2024-25 Course Catalog | 1Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
2024-25
Eagle Ridge Academy
School of Rhetoric • Course Catalog
2 | 2024-25 Course Catalog
Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome...........................................................................................................................3
How to Use This Guide.................................................................................................4
College Readiness, Admissions,
& Your Four-Year High School Course Plan.....................................................5
............................................................6
...........................................................7
Credits Required for Graduaon....................................................................................8
Course Guide
Art History.......................................................................................................................9
Elecves............................................................................................................................10
Fine Arts.........................................................................................................................13
Humanies (English & History)....................................................................................16
Mathemacs..................................................................................................................18
Science............................................................................................................................20
Singletons (Addional Liberal Arts Requirements).....................................................23
World Language............................................................................................................25
.........................................................................27
................................................................................................................28
2024-25 Course Catalog | 3Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
SCHOOL OF RHETORIC
challenging, and wide-ranging classes that pro-
-
-
-
Erin Johnson
Principal
The mission of Eagle Ridge Academy is to
engage all students in a me-tested,
Classical Liberal Arts educaon that
demands their best in academic achieve-
ment and honorable character while
challenging them to aain their highest
potenal.
Eagle Ridge Academy will oer an academ-
ically rigorous, me-tested Classical, liberal
arts curriculum that:
prepares students to be exemplary and
knowledgeable cizens;
inslls a life-long passion for learning;
values self-discipline, respect,
perseverance, and achievement;
teaches truth, beauty, and goodness;
and fosters an appreciaon for the
United States of America and her
unique role in the world.
4 | 2024-25 Course Catalog
Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Within this guide, you will nd the intended course oerings for the 2024-25
school year. Course oerings are heavily dependent on the number of students
who sign up for a course, so it is important to make sound decisions that accu-
rately reect your academic needs and post-secondary goals.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Erin
Johnson
Principal
ejohnson@
eagleridgeacademy.org
Mohamed
Ali
Assistant
Principal
mali@
eagleridgeacademy.org
Linda
Kaiser
Academic &
College Counselor
lkaiser@
eagleridgeacademy.org
2024-25 Course Catalog | 5Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
-
-
*Informaon from US News College Compare 2022 Data, Niche, college websites and ERA.
College
Admissions
Standards
College(s)
Acceptance
Rate
High School
Recommended
Curriculum
Extremely
Selecve
class
Very
Selecve
class
Carleton College
Selecve
class
Macalester
College
Minneapolis, MN
Tradional
class
MSU-Mankato
Mankato, MN
Open
All high school
graduates are
accepted
Normandale
College
Bloomington, MN
High School
some cases)
6 | 2024-25 Course Catalog
Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
-
Nova Classical Academy
school is designated to own the course and the other
Classical Greek 1 and AP Calculus BC
AP Economics, AP Psy-
chology, and AP United States Government & Polics
College in the Schools (CIS)
-
the course (rather than on a single, high-stakes test), and
Art History
Fine Arts
Humanies
AP Economics
AP United States
Mathemacs
AP Calculus AB
AP Calculus BC
AP Precalculus
Science
AP Computer Science Principles
AP Courses at ERA
take the AP Language and Composion exam
the AP Language and Composion exam
2024-25 Course Catalog | 7Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
The student is a senior who needs the course
Schedule changes will not
The student no longer wants to take a course
-
A course withdrawl aer the rst week
of a class, for any reason not listed within the
schedule change guidelines, will receive a grade
of “W”.
-
-
-
Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
English
History
Science 4
Math 4
World Language
Fine Arts 1
Art History 1
Healthy Living
Logic
Rhetoric
Eastern Thought
Economics
Elecves
TOTAL 26
Credits: All year-long courses which a student passes earn the student one credit (1.0); courses lasng only one
semester earn the student half of a credit (0.5). Classes with an asterisk (*) are required courses for graduaon.
Non-required courses can be substuted.
Humanies *Ancient World
*Renaissance
World
*Modern World
Science
Math Pre-calculus
World Language
Singletons
(Liberal Arts
Requirements)
Fine Arts Printmaking
Elecves Choir Choir Choir Choir
2024-25 Course Catalog | 9Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type: Honors credit; Required unless taking Art
Prerequisite: None
AP Art History is an alternave to Art History I and II
to sasfy the requirement. It involves crical thinking
and develops an understanding and knowledge of
diverse historical and cultural contexts of architec-
ture, sculpture, painng, and other media. Students
examine and crically analyze major forms of ars-
c expression from the past and the present from a
variety of cultures. While visual analysis is a funda-
mental tool of the art historian, art history emphasizes
understanding how and why works of art funcon in
context, considering such issues as patronage, gender,
and the funcon and eects of works of art. Students
should be good readers, writers, and be able to retain
informaon without diculty to be successful in this
course.
