ability to enjoy reading and discussing the works.
Suggested credit: semester Literature, Modern Literature, or English. For full
credit, precede with Dr. Russells The Screwtape Letters or other literature course.
62
Course description: At the turn of the 1900s, anarchy was a political fad as
powerful as global warming is today. More locally destructive, anarchists murdered
several heads of state (ranging from President Mckinley to the Archduke Ferdinand),
numerous public servants and fueled the statist revolutions of the communist era.
European nations vastly increased their power by developing their secret police in
response to the public panic created by these lunatic figures.
G. K. Chesterton, the great Catholic man of letters, writes one of the most startlingly
original novels of the 20th-century in response both to the original source of
anarchism (the imitation of Satans non serviam) and to the faithless response of
modern man to such a threat. In the process Chesterton delineates, beautifully and
entertainingly, the way that the very God who created and sustains order is so far
beyond order (as puny human minds comprehend it) that He appears wild, chaotic
and even threatening to our stubborn desire to reduce the cosmos to our control.
Thus even as he defends the need of a conservative and humane order, Chesterton is
the poet of a God wildly beyond our most soaring imaginations.
Course materials: The Man Who Was Thursday by G. K. Chesterton
(www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1603863303/catholictreas-20).
Homework: Quizzes, essay topics, and final with answer key provided.
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis (Modern Catholic

Classics Series)
Total classes: 6
Duration: 1 hour
Instructor: Henry Russell, PhD
Suggested credit: semester Literature or Modern Literature. For full credit you
may follow with Dr. Russells course on The Man Who Was Thursday by
G.K.Chesterton.
Course description: Clive Staples Lewis quietly sought to be the Dante of the
modern world. His imaginative explications of the conditions of Hell and demonic
thought are the best of their kind in the last 700 years. In The Screwtape Letters
the experienced tempter Uncle Screwtape seeks to educate his nephew Wormwood
in the proper way to undermine a human soul.
The muddled semi-thinking promoted by an educational system that ignores not only
theology but basic logic proves one of the infernal worlds greatest allies. It is further
aided by a selfish notion of rights with no accompanying duties and modern mans
sentimental view of his virtues based only on kind emotions that require no sacrifice.
But in many ways the heights of the book are achieved as Uncle Screwtape rails
against the unfairness of the God he has rejected, giving the kind of truly Christian
vision of the power, beauty, wisdom, and boundless energy and love of God that the
atheists want no one to remember has always been the Catholic concept of the
divine. To know yourself much better, and to know God well indeed, read this book.
Course materials: The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis
Homework: quizzes, essay topics, and final with answer key provided.
Homers Odyssey; The Soul of Pre-Socratic Wisdom

Total sessions: 7
Prerequisite: The ability to read, understand, and enjoy The Odyssey by Homer
Suggested credit: semester Literature, Greek Literature, or Ancient Literature.
63
For a full semester, add Dr. Russell's Virgil's Aeneid.

Course description: It is easy, and incorrect, to remember Homers Odyssey as a
voyage story of great and bizarre adventures. It is instead the quest to restore the
broken family and restore relations with the God(s), which have been broken by
human fault. The great wanderings fill only 3 to 6 books out of 24. The other 18 are
devoted to the restoration of human order in the family and the kingdom. It takes
Odysseus the same twelve chapters to get from the shore of his island Ithaka into full
possession of his house in peace as it takes to get him home to Ithaka on his ten-year
long quest. It is these beautiful chapters on human relations, as well as the wonders
of Odysseus purgation through his quest, that make the epic a primary book of
wisdom for all times and cultures.
Course materials: Robert Fitzgeralds translation of the Odyssey. If you use another
edition you should have one with line numbers or it will be almost impossible to
follow along with frequent references to the authors words.
The Iliad: Glory and the Will of God

Total classes: 7
Prerequisite: The ability to read, understands, and enjoys The Iliad
Suggested credit: semester Literature, Greek Literature, or Ancient Literature.
Follow up with Dr. Russells Sophocles course for a full semester.
Course description: Homers Iliad, the ultimate epic of war and the warrior,
examines the problem of men who seek individual glory but who must unite to fulfill
the will of Zeus. How do they subordinate their own wills to a greater cause, and how
much suffering will it take before they learn to do so? On an even greater level, how
can a city resist Gods gift of an ultimate beauty, even when that beauty comes to
them by an act of evil? But what price must even the best of men pay when the
community agrees not to punish such evil?
Course materials: The Iliad, Robert Fitzgerald translation
(www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0374529051/catholictreas-20). Recommended,
but not required: The Trojan War by Olivia Collidge Reading before taking on The
Iliad will help with background information and bring about better understanding
The Catholic Shakespeare: A Contrast of Kings:

Macbeth and Julius Caesar
Total classes: 10
Prerequisite: none
Suggested credit: One semester Literature, Classical Literature, or Shakespearian
Literature
Instructor: Henry Russell, Ph.D
Course description: Building on a long tradition of scholarship, the role of
Shakespeares Catholicism in his dramas has been well established by the work of
Lady Claire Asquith (Shadowplay). Joseph Pearce has done an equally fine job
reviewing the tradition of Catholic connections in Shakespeares personal history. Our
course will very briefly review that evidence and then place its focus on examining
the two plays most widely read by high school students. Although set in Scotland of
the 11th century and Rome of the 1st century BC, both plays comment clearly and
64
powerfully on the sad situation of the Catholic Church, outlawed and persecuted in
Shakespeares England. Both dramas end with victory for Christs Holy Bride that
cannot, for long, be suppressed. Macbeth is our greatest play about how wickedness
completely corrupts an initially good man who gives scope to occult evil, eventually
becoming a mass-murderer like Lenin or Stalin. It is also the story of how a woman,
Lady Macbeth-- a figure of Queen Elizabeth--destroys herself by casting away her
feminine and god-formed nature. But the end is glorious as the man (Malcolm) who
married St. Margaret of Scotland assumes the throne. Julius Caesar focuses on how
even noble men like Brutus become corrupted by the lust for power and attack their
country under the pretense of doing good for it. Such a theme is constantly relevant
to political life. At the same time it presents the will of Christ as the ultimate force
which drives history, using flawed men as its instruments for good. There is great
enjoyment in seeing how Shakespeare roused the spirits of his many fellow Catholics
by telling the truth in his time, while remaining largely immune from censorship or
martyrdom. Dr. Russell, who has taught and written on the Catholic Shakespeare
since 1992, will show that only when we bring a carefully Catholic view to the plays
do they make complete sense and do not break down into a mere series of
unanswered questions and scattered themes.
Course materials: Any version of the play with line numbers
Homework: Expect about one hour of reading per evening, plus approximately one
half hour for note taking. There will be weekly automated quizzes; a midterm and
final and two essays with Dr. Russells grading prompts for parental grading. Those
will be assigned in the sixth and tenth weeks.
The Catholic Shakespeare: Early and Late Comedies:

A Midsummer Nights Dream and The Tempest
Total classes: 10
Prerequisite: The ability to read and understand the plays.
Suggested credit: One semester Literature, Classical Literature, or Shakespearian
Literature
Instructor: Dr. Henry Russell
Course description: This semesters plays will examine how Shakespeare used the
spirit world in drama to stand in for the great actions of God himself. This was
necessary to avoid English law against overtly religious drama, but it also created
delightful characters.
A Midsummer Nights Dream is structured around six (!) different sets of
romantic lovers, descending from the spiritual Oberon and Titania, down through the
humans: Theseus and Hippolyta; Lysander and Hermia; Demetrius and Helena; to the
union of a spirit, Titania, and a human-animal, Bottom; and finally to the fantastical
Pyramus and Thisbe. This ladder of lovers and fools shows many ways that love can
be distorted by sight that looks only to the physical or by our petulant wills that
override reason. Yet in the end, each lover is healed or aided by Oberons spiritual
guidance, even if that guidance is mediated by the erratic acts of Puck. Duke Theseus
creates a New Law of love fitting for the Feast of St. John the Baptist (Midsummer)
who announces the New law of Christ.
The Tempests main character, Prospero, can command the winds, the sea,
the fire, can foresee the future to the minute and open graves at his command.
These attributes of God, the Father, mark his true nature in Shakespeares final
allegory, a return to the Catholic Mystery Plays outlawed by Queen Elizabeth when
the playwright was a teen. The action of the drama is simple. Prospero draws his
enemies, who have driven him from Milan to his island of exile, to bring them to
repentance and offer forgiveness, culminating in unifying his family and theirs
65
through marriage with his perfect daughter. The play also presents the two sides of
Man to the audience, the spiritual, angelic Ariel (pure spirit that is forgetful and even
sometimes impatient at the low necessities of the world) and the base, animal-like
Calibanthe picture of unredeemed man.
Course materials: Any version of the plays with line numbers
Homework: Read Act I of A Midsummer Night's Dream before the first class. Expect
about one hour of reading per evening, plus approximately one half hour for note
taking. There will be weekly automated quizzes; a midterm and final and two essays
with Dr. Russells grading prompts for parental grading. Those will be assigned in the
sixth and tenth weeks.
The Merchant of Venice

Total classes: 6
Duration: 1 Hour
Prerequisite: The ability to read and enjoy the books.
Suggested credit: semester Literature or Shakespearian Literature.
Course description: Professor Pearce, author of three books on Shakespeare and
editor of the Ignatius Critical Edition of The Merchant of Venice, will reveal the deep
Christian meaning of one of Shakespeares greatest and most controversial plays.
Course materials: The Merchant of Venice, Ignatius Critical Edition, 978-1-58617320-3 (www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1586173200/catholictreas-20)
Homework: Weekly reading assignments and quizzes (approximately one hour per
week)
King Arthur and Christ; Heroism and Holiness

(Third in the series Medieval Lessons for Modern Catholics. Each course can be taken
alone or consecutively.)
Total classes: 4
Prerequisite: The ability to read, understand, and enjoy Le Morte d'Arthur by
Thomas Mallory
semester, add two of Dr. Russell's other 4-week courses.
Course description: King Arthur attempts to build the City of God on earth, as we
all must. His noble and sinful knights rise far above themselves under his Catholic
kingdoms rule of chivalry. Their fall is also our fall. In Lancelot we will see the crucial
role that holiness must play in any heroism, and find that holiness--both personal and
of the nation--is the purpose for which heroism is made. Their modernizers to make it
a tale of merely cardinal virtues or generic Christian sentiment have drastically
whitewashed most editions of this tale. Some have gone so far as to warp it into the
service of paganism and witchcraft. Yet the greatest knight in the world sees Jesus
and ends as a monk.
Course materials: A FREE PDF file with readings provided.
Romeo and Juliet

Total classes: 6
Duration: 1 hour
66
Prerequisite: The ability to read and enjoy the play.

Suggested credit: semester Literature or Shakespearian Literature
Course description: Romeo and Juliet is perhaps the most famous love story ever
written. Its cultural influence is so profound that Shakespeares star crossd lovers
have become synonymous with the very meaning of romantic love. But what exactly
does the worlds greatest playwright have to say about the worlds greatest lovers?
Does he sympathize with their plight? Does he consider them blameless, or are they
largely responsible for the tragedy that awaits them? Is it a story about fatalistic
forces beyond the control of the lovers, or is it a cautionary tale warning of the
dangers of unbridled erotic passion? In this course, Joseph Pearce, editor of the
Ignatius Critical Edition of Romeo and Juliet, asks and answers these questions as he
invites students to see the play through Shakespeares Catholic eyes.
Course materials: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (Ignatius Critical
Edition, edited by Joseph Pearce) Suggested but not required: The Quest for
Shakespeare by Joseph Pearce (Ignatius Press)
Homework: Quizzes and essay prompts with answer key provided.
Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Total classes: 6
Duration: 1 hour
Suggested credit: semester Literature or Shakespearian Literature
Course description: Hamlet is perhaps Shakespeare's finest play and is certainly
one of the most popular. It is also one of the least understood. "To be or not to be" is
the question, but the answer to this most complex of plays is beguilingly elusive.
What does it mean "to be"? And is everything, as it seems to be? These are some of
the questions that are asked and answered in this course by Joseph Pearce, editor of
the Ignatius Critical Edition of Hamlet and author of The Quest for Shakespeare and
Through Shakespeare's Eyes: Seeing the Catholic Presence in the Plays.
Course materials: Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Ignatius Critical Edition, edited
by Joseph Pearce (www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1586172611/catholictreas-20).
Homework: Weekly quizzes and essay prompts. Answer keys provided for self or
parental grading.
King Lear
Total classes: 6
Duration: 1 hour
Suggested credit: semester Literature or Shakespearian Literature.
Course description: Professor Pearce, author of three books on Shakespeare and
editor of the Ignatius Critical Edition of King Lear, will reveal the deep Christian
meaning of one of Shakespeares greatest plays.
Course materials: King Lear, Ignatius Critical Edition, ISBN #1586171372
Homework: Weekly reading assignments and automated quizzes (approximately one
hour per week).
67
Macbeth
Total classes: 4
Prerequisite: The ability to read, understands, and enjoys Macbeth by William
Shakespeare.
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester Literature or Shakespearian Literature. For full
semester, add 2 of Dr. Russell's 4-week literature courses.
Course description: Explores the play on four levels: 1) What is literally happening
and why that is often surprising; 2) What main Christian moral messages are being
embodied in the play; 3) The Biblical references that enrich the meaning of the work;
and finally, 4) How Shakespeare is presenting the challenges and duties of the Body
of Christ within the Elizabethan police state.
Course materials: Dr. Russell uses David Bevington's The Complete Works of
Shakespeare, 4th edition, Harper Collins. However, we do not recommend buying this
expensive book unless you are going to use it for years. What is necessary is that
your edition has line numbers as well as the act and scene divisions such as the
Ignatius Critical Editions. This enables students to stay together with Dr. Russell.
There are so many editions that some will have minor differences in line numbers and
even wording. Dr. Russell recommends against the Oxford collected plays (by
Greenblatt et al) and the Dover edition. Signet, Pelican, Arden, Cambridge editions
(the regular edition, not the "School" edition) are all fine.
Homework: Students should pre-read the play before the first day of class. Quizzes,
essay topics, and final with answer key provided.
Medieval Literature for Modern Catholics

Total classes: 12
Duration: 55 min.
Prerequisite: The ability to read and enjoy the works.
Suggested grade level: 10th to 12th grade and college.
Suggested credit: One full semester Literature, Classical Literature, or Medieval
Literature
Course description: Each of these three books is written from the Medieval
perspective of a Catholic faith demanding heroic action and courtesy in the world, in
imitation of Christ our Master. J.R.R. Tolkiens complete familiarity with these works
made them a kind of canvas from which he drew forth the high virtues of his own
Lord of the Rings. Beowulf shows how the heroic virtues of the Norse and Germanic
war bands found their true fulfillment in the following of Christian heroism. Beowulf
fights both a descendant of Cain and a dragon that represents the power of Satan on
earth. Le Morte DArthur is the Englishman Mallorys collection and harmonization of
tales told of Arthur throughout Europe. The book is too long for us to read entire, so
we will look at the bones of the great story of founding a Catholic Kingdom, based on
chivalrous and holy defense of the weak and on using strength for good. Ultimately it
becomes both the story of the search for holiness in looking for the Holy Grailthe
cup of the Last Supperand a story of how all great nations fall because of personal
sinthe tangled tale of holiness and falling that Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot
enact. Finally the most elegant of Arthurian tales, Gawain and the Green Knight,
shows how all men must be willing gaily to leave the beautiful world that God has
given them, in imitation of Jesus himself. We will see how courtesy and heroism must
be found together. Our basic question will be, who is the Green Knight, and how will
we ourselves meet him just as surely as Gawain did? An answer is guaranteed.
68
Course materials: Beowulf. Kennedy translation . Oxford,

www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195024354/catholictreas-20;
Gawain and the Green Knight. Trans. Burton Raffel. Signet,
Le Morte DArthur, Penguin editions use modernize spellingsvery helpful. Do not
use Pyle or other de-Catholicized rewritings.
Homework: Weekly quiz, midterm, and final. Answer keys provided for parental or
self grading. Expect 1 to 1.5 hours of reading each week.
Scarlet Letter
Total classes: 7
Prerequisite: Ability to enjoy reading the works.
Suggested credit: semester Literature or English. Add another course for full
credit.
Course description: Two main streams of thought shape the great American novels:
one is the fervor of Christianity, the other is the skeptical Deism popularized in the
1700s. In English Romanticism that deism becomes transformed into a confused
doctrine of the poet as priest and prophet. Ralph Waldo Emerson transported this
doctrine in a form wildly popular for Americans. Although Nathaniel Hawthorne found
the idea congenial at first, he became a devastating critic of it in his portrait of
Hester Prynne (Americas first anti-heroine). This novel is not a condemnation of
Puritan intolerance, but rather of the destructive and bigoted God-playing of Hester
and her countless American imitators. Our readings in Emerson will provide a brief
but clear introduction to the ideas behind Deism and Romanticism. Then Hawthornes
novel will provide a tightly constructed, claustrophobic response that operates like a
Greek tragedy illumined mainly by the comic ending of Pearls destiny.
Course materials: Dr. Russell uses the Riverside Edition of The Scarlet
Letter (ISBN# 0395051428).
Homework: Quizzes and answer key provided.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; Chivalry, Courtesy

and Chastity
(First in the series Medieval Lessons for Modern Catholics. Each course can be taken
alone or consecutively.)
Total classes: 4
Prerequisite: The ability to read, understand, and enjoy Sir Gawain and the Green
Knight translated by JRR Tolkien
semester, add two of Dr. Russell's 4-week literature courses.
Course description: Gawain and the Green Knight is one of the most elegant and
merry tales of a heroic Catholic age. The fate of Gawain hangs upon his courtesy and
his faithfulness to his word, even in the face of the immortal Green Knight who picks
up his own head after Gawain has smitten it off. But what does the Green Knight
stand for? Why is he so beautiful and happy and yet so fearsome to all? How can he
be allowed in King Arthurs court and in Gods Chapel? And why must the tale begin
at Christmas but end on New Years Day?
69
Course materials: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight translated by JRR Tolkien
Sophocles and Tragedy

Total classes: 6
Prerequisite: The ability to read, understands, and enjoys Sophocles
Suggested credit: 1/2 semester Literature. For a full semester, precede with Dr.
Russells Iliad course.
Course description: What do Aristotle and the Greek tragedians mean by tragedy?
Is it closely related to the Christian concept of godly justice (and therefore to the
Christian concept of comedy)? If Sophocles Oedipus is the most perfect tragedy, as
Aristotle suggests, then what does that tragedy tell us? And how does Oedipus at
Colonnus, written twenty years later, come to a completely redemptive ending 400
years before Christ?
Course materials: Oedipus Rex, Antigone, and Oedipus at Colonnus
(www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/015602764X/catholictreas-20).
The Space Trilogy of C. S. Lewis

Total classes: 8
Prerequisite: The ability to read, understand and enjoy The Space Trilogy by C. S.
Lewis
Suggested credit: 2/3 semester Literature or Modern Literature
Course description: This is a seminar in which we discuss the Space Trilogy of C.S.
LewisOut of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength.
Course materials: The Space Trilogy by C. S. Lewis (Out of the Silent Planet,
Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength)
Homework: One literature worksheet for each of the three novels, to be completed
before the class period in which they are discussed.
Tolkien and Fairy Stories

Total classes: 6
Prerequisite: The ability to read, understands, and enjoys Tolkien
Suggested credit: semester Literature or Modern Literature. For a full semester
adds Dr. Gotcher's Chesterton: Man of Letters.
Course Description: In this course we discussed in seminar (discussion) format five
short stories by J.R.R. Tolkien in light of his essay On Fairy Stories. The stories are
Smith of Wooton Major, Farmer Giles of Ham, Leaf by Niggle, The Adventures of Tom
Bombadil, and Roverandom. All five stories and the essay are available in one
volume, Tales from the Perilous Realm by J. R. R. Tolkien. The assignment will be to
write your own fantasy story by the end of the six weeks. It is preferred that students
have read Lord of the Rings before coming to this course.
70
Course materials: The required text is the book Tales from the Perilous Realm, by
J.R.R. Tolkien.
Homework: In addition to the weekly reading, the student will write his own fairy
story. Instructor Access available for this course.
Virgils Aeneid; The Founding of Nations in the Will of

God
Total classes: 7
Prerequisite: The ability to read, understands, and enjoys The Aeneid by Virgil.
Suggested credit: 1/2 semester Literature. For a full semester, add Dr. Russell's
course on Homer's Odyssey.
Course description: When we visit Washington D.C. the great buildings are not
imitations of Greek but of Roman architecture. Our country was founded not as a
democracy but as a Republic. George Washington was called The Father of His
Country. Each of these three facts, and many more, are due to the enduring and
worldwide influence of Virgils Aeneid.
In a Rome weakened by wealth and pleasure, then shattered by civil war, only to
unite under an emperor, Virgil celebrated the subordination of individual ambition
and pleasure to pietasa triune duty to God, to the nation built under Gods will, and
to the future of the family. Building on the brilliance of Homers Iliad and Odyssey, as
well as Platonic philosophy, Virgil expanded the quest from the restoration of the
family and ones individual relation to God to the restoration of the whole nation and
its relation to heavenly power. This was the original conception of our nation which
our Founding Fathers honored in so many ways, and which we are in great peril as we
now forget.
Dante, the greatest of all poets, chose Virgil as his heaven-sent fictional guide, not
merely through Hell but Purgatory as well, signaling the seeds of vast Christian
wisdom, which he found.
Course materials: Dr. Russell uses Robert Fitzgeralds translation of the Aeneid. You
are free to use any translation you like, but you should have one with line numbers or
it will be almost impossible to follow along with frequent references to the authors
words.
Death Comes for the Archbishop (American Classics

Series)
Total Classes: 6
Duration: One hour
Instructor: Henry Russell, PhD
Suggested credit: semester Literature. For a full semester, follow with Dr.
Russells course on The Redemptive Comedy of Flannery O'Connor.
Course description: Willa Cathers Death Comes for the Archbishop is one of the
few American novels radically to appreciate and celebrate the Catholic culture of the
American Southwest that long pre-dated the settling of Plymouth Massachusetts.
This is a relatively short novel built on the life of the first (French) Archbishop of New
Mexico. The novel is constructed around multiple journeys: from the cultivation of the
Old World to the beautiful yet primitive New World; from a region that was Indian and
pagan, that becomes Spanish and Catholic, only to be forced into the United States;
71
from the West of Kit Carson to a region of cities and towns; from being an outsider in
a strange land to becoming one with the land; from a slightly skeptical view of saints
and miracles to a keen sense of Gods Providence to the American world.
At all times the glowing beauty of the American Southwest and of heroic piety
upholds the narrative and the reader. This is one of the great Catholic books ever
written by one who did not, as far as we know, formally enter the Church in her life
here on earth.
Course materials: Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
Redemptive Comedy of Flannery OConnor (American

