Loading

High School Electives


American Literature
British Literature
Calculus
Civics
College Planner
Consumer Math
Digital Arts
Essentials of Business
Essentials of Math
Family and Consumer Science
Foundations for Living
General Science III
Integrated Math I
Integrated Physics and Chemistry
Personal Financial Literacy
Physical Education
Speech: Essentials of Communication
The Civil War
The Story of the Constitution
The Vietnam Era
Trigonometry
Twentieth Century American History
U.S. History
 

Course Descriptions


American Literature
 Students explore the history, culture, and the passion of America through this interactive literature course that features the writings of key colonial figures, romantic poets, the naturalists, and writers from the modern and post-modern age. A number of literary forms are interspersed throughout the course including essays, novels, poetry, and even spirituals passed down by the slaves. Students will examine not only the genres, the movements that fueled literature in this country. The course units include text-based lessons, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation.

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • Early American Literature 1600-1800
  • The Romantic Period 1800-1855
  • War and Reconciliation 1855-1915
  • The Modern Age 1915-1946
  • From Modern to Postmodern 1946-Present

British Literature
 From Chaucer and Shakespeare to Charles Dickens and James Joyce, students enrolled in this exciting, interactive course will explore some of the foundational pieces of British literature, read the work of classic poets, and examine the fiction and prose that still influences literature today, not only in England, but all over the world. The course units include text-based lessons, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation .

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • The Middle Ages
  • The Sixteenth Century
  • The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries
  • The Nineteenth Century
  • The Twentieth Century

Calculus
 Offer your students the solution for math college preparation with this advanced Calculus course. Instruction begins with Fermat's method, graphs, models, and infinite limits, and takes students through the complex world of higher level calculus. Lessons also cover derivatives and differentiation, related rates, exponential functions, integrating trig functions, and inverse trig functions. The course units include text-based lessons, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation.

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • Graphs and Limits
  • Derivatives
  • Related Rates
  • Derivative Tests
  • Integrals
  • Natural Logs and Functions
  • Area and Volume
  • Inverse Trig Functions

Civics
 Created for students in grades 7-12, this five-unit course explores the many facets of America's government. Lessons cover the fundamental values and principles, rights, responsibilities, and limits, the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, the role of the president, lawmakers, and judges, state government, taxation, diversity, and the role of religion in our government. The course encourages students to understand the present system in America by looking at the past. The course units include text-based lessons, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • A New Nation
  • The Constitution
  • Branches of Government
  • Government by the People
  • Relationship to the World

College Planner
 Created for high school students, this five-unit course is a great fit for those planning post-secondary education. Students are encouraged to consider real-world implications of the choices they make about their future and are given practical tools for choosing a college, preparing for entrance exams, the application process, and the financial responsibilities associated with getting a degree. From choosing a career path to scholarships and financial aid, this college planner covers all the bases. The course units include text-based lessons, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation.

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • My Educational Future
  • Choosing a College
  • Entrance Exams and Applications
  • Paying for College
  • Non-College Options

Consumer Math
 High school students can build a sound foundation for future finances with this practical elective created to simplify personal money management and the math concepts that lie beneath the economy. With lessons on employment skills, budgeting in the home, running a home business, auto and home buying, recordkeeping, and retirement planning, this course helps clear up some of the complexities of economic life for your high school students. The course units include text-based lessons, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation.

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • Basic Math Review
  • Personal Finance
  • Statistics
  • Taxes and Insurance
  • Banking Services and Investments
  • Banking and Credit Costs
  • Purchase and Sale of Goods
  • Leisure, Travel, and Retirement
  • Job Related Services

Digital Arts
 Show students the basics of camera use and image manipulation! This one-semester course is a practical study of the digital arts and the use of computer tools to effectively manipulate and edit digital and audio files. Students explore the correct use of digital cameras, imaging and editing software, audio recording and editing, 3D technology, and cinematography. Filled with interactive projects and writing assignments, this online course challenges students not only to learn the practical uses of computer tools, but the ethical implications of photo manipulation and new media as it applies to life in the digital age.

Digital Arts is designed for high school students in grades 9-12 to enrich the learning process, encourage 21st century skills, and grow creativity. Assignments emphasize student inquiry, research, and writing. Unlike standard CVA Online courses, this Internet-driven elective requires more off-computer grading and assessment by teachers. The course contains 31 interactive, media-rich instructional lessons and 17 projects in which students learn to identify image differences and examine the impact of digital arts in mass media. Engaging and interactive, students will love this tech-savvy course that helps develop practical skills relevant to the future.

Essentials of Business
 Give students a complete knowledge of the dynamic business world with Essentials of Business. With a focus on career readiness, this media-rich, online elective for grades 9-12 encourages students to examine a variety of facets of the business world including accounting, finance, human resource management, marketing, operations, and strategic planning. Throughout this one-semester course, students complete assignments and writing projects with a focus on inquiry, research, and critical thinking.

