Worldbuilding: Science Fiction Worlds  Add to Cart

Quarter(s): 3,4

Day(s): Fri

Open Spots: 1

Students will become immersed in the imaginary worlds they construct in this unique course that encompasses elements of fiction writing, sociology, and anthropology. Worldbuilding is the foundation of speculative fiction, such as sci-fi and fantasy, role-playing games, videos, comics, and other visual media. Countless examples of Worldbuilding exist in the movies and books we consume every day such as Tolkien's Middle Earth, the many elaborate settlements of the Star Wars franchise, and the popular RPG, Dungeons and Dragons. In this course, students will develop a fictional locale. Will it be a small village in a known place, a new planet, or an original universe? Students will be guided through an interactive, iterative process of "top-down" design of their unique world, determining broad characteristics first then then elaborating with increasing detail. Builders will make coherent and integrated decisions on geography, climate, ecology, flora, fauna, inhabitants, races, history, social customs, language, religion, origin story, powers/magic, legal system, currency, and technology. The class will read excerpts and watch clips of well-known fictional works which will provide strong examples of each of the elements. Second semester, the class will create science fiction-inspired worlds. Students, along with their instructor, will develop an in-class world as an example. Students will use the lessons and exercises reviewed in class to further develop their individual world project. Students will be expected to keep a notebook of decisions and details as they progress through designing the elements of their world. Students will have the option to purchase a discounted student subscription to World Anvil, a web-based subscription service which allows students to create maps, timelines, and other tools to organize their made-up world. Each student will be expected to make a PowerPoint presentation at the end of the semester which addresses each of the built-world elements. Note: This is a 15-week class that will not meet on 3/21/2025. Topics in this Series: Fantasy (Semester 1), Science Fiction (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester. Prerequisites: Reading/writing at grade level. Workload: Students should expect to spend 2 hours per week outside of class. Assignments: Will be posted in a Google Classroom. Assessments: The instructor will assign points for a final semester presentation and completed "Creative Sparks" which are written responses to weekly prompts. Parents may use the student's earned points versus total possible points to calculate a grade for the class. Textbook/Materials: Students have the option of purchasing a discounted subscription to World Anvil (worldanvil.com) for approximately $35.00. Lab/Supply Fee: Included Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in language arts (creative writing) for purposes of a high school transcript.

English: Intro to Literary Genres with Writing- The Play  Add to Cart

Quarter(s): 3

Day(s): Fri

Open Spots: 1

In this introductory high school English workshop, students will be introduced to the concepts of literary genres and analytical writing. Each quarter, the class will examine one select work or genre. Students will learn to recognize figurative language, tone, subtext and diction, identify symbolism and imagery, and develop an awareness of narrative perspective and of the social-historical contexts in which these works were created. Third quarter will feature The Play Romeo and Juliet Folger Edition by Shakespeare. Composition: Students will also learn the fundamental components of academic writing, including how to construct a thesis statement that makes an argument, how to support their ideas effectively with textual evidence, how to organize an argument logically, and how to cite sources in MLA format. Some class periods will be dedicated Writing Lab session in which students write in-class in order to get on-the-spot support and feedback from the teacher. Students should bring laptops to these class sessions. Topics in this Series: The Novel (Quarter 1), Poetry (Quarter 2), The Play (Quarter 3), and The Epic (Quarter 4). Students who continue from one quarter to the next will receive priority registration. Prerequisites: Students should be able to read at grade level, and it is recommended that students have had a middle school writing class. Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class. Assignments: All assignments will be posted in a Google Classroom management site. Students will need their own gmail accounts to access Google Classroom. Assessments: Students' written assignments will be graded using a rubric and assigned points that the homeschool parent can use when assigning an overall class grade. Textbook/Materials: Because students will need clean, inexpensive copies of each novel to mark in, and they must be able to refer to the passages on the same page numbers, copies of mass market paperbacks will be pre-purchased and bundled for students. (See Supply Fee below). Supply Fee: A class fee of $8.50 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class for the select novel. What to Bring: Students should bring the current novel, paper, pen or pencil and highlighter to class each week. Some students may wish to bring paper clips, adhesive flags or post-it notes for marking passages/pages. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a partial credit in English for purposes of a high school transcript.

English: British Literature with Writing Lab: Literary Analysis (Sem 2)  Add to Cart

