Is your student ready to move beyond basic book reports and become a truly compelling communicator? In this course students will move beyond grammar and use critical thinking and self-expression through writing. Students will analyze what they read, from novels to news articles, so they can uncover the author's true message and technique.

More importantly, they will master the three essential writing forms that pave the way for success in high school and college. They'll learn to argue persuasively (crafting evidence-based claims), explain clearly (conducting research and citing sources correctly for informational essays), and create vividly (developing structured, engaging narratives). By the end of this course, students will move beyond homework—they will develop the confidence to articulate their ideas with clarity, precision, and impact. 

Course length: full year

Using a motif of Mystery, Monsters, and Mayhem, students in the Language Arts 7 course will acquire the reading, writing, language, and speaking/listening skills necessary for success in college, career, and beyond.  Students will become critical readers and thinkers as they delve into fiction and informational texts within the course.  They will also learn to effectively write narrative, informational, and argumentative pieces and present their ideas clearly and cohesively.

Course Length: full year

Maybe change would not be hard if we knew where it was all going. This course is not about telling fortunes, but it is about seeing how people and ideas have changed. It is also about discovering which ideas have lasting value for each student.

Books, poems, and songs are filled with stories about people discovering the world around them and the world inside them. Authors share their reflections about how people respond to changes and challenges. In this course, students encounter the many faces of change. They are also challenged to define and describe their own place in a changing world.

The purpose of this course is to give students the tools to understand and express who they are and where they want to go. By the end of the course, each student’s portfolio of writings will provide a descriptive self-portrait of a young adult growing up.

Course Length:  full year

Math 6 is designed to engage students at every turn. Students have opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge of number manipulation by applying it to real-world scenarios. The course is packed with engaging activities that reinforce and let students practice the skills they learn throughout the course. Interactive learning and innovative videos keep the students engaged throughout.

The instruction in this course focuses on four critical areas: (1) connecting ratio and rate to whole-number multiplication and division, and using concepts of ratio and rate to solve problems; (2) completing an understanding of division of fractions and extending the notion of number to the system of rational numbers, which includes negative numbers; (3) writing, interpreting, and using expressions and equations; and (4) developing an understanding of statistical thinking. The instruction in the advanced course focuses on two extra critical areas: (1) developing understanding of and applying proportional relationships; and (2) developing understanding of operations with rational numbers and working with expressions and linear equations.

Course Length: Full Year

Math 7 is designed to expand student knowledge about transformations of shapes by sliding, flipping, rotating, and enlarging them on the coordinate plane. This course gives students the opportunity to create, investigate, and demonstrate knowledge at both intermediate and advanced levels. Students will be amazed with the skills that they accumulate in completing this course. This course is so full of animations, applications, videos, games, and real-world scenarios, students may think it is the latest video game.

Course Length:  full year

Students who love interactive learning will enjoy Math 8 Pre-Algebra. They experience intrigue and fun when they log in to Math 8 Pre-Algebra. This hands-on course is full of slideshows, applications, videos, and real-world scenarios. The satisfaction students gain from truly understanding higher level concepts such as functions and systems of equations encourages excitement and joy for learning that they may have never experienced before.

The instruction in this course will focus on three critical areas: (1) analyzing two- and three-dimensional space and figures using distance, angle, similarity, and congruence, and understanding and applying the Pythagorean Theorem; (2) grasping the concept of a function and using functions to describe quantitative relationships; (3) formulating and reasoning about expressions and equations, including modeling an association in bivariate data with a linear equation, and solving linear equations and systems of linear equations.

Course Length:  full year

Algebra I is the foundation—the skills acquired in this course contain the basic knowledge needed for all future high school math courses. The material covered in this course is important, but everyone can do it. Everyone can have a good time solving the hundreds of real-world problems algebra can help answer. Course activities make the numbers, graphs, and equations more real. The content in this course is tied to real-world applications like sports, travel, business, and health.

This course is designed to give students the skills and strategies to solve all kinds of mathematical problems. Students will also acquire the confidence needed to handle everything high school math has in store for them. Algebra I emphasizes the importance of algebra in everyday life through hundreds of real-world examples. Assessments are designed to ensure that your understanding goes beyond rote memorization of steps and procedures. Upon successful course completion, you will have a strong foundation in Algebra I and will be prepared for other higher level math courses.