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type:
Semester
Prerequisite: None
Art History I is a required course covering the history
of visual art from the roots of Western Civilizaon
through the Golden Age of Greece and Rome, Medie-
val and Gothic Europe, and the Renaissance.
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type:
Semester
Best taken aer Art History I, this required course
covers the history of visual art through the Early Re-
naissance, High Renaissance, and Baroque period, as
well as Realism, Impressionism, and Modern Art.
Encompassing material from the widest range of geographic and historical origins, art history
is itself a mulfaceted discipline embracing many dierent methods, perspecves, and inter-
ests. At mes, it deduces from artworks the me and place of their making or the identy of
their makers. Further, it examines how concepts, ideals, and sensibilies of people of the past
are expressed in their art, and how that art inuenced wider aspects of their culture. Art his-
tory spans a wide array of material including painngs, sculpture, architecture, photographs,
ceramics, and texles. Through engaging closely with these and other forms of visual expres-
sion, students of art history become adept praconers of the following skills: visual analysis
and interpretaon, original research and careful argumentaon, image-based thinking and
communicaon, and clear and persuasive wring.
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Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite: None
Through an exploraon of primary documents and
correspondence by the founders, this course develops
student understanding of the form and funcon of the
government of the United States. Including but not
limited to are: Federalist and an-Federalist wrings,
leers between founders, notes of the Constuonal
Convenon, exploraon of wrien works by John
Locke, and, if accessible, Roman Republic wrings or
those of the earliest democracies in Greece and Rome.
Key points of contenon, such as the debates leading
up to the Conneccut Compromise, will also be ex-
plored.
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisite:
-
AP Computer Science Principles is an introductory
college-level compung course that introduces stu-
dents to the breadth of the eld of computer science.
Students learn to design and evaluate soluons and
to apply computer science to solve problems through
the development of algorithms and programs. They
incorporate abstracon into programs and use data
to discover new knowledge. Students also explain
how compung innovaons and compung sys-
tems—including the internet—work, explore their
potenal impacts, and contribute to a compung
culture that is collaborave and ethical.
Grades:-
Credit:
Type: Honors credit; Semester; Class is at ERA in
semesters
Prerequisite: None
This course provides a college-level, nonparsan
introducon to key polical concepts, ideas, instu-
ons, policies, interacons, roles, and behaviors that
characterize the constuonal system and polical
culture of the United States. U.S. foundaonal docu-
ments, Supreme Court decisions, and other texts and
visuals are studied to gain an understanding of the
relaonships and interacons among polical instu-
ons, processes, and behaviors. Students will read and
interpret data, make comparisons and applicaons,
and develop evidence-based arguments. Students will
be required to complete a polical science research or
applied civics project.
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit: .5
Type: Semester
Prerequisite: Healthy Living
This course will oer a variety of sports that encour-
age students to develop a life-long passion for acvity,
teach self-discipline, insll the need for respect on and
o the eld/pitch/court, and encourage perseverance
during physical acvity. Students discover the beauty
of sport and develop a sense of the goodness that
comes with parcipang in sports compevely.
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite: None
English Composion is primarily a wring course. Stu-
dents work on specic wring skills such as sentence
structure/combining, paragraph development, punc-
tuaon, capitalizaon, grammar, and usage. The focus
of the wring assignments is the assignments given in
humanies.
2024-25 Course Catalog | 11Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite:
This course is designed to give students exposure
to the realm of creave wring. Students analyze
and create pieces from the following genres: poems,
short stories, creave non-con, and entertaining
drama. The nal project of this course is creang an
all-class anthology with a common theme.
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite:
Pilates and Flexibility provides students with knowl-
edge, experience, and opportunity to develop skills in
aerobic tness acvies such as Pilates and exibility
exercises. Students will parcipate in teacher-led
workouts as well as develop a program of their own.
Students will pre-test, set goals, and post test results
using data to determine appropriate exercises to
improve their strength and physical tness.
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
Prerequisite:
Logic
This course is an introductory-level course for stu-
dents brand new to programming and computer sci-
ence. Students will learn problem-solving strategies,
soware design, and the foundaons of computer
science. The course covers the basic building blocks
of the python programming language and prepares
students for further study in AP Computer Science
Principles.
