Courses
Senior Course (14 yrs and up), $195, 14 week course – No Prerequisite
Crowning the world's north shone a vast land, where adventures were not the stuff of stories, but true. This was the land where bold voyageurs battled the elements, former pirates gave up their ways to seek the fabled Northwest Passage, and ancient peoples' legends twined through time to its beginning. This was the land where Black Robes shed their blood to bring faith, where a girl of fourteen commanded a fort garrison, and a curtain of snow allowed a militia of thirty to overcome an army of hundreds. This was the land of romance, daring, secrets, and the quest to triumph over the odds. This was Canada.
13 yrs and up, $185, 14 week course– No Prerequisite
You may know the stories, but do you know the action-packed progression of Biblical events? Have you any idea who the Philistines really were, or why the Israelites were so afraid of the Assyrians? Beginning with the events in the Garden of Eden students will witness the growth of the Hebrew people as a people cultivated and led by God, with its own heroes and heroines, carving out a place in a land sought after - and fought over - by the entire Ancient world. To better understand the backdrop of Biblical events students will gain an appreciation of the ever changing civilizations of the Fertile Crescent, Egypt, and the Mediterranean.
To Buy:
- The Bible
Week 1: Creation
- Readings:
- Genesis 1-9, The Bible
- The Fertile Crescent
Week 2: Sumer and Babylon
- Readings:
- Article on the Code of Hammurabi
- The Code of Hammurabi (read the intro and epilogue, and scan the rules)
- Article on the Epic of Gilgamesh
- The Epic of Gilgamesh
Week 3: Abraham
- Readings:
- Genesis 11:27-12:20; 15-18, The Bible
- Article on Ur of Chaldeans
Week 4: Into Egypt
- Readings:
- Genesis 37; 39-46:7; 47, The Bible
- Article on Egypt
- Egyptian Myth of Creation
- The Legend of Ra and Isis
- Article on the Book of the Dead
Week 5: The Exodus
- Readings:
- Exodus 4:27-31; 5; 6:1-13; 7-12; 14:5-31, 15; 19, The Bible
- Reading on the Egyptian gods and the plagues
Week 6: The Conquest of Canaan
- Readings:
- Numbers 13; Joshua 1-13; 23-24, The Bible
- Reading on Canaan
- Reading on the Gods and Goddesses of Canaan
Week 7: Judges
- Readings:
- Judges 1-16, The Bible
- Reading on the period of the Judges
Week 8: The United Monarchy
- Readings:
- 1 Samuel 3; 7-18; 2 Samuel 5:1-10; 7-8, 15-18; 1 Kings 1-2, 11, The Bible
- Reading on King David
- Reading on Kind Solomon
Week 9: The Divided Monarchy
- Reading:
- 1 Kings 11-12, 14-18, 2 Kings 9-11, 22-23, The Bible
Week 10: The Exilic Period
- Readings:
- 2 Kings 17; 2 Kings 24-25; Jeremiah 2, The Bible
- Medes/Persians: Herodotus: On the Customs of the Persians
- Greek Reports of Babylonia, Chaldea and Assyria (from Herodotus)
Week 11: The Post-Exilic Period
Week 12: From Alexander to Ptolemy I
- Readings:
Week 13: The Maccabean Revolt
- Reading:
- I Maccabees 1-5; Daniel 7-12, The Bible
Week 14: Herodian and Roman Rule
Parent/Child Course (10-12 yrs), $175, 14 week course – No Prerequisite
Before the time of Christ, children were still taught the beauty and power of the Good and the wickedness and ugliness of the Bad. Cultures turned to the gods, a fantastical set of beings with great powers who guarded the earth and her inhabitants with actions both beneficial and hazardous. This course steps back to the time of the Greek myths and tells the tale of the eternal battle of good versus evil through the eyes of these enduring stories of the gods and their antics. Parents and their child will enjoy learning of the wiliness of Hermes, the bravery of Apollo, the wisdom of Athena, and the trickery of Hades. Through the adventures of these gods both on Mount Olympus and on Earth, students and parents will travel deeper into their understanding of truth, loyalty, justice, mercy, love, and sacrifice. They will also discover the ways natural law has informed the morality of society and given mankind knowledge of the Good.
We recommend that parents review these works ahead of time to ensure they are a good fit for their children. Not all courses may be well-suited for each family, particularly when children are in a younger age range. We rely on parent discretion to determine whether or not a course will serve their child well.
