Fall 2019 Course Descriptions
EARLY ELEMENTARY
Art (grades 2-4) – Mrs. Brandi Matovina
I have rarely encountered a young student who didn’t enjoy creating in some fashion! This art class is all about creating beauty and having fun doing it! This semester, we will be painting the way Michelangelo would have, exploring the color genius of Matisse, and creating Seurat-inspired landscapes. Students in this class will also be encouraged to participate in a CCE Advent/Christmas card competition.
Homework: Projects will be worked on at home on a regular basis.
Materials fee: $20
Fit for Heaven (grades 2-4) – Mr. Aaron Mikita
The mission of Frassati and Badano Sports & Adventure is to form strong disciples of Jesus Christ. Through sports and adventure, we seek to foster spirituality, servant leadership, vocation discernment, and joyful Catholic witness. With God the Son at the center of our every action, He empowers us to take up our cross/sword and do all things through Him. Through the fall semester students will have sport specific training as well as multisport exposure in speed and agility classes focused on making your child “Fit for Heaven”.
Materials fee: None
Quiet School of Nature Sciences (grades 2-4) – Mrs. Helen Swavely
We have a fascinating science resource right outside our doors, but we often overlook it because it is so quiet. Come learn how the quiet school of nature sciences lay the foundation for much of our learning, but especially learning through recognizing the wonder of God’s magnificent world that’s all around us. We will walk through this year discovering the beauty of birds, the delight of deciduous trees, the spectacular school of spiders, the wonderous wildflowers, the captivating clouds, and more. We will enjoy weekly activities of nature walks, writing and hands on activities, artist, composer, literature and poetry tie-ins and other areas of exploration and discovery.
Materials fee: $15
Geography Through Literature (grades 2-4) – Mrs. Julie Marsicek
Students will travel across the United States through literature, food and games. We will explore land features, climate, national parks, individual states, and Catholic regional connections including: saints, missions, and pilgrimage destinations. General map skills will also be covered and used in class. Students will be encouraged to learn the locations of states and their capitals. There will be a short state report/presentation that will be worked on at home.
Materials fee: $10
UPPER ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE SCHOOL
Art (grades 5-7) – Mrs. Brandi Matovina
In this art course, we will spend quite a bit of time exploring new ways to create art. Something as simple as yarn or dried beans can create the most enticing pieces to look at! Come to this class with a desire to experiment and create since we are all about expressing ourselves. Students do not need to have any prior artistic skills. Students simply need to be ready to get messy! We will be playing around with sand art this semester, exploring the simplicity of pop art, and exploring art in three dimensions. Students in this class will also be encouraged to participate in a CCE Advent/Christmas card competition.
Homework: Projects will be worked on at home on a regular basis.
Materials fee: $20
Fit for Heaven (grades 5-7) – Mr. Aaron Mikita
The mission of Frassati and Badano Sports & Adventure is to form strong disciples of Jesus Christ. Through sports and adventure, we seek to foster spirituality, servant leadership, vocation discernment, and joyful Catholic witness. With God the Son at the center of our every action, He empowers us to take up our cross/sword and do all things through Him. Through the fall semester students will have sport specific training as well as multisport exposure in speed and agility classes focused on making your child “Fit for Heaven”.
Materials fee: None
Geography Through Literature (grades 5-7) – Mrs. Sara Lange
Students will study geography through literature as they use Holling C. Holling’s Newberry and Caldecott award-winning books, Paddle-to-the-Sea, Tree in the Trail, Minn of the Mississippi, and Seabird. Using materials from the Beautiful Feet literature guide and writing guide from IEW, students will learn geography, history, and science of some of the most wondrous places in our country. They will sail around the world on a whaling ship, navigate a canoe through the waters of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway, escape predators and natural disasters on the Mississippi River, and observe two hundred years of history on the Great Plains through the eyes of a cottonwood tree. Students will participate in discussion, vocabulary study, map work, and exposure to natural history, science, and biology. This course will use the Charlotte Mason principles of read-aloud, reasoning, relating, and recording.
Required Texts: Students need a copy of each of the four books: Paddle-to-the-Sea, Tree in the Trail, Minn of the Mississippi, and Seabird. These books are available through Beautiful Feet and Amazon (new and used copies).
