Here are the class details for 2024-2025 EPIC Homeschool Academy
High School
Brief course descriptions of High School classes for grades 9th-12th are listed below. For detailed information, including expectations and prerequisites, please see the Course Description Handbook.
Yearly Tuition: $420 per class
Some high school level classes such as American History and Credit-Based Art are available for 8th graders ready for the pace and workload.
If your 9th grader is in need of a physical science class remedial writing class, please see our Middle School Class Offerings.
Art Courses
General Art
In MS/HS Art Class, we will explore different mediums and styles to create a wide variety of pieces. Rather than giving step-by-step "how-tos", different techniques will be demonstrated and then space will be given for students to explore, so no two works will be alike!
Credit-Based Art
This art class designed for ambitious 8th-12th graders will provide a credit-based opportunity to dive deep into various art genres, study the theory of art and principles of design, view history through the lens of artists and time periods, and learn how to seek God in all we create. Critique and reflection are key components of class participation. This class requires coursework outside of class time including weekly journals and continuing work on projects at home. This is a high school level class and 8th graders should only consider if ready for the expectations and course load required.
Foreign Language Courses
High School American Sign Language (ASL)
At this time, EPIC will not be offering High School ASL for 2024-2025. Our hope is that it will be offered every other year beginning in 2025-2026.
High School Spanish
This class is an introduction to new students at the High School level, building off content learned in Middle School. The students are presented with the sentence and grammar structure in order to have conversations with the vocabulary learned. Each unit will present an aspect of Hispanic culture in order to highlight diversity among Spanish-speaking countries and a reader to help the student build confidence. With each week, the desired outcome is building off of the reading, writing, and conversational skills to become a Spanish speaker.
Language Arts Courses
English D - (formerly 8/9th Study Skills)
Grades 8-9
This class aims to help students gain independent study skills, research, informational essays, and academic skills for high school success. Study Skills class will prepare your middle schooler or young high schooler for the rigor of high school classes by training in skills needed for success such as note-taking, research, study habits, stress management, time management, group work, learning styles, and more! Students will explore these skills in practical and project-based ways. Each semester will have a novel study and other resources to read and analyze. Writing projects include flash fiction, poetry, and research for an informational essay with the “Million Dollar” unit. This class will provide an English credit for the year but will not include extensive literary or grammar components
Students may be enrolled in English D and Literature & Speech, but the reading and writing load will be heavy.
High School Research and Composition Writing
Research is not just a “school skill,” but a set of mental habits and practices that help us collect, evaluate, and synthesize information in order to solve problems and make wise decisions. In this course, students will spend the first semester learning the craft of research, which will prepare them to engage in a self-guided, long-term project in the second semester. In class, students will study great models, learn about different tools and techniques for research, and participate together as a community of learners every week. Students will dive into interesting sources outside the classroom and develop their thinking and conclusions through informal writing assignments. We will celebrate our work with a formal presentation of research at the end of the year. This class is foundational to a student’s success in writing across content areas in high school as well as test preparation.
High School Introduction to Literature and Speech
This year-long class is designed for underclassmen to establish a foundation and gain competence in literary analysis and speech presentation. This class is foundational to those who wish to study upperclassmen-level literature courses. The desired outcomes of the course are for students to:
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The ability to read, recognize, comprehend, interpret, and analyze themes and conventions within various genres of literature including fiction, non-fiction, drama, and poetry.
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The ability to formulate, critically edit, practice, and confidently present to an audience various types of speeches-- informational, demonstrative, inspirational, and persuasive.
Upperclassmen Literature
This class alternates between American and British literature sources for advanced and experienced high schoolers. This is an upperclassmen-level class that requires previous experience in literary analysis for success.
For 2024-2025, students will enjoy a sampler of some of American Literature’s finest works, observing how language and literary tradition evolved into its current form. We’ll study each text through a steady rhythm of reading, annotating, and discussing, sharing our reactions, questions, and analysis of the stories as we go. Students will learn and practice the skill of literary analysis by writing responses to interesting prompts, eventually composing their own formal literary analysis essay. Our final adaptation project will challenge students to produce an artistic interpretation of their favorite text (such as a comic strip, a short film, or a board game) and present it to the class. The pacing of this class means students are reading novels typically in two weeks with other literature (poems, short stories, excerpts) also thrown in.
personal finance
Personal Finance and Stewardship Living
This class is geared toward upperclassmen and will be based on the Foundations in Personal Finance course provided by Ramsey Solutions. The goal of this class is to introduce students to biblical stewardship and personal financial principles such as budgeting, investing, and being wise consumers. In addition, students will gain an understanding of credit and debt that will equip them to make smart money choices wherever God leads them. Other topics of study include housing, insurance, and global economics. The course will be rounded out with teacher-created projects to add hands-on, simulated financial experiences, and guest speakers to bring expert advice.
Science Courses
Physical Science (8th/9th Grade)
Using engaging demonstrations and experiments in the classroom, students are able to use hands-on experiences to enhance their coursework and projects done at home. This Physical Science is a preparatory high school class and can earn a student high school credit with extra work at home. The pace and content of this class are at or above grade level. Students can expect increased homework, and higher expectations in projects, and tests. Due to the issues with the transition to Apologia middle school level science, the EPIC Board and instructional staff are looking into a different curriculum for the fall.