AP PSYCHOLOGY
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisite: None
This course introduces students to the systemac
and scienc study of human behavior and mental
processes. While considering the psychologists and
studies, students explore and apply psychological
theories, key concepts, and phenomena associated
with such topics as the biological bases of behavior,
sensaon and percepon, learning and cognion,
movaon, developmental psychology, tesng and
individual dierences, treatments of psychological
disorders, and social psychology. Students employ
psychological research methods, including ethical
consideraons, as they use the scienc method,
evaluate claims and evidence, and eecvely com-
municate ideas.
PSYCHOLOGY
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite: None
The discipline of psychology, including the princi-
ples, methods, vocabulary, and major theories in the
study of human behavior is introduced in this course.
Students recognize theories of personality; compare
and contrast the relaonships and concepts of the
dierent schools of psychology; understand general
biological reasons for psychological behavior; explain
theories of learning, memory, movaon, and intelli-
gence; and prepare a foundaon for further psycho-
logical disciplines.
12 | 2024-25 Course Catalog
Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite:
This elecve course is designed to allow students
to take control of their physical wellness through
personal tness instead of sport. During this course,
students will learn the benets of aaining personal
excellence through exercises that focus on strength,
cardiovascular, and exibility training. Students
are expected to develop and implement a personal
exercise program over the course of the semester.
Through planning and personal tness, students
experience the benets that are gained through a
dedicaon to living a healthy lifestyle.
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite:
Strength and Condioning II will build on the foun-
daon you built from Strength and Condioning.
Students will parcipate in teacher-led workouts as
well as develop a program of their own. Students will
pre-test, set goals, and post test results using data
to determine appropriate sets / reps / weight per-
centages to improve their strength and endurance.
Through planning and personal tness, students
experience the benets that are gained through a
dedicaon to living a healthy lifestyle.
Grades: 11, 12
Credit:
Type:
Prerequisite: None
Students of junior or senior standing will assist a
classroom teacher or oce sta in either the School
of Grammar, School of Logic, or School of Rhetoric.
Dues are dependent on the age level of the
students in the class or the dues of the oce you
are assisng.
2024-25 Course Catalog | 13Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit: 5
Type:
Prerequisites:
or an instrument
AP Music Theory is an AP level course that explains
the foundaons of music, like pitch, intervals, meter,
and other musical concepts in annotated music. It
dives into the niy griy of music, how it sounds,
musical devices for wring music, and the basics that
any future musician, or anyone interested in the eld
of music, needs to know. This course compliments
already oered music courses, like symphonic or-
chestra and choir, as well as middle school band and
string musicians.
Grades: 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisites:
Studio Art 1 & 2
AP Studio Art requires students to submit porolios
for evaluaon at the end of the school year rather
than take a wrien exam. 2D design will include: 5
actual works that demonstrate mastery of design
in concept, composion, and execuon; 12 digital
images, some of which may be detailed works de-
scribing an in-depth exploraon of a parcular 2D
design concern; 12 digital images that include one
image each of 12 dierent works that demonstrate
understanding of the principles of 2D design.
Grades: 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisites:
Ceramics 1 and 2
AP 3D design is a studio art course where students
design and implement three dimensional concepts.
This is an intensive, product-based course. In ad-
dion to mulple sculptures and working models,
students document their works and create a digital
porolio. This class prepares students to work three
dimensionally in a variety of mediums and to devel-
op ideas and maquees for large scale sculptures
and installaons. Students will be evaluated on the
breadth and depth of their porolio, which will be
submied to the AP review board for approval of AP
credit.
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite: None
Ceramics 1 is a semester-long course designed to
explore basic hand building techniques in clay while
learning technical skills needed in Ceramics 2. Stu-
dents study and crique historical and contempo-
rary arsts’ work to inform the creaon of their own
artwork. Emphasis is placed on the elements of art
and design with a strong focus on form and texture.
Students explore a variety of clay hand building tech-
niques that will include but are not limited to: coil,
slabs, and extruding.
The Fine Arts are an integral part of a Classical liberal arts educaon that insll a lifelong
passion for musical and arsc engagement. This approach values the natural human desire
for creave expression and the study of the contribuons of various arsts and musicians
from a worldview lens that spans ancient to modern mes. Although varied in scope, each
oering grounds students with foundaonal facts united with interpreve and technical skills
to produce and become versed in signicant works of art and music. Students are thus en-
abled to evoke the intellectual and emoonal power of creave expression in their own works
of art.