Materials fee: $20, includes Student Map Set (will be ordered in bulk for students)
Explore the Ancient World (grades 5-7) – Mrs. Mary Machado
This fun, hands-on history class will help students learn what life was like in the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, Greece, Rome, and the Israelites up to the coming of Christ. The class will involve a variety of interactive approaches (memorization, games, arts & crafts, demonstrations, dramatizations). The topics will follow TAN’s Story of Civilization Volume I, The Ancient World and Classically Catholic Memory timeline.
Homework: Minimal at home work other than reading, most in class.
Text: Story of Civilization Volume I, The Ancient World (one per family, multiple students can use)
Materials fee: $5
Life Science (grades 5-7) – Mrs. Marilyn Stephens
This course will cover the different aspects of Life Science, including ecology, environmental concerns and the human body. There will be online readings and hands-on activities. Students will be asked to make predictions, record observations and make conclusions about each week’s activity.
Materials fee: $10
Heaven on Earth (grades 5-8) – Mrs. Clare Chavez
The Holy Mass is Heaven on Earth. Each day, God comes to us in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In this class, we will study the form and history of the Mass. We will learn about the priestly vestments and sacred vessels, listen to sacred music, and study the architecture of a great cathedral. Each student will give an oral presentation on a Eucharistic Miracle. There will be optional filed trips consisting of church tours, as well as the opportunity to hear guest speakers.
Materials fee: None
Spanish for Beginners (grades 5-10) – Mrs. Clare Chavez
Students will begin to develop their ability to communicate effectively and express themselves with confidence in Spanish, practice listening to, speaking, and writing Spanish, gain cultural knowledge about various Spanish-speaking countries and develop a family album project in Spanish.
Homework: Opportunities can be provided for older students to work more extensively on reading and writing Spanish outside of class.
Text: No text required, but various handouts and games will be utilized.
Required Materials: Each student will need a binder with five sections.
Materials fee: None
Art (grades 7-9) – Mrs. Brandi Matovina
Student skills increase exponentially in this course as students learn the secrets behind drawing without props and rendering in a more realistic style. Be ready to expand your idea about how to create art. We will use bleeding watercolor washes to create a realistic portrait, wire to render beautiful line images, and perspective and gestalt to play around with city drawings or to create optical illusions. For those students who qualify, based on age, entry in the Colorado Scholastic Art Awards will be encouraged, and ALL students will be heavily encouraged to participate in a CCE Advent/Christmas card competition.
Homework: Projects will be worked on at home on a regular basis.
Materials fee: $20
A Globetrotter’s Literature Adventure (grades 7-9) – Mrs. Josey Hall
Travel around the world to Poland, Russia (Siberia), England, Holland, Scotland, and America to trek through several different genres of great literature: historical fiction, short stories, autobiography, family fiction, and teen Catholic action & adventure. The books chosen are books that build character! Students will learn story structure, character development, and will build vocabulary. We will take a multi-disciplinary approach as we study the geography and culture of the country each story is set in. In addition, for example, when we read Hans Brinker we will learn the history of speed skating, we will learn about Dutch life in Holland (The Netherlands) and we will even look at the work of Wilson (aka “Snowflake”) Bentley who was one of the first known photographers of snowflakes. The photographs Bentley captured of individual ice crystals, and the geometric patterns he recorded are amazing. You can expect this approach with all the literature read this year. Students will be expected to read approximately 50 pages per week, and to participate in class discussions. Brief writing assignments may be given.
The paperback versions of these books are readily available on Amazon for a fair price; they are also available at the library. The books we will be reading for the Fall 2019 semester (in the order they appear):
The Endless Steppe by Esther Hautzig gives a true account of growing up in Siberia after Esther and her family have been exiled there during WWII. (ISBN 978-0064405775)
Two classic short stories: “Rip Van Winkle” & “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving will be read in their entirety. Rip Van Winkle falls asleep in the Catskill Mountains for 20 years during colonial America time, and misses the American Revolution. The story about the headless horseman in the village of Sleepy Hollow is such a legend it doesn’t need much more of an introduction! (ISBN 978-1480281431 for both stories together in one book)
Hans Brinker or Silver Skates: A Story of Life in Holland by Mary Mapes Dodge. Historical fiction about a colorful portrait of 19th-century Dutch life, as well as a tale of youthful honor. This novel also introduced the sport of Dutch speed skating to America. During this unit study on Holland and the history of speed skating, we will also take a side jaunt to look at the work of Wilson (a.k.a “Snowflake”) Bentley who was one of the first known photographers of snowflakes. (Note: This book is readily available through Prospector Library. A recommended ISBNs are 0486428427 or 0812533429. May buy a used version. Some of the illustrated versions may be over 275 pages, which is okay, we just don’t want an abridged version.)
