Lower Academy Course Catalog 2010 2011

Lower Academy
Course Catalog
Grades 3-6
2010-2011 Year

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HEART Academy - Home Educators Advancing the kingdom of God & Restoring our children’s hearts for the Lord Together
PSP: Jere and Crissi Allen, Founders, 650 Davenport Drive, San Jose, CA 95127, 408-712-4646
Class Site: Bayside Community Church, 1901 Cottle Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125, Email: heartacademy@comcast.net
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HEART Academy Schedule 2010-2011
Extracur
Period 1 Period 2 Period 3 Period 4 Period 5 r
8:45-10:00 10:05-11:20 12:00-1:15 1:20-2:35 2:40-3:55 4:00-5:30

President's Physical Youth
Fe llowship Drama Class - April Intermediate Jazz Dance Tae Kwon Do, Weekly,
Fitness Challenge - Migi Theater
Auditorium Pekary - Jessica Allen 2:40-3:25 - Mr. King
Oey Project -

Bayside Simply Music Piano - Speech & Debate - Gail HEARTbeat -
Auditorium Bernie Ashby Efting Student Run

American Sign Beginning &
Geography & Missions - Chemistry - Christy
Fire side Language 1 - Deborah Intermediate Drawing -
Bernie Ashby Majchrowicz
Weaver Migi Oey

11:20-11:55
7:45-8:15

8:15-8:40

More Exploring
Advanced Biology - Advanced Composition - Literature and Society -
Room 5 Literature - Denise Biology - Denise Boiko
Denise Boiko Denise Boiko Denise Boiko
Boiko

Biblical Application in Emotional & Spiritual
Ancient Literature Ancient History - Gail On Writing Well - Gail
Room 10 Life Management Health for Teens - Kara
Classics - Gail Efting Efting Efting
(BALM) - Gail Efting Lawman
LUNCH
SET UP
PRAY

Intermediate
Mechatronics - Mike General Science - Physical Science - Intro to Composition -
Room 11 Composition - Cheryl
Kirouac Helene Lee Helene Lee Cheryl Meng
Meng

Technology
Bible Foundations to Starting Points - Jere Classical Guitar - Chris Classical Guitar - Chris
Kidzone Entrepreneurial CEO
Live By - Jere Allen Allen Adams Adams
Challenge - Jere Allen

Elementary Ancient
Conversational Spanish 2 Conversational Spanish 1 Elementary Spanish, Set
Chape l History, Set 1 - Elena Spanish 1 - Rosi Adams
- Rosi Adams - Rosi Adams 1 - Rosi Adams
Walker

Elementary Zoology
Elementary Narnia
Youth Room Flying Creatures, Set 1; Digital Graphics - Migi
Literature, Set 1 - Elena
or Office Swimming Creatures, Oey
Walker
Set 2 - Helene Lee
Elementary Anatomy Elementary Music
Advanced Problem Hands-On Science, Set
Se t 1, Room Adventures, Amazing Hands-On Science, Set Production (Vocal
Solving, Set 1 - Brandon 1 - Cara Galleher
2 Design, Set 1 - Alaina & 1 - Cara Galleher Ensemble), Weekly - Bill
Young (opening when P3 is full)
April Pekary Smethers
Elementary Music
Intermediate Problem
Se t 2, Room Math Club, Set 2 - Elementary Writing, Set Elementary Art, Set 2 - Production (Vocal
Solving, Set 2 - Brandon
2 Matthew Burke 2 - Cheryl Meng Migi Oey Ensemble), Weekly - Bill
Young
Smethers
Worldviews of the
Algebra 1 - Sue Algebra 2 - Sue Geometry - Sue
Uppe r Room Western World, Year 2 -
Watanabe Watanabe Watanabe
Sue Watanabe

The Art of Thinking
Nurse ry & Using Logic & Inductive Mom's In Touch - Physics - Christy
Entry Room Bible Study - Myron Nursery Majchrowicz
Ashby
Private Vocal Lessons - Private Vocal Lessons - Private Vocal Lessons - Private Vocal Lessons -
Music Room
Jessica Allen Jessica Allen Jessica Allen Jessica Allen
Elementary Cooking, Set
Kitche n
1 - Dina Gonzalez

Blue is Upper Academy - 38 classes
Pink is Lower Academy - 10 classes Total = 56 classes
Green is Upper & Lower Academy - 7 classes Revised 3.11.10
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Elementary Classes, Set 1
(Every other Week starting 9/3)

Day & Time Class Name Mentor-Teacher Room Cost
8:45-10:00 Elementary Ancient History Elena Walker Chapel $30/month
8:45-10:00 Elementary Zoology Flying Creatures Helene Lee TBA $30/month
8:45-10:00 Private Vocal Lessons (30 minutes) Jessica Allen Music Room $90/month
10:05-11:20 Simply Music Piano, Weekly Bernie Ashby Auditorium $120/month
10:05-11:20 Elem Anatomy Adventures, Amazing Design Alaina & April Pekary 2 $30/month
10:05-11:20 Elementary Narnia Literature Elena Walker TBA $30/month
10:05-11:20 Private Vocal Lessons (30 minutes, weekly) Jessica Allen Music Room $90/month
11:25-11:55 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch
12:00-1:15 Drama Class (Grades 3-12, weekly) April Pekary Fellowship $50/month
12:00-1:15 American Sign Language (Grades 3-12, weekly) Deborah Weaver Fireside $50/month
12:00-1:15 Hands-on-Science (Grades 3-8) Cara Galleher 2 $30/month
12:00-1:15 Elementary Cooking Dina Garcia Kitchen $30/month
1:20-2:35 Intermediate Jazz Dance (Grades 3-8, weekly) Jessica Allen Fellowship $50/month
1:20-2:35 Elementary Hands-on-Science (Grades 3-8 if P3 is full) Cara Galleher 2 $30/month
2:40-3:25 Tae Kwon Do (Grades K-12, Weekly, 45 minutes) Jeff King Fellowship $49/month
2:40-3:25 Elementary Spanish Rosi Adams Chapel $30/month
240-3:55 Private Vocal Lessons (30 minutes, weekly) Jessica Allen Music Room $90/month

Elementary Classes, Set 2
(Every other Week starting 9/10)
Day & Time Class Name Mentor-Teacher Room Cost
8:45-10:00 Elementary Zoology Swimming Creatures Helene Lee TBA $30/month
10:05-11:20 Simply Music Piano, Weekly Bernie Ashby Auditorium $120/month
10:05-11:20 Math Club Matthew Burke 2 $30/month
11:25-11:55 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch
12:00-1:15 Drama Class (Grades 3-12, weekly) April Pekary Fellowship $50/month
12:00-1:15 American Sign Language (Grades 3-12, weekly) Deborah Weaver Fireside $50/month
12:00-1:15 Elementary Writing Cheryl Meng 2 $30/month
12:00-1:15 Private Vocal Lessons (30 minutes) Jessica Allen Auditorium $90/month
1:20-2:35 Intermediate Jazz Dance (Grades 3-8, weekly) Jessica Allen Fellowship $50/month
1:20-2:35 Elementary Art Migi Oey 2 $30/month
2:35-3:20 Tae Kwon Do – Grades K-12 Jeff King Fellowship $49/month
2:40-3:55 E Musical Production (2:55-3:55) Bill Smethers 2 $40/month
240-3:55 Private Vocal Lessons (30 minutes, weekly) Jessica Allen Music Room $90/month
**Note: Your lower academy classes are color coded in pink and have an “E” in front of the class name. Some classes extend out to
8th grade. Some are weekly.