14 | 2024-25 Course Catalog
Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite:
This semester-long course is designed to explore
basic throwing techniques in clay using the poer’s
wheel. Students study and crique historical and
contemporary arsts’ work to inform the creaon
of their own artwork. Emphasis is placed on the
elements of art and design with a strong focus on
form and texture. Students explore a variety of clay
thrown forms that will include but are not limited to:
cylinders, bowls, cups, mugs, plates, and stems.
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite: None
Eagle Ridge Academy Choir is a high school singing
ensemble designed to help students develop a deeper
awareness and appreciaon of
music. Our studies emphasize the applicaon of
music theory, the examinaon of choral literature
from various historical me periods, proper singing
techniques, and performance methods. The choir
curriculum at Eagle Ridge Academy is an extension
of the Core Knowledge curriculum as well as naonal
and state-level music learning standards. This course
may be repeated for credit. No audion is required
for this course.
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite: None
Drawing is a semester-long course designed to give
students in-depth experience with dierent ap-
proaches to drawing a variety of subjects, including
the gure, while also developing skills and sensivity
to line, shape, color, value, texture, and composion.
A variety of drawing media including but not limited
to: charcoal, graphite, conte crayon, India ink, chalk
and oil pastel, and colored pencil will be explored.
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite:
Printmaking is a semester-long course designed to
explore basic printmaking techniques and processes
including but not limited to: monotype, calligraphy,
block prinng, etching, screen prinng, and photo-
copy prinng. Students study and crique historical
and contemporary arsts’ work to inform the cre-
aon of their own artwork. Emphasis is placed on
the elements and principals of art and design with a
strong focus on composion, line quality, and color
intensity.
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite: None
Symphonic Orchestra emphasizes connued in-
strumental technique and music literacy skills. This
incorporates both tradional band instruments,
including percussion, as well as strings. Performances
include two concerts per year plus a performance at
the Veteran’s Day assembly. Students are evaluated
on music literacy skills and playing ability. This course
may be repeated for credit. No audion is required
for this course. Private lessons are not required to
parcipate in the orchestra program, though are
encouraged outside of school. Students are evaluated
on music literacy skills and playing ability.
2024-25 Course Catalog | 15Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite: None
2D Studio Art 1 is a semester-long art course de-
signed to explore the basic concepts in drawing,
painng, and printmaking while learning technical
skills used in the 2D Studio Art 2 advanced course.
Students study and crique historical and contempo-
rary arsts’ work to inform the creaon of their own
artwork. Emphasis is placed on building students’
skills in sighng drawings and painngs and on the
use of elements and the principals of art and design.
Students explore a variety of media that includes but
is not limited to graphite, Indian ink, charcoal, chalk
pastel, colored pencil, acrylic paint, and printmaking
inks
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite:
This semester-long course is designed to explore ad-
vanced concepts in drawing and painng while build-
ing on technical skills learned in the 2D Studio Art
1 course. Students study and crique historical and
contemporary arsts’ work to inform the creaon of
their own work. Emphasis is placed on building stu-
dents’ skills with increasingly complex media includ-
ing but not limited to: oil pastel, oil paint, watercolor
pencil, watercolor paint, and mixed media.
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite: None
3D Studio Art 1 is a semester-long art course de-
signed to explore the basic concepts in sculpture
while learning technical skills used in the 3D Studio
Art 2 advanced course. Students study and crique
historical and contemporary arsts’ work to inform
the creaon of their own artwork. Emphasis is placed
on the elements and principals of art and design with
a strong focus on form and texture. Students explore
a wide variety of sculptural media that includes but
is not limited to: clay, cardboard, wire, and found
objects.
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite:
This semester-long course is designed to explore
advanced concepts in sculpture while building on
technical skills learned in the 3D Studio Art 1 course.
Students study and crique historical and contempo-
rary arsts’ work to inform the creaon of their own
artwork. Emphasis is placed on problem solving and
how to develop personalized art while following gen-
eral guidelines. Students explore a variety of sculptural
media that will include but is not limited to: foam,
plaster, cardboard, and wire.
16 | 2024-25 Course Catalog
Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
An essenal cornerstone of a Classical liberal arts educaon is the insistence on engaging
scholars in the Great Conversaon. The aim of the Humane Leers program is to interweave
tradional literature and history elements into one course. The connecons scholars encoun-
ter between the literature they are reading with primary source documents and historical
events promises a fuller grasp of all three. Through Socrac Seminar style discussions, schol-
ars develop as crical thinkers, careful listeners, arculate speakers, and eloquent writers.
