Course Descriptions (2016­2017)

9th Grade

LITERATURE AND HISTORY: CLASSICAL GREECE TO MEDIEVAL

Mr. Nathan Johnson

The 9th grade literature and history course covers a massive period of over 2,000 years, beginning with

Classical Greece and continuing through the Medieval Era (from approximately 800 B.C. all the way up to

1350 A.D.).

Rather than approaching history and literature as entirely separate courses, we will blend or integrate the

two, studying the history and literature of Western Civilization during its formative periods. History and

literature are a natural marriage, for history describes to us the past actions of people, and literature

describes to us the potential actions of people. Both are focused on helping the student understand other

people better and both instruct him about how he can live and love well. History provides a context for

understanding the background of a literary work, and thereby aids the reader in understanding the work's

message and significance both to its original audience and to the human race across time. Literature aids

history as well, adding depth to the understanding of historical periods, historical persons, and historical

societies. Literature helps us understand how these historical cultures lived, thought, and felt, what they

believed and what they valued. Because of this, we will be integrating these two courses.

Since we will be attempting to cover two millennia, we will focus on only a small selection of the most

important works of the Greeks, the Romans, and The Middle Ages. And throughout our study, we will be

guided by an overall theme of "worldview, religion, and philosophy," lending special weight and

significance to how the ideas, religions, and worldviews of the Greek, Roman, and Medieval European

cultures shaped the literature and history of the time.

ALGEBRA I Mrs. Gwen Firebaugh

In many respects, algebra simply represents a new phase in students’ study of the language of mathematics

and science. Students will build upon the skills learned in their grammar and logic years (largely centered

around arithmetic), and begin to express concepts algebraically. Like any language, algebra represents

quantities, ideas, and actions using symbols. Learning how to do this will require students to think more

abstractly than ever before, a skill that is budding at this stage in their education. This course grounds the

students in the essential functions, theorems, and methods of algebra. As such, it will teach the students

fundamental operations involving linear equations (and inequalities), quadratic equations, and polynomials.

As with all mathematics courses, Algebra I will illustrate the nature of our God, who has equipped mankind

with the wondrous capacity for communication with one another, and with Him.

BIOLOGY

Miss Bethany Wilson

This course is a comprehensive high­school biology course, which will cover the basics of cellular biology, biochemistry, genetics, the history of life, microbiology, botany, zoology and ecology. The theory classes will be complemented with laboratory work and there will also be opportunity to make connections with current issues. The course will reinforce God’s role as the master designer in creation, the pervasive effects of the fall in our world, and the role that men and women in general (and Christians in particular), as God’s vice­regents, are to play in the redemption of that fallen world. The course serves to revel in God’s creative work and facilitate worship of our Creator.

GREEK I

Mr. John McGowan Greek I is a year-long course which will enable students to begin to understand New Testament Greek. Students will explore, with their teacher, Greek forms, grammar and syntax, starting at the most basic level. The aims of this course are to develop rhetoric-level skills, sharpen logic-level skills, acquire grammar-level knowledge of Greek by using it in class weekly, develop more general language skills, and to understand and love God’s Word more fully.

LOGIC

Mr. Darol Timberlake This course consists of a study of formal and informal logic and solidifies the work in the logic phase as a preparation for the School of Rhetoric. As such, students will learn to identify and distinguish among the different classifications of logic, reasoning, and argumentation, as well as learn to judge the validity and soundness of arguments, and to identify formal and informal fallacies. The study of logic helps to prepare students to excel in all other classes at Greyfriars Classical. Students will reap the benefits of this initial, formal study of logic throughout their secondary education. An understanding of logic prepares students to construct cogent and valid arguments in written exercises, discussions, and debates. It prepares them for the inductive reasoning necessary to study the experimental sciences and the humanities. Generally speaking, logic promotes clear and decisive thinking. The study of logic is invaluable for obeying that portion of the greatest commandment in which we are told to “love the Lord your God…with all your mind” (Matt 22:37).