Classics Series)
Total classes: 6
Suggested grade level: 12th or college
Duration: 1 hour
Suggested credit: semester Literature or Modern Literature. For a full semester,
precede with Dr. Russells Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather.
Course description: Flannery OConnor is among the short list of American 20thcentury novelists who may be considered great and enduring. This is especially odd
since she lived most of her life in or on a farm outside the small town of Milledgeville
Georgia, slowly dying, for most of her working life, of lupus. Moreover, she wrote only
two novelsWise Blood and the Violent Bear It Away. All else were finely chiseled
short stories, of a power perhaps unmatched by any other author.
In a largely self-satisfied America of the 1950s, she prophetically wrote of a nation
that was losing its soul by abandoning its God. Her characters-- once widely criticized
as unrealistic, even bizarre, and grotesquenow walk the streets of our nation and
populate every level of society. OConnor is great because she always understood
that the soul is the wellspring of human action. Each of her stories is filled with
characters that are trying to avoid Gods demands. Each must face a shattering
moment of choice between their illusion of self-sufficiency and obedience to reality.
We will explore A Good Man is Hard to Find; Greenleaf; and The Lame Shall Enter
First. Perhaps I can explain it best by saying that these stories will remain with you
as unforgettably as the best stories Edgar Allen Poe ever wrote. But Poes stories are
about life that has moved permanently into horror; OConnors are about great
suffering that offers a chance to know God and us.
Course materials: Find the two short stories. A Good Man is Hard to Find is in
almost any competent modern American Anthology for college. The Lame Shall
Enter First can be found in 3by OConnor. Signet, 1983 (NOT 1962), of which there
are many used copies.
English Literature and the Question of Evil

Total classes: 11
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Literature
Instructor: Dayspring Brock, MA
Course description: What is the capacity for good and for evil in the human heart?
Are some people more prone to evil than others? This course is not for the faint of
heart but for the sincerely curious, openly inquisitive, and eagerly industrious. In this
72
class we will read works that plummet the depths of the human heart and from our
discussions we will think carefully about the capacity of the virtue and vice within it.
We will look at what some of the best literature has discovered in terms of free will
and its difficulties. We will begin with the catechism and some short readings by
Aristotle and Augustine to look toward a definition of evil and then work our way
through Iago in Othello, Kurtz from Heart of Darkness, Mr. Hyde, Ralph and Jack in
Lord of the Flies, and some of O'Connor's humorous but wicked villains in order to
explore the twisted sinews of the heart, but also to contrast the hopeful characters
which arise in all these works as antidotes to the villain. How does evil come about in
a person? What choices give way to it? How is it endured? How is it avoided? These
questions will be explored through study question activities, weekly lectures and
small written responses (one 12 sentence paragraph-which will be taught throughout
the course) as well as three papers devoted to a particular theme within these works.
Though the paragraphs will be given some feedback, the three major papers will be
used as their major grades for the course.
Course materials: Shakespeare's Othello, Conrad's The Heart of Darkness,
Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Golding's Lord of the Flies, variety of short
stories by Faulkner and Flannery O'Connor, readings by Aristotle, Augustine, C.S.
Lewis, and Peter Kreeft.
Inferno (Hell) by Dante

Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: The ability to read and enjoy the book.
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Classical Literature
Course description: Dante Alighieri is the only secular author in praise of whom
a Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church has written an encyclical letter. His Holiness
Benedict XVs In Praeclara Summorum of 1921 rightly says, We admire in him not
only supreme height of genius but also the immensity of the subject which holy
religion put to his hand. If his genius was refined by meditation and long study of the
great classics it was tempered even more gloriously, as We have said, by the writings
of the Doctors and the Fathers which gave him the wings on which to rise to a higher
atmosphere than that of restricted nature. Simply interpreted, Dante is the greatest
author of the greatest book on the greatest subject of any ever written by a man not
known by the Church to be directly inspired by God.
Dante teaches us what it might mean to be a Catholic in every element of our
thought and culture. His work is not only sublimely beautiful, but filled with the most
important truths. He was a complete Catholic in an age of political and heretical
turmoils, but an age blessed with the influence--mediate or immediate--of towering
saints like Bernard, Francis, Dominic, and Thomas Aquinas. His Divine Comedy
intends to teach us how to harmonize the demands of Church and State, community
and individual, authority and conscience, divine and natural knowledge, intellect and
emotion. The Comedy provides a vision of eternity in order to teach man how to live
in time, in his brief excursus before forever. The Inferno provides the greatest
examination of our conscience as we come to see our own affinities to the souls who
have chosen Hell. The Purgatory shows us how to turn our intellects and emotions
toward the good. Finally the Paradiso helps liberate our emotions and our souls
toward the beautiful and good. No one can lay claim to liberal arts education until he
has made a serious beginning on understanding The Divine Comedy. Again, as
Benedict XV wrote, The more profit you draw from study of him the higher will be
your culture, irradiated by the splendors of truth, and the stronger and more
spontaneous your devotion to the Catholic Faith.
73
Course materials: We will use the Dorothy Sayers edition, ISBN number
9780140440065 or
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/9780140440065/catholictreas-20.
Purgatorio (Purgatory) by Dante

Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: The ability to read and enjoy the book. Recommended, but not
required: Hell by Dante.
Course description: Dante Alighieri is the only secular author in praise of whom
a Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church has written an encyclical letter. His Holiness
Dante teaches us what it might mean to be a Catholic in every element of our
thought and culture. His work is not only sublimely beautiful, but filled with the most
important truths. He was a complete Catholic in an age of political and heretical
turmoils, but an age blessed with the influence--mediate or immediate--of towering
saints like Bernard, Francis, Dominic, and Thomas Aquinas. His Divine Comedy
intends to teach us how to harmonize the demands of Church and State, community
and individual, authority and conscience, divine and natural knowledge, intellect and
emotion. The Comedy provides a vision of eternity in order to teach man how to live
in time, in his brief excursus before forever. The Inferno provides the greatest
examination of our conscience as we come to see our own affinities to the souls who
have chosen Hell. The Purgatory shows us how to turn our intellects and emotions
toward the good. Finally the Paradiso helps liberate our emotions and our souls
toward the beautiful and good. No one can lay claim to liberal arts education until he
has made a serious beginning on understanding The Divine Comedy. Again, as
Benedict XV wrote, The more profit you draw from study of him the higher will be
your culture, irradiated by the splendors of truth, and the stronger and more
spontaneous your devotion to the Catholic Faith.
0140440461 or www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/0140440461/catholictreas-20.
Dantes Paradiso (Heaven)

Total classes: 11
Prerequisite: Ability to read the book with some enjoyment.
Suggested grade level: 11th and 12th grade or college level.
Course description: Dante Alighieri is the only secular author in praise of whom a
Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church has written an encyclical letter. His Holiness
74
Dante teaches us what it means to be a Catholic in every element of our thought and
culture. His work is not only sublimely beautiful but also filled with the most
important truths. The Comedy provides a vision of eternity in order to teach man how
to live in time, in his brief excursus before forever. Outside of the writings of the
Saints, the Paradiso is the most beautiful vision of the vast energy and glory of the
fully achieved Christian life. It liberates our emotions and our souls toward the
beautiful and good, making a mockery of the 21st-centurys slanderous view of the
Christ-centered life as passive or narrow. Instead we see the armies of love gathered
in all eternity, having done the work of creating all that is best in civilization here on
earth. No one can lay claim to liberal education until he has made a serious
beginning on understanding The Divine Comedy.
0140441050 or www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140441050/catholictreas-20.
Homework: Weekly quiz, midterm, and final. Answer keys provided for parental or
self-grading. Expect 1 to 1.5 hours of reading each week.
Math
Middle School Math (Glencoe), Parts One and Two

Total classes: 28
Duration: 55 minutes live classes, 25 minutes recorded
Prerequisite: Basic math skills.
Suggested credit: 1 full year Math
Instructor: Emily Nardozzi, M.Ed.
Course description: Middle School Math covers fractions, decimals, integers, data
analysis, algebraic expressions and equations, functions and inequalities, using
formulas, and surface area and volume in a way that will be easy to understand and
will provide a strong foundation for the coming math courses.
Course materials: Mathematics: Applications and Concepts, Course 1, Student
Edition (Glencoe Mathematics), 2006 Edition. We recommend purchasing the book
used as they can be found for as little as 0.99 plus
s/h: www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0078652537/catholictreas-20 (click on
Used).
Homework: 4-5 lessons per week with 15-20 homework problems per lesson
Saxon 5/4
Total classes: 30 weeks with 4 short lectures per week.
Duration: varies
Prerequisite: Basic math skills.
Instructor: Jean Hoeft, MS
Course description: Covers word problems; geometry & measurement; order of
operations; integers; powers and roots; divisibility concepts; prime and composite
numbers; ratios; patterns & sequences; statistics & probability.
75
Course materials: Saxon 5/4 Homeschool Kit (which includes tests and answer
keys).
Homework: Practice set for appropriate lesson, and then the problem set for that
lesson. Please follow the recommended schedule for testing which comes with the
homeschooling kit. We recommend parents watch with their student at this young
age. The Homeschool Kit includes answer keys. Instructor Access available for
this course.
Saxon 6/5
Duration: varies
Prerequisite: Basic math skills. Saxon 5/4 or equivalent.
Course description: Building upon the principles taught in Saxon Math 5/4, the
Saxon 65 textbook covers concepts such as: the order of operations; geometry and
measurement; integers; divisibility concepts; ratios; statistics and probability; prime
and composite numbers; patterns and sequences; and powers and roots. Students
will specifically learn about making a multiplication table, adding/subtracting
fractions with a common denominator, multiplying by multiples of 10 and 100,
perimeter, simple probability, decimal parts of a meter, reciprocals, volume, square
roots, graphing points on a coordinate plane, and more.Lessons contain a warm-up
(with facts practice, mental math, & problem-solving exercises); introduction to the
new concept, lesson practice exercises where the new skill is practiced, and mixed
practice exercises, which includes 25-30 old and new problems. In-depth
"Investigations" are provided every 10 lessons, and have their own set of questions.
Math 6/5 also includes 6 in-lesson activities and 5 investigation activities.
Course materials: Saxon 6/5 Third Edition, Homeschool Text ISBN #1-59141-318-4,
Homeschool Kit (which includes tests and answer keys). Click on text title for ordering
information.
homeschooling kit. The Homeschool Kit includes answer keys. Instructor Access
Saxon 7/6
Duration: varies
Prerequisite: Basic math skills. Saxon 6/5 or equivalent.
Course description: Building upon the principles taught in Saxon Math 6/7, the
Saxon 76 textbook introduces functions and coordinate graphing, integers,
exponential expressions, and prime factorization. Students will specifically learn
about the order of operations, number lines, decimal place value, how to find the
percent of a number, how to round decimal numbers, attributes of geometric solids,
and more.
Lessons contain a warm-up (with facts practice, mental math, & problem-solving
exercises); introduction to the new concept, lesson practice exercises where the new
skill is practiced, and mixed practice exercises, which includes 25-30 old and new
problems. In-depth "Investigations" are provided every 10 lessons, and have their
own set of questions.
76
Course materials: Saxon Math 7/6 Fourth Edition, ISBN # 1-56577-507-4,

Homeschool Kit which includes tests and answer keys. Click on text title for ordering
information.
Saxon 8/7
Duration: varies
Prerequisite: Saxon 7/6 or equivalent.
Course description: Covers word problems; scientific notation; statistics and
probability; ratios & proportions; simplifying & balancing equations; factoring
algebraic expressions; slope-intercept; graphing linear inequalities; arcs & sectors;
Pythagorean theorem.
Course materials: Saxon 8/7 Homeschool Kit
Math Boot Camp: Preparing for Pre-Algebra

Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Basic computation skills, adding subtracting, multiplying and dividing
integers.
Suggested credit: 2/3 semester Math
Course description: For students who will be taking Pre-Algebra in the fall. Students
will begin the rudiments of algebra: solving simple equations, graphing lines and
learning about how finding a variable changes everything!
Homework: At least 30 minutes every day after the class with a culmination activity
on the final class. Answer key provided.
Pre-Algebra; Saxon, Parts One and Two

Total classes: 26
Prerequisite: Basic math skills, Saxon 7/6 or equivalent
Course description: Students will begin the skills needed for Algebra I. These
include but are not limited to: writing equations, slope of a line, solving simple
equations, numbers and their operations, linear functions, and operations with
integers.
Course materials: Saxon Algebra Homeschool Kit
77
Homework: Students will be assigned 4-5 homework assignments per week with
testing done on Fridays. The Homeschool Kit provides answer keys. Instructor
Math Boot Camp: Preparing for Algebra I

Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Basic math skills, multiplication tables, and fractions a must!
Course description: For students who will be taking Algebra I. Students will brush
up on algebra skills using more advanced problem solving and both linear and nonlinear equations alike.
Homework: At least 30 minutes after each class with a culmination activity on the
last class. Answer key provided.
Algebra I: Saxon, Parts One and Two

Total classes: 26
Duration: 45 to 60 minutes
Prerequisite: Pre-Algebra
Suggested credit: 1 full year Math or Algebra I
Course description: This course involves all concepts needed to fulfill national
requirements for Algebra I. The topics to include but not be restricted to, operations
with integers, rules of multiplicative identity and additive identity, equation solving,
exponential function relations, quadratic function relations and their graphs,
Cartesian graphing, polynomial relations and functions, radicals and their properties
as well as some work with geometric properties as a background for use in Algebra II.
Course rationale: Homework is an integral part of the learning process in math.
However, homework will be used to formatively assess students learning, not
necessarily to grade. Students grades will be determined 20% by homework
completion and 80% on test performance. This means that students must know and
understand their mistakes on homework in order to succeed on tests. This insures
their honesty and willingness to try things on homework of which they have not
mastered. This also frees the learner to share their mistakes with others to insure
their knowledge of the corrections and to help others in the learning process.
Students will be asked to give feedback frequently during the class to continue their
involvement and increase their participation with the instructor in their learning.
Course materials: Saxon Algebra I Homeschool Kit, 3rd Edition
Homework: Students are assigned 4-5 homework assignments per week with
testing done on Fridays. The Homeschool Kit includes answer keys. Instructor
Algebra 1: Foerster, Parts One and Two

Prerequisite: Basic math skills / Pre-Algebra (Available through Unlimited Access)
Suggested credit: 1 full year Math or Algebra 1
78
Course description: Students will be required to watch a recorded 30-minute

lecture each week and attend class for discussions and problem solving. Algebra 1
explores all avenues of linear equations, some non-linear equations and problem
solving. Students will use all of their basic math skills to solve problems, graph
equations, and think using the skills we develop. The instructor is available for Skype
conferencing once a week if needed.
Course materials: Foerster's Algebra 1, Classic Edition, ISBN # 0131657089
Homework: Expect 5 to 8 hours per week on assignments and a weekly test.
Math Boot Camp: Preparing for Algebra II

Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour each
Prerequisite: Algebra 1
Course description: Review all of the Algebra 1 concepts in preparation for Algebra
II.
Course materials: Paper, pencil, and calculator. Worksheets provided FREE by the
instructor.
Homework: One worksheet per day. Corrected on the following day in the class
recording.
Algebra 2: Saxon, Parts One and Two

Total Classes: 26
Duration: 75 minutes. First 15 minutes is dedicated to answering students
homework questions.
Prerequisite: Algebra I
Suggested Grade Level: 9th to 12th
Course description: We will complete the advanced topics in Algebra beginning
with linear functions and moving through quadratic, as well as other non-linear
functions, radicals and finishing with an introduction to logarithmic functions.
Students should have a lengthy knowledge of variable equations and their graphs.
Course materials: Saxon Algebra 2, third edition with the test and homeschool
pack.
Homework: Students should spend 6-8 hours a week on homework, taking a test
once a week. The Homeschool Kit includes answer keys. Instructor Access
Foerster Algebra 2, Parts One and Two

Prerequisite: Algebra 1
Instructor: Jean Hoeft, MA
Course description: Foerster Algebra 2 will pick up where we left of in Foerster
Algebra 1 with solving complex algebraic equations, complex fractions and exploring
rational as well as irrational numbers. Students will also begin their exploration of
trigonometric functions, as well as using the geometry that they have learned to find
79
lengths and measures of angles. Students will continue with the ideas of solving for a
variable, but now use vector analysis to go along with it. This is a great next step
after Algebra 1, and will lead into geometry smoothly.
Course materials: Algebra and Trigonometry: Functions and Applications (Prentice
Hall Classics): http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0131657100/catholictreas20
Homework: 4-5 lessons per week with 15-20 problems to work per lesson.
Holt-McDougal-Larson Algebra 2 (Honors), Parts One

and Two
Total classes: 28 recorded classes plus 3 to 5 recorded lectures each week.
Prerequisite: Algebra I and Geometry
Suggested credit: 1 full year Math, Algebra 2, or Honors Algebra 2
Instructor: Thomas Frederick, MS
Course description: This week course covers advanced concepts in Algebra. The
goal of Algebra 2 is to build upon the concepts taught in Algebra 1 and Geometry
while adding new concepts to the students repertoire of mathematics. Algebra 2
continues the study of linear, quadratic, polynomial and exponential functions and
introduces rational, logarithmic and trigonometric relationships. Additional topics
covered include matrices, sequences and conic sections. Application of concepts
learned to the solution of real world problems will be a learning outcome. Graphing
calculators will be used extensively.
Course materials: Holt McDougal Larson Algebra 2 (2007), ISBN-13: 978-0-61892393-9 ISBN-10: 0-618-92393-4
(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0618923934/catholictreas-20). A TI 83 or
84 Graphing Calculator *(a FREE app can be downloaded for the Android Phone, Mac
or PC but not for IOS)
Homework: Weekly lessons will include prerecorded videos, note sheets, practice
problems, and a quiz or test. Homework questions will be assigned from the textbook
along with solutions for students to self-check progress. Each unit will have a quiz or
test at the end, which will be graded by the instructor in the Moodle interface.
Students will be expected to watch daily prerecorded videos, complete daily
homework (3-4 times per week).
Geometry: Saxon, Parts One and Two

Total Classes: 26
Duration: 75 minutes. First 15 minutes is dedicated to answering students
homework questions.
Prerequisite: Algebra I
Suggested credit: 1 full year Math or Geometry
Course description: Students will learn the use and application of shapes and their
attributes to the world around them. This course will include proofs of angles theory
as well as other triangle proofs. We will be applying our knowledge of algebra to the
use and calculation of shapes, lines, angles, etc.
Course Materials: Saxon Geometry, text and homeschool pack
Homework: Students should spend 6-8 hours a week on homework with a test each
week. The Homeschool Kit includes answer keys. Instructor Access available for
this course.
80
Jurgensen, Brown, Jurgensen Geometry, Parts One

and Two
Duration: 30 to 55 minutes.
Prerequisite: Algebra 1 or equivalent coursework
Suggested credit: 1 full year Math or Geometry
Instructor: Jean Hoeft, MA
Course description: Jurgensen, Brown, and Jurgensen is a complement text to the
Foerster Algebra series. Students will study two and three dimensional shapes as well
as lines, rays and similar figures in a plane. Deductive reasoning will be used
throughout the text to immerse students in proofs and the varying postulants and
theorems that are used. Basic as well as more advanced constructions will be used
along with algebra to connect algebra with the geometry that they are learning. We
will be using the college entrance tests as a guide for the tests and quizzes so that
students are familiar with the types of questions they will be expected to know and
answer.
Course materials: Geometry by Jurgensen, Brown and Jurgensen ISBN# 0-39577120-X, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/039577120X/catholictreas-20
Homework: 4-5 assignments per week with 15-20 problems per lesson. Instructor
Advanced Topics in Mathematics (Pre-Calculus):

Saxon, Parts One and Two
Total Classes: 56 (2 per week for 28 weeks)
Prerequisite: Algebra II and Geometry
Suggested credit: 1 full year Math, Advanced Math, or Pre-Calculus
Course description: We will explore all the algebraic & trigonometric concepts;
both linear and nonlinear plus functions, complex numbers, and concepts involving
trigonometry & polar coordinates. This course will fulfill requirements for Pre-calculus
and ready students for High School and college advanced topics math including
Calculus.
Course materials: Saxon Advanced Mathematics and Incremental Development,
Edition 2, with the test and homeschool pack, a scientific calculator (TI 30X or the
like), graph paper, ruler, protractor, compass, and pencil. Graphing calculators are
useful, but not necessary.
Homework: Students should spend 6-8 hours a week on homework, taking a test
once a week. The Homeschool Kit includes answer keys. Instructor Access
Introduction to Trigonometry
Number of classes: 6
Prerequisites: Algebra II
Suggested credit: semester Math or Trigonometry
Course description: This course will polish students' algebra II skills and prepare
them for pre-calculus / advanced mathematics and/or physics. We will study the
trigonometric functions and their inverses, polar and rectangular coordinates, the
calculations of a triangle, vectors and more. Students are expected to do homework
sets, which are provided free by the instructor. There is no textbook necessary,
81
reference tables and notes will be provided. Students will have a working knowledge
of trigonometric functions and their properties at the conclusion of the course.
Course materials: None, all course materials provided free by the instructor.
Topics covered: Trigonometric functions, changing degrees to radians, reciprocal
identities, arc lengths, writing the equations of sine and cosine functions of sinusoid
graphs, graphs of secant and cosecant, simplifying trig identities, solving equations
involving trigonometric identities, reference triangles, solving triangles for their
angles and side lengths, and complex numbers with the complex coordinate plane.
Homework: Students should expect to spend 3-4 hours on homework a week to
complete the assigned work. Answer key provided. Instructor Access available for
this course.
Calculus with Trigonometry and Analytical Geometry:

Saxon, Parts One and Two
Prerequisite: Advanced Mathematics / Pre-Calculus
Suggested grade level: 12th grade
Suggested credit: 1 full year Math or Calculus
Course description: A beginning calculus class including trigonometry and
analytical geometry. We will be exploring differential equations, differentiation and
integral calculation. Students will be required to watch a recorded lecture of 30
minutes each week, and attend class for discussions and problem solving. I am also
available for Skype conferencing once a week if needed.
Course materials: Saxon Calculus Second Edition (Homeschool Kit), ISBN
#9781600329746
Homework: Expect 5 to 8 hours per week on assignments and a weekly test. The
Homeschool Kit includes answer keys. Instructor Access available for this
course.
Philosophy / Logic
Introduction to Formal Logic: Thinking with Excellence

Total classes: 14
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 7th to 9th grade, but anyone who has not had any formal
logic training should take this course.
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Logic
Course description: This intensive 14-week course will introduce students to the
principles of formal logic as presented in the book Traditional Logic: Introduction to
Formal Logic by Memoria Press. The aim of formal logic is to teach students how to
think properly, focusing on the consistency and process of argumentation (the
content of argumentation will be covered in material logic).
Course materials: Traditional Logic: Introduction to Formal Logic by Memoria Press
(www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1930953100/catholictreas-20) and Traditional
Logic Answer Key, also by Memoria Press
(www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1930953119/catholictreas-20)
Homework: 5-6 pages of reading per week coupled with completing exercises
provided in the text (parents can grade using the answer key); periodic quizzes
available online through Moodle with a Final Exam also provided via Moodle.
Workload is approx. 3-4 hours per week.
82
Formal Logic I; Introduction to Logic

Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Logic
Course Description: The emphasis on feelings and de-emphasis on proper, logical
thinking has left many Americans prey to advertisers and demagogues. A training in
logic can help a reader or listener see the truth and falsehood of statements made on
the editorial page or on talk radio shows, so he can make proper judgments about
important matters. This twelve-week course establishes the rudiments of formal logic
the construction and detection of valid syllogism and formal and informal fallacies.
The emphasis will be on examples taken from popular media.
Course materials: Traditional Logic: Introduction to Formal Logic by Martin Cothran
(Memoria Press).
Homework: Logic exercises each week. Final assignment to analyze a paragraph
taken from a source for logic. Answer keys available from Memoria Press
Logic II: Advanced Formal Logic

Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Logic I: Introduction to Formal Logic (Unlimited Access!) or equivalent.
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Logic or Advanced Formal Logic
Instructor: Robert F. Gotcher, Ph.D.
Course description: This course continues the exploration of formal logic begun in
the "Introduction to Formal Logic" course. It looks closely at a wide variety of
syllogism. such as Enthymemes, conditional, disjunctive, conjunctive, polysyllogisms,
sorites, and dilemmas. Examples are taken from famous philosophers, such as Plato,
Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, and Hume.
Course materials: Traditional Logic, Book II: Advanced Formal Logic (Classical
Trivium Core Series) by Martin Cothran (Jun 1, 2000),
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1930953127/catholictreas-20 and Traditional
Logic II, Key by Martin Cothran (Jun 1, 2008),
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1930953135/catholictreas-20
Homework: Workbook exercises. Answers found in the workbook key (above) from
Memoria Press.
Fallacies and Paradoxes

Total classes: 6
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes each class.
Instructor: Jean Rioux, Ph.D.
Prerequisite: Introduction to Formal Logic.
Suggested credit: 1/2 semester Logic
Course description: This course is devoted to learning about, and identifying,
examples of flawed reasoning. One sort of logical mistake, the fallacy, can arise on
account of the subject matter about which one reasons (language-based, or
linguistic, fallacies), or through being inattentive to the structure (or form) of one's
reasoning (non-linguistic, or formal, fallacies). There is also a class of logical error
called paradoxes, in which reason finds itself trapped between two, apparently sound,
but incompatible lines of reasoning; something is wrong here, but what, exactly?
83
Analyzing paradoxes, and their solutions, helps us better to understand the nature of
human reasoning itself, and how best to assure that we arrive at the truth (and not
falsity) through its use.
Course materials: The text is provided FREE by Dr. Rioux.
Homework: There is no written homework for this course. However, there is
assigned reading.
Philosophy 101: What Do Philosophers Do and How Do

They Do It?
Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour 15 minute
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 2/3 semester Philosophy. You may combine with Fallacies and
Paradoxes for a full credit.
Course Description: Aristotle famously said, "all men by nature desire to know". For
over 2600 years philosophers have grappled with life's profound questions. Seeking
answers, they left their conclusions behind, along with the arguments supporting
them. In this course we will be studying some of the better-known philosophical
arguments in light of the issues they have addressed. From the allegory of the cave
to the 5 ways of St. Thomas Aquinas to Pascal's wager, these arguments can serve as
a brief introduction to the life and work of philosophers to anyone who would like to
discover more about the "examined life".
Course materials: Reading materials are provided FREE in the form of a pdf file.
References to the readings made during the course will be to this version. Students
are expected to read the short selections (about 2 pages, on avg.) carefully before
each session.
Homework: Apart from the reading for an upcoming class, students are expected to
respond to a few questions from the previous class. Answer key provided.
Thomistic Christian Philosophy: The Summa

Theologica , Parts One and Two
Total classes: 24
Duration: 75 minutes (1 hour 15 minutes)
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full year Philosophy or Theology
Instructor: Dave Palmer, Master of Theology
Course description: An overview of the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas based on his
masterpiece, the Summa Theologica. Blessed Pope John Paul said What is owed to
man is the truth about man. This course aims to provide an introduction to Thomistic
philosophy, in common language, so that beginners can better understand the
principals of Christian philosophy that have been largely abandoned by our modern
culture. They will learn the truth about man, how we relate to God, the angels and
other creatures and most importantly to God, and how through a life based on virtue,
we can achieve our ultimate end, union with God forever in heaven.
Course materials: Summa Theologica can be accessed FREE on line or borrowed
from the library, so no need to purchase the Summa unless you so desire.
Homework: Reading plus assignments. Estimate 2 hours per week. Answer key
Philosophy: Ethics
84
Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 11th and 12th grade
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Philosophy
Course description: This is an introduction to moral philosophy using Aristotle's
Nicomachean Ethics as the primary text.
Course materials: Reading materials will be provided free by the instructor.
Homework: Homework for each session will consist of students' careful short-essay
responses to two or three prompts. Expect to spend 2 to 3 hours outside of class time
on reading and homework each week.
Introduction to Early Modern Philosophy

Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Philosophy
Course description: The Early Modern period of philosophy has had a profound
effect upon contemporary thought and life. Beginning with the intensely reflective
musings of French mathematician Ren Descartes, European philosophers of the
17th and 18th centuries saw the possibility and scope of human knowledge as
the foremost problem facing us: can we know, and, if so, what? On the Continent, the
rationalists saw reason itself as the sole judge of truth. They were opposed in turn by
the British empiricists, who insisted that sensation is the fundamental criterion for
human knowing. This course presents a review of some of the main figures of the
period: among the rationalists, Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz, and among the
empiricists, Locke, Berkeley, and Hume. We will begin with a brief review of the
history of philosophy immediately prior to the period, and end with the synthesis of
Immanuel Kant and the beginnings of German Idealism.
Course materials: Readings for each session will be made available in the form of a
pdf file (FREE). Students can expect readings to average 15-25 pages for each
session.
Homework: Assignments include close readings of portions of the works of the main
philosophers studied. All of the readings are of above-average difficulty. Students
should expect to set aside two or three hours each week to carefully prepare for class
by reading these materials. Students will also respond to one or two questions
following each session in the form of brief written essays. Answer key provided.
Natural Theology (Philosophy of God)

Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: none
Suggested grade level: 12th grade or advanced high school student
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Philosophy or Theology.
Course description: Natural Theology (also called Philosophy of God or
Philosophical Theology) is that part of philosophy, which addresses what we can
know of divine things using unaided reason. Learning what we can of the existence
and attributes of God is our primary objective. To do that well, however, we must first
acquaint ourselves with the method of natural theology, especially insofar as it differs
from that of revealed theology. While the focus of this course is upon coming to know
God and His attributes, we will be looking at some arguments against the existence
85
of God (atheism) or against our capacity to know God through reason (agnosticism|
fideism). There is a good amount of fairly difficult reading required for this class.
Weekly homework will consist of your careful responses to one or two summative
essay questions on material covered in a previous class.
Course materials: Thomas Aquinas, Summa Contra Gentiles, Book I: God, University
of Notre Dame Press 026801678X Selected Readings in Natural Theology (freely
downloadable PDF)
Homework: Weekly homework will consist of students' careful responses to one or
two summative essay questions on material covered in a previous class. Most of
students' out-of-class time will be devoted to a careful reading of the assigned
material, but they should expect to spend an hour or so writing up their weekly
essays.
What is Beauty?
Total classes: 10
Duration: 1 hour
Instructor: Kenneth Rolling, MA
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 3/4 semester of Philosophy
Course description: This course provides a survey of various authors attempts to
answer the questions, What is beauty? and, What is the meaning of the
beautiful? Plato, Aristotle, St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Bonaventure
will be read and considered, among others.
Course materials: Available FREE online or provided by instructor.
Homework: Students will be expected to read excerpts from various authors and to
complete written responses to study questions for each class.
Science
Health, Fitness, and Wellness for Middle School

Students
Total classes: 6
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: semester Health or Science
Instructor: Erin Brown Conroy, MA; MFA
Course description: This course is designed as a foundational for understanding
personal health and wellness in the areas of physical, mental, and emotional health.
The interrelationships between the body, mind, and soul will be emphasized as
students learn foundational life habits and the ways to create healthy lifelong habits.
Course materials: Everything is provided FREE online from Professor Brown Conroy
Homework: Weekly reading assignments and quiz, with an estimated three to four
hours per week for homework, outside of class time. Answer key provided.
A History of Scientific Thought for Middle School

Students
Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: Curiosity
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Science
86
Instructor: MacBeth Derham

Course description: A romp through history of science. We will consider some great
questions: What is science? What can we know? What can we observe? What can we
change? Who are the great scientists? How does the Church view science?
Course materials: A timeline and notebook; A Student's Guide to Natural
Science by Stephen Barr, ISBN-13: 978-1932236927
(www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1932236929/catholictreas-20); 1000 Years of
Catholic Science by Jane Meyerhofer
(http://www.hedgeschool.com/Web_pages/Creationism/Creation.html).
Homework: Reading and writing from Barr, short online or library-sourced readings
for written summation. Homework will take under 2 hours a week.
Middle School Life Science: Topics in Life Science I;

The Cell
Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Instructor: Kris Correira, PA-C, MHP
Course description: The cell is the basic unit of all Life. This 12-week course
introduces middle school kids to what a living organism is; the structure, functions,
and processes of cells; and genetics.
Course materials: All reference materials will be provided free by the instructor. A
list of required lab supplies will be distributed at the beginning of the semester.
Access to a microscope is helpful but not required.
Homework: Labs to be completed each week of varying length.
Kingdom Animalia: Life Science in the Catholic

Tradition (Middle School)
Total classes: 12 (10 lectures plus 2 test dates)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Course description: This course gives an overview of the Animal Kingdom, both
invertebrates and vertebrates.
Course outline: Weeks 1 through 6: Invertebrates; Weeks 7 through 12:
Vertebrates.
Course materials: Companion eBook sections will be provided for each weekly
topic. Dissection kit highly recommended.
Homework: Midterm and final. Dissection labs are highly recommended.
Health Science: Nutrition

Total classes: 8
Prerequisite: none
Suggested credit: semester Health Science
Instructor: Christine Hamilton, MS
Course description: Teaches the basic concepts of healthy eating. We will learn
what food means to the body and gain a better understanding of its necessity.
87

Homework: Expect to spend 1 hour homework per lecture.
Health Science: Physical Fitness

Total classes: 8
Prerequisite: none
Suggested credit: semester Health Science
Instructor: Christine Hamilton, MS
Course description: Foundational program that introduces teens to physical fitness
and strength training. We will learn fitness training and put concepts into practice for
each class. Program is designed for home, backyard, park or anywhere with minimal
space requirements.
Course materials: Weights, 3 lb, 5 lb or soup cans.
Homework: 30 to 45 minutes per day in addition to watching the lectures.
Biology, Parts One and Two

Total classes: 28
Duration: 75 - 90 min
Prerequisite: none
Suggested grade level: 9th - 12th grade
Suggested credit: 1 full year Science or Human Biology
Instructor: Christine Hamilton
Course description: Prepares the student for ACT/SAT biology. Students are
expected to take notes during class and ask questions. Notes will help with weekly
quizzes, quizzes are open book. This Biology class is a general overview of high
school Biology presented from a Catholic perspective. Students should have access
to a microphone for the Q&A game at the end of class, as time permits. NOTE : This
is a two part course, students are expected to register for Part 2 in the Spring.
Course materials: Prentice-Hall Biology
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0132013495/catholictreas-20, Notebook and
pencil.
Homework: Students should review notes each week for tests. 1-2 hours.
Heart and Lungs; the Cardiovascular and Respiratory

Systems (Human Biology in the Catholic Tradition)
Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Science or Human Biology
Course description: Your heart beats around 100,000 times, and your lungs take
18,000 breaths in a day. How do these amazing organs work? Learn about the beauty
and precision of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems as only God could design.
We will also look at some of the more common diseases that can afflict these
systems.
Course materials: A PDF textbook from the author ($5.50) is required. FREE online
resources are also provided.
Homework: The course will consist of 10 lectures, a midterm, and a final exam.
Homework will be assigned throughout the semester. Students will take a quiz each
week before the lecture starts. Answer key provided.
88
Blood and Immunity; Hematology and Immune System

(Human Biology in the Catholic Tradition)
Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Course description: We may have only three types of blood cells, yet blood carries
our oxygen, repairs our injuries, stops our bleeding, and it fights off infections and
more. Explore Hematology and Immunology in this twelve-week course.
Course materials: Students must have access to a compound light microscope with
400x magnification, 1000x preferable. The following supplies need to be ordered
from Home Science Tools or other biological supply company:
BE-BLDTEST Blood Test Kit
MS-ANEMIA Human blood slide, anemia, smear
MS-HUBLOOD Human blood slide, Wright's stain, smear
Homework: Students will have written homework assigned most weeks. Each week
there is an open-book quiz to complete before viewing the lecture and there are two
open-book exams during the semester. Answer key provided.
Musculoskeletal System and Nervous System (Human

Biology in the Catholic Tradition)
Total classes: 10 lectures plus 2 exam dates.
Duration: 1 hour (plus 15 minutes before most classes for weekly quiz)
Prerequisite: none
Course description: Anatomy and physiology focusing on the musculoskeletal
system and nervous system infused with Catholic thought and history.
Course materials: A FREE electronic book will be provided.
Homework: Students will have weekly quizzes and two exams as well as weekly labs
to complete. Answer key provided.
Digestive and Urinary Systems (Human Biology in the

Catholic Tradition)
Total classes: 10 lectures plus 2 exam dates
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Course description: Another course in the Human Biology in the Catholic Tradition
series, this one focusing on the structure, function, and diseases of the digestive and
urinary systems. Course materials: a free companion e-book will be provided.
Course materials: eBook to be purchased from instructor, $5.50.
Homework: Labs to be completed each week of varying lengths.
Spaceflight Operations and Related Sciences

Total classes: 15
89
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: All virtual astronauts should report for duty with their imaginations
and a love for learning. General familiarity with spacecraft and the related subject
areas is a plus, but not required.
>>>SOFTWARE<<<
[1] Installation of the Orbiter Space Flight Simulator (free download from
http://orbit.medphys.ucl.ac.uk) should be accomplished prior to the start of the first
class. Please refer to the website for minimum computer hardware requirements.
Some graphics cards have difficulty displaying some ship consoles (they look like
holes cut out where flight instruments should be but you see the outside instead).
Please test to ensure that the software displays them properly or the student will
have greater difficulty controlling the ship (not a limiting factor for the class).
[2] Access to a spreadsheet application like MS Excel (not free but possibly already
installed on your computer) or Open Office Calc (free download at openoffice.org) is
recommended for some data analysis.
[3] Installation of the Fldigi (Fast and Light Digital modem program) for the purpose
of processing ground-based and satellite radio signals. Version 3.21.78 (or greater) is
available as a free download from http://www.w1hkj.com/Fldigi.html website.
[4] Celestia 3D astronomy software (free download at
http://sourceforge.net/projects/celestia/).
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Space Science
Instructor: Domenico Ruggiero
Course description: This course is a jam-packed assortment of space-related
sciences taught by a former NASA Space Shuttle Engineer. The variety of topics
covered in this course could each be courses in themselves. The approach taken here
is to present some very interesting aspects of the subjects in a way that doesnt oversimplify the topics. Recognizing that homeschool students are exceptionally bright
and are capable of understanding the fundamentals of complex subjects and
researching additional material, the course material will be presented in a manner
that captivates the childs attention, makes them more aware of the depth of
knowledge still to be gained, and then shows them how to learn more by providing a
plethora of resources that the child will explore on their own and with the
collaboration of fellow students.
Course materials: See prerequisite section for a list of required software
applications. Extensive handouts, online resources, and software applications are to
be utilized. Purchase of a small pad of green engineering paper would be useful when
making hand-made plots. This paper type also makes for a cool science-looking
notepad with its small-grid boxes useful for making impromptu plots/drawings. Book
recommendations will be provided but are not required for purchase. Encouraged
experimentation may require the purchase of related supplies, but this is optional and
at the discretion/interest of the student and parent.
Homework: Assignments will vary based on subject area. Where applicable,
assignments will have a Catholic theme to them. Assignments may include, but are
not limited to, (1) answering questions related to topics covered during the lectures,
(2) researching related materials, (3) using the spaceflight simulator to accomplish a
mission using newly gained knowledge of orbital mechanics (astrodynamics), (4)
using online software defined radio stations and specially designed software to tune
in ground-based and satellite radio signals, (5) using 3D space-related software
applications to learn more about planetary motion and the occurrences of eclipses,
(6) tracking the current and predicted location of satellites and the International
Space Station.
In this course, students have a class project, which promotes more of a deepdive into a subject/topic of the students choosing. Students can expect a variable 3
to 6 hours of time per week dedicated to homework and progress towards their class
90
project. Additional time, if available, is encouraged so that the student can

experiment with specific personal interests.
Environmental Science
Total classes: 13
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Earth Science and/or Biology
Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th (ages 16 to 18)
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Environmental Science
Instructor: Matt Watkins, MS
Course description: The course will be a combination of several scientific topics
including ecology, geology, physical geography (oceanic and atmospheric processes),
and hydrology. It will keep to scientific theory and the laws of nature. The course will
culminate with an investigation and discussion of the current environmental issues.
Course materials: http://www.lebel.com/prices.htm#Environmental plus Vatican
documents.
Homework: Student should expect to spend 4 hours per week outside of class time.
Anatomy and Physiology, Parts One and Two

Total classes: 60 (2 classes per week for 30 weeks)
Prerequisite: High School Biology required, Chemistry preferred.
Suggested credit: 1 full year Science or Anatomy & Physiology
Instructor: Gerard M. Nadal, Ph.D.
Course description: This two-semester course will introduce students to the
principles of Human Anatomy and Physiology at a first year college level. The goal of
the course of study is to prepare upper level high school students for first year
college studies in Nursing, Pharmacy, and the allied health sciences. In many of these
college programs, with nursing in particular, the top grades earned in college
Anatomy and Physiology are used to determine who is granted formal entrance into
the major course of study. This two-semester course of study does not substitute for
college anatomy and physiology. It is meant to be a rigorous first introduction to this
most challenging and foundational of all courses in the allied health sciences. The
text selected for this course is widely regarded as one of the finest ever written, and
its superior illustrations ease the attainment of mastery over the subject matter.
The course will use ample clinical anecdotes as students progress through the
chapters, in order to immediately demonstrate the clinical significance and
importance of the principle in question. Where appropriate, discussion of
contemporary bioethical issues from the perspective of the Churchs moral
magisterium will be engaged so that students learn from their earliest encounter with
clinical medicine that morally imbued biomedical ethics must be their constant
formative companion as they develop into medical professionals.
It must be emphasized that this course of study will require significant study
time outside of class, but its rigors will stand the student entering college study of
Anatomy and Physiology in very good stead for their second encounter with the
material, whose mastery is essential for the subsequent courses in pathophysiology,
and applied therapeutics.
The first semester will explore the principles of organization at the chemical,
cellular, and tissue levels. Systems studied will include the skeletal, integumentary,
muscular and nervous systems, with in-depth treatment of bones, ligaments, joints,
human neuroanatomy and physiology at the central and peripheral levels. A special
class will explore the advances made in the field of neuroregeneration and spinal
cord injury repair using adult stem cells. Other therapies for neuromuscular disorders
91
using adult stem cells will also be discussed in this lecture

Course materials : Text: Principles of Anatomy and Physiology 14e with Atlas of the
Skeleton Set, by Gerard J. Tortora and Bryan Derrickson, ISBN-13: 978-1118774564.
(Available for rent at a much cheaper cost,
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1118774566/catholictreas-20).
Homework : Homework time varies by student, but an estimated 6 to 7 hours per
week is not unreasonable, given the advanced level of material being studied.
Advanced Biology: College Level, Parts One and Two

Starting time: 3:00 PM Eastern (2:00 Central; 1:00 Mountain; Noon Pacific)
Duration: 60 to 100 min. per class
Prerequisite: High School Biology required; High School Chemistry highly
recommended and preferred.
Suggested credit: 1 full year of Science or Advanced (College-Level) Biology
Instructor: Gerard M. Nadal, Ph.D.
Course description: This two-semester course will introduce students to the
principles of General Biology at a first year college level. The goal is to provide the
most up-to-date treatment of contemporary biology and biotechnology, and to briefly
treat the great ethical and moral questions of the day arising from the subject
matter; in the classic model of a Catholic liberal arts education that stresses
integration of the scientific and the moral magisterium of the Church. Students
completing this course will be well prepared for the Advanced Placement Exam in
Biology (Monday, May 9, 2016).
Part One (fall semester) will explore the principles of biology at the cellular
and molecular level. Fundamental biochemistry, molecular and cytogenetics,
transcription and translation, cellular respiration, cellular biology of both eukaryotic
and prokaryotic organisms, cellular and organismal reproduction, Mendelian
inheritance, and recombinant DNA technology are all of the main topics. Throughout
both semesters, students will be taught how unit topics relate to principles of
Darwinian Evolution, as understood and espoused by the contemporary biological
community. The principles of Catholic bioethics will also be briefly discussed within
units touching on contemporary topics in reproductive technologies.
Course materials: Campbell Biology 10th Edition (ISBN-10: 0321775651 or ISBN-13:
978-0321775658), (Available for rent at a much cheaper cost,
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0321775651/catholictreas-20.)
Homework: Homework time varies by student, but an estimated 5 to 6 hours per
week, in addition to attending the live, interactive classes, is not unreasonable, given
the advanced level of material being studied. Homework will involve the outlining of
one essay per week, consistent with the structure of the Advanced Placement Exams
essay requirements.
Chemistry, Parts One and Two (with Optional Lab)