Proposed books for the Spring 2020 semester:
The Outlaws of Ravenhurst by Sister M. Imelda Wallace
They Loved to Laugh by Kathryn Worth
Materials fee: None
Ancient History (grades 7-9) – Mrs. Mary Machado
This class is a hands-on history course covering ancient civilizations, taught through the faithful prism of the Church. We will be following the topics and timeline of TAN’s Story of Civilization Volume I, The Ancient World which covers the time periods from the dawn of history and the early nomads, to the conversion of Emperor Constantine. Through a variety of techniques (games, presentations, demonstrations, projects, re-enactments) students will learn what life was like in the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, Greece, Rome, and the Israelites up to the coming of Christ. This interdisciplinary course will incorporate art, literature, science, and culture to tell the story. (Year 1 of a classical history cycle.) Half hour of homework per week average.
Text: Story of Civilization Volume I, The Ancient World (one per family, multiple students can use)
Materials fee: $5
Life Science (grades 7-9) – Mrs. Marilyn Stephens
This course will cover the different aspects of Life Science, including ecology, environmental concerns and the human body. There will be online readings and hands-on activities. Students will be asked to make predictions, record observations and make conclusions about each week’s activity.
Materials fee: $10
MIDDLE SCHOOL/HIGH SCHOOL
Spanish for Beginners (grades 5-10) – Mrs. Clare Chavez
Students will begin to develop their ability to communicate effectively and express themselves with confidence in Spanish, practice listening to, speaking, and writing Spanish, gain cultural knowledge about various Spanish-speaking countries and develop a family album project in Spanish.
Homework: Opportunities can be provided for older students to work more extensively on reading and writing Spanish outside of class.
Text: No text required, but various handouts and games will be utilized.
Required Materials: Each student will need a binder with five sections.
Art (grades 7-9) – Mrs. Brandi Matovina
Student skills increase exponentially in this course as students learn the secrets behind drawing without props and rendering in a more realistic style. Be ready to expand your idea about how to create art. We will use bleeding watercolor washes to create a realistic portrait, wire to render beautiful line images, and perspective and gestalt to play around with city drawings or to create optical illusions. For those students who qualify, based on age, entry in the Colorado Scholastic Art Awards will be encouraged, and ALL students will be heavily encouraged to participate in a CCE Advent/Christmas card competition.
Homework: Projects will be worked on at home on a regular basis.
Materials fee: $20
A Globetrotter’s Literature Adventure (grades 7-9) – Mrs. Josey Hall
Travel around the world to Poland, Russia (Siberia), England, Holland, Scotland, and America to trek through several different genres of great literature: historical fiction, short stories, autobiography, family fiction, and teen Catholic action & adventure. The books chosen are books that build character! Students will learn story structure, character development, and will build vocabulary. We will take a multi-disciplinary approach as we study the geography and culture of the country each story is set in. In addition, for example, when we read Hans Brinker we will learn the history of speed skating, we will learn about Dutch life in Holland (The Netherlands) and we will even look at the work of Wilson (aka “Snowflake”) Bentley who was one of the first known photographers of snowflakes. The photographs Bentley captured of individual ice crystals, and the geometric patterns he recorded are amazing. You can expect this approach with all the literature read this year. Students will be expected to read approximately 50 pages per week, and to participate in class discussions. Brief writing assignments may be given.
The paperback versions of these books are readily available on Amazon for a fair price; they are also available at the library. The books we will be reading for the Fall 2019 semester (in the order they appear):
The Endless Steppe by Esther Hautzig gives a true account of growing up in Siberia after Esther and her family have been exiled there during WWII. (ISBN 978-0064405775)
Two classic short stories: “Rip Van Winkle” & “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving will be read in their entirety. Rip Van Winkle falls asleep in the Catskill Mountains for 20 years during colonial America time, and misses the American Revolution. The story about the headless horseman in the village of Sleepy Hollow is such a legend it doesn’t need much more of an introduction! (ISBN 978-1480281431 for both stories together in one book)
Hans Brinker or Silver Skates: A Story of Life in Holland by Mary Mapes Dodge. Historical fiction about a colorful portrait of 19th-century Dutch life, as well as a tale of youthful honor. This novel also introduced the sport of Dutch speed skating to America. During this unit study on Holland and the history of speed skating, we will also take a side jaunt to look at the work of Wilson (a.k.a “Snowflake”) Bentley who was one of the first known photographers of snowflakes. (Note: This book is readily available through Prospector Library. A recommended ISBN is 978-1596054158. Some of the illustrated versions may be over 275 pages, which is okay, we just don’t want an abridged version.)