Available 24/7, Essentials of Business is designed to build students' understanding of companies from small to large. Unlike standard CVA Online courses, this elective requires more off-computer grading and assessment by teachers. The course contains 28 instructional lessons and 11 projects, through which students learn to compare markets and controlled economies, explore legal issues in the business world, and gain an understanding how technology continuously changes business practices. This practical elective gives students an understanding of the corporate world and its implications in everyday life.

Essentials of Math
 Skills-based and concept driven, this elective course for students in grades 8-12 provides a practical review of math foundations. This elective is filled with multimedia-rich lessons that help students remember key ideas in less time than required by complete re-teaching. With Essentials of Math, students are better prepared for end of instruction assessment and learn the skills to succeed in higher level mathematics. The course units include text-based lessons, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation .

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • Number Sense
  • Statistics, Data, Analysis, and Probability
  • Algebra and Functions
  • Measurement and Geometry
  • Mathematical Reasoning
  • Algebra I

Family and Consumer Science
 This semester-long high school elective takes your students on an interactive exploration of the challenges they may face as they transition into adulthood, including constructive conflict resolution, nutrition and health, building healthy families, financial responsibility, and long-term employment. Students will also discover the joy of cooking, interior design, party planning, and relationships. The course units include text-based lessons, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation.

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • Christian Character and Appearance
  • What's Cookin'?
  • Let's Eat
  • The Clothes You Wear
  • The Clothes You Sew
  • Interior Decorating
  • Your Home and You
  • Financial Freedom
  • Child Development and Care
  • Relationships

Foundations for Living
 The course units include text-based lessons, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation.

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • What Is a Biblical Worldview?
  • Presuppositions
  • The Doctrines of the Bible
  • God's Creation
  • Head of the Family
  • The Bible and Marriage
  • Dating to Matrimony
  • Christian Education
  • Art, Music, and Politics
  • Putting It All Together

General Science III
 High school students will continue their exploration of God's world, the universe, and scientific principles and laws as they learn with this interactive course. Beginning with the atomic structure and measurement of matter, students will learn about the physical geology of the earth, fossils, absolute time, the biology of the ocean, space exploration, human body systems and health, ecology, and the environment. The course units include text-based lessons, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation.

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • Our Atomic World
  • Volume, Mass, and Density
  • Physical Geology
  • Historical Geology
  • Oceanography
  • Astronomy
  • Body Health
  • Science and Tomorrow

Integrated Math I
 Give your students a broad view of the practical implications of math with this interactive course created for Christian high school students. Beginning with an introduction to algebra, the course leads students through the study of variables and expressions, radicals, exponents, geometry, functions, linear and quadratic equations, graphing, probability, and statistics. The course units include text-based lessons, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation.

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • Foundations of Algebra
  • The Language of Algebra
  • Geometry
  • Coordinate Geometry
  • Linear Systems
  • Equations and Inequalities
  • Probability and Statistics

Integrated Physics and Chemistry
 Created as an entry level science course, Integrated Physics and Chemistry encourages careful observation God's world and stimulates learning with interactive tools. Lessons include the study of matter, motion and forces, work and energy, electricity and magnetism, and waves. Students will also learn how to integrate this knowledge into everyday situations on a personal and global level. The course units include text-based lessons, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation.

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • Explorations in Physical Science
  • Structure of Matter
  • Matter and Change
  • States of Matter
  • Motion and Forces
  • Work and Energy
  • Heat Flow
  • Electricity and Magnetism
  • Waves
  • Chemistry and Physics in our World

Personal Financial Literacy
 Your students can learn practical money management skills and financial responsibility with this personal financial literacy course. Designed specifically for Christian high school students, Personal Financial Literacy is a semester-long course that addresses the advantages of making sound financial decisions in both the long and short-term. As with all courses, course curriculum is written from a Bible-based perspective. Lessons cover everyday life skills like budgeting in addition to money management, saving, and investing, consumer rights and responsibilities. Interactive games and multimedia-rich activities help engage students and aid in retention of key concepts.

Young people today have constant exposure to persuasive media that can influence their financial patterns and habits. As part of this practical course, students will learn to evaluate these messages with a Christian worldview and find reliable information that will help them make sound decisions. On completion of this course, students will be able to develop a money management system tied to personal financial goals, to understand consumer rights and responsibilities from a monetary perspective, and to evaluate financial information. Help your student become better prepared as a global consumer by completing this engaging and interactive elective.

Physical Education
 With an emphasis on sports performance, Physical Education elective is ideally suited to Christian school students who participate in team and individual sports. Study topics include exploring proper technique, rules, and adequate preparation for a variety of sports. Watch your students become more knowledgeable and proficient while incorporating healthy habits and physical activity into daily living. Students enrolled in the course will be required to log their activities and evaluate their own fitness levels.