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Lower Academy Course Catalog
Elementary Ancient History –Set 1, 8:50-10:05, Period 1
Focus: Ancient History
Mentor-Teacher: Elena Walker
Course length: Alternating Weeks for 8 months
Type of course: Group class through HEART Academy
When: Friday, 8:50-10:05
Class Fee payable to Elena Walker: $30 per month,
Materials Fee payable to Elena Walker: $15 fee for the year
Questions: contact Elena Walker elenamorenowalker@yahoo.com
Minimum Class Size: 5 students
Recommendation/Prerequisite: none

Course description: We will study ancient history alongside the events and the people of the Bible. We will see how God‟s hand has
moved through history to ultimately reveal himself through Jesus Christ. Our class will consist of group discussions, fun activities and
projects to make history come alive in our classroom.

Required Text: The Mystery of History, Volume I Creation to the Resurrection by: Linda Lacour Hobar “The Mystery of History
provides a historically accurate, Bible-centered approach to learning ancient history. The completely chronological lessons shed new
light on who walked the earth when, as well as on where important Bible figures fit into secular history.”

Elementary Zoology Flying Creatures – Set 1, 8:45-10:00 am, Period 1
Course Title: Elementary Zoology Flying Creatures
Teacher/Mentor: Helene Lee
Course Length: 16 weeks for Lower Academy
Type of Class: Group class through Heart Academy
When: Fridays, 8:45-10:00 am, Set 1
Cost: $30 / month
Credit Classification: Lower Academy
Lab Fee: $40 one time only (lots of projects to do such as birdhouse, butterfies, habitats, we‟ll buy them for you, see below)
Minimum & Maximum Class Size: 5 and 10
Questions: Helene Lee, edlee7358@yahoo.com
Prerequisite: This course is recommended for students in grade levels 3-6. The student needs no prior science or math experience to
be successful in this course. Astronomy may be taken before or after any of the other Young
Explorer series courses (Astronomy and Botany).

Other prerequisite: Parents are required to go over the materials in the book, asking narrative questions. Also, parental involvement
in finishing the projects as needed.

Course Description: There are 14 lessons in this text, covering birds, bats, pterosaurs, and insects. Most lessons can be divided into
two-week segments. You can do the reading and the notebook assignments during the first week, and you can do the experiments and
the data recording during the second week. If you do science two or three days per week, you can read four to six pages a day to
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finish a lesson and begin the experiment. This will give you 32 weeks for the entire book. Older students can work through the book
more quickly if they wish.

For record keeping and evaluation, narrations and note booking replace the traditional and less effective method of filling in blanks in
a workbook. We believe note booking and narrations are a superior method of facilitating retention and providing documentation of
your child‟s education.

Narrations : Older elementary students can do the entire book and most experiments on their own, while younger students will enjoy
an older sibling or parent reading it to them. Each lesson begins with a reading of the text. Throughout the reading, the students will
be asked to retell or narrate the information they just studied. This helps them assimilate the information in their minds. The act of
verbalizing it in their own words propels them forward in their ability to effectively and clearly communicate with others that which
they know. It also serves to lock the information into their minds.

Communication skills are necessary no matter what interests your children pursue, so please don‟t skip the narrations. Though they
may seem to take up valuable time, they are vital to your child‟s intellectual development. Persevere through the first attempts; the
more narrating the child does, the better at it he will become. The better at narrating the child becomes, the better at writing,
researching, and clearly communicating his beliefs he will be. Some parents encourage their child to take notes as they listen to them
read. You may or may not want to try this.

Notebooks : At the end of each lesson, notebook activities are used to give the child further experience with the material. The
notebook is an important tool that will provide you and your child with a record of what was learned. The notebook activities
generally occur at the end of a lesson, but they are sometimes used to break up lessons. Older students are given additional
assignments in some of the note booking segments for more challenge.

Projects and Experiments: In this text there are a wide variety of projects and experiments. Every single lesson ends with an
opportunity to further ground your child in real science using the scientific method. These experiments will help your children to
develop the skills needed to conduct valid and scientifically accurate science experiments. The last lesson culminates with the
children designing and conducting their own experiment based on their own hypothesis about caterpillars. This last experiment will
help you evaluate whether your child genuinely understands the necessary components for designing an experiment. This is an
important skill that often shows up on upper elementary achievement tests.

The projects and experiments in this book use mostly common, household items. As a result, they are fairly inexpensive, but you will
have to hunt down everything that you need. To aid you in this, pages viii-xi contain a list of the materials that you need for the
experiments and projects in each lesson.

The Immersion Approach: Is it Okay to Spend a Year on Just a Part of Zoology?
Presenting a child with scant and insufficient science fails to develop a love for the subject. If the learning is skimpy, the subject
seems monotonous. The child is simply scratching the surface of the amazing and fascinating information available in science. Sadly,
students taught in this way are led to believe they “know all about” that subject, when in reality the subject is much richer than they
were allowed to explore. That is why we recommend that kids, even young children, are given an in-depth, above their perceived
grade level exploration into each science topic. You, the educator, have the opportunity to abandon methods that don‟t work so that
your students can learn in the ways that have been proven effective. The immersion approach is the way everyone, even young kids,
learn best. That is why we major in one field in college and take many classes in that field alone. If you immerse your child in one
field of science for an entire year, he will develop a love for that subject and a love for learning in general.

Additionally, a child that has focused on one subject throughout an entire year is being challenged mentally in ways that will develop
his or her ability to think critically and retain complex information. This will actually benefit the child and give him an advantage on
achievement tests. He will be able to make more intelligent inferences about the right answer on science questions, as God has created

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an orderly world that works very similarly throughout all matters of science. A child who has not been given the deeper, more
profound information will not understand how the scientific world operates.

Methodology: Exploring Creation with Zoology books use the classical and Charlotte Mason methodology to give elementary school
students an introduction to God‟s incredible world of living organisms. Narration and note booking are used to encourage critical
thinking, logical ordering, retention, and record keeping. Each lesson in the book is organized with a narrative, some notebook work,
an activity, and a project. Although designed to be read by the parent to elementary students of various grade levels, it is possible for
students with a 4th-grade reading level to read this book on their own.

As you might expect from a book that uses the Charlotte Mason approach, the student notebook is emphasized in every lesson.
Students are told to make illustrations for each lesson and are given notebook assignments to reinforce what they have learned.

Activities/Projects: A carpentry project involving building a quality birdhouse as well as making a butterfly house and observing the
life cycle of the caterpillar to the emergence of the butterfly (we may substitute silk worms if
caterpillars and food are unavailable ) are the biggest projects of the course. The text contains actual experiments on the preferences
and habits of the birds your children see. These experiments further enrich the learning experience. In addition to designing
experiments with flies, crickets, darkling moths, and caterpillars, they will also learn how to attract and catch insects for scientific
study.

Recommended Use: You will spend the entire year covering this book, devoting approximately two sessions per week to the course.
The sessions will be something like 30 minutes to an hour, depending on exactly what
you are doing on that day.