Duration: 1.25 hours (75 minutes) per class.
Prerequisite: Strong math skills including Algebra I (previous or concurrent).
Suggested credit: 1 full year Chemistry or Science
Instructor: Kathy Dutton
Course description: We will study God's creation at the atomic level and discover
how marvelous it is. This college-prep Chemistry course will cover a wide range of
topics, from 'What is an atom' to 'How and why atoms react.' We will also consider
how Chemistry is important in our day-to-day life. Weekly assignments will include
92
homework, lab, and a quiz. There will be 3 to 4 tests per term. This course meets
the prerequisite for AP Chemistry course.
Required Course Materials:
1. Chemistry, Wilbraham, Staley, Matta, Waterman (Prentice Hall, 2008) ISBN: 013-251210-6, (www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0132512106/catholictreas20). We recommend purchasing used for considerable savings.
2. Scientific calculator with log function (I demo on a TI30IIs)
3. Access to a scanner with PDF capabilities - Only necessary for Instructor

Access students.
Required Lab Materials:
1. Homeschool Connections Chemistry Kit from Quality Scientific Lab,
http://www.qualitysciencelabs.com/homeschool-connections/.
2. Note: If you own either the MicroChem Standard Edition or 2nd Edition you
DO NOT need to purchase this custom kit. In this case, contact Mrs. Dutton as
there are just a few things you will need - all easily available (and together
much cheaper than another kit).
Homework: 4-5 hours per week on course work and, on average, 1 hour per week on
lab. Instructor Access available for this course.
Advanced Chemistry: College Level, Parts One and

Two (lab optional)
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes (75 minutes)
Prerequisite: 1 year of high school chemistry, Algebra II previous or concurrent.
Suggested grade level: 11th or 12th grade
Suggested credit: 1 full year Advanced (College-Level) Chemistry.
Instructor: Kathy Dutton
Course description: We will continue studying God's creation at the atomic level
and discovering how marvelous it is. This is a college level chemistry class intended
to prepare students for AP Chemistry exam. We will delve deeper into topic such as
the Structure of Matter, Bonding and Intermolecular Forces, Chemical Reactions,
Kinetics, Thermodynamics, and Chemical Equilibrium. Lab is required for students
preparing for the AP exam. Lab is optional for all other students.
NOTE: This recorded class has not been evaluated by the AP board therefore cannot
be listed as an AP course. If a group of students wish to complete this course
together, it may be possible to get it AP approve. If interested in AP approval, please
contact the instructor.
Course materials:
1 Textbook: Silberberg, Chemistry: The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change,
5th edition ISBN-10: 0077216504, ISBN-13: 978-0077216504.
2 Answer Key (optional/highly recommended): Student Solutions Manual to
Accompany Chemistry: The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change, ISBN-10:
0073048607, ISBN-13: 978-0073048604
(NOTE: Answers to the odd problems can be found both in the back of the
textbook and the
answer key. The answer key shows step-by-step how problems
are worked out. The back of the
text gives just the answer.)
3 Scientific calculator with log (log) and natural log (ln) functions. (I demo on a TI30IIX)
4 Access to a scanner with PDF capabilities *Only necessary for Instructor Access
students.
Lab materials:
93
1. Advanced MicroChem Kit (advanced placement level chemistry kit),

http://www.qualitysciencelabs.com/advanced-chemistry/advanced-microchem-kitadvanced-placement-level-chemistry-kit/
Homework: There is weekly homework, chapter quizzes, 3 to 4 tests per semester
test and a final exam. This is a rigorous course. A well-prepared student, with good
math skills should expect to spend about 8-10 hours per week on Chemistry. The lab
will average 2 hours per week. Instructor Access available for this course.
Engineering and Design Labs

Total classes: Each lab is a separate lab, with 5 making up a semester of physical
science. The students and their parents can choose the 5 from 10-12 offered.
Each lab is 2 weeks.
Class duration: Lectures are 15-20 minutes, one for each lab, 12 in all.
Prerequisite: Algebra 1 and 9th grade English
Suggested credit: 1 full semester (5-6 labs) or 1 full year (10-12 labs) Science or
Engineering & Design
Course description: This series of labs is designed to explore physical science. It is
designed like an engineering project to help students problem solve and create
solutions based on knowledge, and creative problem solving. Each lab will have a
specific problem to be solved (example: build a toothpick bridge) with a design phase
with questions to be answered, drawings to be done, and a testing phase to see how
well the solution works. (Students who sign up for Instructor Access will create a
video presentation of their creation and send to Mrs. Hoeft for grading.)
Course materials: Unique to each lab, but most are simple household items.
Homework: Each entire project is all-inclusive. The research, designs, building and
testing phase should take a week with the reporting and presentation being the
second week. Instructor Access available for thus course.
Physics I, Parts One and Two

Formerly titled Conceptual Physics
Total classes: 30
Prerequisite: Algebra I and some exposure to Geometry (Geometry can be
concurrent)
Suggested credit: 1 full year Physics or Science
Instructor: Thomas Frederick, MS
Course description: This is the first course in a two course series in introductory
Physics concepts. The title of conceptual means we will not rely too much on
mathematical calculations. Instead, we will stick to concepts and major ideas.
Students will view pre-recorded online lessons and have live instruction once a week.
Topics covered will include:
Scientific Methods
Linear Motion and Projectile Motion
Forces and Newtons Laws
Work, Energy, and Linear Momentum
Circular Motion, Gravitational Interactions, and Satellites
Stability and Rotational Mechanics
Waves, Sound, & Light
The goal of the course is to investigate Physical Science concepts without the
need for complicated mathematics. Students will build in their natural intuitionand
94
break some commonly held misconceptions. Students will learn how the cosmos that
God created works and apply the laws of physics to every day examples in their lives.
Students will learn that physics is phun! Students will be expected to read ahead and
complete weekly homework assignments.
Course materials: Conceptual Physics Paul Hewitt (2002) ISBN: 978-0130542540.
There may be a student workbook as well to be announced.
Homework: Weekly reading and homework will be assigned. Individual assignments
will be provided in a class Moodle along with solutions for checking progress. Each
unit will have a test at the end.
Physics II: Mechanics, Parts One and Two

Formerly titled Mechanical Physics
Total classes: 30
Prerequisite: Algebra II and Trigonometry (Trigonometry can be concurrent)
Suggested credit: 1 full year Physics or Science
Instructor: Ricardo Rodriguez, PH.D.
Course description: This is the first part of a two-semester course. It is expected
that students also enroll in Physics II in the spring semester. This course is an
algebra-based, college prep survey course in Physics. Topics covered will include:
Scientific Tools and Measurements
Linear Motion
Projectile Motion
Force and Newtons Laws
Equilibrium and non-Equilibrium Applications
Universal Gravitation
Uniform Circular Motion & Satellites
Torque and Rotational Dynamics
Students will investigate the inner workings of the universe, created by a loving
God. The goal of the course is to build on previous knowledge of Physical Science
principals, to break common misconceptions based on false intuition. Students will
learn problem-solving strategies as they apply the laws of physics to every day
examples in our lives. Of course, students will learn that physics is phun as we
learn what makes the universe tick!
Course materials: Physics 5th edition by Cutnell & Johnson,
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/047132146X/catholictreas-20.
Homework: This is an algebra-based course but it is fairly rigorous. Weekly reading
and completion of homework is expected. Thirty to sixty minutes of
reading/homework a day is a reasonable expectation. Individual assignments will be
provided in a class Moodle with homework solutions posted so students can evaluate
their understanding.
Spanish
Middle School Spanish ; Beginning Spanish, Parts

One and Two
Total classes: 24
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 7th to 8th grade. Older students up to 12th grade will do well
if they have no experience in foreign language and understand that this is a basic
course.
Suggested credit: 1 full year Spanish or Foreign Language
95
Instructor: Irma Luz Schmitt, M.A.

Course description: This is an introductory course for younger students who are
taking Spanish for the first time. We will practice pronunciation, learn vocabulary, and
memorize many of the most common and useful phrases used in the everyday
speech in Spanish as well as our Catholic prayers. We will also learn some of the
basics of Spanish grammar. All of this serves as a solid foundation for Spanish I.
Course materials: Spanish (100 Series)
Homework: It is suggested that the student practice at least 1 hour each school day.
Answers found in the workbook.
Middle School Spanish I; Beginning Spanish, Parts

One and Two
Duration: 1 hour per class
Prerequisite: Spanish , Introduction to Spanish or equivalent. Students taking
Middle School Spanish I should know the Spanish concept of articles, nouns and
adjectives, the conjugation of verbs ser and estar in the present tense, possessive
adjectives and being able to use basic vocabulary in Spanish.
Suggested grade level: 7th - 9th
Instructor: Irma Luz Schmitt, MA
Course description: In Spanish 1, students learn to conjugate regular, irregular and
stem-changing verbs in present time. In addition, students learn other grammar
concepts, such as comparisons, superlatives, a personal, etc. As a complement to
the class in real time, students will have opportunity to view a recorded class each
week that includes exercises in new vocabulary and pronunciation practice.
Course materials: Spanish (100 Series),
Homework: In order to help students practice the Spanish Language every day,
each week they will be required to view a video reviewing vocabulary, complete a
vocabulary quiz and write in Spanish. Answers found in the workbook.
Middle School Spanish II, Parts One and Two

Total classes: 24
Duration: 75 minutes (15 minutes of vocabulary and conversation time and 1 hour
of grammar class)
Prerequisite: Middle School Spanish I or equivalent.
Instructor: Irma Luz M. Schmitt, MA
Course description: During one-hour grammar class, the students will practice the
conjugation in present tense of the regular -ar, -er, -ir verbs and stem-change verbs;
they will also learn the use of new verbs such as pensar, conocer, poder, saber and
other common grammar structures such as present progressive, acabar de.
In an additional 15 minutes vocabulary and conversation time previous to the
grammar class, the students will have opportunity to review and practice new
vocabulary and say words and phrases learned previously in order to practice guided
pronunciation and conversation.
Course materials: Exercises in Spanish Grammar, Book 1, HS701R
Homework: To practice Spanish grammar, the students will be asked to write
sentences using the grammar structures they learned during the previous grammar
class and complete pages in a workbook. They will learn a list of new vocabulary
96
words every week and will make a recording of phrases and words in Spanish. The
new vocabulary and phrases in Spanish will be reviewed during the 15 minutes
conversation time each week. It is recommended that the student spent - 1 hour
practicing Spanish every day.
Spanish I: High School, Parts One and Two

Total classes: 24
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Course description: Students learn grammar and ARE given the foundation to
speak the language. In first year Spanish you will learn basic words, verb tenses, how
to speak basic sentences, etc.
Course materials: Spanish: Middle / High School (Skills for Success),
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/088724758X/catholictreas-20.
Homework: Weekly assignments. Answer keys provided in the back of the workbook.
Spanish II; Intermediate Spanish, Parts One and Two

Total classes: 24
Duration: 1 hour per class.
Prerequisite: Spanish I. Students should come to class knowing the basics of
Spanish grammar: conjugations of ar, er, ir verbs in present tense, subject pronouns,
the concept of articles, nouns, adjectives, question words, comparisons, possessive
adjectives, verbs ser and estar, and basic vocabulary.
Course description: This is a course with intense grammar. You will learn the
present tense of stem-changing verbs, the preterit of ar, er, ir verbs, the present
tense of some irregular verbs, direct object pronouns, indirect objects pronouns,
demonstrative adjectives, and more. You will have the opportunity to increase your
vocabulary and to practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish.
Course materials: Exercises in Spanish Grammar" H-HS701R Book 1 by Hayes
School Publishing, (www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0883139715/catholictreas20).
Homework: It is expected that students will practice Spanish at least one hour each
school day. Answer key provided with book.
Spanish III; Advanced Spanish, Parts One and Two

Duration: 20 minutes to 1 hour
Prerequisite: Spanish II (Intermediate Spanish) or equivalent. Students taking
Spanish III must know how to conjugate in present and past tense regular ar, er and ir
verbs as well as common irregular verbs such as ser, estar, ir and stem-changing
verbs such as jugar, pensar, querer and preferir. They must also know proper use of
a personal , demonstrative adjectives, direct object pronouns, indirect object
pronouns, present progressive tense, t commands, acabar de, etc.
Course description: In this course, students will learn the past tense of irregular
verbs, the imperfect tense of regular and irregular verbs and reflexive verbs along
97
with grammar concepts such as the use of por and para , prepositions, the infinitive,
etc. As a complement to the class in real time, students will have the opportunity to
view a recorded class that will include exercises in new vocabulary and pronunciation
practice. Also, students will have the opportunity to listen to and read writings in
Spanish.
Course materials: Provided free by the instructor as Power Point files.
Homework: In order to help students practice the Spanish Language every day,
each week they will be required to view a video reviewing vocabulary, complete a
vocabulary quiz, and write in Spanish.
Speech
Leadership and Interpersonal Communication

Total classes: 6
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: semester Communications
Course description: This course teaches foundational and critical leadership and
communication skills, including self-management practices for becoming a person of
positive influence.
Course materials: All course materials are provided FREE online from Professor E. B.
Conroy
Homework: Weekly practice of the signs and conversations covered in the course,
watching videos of signing, and review within signed conversations during class time.
Speech and Communications

Total classes: 13
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Speech and Communications
Instructor: Kevin O'Brien
Course description: Effective communications and good public speaking begins
with an understanding of rhetoric - how a good argument is developed, how a good
speech is structured, and how spoken communication differs from written
communication. In this course, we will examine the greatest speeches of the greatest
orators in history, analyzing what they wrote and (when audio or video of their
speeches exist) their style of delivery. And while Speech and Communications is
essential to success in the business world, it is also essential for understanding and
presenting arguments in support of the Catholic Faith, or even for persuading others
of anything that's important to you. The goal of this course, then, is twofold - to learn
to appreciate and analyze good verbal rhetoric, and to apply what we've learned to
come up with our own short speeches that are engaging, entertaining and effective.
Course outline:
1. Introduction and Overview
2. The Great Orators of Greece and Rome
3. Public Speeches as Recounted in Scripture - The Prophets of the Old Testament and
the Apostles of the New Testament
4. The Rhetorical Structure and Dramatic Effect of Speeches in Shakespeare
(selections from Julius Caesar, Henry V, and Macbeth)
5. Religious Persuasion through the Ages - The Sermon on the Mount, Jonathan
Edwards and the Puritans, Bishop Fulton Sheen
98
6. Speeches by Students - Delivered and Critiqued during Class

8. Great Political Speeches of the 18th and 19th Centuries - Patrick Henry, Jefferson,
Wilbeforce, Lincoln
9. Great Political Speeches of the 20th Century Part I - Teddy Roosevelt, FDR,
Churchill, Eisenhower
10. Great Political Speeches of the 20th Century Part II - JFK, Martin Luther King,
Ronald Reagan
11. The Use of Humor and Oratory for American Pop Culture - Mark Twain, Will
Rogers, etc.
Course materials: Will be provided by the instructor in the form of PDFs and
eBooks; videos and audio recordings of speeches will be reviewed during class time.
Homework: Weekly reading. Each student will be required to write two short
speeches (no longer than five minutes each), with outlines at least two weeks before
the speech is to be presented to your parent or family.
Test Prep (ACT/SAT)
Math ACT/SAT Test Prep

Total classes: 8
Prerequisite: Algebra II and Geometry
Suggested credit: semester Life Skills or Test Prep
Course description: This course will provide practice tests for the ACT and SAT. The
instructor will then review the tests in class to assist students with problems and
difficult concepts. Students will be expected to work on the practice tests between
classes, and be ready with questions during class.
Course materials: All will be provided for free by the instructor.
Homework: Practice tests.
The New SAT: What you need to Know to Score Well

Total classes: 5
Duration: 45 minutes per class
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester Life Skills or Test Skills
Instructor: Erin Brown Conroy, MA, MFA
Course description: This course acquaints students with the new components of
the re-designed SAT, to become comfortable with the test content and style in order
to score well in each test section. The course will also give examples of question
types found on the test, help students to identify strategies to raise scores, and
give practice opportunities so that the student can be fully prepared for the test.
Course outline:
Session 1: An overview of the test, including reading, writing, math, and eight key
changes in the test
Session 2: Relevant words in context and command of evidence
Session 3: Essay writing and analyzing a source
Session 4: Math that matters and problems grounded in real-world contexts
Session 5: Analysis in science, history, and social studies, including founding
documents and great global conversation
99
Course materials: All course materials are provided at no additional cost.

Requirements: Students must be able to use the Internet, to access practice tests
and materials online.
Homework: Minimal amount of reading, including practice tests, with suggestions
for further practice.
SAT Quick Test Prep

Total classes: 2
Prerequisite: none
Suggested credit: 1/4 semester Life Skills or Test Prep
Instructor: Erin Brown Conroy, MA
Course description: In this SAT Quick Test Prep Course, your student will learn
information in two critical areas that will allow for success in taking the SAT: 1) About
the test itself: what happens in an SAT testing situation, what is on the test, how long
the testing sections last, what students are and are not allowed to do, and how the
test is scored, and 2) How to study for the SAT: how to approach questions, tricks and
tips to score well, and what to do to the week before testing, be fully prepared for the
test.
Course materials: Paper and pencil.
Homework: None
ACT Test Prep

Total classes: 4
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: none
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester Life Skills or Test Prep
Instructor: Erin Brown Conroy, MA
Course description: In this ACT Test Prep Course, your student will learn
information in two critical areas that will allow for success with the ACT: 1) about the
test itself: what happens in an ACT testing situation, what is on the test, how long the
testing sections last, what students are and are not allowed to do, and how the test is
scored, and 2) how to study for the ACT: how to approach questions, tricks and tips to
score well, and what to do to be fully prepared for the test.
Course outline:
Session 1: about the test itself: what happens in an ACT testing situation, what is on
the test, how long the testing sections last, what students are and are not allowed to
do, and how the test is scored, and general preparation
Session 2: Math and Science: how to study, how to approach questions, tricks and
tips to score well, and what to do to be fully prepared for the math and science
portions of the test
Session 3: Reading and English: how to study, how to approach questions, tricks and
tips to score well, and what to do to be fully prepared for the reading and English
portions of the test
Session 4: Writing: how to approach the essays, tricks and tips to score well, and
what to do to be fully prepared for the writing essays on the test
Homework: Assignments each day.
ACT/SAT English and Writing Test Prep

Total classes: 2
Duration: 2 hours each class
100
Prerequisite: none
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester English; Life Skills; or Test Prep
Instructor: Erin Brown Conroy
Course description: In this ACT English and Writing Test Prep Course, your student
will get personal help with his or her English writing skills in a way that enhances
their ability to score well on the ACT English and Writing portions of the exam.
Students will view actual ACT English and Writing test questions, analyze the
questions, and learn how to approach the questions for success. Students will also
learn how to analyze a writing prompt, sculpt a good essay, and use their writing
time to produce a high-scoring essay.
Course outline:
Session 1: The English Section: types of questions on the English portion of the test;
how to analyze questions; how to read the questions for hints regarding the answers;
practice test questions; introduction to the writing portion of the test
Session 2: The Writing Section of the test: analyzing numerous prompts; analyzing
well-written essays; creating essays together, live; words and phrases to avoid/words
and phrases to use; diamond words and their use in writing an essay; and what to
do to be fully prepared for the writing portion of the test
Homework: There will be homework for this Test Prep Course that will take your
student approximately one hour to complete. Instructor Access available for this
course.
Theology
Understanding the Story of the Bible for Middle

School Students (Understanding Our Faith Series)
Total classes: 13
Prerequisite: none
Suggested credit: 1 full semester theology
Instructor: Mr. Dan Egan
Course description: This course will cover the Big Picture of Salvation History.
Following the 6 major covenants, using a combination of the Jeff Cavin's Bible
Timeline and John Burgsma's Bible Basics as our guide, students will good through
the 14 narrative books of the Bible that tell the story.
Course materials: Catholic Bible, preferably the RSV CE (Revised Standard Version,
Catholic Edition). Also colored pencils, notebook. And Jeff Cavin's Bible timeline
(http://ascensionpress.com/products/great-adventure-bible-timeline-chart)
Homework: Weekly worksheet to confirm reading was completed.
Understanding the Gospels: A Study into the

Mysteries of Christ for Middle School Students
(Understanding Our Faith Series)
Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: None.
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Theology
Instructor: Dan Egan
101
Course description: Focusing on the Gospels of Mark and John, we will take an indepth look at the life of Christ. We will examine different prophecies that predicted
His coming and why He had to come. We will see how Jesus' baptism is linked to His
crucifixion and how that is linked to our own baptism. The temptation of Jesus will be
examined as well as His parables. We will look at the following questions: What did
Jesus teach about the end of the world? What is a Marcan sandwich? Why is John's
Gospel so different? Why do Catholics read the Gospels so differently than BibleChristians? Why if Jesus didn't rise from the dead we are all in trouble ... and much,
much more. You won't be disappointed.
Course materials: A Catholic Bible preferable RSV-CE Revised Standard Version or
New American Bible
Homework: Weekly quizzes.
Middle School Apologetics for Catholics (Defending

Our Faith Series)
Total classes: 12
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Theology or Apologetics
Instructor: Gary Michuta
Course description: We will cover many of the anti-Catholic viewpoints that a
young person may encounter, including Atheism, the unique claims of Christianity,
the reliability of the Gospels, common Protestant objections, and an overview of the
larger pseudo-Christians groups (i.e. Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, New Age).
Course materials: Suggested books (not required): Catholic Apologetics, Fr. John
Laux (TAN Books), Godless Delusion, Patrick Madrid (Our Sunday Visitor Press), How
to Wolf-Proof Your Kids, Gary Michuta (Grotto Press).
Homework: Each week the student will be given one or two pages of questions that
will cover that day's lesson. Answer key provided.
Apologetics Boot Camp (Defending Our Faith Series)

Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 2/3 semester Theology
Course description: Many Protestants attack the Faith of Catholics because they
believe the Church is a false system leading people away from Christ. This class is a
training session to help students learn, explain, defend, and share their Catholic Faith
in a loving and effective way. The students will learn what to say and most of all how
to say it. It will include, if the students are willing, mock-dialogues and other
exercises so that they can practice putting the lesson plans into action. Students will
learn how to engage in dialogues on: Salvation / Eternal Security, Sola Scripture [the
Bible Alone], The Papacy, The Eucharist / The Sacrifice of the Mass, and Marian
doctrines
Course materials: Provided FREE by instructor.
Homework: No written homework. Reading assignments are required for preparing
for class.
Introduction to Catholic Apologetics (Defending Our

Faith Series)
102
Total classes: 9
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th grade (an enthusiastic middle school student
could also do well). Instructor: Gary Michuta
Course description: This is beginners course on apologetics. The focus will become
familiar with all the basic prooftexts for common disputed Catholic doctrines and how
to answer the most common objections posed against Catholic doctrine. The student
will also learn how to read Scripture in context to answer objections and how to use
Catholic resources to find answers. Course materials: Recommended (but not
required): Where's That in the Bible, by Patrick Madrid (Book or DVD).
150 Bible Verses Every Catholic Should Know by Patrick Madrid.
Other course materials provided free by the instructor.
Homework: The students will receive a worksheet with 10 to 20 review questions.
Advanced Catholic Apologetics (Defending Our Faith

Series)
Total classes: 10
Prerequisite: Defending the Bible in the Modern World, Introduction to Apologetics,
Apologetics Boot Camp, OR equivalent.
Suggested credit: 1 full semester with extra reading.
Course description: Learn how the Protestant Reformation happened in Europe and
England, the major divisions within Protestantism, what are their major objections to
Catholicism and how to answer them.
Course materials: Provided by the instructor.
Homework: Weekly quizzes.
Ancient Heresies and Their Modern Counterparts

(Defending Our Faith Series)
Total classes: 7
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: semester Theology
Course description: Modern mistakes about Christ and His Church are not new.
They've been around for centuries. In this course, we look at some of the biggest and
most devastating heresies in the early Church and how their modern counterparts fall
into the same errors.
Course materials: Recommended reading, Hilaire Belloc's The Great Heresies
Homework: There will be a short ungraded Quiz for each section to help reinforce
important points.
High School Theistic Apologetics: Are Science and

Religion Enemies? (Defending Our Faith Series)
Total classes: 7
Prerequisite: Middle School Beginning Apologetics I-II plus one High School level
103
apologetics course, or equivalent.

