Earth Science

Placement Information

Placement Process
One critical factor for restful learning is the proper placement of students. If you are unsure which level is the best fit for your student, reach out to the instructor you are considering. Once registered, anticipate contact regarding placement evaluations from instructors by May 15th and throughout the summer. Students must be enrolled to enter the placement process. Early placement exams may allow time for tutoring or additional review based on the outcomes. See more about placement evaluations in our Student-Parent Handbook.

Novare Science Placement
If placement evaluation is needed, please anticipate contact from instructors by May 15th and throughout the summer. Students must be enrolled in a course to receive a placement assessment.
Learn more about the Novare Science placement.

Earth Science is a multi-domain science course that holistically (and robustly!) studies the land underfoot, the sky overhead, the waters below, and the life that lives upon, within, and through this world. Starting with our place in the cosmos, we move through the world studying the rocks and minerals, earthquakes and volcanoes, weather and oceanography, and even the methods by which we claim knowledge about the Earth and its history. In the process, we integrate physical science with biology and chemistry to explore the world all around in an interconnected and interdisciplinary way.

While we use the textbook as a key reference on a daily basis, we just as often fly around the world using Google Earth to visit landmarks and examples of what we’re studying in the real world. Students routinely research on their own and in groups, reporting about their findings in class and engaging in meta-studies where we connect individual projects to discern greater patterns. From virtual backpacking trips to testing minerals in our back yards to creating accurate weekly weather forecasts, we bring our knowledge of Earth Science to real systems and real situations. We can truly say that while we cover our curriculum, we constantly uncover it, too, from the ground up.

At Scholé Academy, we have carefully considered how we should engage our contemporary culture as those who believe that Christ is the Truth (John 14:6), and that all truth has its source in him. We think it is important to provide our upper school students (in grades 7-12) with tools and opportunities for critically examining various cultural trends, issues and mores through the lens of orthodox, Christian beliefs. Being confident in the truth revealed to us in creation, the Scriptures, and the tradition of the church, we are not afraid to follow the truth and its implications nor to address error and falsehood. … Read more about our Faith & Culture.

Required Materials:
Books and supplies are not included in the purchase of the course.

Earth Science: God’s World, Our Home, 2nd Ed., by Kevin Nelstead, Novare Science and Math
Notebook paper
A binder or binder section devoted to the course
Ruler
Graph Paper
Lab Kit for use with Novare Earth Science

Mr. Chris Hall

[email protected]

Chris Hall has a BA in Philosophy from Gettysburg College and an MAT in Elementary Education from Towson University. He has been a classroom educator and administrator for 30 years, having served in public, independent, and classical schools. He is a lifelong practitioner of several common arts, a musician, an amateur radio operator (WR5WD), and the Founder of Always Learning Education, an organization dedicated to teaching, learning, and propagating the common arts.

Chris lives on a small, homesteaded farm in central Virginia with his wife and three homeschooled sons.

Mrs. Danielle Adams

[email protected]

Danielle (Dani) Adams, a graduate of Hillsdale College, holds a BS in Biochemistry and a minor in Jazz Music. Mrs. Adams has worked in various educational vocations for 13 years. She has also served as the vice-president of multiple Navy adjacent non-profit organizations during her time as an active-duty military spouse.
For the last 2 years she has worked in brick-and-mortar schools in Hampton Roads both as a teacher and curriculum director and helped to found a local classical school in Portsmouth, Virginia. She currently resides in Norfolk, Virginia with her husband, 4 children, 7 chickens, and dog named Arleigh Bark. A member of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) since 2016, Dani serves on the vestry of her local Anglican parish, St. Alban's, and has been an active member of the parish since its founding 2 years ago.
As an educator, Dani seeks to orient students toward the divine testimony God gives us through both nature and number, and prepare students to think critically about the nature of Truth. In the words of Kate Comstock- ""perhaps, half the falsehood in the world is due to a lack of power to detect truth and express it."" She desires to give her students both empirical knowledge and an understanding of the epistemology behind it. Her guiding principal as a scientist and educator comes from the words of St. Augustine: “Fides quaerens intellectum,” faith seeking understanding.

Quarter 1

Introduction to Earth Science
Earth’s Orbit and Seasons
Phases of the Moon and Eclipses
Celestial Navigation
Latitude and Longitude
Map Projections
Topographic Maps
Atoms, Elements, and Crystals

Quarter 2

Gemstones
Mineral Classification and Properties
Mineral Resources and Mines
The Rock Cycle
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Fossil Fuels

Quarter 3

Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics
Plate Boundaries and Associated Landforms
Volcanoes
Earthquakes
Interior of the Earth
Sedimentary Processes: Transportation and Deposition, Differential Weathering
Soils
Soil Testing
Oceanography- Definitions, Seawater, Currents and Waves, Tides

Quarter 4

Marine Life
The Atmosphere- Properties, Energy, Circulation
Clouds and Precipitation
Air Masses and Fronts
Severe Weather
Weather Forecasting
Geologic Time, Relative Age, and Absolute Dating
Fossils
Overview of Earth’s Geologic History (Eras, Ages, Periods, Epochs)

Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be much better solutions, as they enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.

High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed Internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your Internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.

Webcam: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer. Webcam Recommendations: Good (PC only) | Best (Mac and PC)

Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class. Headset Recommendations: USB | 3.5mm

Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use. To download Zoom:

Visit zoom.us/download.
Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
Open and run the installer on your computer.
In August, students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.

Scanner: In this class, students frequently submit homework assignments by scanning pages from their workbooks. Students and/or their parents should have easy access to a scanner and the ability to use it.

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First, read the available course descriptions, noting prerequisites, target grades, and course objectives. If you think your student is prepared for the course, go ahead and register. After registration, a placement assessment may be provided to students, depending on the course and the student's previous enrollment with Scholé Academy. Registration is finalized when the student's placement assessment has been returned by the course instructor with placement confirmation.

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Read the Student-Parent Handbook.

Please take careful note of our teaching philosophy, our technology requirements, our school policies, the parent agreement, and the distinctions between our grade levels.

Double-check the course section dates and times.

Make sure they don't conflict with other activities in your schedule or other courses you are purchasing. Our system will not catch double-bookings!

You're ready to add course selections to your cart!

Our Assistant to the Principal will be in touch with you after your enrollment to help you with next steps, including any placement evaluations that may be required for your course selections.

This registration will be finalized when the student's placement assessment has been returned by the course instructor with placement confirmation.