School of Rhetoric

Fundamentals of Academic Writing

Fundamentals of Academic Writing focuses on formal academic writing for high school students new to Wilson Hill composition or LA4 students needing more confidence and practice. Students practice the trajectory of the writing process from prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing to final submission by mastering the skills of the first three canons of rhetoric: invention, […]

Section: Composition   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Advanced Composition 1

Advanced Composition 1 provides robust and personal writing instruction for high school students. They will refine composition skills through imitative writing and essay construction. Students practice emulating the voice of consummate authors by closely examining tone, diction, and syntax. This course reinforces prior grammar instruction through the analysis of complex sentence structures. Thesis-based writing assignments […]

Section: Composition   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Advanced Composition 2

Advanced Composition 2 continues, and builds upon, the robust and personal writing instruction offered in Advanced Composition 1. Students will develop personal style and voice through imitative exercises that challenge students to look closely at the syntax and diction of distinguished authors. While Advanced Composition 2 students still draw upon literary sources, they will practice […]

Section: Composition   |   School: School of Rhetoric

The Great Conversation 3

Students study some of the most influential writings and events that shaped the modern world, beginning with the Protestant Reformation. Students will continue to develop their ability to both thoughtfully read a great book and to discuss its main ideas and questions with others. Aimed at School of Rhetoric students, class discussions and writing assignments […]

Section: History, Humanities, Literature, The Great Conversation   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Logic 1

Are there “laws of thought” just as surely as there is a law of gravity? The answer is a resounding “yes!” In this course we will learn how to reason in an orderly and consistent fashion. Students will master the rules that govern the thinking process. There will be a particular emphasis on applying these […]

Section: Humanities   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Logic 2

Done with Logic 1? You’ve just begun the life-long journey of learning how to think with excellence.  Join us as we continue to study the science and art of thinking well.  In this course we will learn to both analyze and build arguments.  In the first part of the course, we will study some of […]

Section: Humanities   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Algebra 1

The wonder of mathematics is most truly observed and appreciated by students when they are led to transfer their concrete mathematical knowledge to abstract algebraic generalizations. A primary goal in Algebra I at WHA is to facilitate that vital transfer. Students cannot help but be inspired by the beauty of algebra as they discover how […]

Section: Math   |   School: School of Logic, School of Rhetoric

Geometry

Dynamic, engaging instruction defines Geometry at WHA. This course provides students with the needed tools to engage analytically with their everyday surroundings as they develop spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills. Real-life applications are used to illustrate geometric concepts in the orderliness of Creation that will inspire love and wonder for this branch of mathematics.  The […]

Section: Math   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Algebra 2

Gaining a deeper insight and developing a greater appreciation for mathematical models is the goal of this college preparatory course. Students will develop and practice higher level abstract thinking and reasoning skills that will help with data interpretation, proportions, measurements and equations. Algebra 2 builds on the foundation of Algebra 1. Topics covered include real […]

Section: Math   |   School: School of Rhetoric

AP Statistics

This college level introductory course endeavors to give students a deeper understanding of how data is gathered, displayed, and analyzed so that they can begin to engage a culture and society that relies on statistics for decision making. The instructor expects students to engage actively with current issues and to perform statistical analyses regarding these […]

Section: AP Courses, Math   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Pre-Calculus/Trigonometry

Pre-Calculus is an honors-designated college preparatory course that combines knowledge of Algebra, with its equations and functions, and Geometry, with its visual representations and trigonometric concepts, into a cohesive foundation that prepares the student for the study of Calculus. Because functions are the foundation of Calculus, this course has been specifically developed to give math […]

Section: Math   |   School: School of Rhetoric

AP Calculus AB

This college-level introductory course covers differential and integral calculus. Topics covered include functions and graphs, limits, continuity, derivatives and differential ability, applications of the derivative, curve sketching, related rates, implicit differentiation, parametric equations, Riemann sums, indefinite and definite integrals, techniques of integration, applications of integration, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, and numerical approximations to definite […]

Section: AP Courses, Math   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Physics 1

Physics 1 is an introductory physics course for students in grades 9 through 12. The course integrates history, mathematics, and technical communication skills. Through successful completion of this course, a student will be able to develop a mastery of the basic tools of physics, including fundamental concepts and applications, computational skills, and analytical skills. Concepts […]

Section: Sciences   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Physics 1 (Honors)

This is a rigorous physical science course intended for accelerated 9th grade students who have already completed Algebra I and are motivated toward honors-level study in science and mathematics. The course integrates history, mathematics, and technical communication skills. Through successful completion of this course, a student will be able to develop a mastery of the […]

