Welcome to my home page!

Since 1996, I've taught courses using web lectures, interactive quizzes, and live chat over the internet to junior high and high school home schoolers, their parents, and others seeking a solid foundation in the sciences as preparation for whatever ministry God calls them to perform in His world. At the moment, I'm rather busy improving the Scholars Online website, so this particular page is somewhat minimal. I plan to grow it over the coming months. In the meantime, I recommend that you explore the rest of the Scholars Online site using the links at the left, and especially encourage you to visit the science page, which lists the courses we will be offering this summer and during the academic year, as well as links to frequently asked questions about our science sequence, and our approach to teaching science.

Summer Sessions

Introduction to Programing using SCRATCH

An introduction to programming using the SCRATCH animation programming platform developed at MIT to present basic concepts such as command sequence, if-then-else control, user and event triggered actions, and communication between threaded processes — although we don't call it that: here we call it broadcasting messages to sprites!

The Chemical History of the Candle

An introduction to fundamental concepts of chemistry and its experimental procedures, using the 1861 Faraday Christmas Lectures on The Chemical History of the Candle as a springboard for discussions of matter, elements, energy, gases, electrolysis, and heat. Students must complete a basic set of experiments, but advanced students planning to take AP Chemistry in the fall may complete experiments designed to fulfill AP requirements.

The Forces of Nature

An introduction to fundamental concepts of physics and its experimental procedures, using the 1859 Faraday Christmas Lectures on The Forces of Matter as a springboard for discussions of gravity, adhesion and cohesion, electricity and magnetism. Students may opt to complete a basic set of experiments, but advanced students planning to take AP Chemistry in the fall may complete experiments designed to fulfill AP requirements.

Around the World in Nine Weeks

An introduction to geography and graphical data representation using internet resources to investigate how features on the Earth's surface influence weather, ecosystems, and human living conditions. Students will complete exercises each week to familiarize themselves with real locations and conditions on each continent.

Writing the Research Paper

A summer exercise to help students develop a disciplined approach to writing the research paper: a sustained activity requiring imagination, introspection, research, organization, and of course, writing!

Practical Grammar

Seven weeks to better writing by learning how to proofread for the most common grammatical errors.

Academic Year Current Course Descriptions

You can also go directly to the course description pages for my current academic year courses at Scholars Online.

Natural Science I and Natural Science II

This two-year course presents an overview of modern scientific theories from their historical perspective, and emphasizes the discover of scientific knowledge and the formulation of theories as part of the complex human experience.

Astronomy

A rare chance for high school students to take an introductory course in astronomy, this class is especially suited for students have already completed biology, but whose math skills may not yet be up to the challenge of intensive chemistry and physics, or as a special senior year course for students who have completed biology, chemistry, and physics already, and wish to apply their knowledge of basic principles to the whole universe.

Biology

An intensive introduction to microbiology, heredity, genetics, evolution, the diversity of species, human anatomy and physiology, plant anatomy and physiology, and ecology, designed help students appreciate and understand the complexity of living systems on Earth.

Chemistry

TAn intensive introduction to atomic structure, molecular bonding, electron configurations, thermodynamics, and reactivity, with special emphasis on equilibrium situations. Lab exercises are designed to challenge students with limited resources to develop accurate observation skills and to recognize and demonstrate fundamental chemical principles.

Physics

An intensive introduction to both classical and modern physics, including Newtonian mechanics, statics, thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, light and optics, relativity, quantum mechanics, and nuclear physics. Students welcoming a challenge can go beyond simple experiments to measure Earth's gravitational constant, observe high-energy reactions in a cloud chamber, and use available data to measure relativistic effects on satellites orbiting near the Earth.

mycroft's view of science (he's still learning: this diagram will grow and change!)

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Our site is still growing. If you can't find information that you need, please email us using the link below.