Prerequisite:  Teacher recommendation

Course Length:  full year

Somebody discovered the wheel. Somebody discovered written communication. Somebody even figured out how to count to ten. From the ancient river civilizations to China and its ancient dynasties, different civilizations left their mark on history. They also left their mark on how we live today. In this course, students join travel agent Mr. Lightfoot to travel back in time digging out the past of these ancient civilizations.

In ancient Egypt students visit the pyramids and find out the secrets of preserving mummies. They see how the Mayans developed astronomy to a precise science. They even investigate the difference between the Athenians and the Spartans. Students will journey through India discovering their contributions to medicine, moving on to Africa to follow the rise and fall of the ancient east African kingdoms of Kush and Axum. Throughout the centuries, and still today, our world is made up of dozens of different cultures. They all are different, and they all have made big contributions to what we know and who we are.

Course Length: Full Year

In this course, students will explore the rich history and diverse geography that shape our world. During the first semester, we focus on Kansas History, beginning with the early Native peoples who lived in the region and continuing through the key events and developments that led to Kansas becoming a state. Students will learn how geography, culture, and conflict influenced the growth and identity of Kansas.

In the second semester, we shift our focus to World Geography, exploring continents, countries, cultures, and global connections. Students will study how geography affects the way people live, work, and interact, while gaining a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Course Length:  full year

Learning about history allows people to see how far we have come and what awaits us on our path to the future. In this course, students will explore the history of the United States and analyze the cause and effect in historical events. They will investigate history by using the tools of a historian to examine the historical, geographic, political, economic, and sociological events that influenced the development of the United States. Students will imagine what it was like to live in the past by reading the stories from the people who experienced it. This course begins with the engaging stories of what brought the earliest American colonists to the New World and ends with the struggles to repair the United States following the Civil War. Engaging in this study allows students to recognize the themes of history that span across centuries and leads to a greater appreciation of the development of the United States and the resulting impact on world history.

Course Length:  full year

Science 6 is the first in a series of three consecutive science classes. This course provides an introduction to science, energy, forces, weather, climate, Earth’s systems, and the living world. Some topics are explored in depth while others are introduced to serve as building blocks for Comprehensive Science 7 and 8. Students explore science through everyday examples and experiences and participate in activities and online laboratory experiences to apply what they have learned.

Course Length: Full Year

 Science 7 is the second course in the Middle School Comprehensive Science Sequence. In this course, students explore the foundations of science, energy, the Earth and it’s features, Earth’s internal and external structures and how they change, Earth’s history, living things and how they change and interact, genetics and heredity, and organization of the living world. Some of these topics are introduced and serve as a foundation for M/J Comprehensive Science 3, and others are discussed in detail. Students learn through real-world examples and virtually visit six different continents to see science in action all over the world. Students will participate in activities and online laboratory experiences to apply what they have learned.

Course Length:  full year

Science 8 is the last class of the Middle School Comprehensive Science series. The course introduces new information and reviews some basics of science to prepare students for high school science coursework. Topics covered include the nature of science, Earth-space science, properties of matter, changes in matter, matter and energy, and energy flow in the living world. In this course, students learn through real-world examples and applications. Students participate in activities and online laboratory experiences to apply what they have learned.

Length:  full year

How do you pick a career path when you’re not sure what’s even out there? This course allows you to begin exploring options in fields such as teaching, business, government, hospitality, health science, IT, and more! You’ll align your interests, wants, and needs to career possibilities, including the required education for each. Let’s find a pathway that works for you.
 

Prerequisites:  none

Length:  1 semester

Imagine that it’s 20 years from now. What career do you see yourself in? What do you imagine that you’ll be doing? In this course, you’ll explore more careers and what it takes to succeed in different fields. You’ll learn more about what steps are needed to prepare for your career and how to compare the pros and cons of different career choices to find one that’s best for you.

Prerequisites:  none

Length:  1 semester

Do you find yourself wondering how your favorite apps, websites, and games were made? Maybe you want to try building your own. Well, now you can! In Middle School Coding 1a, you will get an introduction to the basics of computer science, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python. You’ll leave the course with a portfolio of work you can show off.

