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The following courses are offered in the Algoma Christian High School:
Bible:
9th & 10 Grade:
New Testament Survey introduces students to the historical, cultural and literary world of the New Testament. Special attention is given to the life and teachings of Jesus, the historical, doctrinal and ethical developments within early Christianity, and the application of New Testament truth in today’s world.
Old Testament Survey introduces students to the world and literature of the Old Testament. Special attention is given to the progressive nature of God’s revealed truth and its application in contemporary contexts.
11th & 12th grade
The Christian Worldview in Context guides students toward answers to such questions as: What do you believe? Why do you believe it? What difference does it make? This course compares and contrasts six basic worldviews: Christianity, Islam, Secular Humanism, Marxism, New Age, and Postmodernism. Some of the issues covered include: abortion, apologetics, the arts, biotechnology, critical thinking, cults, euthanasia, leadership, radical environmentalism, radical feminism, the problem of evil, religious pluralism, scriptural reliability, and more. College credit is available through Bryan College.
Biblical Interpretation and Application is a “hands-on” course designed to establish students in reliable principles, methods and skills with which to study, interpret, and apply Scripture. The goal of this course is to equip each student with the ability to enjoy in-depth personal bible study for a lifetime.
Language Arts:
9th Grade ENGLISH: The grammar portion of this required class will focus on the more detailed aspects of grammar and identifying and using the parts of writing. Mechanics are reinforced. The use of library reference materials is taught. Expository writing is introduced. The literature portion highly emphasizes literary devices and terms while surveying World Literature. Various forms of poetry are surveyed, with emphasis on rhyme, meter, and form. Samples of great artists and author biographies are also examined. Journals and book reports are used for formal written work, along with writing in response to literature.
10th Grade ENGLISH: The grammar portion of this required class will focus on advanced skills in grammar that will aid in the writing process. The literature portion will emphasize reading novels, plays, and short stories and responding to them in essay form (or other means). Writing will focus on a variety of types of essay writing and style, including persuasion, compare/contrast, description, and research.
AMERICAN LITERATURE: This required class will focus on the progression of American literary works through the years, both in content and form. Writing will focus on responding to the literature studied using a variety of formats such as fictionalized journals, news articles, and evaluations (among others). Grammar will be studied from the students’ own writing and the literature studied, emphasizing common mistakes they are making and correcting them. Sentence variety will also be addressed. Students will do a research project.
BRITISH LITERATURE: The literature portion of this required class will emphasize literary style and techniques of short stories, poems, novels, and plays in British literature, as well as the evaluation of ideas presented in the works. Writing will focus on analyzing and responding to literature studied. Grammar will focus on locating and fixing trouble spots in the students’ own writing. Vocabulary and spelling will emphasize forming words and using prefixes, roots, and suffixes.
COLLEGE WRITING: This elective class is primarily a non-fiction/prose writing class in which students study many different styles of formal writing and the skills and techniques used to make writing clear and powerful. Students will be asked not only to write sentences, paragraphs and essays, but also to analyze both their own and other people’s writing in order to understand what makes good writing and how they may improve their own writing.
CREATIVE WRITING: In this elective class, students will learn to use their God-given writing gifts to expand their creativity through various modes creative writing. The students will learn how to keep a writing journal and how to critique their own writing. Students will explore how to use literary devices in their writing.
MEDIA ANALYSIS: This semester-long elective class allows students to delve into popular culture and discern and critically analyze how it affects them and how they can respond to it from a Christian perspective. Areas of study include media as business, music, video games, advertising, television, and film. Students will respond to the topics through discussion, reading, research, and other projects.
Social Studies:
GEOGRAPHY/ECONOMICS: This required class devotes one semester to the study of world geography and one semester to the study of economics. The geography portion of the class focuses on geographic terms and a study of Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, and North and South America. The economics portion of the class covers economic laws, supply and demand, production, marketing, competition, and currency. Students will be expected to participate in projects, map making, and giving of reports on current events and related topics.
WORLD HISTORY: This required class covers the time from creation to the present. Major topics include the beginnings of both eastern and western civilization, medieval times, the Renaissance, the Reformation, and all the world wars. Emphasis is placed on the study of current events and their application to modern history, as well as the study of the maps and geography of the world. This class examines history from a uniquely Christian perspective.