Extra credit: Scattered throughout the lessons are optional exercises for older students

Topics to Be Covered:
1) Zoology Classification
2) What Makes a Bird a Bird?
3) Birds of a Feather
4) Flying Factuals
5) Nesting
6) Matching and Hatching
7) Bats
8) Flying Reptiles
9) introduction to Insects
10) insect Life Cycles and Life Styles
11) Social Insects
12) Beetles, Flies, and True Bugs
13) Interesting Insects
14) Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies)

Class Expectations: Ability to pay attention in class and follow instructions. Ability to keep up with the reading assignments given
each week.

Bring to class every day: Every student needs to bring his/her own notebook, blank paper, lined paper and colored pencils and eraser.

Curriculum REQUIRED: Textbook: Exploring Creation with Zoology 1: Flying Creatures of the 5th Day 2005 Edition

Website: www.apologia.com
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About Your Instructor: see the end of this document

Contacting the Teacher: Please contact Mrs. Lee via email at edlee7358@yahoo.com. Mrs. Lee‟s home phone is 408-268-7358 or in
case of immediate need, by cell phone at (408)209-4909

Assignments for the first week: (to be completed prior to the first class)

Parents: Read through this course description with your child.

Students: Pages 18-20, Make a Field Notebook and do a project: Natures Scavenger Hunt

Elementary Zoology Swimming Creatures – Set 2, 8:45-10:00 am, Period 1
Course Title: Elementary Zoology Swimming Creatures
Teacher/Mentor: Helene Lee
Course Length: 16 weeks for Lower Academy
When: Fridays, 8:45-10:00 am, Set 2
Cost: $30 / month
Credit Classification: Lower Academy Only
Lab Fee: $30 one time only
Questions: Helene Lee, edlee7358@yahoo.com
Prerequisite: This course is recommended for students in grade levels 3-6. The student needs no prior science or math experience to
be successful in this course. Astronomy may be taken before or after any of the other Young Explorer series courses (Astronomy and
Botany).

Other Prerequisite: Parents are required to go over the materials in the book, asking narrative questions. Also, parental involvement
in finishing the projects as needed.

Course Description: This course on aquatic animals follows the first book in the series, Exploring Creation With Zoology 1: Flying
Creatures of the Fifth Day. It is highly recommended that you begin your study of zoology with Zoology 1. This is because
foundational concepts, such as animal classification, nomenclature, instincts, endangered species, parasites, and other important ideas
are explained in the first book. Attainment of this knowledge is assumed in Zoology 2. However, if zoology has been covered to
some degree, and parents feel they are equipped to fill in the gaps where this information is mentioned without explanation in Zoology
2, they are welcome to begin with whichever book they prefer. Ideally, Zoology 1 should be taken first. (Please read the
course description for Zoology 1: Flying Creatures)

Lesson Increments: There are 13 lessons in this text. Each lesson should be broken up into manageable time slots depending on
your children‟s age and attention span. This will vary from family to family. Most lessons can be divided into two-week segments.
You can do the reading and the notebook assignments during the first week, and you can do the experiments and the data recording
during the second week. If you do science two or three days per week, you might read four to six pages a day to finish a lesson and
begin the experiment. This will give you 32 weeks for the entire book. Older students can work through the book more quickly if
they wish. Sixth graders are encouraged to read the book on their own in preparation for the independence with which they will do
science the following year if they use Exploring Creation With General Science.

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When you have finished reading a lesson, the student will orally relate the information they learned (narration) and complete a
creative assignment associated with the lesson (notebooking).Narrations and notebooking replace the traditional and less effective
method of filling in blanks in a workbook. I believe this is a superior method of facilitating retention and providing documentation of
your child‟s education. For a more detailed discussion of how to use this course, please see the step- by-step guide at the end of this
introduction.

Narrations: Older elementary students can do the entire book and most experiments on their own, while younger students will enjoy
an older sibling or parent reading it to them. Each lesson begins with a reading of the text. Throughout the reading, the students will
be asked to retell or narrate the information they just studied. This helps them assimilate the information in their minds. The act of
verbalizing it in their own words propels them forward in their ability to effectively and clearly communicate with others that which
they know. It also serves to lock the information into their minds.

Notebooks: At the end of each lesson, notebook activities are used to give the learners further experience with the material. The
notebook activities will offer your child an opportunity to communicate through illustrations and written narratives. This is an
important tool for providing both a record of progress and learning, as well as documentation for review. Students of all ages will
create their own notebook, providing an opportunity for each child in a family to work on the same material at his or her own level.
Each notebook will be a reflection of the child‟s knowledge, learning, creativity, and personality. The notebook activities generally
occur at the end of a lesson, but they are sometimes used to break up lessons. Though simple sheets of blank paper will work just fine,
you can print templates that provide a space for drawing and lines for writing information by visiting http://www.apologia.com.

Project Ocean Box: Each student or family is encouraged to create clay or paper models of the animals they have studied. The first
lesson begins with the students using a box to create an “aquarium” in which they will display their animal creations. I call this
aquarium an “ocean box.” After completing each lesson, the students will add the animals about which they learned to the ocean box.
At the end of the course, they will have a tangible model of all that they learned in science throughout the year. The materials your
student or family uses to create the animals for display will vary according to the preferences of your family. You can use clay,
images cut out from magazines, or even plastic animal replicas which are often available at dollar stores. Obviously, if your family
wishes not to participate in this activity, you may skip this section of each lesson.

Experiments: Every Zoology 2 lesson ends with an experiment. These experiments will help your children develop the skills needed
to conduct valid and scientifically accurate experiments. It is recommended that your students complete at least a few, if not all, of
these experiments so as to become familiar with the scientific method. This will further their understanding of how to perform
experiments and what makes and does not make a good experiment.

The projects and experiments in this book use mostly common, household items. With the exception of a few simple experiments, lab
materials are covered and will be given to you in class. (Adapted from the Introduction of Zoology 2)

Extra credit: Scattered throughout the lessons are optional exercises for older students

Topics to Be Covered: There are 13 chapters and an example if needed
1. Aquatic Animals
2. Whales
3. Seals & Sea Cows
4. Aquatic Herps (example: Turtles)
5. Primeval Reptiles
6. Fish
7. Sharks & Rays
8. Crustaciea (example: Crabs)
9. Mollusks (ex: Clams)
10. Cephalopods (ex: Octopus, Squid)
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11. Echinoderms (ex: Starfish)
12. Cindarians (ex: Jellyfish)
13. Sponges

Class Expectations: Be able to pay attention in class and follow instructions. Be able to keep an orderly notebook/binder.

Workload: An average of 2 weeks per lesson with perhaps 1 or 2 fieldtrips.

Bring to class every day: Pencil, eraser, blank and lined paper in a 3 ring 1 - 11/2" Binder with Tabs and pockets, colored pencils for
drawing and illustrating.