Course description: Over the last century, a myth has developed that the Science
and the Catholic Church are enemies or that scientific knowledge is superior to all
other forms of knowledge. This class explores the roots of science, the problem of
scientism, and shows how the Church gave birth to modern science.
Course outline:
Class 1: The Enemy Myth
Class 2: The Stillbirths of Science
Class 3: Galileo: Friend or Foe?
Class 4: Problems with Materialism
Class 5: The Problem of Scientism
Class 6: The Faith of Science
Class 7: Catholic Contributions to Science
Course materials: Recommended reading: How the Catholic Church Build Western
Civilization by Thomas Wood
(www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1596983280/catholictreas-20) and Catholic
Essays by Fr. Stanley Jaki
Homework: Reading and online quizzes.
Christ's Real Presence in the Eucharist (Defending

Our Faith Series)
Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Completed either the Beginning Apologetics courses or one of the
Defending the Faith Series, or equivalent.
Suggested credit: semester Theology. For a full credit, add another theology
course.
Course description: The student will learn the main Protestant issues concerning
Christ's Real Presence in the Eucharist, an in-depth study of all the relevant Scripture
and patristic texts, as well as an overview other evidences, such as Eucharistic
miracles, that lend support for Catholic doctrine.
Course materials: Course materials supplied for free by the instructor.
Homework: Weekly multiple-choice worksheet, which will be corrected, but not
graded. Student should expect to spend half hour on each worksheet.
Apologetics: Peter and the Papacy (Defending Our

Faith Series)
Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: semester Theology.
104
Course description: With the election of our new pope, it is more important than
ever to be able to explain the papacy to non-Catholics and clear up many of the
misunderstanding and misinformation offered on the Internet and mainstream media.
In this class, we will go through the Old Testament background concerning the
government of God's People, the New Testament evidence for the primacy of Peter,
the papacy, and the often-misunderstood teaching of Papal Infallibility. We will also
learn how to address and answer many of the most common objections raise against
the Papacy from a biblical and a historical perspective.
Course materials: Recommended (not required): Upon this Rock: St. Peter and the
Primacy of Rome in Scripture and the Early Church by Stephen Ray,
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0898707234/catholictreas-20. Peter: Keeper of
the Keys (DVD) [Ignatius Press],
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000MV8JFK/catholictreas-20. Other course
materials provided free by the instructor.
Homework: The students will receive a worksheet with 10 to 20 review questions
plus short reading assignments.
Apologetics: Defending the Bible in the Modern World

(Defending Our Faith Series)
Total classes: 10
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 semester credit with extra reading assigned
Course description: Learn how the Bible came to be (OT and NT canons), how to
explain and defend Sacred Tradition, and why the Bible Alone (Sola Scriptura) is
unbiblical and unworkable.
Course materials: Free online resources.
Homework: Weekly quizzes with answer key provided.
Making Sense of Mary: Biblical Background for Marian

Apologetics (Defending Our Faith Series)
Total classes: 10
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 semester credit with extra reading
Course description: Making Sense of Mary is not your average apologetics class.
Instead of memorizing proof-texts, we are going to uncover how Scripture and the
early Christians understood Marys role in Gods perfect plan of redemption beginning
in Genesis with Adam, Eve, and the Serpent and tracing the prophetic echoes of that
event all the way to the Book of Revelation. Well see why Mary plays such an
important and indispensible role in Gods plan. How the Kingdom of David sheds light
on Marys mission both on earth and in Heaven. How being members of the Body of
Christ affects our relationship to Mary and finally what the Woman clothed with the
sun in Revelation 12 tells us about Mary and our battle against the Evil One. The
class will be based on Gary Michutas upcoming book, Making Sense of Mary.
Course materials: Making Sense of Mary by Gary Michuta (Grotto Press),
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00E9JBTD0/catholictreas-20.
Homework: Weekly reading assignments.
105
Advanced Apologetics: Jesus the Messiah (Defending

Our Faith Series)
Total classes: 7
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Defending the Bible in the Modern World and/or at least one other
course in the Defending the Faith Series.
Suggested grade level: High School to Adult
Suggested credit: semester Apologetics or Theology. Add another theology
course to this one for a full semester credit.
Course description: This course will focus on the defense and explanation of Jesus
the Messiah. The student will learn the key prophetic passages, Jewish objections to
these passages, and the surrounding historical context of Jesus' advent.
Course materials: Materials used, but not required. Christ in Type and Prophecy
(vol. 1-2) by A. J. Maas available free online:
Volume 1 at https://archive.org/details/christintypeprop01maasuoft
Volume 2 at
https://archive.org/stream/christintypeandp00maasuoft#page/n3/mode/2up
Also, Michael J. Brown, Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus: Messianic Prophecy
Objections Vol. 3 only,
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0801064236/catholictreas-20 and the
instructors book, Making Sense of Mary (Grotto Press),
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00E9JBTD0/catholictreas-20.
Homework: Student will have approx. 1 hour reading per week.
Catholic Spiritual Writers (Understanding Our Faith

Series)
Total sessions: 6
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1/2 semester Theology or Literature
Course Description: A look at the basic principles of Catholic spirituality as they are
explained by some of the great spiritual writers, such as St. Augustine, St. Francis of
Assisi, Thomas a Kempis, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Francis de Sales, and St. Therese
of Lisieux. We especially emphasize their application to the life of the young laity.
Course materials: The text is The Classics of Catholic Spirituality by Fr. Peter John
Cameron, O.P. (editor of the English language edition of Magnificat magazine). It is
very inexpensive ($7). The rest of the texts from the great spiritual writers are
available FREE online.
Homework: The assignment is to pick one of the great spiritual classics, read the
entire book over the six weeks of the course, and keep a journal of reflections as you
read.
World Religions (Understanding Our Faith Series)

Total classes: 15
106
Prerequisite: None
Course description: Most inhabitants in the world are not Christian. More and mere
we see the role for good or ill that religions play in the unfolding of history. We will
explore the teachings, practices, and history of the world religions especially in light
of the teachings and practice of the Catholic Church. Although we will take a Catholic
perspective, our approach will not be primarily apologetic.
Course outline:
Week 1: What is religion?
Week 2: The Churchs teachings on religion and the religions of the world
Week 3: Indigenous religions past and present
Week 4: Hinduism
Week 5: Sikhism, Jainism
Week 6: Buddhism
Week 7: Confucianism and Taoism
Week 8: Islam
Week 9: Judaism
Week 10: Mormanism, Jehovahs Witness
Week 11: New Age
Weeks 12 to 14: Student Presentations
Week 15: Catholicism and the World Religions, Dominus Jesus
Course materials: 1. Breuilly, Elizabeth, Joanne O'Brien, Martin Palmer. Religions of
the World: The Illustrated Guide to Origins, Beliefs, Traditions & Festivals,
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0816062587/catholictreas-20. This is not a
Catholic book and clarifications will be discussed in class; 2. Vatican II. Dogmatic
Constitution on the Church: Lumen gentium (1964); 3. Vatican II. Declaration on the
Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, Nostra Aetate (1965); 4. Pontifical
107
Council for Culture and Pontifical Council for Interfaith Dialogue. Jesus Christ, the
Bearer of the Water of Life; 5. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Declaration
on the Unicity and Salvific Universality of Jesus Christ and the Church. Dominus
Jesus (2000)
Optional: The BBC web page has a page dedicated to each of many major religions,
including the ones we are studying in this course. The perspective is not Catholic. The
pages have lots of good information, but also some slanted material. Please consult
your parents before exploring these pages.
Homework:
1. Five-question quiz after each class; 2. Each student will give a 15-minute
presentation on one of the religions not covered in the class. Your presentation will be
given to your parents, or, if you have signed up for instructor grading, a link to the
presentation (Youtube, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.) can be sent to the instructor; 3.
There will be a final writing assignmenta fictional dialogue with a practitioner of a
non-Christian religion. Instructor Access available for this course.
Introduction to the Bible; New Testament

Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 2/3 semester Theology. For full credit, add another Theology
course.
Course description: The New Testament is the record of Gods final and definitive
saving intervention in the history of mankind through His Incarnate Son and the Holy
Spirit in the Church. This course will focus on the meaning of the life of Jesus, the
history and destiny of the Early Church as related in the Gospels, as recorded in Acts,
Epistles, and Revelation. We will emphasize methods for reading passage so as to
more fully grasp Gods intent for us.
Course materials: A Catholic Bible.
Homework: Online readings from Bible. There will be a short on-line quiz after each
class period based on reading and class material. Final exam. Instructor Access
Introduction to the Bible; Old Testament

Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Course description: The Old Testament is the record of Gods initial interaction with
His Creation and the human race and His preparation the People of God for the
coming of the Messiah. This course will focus on the historical development of Israel
from the patriarchs to the Maccabees. We will emphasize methods for reading a
passage so as to more fully grasp Gods message for us.
Course materials: A Catholic Bible.
Homework: Online readings from Bible. There will be a short on-line quiz after each
class period based on reading and class material. The final assignment is to write a
paper explaining a biblical passage. Instructor Access available for this course.
108
The Trinity Explained (Understanding Our Faith

Series)
Total classes: 6
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Course description: The reality of the Trinity, whom we worship, permeates all
reality, including all human history. We are destined to spend eternity sharing the life
of the Trinity. In order to love God more fully, this class will help you know who God is
as Trinity. What is the content of the Churchs teaching? How did the Church receive
it? What does it mean for me in my life?
Course materials: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Bible, and a Missal. Other
readings available FREE online
Homework: Online readings from CCC, Bible, Church Fathers, Aquinas, the Liturgy of
the Mass. There will be a short online quiz (automatically graded by the computer)
after each class period based on reading and class material. Final exam.
The Mass Explained (Understanding Our Faith Series)

Total sessions: 6
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1/2 semester Theology.
Course Description: In order to participate fully in the Mass, we need to understand
it better. The Bible provides many images and ideas that are the basis for the
structure and prayers of the Mass. This course looks at these Biblical ideas and
explains how they are realized and fulfilled in the celebration of the Mass. Some of
the images include the Trinity; temple, priest and sacrifice; the Passover and the
Exodus; and the bridegroom/bride. In this course we will look closely at the prayers
and structure of the Mass in light of these images and ideas. This course will not
require written assignments. It will involve reading from the Bible.
Course materials: Any missal with the ordinary of the 1969 Missal and any Catholic
edition of the Bible. Both are also available online, but it is if you have a hard copy,
rather than clicking back and forth. You may also want a copy of the 1962 Missal on
hand, since Dr. Gotcher refers to it occasionally.
Homework: No written homework assigned but there are weekly reading
assignments.
Christian AnthropologyWho Am I? (Living Our Faith

Series)
Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Instructor: Monica Ashour, MTS; M Hum
Prerequisite: None.
Course Rationale: The student will study the foundational aspects of Christian
Anthropology (the Catholic vision of what it means to be human). With this
109
understanding, the student in this course will be challenged to apply such principles
to being in the world, not of the world, with a critical mind of recognizing distortions
regarding the human person that the world holds. Furthermore, the student will delve
deeply into Trinitarian and Soteriological (how we are saved) theology in that we are
made in the image and likeness of the Trinitarian God and in that Jesus death on the
Cross gives the highest and deepest revelation of what it means to be human.
Course Goal: The student, through his/her embracing of this theological perspective,
will be invited to grow in his/her humanity to become St. Me, the person he/she was
made to be and whom he/she co-creates with God.
Course Reading: The reading will assist the student in delving into a deep
understanding of the human person, along with its application to the moral life and
spirituality.
1. The BibleGen 1-3; Rom 3:21-8:39; 2. The Catechism of the Catholic Church #s
249-421; 3. The Documents of Vatican IIGaudium et Spes, especially Part I; 4.
Redemptor Hominis (Pope John Pauls 1st encyclical) 5. Pope Benedicts address at
Regensburg: ZE06091209 - 2006-09-12 Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article16955?l=english; 6. The Weight of Glory and Man or Rabbit, both by CS Lewis. For
those who want more of a challenge/more credit earned: CS Lewis The Abolition of
Man; Thomas Howards Chance or the Dance; J. Budziszewskis What We Cant Not
Know (Part I); Dr. Joyce Littles The Catholic Church and the Culture War (esp. the part
about egalitarianism).
Homework: Weekly Quizzes, Major Project, & Final Exam: Answer key provided.
Moral Theology: How Shall I Live? (Living Our Faith

Series)
Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: None.
Course Rationale: Every human person is called to the perfection of charity (cf. LG
#40). This vocation has been revealed through Jesus Christ and can be accomplished
only in and with Jesus Christ, whose Paschal Mystery is made present in the Churchs
liturgythe great work in which God is perfectly glorified and men are sanctified
(SC #7). To further mans sanctification, the Second Vatican Council has asked that
. . . special care should be given to the perfecting of moral theology. Its scientific
presentation should draw more fully on the teaching of Holy Scripture and should
throw light upon the exalted vocation of the faith in Christ and their obligation to
bring forth fruit in charity for the life of the world (OT #16). Therefore, this course
will attempt to focus upon the moral life, first of all, within the context of mans
vocation in Christ, the model of holiness, who took the form of a slave, emptied
himself, and learned obedience through suffering; secondly, within the context of
mans natural endowments, his capacity for virtue; and finally, within the context of
charity as the form of the virtues and the goal of all mans strivings since God is
love (1Jn 4:8). The course will investigate concretely those challenges to the Catholic
Churchs teachings and respond with solid, pastoral answers. Caveat: Coursework
subject to change based on the discretion of the online instructors assessment.
Course Goal: Each student, having been challenged intellectually with various
doctrinal teachings, will be challenged to be open to ongoing conversion so as to
offer himself along with Jesus, the Sacrificial Victim, to the Father in the love of the
Holy Spirit both now and for all eternity. Concretely, this will manifest itself in life in
Christ through virtuous living and a deeper understanding of and participation in the
Liturgy, opening the student to receive and give love.
110
Course Reading: The reading assignments give the student the flavor of the
Churchs understanding of moral theology and life in Christ; rarely will we discuss the
reading assignments. Rather, I give the readings to help the students bolster their
understanding of what we are learning in class, as well as giving students good
resources for their own growth. For the first days class: please read the required
reading from the Bible.
Required Reading:
1. The BibleMatthew 5 (The Beatitudes) and all of the book of Romans
2. The Catechism of the Catholic Church #s 1691-2557 (Read 67 paragraphs a week,
that is 8 a night; this is quite a bit of reading so the student needs to be diligent)
3. The Documents of Vatican II, especially Gaudium et Spes #s 1-52 (4 paragraphs
a week)
4. Veritatis Splendor (Pope John Pauls encyclical on moralityThis is hard reading so
some will be discussed in class)
5. The short essay The Weight of Glory in the longer collection with the same
name: The Weight of Glory and short essay Man or Rabbit, both by CS Lewis.
Optional Reading for those who want to earn extra credit:
1. Fr. Basil Maturins Christian Self-Mastery
2. Hayes, Hayes, Kelly, & Drummeys Catholicism and Ethics: A Medical/Moral
Handbook, C.R. Publications, Inc. (and for those interestedLeaders/Catechists
Manual of the same name and publisher).
3. Peter Kreefts Snakebite Letters, Ignatius Press.
Course Work:
Weekly Online Computer-graded Quizzes (Be finished before the start of the next
class) (25%)
Major Project (Grading Rubric will be posted) (25%)
Weekly Reflections (Minimum-1 page; Maximum-2 pagesThese should be
considered informal, though proving to the teacher that the student has reflected on
diagrams and learning in class (30%)
Assigned Reading (Honor policyKeep a Timesheet/notation of what you finished
reading. At the 10th Week, send an email saying that you read all of it (or what portion
of it) (20%).
Time Commitment to Study: A minimum of 3 hours a week (30 minutes a day) for
reading, study, doing quizzes, working on and completing the project, and writing the
weekly reflection.
Ecclesiology and Sacramental Theology: TOB, the

Church, and the Sacraments (Living Our Faith Series)
Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: None.
Course Description: The students in this course will study the nature of the Church,
that is, how She is in the nature of a sacrament (Lumen Gentium), along with all of
her other aspects from the perspective of Saint John Pauls Theology of the Body.
Jesus Christ as the Bridegroom of His Bride, the Church, extends Himself through time
via the Church who holds the Deposit of Truth and the Deposit of Grace through the
Liturgy and the Sacraments and the Teaching Office. Such topics serve as a great
segue into Mariology, a study of the Mother and Paradigm of the Church. Indeed,
Pope John Paul II, whose motto Totus Tuus is directed toward Our Lady, continues to
lead the Church into the threshold of hope for the new millennium; therefore, we
will do a careful study of his thought in much of the corpus of his writing. Finally, we
111
will examine the thoughts of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who has written extensively
on the Church and on the Liturgy. Caveat: Coursework subject to change based on
the discretion of the online instructors assessment.
Course Goal: The final goal of this course is for each student to glorify the Father as
a person fully alive (Ireneas) growing in intimacy with Jesus Christ, the Head of the
Church and His Body, the Church through the power of the Holy Spiritthe Soul of
the Church.
Course Reading: The reading assignments give the student the flavor of the
Churchs understanding of Herself and the Sacraments; rarely will we discuss the
reading assignments. Rather, I give the readings to help the students bolster their
understanding of what we are learning in class, as well as giving students good
resources for their own growth. For the first days class: see the required reading
listed under Week 1.
Required Reading:
1. The BibleThe Institution of the Last Supper in all 3 synoptic Gospels and Johns
Washing of the Feet; all of the book of Ephesians; Hebrews 5-13
2. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (See assignments below)
3. The Documents of Vatican II, especially Sacrosanctum Concilium and Lumen
Gentium (see assignments below)
4. Ecclesia de Eucharistia (Pope John Pauls encyclical on the Eucharist and Its
relationship to the ChurchRead 6 paragraphs a week)
1. Peter Kreefts Catholic Christianity, Ignatius Press
2. Dr. Joyce Littles The Catholic Church and the Culture War: Secular Anarchy or
Sacred Order (out of print from Ignatius Press, but can be found used).
Homework:
class) (25%)
Major Grade of Weekly Reflections (Minimum-1 page; Maximum-2 pages (30%)
Assigned Reading (20%).
Extra CreditDr. Kreefts and Dr. Littles book. (3 points per book added to final
grade).
weekly reflection.
The Theology of the Body: An Integral Vision of Man

(Living Our Faith Series)
Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: None.
Course Rationale: In order to live the abundant life that Jesus said He came to
bring, we need to know who we are, made in Gods image and likeness. A new vision
of such anthropology has been given to us by God through (soon-to-be) Saint Pope
John Paul IIs Theology of the Body (TOB). A deep, proper study of this work brings
with it a renewal of the person who embraces such teachings. The late Holy Fathers
biographer, George Weigel, called it a time bomb set to go off sometime after the
Popes death. Angelo Cardinal Scola remarks that every area of Catholic thought can
112
be undergirded by the Theology of the Body; thus, this course will not only offer an
opportunity for ongoing renewal for the student but also a basis to explore other
areas of his/her faith with TOB as a foundation. Pope John Paul himself said about his
work: And this theology of the body is the basis of the most appropriate method of
the pedagogy of the body, that is, of mans education (or rather, selfeducation)....Here [In wrong view of science in seeing the body only as an object of
manipulation] we touch problems that often need fundamental solutions, which are
impossible without an integral vision of man St. John Paul II (TOB 59:3) (emphases
his).
Course Description: This 12-week course overview of Pope John Pauls Theology of
the Body will give a birds eye perspective of the whole of TOB. Far from relegating
TOB to the area of sex and sexuality, TOB provides meaningful tools to see ones life
in the context of Jesus love for His Church and the life and love of the Blessed Trinity.
A special emphasis will be made regarding the vocational call to the priesthood,
religious life, and married life, and how both celibacy for the Kingdom (JPIIs words)
and marriage mirror and inform each other. Then, we will move to more specifics in
Part Two of TOB. Caveat: Coursework subject to change based on the discretion of the
online instructors assessment.
Course Reading: The reading will assist the student in delving into a deep
understanding of the human person, especially in the area of vocational discernment,
sexuality, and self-mastery. Most of the reading is intended to help the student
understand the mind of the Church. Most will not be discussed in class. For the first
days class: Please read the required reading from the Bible and Letter to Families
Required Reading:
1. The BibleGenesis 1-3 and Ephesians 5
2. The Catechism of the Catholic Church #s 355-682 (Read 47 paragraphs a week)
3. The Documents of Vatican II, especially Gaudium et Spes 47-62 (2 paragraphs a
week)
4. Letter to Families (Pope John Paul) (This gives a good TOB outlook in abbreviated
form)
1. Peter Kreefts Heaven: The Hearts Deepest Longing (his best book), Ignatius Press
2. Jason Everts The Theology of His Body; The Theology of Her Body, Ascension Press
(Parents may want to read this first, but my homeschooled nephew of 15 years old
said it really helped him).
Course Work:
class) (25%)
Major Grade of Weekly Reflections (Minimum-1 page; Maximum-2 pages) (30%)
Assigned Reading (20%).
Extra CreditJason Everts and Dr. Kreefts book. (3 points per book added to final
grade).
weekly reflection.
Writing
Writing Camp: Mastering Microsoft Word: Skills for