AMERICAN HISTORY: This required class covers the time period from Columbus to the present. It includes the study of the birth and development of the United States, exploration and conquest, the industrial age, and the politics and wars of the modern age. Students will be expected to participate in projects, map making and giving of reports on current events and other related topics. All of these topics are studied from a Christian perspective.
GOVERNMENT: This required class covers all aspects of our system of government. Course topics include the biblical foundations of American government, the framers of American government, the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The class does an in-depth study of the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government and the checks and balances that exist between them. Students will be expected to participate in projects, map making and giving of reports on current governmental events and other related topics.
Science:
BIOLOGY: This required class will begin with a biblical view of the creation of life and a study of the unique design that our Creator has built into all living things. Further topics will include the study of the cell (functions and processes), genetics, ethics, classification (including dissections), and ecology (creating an ecosystem balance and protecting the environment).
CHEMISTRY: This course is offered every other year and alternates with physics. This class, or physics, represents the other option for the required 3rd year of high school science It is strongly recommended for college bound students. The class will be taught from a biblical perspective and will include topics such as the classification of matter (atomic structure, elements, and periodic table), bonding (naming compounds, mole classification, and stochiometry), states of matter, thermodynamics, organic chemistry, and biochemistry.
PHYSICS: This class is offered every other year and alternates with chemistry. This class, or chemistry, represents the other option for the required 3rd year of high school science. It is strongly recommended for the college bound student. The class will study subjects such as mechanics (velocity, acceleration, forces, vectors, and gravity), states of matter (energy, temperature, and states), waves and light (including sound and mirrors), electricity (static, fields, currents, magnets), and modern physics (quantum theory, the atom, and nuclear reactions).
ANATOMY: This class will include an extensive study on the human body from a biblical perspective. It involves extensive study of all the systems of the human body.
Math:
PRE-ALGEBRA: This class undertakes the study of the operations and properties of the real number system. Other topics included in this course are solving linear equations and inequalities, ratios, proportions, percents, and finding area and volume of geometric figures. This course is designed for students who would benefit from an extra year of practice and development of mathematical concepts and operations before an in-depth study of algebra.
ALGEBRA I: This required class includes the study of the use of algebraic expressions, equations, and functions with problem solving. Students will solve and graph linear and quadratic equations, inequalities, and systems of equations. Other topics will include the properties of real numbers, operations with rational and irrational numbers and polynomials, statistical analysis, proportions, trigonometry, and probability.
GEOMETRY: This is a required class. This class is a study of the definitions, postulates, theorems, and corollaries that are the structure of Euclidean geometry. The relationships between lines, angles, circles, triangles, quadrilaterals, and other polygons will be covered and applied. Formal proof, methods of reasoning, trigonometry, constructions and the surface area and volume of solid figures will also be developed.
ALGEBRA II: This required class will further develop the concepts listed for Algebra I. Study in matrices, complex numbers, linear programming and conic sections will also be included.
ACCOUNTING: This elective class will introduce students to basic accounting ideas and principles. Assets, liabilities, balance sheets, profit statements, and work sheets are among the concepts learned. There are no prerequisites, but students need to be fairly proficient in math. A possible class project is to keep accounting records of senior class lunch sales. This class is offered on an irregular schedule based on student interest.
CONSUMER MATH: This elective class is designed to familiarize the student with basic survival skills in mathematics. It includes the study of banking, compound interest, and check book skills. This class is offered on an irregular schedule based on student interest.
Foreign Language:
SPANISH I is an elective class designed to bring the students to the point at which they can read, write, understand and speak basic Spanish in most everyday contexts. This is a basic level where the students will not be fluent, but with patience on the part of the listener, they will be able to make themselves understood. The students will memorize over 1000 basic words and become familiar with hundreds more. Class time is spent drilling Spanish words and phrases, learning Spanish songs and verses, and acting out Spanish skits. The necessary grammar is introduced in order to be able to speak in sentences. Present tense verbs are used for most of the year, with past tense verbs introduced during the last seven weeks. Spanish I corresponds to the first half of the first semester of college Spanish.