Curriculum REQUIRED: Exploring Creation With Zoology: Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day, First printing 2006

Website: www.apologia.com

About Your Instructor: see the end of this document

Contacting the Teacher: Please contact Mrs. Lee via email at edlee7358@yahoo.com. Mrs. Lee‟s home phone is 408-268-7358 or in
case of immediate need, by cell phone at (408)209-4909

Assignments for the first week: (to be completed prior to the first class)

1) Field Trip to Beach Tidepools and Lake Pg 16-17 of Lesson 1 gives direction on Beach and Lake exploration. Please take some
time this summer and go take a look, keeping a notebook to record findings and drawing illustrations of what you find!

2) Dedicated 3 ring binder Notebook for the purposes of recording and keeping handouts and papers. Blank and lined paper for lab
reports. Writing instument and colored pencils and eraser.

3) Creation of an Ocean Box for keeping the creatures you create in class. (pg. 17)

Parents: You will need to read with your student and have them orally tell you what they learn, using the questions scattered
throughout the lesson and referring to pg. 219-223 for answers!

Students: Please come on time, ready to learn with pencil and eraser, notebook and any assignments completed.

Private Vocal Lessons –Weekly, Period 1, 2, 3, & 5
Focus: Learning how to balance your voice by learning and applying specific exercises.
For Ages: 6+
Mentor-Teacher: Jessica Allen
Course length: 2 semesters, 32 weeks
Type of course: Class through HEART Academy
When: Friday, 1/2 hour each
Class Fee payable to Jessica Allen: $90 per month
Questions: contact Jessica Allen jea4him@comcast.net or 408-712-8057
Recommendation/Prerequisite: HEART Academy encourages parents to be involved in the classroom experience as much as
possible. If you want to attend with your children, we welcome you.
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Required Material: Find a few songs you would like to work on.

Course Description: Vocal instruction in this technique of speech level singing helps improve your range, endurance, stamina,
breath-control, resonance, vocal strength and vocal quality. Learning how to sing properly allows singers of all styles of music to
perform well without fatigue or damage to the voice.

Course Content: The Speech Level Singing technique, developed by Seth Riggs, is a complete vocal training that maximizes a
singer‟s vocal abilities in any style of singing. From Opera to Rock; Jazz to Pop or R&B, over 100 Grammy award winners use it, as
well as winners of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions and Tony Award winning performers on broadway. SLS has also been practiced
by Academy Award winning actors and industry leaders to perfect their vocal presence and empower them in speech.

In many cases SLS rehabilitates vocal damage, caused by poor teaching or years of abuse, that could otherwise limit or even end a
career, or worse - require continual medical intervention. SLS training will both improve your voice allowing you to sing safely and
with greater range.

Who are some Artists who have studied SLS? Major recording artists such as Josh Groban, Luther Vandross, Michael
Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Anita Baker, Julio Egelesias, James Ingram, Marilyn McCoo, Geoffrey Osborne, Al Jarreau,
Michael Bolton, Natalie Cole, Bette Midler and Barbara Streisand;

Musical Theater performers such as Bernadette Peters, Carol Burnett, Douglas Sills (male lead in The Scarlet Pimpernel),
Leila Florentino (“Kim” Miss Saigon), Lorna Luft, Chita Rivera, Barbara Harris, Ben Vereen, and Tim Curry;

Professionals of the Operatic Stage such as Donald Ray Albert, Bass Baritone; Angela Maria Blasi Lyric Soprano (Winner
of Metropolitan National Opera Final Auditions in New York); Eduardo Villa, Tenor (Winner of Metropolitan National
Opera Final Auditions in New York); Rodney Gilfrey, Lyric Baritone; James Wagner, Tenor (Winner of Metropolitan
National Opera Final Auditions in New York).

The Larynx: The larynx is the large bump in the middle of the throat just below the chin (men call this the "Adam's Apple"). The
larynx houses the vocal cords and also controls the swallowing mechanism. When the larynx rises up, the muscles around the vocal
cords close in order to prevent food from entering the wind pipe and the lungs. This is essential to the swallowing process, yet hinders
good singing. If you place your hand on your larynx and yawn, you will feel your larynx come down. If you leave your hand on your
larynx and swallow, you will feel your larynx rise. In Speech Level Singing, our goal is keep the larynx at a comfortable "speech
level" while we sing (neither jamming up, nor locking down).

The vocal cords, also known as vocal folds, are a pair of soft tissue cords that are joined at the front of the larynx and extend to the
back. When they close, the back end of the cords come together (connect), and the flow of air is temporarily stopped. When the
pressure of air from the diaphragm overcomes the pressure of the muscles holding the cords together, they are blown apart. Sound is
made when they close again due to the resonation created. Then once again the air pressure overcomes the muscle pressure and the
process begins again.

If the cords are not brought together with a balanced pressure of air and muscle strength, you will have a strained and tense voice, or
your voice will break. This technique first eliminates any activity in the outer muscles of the larynx. These outer muscles interfere
with the singing tone; once these tensions are eliminated, the tone is freed. In addition, the ability to produce words easily and clearly
is enhanced.

Breathing for Singing: The diaphragm, is a dome shaped muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. The
lungs, which are incapable of any muscular action, sit on top of the diaphragm. When the diaphragm contracts, it flattens downward
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and slightly to the back, thus lowering the floor of the chest (thorax). As it does this, the lungs are stretched downward, creating a
partial vacuum which causes the air outside the body to rush in. During this inhale, as the diaphragm descends, the abdominal wall is
caused to expand outward. The diaphragm is active only during the inhalation process.

The abdominal muscles will automatically regulate the exhalation process during singing when a speech-level posture is maintained.
The breathing process during Speech-Level-Singing is very relaxed. This technique of singing promotes proper, automatic breath
support, and thus a balance between air and muscle. Speech-Level-Singing gives the vocal coordination needed to sing any style a
singer desires.

Contacting the Teacher: If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to send Jessica Allen an e-mail at
jea4him@comcast.net or call at Home: (408) 251-8147 or Cell: (408) 712-8057. Note: My cell phone has bad reception at my house.

Jessica Allen’s Bio: See the end of this document

Simply Music Piano (Grades 2-12) – Weekly, 10:05-11:20, Period 2
Focus: Simply Music® is a remarkable, Australian-developed piano and keyboard program that has beginning students playing great
sounding pop, blues, classical and accompaniment pieces - immediately - from their very first lessons.

Mentor-Teacher: Bernadette Ashy
Course length: 2 semesters, 32 weeks
When: Friday 10:05-11:20 Bayside Auditorium
Schedule: Lesson schedule time is based on For the Luv of Piano Studio schedule time; see studio policies for details, some lessons
will be held at Mentor-Teacher‟s home studio during certain holidays
Class Fee payable to Bernie Ashby: $120 per month, shared lessons; please consult with Mentor-Teacher for private lessons
Materials Fee payable to Bernie Ashby: $48.00 per quarter
Questions: contact Bernie Ashby m-bashby@sbcglobal.net


Course Description: Simply Music® is a remarkable, Australian-developed piano and keyboard program that has beginning students
playing great-sounding pop, blues, classical and accompaniment pieces - immediately - from their very first lessons. Traditional
lessons, for the most part, require that students first learn to read music as the means of learning how to play. This „read first, play
later‟ approach is slow and frustrating, and far too many students never acquire the ability to play. In fact, many lose their desire to
learn altogether.

Think of Simply Music as being like learning to talk. We all talked for years before we learned how to read and spell. It's the
same with our program. We delay the music reading process and start by showing you how to play fantastic music –
immediately.