Section: Sciences   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Chemistry

This is a complete first-year high school chemistry course. It will provide students with an understanding of the properties of, and interactions between, different types of matter. Students will understand fundamental concepts concerning atoms, elements, and compounds. They will also comprehend the trends within the periodic table and how the atomic structure of elements affects […]

Section: Sciences   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Chemistry (Honors/Pre-AP)

This is an accelerated first-year chemistry course designed for students who have demonstrated an aptitude and enthusiasm for studying science. It will provide students with an understanding of the properties of, and interactions between, different types of matter. Students will understand fundamental concepts concerning atoms, elements, and compounds. They will also comprehend the trends within […]

Section: Sciences   |   School: School of Rhetoric

AP Chemistry

This course is designed to be the equivalent of the general chemistry course usually taken during the first year of college. A student in this course will expand on material mastered in a first-year high school chemistry course: looking at more advanced explanations and theories of chemical properties and behavior, emphasizing a more mathematical approach […]

Section: AP Courses, Sciences   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Biology

This introductory course in biology is taught from a Christian worldview using classical methodology. Students study the nature of life and the chemical basis of living cells as well as cell structure, function, division and genetics. An overview of the five kingdoms is presented, and students consider representative organisms from each kingdom and their ecological […]

Section: Sciences   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Biology (Honors)

Honors Biology is designed for students who have a foundation in Physics and Chemistry and who are eager to apply that knowledge to the study of Biology. Students will learn basic biochemistry and its applications to cellular structure and function. Ultimately, students will gain a wonder and appreciation for the similarities and differences between organisms […]

Section: Sciences   |   School: School of Rhetoric

AP Biology

This course has been formally authorized by the College Board to carry the AP® designation. It is a rigorous course and is recommended for high school juniors and seniors who have already completed a pre-AP level of biology. Students will learn to think scientifically, design experiments and draw connections between biology and other disciplines. The […]

Section: AP Courses, Sciences   |   School: School of Rhetoric

AP Physics

Formerly taught as Physics 2 (Honors), this class will include work designed specifically as preparation for the AP® Physics exam beginning with the 2020-2021 school year. It remains an honors-level college preparatory class in Physics and will prepare students for success in their pursuit of science, engineering, or math at the college level. Students should […]

Section: AP Courses, Sciences   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Intro to Javascript (Summer)

Students will be introduced to computer programming by creating 2-3simple, interactive applications in the browser using HTML, CSS, andJavascript. Although the class focuses on Javascript and the webbrowser, the concepts learned could be applied to many otherprogramming languages. No programming experience is necessary. July 19-29 Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays. 10-11:30 a.m. ET

Section: Sciences, Summer   |   School: School of Logic, School of Rhetoric

Rhetoric 1

Both Rhetoric courses carry the honors designation. Rhetoric I introduces students to the concepts and practical principles of the ancient art of rhetoric, the third part of the classical Trivium. Drawn largely from Aristotle’s Rhetoric and Quintilian’s Institutio Oratoria, the course trains students in using and applying the classical rhetorical canons to a variety of spoken and written […]

Section: Composition, Humanities   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Rhetoric 2

Rhetoric 2/Senior Thesis is designed to be a capstone experience for WHA seniors.  The course represents the culmination of the WHA student’s training in the arts of grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric, and it provides the student the opportunity to demonstrate, in a public and formal manner, his or her learning on a particular topic of […]

Section: Composition, Humanities   |   School: School of Rhetoric

The Great Conversation 6

Covering the same period as The Great Conversation 3, this course is designed for upper level School of Rhetoric students and provides a walking tour of the people, ideas, and books from the Modern Era that have brought us to our present day. Using various works of theology, philosophy, and literature, students will consider how […]

Section: History, Humanities, Literature, The Great Conversation   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Latin 1

Latin is alive and lively in Latin 1! Students will explore how an inflected language works by studying five noun declensions, four verb conjugations, adjectives, pronouns, and common expressions. Emphasis is given to Latin vocabulary and English derivatives. Students will build translation skills while exploring Roman culture and studying people and practices from antiquity by […]

Section: Languages   |   School: School of Logic, School of Rhetoric

Latin 2

Building upon the foundation of Latin 1, students will review the basics of Latin grammar and proceed to more complex grammatical constructions, including the comparison of adjectives and adverbs, the passive voice, relative clauses, participles, and indirect statements. Emphasis is given to Latin vocabulary and English derivatives. Students will become more confident in their translation […]