Quarter(s): 3,4

Day(s): Wed, Fri

Open Spots: 6

This full-credit high school English class will focus on developing critical reading and writing skills through the study of a range of canonical and post-colonial genres and texts written in English. Through exposure to a variety of voices across time periods and geographical regions, students will investigate major themes, such as the importance of language as a locus of power, the continuity of human nature, and the role of the imagination. Spring semester will introduce students to post-colonial texts and genres featuring Vindication of the Rights of Woman (Mary Wollstonecraft), Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen), Frankenstein (Mary Shelley), and Paradise Lost (John Milton). Writing Lab: An essential component of this course will be an in-class Writing Lab. Students will write two or three critical response papers and a full-scale literary analysis essay each term. Students will continue to hone the components of academic writing, including how to construct a thesis statement that makes an argument, how to support their ideas effectively with textual evidence, how to organize an argument logically, and how to cite sources in MLA format. Students should bring a laptop to class one day per week for in-class writing. Note: This is a 14-week class that will not meet on: 4/2/2025, 4/4/2025, 4/16/2025, 4/18/2025, 5/14/2025, 5/16/2025 Topics in this Series: British Literature, Part I (Semester 1) and British Literature, Part II (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester. Prerequisites: Students should be able to read at grade level and have completed Introduction to Genre or equivalent high school level writing class. Students are expected to take an active role in discussion and complete all writing assignments. Workload: Students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class. Assignments: All assignments will be posted in a Google Classroom management site. Students will need their own gmail accounts to access Google Classroom. Assessments: Students' written assignments will be graded using a rubric and assigned points that the homeschool parent can use when assigning an overall class grade. Textbook/Materials: Because students will need clean, inexpensive copies of each novel to mark in, and they must be able to refer to the passages on the same page numbers, copies of mass market paperbacks will be pre-purchased and bundled for students. (See Supply Fee below). Supply Fee: A class fee of $22.00 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class for the class pack of books and handouts. What to Bring: Students should bring the current literature, paper, pen or pencil and highlighter to class each week. Some students may wish to bring paper clips, adhesive flags or post-it notes for marking passages/pages. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a half-credit (one semester) or full credit (both semesters) in English for purposes of a high school transcript.

English: American Literature with Writing Lab- Rhetorical Analysis (Sem2)  Add to Cart

Quarter(s): 3,4

Day(s): Wed, Fri

Open Spots: 4

This full-credit English course is designed to prepare students for college level academic writing. It will deepen student's critical reading and textual analysis skills by asking students to think critically about the "American Dream" and what it means to be an American by reading texts that engage with these topics from the 18th century to today. In this course, students will read and respond in writing to both fiction and non-fiction texts, and our analytical method will focus on rhetorical context (subject, purpose and audience). Spring Semester will feature Their Eyes Were Watching God (Zora Neale Hurston), The Things They Carried (Tim O'Brien), and a selection of other short fiction and poetry. Writing Lab: An essential component of this course will be an in-class Writing Lab. Students in this class should have mastered the basics of academic writing, such as constructing a thesis statement that makes an argument and organizing their thoughts through effective topic sentences and transition statements. This class will deepen students' textual analysis skills with a focus on developing rhetorical analysis, the study of how a text makes meaning. Over the course of the year, students will develop familiarity with a variety of writing styles and forms including rhetorical analysis, literary analysis, critical response, close reading, opinion essay, and personal essay. Students should bring a laptop to class one day per week for in-class writing. Note: This is a 14-week class that will not meet on: 4/2/2025, 4/4/2025, 4/16/2025, 4/18/2025, 5/14/2025, 5/16/2025 Prerequisites: Students taking this class should have mastered the foundations of Introduction to Genre and British Literature (or similar English courses), are expected to take an active role in discussion and complete all writing assignments. Topics in this Series: American Literature, Part I (Semester 1) and American Literature, Part II (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester. Workload: Students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class. Assignments: All assignments will be posted in a Google Classroom management site. Students will need their own gmail accounts to access Google Classroom. Assessments: Students' written assignments will be graded using a rubric and assigned points that the homeschool parent can use when assigning an overall class grade. Textbook/Materials: Because students will need clean, inexpensive copies of each novel to mark in, and they must be able to refer to the passages on the same page numbers, copies of mass market paperbacks will be pre-purchased and bundled for students. (See Supply Fee below). Supply Fee: A class fee of $44.00 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class for the class pack of books and handouts. What to Bring: Students should bring the current literature, paper, pen or pencil and highlighter to class each week. Some students may wish to bring paper clips, adhesive flags or post-it notes for marking passages/pages. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a half-credit (one semester) or full credit (both semesters) in English for purposes of a high school transcript.

The Art of Storytelling: A Creative Non-Fiction Workshop  Add to Cart

Quarter(s): 3

Day(s): Fri

Open Spots: 7

Teen writers will take inspiration from other writers in this semester-long creative non-fiction workshop:

• • "You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." - Maya Angelou
  • "Good stories are not written. They are rewritten." - Phyllis Whitney
  • "You may not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page." - Jodi Picoult

This quarter will cover the basics of writing creative using examples of Flash Nonfiction and Literary Journalism (topical nonfiction). Each week, students will read an essay that demonstrates a particular narrative technique, perspective, or topical approach and then complete a writing exercise designed to emulate that technique. The class will culminate in sharing any essays that may develop out of these exercises in a workshop setting. Topics in this Series: Creative Writing (Semester 1) , Creative Non-Fiction (Quarter 3), The Personal Essay (Quarter 4) Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester. Prerequisites: Reading/writing at a high school level (9th grade or higher) Workload: Students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class. Assignments: Weekly reading assignments will be posted on Google Classroom. Students will need their own email addresses to access the system, and parents may be set up as additional "observers" to their teen's account. Assessments: A point scale of 1-3 will be used to evaluate students based on their level of preparation, their participation in discussion, and their completion of extension activities. Parents may use the total points earned to calculate a grade. Textbook/Materials: The instructor will furnish a curated class anthology packet. Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $10.00 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class for the select readings. What to Bring: Short story collection, notebook or laptop (depending on student's preferred method of writing), and printed copies of student's writing on days he/she is ready to share writing. Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in English/Language Arts for purposes of a high school transcript.