Plus+ Courses

Science 7th/8th

Denise Chrzanowski or Carrie Craycraft
This middle school science class is designed to give students in the logic stage an overview of earth and space science. We will use a hands-on approach to study geology, meteorology, astronomy, and oceanography, giving the students a solid foundation for high school science. Students will be challenged to think analytically about facts and become familiar with the scientific method. Students will encounter a classically taught Charlotte Mason class that will begin the transition to traditionally taught upper level science.
Cost: $74 per month plus one-time $60 materials fee
Class Day: Monday
denise@konos.org
carrie@konos.org

Physical Science

Dawn Rhymer
The course is designed as an introductory overview of the major concepts in chemistry and physics to provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills in physical science. The course includes more abstract concepts such as structure of atoms, motion and forces, conservation of matter and energy, action-reaction principle, and the behavior of waves. These concepts are investigated through laboratory experiences and fieldwork designed for students to develop appropriate knowledge and skills in science as inquiry.
Prerequisite: Pre-Algebra
Cost: $93 per month plus a one-time supply and lab fee of $100
Class Day: Monday, plus lab every other Friday
dawn@konos.org

Biology

Biology: God’s Living Creation
Cheryl Turner
This course covers all the basics of high school biology through lectures, hands-on activities, demonstrations, and laboratory exercises. Topics include botany (plants), zoology (animals), and cytology (cells), as well as a heavy emphasis on human anatomy and physiology, diseases, immunology, genetics, and DNA. All subject matter is taught from a Christian, Biblical perspective with detailed discussions about Creation versus evolution.
Cost: $93 per month plus materials fee
Class Day: Monday, plus lab every other Friday
cheryl@konos.org

Chemistry I

Jamie Walker
This high school chemistry course is very academic and taught from a Christian perspective. Topics will include the following: measurements and units, atoms and molecules, atomic structure, molecular structure, polyatomic ions, molecular geometry, stoichiometry, acid-base chemistry, thermodynamics, kinetics, chemical equilibrium, and more. Math is included in the workload, so Pre-algebra and Algebra are necessary prerequisites. The Discovering Design with Chemistry textbook is used. In addition to the weekly lecture, there are fun, hands-on labs every other Friday for 1 hour. The instructor will contact students with class details, dates, and materials needed.  There is also a separate materials fee for labs.
Prerequisite: Algebra I
Cost: $93 per month plus one-time $55 materials fee
Class Day: Monday or Friday, plus lab every other Friday
jamie@konos.org

Anatomy and Physiology

Cheryl Turner
Anatomy and Physiology is designed to help students go deeper in understanding the 11 systems of the human body: circulatory, digestive endocrine, excretory, immune, integumentary, muscular, nervous, reproductive, respiratory, and skeletal. This course picks up where Konos Plus Biology ends, demonstrating the relationships between the structures and actions of the body systems as well as how these systems work together. Although the course focuses on the human body, comparative anatomy to other species will be demonstrated in labs, led by a veterinarian. Healthy lifestyles as well as diseases and pathogens will also be discussed. Labs will include a variety of hands-on activities, including dissections.
Prerequisite: Biology
Cost: $93 per month plus a one-time lab fee of $100
Class Day: Monday, plus lab every other Friday
cheryl@konos.org

Computer Science Principles

Jamie Walker
This course teaches students the foundational concepts of computer science. Though the class includes an introduction to computer programming, the topics are much broader as we explore the content, practices, thinking, and skills central to computer science and its relevance to society. Computer Science Principles is the first of two computer science courses which will count as a foreign language credit. If not taken as a foreign language, this course may function as a fourth science credit.
Prerequisite: Algebra I or enrolled in Algebra I
Required Materials: Students must bring a laptop to class.
Cost: $82 per month plus one-time $35 materials fee
Class Day: Monday
jamie@konos.org

Web Development

Jamie Walker
The first semester of this course will begin with a basic introduction to the world of computer programming. We will then turn our focus to the more specific topic of web development. Students will learn to use HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) to build basic web pages. Search engine optimization will also be covered in this portion of the course.  In the second semester, we will learn programming concepts using the JavaScript language to enhance web pages that we learned to build in the first semester. Values, types, operators, functions, and objects are some of the topics covered in this portion of the course. We will predominantly be focused on the client-side environment, but we’ll also learn about server-side code and data storage options.  This course will count as a 4th science OR as the second of two that are required for the foreign language requirement for graduation.
Prerequisites: Algebra I and Computer Science Principles
Required Materials: Students must bring a laptop to class.
Cost: $82 per month plus one-time $35 materials fee
Class Day: Friday
jamie@konos.org

Spanish 7th-8th

Kendra Cauble
At this beginning level of Spanish acquisition, the aim is to expose your child to spoken and written Spanish in as immersive an environment as possible. Students will begin to build their internal lexicon with regular vocabulary quizzes and lots of in-class activities.  They also actively participate in building out their own binder/textbook as we focus on whole-sentence based learning. In addition to capitalizing on the learning styles of most pre high school aged children, this hands-on method lays a solid foundation for recognizing grammatical structures, thereby preparing students for success in the fast-paced, grammar-oriented courses offered at the high school level.
Cost: $74 per month plus one-time $50 materials fee for all books and supplies
Class Day: Monday
kendra@konos.org

Spanish I (8th-12th)

Kendra Cauble
During this first year of high school Spanish, your child will focus on acquiring basic vocabulary in many spheres of life using the Descubre 1 curriculum. He or she will learn fundamental grammatical structures in an interactive environment in which all the modalities of learning are employed (visual, aural, verbal etc.). Class time is dedicated to new material and review presented in highly interactive activities. Students will use an online component of the Descubre 1 curriculum to complete their assignments during the week, thereby maximizing in-class instruction time. In addition to biweekly vocabulary quizzes, students will prepare and present projects in Spanish.
Cost: $82 per month plus purchase of Descubre curriculum (including the online component)
Class Day: Monday
kendra@konos.org