Section: Languages   |   School: School of Logic, School of Rhetoric

Latin 3

Latin students complete their study of Latin grammar in Latin 3, which is an impressive accomplishment! Students will study gerunds, gerundives, participles, deponent verbs, conditional sentences, and the subjunctive mood. Students will also examine Latin poetry, which is beautiful in and of itself, but also helpful preparation for the AP Latin exam. Students will become […]

Section: Languages   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Latin Readings

Latin Readings is designed for intermediate Latin students who have finished working through Latin grammar (using Wheelock’s Latin or Latin Alive! I-III, or the equivalent) and are ready to practice reading Latin literature. Grammar will be reviewed continuously as students grow in their translation skills, reading selections of literature from Cicero to Newton. Students will […]

Section: Languages   |   School: School of Rhetoric

AP Latin

Advanced Placement® Latin is a rigorous, college-level course designed for students who intend to take the Latin Advanced Placement® exam.  Students will follow a College Board-approved syllabus as they study selections from Caesar’s Gallic Wars and Virgil’s Aeneid.  Students will focus on the grammatical details of the texts while also studying these works as literature […]

Section: AP Courses, Languages   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Latin 2 Proficiency Exam

This Latin 2 proficiency exam can be used for placement (Latin 2 or Latin 3) or to satisfy the graduation requirement of “Latin proficiency through Latin 2”. Students new to WHA and already registered for Latin 2 or Latin 3 will be placed in this test “class” automatically. Those who prefer to determine their proficiency […]

Section: Languages   |   School: School of Logic, School of Rhetoric

Greek 1

Greek 1 introduces students to the Ancient Greek language, which encompasses that of Biblical (Koine) Greek, and simultaneously explores Greek culture in the 4th and 5th centuries B.C. This course is designed to train students in reading Biblical and ancient texts as well as in speaking and listening. Students will learn the basics of Ancient Greek by […]

Section: Languages   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Greek Readings

Greek Readings has as its central goal the development of reading proficiency. Students will spend the first half of the course building reading skills with selections from classical authors such as Herodotus, Aesop, Herodotus, and Homer. The second half of the course will be devoted to the Septuagint and New Testament. Students will also improve […]

Section: Languages   |   School: School of Rhetoric

AP Art History

This college-level course surveys the history of painting, sculpture, and architecture from the cave paintings of Lascaux to the splatterings of Jackson Pollock. Students will gain a Christian understanding of the nature of art via the insights of Francis Schaeffer’s colleague at L’Abri, Hans Rookmaker, and other Christian art historians and philosophers. We will trace […]

Section: AP Courses, History, Humanities   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Get to Know Fyodor Dostoevsky

Have you ever wrestled with the tough questions of life? How can there be a good God if there is so much evil in the world? What does Christianity have to do with my culture? What is the relationship between science and religion? What is at the heart of faith in Christ? Join me as […]

Section: Literature   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Modern Literature & Thought

Having worshiped at the altar of unaided Reason in the 18th century, Western Man drifted toward a more subjective, emotionally-driven philosophy of progress and optimism in the 19th century. But a radical shift took place in the 20th century that extinguished the unbridled idealism of the 1800s. At the same time, the West experienced a […]

Section: Literature   |   School: School of Rhetoric

US History: Survey (Honors)

This is an honors level survey course covering the full sweep of United States history from colonial times through the present.  There is a brief introductory unit on pre-Columbian America; subsequent units will cover the English colonial period, the conflicts that led to independence and the adoption of the US Constitution, the early national period […]

Section: History   |   School: School of Rhetoric

US Government and Economics

This course is new for 2021-22 and is intended to satisfy the common state requirement for one semester each of government and economics.  It will be a single course taught with a unified perspective, but the focus will be on government in the fall semester and economics in the spring.  Details and information on text […]

Section: History   |   School: School of Rhetoric

SAT Prep Course (Summer)

Wilson Hill is partnering with More Than A Teacher (MTAT), an Austin-based test prep company, to offer WHA students a comprehensive summer SAT prep course. WHA teacher Becky Winn will be teaching the reading/writing component, and a MTAT teacher will be teaching the math component. Any student who attends the class this summer can make […]

Section: Summer   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Junior Classical League

Junior Classical League is an extracurricular club for all secondary (7th-12th)  Latin and Greek students (FOL+) who wish to broaden their classical language education while socializing with friends and teachers. Student-elected officers and WHA faculty design activities and games which explore topics in the classics in a lively and engaging way, and since this is a […]