THEOLOGY: FOUNDATIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

Rev. T. Nathan Trice This course is a study of the fundamental tenets of Christian orthodoxy. It will include a summary of the doctrines of Scripture, the Trinity, creation and providence, the incarnation, the atonement, the resurrection, salvation, the Church, the kingdom of God, the return of Christ, the final judgment, heaven and hell. It will demonstrate how the foundational doctrines of the faith rest on a sure biblical basis, and it will trace the formulation of these key doctrines in the early church period under the leadership of leading church fathers. Such studies will integrate theology, the “queen of the sciences,” with the general period being studied in history, literature, and aesthetics. Finally, Foundations of the Christian Faith will consider contemporary challenges to these doctrines, thus equipping the students to identify and refute such challenges

AESTHETICS: CLASSICAL GREECE TO MEDIEVAL

Mrs. Lori Lawing

This course is a study in Aesthetics, that branch of philosophy dealing with the nature and appreciation of

art, taste, and beauty. In the Christian classical approach, the course presents to the students a philosophy of

beauty in the context of the God of beauty, which is then applied to the investigation of the major artistic

works of the time period. Ancient Greek and Roman, Early Christian, Byzantine, Medieval, Romanesque,

Gothic, and Pre­Renaissance art is studied, which coincides with the period also being studied in history,

literature and theology. The course covers art in the broadest sense, including music, painting, sculpture,

theatre, drama, literature, poetry, and architecture. The students will learn to establish logical connections

between artists and their historical context and then critically analyze the ideas, or rhetoric, the artist

communicates in his art. Finally, as one component of the threefold educational goal of embracing truth,

goodness and beauty, this course aims to give the students a passion for beauty in all aspects of God’s world.

10th Grade

LITERATURE AND HISTORY: EARLY MODERN (AD 1350 – 1785) Rev. Lee A. Shelnutt

These courses, which are very tightly integrated, focus on the time period from the Italian Renaissance to

the First Great Awakening and the beginning of the Industrial Age. The historical material covers such

church history topics as the Protestant Reformation, the Counter­Reformation, Puritanism, Pietism, the First

Great Awakening, and the beginning of the modern missionary movement. In relation to these topics in

church history, the world history topics to be covered include the rise of the modern nation­state, the age of

exploration and empires, episodes in the “long war” between Islamists and the West, and the first stirrings of

industrialization. We will also examine critically the major philosophical movements of this period:

Rationalism, Empiricism, Skepticism and Romanticism. The religious, political, and philosophical history

will then provide a context for our study of the great literature of the period and that literature will in turn

help us better understand the history. The classic literature surveyed will include political pieces, plays,

poetry, devotional classics, sermons and novels from authors such as Machiavelli, Luther, Calvin, Spenser,

Shakespeare, Cervantes, Herbert, Donne, Milton, Swift, Bunyan and Edwards.

GEOMETRY

Mrs. Martita McGowan

Mathematics is the language of science, and Geometry goes hand­in­hand with science, helping us to

understanding the "Why?" of the world around us. For example: Why do so many structures, buildings, and

bridges use triangles in their framework instead of only rectangles? We all have an intuitive knowledge of

the basic figures of Geometry through our play (blocks and balls) and everyday life (rectangular solid boxes,

cylindrical cans and ice cream cones). The purpose of this course will be to go beyond our basic

knowledge and memorization of formulas to the understanding of "Why?". The greater, long­term purposes

of the course are for students to have a greater appreciation of the order in all of God's creation, and to

develop stronger reasoning skills.

CHEMISTRY Dr. David Clark

This course is designed to help students recognize the glory of God in Creation as we study the concepts and

order of chemistry. Topics include significant figures, units, classification, the mole concept, stoichiometry,

thermodynamics, kinetics, acids and bases, redox reactions, solutions, atomic structure, Lewis structures,

molecular geometry, the gas laws, and equilibrium. Our science courses, like all our courses, are taught from

a wholly Christian perspective in which the Triune God is presented both as the Creator of the glories which

fill the earth and as the Sustainer of all that is. The constancy and predictability discovered in the chemical

compositions and reactions of our world are sources of awe and delight, for they reveal the all­powerful,

wise and good hand of God.

GREEK I (10th) Mr. John McGowan

Greek I is a year-long course which will enable students to begin to understand New Testament Greek. Students will explore, with their teacher, Greek forms, grammar and syntax, starting at the most basic level. The aims of this course are to develop rhetoric-level skills, sharpen logic-level skills, acquire grammar-level knowledge of Greek by using it in class weekly, develop more general language skills, and to understand and love God’s Word more fully.

CLASSICAL WRITING II

Mrs. Evelyn Fawcett

The goal of this course is to help students refine their writing abilities, essay structure, and communication.