Success; Level I (Middle School)
113
Total classes: 4
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 6th to 9th grade. Highly recommended for middle school
students but open to older students or parents who need instruction in this area.
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester Writing; Life Skills; or Computer Skills
Course description: This is an essential skills course for all students. For all future
education, your student will need a strong knowledge and skill level in Microsoft
Word. Give your student confidence and the ability to use all of the basic functions of
Word before the school year begins. Instruction will be in Word version 7 and above.
Course outline:
Class 1: The keyboard and using functions on the HOME tab: cut, paste, copy; font
type and size, color, highlighting; centering, bullets, numbers; spelling and grammar
check
Class 2: Page layout, margins, and columns; indenting and spacing; inserting headers
and footers, page numbers; sizing and view;
Class 3: References: inserting citations, footnotes and endnotes, and comments
Class 4: inserting pictures, shapes, clipart, and charts; borders and color
Course materials: You will need Microsoft Word version 7 or above. Everything else
is provided FREE online from Professor Brown Conroy.
Homework: Daily practice assignments of approximately to 1 hour, for the four
days. Instructor Access available for this course.
Middle School Essential Writing 1:

Punctuation and Grammar
Total classes: 6
Prerequisite: none
Suggested credit: semester Writing or English
Course description: This is an essential writing course for all middle school
students. If you want to give your middle school student confidence and the ability to
use punctuation and grammar well, then this is the course for you. Dont let your
student struggle with commas or wonder, which tense to use. Make sure that your
middle school student completely understands how to correctly use a semicolon,
colon, and grammar.
Course materials: eBook: Simplified Writing 101 by Erin Brown Conroy.
Homework: Weekly assignments, with an estimated two to three hours per week for
homework outside of class time. Automated graded quizzes. Instructor Access
Middle School Simplified Writing 1:

Your All-Encompassing Foundational Writing Course
114
Total classes: 8
Prerequisite: Elements of Writing: Essential Punctuation and Grammar for Middle
School
Suggested credit: 2/3 semester Writing or English
Course description: This course is designed as a first writing course, to introduce
students in middle school to the skills and habits that create a strong and clear
writing foundation for high school writing from a Christian worldview. Students will
learn how to write effective sentences and paragraphs, including the use of topic
sentences, linear writing, and transitions; the purposes of writing, including
expression, informing, and persuading; the effect of audience on writing; how to
sculpt a piece of writing with direction, including the characteristics of an effective
introduction, body, and conclusion; and practice writing with specific feedback from
the instructor that leads to an increase in skill through rewriting.
Homework: Weekly writing assignments, with an estimated three to four hours per
week for homework, outside of class time. Instructor Access available for this
course.
Middle School Essential Writing 2:

Sentences and Paragraphs
Total classes: 6
Prerequisite: None
Course description: This is an essential writing course for all middle school
students to make sure that your student has strong middle school writing foundations
in place. Give your middle school student exactly whats needed for writing wellcrafted sentences and paragraphsincluding the absolute must-have knowledge
and practice for the use of nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and
prepositional phrases, and compound sentence structures, as well as capitalization,
end punctuation, and the use of quoted material. Even if your student has learned
the composition of a sentence and paragraph before (in elementary materials), the
approach for this class is to use middle school vocabulary and structures that are
more complex. Help your child finally master the details that are holding him or her
back from writing well. Sentence constructions are designed to prepare your student
for upper level middle school writing.
Course materials: eBook: Simplified Writing Foundations: Sentences and
Paragraphs for Middle School Students by EB Conroy. The publisher has not yet
released this book so Prof. Conroy supplies PDF and Word files free. Once published,
students may purchase the ebook on Amazon (plus download the Kindle app for free
to use on any computer, iPad, iPod, or smart phone).
Homework: Approximately 45 minutes to one hour per day, reading and completing
coursework. Instructor Access available for this course.
115
Middle School Simplified Writing 2:

Essays and Papers
Total classes: 8
Prerequisite: Simplified Writing for Middle School or equivalent.
Suggested credit: 2/3 semester Writing or English
Course description: This is a writing course for middle school students who have
taken the Simplified Writing for Middle School Students course and want to put the
foundational writing skills into critical practice, with specific feedback and coaching
regarding how your student's writing can improve. Students will craft an essay and a
short paper during the course. Attention will be given to writing with a Christian
worldview.
Course materials: Everything is provided free online from Professor Brown Conroy
at this time.
week for homework outside of class time (depending on the student's individual
processing, creating, and writing speed). Instructor Access available for this
course.
High School Essential Writing 1:

Punctuation and Grammar
Total classes: 6
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: none
Course description: This is an essential writing course for all high school students.
Give your high school student exactly whats needed for high school and college
writingincluding the confidence and the ability to use punctuation and grammar
well. Dont let your student strugglemaster commas, tense, colons, semicolons,
dashes, ellipses, and more. This class will give your student the strong foundation
needed to finally master the details that are holding him or her back from writing
well. Sentence constructions in the course are upper level, meant to challenge and
prepare your student for upper-high school and college courses.
Homework: Weekly assignments, with an estimated two to three hours per week for
homework outside of class time. Automated graded quizzes. Instructor Access
High School Simplified Writing 1:
116
Your All-Encompassing Foundational High School

Writing Course
Total classes: 8
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Elements of Writing for High School; Essential Punctuation and
Grammar
Suggested credit: 2/3 semester. Parents can assign the completion of an additional
writing assignment, for a total of one semester credit for the course
Course description: This course is designed to give the teen skills that make writing
strong and clear, lacking nothingable to articulate ideas well in writing for all highschool level work. Students will learn how to perfect strong sentences and
paragraphs; learn nine basic forms of rhetoric; focus on linear academic writing for a
purpose; practice transitions and connectives, parallelism, paraphrasing, and
summary; review punctuation as it influences excellence in writing (comma,
semicolon, colon, and dash use); recognizing and correcting common grammar
struggles; understand the characteristics of an effective introduction, body, and
conclusion; learn prewriting, drafting, and editing skills; and practice sculpting a
piece of writing with direction that receives specific feedback from the instructor.
Homework: Students will have weekly writing assignments, with an estimated five
hours per week for homework (outside of class time) that includes reading and
writing. Instructor Access available for this course.
High School Essential Writing 2:

Paragraphs and Essays
Total classes: 6
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Course description: This is an essential writing course for all high school students,
to make sure that your student has critical high school writing foundations in place.
Give your high school student exactly whats needed for writing well-crafted
sentences and paragraphsincluding the absolute must-have knowledge, review,
and practice for the use of nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and
prepositional phrases, and compound sentence structures, as well as transitions and
connectives, the use of quoted material, summary, and paraphrase. Even if your
student has learned foundational concepts before, the approach in his class is to use
high school vocabulary and structures that are more complex and needed for upperlevel writing. From mastering the details that are holding your student back from
writing well to providing much-needed practice, help your student perfect the
essential tools for high school writing.
Homework: Approximately one hour per day, reading and completing coursework.
117
High School Essentials: Vocabulary and Writing, Parts

One and Two
Total classes: 28
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full year Writing.
Instructor: EB Conroy, MA; MFA
Course description: In this course, your student will learn to use all of the upperlevel vocabulary words related to writing that are needed for high school advanced
writing, Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Composition courses, the
ACT and SAT, advanced writing courses, and all of college writingand an
introduction of the concepts associated with the terms.. Over 350 words will be
learned and practiced this semester. Course work will be simple yet critical for your
students future success. Because vocabulary is the #1 indicator of success on
college entrance testing, if you want your student to not only score well on testing
but also be able to be prepared for college writing and vocabulary, this course is for
you.
Course materials: eBook: EB Conroys Simplified Vocabulary Guide. (Not yet
available from the publisher. Will be provided free as PDFs until published.)
Homework: Studying for quizzes and tests on the vocabulary identification and use.

Rhetoric, Essays, and Papers
Total classes: 10
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Simplified Writing for High School Students, Elements of Writing:
Essential Punctuation and Grammar for High School Students, or equivalent.
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Writing or Advanced Writing
Instructor: E. B. Conroy, MA; MFA
Course description: This course content is known as a prerequisite for many
colleges for college-bound students. Designed to give the teen skills that make
writing strong and clear, your student will learn methods of rhetoric and how to use
the skills in all of the main conventions of writing used in collegeincluding in-depth
use of nine basic forms of rhetoric (rhetorical modes); be able to identify and use
major rhetorical strategies and figures of speech; and pre-write, draft, and edit a
comparison and contrast paper, including use of the hook, thesis, introduction
construction, conclusions, and rewriting with specific, individual feedback from the
instructor. Vocabulary related to upper-level writing will be introduced and integrated
into the learning. Specific class time will be used to show how to edit and revise
upper-level work.
Course materials: The Essential English Language and Composition Vocabulary
Guide (by E. B. Conroy) currently provided free by the instructor as multiple PDF or
118
Word files. Once the publisher releases it, it will available online through Amazon as
an eBook; all other materials provided FREE by the instructor.
Homework: Students will have weekly writing assignments with an estimated four to
five hours per week for homework. Instructor Access available for this course.

Research Writing (College Prep)
Total classes: 10
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Simplified Writing for High School.
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Writing; Research Writing; or Advanced Writing
Course description: This course will cover advanced research and writing methods
for argumentative research writing, how to craft an advanced research paper, and
understanding style guides (APA, CMS/Turabian, MLA, AP). A bibliography and
research paper will be written during the course.
Course materials: Simplified Writing 101 (by E. B. Conroy), available online as an
eBook on Amazon. Amazon also offers the Kindle Reader App free for your computer
or mobile device. All other materials provided FREE by the instructor.
Homework: Students will have weekly writing assignments, with an estimated four
to five hours per week for homework (outside of class time) that includes
researching, reading, writing, and responding to parents feedback. Instructor
Fiction Writing; Plot and Structure

One of six mini-courses in the Write Your Own Fiction Book Series. Note: Courses in
this series can be taken in any order.
Total classes: 4
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: none
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester (three courses in the Write Your Fiction Book Series
equals one semester credit)
Course description: This course teaches key components of writing a gripping plot
for fiction books of any genre. Designed for writing fiction for middle grade, young
adult, and adult plots, the course covers great openings (the opening line, hook, drop
into action, and inciting incident); development (doors of no return, peaks, and the
rising plot line); creating tension and intrigue; and the climax and finish.
Series description: There are a total six parts to the Write Your Own Fiction Book
Series. We will continue the series in the fall and into next spring and start all over
again. Students can jump into the series at any time. Once you have completed all 6
mini-courses, you can have a completed book!
Homework: Weekly writing assignments, with an estimated five hours per week for
homework, outside of class time. Instructor Access available for this course.
Fiction Writing; Description and Setting

119
One of six mini-courses in the Write Your Own Fiction Book Series. Courses in this
series can be taken in any order.
Total classes: 4
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: none
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester (three courses in the Write Your Fiction Book series
Course description: This course teaches key components of using excellent
description and crafting a strong and memorable setting for your fiction book. The
course covers when a good writer uses description and setting (timing and amount of
use); types of description (sensory, metaphor and simile, figures of speech, and
literary techniques); principles and techniques of memorable settings; and how to
integrate description and setting into plot, structure, and character development.
Series. We will continue the series in the fall and into next spring and start all over
again. Students can jump into the series at any time. Once you have completed all 6
mini-courses, you can have a completed book!
Homework: Weekly writing assignments, with an estimated five hours per week for
homework outside of class time. Instructor Access available for this course.
Characters and Dialogue (Write Your Own Book Fiction

Writing Series)
Series. Students can jump into this continuing series at any time. Once you have
completed all 6 mini-courses, you can have a completed book!
Total classes: 4
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Course description: This course teaches the key components of creating dynamic
characters and dialogue for fiction books of any genre. Designed for writing fiction for
middle grade, young adult, and adult plots, the course covers how to develop
characters, the character arc, how do develop dialogue, and how to weave dialogue
into character development and action. The course will also center on how to
implement your Catholic worldview into your characters and dialogue.
Course materials: All materials are provided FREE via the instructor.
week for homework outside of class time. Instructor Access available for this
course.
Theme, Style, and Point of View (Write Your Own Book

Fiction Writing Series)
Total classes: 4
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
120

Course description: This course teaches the key components of creating dynamic
theme, style, and point of view for fiction books of any genre. Designed for writing
fiction for middle grade, young adult, and adult plots, the course covers types of
theme, how to develop theme, developing your style of writing, and all of the major
fiction writing points of view. The course will also center on how to implement the
Christian worldview into your theme.
course.
Conflict and Creating the Breakout Novel (Write Your

Own Book Fiction Writing Series)
Total classes: 4
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester (three courses in the Write Your Own Fiction Book
series equals one full semester)
Course description: This course teaches the key components of creating conflict
that gives us the breakout novel. The course will also center on how to implement the
Christian worldview into your conflict.
course.
Authoring a Book: How it Works, What it Takes, and

How to Succeed (Write Your Own Book Fiction Writing
Series)
Total classes: 4
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester (three courses in the Write Your Own Fiction Book
series equals one full semester)
Course description: This course teaches what it takes to be an author, from
personal practices to the publishing world. The course will also discuss what its like
to be a Catholic author today.
121
week for homework outside of class time that includes reading, writing, and
responding to parent feedback. Instructor Access available for this course.
Advanced Fiction Writing 1: The Heros Journey and

Mythic Structure for Writers
Total classes: 8
Duration: 50 minutes each class
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 2/3 semester Writing or Creative Writing. For a full semester,
continue writing and honing your craft.
Instructor: EB Conroy, MA; MFA
Course description: This is an advanced fiction writing course that delves into the
use of archetypes in what is called "the hero's journey," the mythic structure that
many claim all stories follow. This course will cover the different kinds of typological
characters who appear in stories, to apply that knowledge to the crafting of your own
fiction book. The course can be taken in conjunction with any of the other fiction
writing courses offered with Homeschool Connections. Whether you plan on going
into fiction writing (books, screenwriting, poetry) or simply want to expand your
ability to write in advanced styles, this course is for you.
Course materials: Book: The Writers Journey: Mythic Structures for Writers, 3rd
Edition, by Christopher Vogler and Michele Montez (Nov 1, 2007). NOTE: The same
book is used in both of the Advanced Fiction I and II courses.
Homework: Approximately 1 to three hours per week reading and completing
Advanced Fiction Writing 2: The Heros Journey and

Mythic Structure for Writers
Total classes: 8
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 2/3 semester Creative Writing. For full semester credit, add other fictionwriting courses or continue writing for practice and to perfect your craft.
Course description: This is an advanced fiction writing course that delves into the
use of archetypes in what is called "the hero's journey," the mythic structure that
many claim all stories follow. This course will cover the different kinds of typological
characters who appear in stories, to apply that knowledge to the crafting of your own
fiction book. The course can be taken in conjunction with any of the other fiction
writing courses offered with Homeschool Connections. Whether you plan on going
into fiction writing (books, screenwriting, poetry) or simply want to expand your
ability to write in advanced styles, this course is for you.
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. Book: The Writers Journey: Mythic
Structures for Writers, 3rd Edition, by Christopher Vogler and Michele Montez (Nov 1,
2007, $17.99 paperback). NOTE: The same book is used in both of the Advanced
Fiction I and II courses.
122
Homework: Approximately 1 to three hours per week reading and completing

Introduction to Poetry
Total classes: 14
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: None
Suggested credit: 1 full semester Poetry or Literature/ Creative Writing. For a full
year of poetry, see Poetry Writing I.
Instructor: Sally Thomas
Course description: An introduction to reading and writing poetry, covering such
literary devices as rhyme, meter, and figurative language, and the relationship of
those elements to the overall meaning of a poem. Students will practice the art of
close, critical reading, as well as experimenting with elements of poetry in their own
writing. Introduction to Poetry plays a crucial function in the whole scheme of highschool literature, providing the student with a heightened understanding of this most
mysterious literary form, as well as sharpening overall writing and critical-reading
skills. Introduction to Poetry serves as pre-requisite for more advanced and
specialized poetry-writing courses, including Creative Writing: Poetry and Introduction
to Poetic Forms.
Course materials: Sound and Sense, 8th Edition, Lawrence Perrine. Out of print, but
readily available used for as little as $0.99 plus s/h.
Homework: One chapter per week in Perrine, with assigned poems. One poetrywriting exercise each week. (Approximately 4 hours total homework per week.)
Poetry Writing I: Joining the Great Tradition

Total classes: 14
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Introduction to Poetry
123

Suggested credit: 1 full semester Poetry or Literature/ Creative Writing
Instructor: Sally Thomas
Course description: An introduction to the craft of poetry writing, including
examination of traditional English verse forms and free verse, and experimentation
with rhetorical techniques. Though this is a writing-intensive class, students will also
be immersed in the reading of poetry. Through their experiences in examining how
poems work and putting their observations into practice, students will prepare
themselves for the challenge of college by developing heightened sensitivity as close
readers and a greater command of rhetoric in their own writing, whether poetry or
prose.
Course materials: Rhymes Reason, John Hollander. A Poetry Handbook, Mary Oliver
Homework: One chapter each in Hollander and Oliver each week, plus additional
poetry readings, provided by the instructor. One poetry-writing exercise per week.
Writing Boot Camp: How to Create Attractive and

Effective Professional Correspondence
Total classes: 4
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Basic high school writing skills
Suggested credit: 1/3 semester
Course description: How do you write an effective letter of application? How do I
correspond with a company concerning a complaint? How do I write my congressman
to encourage him to vote for a bill? In our professional, consumer, and public life we
are called upon to write many e-mails, letters, and fill out forms. This workshop can
help develop the proper approach to such writings so you can gain a respectful
hearing. We will learn formatting, proper word choice, developing an adult,
professional "voice," and a handy treatment of "do's" and "don'ts."
Course materials: FREE online resources.
Homework: Daily practice writing e-mails, letters, and other types of professional
correspondence.
124
Courses by Instructor
This alphabetical list sorts our recorded courses by instructor. If you have a favorite
Homeschool Connections instructor, this is an easy way to check out his or her other
courses.
Alvis, Catherine
Language: Latin I Boot Camp: Introduction to Latin
Language: Latin II Readiness Boot Camp
Language: Latin II/III Boot Camp: Cattus Petasatus
Ashour, Monica
History/Theology: Church History; Trinitarian
Theology: Christian AnthropologyWho Am I?
Theology: Moral TheologyHow Shall I Live?
Theology: Ecclesiology & Sacramental TheologyHow Shall I Glorify God?
Theology: Theology of the Body: The Best Method of Educating Man
Brock, Dayspring
Literature/Writing (Middle School): The Heroic in Arthurian Literature
Literature (Middle School): Mark Twain; Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Literature (Middle School): Traitors, Traditions, True Patriots: Literature About the
French and American Revolutions for Middle School
Literature (High School): English Literature and the Question of Evil
Campbell, Phillip
Archeology/History: An Archaeological Survey of the Old and New Testaments
Archeology/History: Archeology of the Ancient World (Available Summer 2017)
Architecture/History: Christian Architecture through the Ages
Economics: Economics as if People Matter (Micro and Macro)
Economics: Introduction to Catholic Social Teaching
Logic: Logic I; Introduction to Formal Logic
History: Foundations of Christian Historiography
History: The Dawn of History; Dawn of History: Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Persia
History (Middle School): The Dawn of History; Dawn of History: Mesopotamia, Egypt,
China, Persia
History: The Glory of Ancient Greece
History (Middle School): The Glory of Ancient Greece
History: The Life and Times of the Ancient Romans
History (Middle School): The Life and Times of the Ancient Romans
History (Middle School): U.S. History, 1492-1991 (Available Spring 2017)
History: Catholic Middle Ages
History: Rending of Christendom, 1417-1648
History: Early Modern European History, 1648-1789
History: World History; 12 Inventions That Revolutionized the World
History: History of Latin America
History: Early American History, 1492-1763
History: U. S. History, 1763-1865 (Available Spring 2017)
History: Modern European History, 1789-1991
History: Modern American History, 1865-2000
History: The Great Depression; 1929-1941
History: Understanding the Second Vatican Council
History: Contemporary U.S. History, 19912015 (Available Spring 2017)
Conroy, Erin Brown
125
Science: Health, Fitness, and Wellness for Middle School Students