Beginning students, with no attention on having to read music, are free to relate directly to the piano, and within months easily and
naturally begin to establish a „hands-on‟ and personal „feeling‟ for the instrument as they build a play-list that includes popular,
classical, blues and jazz styles, as well as develop the ability to play chords and modern accompaniments. After building a repertoire
of 30 to 50 pieces covering a broad range of musical styles, students go on to learn how to read music, their ability to play so well
providing a powerful foundation for learning the more formal aspects of music education.
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“My boys are 8 and 10. They‟ve had just 12 lessons with Simply Music and already know 12 songs. Not just „Twinkle, Twinkle
Little Star‟ and „Mary Had A Little Lamb‟, but real music. The boys are already playing the blues. They think they‟re hot stuff.”
Rebecca Neis

“At 83 years of age, this wonderful program has given my life a dimension that has brought me much joy and satisfaction. The
experience of Simply Music has helped me to cope with stress, and even sadness. I have been most fortunate and blessed to have had
the experience of Simply Music.”
Sara Larmer Meuse

“After two years of being very frustrated with other programs, we have found one that works and that my daughter enjoys
tremendously. The results are wonderful.” Tammie Duke

“My daughter is only 7 years old with no previous music knowledge. Our experience has absolutely surpassed our expectations.

Recently she played a well-known song in front of 100 people and she brought the house down.” Marsha Goodstein

Studio Website: www.fortheluvofpiano.com
Bernadette Ashby, Accredited Simply Music Teacher
Home Studio Location: San Jose, 95127
(408)923-8558

Content & Objectives
Requirements:
• MANDATORY Parent‟s Meeting TBA
• Class attendance.
• Weekly practice including Parent Participation – Parent keeps student accountable to practicing.
• View support DVD weekly – required.
• Listen to support CD weekly – required.

Assignment Criteria: They will need to show me their playlist weekly and practice at least five times during the week.

Attendance: The student is expected to attend class and is responsible for inquiring with the Mentor-Teacher as to any assignments
that have been missed. At the mandatory parent‟s meeting, I will provide my studio policies which will explain anything pertinent to
the running of my studio.

Contacting the Teacher
The best way to contact Mrs. Ashby is via email m-bashby@sbcglobal.net
The next best way to contact her is through telephone, 408-923-8558.

Elementary Narnia Literature – Set 1, 10:05-11:20 am, Period 2
Focus: The seven books in C.S. Lewis‟s The Chronicles of Narnia series
Mentor-Teacher: Elena Walker
Course length: This class will meet on alternating Fridays for 8 months, 16 weeks
Type of course: Group class through HEART Academy Course
When: Alternating Fridays, 9:40 – 11:00
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Class Fee payable to Elena Walker: $30 per month
Materials Fee payable to Elena Walker: $15 fee for the year
Questions: contact Elena Walker elenamorenowalker@yahoo.com

Course Description: We‟ll study each of The Chronicles of Narnia, exploring a variety of subjects, including English literature, social
studies, geography, Bible and character building, cooking, and art. The Chronicles are rich in imagination, powerful language and
spiritual depth, and children naturally connect with the characters and their experiences in these iconic tales. We‟ll have our own
adventures discussing and learning from them.

Required Texts: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Math Club – 10:05-11:20, Period 2, Set 2

Course Title: Math Club
Mentor-Teacher: Matthew Burke. Michelle Burke (sponsor)
Course length: Alternating weeks for two semesters
Type of Class: Group class through HEART Academy
Cost: $30 / month
Materials Fee: TBD
Minimum and Maximum Class Size: 5-12 students
Class fee payable to: Matthew Burke
Questions: Contact Matthew Burke at (408) 738-3664
Recommendation: Your student needs to have basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division skills to actively
participate in this class.

Course Description: Math can be a fun and interesting subject to study. The course will cover a broad spectrum of topics
within math in hopes of piquing the students‟ interest in at least one area. The focus will be to develop mathematical
thinking, problem solving skills and a true enjoyment of math. We will incorporate games and activities throughout the
class to reinforce learning with prizes for participation. We hope to expose your students to the huge world of math and
inspire them to become more willing to explore and enjoy it. This class is an enrichment course and should NOT be used
as a replacement for a traditional math textbook or curriculum.

Course Content: Our class time will be spent in the following three main types of learning:
1) Topic or Lesson- We will cover a math topic or a problem solving technique using a workbook or handouts. Games
and hands on activities will help round out the learning and add an element of fun and opportunities to earn prizes.
2) Mental Math- We will have fun using tricks to help students for mental math computation. We will practice as a
group and improve our speed and accuracy.
3) Team Problem Solving- The students will be broken down into groups and given math challenge problems to
introduce them to group problem solving.

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Also, there will be optional homework that students can take home to apply what they‟ve learned and hone their skills.
The students will be rewarded for attempting problems in class or at home and will never be penalized for not being able
to answer a question correctly.

We will be referring to the following books for lesson plans: Mathematical Reasoning through Verbal Analysis, Creative
Problem Solving in School Mathematics, Math Olympiad Contest Problems, Mental Math in Junior High, TOPS Cards,
Arithmetricks and other resources.

Required Textbooks for Students: TBD

Materials to Bring to Class:
Pencils and a 8 ½ x 11-inch binder or folder to keep their work

Attendance: Students are expected to attend class. Please let us know by email ahead of time so we can compile
assignments and other exercise worksheets and make them available to the student.

Classroom Expectations: Students will be expected to come to class ready to learn. Previous homework assignments will
be discussed and analyzed during class time. The time and effort that they put into experimenting with and practicing
their skills help to develop the mind. Students will only get as much out of the lessons as the time and effort they put into
it.

Contacting the Teachers: Matthew Burke at mattburke@pacbell.net or (408) 738-3664.

Anatomy Adventures, Amazing Design (New) – Set 1, 10:05-11:20, Period 2
Course Title: Anatomy Adventures: Amazing Design (New)
Mentor-Teacher: Alaina & April Pekary
Course Length: 16 weeks, every other week
When: Fridays, 10:05-11:20
Fee payable to April Pekary: $30 / month for Lower Academy
Materials Fee: $25 one time only
Questions: April & Alaina Pekary, april@handshigh.com

Course Description: Learning Basic Anatomy is a wonderful way to show how amazing our Creator is. It also makes an extensive
amount of biology a lot easier to learn. This class is designed for kids to have a wonderful time with their friends learning about
Anatomy. I am designing lessons focused around experiments and dissections related to parts of the body that are extra fantastically
designed, such as blood clotting, the eye, the circulatory system, and many others. This will be an all-new class.

Course Content: In each class we will do fun activities and experiments, including a number of dissections such as a sheep‟s heart
and brain, and a cow‟s eye. Squeamish students will not be required to handle the specimens, but they must be willing to watch
closely. We will also perform experiments such as blood typing, and microscope activities. Written work will include some
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worksheets, tests, and lab write-ups. Students will play games to learn, just like in my previous classes, and earn “crazy creation cash”
that they can spend on prizes. Each class we will feature a new memory verse related to what we are studying.

Class Expectations:
- Parents will check over the assignment handout and make sure their child has completed their work each week.