Proposed books for the Spring 2020 semester:
The Outlaws of Ravenhurst by Sister M. Imelda Wallace
They Loved to Laugh by Kathryn Worth
Ancient History (grades 7-9) – Mrs. Mary Machado
This class is a hands-on history course covering ancient civilizations, taught through the faithful prism of the Church. We will be following the topics and timeline of TAN’s Story of Civilization Volume I, The Ancient World which covers the time periods from the dawn of history and the early nomads, to the conversion of Emperor Constantine. Through a variety of techniques (games, presentations, demonstrations, projects, re-enactments) students will learn what life was like in the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, Greece, Rome, and the Israelites up to the coming of Christ. This interdisciplinary course will incorporate art, literature, science, and culture to tell the story. (Year 1 of a classical history cycle.) Half hour of homework per week average.
Text: Story of Civilization Volume I, The Ancient World (one per family, multiple students can use)
Materials fee: $5
Life Science (grades 7-9) – Mrs. Marilyn Stephens
This course will cover the different aspects of Life Science, including ecology, environmental concerns and the human body. There will be online readings and hands-on activities. Students will be asked to make predictions, record observations and make conclusions about each week’s activity.
Materials fee: $10
Fit for Heaven (grades 7-9) – Mr. Aaron Mikita
The mission of Frassati and Badano Sports & Adventure is to form strong disciples of Jesus Christ. Through sports and adventure, we seek to foster spirituality, servant leadership, vocation discernment, and joyful Catholic witness. With God the Son at the center of our every action, He empowers us to take up our cross/sword and do all things through Him. Through the fall semester students will have sport specific training as well as multisport exposure in speed and agility classes focused on making your child “Fit for Heaven”.
Materials fee: None
Greek & Latin Roots of the English Language (grades 7-12) – Mrs. Josey Hall
Come learn the Greek and Latin roots of the English language! This class will not only build your vocabulary, but will provide students with a life-long aptitude for dissecting prefixes, suffixes, and roots of many words, long after the class is over. Along with etymology (the study of the origin of words) we will spend some time learning about the Ancient Greek and Roman cultures. Games during class time will help reinforce the roots learned from week to week. There will be homework for the class and occasional quizzes.
Homework: Weekly vocabulary review and light reading assignments.
Text: No text required.
Materials fee: None
Faith & Reason (grades 8-12) – Rev. Daniel Kluge
This apologetics course will be on the topic of defending the Catholic Faith. We shall consider most of the basic arguments from doubters regarding the Catholic
faith. We shall use two basic textbooks to address the doubts of atheists and modernists, and then for the majority of the course, we shall have no less than St. Francis de Sales as our guide in answering the doubts of protestants, who himself converted 72,000 heretics in four years, using the exact texts we shall read. Students will engage these arguments on their own and learn how to respond in conversations with doubters. “Apologetics, then, is a theological science which has for its object the explanation and defense of Christianity as taught by the Catholic Church… and goes to the very foundation and gives the proofs for the fact that the claims of the Catholic Church are reasonable.” – Faith & Reason
Homework: Reading assignments to be completed at home.
Texts (only one copy per family is needed):
1. Faith & Reason, Austin Schmidt and Joseph A Perkins, 1943, THIS TEXT WILL BE PROVIDED TO ALL STUDENTS, no cost.
2. Catholic Apologetics, John Laux, TAN Books, 1990, used starting on Amazon at $9.99, Kindle version is $5.37.
3. Everlasting Man, GK Chesterton, used starting on Amazon at $5.97, Kindle version is 99 cents.
4. The Catholic Controversy, St. Francis de Sales, TAN Books, 1989, used starting on Amazon at $7.89, Kindle version is $9.98
If you’d like a new version of this text (The Catholic Controversy), CCE is able to order it for you to get a bulk discount. The price for this option is $12 each. If you would like to take advantage of this discount, contact us directly and as soon as possible. If you choose this option, the price of the book will be added to your CCE invoice. Orders for this book will be accepted through August 20th, at which time a bulk order will be placed.