Senior Course (14 yrs and up), $195, 14 week course – Prerequisite: One Intermediate Level course
Shakespeare – the man who captured all it is to be human! You’ve got a front-row ticket to the theatre, and the curtain is about to rise on some of the most gloriously gripping stories ever to drip from the Bard’s quill. Split your sides laughing at the endless duel of wits between Beatrice and Benedick. Quiver with suspense as the Duke of Gloucester, twisted in body and soul, weaves an intricate web of murders with the crown of England at the centre. Soar on the wings of the wind with the castaway wizard Prospero, as he magically conjures a storm to trap his enemies – but is it to obtain revenge or forgiveness? Best of all, interrogate these stories on a deeper level through Socratic discussion, tangling with the intricate truths and ethics at the heart of these incredible plays. With seven plays in all, this course spans all three Shakespearean genres – comedy, tragedy, and history – and dedicates two weeks to each play. Students are introduced to Shakespeare’s writing in an inviting way designed to build confidence, enjoyment, and fluency. Shakespeare meant for his plays to delight both the mind and heart, so “come away, come away,” and feast them both.
Senior Course (14 yrs and up), $335, 14 week course – Prerequisite: Intro to High School Writing
(If an interested student can demonstrate sufficient writing ability at a high school level, they can contact Nicole Noster, nicole@wisdomhomeschooling.com, for a possible exemption from the prerequisite.)
Sharpen the sword of your thought and make it clear, strategic, and effective! Writing an essay is so much more than cover pages and footnotes – it's the process of bringing truth to life in ink on the page! This simple, hands-on course demystifies the essay-writing process, walking students through the mechanics of writing argumentative, research, personal, and literary essays in a practical way. Students complete a writing assignment every week and study stellar examples of great writing to inspire their own work. They meet in class with other students to discuss the writing process, and receive a short private tutorial time weekly with the tutor.
Parent/Child Course (9-12 yrs), $185, 14 week course – No Prerequisite
Through several of Lucy M. Montgomery's stories, students and their parents will enjoy the delightful anecdotes and humorous, intriguing characters in delightful stories set in Canada. There are many valuable lessons, truths, and ideas to discover in these tales of the colourful residents of Prince Edward Island.
We recommend that parents review these works ahead of time to ensure they are a good fit for their children. Not all courses may be well-suited for each family, particularly when children are in a younger age range. We rely on parent discretion to determine whether or not a course will serve their child well.
To Buy
- Anne of Green Gables
- Pat of Silver Bush
- The Story Girl
All works are by Lucy Maud Montgomery. We highly recommend that these works be read as a hard copy, but online copies are available below.
NB: Some of Montgomery's books detail stories coloured by East Canadian culture which is inspired from its immigrant influence, eg. beliefs and legends from the Old World. These books may contain elements that are contextual to the story (such as a ghost story), but which serve a purpose in the work as a whole. As in all our courses, parents are encouraged to preview the reading lists to ensure that the books are a good fit for their child.
Intermediate Course (13 yrs and up), $195, 14 week course – No Prerequisite
Journey into Middle Earth through the readings of J.R.R. Tolkien. Read and discuss The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King). This class will go beyond the magic and adventure to explore themes of friendship, loyalty, sacrifice, sin, and redemption. Readings are long, so we do suggest that students are proficient readers.
Parent/Child Course (10-12 yrs), $175, 14 week course - No Prerequisite
The child and parent take this course together. This is a reading and discussion course. A delightful reading list will engage the child with quality writing and will form an interesting foundation for taking discussion deeper than mere comprehension. Students and their parents will find meaning in comparing their own experiences to those of timeless characters as they live through the challenges and joys that life provides them.
We recommend that parents review these works ahead of time to ensure they are a good fit for their children. Not all courses may be well-suited for each family, particularly when children are in a younger age range. We rely on parent discretion to determine whether or not a course will serve their child well.
Intermediate Course (13 yrs and up), $195, 14 week course – No Prerequisite
Is Fanny just a weak wimp? Which one is "Pride" and which one is "Prejudice"? Should Emma be sent to prison for her constant meddling? Find out for yourself! The Jane Austen course will cover three of Austen's books - Mansfield Park, Pride and Prejudice, and Emma. The character development and differences between Fanny, Lizzie and Emma will be discussed, as well as those topics and questions which will arise from the participants own critical reading of the text.
Senior Course (15 yrs and up), $195, 14 week course - Prerequisite: Foundational Great Books
Discover the world beyond political headlines and democratic institutions—the world that forged the path for the systems of government that dominate our international arena today. This course explores the primary thinkers in political philosophy, from Plato and Aristotle to Alexis De Tocqueville and John Locke. By digging into classic texts, we’ll consider the most fundamental questions about the very ideas that underpin the political sphere: What is justice? Is democracy the best form of government? What is just war? and What makes an ideal regime? Using socratic dialogue to engage with some of the greatest minds this world has ever seen, students will hone their critical thought, develop an arsenal of ideas for political critique, and come to understand politics as they have never understood it before.