Advanced Writing Workshop is designed for older or more experienced writers who are ready to take their craft to the next level. Like our foundational Writing Workshop, this course emphasizes the full writing process—brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing—while exploring a range of genres and writing styles. Students will leave Advanced Writing Workshop having the foundational skills they need to succeed in Kristen Scranton’s writing courses and beyond. Students will be challenged to think deeply about audience, purpose, and voice, and will be held to a higher standard of excellence in their work. They’ll have significant freedom to choose their own topics within each assignment, encouraging creativity and personal expression. Discussion, collaboration, and peer review will be central to our classroom community. Grounded in a Christian worldview, this course affirms that our words matter because they are part of God’s larger story—a story of creation, fall, and redemption. Through writing, students will explore and express how we can participate in making the world a better place.

To provide students with a comprehensive appreciation for the
richness of Britain’s literary heritage & its impact on the U.S.

This course will provide an exciting opportunity for students to explore the world through maps, architecture, history and more! This will be a very hands-on class; time will be spent mapping and listening as well as doing experiments and activities. Students will be challenged to identify continents
and thirteen specific countries and begin to understand the ideas and features specific to each of those countries. Homework will be limited to semester projects such as building with LEGOs/blocks, painting or drawing, food projects, etc. along with a verbal or written explanation of the project. The goal of this
class is to see each student begin to understand and get excited about the world that God has created!

Improv (short for improvisation) is a fun, fast-paced form of drama where actors make up scenes on the spot—no script, no planning! It’s all about thinking quickly, working together, and using your imagination to create stories, characters, and hilarious situations.

This course is designed for middle school students interested in the field of Christian apologetics - the defense of the Christian faith. Throughout the year we will be studying introductory works such as: Mere
Christianity by C.S. Lewis, More than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell and The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, among others. The goal of this first year is to introduce students to core topics and provide them with tools to defend their faith “with gentleness and respect” (cf. 1 Peter 3:15).

This class is designed to prepare your student for pre-algebra—this book was specifically chosen as a transition to Mrs. Ohland’s pre-algebra and high school math classes. The weekly class will consist of a lecture, quiz, and a game and/or puzzle.

We will draw with pencil, charcoal, colored pencil, oil and chalk pastels, markers, paint with watercolor and acrylic, cut and paste with collage and mosaics, and sculpt with air-dry clay as we study the elements and principals of design. There will be a heavy emphasis on the basics of drawing including contour, value, line and texture. New material is presented each year for returning students.

This class will provide your student with the tried-and-true methods and instruction from Dave Ramsey and his team. It will be a Hybrid of an interactive classroom experience where the students will discuss, consume and digest all they will be learning from Dave Ramsey and his team.

Learn how to stay organized, prioritize, resist procrastination, become accountable for yourself and to others. Student-centered lessons which are based around the needs and goals of each student.

Students will read the text from scripture. Work to memorize through a few different methods to retain and keep for a legacy of kingdom building using song, movement and writing.

This year is "Proverbs: Wisdom for Eternity".

Students who qualify for speech therapy services (see Requirements) will receive support for speech/language needs in areas such as articulation (speech sound production), expressive/receptive language (communication ability and effectiveness), fluency (stuttering), and social pragmatics.

In Writing Workshop, students will grow as writers by engaging in the full writing process—brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing—throughout the year. We’ll explore a variety of writing styles and purposes, from personal narratives to persuasive essays to creative fiction, always considering audience and voice. Students will have a great deal of choice in the exact topics they write about, allowing them to develop confidence and joy in their writing. Peer feedback and group discussions will be a regular part of class, helping students learn from one another and refine their work. As a Christian community, we believe that since God is writing a big, redemptive story—and we are all part of it—the stories we read and write matter. Each piece of writing becomes an opportunity to reflect the truth that God made a good world, that it is broken, and that we are invited to help make it better.

This high school level Algebra 1 course consists of lectures, homework assignments, problem set reviews, weekly quizzes and/or tests, group work, and mathematical journaling. Excellent instructor!

To help students learn persuasion through logic, data, and emotion
(Debate notebook provided for each student)

This class will encourage students to grow in their understanding and abilities of sports games while also being challenged to strengthen their fitness levels through cardiovascular, strengthening, and flexibility exercises.

Students will improve their research, speaking, and communication abilities by participating in the production of a class-wide student newspaper each semester. Students will learn the basics of how to craft a compelling news article firsthand by interviewing and researching sources, telling interesting stories, and looking out for local news topics of interest among the student body and the Kalamazoo area community. In doing so, students will learn to discern and analyze the news today despite a digital environment where accuracy and sourcing are often sacrificed for sensationalism and novelty.

Join us on an exciting adventure to gain a better understanding of chemistry and physics. Students will use
Apologia’s Young Explorer Series Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics by Jeannie Fulbright and the related Notebooking Journal. Through experiments and hands-on demonstrations, students explore topics of chemistry and physics.

STEM Lab students investigate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in a hands-on manner.

The tutoring is geared for 5 year old children through adults who:
● are diagnosed with dyslexia OR
● have a suspected diagnosis of dyslexia OR
● struggle with reading, writing, and/or spelling

This course consists of lectures, homework assignments, problem set review, weekly quizzes and/or tests, group work, and mathematical journaling. Learning math and honoring Christ!