Texts included in this me-tested curriculum have endured for generaons and are valued
for their truth, goodness, and beauty as well as their impact on society. The Human Leers
program seeks to illuminate that beyond an understanding of modern problems and ques-
ons lies centuries of the greatest writers and thinkers contemplang the human experience,
thereby allowing scholars to join the Great Conversaon.
Grade: 9
Credits: 2
Type:
Prerequisite: None
The rst year of the Humane Leers seminar intro-
duces students to the great texts, ideas, and events of
the ancient world, specically those of the Greek and
Roman cultures that form the foundaon of West-
ern Civilizaon. Texts students read include Homer’s
Iliad and Odyssey; Greek tragedies by Aeschylus and
Sophocles; histories by Thucydides, Livy, and Poly-
bius; philosophy texts of Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and
Lucreus; The Aeneid by Virgil; and other works as
me permits. The class employs the Socrac Seminar
method of learning which involves daily discussion of
the assigned readings. Students are also introduced to
the formal analycal essay and its various modes of
development.
Grade: 10
Credits: 2
Type:
Prerequisite:
World
The second year of Humane Leers introduces the
formaon and early development of Europe, focusing
on the history, culture, and literature of the medi-
eval and renaissance eras. Students read Boethius’
Consolaon of Philosophy, Beowulf, selecons from
Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologiae, Dante’s Divine
Comedy, Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Machiavelli’s
The Prince, Thomas More’s Utopia, selecons from
the Bible, several plays by William Shakespeare, and
mulple primary sources as me permits. Students
connue to develop their skills of formal essay writ-
ing and civil discourse.
2024-25 Course Catalog | 17Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Grade
Credits: 2
Type:
Prerequisite:
During the third year, students study great works of
the Enlightenment, Industrial Age, and Romanc Era.
The readings include Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Cervant-
es’ Don Quixote, Milton’s Paradise Lost, Austen’s Sense
and Sensibility, Shelley’s Frankenstein, Goethe’s Faust,
Whitman’s “Song of Myself,” United States founding
documents (the Declaraon of Independence and the
United States Constuon), as well as numerous other
primary sources as me permits. Students connue
their formal essay wring with a view toward mastery
of the essay and development of crical/interpreve
skills and rhetorical style. of the essay and develop-
ment of crical/interpreve skills and rhetorical style.
Grade: 12
Credits: 2
Type:
Prerequisite:
In their nal year, students focus primarily on the
emergence of modern Europe and America. Works
read include: Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment,
Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, World War I and
World War II primary sources, Fitzgerald’s The Great
Gatsby, Camus’ The Stranger, Huxley’s Brave New
World, 1950’s and 1960’s primary sources, Morrison’s
Song of Solomon, and other works as me permits.
Students complete the Senior Capstone Experience
throughout the second semester.
Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
Prerequisite: -
ALQ includes topics typically addressed in Algebra I
as well as topics typically addressed in Algebra II, with
parcular emphasis on working with linear and qua-
drac equaons and funcons. Addional topics oen
include exponenal, square root, polynomial, and
raonal funcons as well as data analysis and display
methods.
Grades: 9, 10, 11
Credit: 1
Type: -
-
ment
Prerequisite:
Algebra II reviews linear funcons and systems, pro-
viding a foundaon for exploring quadrac, polyno-
mial, exponenal, logarithmic, raonal, and radical
funcons. Matrix methods are introduced while
trigonometry, probability, and stascs concepts are
reinforced and extended. Real-world problems are
addressed via a broad range of applicaons, includ-
ing economics, science, and sports.
AP CALCULUS AB
Grades: 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisite: Pre-calculus passed with a C or higher
Calculus AB is primarily concerned with developing
students’ understanding of the concepts of calculus
and providing experience with its methods and appli-
caons. The course emphasizes a mul-representa-
onal approach with concepts, results, and problems
expressed graphically, numerically, analycally, and
verbally. The connecons among these representa-
ons are illuminated and explored. Students complet-
ing this course may qualify for college credit based
on the College Board Advanced Placement test. A
graphing calculator is required.