We will focus on creating, organizing, and effectively writing structured essays. Students should be able to

write an essay and revise it by the end of the year.

THEOLOGY: FOUNDATIONS OF REFORMED THEOLOGY

Rev. Cliff Blair

This course is a survey of theology from a reformed and Presbyterian perspective. The course considers the

seven departments of systematic theology: prolegomena, theology proper, anthropology, christology,

soteriology, ecclesiology, and eschatology. The formulation of reformed doctrine will be grounded in

primary readings from the period as well as contemporary theologians. The validity of reformed doctrine

will be grounded in Scripture. Readings will include portions of reformed confessions (e.g. the Westminster

standards, the Canons of Dordrecht, the Belgic Confession), excerpts from Reformers (Luther, Calvin,

Zwingli, Melanchthon, Bullinger) and Catholic writings of the period (the Council of Trent, Erasmus) as

well as a number of later systematic writers (e.g. Kuyper, Berkhof, Sproul). Connections between the

theological doctrines and the broader cultural developments of the time will be made as appropriate. The

course will also seek to equip the students to answer cogently the contemporary debates regarding these

doctrines.

AESTHETICS: EARLY MODERN (AD 1350 – 1785)

Mrs. Barbara Van Patter

This course serves as a foundation for the arts of the Baroque, Rococo and Classical eras, spanning the 17 th

and 18 thCenturies. It is a study of the stylistic character, interrelationship and cultural significance of music,

painting, sculpture and architecture. In addition to studying the lives and work of important figures of each

period, the course will offer the opportunity to discover how the music and art reflect the current events and

philosophies of the time. In this way, the Aesthetics course will walk hand in hand with the 10 thGrade

History and Literature courses. This course allows opportunity to listen to and look at some of the greatest

art and music ever produced in the history of the world.

11th Grade

LITERATURE AND HISTORY: MODERN EUROPEAN (1785 ­ PRESENT)

Mr. Morgan J. Rosser

In these integrated classes, we will explore the major events that have shaped Europe since the end of the

18 thcentury. Beginning before the French Revolution, we will assess the humanistic ideologies behind the

Enlightenment and the Romantic movements. In addition, we will critically examine the events that

surrounded the Industrial Revolution, the rise and fall of Napoleon, World Wars I and II, and a number of

other historical examples that reveal the never­ending struggle for power over the European continent. Also

important are the philosophical, political, and religious movements behind each historical event that

provided a certain impetus for action. These include, among many others, Rationalism, Realism, Socialism,

and Nationalism. We will explore how these “­isms” permeated all aspects of European culture, most

importantly its literature. By reading the great books of the time period through the lens of a Biblical

worldview, we will better understand the pervasive schools of thought in an effort to avoid repeating the

mistakes of the past.

ALGEBRA II

Rev. John D. McGowan

In our exploration of the world that God has made, and in our daily living, we make constant use of

language. Algebra is the first language of math and science, and by understanding algebra well, students

will be equipped to explore our world and to communicate with others concerning mankind’s discoveries of

God’s works.

This course will both review and further the concepts introduced in Algebra I: linear and quadratic equations

and their application, inequalities, exponents, polynomials, radicals, etc. In addition, this course will

introduce and/or review the following: direct/indirect variation, exponential and logarithmic functions,

nonlinear functions, conic sections, etc.

ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY

Mrs. Karen Claxton

This course is an in­depth study of the structure and function of the human body. Students will learn more

about the creativity and genius of our great God by studying His handiwork. Frequent guest lecturers will

provide multiple opportunities for students to interact with professionals in a variety of health­related fields.

SPANISH I

Mrs. Myriam Adams

This course will introduce students to the study of a modern language. Students will learn the mechanics of

Spanish using a deductive approach, which first emphasizes the basic facts and fundamental rules of the

language. Spanish grammar will be presented in a logical and systematic order. As with any subject taught

classically, vocabulary acquisition will be strongly pursued and marked by extensive drill and repetition

both written and oral. Spanish is a phonetically perfect language and special attention will also be placed on

phonetics/pronunciation. Reading assignments, translation exercises, listening comprehension and practical

conversation patterns will be used to master grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation skills. Guest speakers,

class projects and field trip opportunities will also expose students to various facets of Spanish­speaking

culture. Additionally, Bible memorization and classroom singing of hymns and Psalms will help prepare

those students planning to minister to and worship with Spanish­ speaking communities on mission trips

abroad or locally.