Art (grades 9-12, 8th with permission) – Mrs. Brandi Matovina
Be ready to enter the world of well-crafted art! In this course, students will hone their artistic eye, settle into their artistic style, and strive to illustrate the beautiful world God placed in front of us! We will be using words and mark-making to create an entire image, play around with placing artwork on unusual background like maps to enhance their meaning, and have the opportunity to explore high school students’ personal artistic interests as well. Entry in the Colorado Scholastic Art Awards will be encouraged for this entire group of students (due to age eligibility), as well as participation in a CCE Advent/Christmas card competition. 8th Grade students may apply, but permission must be granted by the teacher due to the rigor of this course.
Homework: Projects will be worked on at home on a regular basis.
Materials fee: $20
Architecture (grades 8-12) – Mr. John VanderLaan – CLOSED
Learn who an architect is, what an architect does and the skills you can develop to become one. Discover famous architects throughout history, the architectural styles they are known for and how the profession has evolved over time. Become familiar with the “language” of architecture and develop drawing and spatial relations skills. Be introduced to architectural construction documents and how they are used to build a structure.
Text: No text required
Homework: Some additional research outside of class
Materials fee: None
Case Studies in Economics (grades 8-12) – Mrs. Monica Mayhak – CLOSED
Take a look at the riddles of everyday life to learn about the economic concepts of incentives, wants and needs, prices, supply and demand, competition, economic justice, personal finance, and more. Each class, we’ll ask a different question–Why does popcorn cost so much at the movies? Why do gas prices fluctuate so frequently? Why do pro-basketball players make so much? Is price gouging ever good? Why can the government take your house to build a highway? Why do diamonds still cost so much even though we can make them? Who owns the water in rivers and the sea? Should food trucks be outlawed? Why did the introduction of seats belts in cars lead to more pedestrian deaths? What role does trust play in businesses like Airbnb and Uber? Can babies make economic decisions? And more! Using interactive group activities and games, literature selections, and current events, students will explore concepts and use critical thinking to come to conclusions about how humans interact with each other and the world. Included will be Catholic teaching on man’s duty to society and neighbor, the different schools of economic thought, prominent economists and their discoveries, and current economic problems.
Text: All materials will be provided.
Homework: Students will have the opportunity to do research and present reports. Homework will include listening to podcasts, watching videos, supplemental reading, and engagement with current events.
Materials Fee: None.
Focus on Writing (grades 9-12, 8th with permission) – Mrs. Ann Young
Fall Semester: Narrative/Descriptive Writing Students will learn basic descriptive and organizational writing skills culminating in a short narrative. Students will read short literary selections, and participate in pre-writing activities (these help to make learning to write a bit of fun and provide ideas for the final narrative). Students will write, both in and out of class each week so be prepared to get to work!
Spring Semester: Multi Paragraph Essay Students will learn the basic multi paragraph essay form, building upon the narrative/descriptive writing skills from the first semester, to write persuasively. Students will read essay samples and respond to prompts weekly, and complete multi-paragraph essays. Students will write both in class and at home each week.
Homework: Writing assignments to be completed at home.
Materials fee: $5
Greek Literature (grades 9-12) – Mrs. Ann Young
Students will be introduced to some of the most influential early pieces of literature of Western Civilization. Students will explore human nature, the search for beauty, truth, and goodness, and the effects of revenge, virtue and vice upon self, family and society.
Fall Semester: Epic Poetry-Homer, The Iliad and The Odyssey Read a detailed look at the Trojan War and the principle figures Achilles, Agamemnon, Hector and Odysseus and the Fall of Troy and follow the long and difficult journey of Odysseus home after the war. (Editions TBD)
Spring Semester 2020: Tragic Plays- Sophocles, Oedipus Rex and Aeschylus Agamemnon Students will read the story of Oedipus, his tragic fate and discuss what Aristotle called the perfect tragedy. Students will delve more closely into the story of Agamemnon and family vengeance. (The Oresteian Trilogy by Aeschylus and Three Theban Plays by Sophocles, Editions TBD)
Homework: Reading assignments to be completed at home.
Materials fee: None