Section: Languages   |   School: School of Logic, School of Rhetoric

Get to Know Jane Austen (Summer)

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a Wilson Hill student in possession of summer vacation must be in want of a class about Jane Austen! Using lively classroom conversations, discussion boards, and student presentations, this class will explore the 19th century social lives of the English gentry. By studying all six of Austen’s engaging […]

Section: Literature, Summer   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Habits of a Successful Student (Summer)

This course will introduce the habits of a successful student by working through a range of topics such as setting up a workspace, time and task management, note taking and active reading skills. By considering these tools and behaviours, students will be ready to implement strategies in class and in their independent study time to […]

Section: Summer   |   School: School of Logic, School of Rhetoric

Habits of a Successful Student (Self-paced)

This is the self-paced version of our live summer course. It will not be available until September 1st, 2021. This course will introduce the habits of a successful student by working through a range of topics such as setting up a workspace, time and task management, note taking and active reading skills. By considering these […]

Section: Summer   |   School: School of Logic, School of Rhetoric

Spanish 1

Wilson Hill Academy seeks to teach modern foreign languages using the classical trivium approach; laying a solid grammar foundation, then building on that through the logic and rhetoric stages.  Each class also contains elements of culture, history and geography of the Spanish-speaking world to help bring the language alive. Spanish 1 is an introductory course […]

Section: Languages   |   School: School of Logic, School of Rhetoric

Spanish 2

Wilson Hill Academy seeks to teach modern foreign languages using the classical trivium approach; laying a solid grammar foundation, then building on that through the logic and rhetoric stages.  Each class also contains elements of culture, history and geography of the Spanish-speaking world to help bring the language alive. This intermediate Spanish course builds on […]

Section: Languages   |   School: School of Logic, School of Rhetoric

Spanish 3

Wilson Hill Academy seeks to teach modern foreign languages using the classical trivium approach; laying a solid grammar foundation, then building on that through the logic and rhetoric stages.  Each class also contains elements of culture, history and geography of the Spanish-speaking world to help bring the language alive. This advanced Spanish course will build […]

Section: Languages   |   School: School of Rhetoric

AP Spanish

Advanced Placement® Spanish is a college-level Spanish course that is designed for students who intend to take the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam. The course will be equivalent to a third-year college level Spanish course and will be conducted entirely in Spanish. The course will emphasize the functional usage of students’ reading, writing, listening […]

Section: AP Courses, Languages   |   School: School of Rhetoric

French 1

In French I, students begin to understand French and to start expressing themselves in French by building a strong foundation of grammar and vocabulary. Students will explore the culture of French-speaking countries through exposure to artists, writers, and current events that will help bring their studies to life. They will also be exposed to the […]

Section: Languages   |   School: School of Rhetoric

French 2

This intermediate French course builds on the grammar foundation laid in French 1. It will focus on the logical and analytical aspects of effective communication and proper use of more complex French grammatical structures. Students will continue to be exposed to the history and geography of French-speaking countries and to different artists, writers, and current […]

Section: Languages   |   School: School of Rhetoric

French 3

This advanced French course will build a more natural rhetorical grasp of the language. The goal of this course is to give the students as many opportunities as possible to practice the communication skills that they have built in French 1 and 2. This course is taught almost entirely in French, and students are continually […]

Section: Languages   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Chemistry Readiness (Summer)

This self-paced course is designed to meet the needs of students who are registered for WHA Chemistry or WHA Honors (Pre-AP) Chemistry but have not taken the prerequisite WHA Physics or Honors Physics course. In this course, students will work through progressive modules designed to introduce specific topics from the Physics course that will be […]

Section: Sciences, Summer   |   School: School of Rhetoric

Logic 2 Readiness (Summer; Live)

This is a somewhat abbreviated version of the full-year Logic 1 class intended for new students who need to shore up their foundation in logic before moving on to Logic 2. Students will study forms of correct thinking, using traditional Aristotelian tools such as formal proofs and truth tables. Students will also be conversant in […]

Section: Composition, Summer   |   School: School of Logic, School of Rhetoric

Logic 2 Readiness (Summer; Self-Paced)

This is a somewhat abbreviated version of the full-year Logic 1 class intended for new students who need to shore up their foundation in logic before moving on to Logic 2. Students will study forms of correct thinking, using traditional Aristotelian tools such as formal proofs and truth tables. Students will also be conversant in […]

Section: Composition, Humanities, Summer   |   School: School of Rhetoric