Emphasizing athletics, this online elective for high school students promotes lifelong activity through competitive sports and healthy exercising patterns.

Speech: Essentials of Communication
 Communication is key in the information age. This one-semester course created for Christian students teaches the theory and the tools to communicate effectively and provides exercises to practice the speaking and collaboration skills essential for success in the 21st century. Students will learn about perception and self-concept, verbal and nonverbal communication, listening, interpersonal relationships and etiquette, group dynamics, and leadership based on biblical principles. The course units include text-based lessons, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation.

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • Communication Foundations
  • Language Characteristics
  • Interpersonal Relationships
  • Understanding Groups
  • Presenting and Interpreting Public Messages

The Civil War
 Chronicling one of the most pivotal moments in the history of the United States, this semester-long elective provides a comprehensive perspective of the Civil War and its implications for the future of the nation. Students will explore the Confederacy and the Union, battles and troop movement, key historical figures, the role of women, the life of a soldier, and the legacy of the Civil War. The course units include text-based lessons, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation.

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • The Pre-war Years
  • The Early Years
  • Turning Point
  • War in the South
  • Reconstruction of a Nation

The Story of the Constitution
 From the formation of the colonies and the founding of the nation, through the articles and amendments of the Constitution, this course leads students through United States history as they study this document that stands as a model of statesmanship throughout the world. An enriching history elective, lessons cover the writing and ratification as well as the preamble, articles, and amendments. The course units include text-based lessons, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation.

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • The Colonies
  • A New Nation Is Formed
  • Writing and Ratifying the Constitution
  • Preamble and Article I
  • Articles II-VI
  • Amendments I-XV
  • Twentieth Century Amendments
  • Principles and Nature of our Constitution

The Vietnam Era
 From the initial involvement of the United States in Vietnam to the Paris cease-fire agreement signed in 1973, this six-unit history elective chronicles three turbulent decades of conflict that began in Southeast Asia but affected the entire world. Lessons examine French colonization, the Cold War, military strategy, and America's anti-war movement. Interactive, built-in timelines put the events of the conflict in historical perspective as they explore the people and events that shaped a nation and the world. The course units include text-based content, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation.

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • The Origins of U.S. Involvement in Vietnam
  • From Military Advisors to Combat Troops
  • A Nation Divided by War
  • Achieving Peace with Honor
  • The Legacy of Vietnam

Trigonometry
 Give your students a jumpstart on college math with this high level trigonometry elective for students who have successfully completed Algebra II. The course teaches students to develop trigonometric formulas and use them to solve real-world problems. Topics include right angle trigonometry, sines and cosines, vectors, polar coordinates, graphing, and complex numbers.

The course units include text-based lessons, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation.

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • Right Triangle Trigonometry
  • Graphing and Inverse Functions
  • Analytic Trigonometry
  • Trigonometric Applications
  • Polar Coordinates

Twentieth Century American History
 Give your students a better understanding of today's America with a look back over the last century in history with this technology-rich elective. Students will study the Industrial Age, Imperialism, the Roaring '20s and the Great Depression from and economic, political, governmental, cultural, and technological perspective as they are guided through interactive lessons. The course units include text-based content, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, learning games, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's digital generation.

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • Coming of Age
  • Modern America Emerges
  • Boom to Bust
  • World War II and the Cold War
  • Change, Continuity, and Conflict

U.S. History
 This elective was created for students who want to dig deeper into U.S. history and find more than dates and facts, but understand the relationship between the people, events, and movements that shaped the United States from 1492 through 1877. Emphasis on the broad themes of war and treaties, territorial expansion, immigration, slavery, civil rights, labor history, and constitutional controversies support critical thinking skills and encourage discussion throughout this self-directed course. The course units include text-based content, on and off-computer exercises, special projects, quizzes, and tests that appeal to today's learners.

Throughout the course, students will explore the following topics:

  • The Age of Discovery and colonial Settlement (1500-1692)
  • Pre-Revolutionary America (1608-1775)
  • The Revolutionary Period and the Early Republic (1775-1800)
  • The Development of Jeffersonian Democracy (1800-1840)
  • The Changing Face of America (1790-1860)
  • The Pre-Civil War Era (1841-1961)
  • Civil War and Reconstruction (1861-1877)
  • Forging and Industrial Society (1869-1900)
  • America Moves: To the City and to the West (1865-1900)
  • America's Age of Imperialism (1890-1912)
  • Wilson and the First World War (1912-1918)
  • The Roaring Twenties and the Politics of Boom and Bust (1919-1932)
  • FDR and the New Deal (1933-1941)
  • America in the Postwar Era
  • Toward a New Century