- Active participation in class discussion and activities.
- Students will be expected to complete a bi-weekly homework assignment by the next class and hand it in.
- When handling specimens, microscope, and other equipment it is important to be carefully attentive and follow directions.
- Carelessness or disregard of the teacher's instructions can not be tolerated, and students will lose the privilege of handling equipment.

Handing in Assignments: - Each class, students will hand in their assignments. They will be graded by the teacher and given back
the next class time. Though the scores will be recorded and can be requested by the parent to compare records, no grade will be given
for this class.

Bring to class every day:
Pencils
Colored pencils
Binder to file handouts, memory verses and lab writeups

Grading and Assessment: Students will study for a test each week during class, and then complete the test at home. Homework
should take about two hours every two weeks between classes, though students could spend more time if they‟re interested.

Curriculum: I am developing this curriculum, so there is no required text for this course.

About Your Mentor-Teacher: see the end of this document

Contacting the Teacher: If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to send Alaina Pekary an e-mail at
April@handshigh.com or call at (650) 327-5433.

Private Vocal Lessons – see Period 1

Drama Class – 12:00-1:15, Period 3
Course Title: Drama Class
Mentor-Teacher: April Pekary
Course Length: Two Semesters, 32 weeks
Fee Payable to April Pekary: $50 / month
Credit Classification: Performing Arts
Materials Fee: $20 payable to Bayside Community Church
Minimum & Maximum Class Size: 10 and ..
Questions: April Pekary, april@handshigh.com

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Prerequisite: The willingness to stand up and perform, OR assist as student director/ producer/ props/ sound/ lights/ tech, etc. Good
reading ability will be helpful, but not imperative if the student is willing to work hard.

Course Description: This is an acting class for all levels of actors. This class will include elements of acting, doing small skits and
performing for the Heart community at Pulse night. Most classes will open with acting exercises to sharpen communication skills.
The majority of our time will be spent practicing and developing plays and skits to perform at Heart Academy Pulse Nights 3 times
per year and/or at lunch hours. We will not require large amounts of rehearsal time outside of class.
Interested students will be encouraged to write and develop their own plays and skits. Feel free to contact me over the summer with
ideas or scripts you are working on. Search the web for scripts we can use, or write your own! We want to encourage as much student
leadership as possible.

Class Expectations: All students will be expected to participate in each assignment and Pulse night event unless specific written
permission is given by a parent in advance of casting the performance. Each student will be cast in the Pulse night event. After casting,
the student will be expected to be at Pulse night and all classes (rehearsals) leading up to the performance. Pulse dates are November
12, March 25 and May 27.
 Binder for scripts, tech week schedules, and notes
 Lined paper for note taking (in the binder)
 Enthusiasm!!

Workload: The amount of homework will vary greatly. The student will sometimes be required to prepare a short speech or
performance as an acting exercise. Students who are interested may spend a lot of time writing plays/skits/songs. At the beginning of
learning new plays/skits, students will be required to memorize their lines diligently, which may take extra time for a few weeks
depending on the student‟s part.

Grading and Assessment: Students will be evaluated based on participation, preparation, cooperation, and servanthood. It takes a lot
of self-control in a fun class like Drama, and a lot of work for successful dramatic productions. We will all need to serve each other,
no matter how big or small our acting parts are.

Curriculum: We will be using teacher-designed exercises and assignments, and researching and developing our own plays, so no
specific outside curriculum will be necessary.

About Your Mentor-Teacher: See the end of this document.

Contacting the Teacher: If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to send April Pekary or send an e-mail
at April@handshigh.com or call at (650) 327-5433.

American Sign Language 1 – 12:00-1:15, Period 3
Course Title: American Sign Language 1
Mentor-Teacher: Deborah Weaver
Course Length: Two Semesters
When: Fridays, 12:00-1:15
Cost: $50 / month
Credit Classification: Foreign Language
Materials Fee: $5 one time only
Minimum Class Size: 5
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Questions: Email Deborah at weaver.deborah@gmail.com ; phone (415)335-0193
Prerequisite: none
Course Description: This course is an introduction to American Sign Language (ASL). It includes basic grammar, vocabulary,
fingerspelling, numbers, and cultural information related to the Deaf community. It will include instruction, PowerPoint
presentations, modeling, conversation, and classroom activities followed up with optional but valuable homework assignments using
language learning activities online.

Class Expectations: Attendance and punctuality are very important. Students should be attentive and willing to participate in
conversation and activities without the use of voice.

Bring to class every day: Your textbook, pen and notebook for taking notes.

Workload: For all students: Practice lesson content with a partner each week (a family member works fine).
Prepare for quizzes. Present a dialogue along with a fellow student as a final project.
For High School students: A research paper will be required as well.

Grading and Assessment: I will create an evaluation for each of the students based on class participation and each of the quizzes and
assignments mentioned above.

Curriculum:
*Required: American Sign Language The Easy Way (Second Edition), by David A. Stewart, Elizabeth Stewart
Jessallyn Little, Barron‟s Educational Series, 2007.
*Optional: Random House Webster‟s Concise American Sign Language Dictionary
*Website: www.lifeprint.com The Lifeprint Curriculum is a discourse-based curriculum.

About Your Mentor-Teacher: Deborah Weaver, for the last 20 years, has been homeschooling six children. Before that she received
a BA in Communicative Disorders and spent several years as an interpreter for the Deaf in a variety of settings including legal,
medical, and educational, as well as in church. She has also taught sign language classes to adults and in home school co-op settings.

Contacting the Teacher: The best way to contact me is by email at weaver.deborah@gmail.com (or in case of immediate need, by
cell phone at (415)335-0193. Please use this number only for very short calls.

Hands-On Science (ALL NEW MODULES!) –Set 1, 12:00-1:15 pm, Period 3
Course Title: Hands-On Science ALL NEW MODULES!
Mentor-Teacher: Cara Galleher
Course Length: Two Semesters, 16 weeks, every other week.
Type of Class: Group Class (3rd – 8th grade) through HEART Academy
*This is not solely an elementary-level class, as projects and principles are appropriate for all ages!
When: Every other Friday, 12:00 – 1:15 pm.
Cost: $30 / month
Lab Fee: $15/semester
Minimum & Maximum Class Size: 10 - 20
Questions: Cara Galleher, 408-741-1103, galleherfam@comcast.net

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Prerequisite: Students should be able to follow verbal and written directions, have good reading and writing skills, and be willing to
work in a small group to complete labs. HEART Academy encourages parents to be involved in the classroom experience as much as
possible. If you want to attend class with your children, I welcome you.

Course Description: I have been teaching this Hands-On Science course for 9 years at Valley Christian Elementary School in San
Jose. Each lesson is accompanied by an extensive power point presentation, guided practice worksheet, and hands-on lab. Most
lessons will provide students with take-home projects, although some labs are better suited to working with in-class materials only.
Students will learn a vast array of life science, physical science, and earth science principles. Students will also prepare a “What I
Learned” review sheet at the end of each lab. I will take their picture with their project weekly for inclusion in their lab binder.

This program serves to:
-reinforce students‟ knowledge in God‟s Truth as revealed in the physical world
-provide students with solid science instruction in all disciplines of science (life science, physical science, earth science)
-engage students through hands-on experiences which reinforce concepts learned
-excite students‟ interest in the discipline of science through a motivating, completion-oriented approach that capitalizes on their
background knowledge and moves them to a more complete understanding of science concepts.