SPANISH II is a continuation of Spanish I with an increased emphasis on oral fluency. The students will memorize more than a thousand new vocabulary words. As more words are learned and familiarity with the language increases, class drills and conversations become less structured. Students become more creative in their use of Spanish. The students continue to learn new Spanish songs and verses, as well as spending time with Bible passages. The grammar increases in difficulty as other verb tenses are learned. Spanish II corresponds to the second half of the first semester of college Spanish.
SPANISH III is a continuation of the grammar and vocabulary presented in Spanish II. The students will write narratives, plays, and essays in Spanish. They will converse in Spanish during the class time and will translate various selections.
Physical Education:
This required class teaches students the importance and benefits of maintaining a physically active and healthy lifestyle. Students will gain knowledge about the frequency and intensity of appropriate physical activity. They will also be trained to find their exercising and target heart rates. Students will be challenged to participate in numerous activities, as well as learn the rules and skills of participation in various team and individual sports activities. Grading will be based on a daily point system (proper dress, attitude/sportsmanship, effort/participation, and punctuality), along with written and skills tests. Students may receive credit for this class by participating in the school’s varsity sports program. One quarter (1/4) credit may be applied for successful completion of each varsity sports season in grades 9-12.
Health:
This required class will address diet, exercise, safety, first aid and hygiene.
Speech:
This required class meets first semester and serves as an introduction to speech. Such skills as outlining, vocal expression, facial expression, writing introductions and conclusions are emphasized. Speech types that are studied are informative, persuasive, impromptu, “how to” speeches, as well as other genres. Students are encouraged to utilize their learned skills at the ACSI Speech Meet in March.
Visual/Fine/Performing Arts:
JOURNALISM: This elective class is a practical applications course that combines writing, editing, desktop publishing, using a scanner, using a digital camera, and lay outs when doing the newspaper, newsletter, and yearbook. This is a production class that is charged with the responsibility of producing the school’s yearbook. Participants will be given delegated responsibilities and gain understanding of the basics of advertising and marketing, as well as design techniques.
BAND: In this elective class, second, third and fourth year students will continue scales, rhythms, glossary terms, breathing, tone production, tonguing, phrasing, intonation, and an overview of the chosen instrument. There will be performance of band arrangements and concert programming, considerations and strategies for future preparation, and on-going education. Studies will include intervals, accidentals, key signatures, eighth rest, syncopation, major scales, enharmonic, cut time, natural, harmonic and melodic minor scales, chromatic scales, 6/8 time, sixteenth notes, dotted eighth notes and triplets, performance of significant composers since the Middle Ages, and study of arrangements for band correlated with method book. The study of different styles and musical interest will be pursued. This class meets twice a week with a required research project which enables students to receive a half credit.
INTEGRATED INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC: This elective class is for high school students with a background in playing a band or orchestra instrument. These students should be actively participating in a school ensemble. The class will weave several disciplines into one class. Those areas are Biblical philosophy, major instrument literature syllabus, artist biography, physiology of a proper embouchure, music theory, key signatures, scales, major instrument technique, mentoring, and communicating innovative class information. Every school month will have a concentration on each integrated discipline, and a weekly appointment will provide accountability with the instructor.
CHOIR: This elective class will concentrate on healthy singing techniques as we developmentally strengthen proper tonal production. It will continue to build skills in sight-singing, ear-training and intonation as we study a variety of music, including classical, sacred, and contemporary Christian choral arrangements. This is a performing group, and participation in all concerts is required.
ART: This elective class will introduce and/or reinforce the student’s drawing techniques and principles of design, watercolor and acrylic painting, sculpture, color theory, portraiture, and printing. The class will also study a period of art history and careers in art.
Computers/Technology:
COMPUTER APPLICATIONS: This required class is a practical application of computer programs. Troubleshooting simple hardware and software problems, file management, web design, data base design, research, and ethical issues related to computers are studied in this class.
COMPUTER PROGRAMMING: This elective class uses Visual Basic to write simple windows-based programs. Topics covered in this class are simple reasoning, loops, writing of code, if-then statements, and calculations.