This class will give students a foundational knowledge of psychology from a Christian perspective. We will explore the fundamental areas of the brain and human communication and interaction. Students will label parts of the brain and discover how they function, ways we communicate, explore the history of psychology, personality and theory, sleep and dreams, crisis intervention, counseling, abnormal psychology and more! Students will employ self-reflection and evaluation and study human behavior as it leads to a more meaningful level of communication. Modalities used will be: lecture, textbook, multimedia sources, assessments and analysis, writing papers, projects, tests and quizzes, and group discussion. High School Psychology is a wonderful addition for the students academic experience as well as fulfilling the growing requirements for college transcripts. Students will greatly benefit with a deeper understanding of human interaction from a Christian perspective.

This is a beginning level Spanish course for students in the 7th -12th grades. Students will get introduced to both the Spanish language and culture and will be provided with the necessary skills to both communicate and understand basic Spanish conversations. Students will build a large vocabulary repertoire and will learn the basic grammatical structures of the language with the main emphasis of this course being practical communication. Therefore, students should expect to participate in reading, writing, listening, and speaking activities that will begin to build their literacy skills in the Spanish language. Additionally, students will dive into the culture of the people who speak this language and will be presented with opportunities to immerse themselves in the language and try on a different cultural lens.

This year students will be learning the history of the Ancient Americas to the Great Gold Rush. This curriculum has a student book and a teacher’s guide with student worksheets that include map work, comprehension questions, a timeline, hands on projects, and artist studies.

Are you part of the revival of interest in handcrafts and DIY? Join us as we learn to knit and crochet in just one year! These classic handcrafts aren’t just for grandma; with the resurgence of diy comes modern stylish patterns and an amazing variety of quality yarns. I am excited to share my passion for these crafts with both boys and girls, as well as adults who would like to learn or refresh their skills. Students will need to purchase a learn to crochet kit and a learn to knit kit, as well as yarn for projects throughout the year.

Biblical Archaeology will take students through the lands and cultures of the entire Bible. This class will look at the history and people of ancient Sumer, Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, Persia, Greece, Rome, Israel and more. Students will be able to connect bible stories with the historical context they were written in, discover artifacts that prove the bibles accuracy, and understand key biblical places and peoples. Students will also learn about archaeologists and the stories of their findings and get a basic introduction in how to read Egyptian Hieroglyphics.

Students will develop of love for reading by exploring a variety of texts, both fiction and non-fiction, in a deep and meaningful way. A variety of engaging projects will allow students to apply their knowledge and skills in a fun and creative way.

This class is geared toward students 8th – 12th grade who need to learn (or re-learn) the basics of grammar, go beyond the basics and learn more advanced concepts, and learn vocabulary along the way!

In this fun class, students will learn about Michigan’s history, landmarks, animals and more! Class time will include read-alouds with students then having hands-on activities and experiments based on the reading. Facts and ideas will come to life as they spend time together mapping, building, coloring and experimenting! Homework will be minimal, with a year-end project (building/painting/cooking/or lapbook, etc.) that will be shown in class. My goal for this class is that students will not only learn how and why Michigan exists, but
also understand and appreciate all that our state has to offer!

Students will work with high-quality and challenging literature that will hep stretch their minds and increase a love for reading. An engaging course to prepare students for that next level in reading and comprehension!

Students will study the Middle Ages, from the fall of Rome to the Renaissance. They will meet numerous historical figures (including St. Patrick, Richard the Lionheart, Joan of Arc, and Martin Luther) and learn about the rise and fall of many empires and kingdoms. This curriculum has a student book and a teacher’s guide with student worksheets that include comprehension questions, mapwork, digging deeper activities, and other hands- on projects.

Pencils and Palettes is an engaging class for middle school and high school students that want to grow and explore in creativity. We will be creating through drawing, painting, and more. Various genres of art will be studied as well as an emphasis on each student’s interests and areas in need of development. This class is ideal for experienced students and well as beginners.

Learn how to play a musical instrument! Beginner through advanced! Keyboard/Piano, Guitar, Violin, Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Baritone/Euphonium, Percussion/Drums, Voice

Robotics Lab will provide an opportunity for students to learn how to code the Edison Robot using the EdPy coding language. Robots are all around us in daily life as well as in many workplaces. The goal of this class is to give students a basic understanding of coding and robotics to prepare them for further study.

This Spanish 2 course is for students in the 8th -12th grades who have already completed a high school level Spanish 1 course. This course will build on the foundational learning and skills from Spanish 1, therefore, the completion of Spanish 1 is required. Students will deepen their knowledge and skills of the Spanish language and culture and will be challenged to use the language to communicate through writing, reading, listening, and speaking activities and assignments. Students will add to their Spanish vocabulary repertoire and will learn more advanced grammatical structures of the language with the main emphasis of this course being practical communication. Students will have multiple opportunities to immerse themselves in the language throughout the class as well as be given outlets to practice communication in real life settings. Additionally, students will engage in projects and hands on cultural learning focusing on traditional meals, customs, holidays, and clothing.

This class will cover World Geography. We will look at multiple themes of Geography including locations, climates, environment, peoples relationship with geographical regions, cultures, and more. Included in the class is a miniseries on the Geography of Jesus. We will explore in depth the places mentioned in the Bible and why Jesus taught and did miracles in certain locations.

In You Can Cook 1, students will acquire the basics they need to be successful in the kitchen. Through hands-on lessons and in-class preparation, they will learn fundamentals of kitchen safety; basics of measurement; how to read, halve, and double a recipe; important kitchen terms and methods; and what kitchen tools to use and when. By the end of the year, each student will be equipped to prepare a variety of delicious foods on their own from scratch and will have begun to assemble a binder full of “keeper” recipes, tips, tricks, and techniques that they can build on for years to come. Plus, we’ll eat in nearly every class!