Curriculum
STAR does NOT provide curriculum, and it is not included in the price of the program. As a service to our families, we are partnering with a book distributor, MBS Direct, to offer a convenient way to order your books for STAR. Please allow adequate time for ordering materials from MBS Direct Biola Virtual Bookstore, or call your preferred distributor so that your students are prepared to begin course work at orientation.
MBS Direct Biola Virtual Bookstore link will be available after June 15, 2008.
The 2008-2009 Curriculum Summary Chart will be available in May 2008.
* The course levels listed in parentheses are guidelines. We realize that homeschoolers often cross grade-level "boundaries" for many subjects; therefore students are welcome to enroll in any class that suits their level of achievement. Please remember that our courses are college preparation level, and students will be expected to maintain these high standards. Please see the site class overviews for class days and times.
Many high schools require foreign language for graduation, and many colleges and universities look for this on high school transcripts. STAR classes fulfill this academic requirement and help students learn the language well enough for practical use.
Parent Expectations: Memorization is a vital part of any foreign language program. Please make sure students are drilled in vocabulary, have completed the assigned course work and are familiar with any audio/visual resources.
Our humanities program focuses on composition and literature at every level. In some courses, students are immersed in the history and cultures of the world, as well as history’s influence on art. Students participate in hands-on projects, give oral presentations, and write reports. The methods of the Institute for Excellence in Writing program are used in composition instruction in the 7th, 8th, and 9th grade levels.
Parent Expectations: Please proofread all papers and assignments, and help students organize the large volume of papers and assignments necessary in a complete humanities program.
Research, consultation and experience have helped us select math materials excellent for their organization and presentation of college prep coursework. These texts provide step-by-step instruction and plenty of practice exercises along with periodic reviews and tests.
Parent Expectations: It is essential that parents consistently score math assignments. If parents are not personally able to provide this academic support, we recommend purchasing optional materials and/or obtaining private instruction. Parents should also ensure that students read and complete the practice problems before attempting the exercises.
All of our science classes incorporate lab work to let students not only read about God's amazing universe, but actually witness scientific principles in action. To allow for these hands-on activities, science class periods are an additional 20 minutes per week for junior high level courses and an additional 40 minutes per week for high school level.
Parent Expectations: Please check exercises for correctness, provide verbal review before tests and quizzes, proctor at-home testing times and make sure students learn the definitions of new words and keep up with their assigned work.
Our Spiritual Formation courses are a NEW emphasis in partnership with Biola Youth Ministry Outreach. Based on Jesus’ teaching, Christians are to love God with heart, mind, soul, and strength. With this as the goal, these classes take a holistic approach to the topic of spiritual growth. Course content is rooted in Scripture, rich in life-application, and facilitates an understanding of the practices of the Church through the ages. It will address the intellectual, affective, volitional, and corporate dimensions of life in Christ. Spiritual growth is viewed and developed as a relationship with a person that brings the creeds and principles of our faith to life.
Parent Expectations: Please pray regularly for your student, that their heart would be open to God’s work of formation in his or her life. Interact with your student regarding weekly assigned reading and be available and open to discuss any questions that arise from the reading and prayer projects.
Torrey Academy is more than an academic program; spiritual growth and a sense of community are the two key benefits that Torrey Academy students enjoy as a result of participating in Torrey Academy classes. Although the classes are challenging, they are designed to be accessible to students of all academic abilities starting in tenth grade. No "honors student" status is required to enroll, and the only prerequisites are the ability to write complete sentences and paragraphs, the ability to comprehend readings at a basic high school level, and a willingness to work diligently to complete the course assignments. Students of all academic abilities are encouraged to enroll in at least one year of Torrey Academy before graduation.