The following courses are offered in the Algoma Christian High School:
Bible:
9th & 10 Grade:
New Testament Survey introduces students to the historical, cultural and literary world of the New Testament. Special attention is given to the life and teachings of Jesus, the historical, doctrinal and ethical developments within early Christianity, and the application of New Testament truth in today’s world.
Old Testament Survey introduces students to the world and literature of the Old Testament. Special attention is given to the progressive nature of God’s revealed truth and its application in contemporary contexts.
11th & 12th grade
The Christian Worldview in Context guides students toward answers to such questions as: What do you believe? Why do you believe it? What difference does it make? This course compares and contrasts six basic worldviews: Christianity, Islam, Secular Humanism, Marxism, New Age, and Postmodernism. Some of the issues covered include: abortion, apologetics, the arts, biotechnology, critical thinking, cults, euthanasia, leadership, radical environmentalism, radical feminism, the problem of evil, religious pluralism, scriptural reliability, and more. College credit is available through Bryan College.
Biblical Interpretation and Application is a “hands-on” course designed to establish students in reliable principles, methods and skills with which to study, interpret, and apply Scripture. The goal of this course is to equip each student with the ability to enjoy in-depth personal bible study for a lifetime.
Language Arts:
9th Grade ENGLISH: The grammar portion of this required class will focus on the more detailed aspects of grammar and identifying and using the parts of writing. Mechanics are reinforced. The use of library reference materials is taught. Expository writing is introduced. The literature portion highly emphasizes literary devices and terms while surveying World Literature. Various forms of poetry are surveyed, with emphasis on rhyme, meter, and form. Samples of great artists and author biographies are also examined. Journals and book reports are used for formal written work, along with writing in response to literature.
10th Grade ENGLISH: The grammar portion of this required class will focus on advanced skills in grammar that will aid in the writing process. The literature portion will emphasize reading novels, plays, and short stories and responding to them in essay form (or other means). Writing will focus on a variety of types of essay writing and style, including persuasion, compare/contrast, description, and research.
AMERICAN LITERATURE: This required class will focus on the progression of American literary works through the years, both in content and form. Writing will focus on responding to the literature studied using a variety of formats such as fictionalized journals, news articles, and evaluations (among others). Grammar will be studied from the students’ own writing and the literature studied, emphasizing common mistakes they are making and correcting them. Sentence variety will also be addressed. Students will do a research project.
BRITISH LITERATURE: The literature portion of this required class will emphasize literary style and techniques of short stories, poems, novels, and plays in British literature, as well as the evaluation of ideas presented in the works. Writing will focus on analyzing and responding to literature studied. Grammar will focus on locating and fixing trouble spots in the students’ own writing. Vocabulary and spelling will emphasize forming words and using prefixes, roots, and suffixes.
COLLEGE WRITING: This elective class is primarily a non-fiction/prose writing class in which students study many different styles of formal writing and the skills and techniques used to make writing clear and powerful. Students will be asked not only to write sentences, paragraphs and essays, but also to analyze both their own and other people’s writing in order to understand what makes good writing and how they may improve their own writing.
CREATIVE WRITING: In this elective class, students will learn to use their God-given writing gifts to expand their creativity through various modes creative writing. The students will learn how to keep a writing journal and how to critique their own writing. Students will explore how to use literary devices in their writing.
MEDIA ANALYSIS: This semester-long elective class allows students to delve into popular culture and discern and critically analyze how it affects them and how they can respond to it from a Christian perspective. Areas of study include media as business, music, video games, advertising, television, and film. Students will respond to the topics through discussion, reading, research, and other projects.
Social Studies:
GEOGRAPHY/ECONOMICS: This required class devotes one semester to the study of world geography and one semester to the study of economics. The geography portion of the class focuses on geographic terms and a study of Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, and North and South America. The economics portion of the class covers economic laws, supply and demand, production, marketing, competition, and currency. Students will be expected to participate in projects, map making, and giving of reports on current events and related topics.
WORLD HISTORY: This required class covers the time from creation to the present. Major topics include the beginnings of both eastern and western civilization, medieval times, the Renaissance, the Reformation, and all the world wars. Emphasis is placed on the study of current events and their application to modern history, as well as the study of the maps and geography of the world. This class examines history from a uniquely Christian perspective.
