More than anything else, this course is designed to encourage the love of great books and great stories as an essential preparation for future courses in the language arts (Language Arts 1-4 and The Great Conversation). The primary purpose of the course is to give 4th and 5th grade students the opportunity to explore ideas […]
The Story of History series is intended to cover the flow of history from Bible times through the 20th century, providing students with a backdrop against which they can better engage in The Great Conversation. Students in the upper Grammar School or School of Logic will get to know the heroes, villains and key events […]
The Story of History series is intended to cover the flow of history from Bible times through the 20th century, providing students with a backdrop against which they can better engage in The Great Conversation. Students in the upper Grammar School or School of Logic will get to know the heroes, villains and key events […]
The Story of History series is intended to cover the flow of history from Bible times through the 20th century, providing students with a backdrop against which they can better engage in The Great Conversation. Students in the upper Grammar School or School of Logic will get to know the heroes, villains and key events […]
The Story of History series is intended to cover the flow of history from Bible times through the 20th century, providing students with a backdrop against which they can better engage in The Great Conversation. Students in the upper Grammar School or School of Logic will get to know the heroes, villains and key events […]
Have you ever stopped to think about how the geography of a region shapes its economy, government, and sometimes even religion? This class will take students through the continents while learning about culture, land forms, climates, resources, etc. Students will have the opportunity to make presentations, complete creative projects, and much more as they “travel […]
This course introduces students to great works of children’s literature and provides an integrated approach to grammar and writing instruction. Using WHA instructor-developed materials that correspond to the current literary selections, students will work through grammatical concepts such as parsing & classifying sentences, identifying parts of speech and using them correctly, and utilizing correct punctuation […]
This course introduces students to great works of children’s literature and provides an integrated approach to grammar and writing instruction. Using instructor-provided materials corresponding to the current literary selections, students will work through grammatical concepts such as parsing and diagramming sentences, classifying sentences, identifying parts of speech, and utilizing correct punctuation and capitalization rules. Students […]
Language Arts 3 consists of engaging literature, comprehensive grammar, and essential composition skills, each part reinforcing the others. The course is designed to prepare students for upper-level coursework. LA3 students will read short stories, novels, and poetry, exploring fundamental literary elements in the process. By digging into these works, students will learn how to understand […]
Language Arts 4 emphasizes both literature and composition by focusing on the first three canons of classical rhetoric: invention, arrangement, and elocution. The thoughtful discussions about literary works help LA4 students develop habits of questioning and an appreciation for the art of writing. Students use these skills to write reflective essays that present a logical […]
Fundamentals of Research & Presentation introduces students to logic level research and presentation skills as they use the history of their own home area (state, province, or country) as the research content. Students will hone both their written and oral presentation skills and gain experience with computerized presentation tools as they develop clear, attractive, and […]
In keeping with the philosophy of encouraging wonder and equipping students with the tools of scientific study, Course 1: Life Science is intended to encourage a love for the natural world and the miracle of the human body. Students will be prepared for subsequent science courses through the development of good observation and note-taking skills, […]
In keeping with the philosophy of encouraging wonder and equipping students with the tools of scientific study, Course 2: Sky and Space is designed to stimulate curiosity. What is the optimal design for a model rocket? Will we colonize Mars in my lifetime? Why do Northerners have a “White Christmas” while Southerners decorate palm trees […]
This 6th grade course is new for 2021-22 as part of our restructuring of the science sequence in 6th-8th grades. It is not the same as the Earth Science (Bridge) class and is not challenging enough for 8th graders. At Wilson Hill Academy we believe that teaching science in the grammar stage should equip […]
Engaging young students in meaningful discussions of mathematics is an essential component of their math education. Math 5 combines this type of student engagement along with challenging content to inspire true wonder and love of the subject. Students learn to solve challenging math problems using several “visual approach” strategies based on the Singapore Method that […]