RHETORIC Rev. Daniel Wells

Knowing your beliefs is important, but knowledge without an ability to express and defend those same ideas

leaves humanity in a vulnerable and impotent position. In 11 th ­grade Rhetoric, students will begin their road

of wise expression and defense by reading and discussing a book summarizing the components and

importance of rhetoric. They will also complete both written and verbal applications of these components.

Participation will be a key component to this grade, monitored carefully through teacher evaluations and

rubrics. The summation of the class and year will be an intra­class series of debates.

AESTHETICS: MODERN EUROPEAN (1785 ­ PRESENT)

Mrs. Barbara Van Patter

This course serves as a foundation for the study of the arts, mainly, from the Romantic era, spanning from

AD1750 to 1850, along with investigating the artwork of the many “isms” of the late 19 thand early 20

th

Centuries. It is a study of the stylistic character, interrelationship and cultural significance of music,

painting, sculpture and architecture. In addition to studying the lives and work of important figures of the

period, the course will offer the opportunity to discover how the music and art reflect the current events and

philosophies of the time. In this way, the Aesthetics course will walk hand in hand with the 11 thGrade

History and Literature courses. This course allows opportunity to listen to and look at some of the great art

and music produced during this time frame, along with doing art projects and performing musical works to

reinforce and internalize the style as well.

THEOLOGY: CHRISTIAN LIVING & ETHICS

Rev. T. Nathan Trice

This course is a study of the biblical principles that are to guide the Christian in his pursuit of a life of

obedience to God with the objective:

To deepen students’ understanding of the necessity of personal holiness in the Christian life, as

well as the source of that holiness in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

To ground students in the proper role of God’s law as a guide for Christian living, and to equip

them to discern the abiding principles of that law from the whole of the Bible.

To impress upon the students the importance of The Ten Commandments as a summary of the

moral law of God, and to demonstrate their extended application to all of life.

To enable students to properly identify the errors of legalism on the one hand and license on the

other, and to become familiar with manifestations of both in contemporary Christianity.

To instill in the students a zeal for the implementation of God’s revealed will for all of society and

culture, together with biblical convictions concerning the ethical issues facing the Church in

America today.

12th Grade

LITERATURE AND HISTORY: AMERICAN Mrs. Pamela Mullins

These two courses are integrated, focusing on American History beginning with 1775 and the American

Revolution, the founding of a new nation and moving to the Industrial Revolutions, nineteenth century

religious and scientific thought, as well as sectional tensions leading to Civil War, Reconstruction, Westward

Expansion and Progressivism. We shall study the American involvement in the two World Wars, the

“Roaring Twenties”, the Great Depression and twentieth­century events, including the Cold War, Korean

and Vietnamese Wars and Civil Rights. In addition to studying these historical events, we shall discuss

causes, philosophies, life lessons and relate what we are learning to current events. Students will read and

discuss many original sources and documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of the

Confederation, the Constitution, Washington’s Farewell Address, Lincoln’s Inaugural Address and

Emancipation Proclamation, Wilson’s Address for the Declaration of War, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s

“Date Which Will Live in Infamy” Speech and his 1944 State of the Union Address.

Both courses will focus on the spoken word and discussion of events that influenced ideas, as well as ideas

that shaped events. While students will do some writing, students will spend most of class time in

discussion. The desire is that students will ask hard questions and search for answers. The literature will

shed light on the history study as well as help students understand the impact of American history on

individuals, their character and their responses. All discussion will center on the authority of the Bible.

Students will read conservative as well as liberal authors in order to learn how to think and act Christ­like in

a worldly environment.

PHYSICS

Dr. David Clark

This Physics course will help the student to look more deeply into God’s creation, exploring topics with

math skills from Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry. The scientific method will be studied to show the

strengths and limits of discoveries while keeping in clear focus that, contrary to some current opinions,

many scientific theories can never be proven but are needed in daily operations. New discoveries will be

discussed (such as gravity waves) with the goal of becoming as informed as possible about the way God is

revealing the workings of His marvelous creation. Students are expected to have a good working

knowledge of what it means to be responsible for directing their own study. Labs will be done during class

time with some formal and some informal write­ups. Topics covered are those typical of college

preparatory Physics, including: classical mechanics, vectors, motion, force, energy, momentum, gravity (as

well as mechanical waves), light, optics, electricity and magnetism. This is a course built to meet the needs

of students going on to college.

