Fine Arts & Other Elective Courses

List of Courses:

  • Studio Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

  • Dramatic Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

  • Photographic Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

  • Cinematic Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

  • *Honors Apologetics (10 credits, Fall Semester Only) - 10th-12th grade recommended | *out-of-pocket

  • *Wealth: Economics (10 credits, Spring Semester Only) - 10th-12th grade recommended | *out-of-pocket

  • Dual Enrollment courses through Santiago Canyon College - Click here to learn more!

    • THEA 100 - Introduction to Theater (3 credits)

    • MUSC 101 - Music Appreciation (3 credits)

    • PSYC 100 - Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)

    • COMM 110 - Introduction to Communication (3 credits)

Studio Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

The Studio Arts class equips students to interact with the world with an understanding of beauty and truth. This course will give students an enriching experience by allowing them to explore a breadth of visual art mediums inside and outside of the classroom. Students will receive the opportunity to discover and strengthen their skills in the visual art categories of painting, drawing, sculpting, design, mixed media, and more. Students will also learn about the world of art by focusing on a variety of artists from different cultures and time periods. This course will guide students in creating a portfolio of work that will showcase their own artistic journey. By the end of this course, students will have an enriched understanding of the visual art forms from technical training in drawing, painting, sculpture, designing, and more techniques to developing creative projects centered on expression and communication.

Materials for Studio Arts:

  • TBD

Dramatic Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

In this class, students will be introduced to many different elements of the dramatic arts. They will explore various performance techniques, acting, dancing and theatrical terminology. Students will learn how to serve others with their unique set of gifts. This class emphasizes both group and individual growth and development through group games, exercises, scenes and dances and through individual monologues and/or songs. Through the course of this class, students will gain performance experience through various performances including a first semester showcase and an end of year all co-op historical event! No previous experience necessary.

Photographic Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

Through this course, students will receive an enriching experience of photography that will guide them in understanding the art of seeing and light. Students will have the opportunity to capture the world around them through their own lens and the lens of others. Students will also learn about the world of photography by focusing on a variety of artists and cultures from different locations and time periods. This course will guide students in creating a portfolio of work that will showcase not only their artistic abilities, but also their own journey of self-expression.

Materials for Photographic Arts:

  • TBD

Cinematic Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

In this course, students will have the opportunity to critically reflect on video media and hone their ability to tell stories using film. Cinema draws from many fields requiring safety and technical knowledge, interpersonal networking skills, and a keen awareness of all the arts, ranging from photography to sound design to color theory. Students will have the opportunity to discover the vast variety of positions within the film industry, as well as the chance to strengthen their filmmaking skills in the form of short projects. During this class, students will have the chance to dabble in documentary making and short-form narratives. Students will learn how to critically analyze films that shape our culture and integrate themes and techniques observed in some of their favorite blockbusters.

Materials for Cinematic Arts:

  • TBD

*Honors Apologetics (5 credits, Fall Semester Only) - 10th-12th grade recommended

This apologetics class is not just intended to equip students to defend various Christian truths and doctrines, but in the process, we will examine the proper understanding of human nature on the Christian worldview and how we can use these truths to pursue Christlike character, true human flourishing, and furthering God’s kingdom within the culture we find ourselves in today. We will be surveying many different topics this year and examining the ways in which both the church fathers and contemporary theologians and philosophers defend various Christian doctrines. Here’s a sample of different topics:

  • What is the relationship between faith and reason?

  • Examining different arguments for God’s existence: the cosmological argument, the Leibnizian argument, The teleological argument, the moral argument, and the ontological argument

  • The resurrection of Christ: addressing Hime’s objection to the recognition of miracles

  • The logical and probabilistic problem of evil

  • Examining and defending the doctrine of the Trinity

  • Examining and defending the doctrine of the Incarnation

  • Divine Eternity: what is God’s relationship to time?

  • Examining and defending the doctrine of Divine Omniscience

  • Understanding and defending other divine attributes

  • Defending Christian particularism: what is the fate of the unevangelized?

*out-of-pocket

*Wealth: Economics (5 credits, Spring Semester Only) - 10th-12th grade recommended

This Wealth course will accomplish two goals. First, students will receive their required Economics credit while learning the basic concepts of money, finance, and the economy. Students will learn practical ideas and skills that will help them understand how our current economy works and how the economy affects the lives of individuals. They will study the history of economics and various economic systems. They will understand how government economic policy is formed and its consequences. Second, students will also consider the virtues of various economic systems and discuss which is more in line with Christian principles. Students will consider the use of money in their own lives and study what Church fathers and Jesus himself said about the use of money and its effects on our lives and our souls. They will leave this class as more capable stewards of their resources. We recommend that parents and independent study programs count this class as meeting the requirements for five high school economics credits.

Students will develop and apply an understanding of both macroeconomics and microeconomics. They will

  • apply key economics terms in analytical discourse, including Gross Domestic Product, investment, market economy, and supply and demand

  • identify factors that affect the economic systems in the United States

  • analyze various types of economic systems throughout the world and articulate advantages and disadvantages of each

Students will analyze the history of economic philosophy. They will

  • connect various economic systems and practices with the ideas of various schools of thought

  • trace the history of various economic systems from idea to logical conclusion

Students will thoughtfully articulate a Christian understanding of the use of money. They will

  • articulate what Jesus and church fathers said about the use of money

  • articulate how they can apply virtuous financial habits in their own lives

Students will contribute in intellectual discussion confidently, critically, and charitably. They will

  • ask relevant, critical questions about texts and ideas

  • distinguish between good and bad arguments

  • recognize, imitate, and produce sound, compelling, and logical arguments

  • assess multiple perspectives with fairness and precision in reading, discussion, and writing

  • articulate an economic thesis via formal outline and oral presentation

  • assert opinions and beliefs about economics with courteous and reasonable arguments

  • respond to opposition to opinions and beliefs with courteous and reasonable rebuttals

Course objectives will be realized through reading, writing, discussion, and research. Discussion and writing assignments (in the form of short reflection essays) will serve as evaluative tools to assess the student’s progress toward the set objectives. Student notebooks serve as a catalog of the student’s progress through the course of the academic year, and a final research project and related writing assignment is equivalent to a final exam.

Materials:

*Only selections from these books will be required reading.
‡Students who have taken Inklings may use their Inklings copy of Letters to a Diminished Church for this course.
† This selection is found in a custom-made Wealth Reader. Enrolled families will receive a link to the Amazon purchase page when the reader becomes available.

*out-of-pocket

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