Fine Arts & Other Elective Courses

List of Courses:

• Studio Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

• 3D Art/Mixed Media (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

• Dramatic Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

• Photographic Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

• Cinematic Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

• Culinary Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended (Details Coming Soon!)

• *Honors Apologetics (10 credits, Fall Semester Only) - 10th-12th grade recommended | *out-of-pocket

• *Economics (5 credits, Spring Semester Only) - 10th-12th grade recommended | *out-of-pocket

• US Government (5 credits, Fall Semester Only) - 10th-12th grade recommended

• Independent Study Economics (5 credits, Spring Semester Only) - 10th-12th grade recommended

• Dual Enrollment courses through Santiago Canyon College - Click here to learn more!

  • THEA 100 - Introduction to Theater (3 credits)

  • MUSC 101 - Music Appreciation (3 credits)

  • PSYC 100 - Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)

  • COMM 110 - Introduction to Communication (3 credits)

Studio Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

The Studio Arts class equips students to interact with the world with an understanding of beauty and truth. This course will give students an enriching experience by allowing them to explore a breadth of visual art mediums inside and outside of the classroom. Students will receive the opportunity to discover and strengthen their skills in the visual art categories of painting, drawing, sculpting, design, mixed media, and more. Students will also learn about the world of art by focusing on a variety of artists from different cultures and time periods. This course will guide students in creating a portfolio of work that will showcase their own artistic journey. By the end of this course, students will have an enriched understanding of the visual art forms from technical training in drawing, painting, sculpture, designing, and more techniques to developing creative projects centered on expression and communication.

Materials for Studio Arts:

• TBD

3D Art/Mixed Media (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

In this class you will have the opportunity to challenge your creativity in exploring many new art forms.

From three-dimensional illusion drawing, to paper crafting, mosaics on tiles, printmaking and stenciling, sun, catchers, clay, and collages, students will create colorful, layered projects that encourage imagination and self-expression. Students will also explore how to make their artwork come to life using basic principles of depth, perspective, light, and shadow. Through guided activities, students will develop fine motor skills, learn about color, texture, and composition, and gain confidence in experimenting with new ideas. This class provides a playful yet structured introduction to visual art, helping build a strong foundation for creativity and artistic growth.

Materials for 3D Art/Mixed Media:

• TBD

Culinary Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

Course Overview:
This hands-on cooking class is designed for high school students eager to discover the joys of cooking while gaining essential culinary skills. Throughout the course, students will learn about food safety, explore a variety of dishes, and develop confidence in the kitchen. From appetizers to desserts, this class will equip students with the knowledge and techniques to create delicious meals.

Course Content:

1. Food Safety
• Understanding foodborne illnesses and prevention
• Safe food handling practices
• Importance of cleanliness and organization in the kitchen
• Proper storage and cooking temperatures

2. Appetizers
• Techniques for preparing simple and elegant starters
• Exploration of dips, spreads, and finger foods
• Importance of presentation and garnishing

3. Salads, Dressings and Side Dishes
• Cooking methods for vegetables, grains, and legumes
• Balancing flavors and textures in meals
• Creating healthy and creative side options

4. Breads

• Fundamentals of bread-making, including kneading and proofing
• Exploring different types of bread: yeast, quick, and flatbreads
• The role of bread in various cuisines and meals

5. Sauces

• Introduction to basic sauces (mother sauces and derivatives)
• Flavor enhancement techniques
• Pairing sauces with various dishes for optimal taste

6. Main Meals

• Cooking a variety of proteins: meats, poultry, and plant-based options
• Techniques for roasting, sautéing, and braising
• Meal planning and balancing nutritional needs

7. Desserts

Homemade ice cream 

Learning Outcomes:

• Master fundamental cooking techniques and methods
• Develop an understanding of food safety protocols
• Create a variety of dishes across different categories
• Gain confidence in meal planning and preparation

Class Format:

• Lecture, demos hands-on cooking: Students will actively participate in cooking sessions, allowing them to practice techniques and recipes.
• Culinary Challenges: Friendly competitions to inspire creativity and skill application.

This course promises an engaging environment where students can explore their culinary creativity while learning valuable life skills. By the end of the year, students will be equipped to impress friends and family with their culinary creations!

Materials for Culinary Arts:

• Apron

• 2 dish towels

• Pot holders

Dramatic Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

In this class, students will be introduced to many different elements of the dramatic arts. They will explore various performance techniques, acting, dancing and theatrical terminology. Students will learn how to serve others with their unique set of gifts. This class emphasizes both group and individual growth and development through group games, exercises, scenes and dances and through individual monologues and/or songs. Through the course of this class, students will gain performance experience through various performances including a first semester showcase and an end of year all co-op historical event! No previous experience necessary.

Photographic Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

Through this course, students will receive an enriching experience of photography that will guide them in understanding the art of seeing and light. Students will have the opportunity to capture the world around them through their own lens and the lens of others. Students will also learn about the world of photography by focusing on a variety of artists and cultures from different locations and time periods. This course will guide students in creating a portfolio of work that will showcase not only their artistic abilities, but also their own journey of self-expression.

