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High School Courses

Brazilian Culture: Samba, Carnaval, and Soccer

Students will explore Brazilian culture through movies, music, food, sports, history, and other elements. The class will also learn about current Brazilian immigration in the United States and research different religious faiths present in the country, racial diversity, and environmental issues. We will have many Brazilian guest speakers, cook Brazilian dishes, and visit the Brazilian community in Chicago with a stop at Fogo de Chão (an authentic Brazilian Steak House).

Human Behavior

How often have you wondered why people do the crazy things they do? In this course, students will explore social psychology to discover how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of individuals are influenced by others. Using the classic book on social psychology, The Human Animal, students will investigate topics such as conformity, obedience, and social influence. Students will learn to recognize examples of the topics discussed in class as we view television shows and movies and test theories on a field trip to University Park Mall.

Winter Sports

Students will learn the history, rules, and concepts of winter sports such as curling, downhill skiing, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, ice-skating, hockey, and tobogganing. During the second week students will travel to Michigan to experience these sports and attend a professional hockey game in Detroit.

Civil Rights in Mississippi

Students will study the relationship among Mennonites, African-Americans, and Choctaw Indians in Noxubee County Mississippi, which will include a week of travel to Noxubee County to experience these relationships first hand.

Ceramics I

During the first week, students will work with different types of clay, learn to throw clay on the wheel, and hand-build multiple projects. During the second week students will glaze and fire pieces in a raku firing, an electric kiln, and load and help fire the school's wood kiln, which will be a nice source of heat in January! Students will also try naked raku--don’t worry, everyone has their clothes on, it’s just the name potters use for a specific decoration used in raku firing. Students will also visit the Art Institute of Chicago, at least one other gallery, and either the local studios of Marvin Bartel or Lehman-Goertzen Pottery.

Comparative Mythology

Mythology functions as a window into the human experience of the supernatural across cultures. Students will read accounts of Greek and Roman mythology and compare common stories of creation, a flood, evil, good, and heroes from other world cultures. Students will also explore mythological origins and current symbolism of plants, animals, and other elements of the natural world. The course will include literature, film, storytelling, mime performance, working with desktop clay as well as canvas to portray myth as art. A day trip to the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis will be included. Prerequisite: English 9.

Forensic Science

Students will gain an understanding of the use of science and technology in forensic testing and analysis. Students will learn the value of forensic analysis in criminal, civil, and environmental investigations. Activities will include fingerprint collection and matching, DNA analysis, testing of arson samples, tours of a crime lab and a medical examiner’s office, and guest speakers.

Watercolor Painting

 This course is a studio-based and hands-on introduction to watercolor painting. Through daily practice and experimentation, a range of subject matter and techniques will be explored. Students will learn control of the medium, various techniques, color theory, and composition. Day trips to working artists’ studios, the Art Institute of Chicago and other galleries will be included.

Biking and Camping 

Northern Indiana is a beautiful place in the springtime. This course includes one week of class time in January and one week of self-contained biking and camping in June. Class time will focus on bicycle safety/maintenance, camping plans, trip mapping, and the history and geography of northern Indiana state parks. The June week culminates with a 250-mile bike trip to the 3 northern Indiana state parks.  

New Testament

Students will discover the depths of the New Testament in classroom setting and in an exciting simulation. The first week will cover the centrality of the Jesus story, and the second week will be a simulation of living in Christian community, while under the threat of persecution. In this way, we will explore the stories of Jesus and the early church through both the text and experience.

Middle School Courses

The Fundamentals of Cooking

Students will learn the fundamentals of shopping, preparing, and serving nutritional dishes. We will discuss the importance of nutrients and the role they play in our eating habits. All students will learn the importance of label reading, kitchen safety, and kitchen equipment.  All students prepare foods in a lab setting to develop kitchen management, food preparation skills, and be a better educated consumer about nutritional needs.

Batik Textiles and Fabric Art

Students will explore batik and other fabric dying techniques including tie-dye and painting.  After creating designs on the fabrics, students will fabricate art pieces both functional and decorative using sewing and adhesion techniques.

The Mystery Behind the Game

Students will investigate the history and strategies of many games they currently play, such as board games, mancala, card games, word and number puzzles, jacks, marbles, four-square, and hopscotch. All students will research and present the background information of at least one game. Students will plan, design and create an original game of their choosing. All will spend time playing and critiquing current games being played as well as each other’s original games.

Legoland

Students will investigate the history of Lego’s from their creation to the world phenomenon they have become. All students will then plan, design, and build a one-of-a-kind creation using the online Lego CAD program. The culminating project will include step-by-step instructions for their unique creation that they get to keep.

Creating Drama

We will explore the creation of drama, from analyzing stories for possible use, to writing scripts and staging small plays. Students will learn basic theater terminology while developing their reading and writing skills. We will also visit a local theater to see what happens behind the scenes.

Life on the Frontier

Students will explore life during the frontier period of American history and examine the cultures and conflict between Native Americans and Anglo-European settlers from first contact through modern times. Activities include frontier arts, games & leisure activities, hunting and trapping demonstrations, and a field trip.

Cars

Students will investigate the history, design, and inner workings of cars from the early days of electric and gas to today’s fossil fuel, electric, hydrogen, and hybrid cars. All students will help take apart a car to discover how it works and build a model. We will also visit a car museum.