Take a Peek at Our Fall Class Schedule!

Written By HSL
home/school/life magazine's online homeschool classes for fall! :)

Oh, my gosh, you guys, I am so excited about the fall classes we’re offering through home/school/life! I think about what these kinds of classes would have meant to me as a slightly-too-well-read teenager longing to connect with other people who shared my obsessions, and I feel so incredibly fortunate to be able to play a role in creating that kind of learning experience for homeschoolers. Our fall class lineup is full of nerdy goodness, from creating your own apocalypse to discovering the meaning of life to giving stink-eye to fairy tale conventions to making sense of Doctor Who’s ethics and more! Here’s your sneak peek at what’s coming this fall. (Classes start after Labor Day and continue through December 5, with a break for Thanksgiving.)

(A note: We describe these classes as “academically rigorous” because we do expect students to complete weekly reading and viewing assignments and to participate in class discussions. These are Socratic classes that run on student engagement and participation. They are definitely not traditional classroom classes nor should the workload be stressful or overwhelming.)

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Philosophy and Doctor Who

WEDNESDAYS AT 5;30 P.M. (ends at 6:30 P.M.)
ONE SEMESTER CLASS

In this one-term class, we’ll use the new Doctor Who (beginning with the Ninth Doctor) as a springboard for exploring philosophical questions, including the nature of reality, issues of chronology, constructions of self, examinations of ethics, manifestations of morality, whether fezzes are, in fact, cool, and more. In addition to weekly viewing assignments (Doctor Who is available streaming on Amazon Prime), students will keep a weekly journal and submit and present a final critical presentation on one aspect of Doctor Who’s philosophy. Maybe your presentation will be a traditional research paper; perhaps it will be a series of paintings or a short film. Whatever it is, it will communicate one of your big ideas about the philosophy of Doctor Who. (We’ll talk about this project in more specific detail as the term progresses.)

 

What students will get out of the class

  • Students will engage in in-depth philosophical inquiry — we’ll just be focusing these efforts on the television series Doctor Who rather than a more traditional text
  • Students will explore a variety of philosophical ideas, including epistemology, ethics, aesthetics, metaphysics, and existentialism 
  • Students will develop critical thinking and discussion skills through Socratic class discussions.

 

What students should be prepared to put into the class

  • You should show up for class having screened the assigned materials for each session and be prepared to join the class discussion
  • The weekly journal assignment doesn’t have to be physically written down, but ideally, you’ll spend at least 30 minutes thinking deeply about the assignment each week to prepare for class discussions.
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Feminism and Fairy Tales

WEDNESDAYS at 4:00 P.M. (ends at 5 P.M.)
ONE SEMESTER CLASS

What do we learn about the way women should behave from Cinderella’s virtuous suffering? What do wicked queens tell us about the way women’s roles are expected to change with age? And what kind of role models do boys find in classic fairy tales? In this semester-long class, we’ll dig into the gender issues of fairy tales, in both their original forms and modern interpretations. As we explore the ideas about men and women we uncover in different stories, we’ll build a historical, cultural, and critical context for understanding folklore and critical theory studies. At the end of the class, students will choose a modern work that connects to a fairy tale source and consider the implications of the differences between the two works in a final paper or presentation.

 

What students will get out of this class

  • Students will develop a terminology for and understanding of contemporary gender and folklore studies
  • Students will hone critical thinking and literary analysis skills through close reading and viewing assignments and in-class discussions

 

What students should be prepared to put into this class

  • You should show up for class having read or viewed the assigned materials for each session and be prepared to join the class discussion
  • The weekly journal assignment is optional, but it’s a great way to focus your thoughts for class discussions.
  • Students who opt in to a final paper will exit the course with a paper useable for the writing sample required for entry to college
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Exploring Probability

WEDNESDAYS at 9:45 A.M. (ends at 10:45 A.M.)
ONE SEMESTER CLASS

This is a beginning course in probability that introduces many of the topics that are the bedrock of statistical analysis. Topics include basic probability rules, randomness, probable versus possible events, correlation versus causation, independence, and a basic introduction to hypothesis testing. We will investigate these using simulations and critical thinking within the context of current events and social debates.