AMERICAN HISTORY: This required class covers the time period from Columbus to the present. It includes the study of the birth and development of the United States, exploration and conquest, the industrial age, and the politics and wars of the modern age. Students will be expected to participate in projects, map making and giving of reports on current events and other related topics. All of these topics are studied from a Christian perspective.
GOVERNMENT: This required class covers all aspects of our system of government. Course topics include the biblical foundations of American government, the framers of American government, the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The class does an in-depth study of the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government and the checks and balances that exist between them. Students will be expected to participate in projects, map making and giving of reports on current governmental events and other related topics.
Science:
BIOLOGY: This required class will begin with a biblical view of the creation of life and a study of the unique design that our Creator has built into all living things. Further topics will include the study of the cell (functions and processes), genetics, ethics, classification (including dissections), and ecology (creating an ecosystem balance and protecting the environment).
CHEMISTRY: This course is offered every other year and alternates with physics. This class, or physics, represents the other option for the required 3rd year of high school science It is strongly recommended for college bound students. The class will be taught from a biblical perspective and will include topics such as the classification of matter (atomic structure, elements, and periodic table), bonding (naming compounds, mole classification, and stochiometry), states of matter, thermodynamics, organic chemistry, and biochemistry.
PHYSICS: This class is offered every other year and alternates with chemistry. This class, or chemistry, represents the other option for the required 3rd year of high school science. It is strongly recommended for the college bound student. The class will study subjects such as mechanics (velocity, acceleration, forces, vectors, and gravity), states of matter (energy, temperature, and states), waves and light (including sound and mirrors), electricity (static, fields, currents, magnets), and modern physics (quantum theory, the atom, and nuclear reactions).
ANATOMY: This class will include an extensive study on the human body from a biblical perspective. It involves extensive study of all the systems of the human body.
Math:
PRE-ALGEBRA: This class undertakes the study of the operations and properties of the real number system. Other topics included in this course are solving linear equations and inequalities, ratios, proportions, percents, and finding area and volume of geometric figures. This course is designed for students who would benefit from an extra year of practice and development of mathematical concepts and operations before an in-depth study of algebra.
ALGEBRA I: This required class includes the study of the use of algebraic expressions, equations, and functions with problem solving. Students will solve and graph linear and quadratic equations, inequalities, and systems of equations. Other topics will include the properties of real numbers, operations with rational and irrational numbers and polynomials, statistical analysis, proportions, trigonometry, and probability.
GEOMETRY: This is a required class. This class is a study of the definitions, postulates, theorems, and corollaries that are the structure of Euclidean geometry. The relationships between lines, angles, circles, triangles, quadrilaterals, and other polygons will be covered and applied. Formal proof, methods of reasoning, trigonometry, constructions and the surface area and volume of solid figures will also be developed.
ALGEBRA II: This required class will further develop the concepts listed for Algebra I. Study in matrices, complex numbers, linear programming and conic sections will also be included.
ACCOUNTING: This elective class will introduce students to basic accounting ideas and principles. Assets, liabilities, balance sheets, profit statements, and work sheets are among the concepts learned. There are no prerequisites, but students need to be fairly proficient in math. A possible class project is to keep accounting records of senior class lunch sales. This class is offered on an irregular schedule based on student interest.
CONSUMER MATH: This elective class is designed to familiarize the student with basic survival skills in mathematics. It includes the study of banking, compound interest, and check book skills. This class is offered on an irregular schedule based on student interest.
Foreign Language:
SPANISH I is an elective class designed to bring the students to the point at which they can read, write, understand and speak basic Spanish in most everyday contexts. This is a basic level where the students will not be fluent, but with patience on the part of the listener, they will be able to make themselves understood. The students will memorize over 1000 basic words and become familiar with hundreds more. Class time is spent drilling Spanish words and phrases, learning Spanish songs and verses, and acting out Spanish skits. The necessary grammar is introduced in order to be able to speak in sentences. Present tense verbs are used for most of the year, with past tense verbs introduced during the last seven weeks. Spanish I corresponds to the first half of the first semester of college Spanish.