Course Length: one semester

Let’s take the coding skills you learned in the previous course to the next level! You’ll expand your knowledge with Advanced Python, HTML, and JavaScript. You’ll further build out your portfolio and start thinking about a career in the fast-growing IT field.

Prerequisites:  none

Length:  1 semester

Are you interested in creating a website or app, or managing various technology solutions, but not sure where to start? If so, then it’s time to explore the different career options available to you in IT and learn the foundations of IT to get you started. Examine various IT pathways of web and digital communications, information and support services, network systems, and programming and software development. Let’s investigate which career pathway is right for you!  

Prerequisites:  none

Length:  1 semester

We love to play video games, but have you ever wanted to build your own? If you are interested in a career in technology but also want a creative outlet, Game Design might be the field for you. Learn how to build a game from the ground up in this interactive and hands-on course that will teach you all the ins and outs of making your own game.

Prerequisites:  none

Length:  1 semester

It’s time to take your Game Design knowledge up a level! You built your game design skills and Scratch techniques in the first part of this course. By the end, you wrote your game design document. Now you are ready to start developing that game! You’ll create details and add component pieces in a game while learning to prototype, troubleshoot, and test.

Prerequisites:  none

Length:  1 semester

Students who want to be fit but don’t know where to start are invited to join a diverse group of virtual classmates who help with exploring and understanding fitness and health. With the support of these virtual friends, students determine current personal fitness levels and learn to improve those levels. Students also learn safety rules for exercise, how to create equipment from household items, how different activities target different body parts, how to set and reach a goal, and how to be good sports.

Students keep a log of physical fitness activities while exploring topics that include diversity in sports, nutrition, peer pressure, and making good choices. Coach Cardio help measure growing fitness levels while students complete their projects. Each PE project leads to improved student understanding of personal skills and the environments in which activities are played.

Course Length:  1 semester

¡Bienvenidos! Welcome! Students are taking a virtual trip to Spain, Cuba, Colombia, and Argentina. As students explore each country, a student blogger is there to help them learn about the place and its unique characteristics. As students travel to each country, they learn how to speak Spanish in many practical and useful ways. Students learn how to greet people, introduce themselves, and speak about their home, family, school, and community. As students learn basic vocabulary and grammar skills, they expand on their knowledge and learn to speak about more complex topics such as shopping, weather, sports, entertainment, and leisure activities.

The course introduces new words and phrases with pictures, audio clips, and examples. Students learn basic Spanish grammar to help them build fluency and understand the structure of the Spanish language. There are many opportunities to practice through interactive activities in the form of games, written practice, and listening and speaking exercises.

Students also explore the cultures of Spain, Cuba, Colombia, and Argentina by learning about geography, foods, celebrations, and traditions from each place. Student bloggers guide students through these countries and help them appreciate and learn about their diversity.

Prerequisite:  None

Course Length:  full year

You’ve probably heard of STEM, but what exactly is it? STEM is the process of applying a combination of science, technology, engineering, and math and brainstorming, building, testing, and seeking answers through research. In this course, you’ll begin to develop these skills and learn how STEM can shape the future and even solve the world’s biggest problems through innovation. Seems pretty cool, right? Let’s start digging for answers into this groundbreaking subject!

Prerequisites:  none

Length:  1 semester

Ever wonder about how you can create art? In Visual Art I, you’ll connect with art created by other artists as you learn how to plan, create, and reflect on your own art. You’ll discover tools and techniques artists use as you create your own drawings, sculptures, paintings, photographs, and mixed-media works. The amount of supplies you may need to purchase is minimal, you can get by with pencils and watercolors.  However, you're welcome to purchase whatever supplies you would like to use. (any media you prefer).

Prerequisites:  none

Length:  1 semester

Ready to continue your artistic journey? In Visual Art II, you will explore artistic themes as you continue to plan, create, and reflect on your own art. You’ll work to grow your artistic skills and will experiment with mediums and techniques you’ve already experienced while learning to use even more! The amount of supplies you may need to purchase is minimal, you can get by with pencils and items you can find around the house.

Prerequisites:  none

Length:  1 semester