Parents and students are advised that some of these topics may be controversial (e.g., the death penalty and its intersection with race or the upcoming presidential election). Every effort will be made to acknowledge and present a variety of perspectives while making a safe space to disagree. If appropriate, I will also acknowledge my own bias when I think it might affect the presentation of the information.

 

What students will get out of this class

By the end of the course, students can expect to have a firm foundation in probability and basic statistical analysis. They will also walk away more savy about the statistics we are inundated with every day.

 

What students should be prepared to put into this class

Students should expect to do 2-3 hours of work outside of class each week. This will include watching videos to provide a basis and context for the upcoming week's topic as well as data collection using simple tools like coins, dice, and cards. The data collected individually will be used in class to demonstrate certain statistical concepts.

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Asian Philosophy

TUESDAYS AT 5;30 P.M. (ends at 6:30 P.M.)
ONE SEMESTER CLASS

Learn from the masters. Asian philosophy opens the door to a whole new world of thinking, and in this semester-long class we'll explore the big ideas of Asian philosophy. Using texts including The Bhagavad Gita, The Analects of Confucius, the Dao De Jing and moon in a dewdrop: writings of zen master dogen, we'll examine Asian conceptions of self and community, environmental ethics and our relationships with the natural world, connection and independence, yoga and enlightenment, and more. This class is a smart choice for high school students who want to continue their philosophy studies in a new direction, those who want a creative alternative to World Literature, as well as a fun option for students who want to make sense of the philosophy behind their favorite martial arts movies or anime. Confucius says: Think Deeper.

 

What students will get out of the class

  • Students will engage with a variety of primary philosophical tests through close reading, writing, and discussion.
  • Students will identify major movements and ideas in Asian philosophy.
  • Students will develop critical thinking skills and discussion skills through Socratic class discussions.
  • Students who opt in to a final paper will exit the course with a paper useable for the writing sample required for entry to college

 

What students should be prepared to put into the class

  • You should show up for class having read the assigned materials for each session and be prepared to join the class discussion
  • The weekly journal assignment is optional, but it’s a great way to focus your thoughts for class discussions.
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Apocalyptic Literature

TUESDAYS at 11:00 A.M. (ends at noon)
ONE SEMESTER CLASS

In this class, students will read novels about the end of the world and what may (or may not) come after.  We will talk about what makes the apocalypse so appealing in entertainment, and explore the philosophical questions raised by different works.  At the end of the class, each student will be invited to "Build Your Own Apocalypse" based on the themes and questions we've explored, and will have the option to share it with the class.
 

What students will get out of the class

  • Students will engage in literary analysis and Socratic-style class seminars
  • Students will be asked to engage with the text both via discussion and through written journal assignments
  • Students will have the opportunity to exercise their own creativity and create a final 'apocalyptic' presentation as a response to the questions we've asked in class



What students should be prepared to put into the class

  • Students should keep up with their reading assignments outside of class; we'll be reading four novels over the course of 12 sessions
  • Students should be prepared to participate in class discussion
  • There will be weekly journal assignments addressing specific questions raised by the class
  • I hope everyone will choose to Build an Apocalypse of their very own and share it with us!
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Musical American History: The American Revolution in 1776 and Hamilton

WEDNESDAYS at 11:00 A.M. (ends at noon)
ONE SEMESTER CLASS

This history class will explore the early years of American history (roughly 1770 - 1800) as portrayed in the popular Broadway musicals 1776 and Hamilton.  We will talk about the actual history behind the entertainment, and how it relates to what's going on in our world today.
 