Test Prep: The New SAT Test: Tools for Success
Test Prep: SAT Quick Test Prep
Test Prep: ACT Test Prep
Test Prep: ACT and SAT English and Writing Test Prep
Life Skills: Leadership and Interpersonal Communications Skills
Life Skills: How to Be an Excellent Student: Note Taking, Test Taking, and Getting an
A+
Writing: Middle School Essential Writing 1: Punctuation and Grammar (MS 7/6-1)
Writing: Middle School Essential Writing 2: Excellent Sentence and Paragraph Writing
(MS 7/6-2)
Writing: Middle School Essential Writing 3: Punctuation and Grammar II (MS 7/6-3)
(Available Summer 2017)
Writing: Middle School Essential Writing 4: Excellent Sentence and Paragraph Writing
II (MS 7/6-4) (Available Summer 2017)
Writing: Middle School Simplified Writing 1: Foundations of Composition I (MS 8/7-1)
Writing: Middle School Simplified Writing 2: Introduction to Essays and Papers I (MS
8/7-2)
Writing: Middle School Simplified Writing 3: Writing the Excellent Essay (MS 8/7-3)
Writing: Middle School Simplified Writing 4: Writing Form and Style (MS 8/7-4)
Writing: Fiction Writing 1; Plot and Structure (HS 11-1)
Writing: Fiction Writing 2; Description and Setting (HS 11-2)
Writing: Fiction Writing 3; Characters and Dialogue (HS 11-3)
Writing: Fiction Writing 4: Theme, Style, and Point of View (HS 11-4)
Writing: Fiction Writing 5; Conflict and Creating the Breakout Novel (HS 11-5)
Writing: Fiction Writing 6: Authoring a Book: What it Takes and How to Succeed (HS
11-6)
Writing: Fiction Writing 7: Authoring a Book II: Perfecting your Query Letter and
Synopsis (HS 11-7)
Writing: Fiction Writing 8: Writing the Short Story (HS 11-8)
Writing: Advanced Fiction Writing: The Heros Journey and Mythic Structure for Writers
(HS X-9 and HS X-10)
Writing: Advanced Fiction Writing: Screenwriting (HS X-11 and HS X-12) (Available
Spring 2017)
Writing: High School Writing Essentials 1: Punctuation and Grammar (HS 9-1)
Writing: High School Writing Essentials 2: Excellent Paragraphs and Essays (HS 9-3)
Writing: High School Writing Essentials 5: Punctuation and Grammar II (HS X-5)
Writing: High School Writing Essentials 6: Essay Writing Practicum (HS X-6) (Available
Spring 2017)
Writing: High School Simplified Writing 1: Strong Foundational Writing Skills (HS 9-2)
Writing: High School Simplified Writing 2: Beyond the 5-Paragraph Essay (HS 9-4)
(Available Spring 2017)
Writing: Vocabulary and Writing, Parts One and Two (HS 10-1 and HS 10-2)
Writing: Advanced Rhetoric and Writing 1: Rhetoric, Figures of Speech, Essays, and
Papers (HS 12-1)
Writing: Advanced Rhetoric and Writing 2: Research Writing; College Prep (HS 12-2)
Writing: Business Writing 1: Professional Business Writing Essentials (HS 11-9)
Writing: Business Writing 2: Journalism (HS-10) (Available Summer 2017)
Correira, Kris
Science (Middle School): Kingdom Animalia (Life Science in the Catholic Tradition)
Science (Middle School): Topics in Life Science I; The Cell
126
Science (Middle School): Life Science: The Human Body (Available Spring 2017)
Science (Middle School): STEM Engineering (Available Summer 2017)
Science: Heart and Lungs; the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems (Anatomy &
Physiology)
Science: Blood and Immunity; Hematology and Immune System (Anatomy &
Physiology)
Science: Musculoskeletal System and Nervous System (Anatomy & Physiology)
Science: Digestive and Urinary Systems (Anatomy & Physiology)
Derham, MacBeth
Science: A History of Scientific Thought for Middle School Students
Science (Middle School): Introduction to Earth Science (Available Spring 2017)
Science (Middle School): Introduction to Ornithology: The Study of Birds (Available
Summer 2017)
Dutton, Kathy
Science (Middle School): Physical Science (Available Spring 2017)
Science: Chemistry I
Science: Advanced Chemistry: College Preparatory
Egan, Dan
Language: Introduction to Biblical Greek
Theology (Middle School): Understanding the Story of the Bible
Theology (Middle School): Understanding the Gospels
Frederick, Thomas
Math: Algebra II: Holt McDougal Larson
Science: Physics I
Gotcher, Robert
Literature: Beyond the Lord of the Rings (Available Spring 2017)
Literature: Chesterton; Man of Letters
Literature: The Space Trilogy of C. S. Lewis
Literature: Tolkien and Fairy Stories
Logic: Formal Logic I; Introduction to Logic
Logic: Formal Logic II; Advanced Logic
Theology: Catholic Spiritual Writers
Theology: Introduction to the Bible; New Testament
Theology: Introduction to the Bible; Old Testament
Theology: The Trinity
Theology: The Mass Explained
Theology: World Religions
Theology: Angels and Demons (Available Summer 2017)
Writing: Professional Writing Boot Camp
Hamilton, Christine
Science: Biology
Science: The Science of Bugs! (AKA Entomology)
Science: Health Science: Nutrition
Science: Health Science: Physical Fitness
Science: Botany (Available Spring 2017)
Science: Geology (Available Spring 2017)
Science: Anatomy & Physiology (Available Spring 2017)
Test Prep: Science ACT / SAT Test Prep (Available Spring 2017)
127
Harris, David
Economics: Principles of Economics (Micro) and Catholic Perspectives
Life Skills: Personal Finances for Teens
Henry, Emily
Language: Middle School Latin
Language: Beginning Latin (Wheelock)
Language: Intermediate Latin (Wheelock)
Language: Advanced Latin (Available Spring 2017)
Language: College Preparatory Latin
Literature: Middle School Greek Mythology (Available Spring 2017)
Hoeft, Jean
Math: Saxon 5/4
Math: Saxon 6/5
Math: Saxon 7/6
Math: Saxon 8/7
Math Boot Camp: Preparing for Pre-Algebra
Math Boot Camp: Preparing for Algebra
Math Boot Camp: Preparing for Algebra II
Math: Pre-Algebra (Algebra ): Saxon
Math: Personal Finance: Math for Real Life (Available Spring 2017)
Math: Introduction to Probability and Statistics (Available Summer 2017)
Math: Algebra I: Saxon
Math: Algebra I: Foerster
Math: Algebra II: Saxon
Math: Algebra II: Foerster
Math: Geometry: Saxon
Math: Geometry: Jurgensen, Brown, Jurgensen
Math: Introduction to Trigonometry
Math: Advanced Topics in Math (Pre-Calculus): Saxon
Math: Calculus: Saxon
Science: Engineering Labs
Test Prep: Math ACT/SAT
Mausolf, Alexis, MA
Language: German I
Language: German II
Michuta, Gary
Aquinas Connections (Adult): Practical Catholic Apologetics
Theology (Middle School): Beginning Apologetics for Catholics
Theology: Middle School Catechesis: The Baltimore Catechism (Part 1: The Creed)
Theology: Middle School Catechesis: The Baltimore Catechism (Part 2: The
Commandments) (Available Summer 2017)
Theology: Apologetics Boot Camp
Theology: Making Sense of Mary: Biblical Background for Marian Apologetics
Theology: Defending the Bible in Modern Times
Theology: Apologetics; Peter and the Papacy
Theology: Apologetics: Christ and the Eucharist
Theology: Advanced Catholic Apologetics
Theology: Advanced Apologetics: Christian Apologetics I - Jesus the Messiah
Theology: Theistic Apologetics: Are Science and Religion Enemies?
128
Theology: Answering the Ultimate Protestant Objections on Salvation, Justification,

and Purgatory (Catholic Apologetics) (Available Spring 2017)
Theology: Is the New Testament Reliable? Exploring Its Authenticity, Integrity, and
Veracity (Christian Apologetics) (Available Summer 2017)
Theology: Introduction to the "New Atheism" (Theistic Apologetics) (Available
Summer 2017)
Mladinich, Lisa
Theology: Discovering Your Authentic Beauty & Making Life Full and Fun for Middle
School Girls (Available Summer 2017)
Theology: True Radiance! Discovering Your Authentic Beauty as a Young Woman
Nadal, Gerard
Science: Anatomy and Physiology
Science: Advanced Biology
Nardozzi, Emily
Math: Middle School Glencoe Math I
Math: Middle School Glencoe Math II (Available Spring 2017)
Math: Pre-Algebra Glencoe Math (Available Spring 2017)
Math: Math Foundations Boot Camp for Middle School
Negri, Jason
Government/Law: Introduction to Law; Fundamentals of the American Legal System
Government/Law: U.S. Citizenship and Civics
Pro-Life Boot Camp (with Ed Rivet)
OBrien, Kevin
Drama: Internet Acting Camp for Middle School
Literature (Middle School): Drama and the Human Spirit
Literature: A Study of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, I Call you Friends
Literature: Christmas in Literature, Film, and Music (Middle School) (Available Spring
2017)
Literature: A Mastery of Mysteries (Middle School) (Available Summer 2017)
Literature: Mythology in Literature (Available Spring 2017)
Literature: Love and the Meaning of Life (Available Spring 2017)
Literature: Drama and the Human Spirit for High School (Available Summer 2017)
Literature: A World Without God (Available Summer 2017)
Speech and Communications: Speech and Communications
Speech and Communications: Debate and Argumentation (Available Spring 2017)
Pacwa SJ, Mitch
Aquinas Connections (Adult): Jesus Journey to Jerusalem in Lukes Gospel
Palmer, Dave
Philosophy: The Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas
Pearce, Joseph
Literature: Romeo and Juliet
Literature: Hamlet
Literature: King Lear
Literature: The Merchant of Venice
Literature: The Hobbit
Literature: Lord of the Rings
129
Literature:
Literature:
Literature:
Literature:
Literature:
Narnia for Young Adults

Middle Earth for Young Adults
The Everlasting Man by G. K. Chesterton
The Iliad by Homer (Available Spring 2017)
The Odyssey by Homer (Available Summer 2017)
Prentice, Derek
Aquinas Connections (Adult): Career Search Skills
Life Skills: Job Search Skills for Teens
Geralyn Rea
Literature (Middle School): Introduction to Literature: Why and How to
Study Literature
Reynolds, Carol (Professor Carol)
Fine Arts: Discovering Western Culture through Music and the Arts
History: Imperial Russia
Rioux, Jean
Logic/Philosophy: Fallacies and Paradoxes
Philosophy: What Do Philosophers Do and How Do They Do It?
Philosophy: Introduction to Early Modern Philosophy
Philosophy: Philosophy of God: Natural Theology
Philosophy: Ethics
Philosophy: St. Thomas on the Human Person (Available Spring 2017)
Rivet, Ed
Government: Government, Democracy, and Citizenship
Government: Advanced American Government
Government: American Elections: Democracy in Action
Government: Government and Politics
Pro-Life Boot Camp (with Jason Negri)
Rodriguez, Ricardo
Science: Mechanical Physics
Rossini, Carl
Business/Economics: Fundamentals of Business
Ruggiero, Domenico
Computer Programming: Computer Programming 101
Science: Spaceflight Operations and Related Sciences
Rolling, Alecia
Language: German 1/2
Language: Latin I (Dooge)
Language: Latin II (Dooge)
Rolling, Kenneth
Philosophy: What is Beauty?
Russell, Henry
Literature (Middle School): The Hobbit
Literature (Middle School): The Lord of the Rings; The Fellowship of the Ring
Literature (Middle School): The Lord of the Rings; The Two Towers
130
Literature (Middle School): The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Literature: Typology I: Divinization as Human Duty: The Person, Nature, and
Sacramental Typology (Available Spring 2017)
Literature: Typology II: Seeing Typology in Literature (Available Summer 2017)
Literature: Homers Odyssey; The Soul of Pre-Socratic Wisdom
Literature: The Iliad: Glory and the Will of God
Literature: Sophocles and Tragedy
Literature: Virgils Aeneid; The Founding of Nations in the Will of God
Literature: Beowulf and Christ
Literature: Canterbury Tales of Geoffrey Chaucer; Trust God and Tradition
Literature: King Arthur and Christ; Heroism and Holiness
Literature: Macbeth; The Catholic Shakespeare
Literature: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; Chivalry, Courtesy and Chastity
Literature: Scarlet Letter
Literature: Death Comes for the Archbishop (American Classics Series)
Literature: The Man Who Was Thursday by G. K. Chesterton (Modern Catholic Classics
Series)
Literature: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis (Modern Catholic Classics Series)
Literature: Redemptive Comedy of Flannery OConnor (American Classics Series)
Literature: The Hobbit
Literature: The Lord of the Rings; The Fellowship of the Ring
Literature: The Lord of the Rings; The Two Towers
Literature: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Literature: Dantes Inferno
Literature: Dantes Purgatory
Literature: Dantes Paradise
Literature: Medieval Literature for Modern Catholics
Literature: The Catholic Shakespeare: A Contrast of Kings: Macbeth and Julius Caesar
Schmitt, Irma
Language (Middle School): Spanish
Language (Middle School): Spanish I
Language (Middle School): Spanish II
Language: Spanish I
Language: Spanish II
Language: Spanish III
Stanley, Alison
Economics: Essential Economics
History (Middle School): The Crusades: On A Quest for Christendom
History (Middle School): The French Revolution: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, or
Death
History (Middle School): The Civil War Years; A Nation Divided
History (Middle School): The Revolutionary War
History (Middle School): World War I; What Price Glory
History (Middle School): World War II
History (Middle School): Res Publica Romana
History (Middle School): Lives of the Saints: Revealing the Glory of God (Available
Spring 2017)
History: The Crusades: Defending Christendom
Gov./Law: Constitutional Law: Supreme Court Jurisprudence I
Gov./Law: The First Amendment; The Five Freedoms
Gov./Law: The Federalist Papers
Thomas, Sally
131
Writing: Introduction to Poetry

Writing: Poetry Writing I: Joining the Great Tradition
Watkins, Matt
Science: Environmental Science
Christopher Zehnder
Government / History: A History of Government in Europe and America (Available
Spring 2017)
History (Middle School): California Missions
History: Making of the Modern World
History: Light to the Nations I: A History of Christian Civilization, Christ to 1750
History: North American History: From Columbus to the 20th Century
History: American History: Lands of Hope and Promise (Available Spring 2017)
Theology: An Introduction to the Catholic Faith: The Didache (Available Spring 2017)
132
How to Get the Most Out of Unlimited

Access!
Here are some tips to help your student prepare for recorded classes and
get the most out of them. These come from our personal experience using
Unlimited Access with our own children in our own homeschools.
Set aside a regular day and time for your recorded classes.
Unlimited Access is an independent learning program, so self discipline and
parental follow up is especially important.
Consider taking courses as a family. Plug the computer into the television and
watch together.
Begin with courses that peak your childrens interest.
If you do not like the first course you take, dont give up. Try another course
with a different instructor. You may find that another instructors teaching
style better fits your childs learning style.
Once youve chosen a course, click on the course title at the Moodle website
to enter the course page.
Read the course description and directions carefully. Order the textbook if
applicable.
Purchase course materials.
Prepare a notebook for the course to write notes while watching the recorded
lectures. Also use the notebook for homework. Review as needed.
Find a comfortable place and make sure you have everything you need for
class before you start: pencil, paper, textbook, water, etc.
Make sure distractions are kept to a minimum during class time.
If you are taking the course alone, use a headset to help block outside noises.
If review is needed, class recordings can be watched multiple times. You can
fast forward or rewind as you watch.
Take advantage of additional support materials if offered. These can include
websites, reading materials, videos, etc.
Most courses offer answer keys. Parents can print these off to keep in a file.
Students are on their honor not to cheat.
Some courses offer Instructor Access (optional grading service) for an
additional fee if you would like extra help. See the Table of Contents for a list
of courses and instructions.
All courses have a Course Completion Certificate at the end. Once your child
completes the course to your satisfaction, print out the certificate and
complete it. Then file for your records.
For free homeschooling forms, visit
homeschoolconnectionsonline.com/homeschool-forms.
One resource for online planning is www.scholaric.com
Email us at homeschoolconnections@gmail.com if you have any questions or
ever need help.
133
Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are your courses Catholic?
A: Yes, all of our courses are taught with a strong Catholic ethos.
Q: How are credits applied?
A: Parents are the ultimate authority on their childrens work. We give a Suggested
Credit for each course. This suggestion is based on the student who participates fully
in class, completes all assignments, and spends time outside of class reading,
researching, and writing.
Q: What is your refund policy?
A: Monthly subscribers: If you forget to cancel and notify us within 24 hours, we will
refund the payment. Annual subscribers: The first 7 days are free. After that, refunds
are prorated less one month. Instructor Access: Upon signing up
with Instructor Access (optional grading service), the parent and instructor will work
out a schedule together within a week of payment. Students are required to turn in
homework on schedule, unless other arrangements are made in advance. If
homework is not timely, then grading is not guaranteed and the Instructor Access fee
is forfeited (no refund).
Q: What if I just want to purchase a single course?
A: Single Access will be available beginning Fall 2016. Single Access will allow you to
purchase single courses if you do not want to subscribe to all 275 courses.
Q: Id like to use your classes for a co-op. Can I do that?
A: Yes, you can. Every co-op is different. Email us and we can help you work out
details and pricing.
Q: Is Homeschool Connections an accredited school?
A: Homeschool Connections is an online curriculum provider and not a school. See
the Table of Contents for more information on accreditation.
Q: Are you a full home study school?
A: No, we do not provide record keeping or counseling services. Homeschool
Connections was created to supplement what parents are already doing. We have
families take advantage of our courses that are enrolled in Seton, Kolbe, Mother of
Divine Grace, etc. We also have many families who design their own curriculum using
classical, unit studies, Charlotte Mason, and other pedagogical models. Were here to
help families, from those who consider themselves unschoolers to those who follow a
very strict scope and sequence. Our goal is to meet parents where they are and help
them get the most out of their resources.
Q: How much does Unlimited Access cost?
A: Our 250+ recorded courses and content are available for $1 for the first seven
days and only $30 per month thereafter. You can subscribe for as long or as short
as you need. You also have the option to pay for one year in advance and get one
month free ($330).
Q: How do I subscribe?
A: Visit our website, www.homeschoolconnections.com and look for Unlimited
Access. There is detailed information there as well as a Subscribe button. Payment is
made via credit card or PayPal. If you prefer to pay by check, you can pay for one
year in advance at $330 ($30 savings).
Q: How do I unsubscribe?
A: Drop an email to us and well cancel your payments for you. Youll receive a
confirmation email.
134
Q: Is there a long-term commitment?

A: No. You can cancel anytime. Once you subscribe, the subscription fee will renew
automatically each month until you cancel.
Q: What should I expect once I subscribe?
A: Within a few hours of subscribing, you will receive a welcome email from
homeschoolconnections@gmail.com with your unique user name and password. You
will then have unlimited access to the available recorded courses 24/7.
Q: Before I subscribe, Id like to know exactly what you offer. How do I know
what courses are available?
A: All of our current recorded courses are listed in this catalog. Our live courses are
converted to recorded courses within 6 to 8 weeks upon completion.
Q: What all comes with the recorded courses (Unlimited Access)?
A: You get the lectures (class recordings) plus related materials, which can include:
Related links
PDF files
Homework assignments
Answer keys
Automated quizzes
Certificate of Course Completion
Q: How quickly are the live courses converted to recorded courses?

A: Live courses without graded homework usually become available to subscribers
within 6 to 8 weeks of the last class.
Q: Do you grade homework for the recorded courses?
A: Typically grading is done by the parents. Answer keys are provided where possible.
Some instructors make themselves available for grading in their recorded courses for
an additional fee (Instructor Access). See the Table of Contents for more
information on Instructor Access.
Q: How does Instructor Access work?
135
A: When you open the course page, you will see a PayPal button with instructions.
After receipt of payment, the instructor will contact you to begin the process.
Students email homework to the instructor and the instructor returns it graded and
with comments. The instructor is also available to answer questions.
Q: How do I know which courses have Instructor Access?
A: Check the Table of Contents in this catalog for the list of courses with Instructor
Access (optional grading service).
Q: Do I need to buy an Unlimited Access for each individual child?
A: No. The subscription service is for your entire immediate family. So, even if you
have multiple middle and high school children you only need to purchase one
subscription service. If you are using the Unlimited Access as part of a co-op made up
of several families then each family is required to purchase their own Unlimited
Access. User names and passwords are not to be shared outside of your immediate
family.
Q. I really do prefer that each child have their own Unlimited Access
account? Can I do that?
A. Yes. We have a new service called Multiple Access. This is an optional service for
an additional fee. Each student gets their own account, user name, and password. The
cost is an additional $10 per month ($40) for two students OR an additional $20 per month ($50) for three
or more students. If you pay annually the cost is $440 / $550 per year instead of $330.
Q: Were going out of town but want to keep up on schoolwork as much as
possible. Can I do that with Unlimited Access?
A. As long as you have access to a computer (or a mobile device) and Internet, you
have access to our classes. Weve had students take classes on the beach, at
Grandmas house, in the library, and more.
Q: Can I use Unlimited Access for my full curriculum?
A: Yes. Our recorded courses can be used to supplement your current curriculum or it
can be used as a full set of courses.
Q: Do you have a scope and sequence to help me plan for my childs high
school years?
A: Please see the Table of Contents for a series of scope and sequences to help you.
We are always working on new scope and sequences, so if you dont see what you
need email us or check the website (homeschoolconnectionsonline.com/scope-andsequence).
Q: My high school student is no longer homeschooled. Can she use the
Unlimited Access?
A: Yes. The recorded courses are available to anyone. They are a great way to
supplement private or public education and bring Catholic understanding to a
students core subjects whether it be during the school year or during summer break.
University students find the Unlimited Access is a good supplement to their college
136
studies. Weve also had parents sign up for the service to re-educate themselves
either for their own edification or to prepare themselves to teach their children.
Q: How do I plan with Unlimited Access?
A: Here are some steps to help you:
Review your student's coursework to date. Determine what courses are
needed for the future.
Ask your student about future goals. A student who wants to be a programmer
will take different courses than a student who wants to be a chemist.
Determine your student's strengths and weaknesses. For example a student
who struggles with language, but learns well using a multi-sensory methods
(dyslexic children often fall into this category), may do better with American
Sign Language than Spanish.
Take into consideration your student's loves. An example here is a student
who loves to write stories. That student should take more of our fiction-writing
courses. They will still learn important writing skills in addition to learning
literary analysis. The bonus is that they will enjoy learning it more in a
creative-writing atmosphere.
Once you have taken the above steps, you will have a strong idea of where
you want to go in the future. Now open and save the Recorded Course Catalog
and review all the options available to you.
You can find more help at homeschoolconnectionsonline.com/homeschoolforms.
137
Aquinas Writing Advantage: What is it?