SPANISH II is a continuation of Spanish I with an increased emphasis on oral fluency. The students will memorize more than a thousand new vocabulary words. As more words are learned and familiarity with the language increases, class drills and conversations become less structured. Students become more creative in their use of Spanish. The students continue to learn new Spanish songs and verses, as well as spending time with Bible passages. The grammar increases in difficulty as other verb tenses are learned. Spanish II corresponds to the second half of the first semester of college Spanish.
SPANISH III is a continuation of the grammar and vocabulary presented in Spanish II. The students will write narratives, plays, and essays in Spanish. They will converse in Spanish during the class time and will translate various selections.
Physical Education:
This required class teaches students the importance and benefits of maintaining a physically active and healthy lifestyle. Students will gain knowledge about the frequency and intensity of appropriate physical activity. They will also be trained to find their exercising and target heart rates. Students will be challenged to participate in numerous activities, as well as learn the rules and skills of participation in various team and individual sports activities. Grading will be based on a daily point system (proper dress, attitude/sportsmanship, effort/participation, and punctuality), along with written and skills tests. Students may receive credit for this class by participating in the school’s varsity sports program. One quarter (1/4) credit may be applied for successful completion of each varsity sports season in grades 9-12.
Health:
This required class will address diet, exercise, safety, first aid and hygiene.
Speech:
This required class meets first semester and serves as an introduction to speech. Such skills as outlining, vocal expression, facial expression, writing introductions and conclusions are emphasized. Speech types that are studied are informative, persuasive, impromptu, “how to” speeches, as well as other genres. Students are encouraged to utilize their learned skills at the ACSI Speech Meet in March.
Visual/Fine/Performing Arts:
JOURNALISM: This elective class is a practical applications course that combines writing, editing, desktop publishing, using a scanner, using a digital camera, and lay outs when doing the newspaper, newsletter, and yearbook. This is a production class that is charged with the responsibility of producing the school’s yearbook. Participants will be given delegated responsibilities and gain understanding of the basics of advertising and marketing, as well as design techniques.
BAND: In this elective class, second, third and fourth year students will continue scales, rhythms, glossary terms, breathing, tone production, tonguing, phrasing, intonation, and an overview of the chosen instrument. There will be performance of band arrangements and concert programming, considerations and strategies for future preparation, and on-going education. Studies will include intervals, accidentals, key signatures, eighth rest, syncopation, major scales, enharmonic, cut time, natural, harmonic and melodic minor scales, chromatic scales, 6/8 time, sixteenth notes, dotted eighth notes and triplets, performance of significant composers since the Middle Ages, and study of arrangements for band correlated with method book. The study of different styles and musical interest will be pursued. This class meets twice a week with a required research project which enables students to receive a half credit.
INTEGRATED INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC: This elective class is for high school students with a background in playing a band or orchestra instrument. These students should be actively participating in a school ensemble. The class will weave several disciplines into one class. Those areas are Biblical philosophy, major instrument literature syllabus, artist biography, physiology of a proper embouchure, music theory, key signatures, scales, major instrument technique, mentoring, and communicating innovative class information. Every school month will have a concentration on each integrated discipline, and a weekly appointment will provide accountability with the instructor.
CHOIR: This elective class will concentrate on healthy singing techniques as we developmentally strengthen proper tonal production. It will continue to build skills in sight-singing, ear-training and intonation as we study a variety of music, including classical, sacred, and contemporary Christian choral arrangements. This is a performing group, and participation in all concerts is required.
ART: This elective class will introduce and/or reinforce the student’s drawing techniques and principles of design, watercolor and acrylic painting, sculpture, color theory, portraiture, and printing. The class will also study a period of art history and careers in art.
Computers/Technology:
COMPUTER APPLICATIONS: This required class is a practical application of computer programs. Troubleshooting simple hardware and software problems, file management, web design, data base design, research, and ethical issues related to computers are studied in this class.
COMPUTER PROGRAMMING: This elective class uses Visual Basic to write simple windows-based programs. Topics covered in this class are simple reasoning, loops, writing of code, if-then statements, and calculations.
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