My hope for your student is that he/she would develop of love of science through hands-on experiences and understand that even
difficult concepts are not too hard to comprehend when they are applied in project-based learning. I would love to be part of instilling
an interest in your student for a possible future science major.

Topics to Be Covered: Students will participate in 16 unique labs which will most-likely include (but are not limited to) the following:

-Plant Structure and Function: Roots, Stems, and Leaves (Lab: Sprouting Seeds and Dendrochronology)
-Earthworm Structure and Function (Lab: Live Earthworm Analysis)
-Fungi Structure and Function (Lab: Mushroom Dissection and Spore Print)
-Grasshopper Structure and Function (Lab: Grasshopper Dissection)
-Magnetism (Lab: Analysis of Magnetic and Non-Magnetic Materials)
-Electromagnets (Lab: Build an Electromagnet)
-Electricity (Building a Simple Circuit with a Switch)
-Anamorphosis (Lab: Create Your Own Anamorphic Art)
-Optical Illusions (Lab: The Café Wall Illusion)
-Fire (Lab: Building Your Own Fire Extinguisher)
-Polymers (Lab: From Glue to Glob)
-How do Rockets Work? (Lab: Build Your Own Puff Rocket)
-Genetics (Lab: Phenotypes vs. Genotypes)
-DNA (Lab: Build a model of a DNA molecule)
-The Five Senses (Lab: Fun with the 5 Senses)
-Respiratory System (Lab: Build a Working Lung Model)

Class Expectations: Students will be asked to attend respectfully to the lesson, raise hands for questions, and take notes on a guided
practice worksheet. Students will work in teams of 2-3 or independently to complete their labs. In consideration of safety to students
and proper care of lab equipment, students using science supplies improperly will be asked to relinquish the privilege of completing
the lab.

Handing in Assignments: Students will be assigned a “What I Learned” review sheet at the end of each lab. I will provide a picture
of them with their project for inclusion in their lab binder upon completion of the “What I Learned” worksheet. All students will
finish the class with a completed lab notebook chronicling their work in 16 labs. Students‟ lab notebooks will contain lesson overview
sheets, completed guided-practice worksheets, “What I Learned” review sheets, and photos of in-class projects.

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Students must bring daily:
-1” 3-ring binder (preferably with clear sleeve on outside, so students can design their own binder insert) with 16 dividers for labeling
labs.
-Pencil pouch with pencils, colored pencils or twist-up crayons (no markers), eraser, scissors, ruler, black sharpie, small bottle of
white glue, and gluestick.

Materials/Curriculum: As I have developed each lesson in this course, there is no required textbook. Students may be asked to read
certain articles or perform virtual dissections in preparation for upcoming labs.

Grading and Assessment: This class is unevaluated. There is no homework other than the “What I Learned” worksheet and
occasional online activities to reinforce topics learned. Parents are encouraged to assign additional research in the areas we study for
inclusion in the lab binder. Students are welcome to share any extension work they‟ve done with the class.

About Your Mentor-Teacher: See the end of this docuemnt

Contacting the Teacher: Cara Galleher, 408-741-1103, galleherfam@comcast.net

Thank you for the privilege of working with your student.

Elementary Writing (Grades 4+) - Set 2, 11:45-1:05, Period 3
Focus: This class will focus on helping your child to write with stylistic techniques
Course length: This class will meet on alternating Fridays for 8 months
Mentor-Teacher: Cheryl Meng
When: Alternating Fridays
Class Fee: $30 per month
Materials Fee: $20
Questions contact: Cheryl Meng cmeng1@juno.com
Recommendation/Prerequisite: This class highly recommends that parents sit in and learn the concepts with the children because
they are young and will need help at home.
Minimum students: 5

Course Description: This course is designed to take elementary and early junior high school students through The Institute for
Excellence in Writing’s Structure and Style course. Like Benjamin Franklin, students will learn using this classical system, which
stresses modeling through key word outlines, and builds a firm foundation of specific skills that will enhance their writing. As
students practice each technique, they develop confidence and improve writing skills. A Vocabulary curriculum, Vocabulary from
Classical Roots, Book A, will also be taught.

Recommendation/Prerequisites: Students should be able to identify nouns, verbs, subjects and write a basic, short sentence.

Texts and Materials List:

Optional: IEW, Teaching Writing: Structure and Style by Andrew Pudewa
Required: Vocabulary from Classical Roots, Book A by Norma Fifer/Nancy Flowers available through Amazon (make sure it has not
been written in) or through EPS, www.epsbooks.com
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Binder 8 ½ X 11, at least 1 1/2 inches deep
Ruled paper
Notebook dividers including sections labeled:
Assignment Sheets - (empty until given)
Compositions (ruled paper)
Vocabulary Quizzes
Word Banks – (empty until given)
Notes (ruled paper)
Portable hole punch (these fit onto the binder posts)
ZIP POCKET, which fits into the binder, containing:
Pens - at least 4 (Students may use pencil if preferred)
Red pens (2) or any other color that is easily seen against their other pen colors

Your binder is not to be inspected or graded in any way. However, creating and maintaining an orderly system will serve you well
throughout the busy year ahead. Set yourself up to be successful!

Course Requirements / Workload
An assignment sheet will be given to and reviewed with the students in class during each session, as well as e-mailed to the parents by
the Monday after each class. Please read it ASAP to allow yourself the maximum time benefit for the assignments. Please print a
copy for yourself so that you can more easily track your student's progress. Students should be prepared to write a paragraph as
homework after each class, practicing what was learned and modeled during class.

Class Expectations: Attendance and punctuality. Please be in class on time, ready to start, and prepared for the day’s material,
putting distractions aside so we can all glean the most benefit from our time together. Please let the Mentor-Teacher know, as soon
as you know, if you are planning an absence so we can discuss what you would like to do about the assignments.
Participation in class discussions – have a willing heart and mind to learn.
Completion of assignments – all work should be completed neatly and reflect your best efforts.
You will work on your own with your parent’s help as needed during the week. If at any time you need help, I will expect you to call
or e-mail me so you can receive the help you need before you feel frustrated.

As your Mentor-Teacher I am committed to providing instruction, examples, modeling of new material, and encouragement to you. I
will be evaluating your work. If you have questions, I encourage you to ask questions during class or contact me during the week. My
goal is to work with you, forming a team to improve your writing skills and confidence.

Assessment System: Parent involvement in discussion and evaluation of students' work is a priority. Teachers will be available to
parents as needed, to answer questions, or simply be sounding boards for discussion. The student will have a portfolio of their work
at the end of the course. We want to do everything we can to assist you in this endeavor.
A teacher created evaluation will be provided for every student, which may be used as record of accomplishment to help you ascertain
grades for your report cards. All evaluations have the number of writing assignments completed, a description of accomplishments,
participation, and challenges, and recommendations for future work. The student name, course, date of completion, and Mentor-
Teacher signature are also included.

About Your Teacher – Cheryl Meng: Her bio is at the end of this document.

Contacting the Teacher: If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to send Cheryl Meng an e-mail at
cmeng1@juno.com or call at (408) 226-2370.