Spanish II

Kendra Cauble
Second year Spanish continues with Descubre 2 and a renewed focus on growing your student’s internalized vocabulary and mastery of more advanced grammatical structures. Your student’s ability to communicate increasingly complex thoughts grows as we continue to emphasize in-class comprehension and at-home mastery of the material via the online platform. This year’s projects are designed to bring students to a new level of clear communication as they put into practice the structures they learn in class.
Prerequisite: Spanish I (Evaluation required for transfer students)
Cost: $82 per month plus purchase of Descubre curriculum (including the online component)
Class Day: Monday
kendra@konos.org

Spanish III: Conversation and Advanced Grammar

Kendra Cauble
Intermediate language study in which we change the focus from mastering all the basic grammatical concepts (learning Spanish) to working in the language (learning in Spanish).  With the exception of some grammar review, class is conducted in Spanish only.  Students will begin to write as well as speak in Spanish, and the focus on immersive activities both inside and outside of the classroom yields a rapid expansion of vocabulary, which is critical at this level of language learning.  The class is designed to be responsive to current events and topics, which promotes a lively dynamic of open conversation.  Cultural insights are gleaned as a function of working with primary material and drawing comparisons to students’ personal experience and assumptions.
Prerequisite: Spanish II (Evaluation required for transfer students)
Cost: $82 per month plus one-time $60 materials fee (includes a binder, printing expenses, and resources used in class)
Class Day: Monday, 3:45-5:15
kendra@konos.org

Computer Science Principles

Jamie Walker
This course teaches students the foundational concepts of computer science. Though the class includes an introduction to computer programming, the topics are much broader as we explore the content, practices, thinking, and skills central to computer science and its relevance to society. Computer Science Principles is the first of two computer science courses which will count as a foreign language credit. If not taken as a foreign language, this course may function as a fourth science credit.
Prerequisite: Algebra I or enrolled in Algebra I
Required Materials: Students must bring a laptop to class.
Cost: $82 per month plus one-time $35 materials fee
Class Day: Monday
jamie@konos.org

Web Development

Jamie Walker
The first semester of this course will begin with a basic introduction to the world of computer programming. We will then turn our focus to the more specific topic of web development. Students will learn to use HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) to build basic web pages. Search engine optimization will also be covered in this portion of the course.  In the second semester, we will learn programming concepts using the JavaScript language to enhance web pages that we learned to build in the first semester. Values, types, operators, functions, and objects are some of the topics covered in this portion of the course. We will predominantly be focused on the client-side environment, but we’ll also learn about server-side code and data storage options.  This course will count as a 4th science OR as the second of two that are required for the foreign language requirement for graduation.
Prerequisites: Algebra I and Computer Science Principles
Required Materials: Students must bring a laptop to class.
Cost: $82 per month plus one-time $35 materials fee
Class Day: Friday
jamie@konos.org

Classical Art (6th-12th)

JoDette DiDomizio
Our instructional program teaches classical art principles: students begin at their current level of artistic ability, and then move to higher levels of personal success.  Whether beginner, intermediate, or advanced, our goal is focused on building a solid foundation of art skills while discovering individual creativity.  Students learn to utilize functional drawing techniques by layering different mediums through step-by-step instructions. Students also learn elements of art using various mediums like pencil, charcoal, ink, watercolor, acrylic paint and pastels.  Drawing techniques include a TouchPoint Drawing system (which develops the eye and hand while drawing with accuracy and proportion).  Our exercises are building blocks for skills that prepare students for future career opportunities in design and graphic arts.
Cost: $85 per month plus materials
Class Day: Monday: 9:00-10:30 for ages 12-18; 10:30-12:00 for ages 10-14
1jodetted@comcast.net

Critical Thinking (Plus Only 9th-12th or core 11th-12th)

Ray Lewis
Research today could be described as “click and scan” rather than a more traditional and thorough process of contemplate, plan, sort, think/concentrate, evaluate, and repeat. Whether reading or listening, students need critical thinking skills. In this class, students will be exposed to many common fallacies – and how to recognize the difference between relating a story and advocating a position. They will read and discuss many examples from Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle’s famous consulting detective to learn how to observe, what to observe, and methods to sort and evaluate. The texts include Mastermind [How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes] by Maria Konnikova and The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli; Thinking Critically by Tom Chatfield will be used as a reference and workbook. Class style will be lecture with much discussion and in-class evaluation of written and spoken examples.
Students: For Plus Only students 9th-12th, core students 11th-12th
Cost: $82 per month plus materials
Class Day: Monday
ray@konos.org

Leadership Principles (9th-12th)

Ray Lewis
Modern culture and media openly attack principles of Biblical leadership. “Popular leaders” often destroy what they supposedly lead, and these media-christened celebrities and famous leaders accomplish little of lasting value. Everyone will be a leader during their lifetime whether it is as a parent, a small informal group, a manager within a business, or leading/owning a large business. In this class, we will look at some of the Biblical principles of being a leader, and we will look at the skills and attitudes required to know how to get things done. The instructor has spent over twenty years as a quality professional in both the airline and software industry.

Topics to be covered in this class:
1. Biblical Leadership and Serving
2. Organizing
3. Planning
4. Managing
5. Understanding Risk
6. Ambition
7. Money and Budget
8. Communication
9. Critical Thinking
10. Understanding Quality
11. Group Dynamics
12. The Vision Thing

Cost: $82 per month plus materials
Class Day: Monday
ray@konos.org