What students will get out of the class

  • Students will gain a greater understanding of the historical events that led up to the American Revolution and how our country was formed in the early years post-Revolution
  • Students will learn more about our Founding Fathers and the beliefs that caused them to fight for independence
  • Students will explore both sides of key political and philosophical questions of the period (strong federal government vs. states' rights, wealthy investors vs. the 'ordinary citizen', intervention vs. isolation) that still inform political debate today


What students should be prepared to put into the class

  • Students will be asked to keep up with assignments outside of class, including watching the movie 1776, listening to the Broadway cast recording of Hamilton, and completing various readings (both online and in texts assigned for the class)
  • Students should be prepared to participate in class discussion
  • There will be written weekly journal assignments and an (optional) end-of-class presentation exploring the differences between history as presented in the textbooks and history as presented in entertainment
     
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Critical Thinking and the Media: Talking Back to Your Television

THURSDAYS at 11:00 A.M. (ends at noon)
ONE SEMESTER CLASS

This class will explore the various techniques used when people are trying to convince you to do something: to buy something, vote for someone, or think a particular way.  We will analyze and identify techniques used in the commercials, packaging, political debate, etc., that bombard us all day every day.  At the end of class, students will be invited to present a commercial of their own, using what we've learned in class.
 

What students will get out of the class

  • Students will learn to recognize when someone is making an argument (i.e., trying to convince them of something)
  • Students will learn many of the specific techniques used when making an argument
  • Students will practice thinking critically about information presented to them, so that they can make up their own minds instead of being unconsciously swayed by the media


What students should be prepared to put into the class

  • Students will be asked to keep a journal of various 'arguments' and propaganda techniques they run across in their daily lives, and should be prepared to share some of these with the class on a weekly basis
  • Students should be prepared to participate in class discussion (while being aware of the difference between a respectful argument and a fight)
  • Students will be invited (either individually or as part of a team) to create their own end-of-class commercial using the argument techniques we've discussed in class
     
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Existentialism

TUESDAYS AT 2;30 P.M. (ends at 3:30 P.M.)
ONE SEMESTER CLASS

When someone asks me the best place to start with philosophy, I recommend the existentialists. There are no more literary and philosophical texts than the ones written by Nietzsche, Sartre, Camus, de Beauvoir, and the other existentialists, and they address the kinds of questions that feel immediately important: absolute freedom, the intensity of choice, the absurdity of everyday life, the anxiety of finding meaning. In this class, we’ll use these very readable philosophical texts as a starting point for conversations about these ideas, which we’ll consider in their historical and cultural context as well as from our present-day perspective.

 

What students will get out of this class

  • Students will engage with a variety of primary philosophical tests through close reading, writing, and discussion.
  • Students will identify major thinkers and ideas in existentialism.
  • Students will develop critical thinking skills and discussion skills through Socratic class discussions.
  • Students who opt in to a final paper will have a suitable paper to support college admissions and scholarship applications.

 

What students should be prepared to put into this class

  • You should show up for class having read the assigned materials for each session and be prepared to join the class discussion
  • The weekly journal assignment is optional, but it’s a great way to focus your thoughts for class discussions.
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Creative Writing: Let's Start a Blog

TUESDAYS at 4:00 P.M. (ends at 5 P.M.)
ONE SEMESTER CLASS

A blog can be a wonderful tool for expressing opinions, improving your writing skills, building an online presence, and connecting with other writers. In this class, students will launch a blog on a topic of their choosing—maybe you’re planning to chronicle your Supernatural marathon, write music reviews, or just keep a personal journal about your life. Whatever your blog covers, we’ll work together on weekly writing assignments, adding a new post to your blog every week over this semester-long class. We’ll practice the skills used in professional writing and touch on topics relevant to professional writers, including plagiarism, copyright, and photo sourcing. Students will also serve as a critical, engaged audience for each other’s blogs, creating a community of readers providing thoughtful, authentic feedback.

 

What students will get out of this class

  • Students will develop skills used in professional writing, including conceptualizing and developing story angles, creating research plans, meeting regular writing deadlines, and copyediting and polishing their work.
  • Students will learn to offer and accept constructive criticism about their work from peers.
  • At the end of the class, students will have established a blog with weekly posts, which creates a positive online presence for college and job applications and which can serve as a springboard to continued blogging.
  • At the end of the class, students will receive a list of future blog post assignment ideas to help them keep their blogs going, if they choose to do so.

 

What students should be prepared to put into this class

  • You will have weekly writing and posting deadlines.
  • You’ll also be expected to read and leave comments on the work of other class participants and to give feedback about other writers’ work in class discussions.
  • You’ll have final say over what you publish on your blog, but you should be prepared to receive and respond to constructive criticism.
HSL
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