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3/17/2010 11:51:45 AM

Come to the first class having completed the following: Write a five-sentence paragraph on any topic you choose WITHOUT
parental correction or guidance. If you have never written a paragraph, write five sentences to the best of your ability.


Elementary Cooking – Set 1, 12:00-1:15 pm, Period 3
Focus: To learn how to use utensils, cook simple snacks, and meals
Mentor-Teacher: Dina Gonzalez
When: Alternating Fridays, 1:10-2:30 pm
Class Fee: $30 per month
Materials Fee: $16.00 for book
Questions contact Dina Gonzalelez at 281-9317 or 710-8929
Recommendation/Prerequisite: A willingness to learn.

Course Description: This class will introduce the student to simple cooking techniques appropriate for elementary children. The
goal of this course is to instill a desire to help in the kitchen. This is a hands-on course on how to prepare easy lunches, easy pastries,
cookies, easy breakfasts, and dinners. The students will learn how prepare and cook their projects during class and then their
homework is to make it at home. This is going to be a very fun class!

Materials Needed:
- apron
- small cutting board
- knife
- container for above items
- ponytail holder (if child has long hair)

Book Required: DK Children‟s Cookbook. I have already purchased the book for you. You will receive it on the first day of class.
The cost of the book is $15.58 including tax.

Requirements:
- active participation in class
- bring ingredients that you signed up for
- review ahead of time the vocabulary words that will be in that weeks recipe
- prepare the recipe that was taught in class for family

My hope and desire for your child is not to only learn how to cook, but to enjoy and have fun cooking. I also hope that it will be a time
your family will bond together and just make it a fun family time. I would also like to challenge you to use the skills that they are
learning to be a blessing to others; making cookies for grandparents, cooking a meal for a family in need, just reaching out to others by
blessing them with a sweet treat. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Home # 408.281.9317
Email dina1970@sbcglobal.net



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Intermediate Jazz Dance –Weekly, 1:20-2:35, Period 4
Focus: Learning different Jazz steps such as privets, kick-ball changes, sashays, jazz squares and more. We will be applying those
steps to different combinations. I will also be emphasizing performance through games and fun!
Grades: 3-8
Mentor-Teacher: Jessica Allen
Course length: 2 semesters, every Friday
Type of course: Group class through HEART Academy When: Friday, 2:30-3:55
Class Fee payable to Jessica Allen: $50 per month
Questions: contact Jessica Allen jea4him@comcast.net
Material Fee: Small costume fee, TBA

Required Material: Black jazz shoes and clothes you can stretch in. (Ask for examples)

Course Description: In any type of dance, technique, persistence, performance, personality, fun and praise are necessary ingredients
to a successful student. This class will allow your child to blossom in these areas. Because this class is geared toward young
beginners, it is intended to be an introduction to dance. Little or no experience is required. As the year moves forward, they will
advance in their knowledge of technique and performance.

Course Content:
My goals for this course are:
 Technique and persistence: We will be learning different stretches, jazz steps and combinations. During the course, students will
learn the fundamentals of Step-touch, pivot, kick ball-change, sashay, jazz square, grape vine and more. We will be applying
these to a combination in class.
 Performance: Not only do these kids get the chance to learn dance but they receive an opportunity to apply it! During our annual
PULSE meetings, the students will perform for our HEART community. There may be a small costume fee. We will be hosting a
few recitals for the class individually.
 Personality and fun: During a performance, it is also important to express yourself. The stage can be a scary place! But it doesn‟t
have to be. While combining games and experience, I will also enforce the fundamentals of performance. This includes smiling,
being comfortable on stage and discovering a way to convey your child‟s fun and unique personality through dance.
 Praise: God gave us the gift of dance! It is important to acknowledge that. Through whatever we do, He should be glorified.
Whether we are performing a worship ballad or a musical theater song, the state of our heart is what matters. Our attitude, spirit
and mind should be centered on his will. That is the most important part of dance and anything you put your mind too.

Dance will allow your child to shine freely. I hope you can join me for this exciting year.

Required Material: Black jazz shoes and a tba book.

Contacting the Teacher: If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to send Jessica Allen an e-mail at
jea4him@comcast.net or call at (408) 712-8057.



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Hands-On Science (ALL NEW MODULES!) – Fridays, 12:00-1:15 pm, Period 4, Set 1
Course Title: Hands-On Science ALL NEW MODULES!
Mentor-Teacher: Cara Galleher
Course Length: Two Semesters, 16 weeks, every other week.
Type of Class: Group Class (3rd – 8th grade) through HEART Academy
*This is not solely an elementary-level class, as projects and principles are appropriate for all ages!
When: Every other Friday, 12:00 – 1:15 pm.
Cost: $30 / month
Lab Fee: $15/semester
Minimum & Maximum Class Size: 10 – 20 (This class will open when Period 3 is full)
Questions: Cara Galleher, 408-741-1103, galleherfam@comcast.net

Prerequisite: Students should be able to follow verbal and written directions, have good reading and writing skills, and be willing to
work in a small group to complete labs. HEART Academy encourages parents to be involved in the classroom experience as much as
possible. If you want to attend class with your children, I welcome you.

Course Description: I have been teaching this Hands-On Science course for 9 years at Valley Christian Elementary School in San
Jose. Each lesson is accompanied by an extensive power point presentation, guided practice worksheet, and hands-on lab. Most
lessons will provide students with take-home projects, although some labs are better suited to working with in-class materials only.
Students will learn a vast array of life science, physical science, and earth science principles. Students will also prepare a “What I
Learned” review sheet at the end of each lab. I will take their picture with their project weekly for inclusion in their lab binder.

This program serves to:
-reinforce students‟ knowledge in God‟s Truth as revealed in the physical world
-provide students with solid science instruction in all disciplines of science (life science, physical science, earth science)
-engage students through hands-on experiences which reinforce concepts learned
-excite students‟ interest in the discipline of science through a motivating, completion-oriented approach that capitalizes on their
background knowledge and moves them to a more complete understanding of science concepts.

My hope for your student is that he/she would develop of love of science through hands-on experiences and understand that even
difficult concepts are not too hard to comprehend when they are applied in project-based learning. I would love to be part of instilling
an interest in your student for a possible future science major.

Topics to Be Covered: Students will participate in 16 unique labs which will most-likely include (but are not limited to) the following:

-Plant Structure and Function: Roots, Stems, and Leaves (Lab: Sprouting Seeds and Dendrochronology)
-Earthworm Structure and Function (Lab: Live Earthworm Analysis)
-Fungi Structure and Function (Lab: Mushroom Dissection and Spore Print)
-Grasshopper Structure and Function (Lab: Grasshopper Dissection)
-Magnetism (Lab: Analysis of Magnetic and Non-Magnetic Materials)
-Electromagnets (Lab: Build an Electromagnet)
-Electricity (Building a Simple Circuit with a Switch)
-Anamorphosis (Lab: Create Your Own Anamorphic Art)
-Optical Illusions (Lab: The Café Wall Illusion)
-Fire (Lab: Building Your Own Fire Extinguisher)
-Polymers (Lab: From Glue to Glob)


Page 23 of 32
3/17/2010 11:51:45 AM

Lower Academy Course Catalog 2010 2011

Lower Academy Course Catalog 2010 2011

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Lower Academy Course Catalog 2010 2011