Exemplary math instruction in the early years gives students the opportunity to discuss and exchange ideas they have newly discovered. The result is the development of independent, thoughtful problem solvers with a deep appreciation and joy of mathematics. Math 6 combines this pedagogy with an exceptional visual approach to problem solving based on the Singapore […]
Math 7 The ability to discuss alternative strategies for problem solving in mathematics is an indication of mastery of the subject. In Math 7, word problems form the basis for most instruction. Students spend a great deal of time discussing alternative strategies with each other, in groups, and as a whole class. Important ideas in […]
Establishing solid mathematical study skills and iron clad problem-solving strategies is the mark of our Pre-algebra course at WHA. This course offers instruction that provides a strong foundation for students as they progress from a concrete understanding of basic math concepts to a deeper level of abstract comprehension of math principles and application. Students become […]
This introductory Latin course will help grammar school students see that learning Latin is attainable and even fun! Students will embark on the adventure of learning Latin by studying vocabulary, two verb conjugations, three tenses, two noun declensions, adjectives, prepositions, and basic sentence translation. Learning will be enhanced by workbooks, memory work, games, and a […]
Building on the foundational concepts taught in Grammar Latin I, grammar school students will continue their Latin adventure by learning the third verb conjugation, the third noun declension, pronouns, imperatives, and numbers while continuing to build and review vocabulary. Emphasis will be placed on parsing verbs, nouns, and adjectives as well as labeling the parts […]
Grammar Latin III is the final Latin primer course for grammar school students, and when students have finished this course, they are well-prepared for Secondary Latin 1. Students will review previously taught concepts and study the fourth verb conjugation, the fourth and fifth noun declensions, three tenses, adjectives, and adverbs while continuing to build and […]
This course develops a solid foundation in topics from physics and chemistry to equip grade 7 students for School of Rhetoric science courses. Topics include matter and atomic theory, energy, forces and motion, waves, sounds and light, electricity and magnetism, types of substances, compounds and chemical reactions. Students will learn a mastery based approach for […]
NOTE: This class is being offered in 2021-22 as a “bridge” for students enrolled in either Life Science or Grammar of Science Course 3 at Wilson Hill Academy in the 2020-21 school year. For details on the new Science sequence in 6th-8th grades, please see the Recommended Course of Study. Learn more about the place […]
This course develops a solid foundation in topics from biology to equip grade 8 students for School of Rhetoric science courses. Topics include cellular biology, genetics, microorganisms, fungi, plants, animals, and human organ systems. Students will carry out several lab activities. Although students will not be required to submit formal lab reports, they will practice […]
Students engage the Great Conversation at its beginning by learning some of the earliest and most beautiful stories ever written, along with the major events and ideas of ancient Mesopotamia, Israel, Greece and Rome. Along with several Bible books, students will study the work of Homer, Herodotus, Livy, Virgil and others. The course also includes […]
Students encounter The Great Conversation as it unfolded during the Middle Ages through a study of some the most influential works of the medieval times and some works inspired by this period. The course covers the period from the fall of Rome to the death of Elizabeth I and focusses on medieval England due to […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
This course is designed for students who begin The Great Conversation courses in ninth or tenth grade and can benefit from a survey of ancient works before moving on to the upper levels of The Great Conversation. As a combination of levels 1 and 4, TGC 1+4 will examine key works of the ancient world […]
Covering the same time period as The Great Conversation 1, level 4 takes the student deeper into the works of many of the same authors. Homer, Plato, Livy and Virgil are some of the thinkers whose works are explored on a new level. Taught alongside several books of the Bible, the primary source writings demand […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Students encounter The Great Conversation as it unfolded during the Middle Ages through a study of some the most influential works of the medieval times. The course covers the period from the fall of Rome to the death of Elizabeth I and focuses on medieval Europe. Students will continue to see how, in works of […]
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 […]
Fundamentals of Latin is a transitional class which introduces students with little or no Latin background to the basics of Latin grammar and ancient Roman culture. Designed to ease the transition into Secondary Latin, this class will ground students in Latin grammar basics while showing them the relevance of Latin throughout history and our world […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. 2020-2021 Spanish 1, 2, 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. 2020-2021 Spanish 1, 2, 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. 2020-2021 Spanish 1, 2, 3 & […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]