High School Biology
This course provides students with a broad overview of the many disciplines involved in the study of life. It starts with a brief introduction to the definition of life and then discretely examines and explores each of the five biological kingdoms. Students will participate in hands-on labs including animal dissections, microscopic life studies, and many chemical process labs. In addition, students will complete a handful of projects throughout the year.
High School Chemistry
Chemistry is one of the most fascinating studies of the orderly design of our perfect Creator! The chemistry course is based on regular laboratory investigations of matter, chemical reactions, and the role of energy in those reactions. Students will learn about the structure and properties of matter and its interactions. Laboratory experiments will be used to reinforce topics studied from the text. Lab time will be integrated into the class time to allow students more course options.
Human Anatomy & Physiology
This course covers both the anatomy and physiology of each of the human body’s organ systems. This study will introduce the organizational levels of the human body from a single cell to the 11 major organ systems: skeletal, nervous, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, muscular, integumentary, lymphatic, urinary, endocrine, and reproductive. We will also perform laboratory exercises including some dissections.
Social Science Courses
United States History
This class presents history from the perspective of faith in God and respect for His Word. Each unit includes a Bible study highlighting spiritual issues related to history. It is comprehensive, giving students a survey of events and issues from European exploration to the war on terror, with extensive coverage of the twentieth century. The Exploring America Curriculum Package includes three books:
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Part 1: Columbus through Reconstruction (first semester)
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Part 2: Late 1800s through the Present (second semester)
American Voices: A Collection of Documents, Speeches, Essays, Hymns, Poems, and Short Stories from American History (assigned readings)
Government and Economics
Explore the foundations and current events in the United States government from a Biblical worldview. Students will learn about all levels of government from local, state, and federal. Economics will also be a component of this class. Understanding the world of economics and how we can become better stewards of God's resources through the lens of current events will be presented. Projects will help students apply this foundational knowledge to real-life scenarios.
World History
*This class is not offered for 2024-2025 but will return for the 2025-2026 EPIC year.*
Students will explore world history in a project-based environment. Through reading, literature, and scripture connections, students will help see God’s Story play out through historical events, people, and places throughout the world.
High School Bible
Church History
This Church History course will examine the major events and movements in the western church from its early apostolic leadership through modern times. In addition to the text, we will examine writings, art, and influential people in the life of the church, using these resources to think critically about how worldview impacts biblical and theological perspectives. We will also focus on how these historic worldviews have formed our modern understanding of the church and God’s Word.
Christian Disciplines
A general overview of the basic skills and doctrines that are an important part of living life as a Christ-follower. Topics will include the character and attributes of God, Bible study skills, Christian disciplines, worship, and evangelism. The focus of this class will be using hands-on learning to equip students to grow and mature in their faith. Discussion and written responses will also be an integral part of our class, especially as we explore the broad range of denominational similarities and differences on several of these topics. This class is NOT a sequel to Middle School Bible Survey, however, students taking this class should have a solid foundation of biblical knowledge in order to get the most out of this class. Content discussed and the pacing of the class is designed for 8th graders or early high school students.
High School Bible Year 1: Christian Worldview & Theology
This class will offer an in-depth study of and discussion about the Christian Worldview and general reformed Biblical beliefs. Students will engage with the core ideas that undergird the Christian faith through papers and class discussions. This class serves as a prerequisite for an upper-level Apologetics class.
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1st Quarter: Worldview - Christian Theism compared to other dominant worldviews.
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2nd Quarter: Biblical Theology - Hermeneutical concepts, interpretation, genre, and exegesis.
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3rd Quarter: Systematic Theology - theology proper, anthropology, Christology, soteriology, ecclesiology, pneumatology, and eschatology.
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4th Quarter: Historical Theology - major movements, events, and people who have contributed to Christian theology.
High School Bible Year 2: Apologetics & Evangelism
This class will build on the foundation of the Christian worldview and beliefs learned in Year 1 of High School Bible and create a scaffolding for how to both defend and share that faith with the world around us. Students at the college level are inundated with questions and accusations regarding their faith, and we want our EPIC students buttressed up to give an answer for what and why they believe what they do! Students will read amazing literature on defending and sharing their faith, partake in meaningful conversations, and create projects and papers that help them process all they will learn.
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1st Quarter: Theology Review - we will review theological standards and discussion of “big picture” questions and thoughts that Christianity answers (Ex: Is claiming truth intolerant? Does Christianity compete with science?
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2nd and 3rd Quarters: Culture and Worldview - topics such as justice, the value of human life, racism, gender identity etc.. Will be viewed in light of our current culture and then held up to the standards of the Bible.
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4th Quarter: Truth-filled Tactics - this is where the “rubber meets the road.” We will discuss love and truth-filled tactics to defend our Christian faith and then put them into practice in practical and tangible ways.
Logic and Problem-solving
Odyssey of the Mind
Odyssey of the Mind is an international creative problem-solving competition that engages students in their learning by allowing their knowledge and ideas to come to life in an exciting, productive environment. During class time at EPIC, students use many different STEAM skills (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) and creative problem-solving to figure out a solution to their assigned problem. Teams can have a maximum of 7 “brains” so space is limited for this class. One team of middle school students and one team of high school students are planned.