Homeschool Connections has taken our separate writing courses and put
them together to create a full program for you and your children:
Designed by Professor Erin Brown Conroy
Complete, progressive, and thorough
Gives your student all the skills neededfoundations, development,
advanced, and creative writing
Leaves no gaps and prepares your student for college and the
workplace
Designed as a skills-based programyour student will advance and
increase writing skills faster than a grade-based program
MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL
Foundations
Middle School Elements of Writing: Essential Punctuation and Grammar
(6 weeks)
MS Excellent Sentence and Paragraph Writing (6 weeks)
Simplified Writing for Middle School Students (8 weeks)
Development
Middle School Writing II: Essays and Papers (8 weeks)
HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL
Foundations
How to be an Excellent Student (4 weeks)
Elements of Writing: Essential Punctuation and Grammar (6 weeks)
Simplified Writing (8 weeks)
Development
Excellent Paragraph and Essay/Test Writing (6 weeks)
Vocabulary and Writing 1 (14 weeks)
Advanced
Advanced Writing and Rhetoric (10 weeks)
Advanced Research Writing (10 weeks)
Creative (Middle and High School)
Fiction: Description and Setting (4 weeks)
Fiction: Character and Dialogue (4 weeks)
Fiction: Plot and Structure (4 weeks)
Fiction: Theme, Style, and Point of View (4 weeks)
Fiction: Conflict (4 weeks)
Fiction: Authoring a Book (4 weeks)
The Heros Journey and Mythic Structure for Writers 1: Archetypes (8
weeks)
The Heros Journey and Mythic Structure for Writers 2: Form (8 weeks)
Introduction to Poetry (Available Spring 2015)
138
NOTE: We are expanding the writing program in the 2016/2017 school year
with new live, interactive courses. They will all be available as recorded
courses before the following school year.
139
Suggested Scope and Sequences

Aquinas Writing Advantage
Parents often asked us, "Where do I start in writing?" To answer that question, we
offer the following scope and sequence, based on your student's grade level in the
fall. Whether your child is starting with Homeschool Connections in 7th grade or 12th
grade, we can help you. Note that the following is only our suggestion, based on our
general experience. Every child and every homeschool is different. You know your
child best, so you always have the final say in your childs education at HSC.
For the Student Beginning in the 12th Grade

12th GRADE
Fall
How to Be an Excellent Student
Elements of Writing for High School: Punctuation and Grammar / Simplified Writing for
High School
Vocabulary and Writing I
Spring
Advance Writing and Rhetoric
Advanced Research Writing
Vocabulary and Writing II

11th GRADE
Fall
High School
Spring
How to Be an Excellent Student (short course)
High School Writing Essentials: Excellent Paragraph and Essay/Test Writing
12th GRADE
Fall
Advanced Writing and Rhetoric
The Heros Journey and Mythic Structure for Writers 1: Archetypes
Spring
The Heros Journey and Mythic Structure for Writers 2: Form

10th GRADE
Fall
How to Be an Excellent Student (short course)
High School
Spring
Fiction Writing Series
11th GRADE
140
Fall
Spring
12th GRADE
Fall
Spring

9th GRADE
Fall
How to Be an Excellent Student (or in the spring)
Spring
10th GRADE
Fall
Elements of Writing for High School: Punctuation and Grammar/Simplified Writing for
High School
Spring
11th GRADE
Fall
Spring
12th GRADE
Fall
Spring
8th GRADE
Fall
Elements of Writing for Middle School: Essential Punctuation and Grammar /
Simplified Writing for Middle School
Spring
Middle School Writing Essentials: Excellent Sentence and Paragraph Writing
9th GRADE
Fall
Middle School Writing II
Spring
141

10th GRADE
Fall
High School
Spring
11th GRADE
Fall
Spring
12th GRADE
Fall
Spring

7th GRADE
Fall
Elements of Writing for Middle School: Essential Punctuation and Grammar /
Simplified Writing for Middle School
Spring
Middle School Writing Essentials: Excellent Sentence and Paragraph Writing
8th GRADE
Fall
Middle School Writing II
Spring
Fiction Writing Series (3 4-week courses)
9th GRADE
Fall
Spring
High School
10th GRADE
Fall
Spring
11th GRADE
Fall
142
Spring
12th GRADE
Fall
Spring
143
Basic Scope and Sequence for High School

Here is a very basic scope and sequence for high school. It is followed on the next
page by a more detailed scope and sequence using Unlimited Access.
Basic Scope and Sequence for the College-Bound High School Student
GRADE 9
Theology
Ancient Literature
Ancient History
Grammar and Composition
Algebra I
Earth Science or Physical Science
Latin I or other language
GRADE 10
Theology
Classic Literature
European History
Creative Writing
Geometry
Biology
Latin II or other language
GRADE 11
Theology
Modern / American Literature
American History
Vocabulary and Writing
Chemistry or elective
Algebra II or elective
Economics / Personal Finance
GRADE 12
Advanced Theology
Advanced Literature
World History
Advanced Writing
Physics or Elective
Pre-Calculus or Elective
U.S. Government / Law
144
Basic Scope and Sequence in Action

Here is one way a parent could plan their high school student's coursework using the
above scope and sequence with Homeschool Connections' online courses (Unlimited
Access). This can easily be adjusted to your student's needs by adding, subtracting,
or substituting courses.
GRADE 9
Fall
Theology: Introduction to Catholic Apologetics
Ancient Literature: Homer's Odyssey; and Illiad
Ancient History: Ancient Greece
Grammar and Composition: High School Essential Writing 1: Punctuation and
Grammar
Grammar and Composition: High School Essential Writing 2: Paragraphs & Essays
Algebra: Algebra I, Part One
Conceptual Physics, Part One
Latin I or other language: Latin I, Part One (Spanish and German also available)
Winter/Spring
Theology: Defending the Bible in Modern Times; or Making Sense of Mary
Ancient Literature: Sophocles; and Virgil's Aeneid
Ancient History: Ancient Rome
Grammar and Composition: Simplified Writing 1
Algebra I: Algebra I, Part Two
Conceptual Physics, Part Two
Latin I or other language: Latin I, Part Two (Spanish and German also available)
GRADE 10
Fall
Theology: Peter and the Papacy
Classic Literature: Beowulf; Canterbury Tales; and King Arthur
European History: Catholic Middle Ages
Creative Writing: Fiction Writing Series (choose 3 4-week courses)
Geometry: Geometry I, Part One
Biology I, Part One
Latin II or other language: Latin II, Part One (Spanish and German also available)
Winter/Spring
Theology: Advanced Catholic Apologetics
Classic Literature: MacBeth; Romeo and Juliet; and Hamlet
European History: Roots of the Revolt; and Age of Religious Wars
Creative Writing: Fiction Writing Series (choose 3 4-week courses)
Geometry: Geometry, Part Two
Biology I, Part Two
Latin II or other language: Latin II, Part Two (Spanish and German also available)
GRADE 11
Fall
Theology: Introduction to the Bible (Old and New Testament)
Modern Literature: Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis; The Man Who Was Thursday by
G. K. Chesterton
American History: Early American History
Vocabulary and Writing: Vocabulary and Writing; Part One
Chemistry or elective: Chemistry I, Part One; or Thomistic Philosophy, Part One
Algebra II or elective: Algebra II, Part One; or Logic I
145
Economics: Economics As If People Matter

Winter/Spring
Theology: Understanding the Mass; and Understanding the Trinity
American Literature: The Scarlet Letter; and Death Comes for the Archbishop
American History: U.S. History
Vocabulary and Writing: Vocabulary and Writing, Part Two
Chemistry or elective: Chemistry I, Part Two; or Thomistic Philosophy, Part Two
Algebra II or elective: Algebra II, Part Two; or Logic II
Economics / Personal Finance: Catholic Social Teaching
Economics / Personal Finance: Personal Finance for Teens
GRADE 12
Fall
Advanced Theology: Theology of the Body; and Ecclesiology & Sacramental Theology
Advanced Literature: Dante's Divine Comedy
World History: 12 Inventions that Changed the World
Advanced Writing: High School Simplified Writing 2: Rhetoric, Essays, and Papers
Mechanical Physics Part One or Elective; or Environmental Science; or Early Modern
Philosophers
Pre-Calculus or Elective: Advanced Topic in Mathematics, Part One; or elective
U.S. Government: Government, Democracy, and Citizenship; and Advanced
Government
Winter/Spring
Advanced Theology: Moral Theology; and Christian Anthropology
Advanced Literature: Dante's Divine Comedy continued
World History: Modern World History
Advanced Writing: High School Simplified Writing 3: Research Writing (College Prep)
Mechanical Physics or Elective; or Philosophy of God
Pre-Calculus or Elective: Advanced Topics in Mathematics, Part Two; or elective
U.S. Government / Law: Constitutional Law; or The First Amendment
By following this scope and sequence, parents can be assured of a well-rounded
education for their homeschooled student that will prepare them for life after high
school.
146
History Scope and Sequence: Sixth to Twelfth Grade

Parents sometimes ask us about the order in which our courses should be
taken. We answer these inquiries by focusing on the needs of that particular
family. Based on recent questions from parents, we offer you two different
history scope and sequences here.
The first was developed for a family who wanted to begin 7th grade
with Ancient History and move chronologically, ending with World History in
the 12th grade.
The second (on the next page) was developed for a family who wanted
to learn American History beginning in 6th grade and then cover other eras in
high school.
Note the order of these courses is only a suggestion and can be
adjusted to suit a family's specific needs and interests.
Chronological History Scope and Sequence

7th Grade
Dawn of History: Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Persia (12 weeks)
The Glory of Ancient Greece (12 Weeks)
8th Grade
The Life and Time of the Ancient Romans (12 weeks)
Making of the Modern World, Part One (12 weeks)
9th Grade
Making of the Modern World, Part Two (12 weeks)
Foundations of Christian Historiography (4 weeks)
An Archaeological Survey of the Old and New Testaments (10 weeks)
10th Grade
Catholic Middle Ages (12 weeks)
Roots of the Revolt (1417-1560) (6 weeks)
The Age of the Religious Wars (1560-1648) (6 weeks)
11th Grade
Early American History (1492 to 1763); Discovery to the Dawn of Revolution
(12 weeks)
U.S. History: Revolution, Republic and Union (1763-1865) (12 weeks)
12th Grade
Modern American History; 1865 - 2000 (12 weeks)
World History; 12 Inventions That Revolutionized the World (12 weeks)
147
World History Scope and Sequence

6th Grade
The American Revolution; Liberty! (10 weeks)
The Civil War; A Nation Divided (10 weeks)
7th Grade
World War I; What Price Glory? (10 weeks)
World War II; Allies and Axis (10 weeks)
8th Grade
Making of the Modern World (24 weeks)
9th Grade
Foundations of Christian Historiography (4 weeks)
Dawn of History: Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Persia (12 weeks)
The Glory of Ancient Greece (12 Weeks)
10th Grade
The Life and Times of the Ancient Romans (12 weeks)
Catholic Middle Ages (12 weeks)
11th Grade
Roots of the Revolt (1417-1560) (6 weeks)
The Age of the Religious Wars (1560-1648) (6 weeks)
Early American History (1492 to 1763); Discovery to the Dawn of Revolution
(12 weeks)
12th Grade
Modern History; 1865 - 2000 (12 weeks)
World History; 12 Inventions That Revolutionized the World (12 weeks)
148
Build Your Teen's College Skill Set: Suggested Scope and

Sequence
Are you and your high school student(s) planning for college? If so, there are certain
skill sets that are particularly important to acquire.
Study Skills: Students need to know how to manage their time and meet deadlines.
The brightest student can still flounder if these skills are not learned. The successful
college student also needs good note taking and basic study skills so that they can
get the most out of their classes and homework. After completing HSC's Study Skills
and Note Taking course, students will put these skills into practice through their high
school years and will therefore be better prepared for college.
Communication Skills: Strong communication skills will greatly benefit your
student in any college major or career field. HSC offers a course to help students
learn and practice good communications. In the Leadership and Communications
Skills course, students learn speaking skills, listening skills, conflict management, and
more.
Leadership Skills: The most successful students are often the ones who are also
leaders. As Catholics, it is important that our students become people who are a
positive influence at school and in the world. HSC's Leadership and Communications
Skills course will encourage them to be people of service, show them how to be a
faith-filled leader, and more.
Writing Skills: It's not enough to learn lessons taught in school, students need to be
able to communicate the lessons learned in writing. Strong writing skills are vital for
college success. HSC offers a strong writing program (Aquinas Writing Advantage)
that will take your student from the basics (grammar, punctuation, vocabulary) to the
advanced (rhetoric, research, academic papers). Your student will be ready for
college writing after successfully completing these writing courses.
Critical Thinking Skills: Education should not be about cramming facts into
children's heads. It should be about giving them a love for learning and the ability to
think. We highly recommend formal logic and philosophy to help your student think
critically and therefore succeed in all their school subjects. Logic and Philosophy are
not electives -- they are vital to a core curriculum. HSC offers a variety of courses
that teach your student critical thinking skills, while at the same time raising their
hearts to God and finding the beauty of their Catholic faith.
ACT/SAT Test Skills: To help your student get into the college of his choice, and get
the best scholarship possible, we offer courses on preparing for the ACT and SAT
tests. Your student will learn how to prepare for the test, what to expect, manage
time, and more for success. Latin studies should also be considered, for a variety of
reasons including the evidence that Latin studies increase ACT and SAT scores.
Most Importantly -- How to Evaluate Ideas through a Catholic Lens:
In college your student will encounter many new ideas and assumptions. Some of
them will be potentially damaging. We want to give your student the necessary tools
to recognize and understand the worldviews they encounter and know how to
articulate their own beliefs effectively and convincingly. All of HSC instructors are
Catholic and teach their courses through a Catholic lens, thus demonstrating to your
student how God is evident in everything. Our theology courses will specifically
149
prepare your student to defend his faith when he goes out into the world, as well as
help him build a solid foundation of faith for his life.
There is one more skill set to mention...
How to Use Technology in Education:
In HSC's online courses students become familiar with the same, or similar,
technology theyll encounter in college. They learn how to be engaged participants in
a live, interactive webinar and gain experience using online tools to collaborate with
their instructor and fellow students from all across the country and the world. This is
a skill set that will help them advance in higher education as well as the business
place.
Recommended Homeschool Connections College Skill Set Courses
Note: We offer a wide variety of courses and this recommend scope and sequence
can easily be adjusted to fit your student's needs. Of course, you'll also want to
include history, science, literature, and moth, as well as government and economics.
9th Grade
How to be an Excellent Student: Note Taking, Test Taking, and How to Get an A (4
weeks)
Elements of Writing: Essential Punctuation and Grammar (6 weeks)
Simplified Writing (8 weeks)
Excellent Paragraph and Essay/Test Writing (6 weeks)
Introduction to Formal Logic (12 weeks)
Latin I (24 weeks)
Catholic Apologetics (12 to 24 weeks)
10th Grade
Advance Formal Logic (12 weeks)
Latin II (24 weeks)
Philosophy 101: What Do Philosophers Do and How (8 weeks)
Advanced Catholic Apologetics (12 weeks)
11th Grade
Creative (Fiction) Writing (16 to 24 weeks)
Latin III/IV (24 weeks)
ACT/SAT Prep (4 weeks)
Thomistic Philosophy (12 to 24 weeks)
Understanding Our Faith series (8 to 16 weeks)
12th Grade
Leadership and Communications (6 weeks)
Advanced Writing and Rhetoric (10 weeks)
Advanced Research Writing (10 weeks)
Theology of the Body series (24 weeks)
Early Modern Philosophy (12 weeks)
Philosophy of God: Natural Theology (12 weeks)
150
Homeschool Connections Course Catalog
FAQ: Accreditation
Q. What is accreditation?
Accreditation is a voluntary process, performed by private, nongovernmental
agencies.
There is no central control or authority.
There are excellent accrediting agencies and bad ones.
There is no legal body that designates one accrediting organization as being better
than another.
Q. What does accreditation have to do with learning?
Nothing directly. It measures standards and does not develop educational programs.
Some of the worst public schools and private schools are accredited.
Some of the best are not.
Q. What is the purpose of accreditation?
The main function is to weed out diploma mills and other education scams.
Gives assurance that the educational institution being reviewed is legitimate and
meets minimum standards.
Q. What is the usefulness of accreditation for homeschool families?
Educationally, there is little usefulness for students and their families.
Does provide a comfort factor for parents, giving them assurance by a 3rd party that
the program meets minimum standards. However, parents must still determine if the
accrediting body is legitimate.
Useful to schools for marketing and recruiting.
May be helpful in some case if putting children into a public or private high school
after homeschooling partway through high school.
Possible requirement for NCAA scholarships.
Q. What if I want to design my own curriculum or use a non-accredited program,
but am one of the rare cases where accreditation is necessary?
There are several accrediting agencies that will review your course of study and issue
an accredited diploma for a fee. These programs include, but are not limited to:
Clonlara
NARHS
West River Academy
Q. Is
We have not used these programs personally, so cannot recommend one over the
other. As always, do your research.
Homeschool Connections accredited?
No. Our policy is that parents are the ultimate authority in their childs education.
Non-accreditation allows us more flexibility.
Non-accreditation keeps our courses affordable.
Home education does not involve attending a school.
We are not a school, but an online curriculum provider.
Our focus is providing the best online curriculum for use at home, not accreditation.
As private homeschoolers, parents are the ones who provide accreditation for their
childs education.
The quality of home education is assured by parents, not a 3rd party or accrediting
body.
Students using our program are educated at home by themselves and their parents.
We merely assist the students and parents with online classes and other services.
Page 151
Q. What about transferring to a public or private high school after

homeschooling? Will lack of accreditation affect my student?
Some high schools will require an accredited transcript for immediate placement.
If the school will not accept a students transcript, they will likely evaluate the
student using standardized testing.
If you have plans to put your child into a local site-based school, check their policy on
transfer students.
Q. Is it necessary to have attended an accredited high school or program to be
accepted to a college or university?
Except in rare cases, the high schools accreditation or non-accreditation status is not
a factor in the evaluation of a high school students eligibility for college admission.
Check with perspective colleges if you are unsure.
A schools accredited status from any accrediting organization does not provide a
legal guarantee that a student will be accepted into any private or public institution.
The majority of students are accepted into colleges based on an evaluation of their
application, the results of their Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or American College
Testing (ACT) scores, and their high school Grade Point Average (GPA). Some Catholic
colleges also accept the new Classic Learning Test (CLT).
Page 152
Sample Transcript
See http://homeschoolconnectionsonline.com/homeschool-forms for free homeschool forms.
Name: Ignatius Smith Gender: M Birth Date: 01/04/1999
Address: 2306 Marion Lane
Big Town, MO 63042
School Name: Smith Family Academy Graduation Date: 5/2017
Phone: 111-555-3333 Person to Contact: Mary Smith
Grade
Year
Course Title
1st Semester
2nd Semester
Final
Yearly
Cumulative
Totals
Grade Credit Grade Credit Grade Credit Credits

9
13-14 Latin I
Logic / Philosophy
Literature: Ancient/Epic
Science: Human Biology
Theology I
History: Middle Ages
Algebra I
Grammar and Composition
10
14-15 Latin II
Literature: Middle Ages
History: Renaissance
American Government
Thomistic Philosophy
Science: Physics
Geometry
Theology II
Creative Writing
11
15-16 Latin III

History: American
Theology: Apologetics
Vocabulary and Writing
Advanced American Gov.
Literature: American/Modern
Science: Chemistry
Algebra II
Economics
12
16-17 Biblical Greek

History: World
Science: Advanced Biology
Theology: Bible
Pre-Calculus
Advanced Literature
Advanced Writing
B
B
A
C
A
B
A
B
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
B
B
A
A
B
B
A
A
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.25
0.25
0.50
0.50
B
B
A
B
A
B
A
A-
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
Credits and Grading Scale: A 90-100; B 80-89; C 70-79; D 60- 69; F below 60
Weight for one-credit courses (120 hours): A=4; B=3; C=2; D=1; F=0 AP Courses: A=5; B=4; C=3
Activities: Library Volunteer, Debate Club, Art Guild Member, Museum Volunteer
[enter test scores such as ACT/SAT etc.]
Signed: Your signature here Date: date here
Page 153
GPA
3.4

RecordedCourseCatalog2016 2017

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

RecordedCourseCatalog2016 2017

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

2016 / 2017 School

Suggested Scope and Sequences................................................................123

About Our Instructors

MacBeth Derham is a retired homeschooling mother of four very different children,

Carol Reynolds, PhD

Dr. Carol Reynolds weaves energy, humor, and history into

Domenico Ruggiero, MS-EM

taught English as a second language in the Centro de Lenguas de la Universidad

Contact Information / Fees

Unlimited Access (Recorded Courses): Over 275 recorded courses are

Instructor Access (Optional Grading Service): While answer keys are

Refund Policy: Unlimited Access: Monthly subscribers, If you forget to cancel

Instructor Access Optional Grading

Both with Phillip Campbell

$25 for 5 Labs (students choose from 12 labs)

Taught by Erin Brown Conroy; Graded by Maureen Ryan

NEW Live, Interactive Courses in

Available Spring 2017

Available Summer 2017

American History: Lands of Hope and Promise, Part Two

Unlimited Access Recorded Courses

American Sign Language (ASL) I

American Sign Language (ASL) II

American Sign Language (ASL) III

American Sign Language (ASL) IV

An Archaeological Survey of the Old and New

Christian Architecture through the Ages

Discovering Western Culture through Music and the

Suggested credit: 1 full semester Business or Economics. For a full year of

Computer Programming 101

Course description: This is an entry-level course for students with little to no

Economics Camp: Introduction to Catholic Social

Economics as if People Matter (Micro and Macro)

German I, Parts One and Two

rhymes, songs, and proverbs to commercials and cartoons will be incorporated as

German II, Parts One and Two

German I for Middle School, Parts One and Two

Suggested credit: One full year German or Foreign Language.

Pro-Life Boot Camp: Learning the Facts and Effective

Government, Democracy, and Citizenship

U.S. Citizenship and Civics

Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th grade

Political Philosophy & Systems

American Elections: Democracy in Action

American electoral process, with a special emphasis on the upcoming presidential

Advanced American Government

Introduction to Law; Fundamentals of the American

Constitutional Law: Supreme Court Jurisprudence I

The First Amendment: Five Freedoms

The Federalist Papers

Government & Politics, Parts One and Two

Introduction to Biblical Greek, Parts One and Two

Light to the Nations I: A History of Christian

Dawn of History: Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Persia

The Glory of Ancient Greece (Middle School)

The Life and Times of the Ancient Romans (Middle

Res Publica Romana (Middle School)

The Crusades: On A Quest for Christendom (Middle

The French Revolution: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity,

The Rise and Fall of the Missions of Alta California,

Suggested grade level: 7th grade and up

The American Revolution; Liberty! (Middle School)