Materials for Photographic Arts:

• TBD

Cinematic Arts (10 credits) - 7th-12th grade recommended

 “For me, the cinema is not a slice of life, but a piece of cake”

         ~ Alfred Hitchcock (Director)

Introduction: 

Cinema stands as one of today’s most significant art forms. It has become an artistry that is both created and consumed by the modern individual and the masses. In this course, students will have the opportunity to interact with a variety of film mediums, getting to critique and appreciate films, and pursue their own projects. Within Cinema, there are a variety of art avenues: set and costume design, sound, choreography, videography—to name a few. Students will get to participate in these avenues of art in both individual short film projects, and group projects. Students will learn film set protocol— organization, time management, and communication skills. Along with this, students will grow in their ability to critique and appreciate films that shape the world around us. One central question students will be asked is ‘What makes a film good, true, and beautiful?’ 

Main Objectives: 

1. Equip 

   1. Students will be equipped with tools for how to produce a film. 

      1. This includes: pre-production (planning and scripting), production (directing and cinematography), and post-production (editing and sound). 

2. Enlighten 

   1. Students will be enlightened on the history and present production of cinematic art. 

      1. This is to cultivate further delight, appreciation, and understanding for the mediums within cinema. 

3. Enhance 

   1. Students' creative and receptive skills in the cinematic arts will be enhanced, to express the classical pillars of truth, goodness, and beauty. 

      1. This is accomplished by examining films and our own projects with the central question ‘What makes a good, true, and beautiful film?’ 

First semester: 

During the first semester students will learn the history of filmmaking and the art of storytelling through cinema. This will be paired with independent and group film projects. The class is set up on a rotating system: Study day, Studio day, Workshop day, and Critique day. Within these two week units, students will get an in-depth understanding of film history, film technique—specific to the unit,  and an opportunity to participate in the dialogue of “What makes a film good, true, and beautiful?” during class discussions and activities. 

Second Semester: 

During the second semester we will progress in the length and complex techniques within filmmaking. Students will be working towards an all class project of learning how to create a 15-20min short film (which will be featured at the end of the year to show their hard yet fun work!). This part of the semester will be more project heavy, focusing on skills such as “Script-writing,” and “Editing.” While students would have dabbled in these skills the previous semester, they will get to hone in on the complexities and enablings of these skills for their final projects. 

By the end of this course, students will have an enriched understanding of the cinematic arts industry. They will learn about its technical inner workings, take part in its team-oriented production style, and critically assess the communication found in existing movies and shows, as well as their own stories.

Students will grow in mastery over cinema by:

• Gaining interpersonal skills required to work in a group

• Weekly film technique discussion centered around various video mediums

• Reflective and Investigative assignments using their junk journals

• Presenting and critiquing each other's work to grow in trust of themselves and others

• Working in groups to create short films, as well as telling individual stories

Overall this class is designed to build on itself.  We start with the basics of storytelling and why it is the foundation of cinema– and we end with a full circle moment of the whole class telling a story together–using their new found love of cinema, inspirations, and creative skills.

Materials for Cinematic Arts:

• TBD

*Honors Apologetics (5 credits, Fall Semester Only) - 10th-12th grade recommended

This apologetics class is not just intended to equip students to defend various Christian truths and doctrines, but in the process, we will examine the proper understanding of human nature on the Christian worldview and how we can use these truths to pursue Christlike character, true human flourishing, and furthering God’s kingdom within the culture we find ourselves in today. We will be surveying many different topics this year and examining the ways in which both the church fathers and contemporary theologians and philosophers defend various Christian doctrines. Here’s a sample of different topics:

• What is the relationship between faith and reason?

• Examining different arguments for God’s existence: the cosmological argument, the Leibnizian argument, The teleological argument, the moral argument, and the ontological argument

• The resurrection of Christ: addressing Hime’s objection to the recognition of miracles

• The logical and probabilistic problem of evil

• Examining and defending the doctrine of the Trinity

• Examining and defending the doctrine of the Incarnation

• Divine Eternity: what is God’s relationship to time?

• Examining and defending the doctrine of Divine Omniscience

• Understanding and defending other divine attributes

• Defending Christian particularism: what is the fate of the unevangelized?

*out-of-pocket

Economics (5 credits, Spring Semester Only) - 10th-12th grade recommended

This semester-long course will provide the student with a broad perspective of basic economic principles. Much of the course will involve exploring real life illustrations of how economic principles are at work, both in personal and global settings.  The student will also learn about major thinkers that have shaped contemporary economic theory.  Special attention will be paid to the role the entrepreneurial spirit plays in our economy. Students will also be reading newspaper articles, web sites, magazines, and other printed articles to supplement the book, as well as viewing several on-line documentaries.

Materials:

• Economics In One Lesson: The Shortest and Surest Way to Understand Basic Economics, by Henry Hazlitt

U.S. Government (5 credits, Fall Semester Only) - 10th-12th grade recommended

"A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny". Thomas Jefferson.  This course will inform and educate the student in the different forms of government, the history pertaining to the establishment of our American government, the men who created it, and how our government is organized and instituted. They will know, not just facts and dates, but why they, themselves, are an important part of how our government works. Through the reading of our founding documents, companion papers and rich discussion we will engage in becoming a “well informed citizenry”, so as to be able to defend ourselves against tyranny and continue our remarkable and brilliant Republic.

Materials for U.S. Government:

• American Heritage: A Reader by Hillsdale College Faculty