SPANISH II Mrs. Myriam Adams

Students will continue their study of a modern language begun in Spanish I. Students will learn the

mechanics of Spanish using a deductive approach, which first emphasizes the basic facts and fundamental

rules of the language. Spanish grammar will be presented in a logical and systematic order. As with any

subject taught classically, vocabulary acquisition will be strongly pursued and marked by extensive drill and

repetition both written and oral. Spanish is a phonetically perfect language and special attention will also be

placed on phonetics/pronunciation. Reading assignments, translation exercises, listening comprehension and

practical conversation patterns will be used to master grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation skills. Guest

speakers, class projects and field trip opportunities will also expose students to various facets of

Spanish­speaking culture. Additionally, Bible memorization and classroom singing of hymns and Psalms

will help prepare those students planning to minister to and worship with Spanish­speaking communities on

mission trips abroad or locally.

AESTHETICS: AMERICAN Mrs. Lori Lawing

This course is a culmination of the study of beauty. After articulating a Biblical philosophy of beauty, we

then examine the art of America from its inception through our present day. Students will apply a Christian

philosophy to interpret the ideas that artists communicate in their art. As we move into an analysis of

modern and postmodern thinking, we shall see the significant impact of these current philosophies on the art

world: specifically, architecture, painting, music, theatre, and cinema. We shall examine the pluralism in our

postmodern world (the false dichotomy between science and faith, reason and beliefs, body and spirit) and

how this false construct plays out in our culture's view toward ethics and morality as depicted in the arts and

often the loss of beauty. Students will look critically at the message communicated by today’s art and

determine an appropriate Christian response: delightfully affirming common grace portrayals of truth and

beauty, and participating in the Christian contribution to art; or rejecting that which violates Scriptural

truths, and identifying how we might offer the Hope of Redemption to a lost, postmodern world.

SENIOR THESIS Mr. Nathan Johnson

The twelfth­grade class will build upon the artistic and literary foundation of earlier years to create each

senior’s pièce de résistance of writing, the “Senior Thesis Project.” For this intensive assignment that

represents the culminating effort of the classical education process, each student must, with all needed

guidance given, select, research, write, and defend a thesis statement. To accomplish this task, students will

create a “team” of teachers and advisors to help discuss, organize, and broaden arguments; however, the

paper and defense is an individual effort that requires much more work than the average writing assignment.

In order to create successful experiences, this process will be broken down into steps and each student will

be taught and encouraged to do his/her best for the glory of God. Upon completion of the thesis, each

student will also be required to present and defend his/her thesis to a panel of teachers, board members, and

advisors.

PRECALCULUS Mrs. Karen Claxton

Calculus is the study of how things change, and it originated in the study of motion. Precalculus involves

topics, skills, and insights needed to understand calculus, incorporating arithmetic, algebra, coordinate

geometry, trigonometry, and functions. But why should I study this if I’m not going to take Calculus? Good

question! You have been studying this language­­mathematics­­for years. Now you have the tools to

persuade others and articulate ideas mathematically. Let’s enjoy the fruits of your mathematical journey this

year and see the beauty in God’s creation that demonstrates these ideas.

THEOLOGY: APOLOGETICS & EVANGELISM

Mr. Jim Curtis

The course will introduce students to the biblical foundations of defending the Christian faith. Objectives:

To introduce students to the biblical foundations of defending the Christian faith.

To ground students in the principles and practice of Reformed Covenantal (Presuppositional)

apologetics, including the transcendental method of arguing for the Christian position.

To present to students other methods historically adopted by Christians to defend the Christian

faith, including the classical approach, with instruction on the biblical qualifications for

employing these strategies.

To survey and evaluate essential questions addressed by Christian apologetics, including the

existence of the God revealed in the Bible, the divine inspiration and veracity of the Bible, the

resurrection of Jesus Christ, the problem of evil, and apparent conflicts presented by modern

science and the Bible.

To train students how to explore, evaluate, and critique rival modern worldviews that challenge

the worldview presented in the Bible.

To equip students to provide reasoned, cogent and winsome responses to these challenges to the

worldview presented in the Bible.

To enable students to engage others effectively in verbal exchanges required by defense of the

Christian faith.

To supply students with the knowledge and training to responsibly research newer and/or

unfamiliar critiques against Christianity in order to more effectively “always [be] ready to ready

to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you” (1

Pet 3:15).