AP CALCULUS BC
Grade: 12
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisite: AP Calculus AB passed with a C or
higher
AP Calculus BC is taught in partnership with Nova
Classical Academy. It is a college-level calculus
course primarily concerned with developing the stu-
dents’ understanding of the concepts of calculus and
providing experience with its methods and applica-
ons. Students not only learn the fundamentals of
calculus but also learn how to apply what they have
learned in the elds of physics, business, economics,
biology, engineering, and probability. The course
Beyond its ulitarian value in today’s modern era, lies the ulmate truth, beauty, and good-
ness of the study of mathemacs – engaging in an unending aempt to understand the in-
nite complexity of our world. Mathemacs is a unique discipline including the study of pat-
terns and order; a way of thinking that embraces the pracce of dynamic problem solving and
rigorous reasoning. The human intellect is naturally inclined to recognize paerns, discover
their limitaons and variaons, and express them symbolically and quantavely. In various
forms, math is an art, a science, and a universal language. It is the collecve understanding of
the world in number, me, and space.
2024-25 Course Catalog | 19Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
covers the main areas of funcons, graphs, and
limits; derivaves; integrals; and polynomial approxi-
maons and series. Emphasis is placed on the devel-
opment of a beer understanding of mathemacal
concepts and their applicaons as well as on pro-
ciency in problem solving, mathemacal reasoning,
and higher-order thinking. Students parcipate in
various calculus and history-of-mathemacs-relat-
ed seminars, work on dierent calculus discovering
projects, and tackle mulvariable calculus aer the
AP exam. Students will connect with Nova Academy
live-me via Zoom or Adobe Connect. A graphing
calculator is required.
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisite:
Students develop analycal and crical thinking skills
by describing data paerns and departures from
paerns, plan and conduct studies, use probability
and simulaon to explore random phenomena, es-
mate populaon parameters, test hypotheses, and
make stascal inferences. Students compleng this
course may qualify for college credit based on the
College Board Advanced Placement test. A graphing
calculator is required.
Grades: 11, 12
Credit:
Type:
Prerequisite:
Semester 1 of this course provides an overview
of areas in essenal algebraic concepts, graphical
representaons, non-linear funcons, and consumer
nance. Semester 2 provides an overview of areas
in modeling and paerns in architecture and music,
basic matrix operaons, probability models, and sta-
scal analysis. This course is intended to provide an
alternave for students who would prefer an opon
other than Pre-Calculus or AP Calculus upon comple-
on of Algebra II.
GEOMETRY
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisite:
Geometry includes the topics of perspecve, space,
and dimension associated with praccal and axiomat-
ic geometry. Students learn how to apply and calculate
measurements of angle length, perimeter, area, and
volume. Geometry introduces students to trigonome-
try and transformaons. Students use logic to create
proofs and construcons and work with key geometry
theorems and proofs.
AP PRECALCULUS
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisite:
AP Precalculus is designed to be the equivalent of a
rst semester college precalculus course. AP Precal-
culus provides students with an understanding of the
concepts of college algebra, trigonometry, and addi-
onal topics that prepare students for further college
level mathemacs courses. This course explores a
variety of funcon types and their applicaons—
polynomial, raonal, exponenal, logarithmic, trigo-
nometric, polar, parametric, vector-valued, implicitly
dened, and linear transformaon funcons using
matrices. Throughout the course, the mathemacal
pracces of procedural and symbolic uency, mul-
ple representaons, and communicaon and reason-
ing are developed. Students experience the concepts
and skills related to each funcon type through the
lenses of modeling and covariaon and engage each
funcon type through their graphical, numerical,
analycal, and verbal representaons.
20 | 2024-25 Course Catalog
Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Grades: 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
Prerequisites:
This course is recommended for students interested
in pursuing future endeavors in health, life science,
and physical educaon or just having an interest in
how the body works. The course content explores the
essenal principles of the anatomy (structure) and
physiology (funcon) of the human body. Through lec-
ture, lab, and discussion of the body systems, students
gain an understanding of the human body and how
each system is integrated to maintain overall funcon-
ing of the body. Units include the skeletal, muscular,
and nervous systems as well as the cardiovascular,
respiratory, digesve, and urinary systems. Cat or fetal
pig dissecon is the culminang acvity.
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
2024-2025
Prerequisites:
The primary emphasis in the AP Biology course is on
developing an understanding and applicaon of con-
cepts as a step beyond memorizing terms and technical
details. Essenal to this conceptual understanding are a
grasp of science as a process rather than as an accumu-
laon of facts; personal experience in scienc inquiry;
recognion of unifying themes that integrate the major
topics of biology; and applicaon of biological knowl-
edge and crical thinking to environmental and social
concerns. The major topics covered include: science as
a process; evoluon; energy transfer; connuity and
change; relaonship of structure to funcon; regulaon;
interdependence in nature; and science, technology and
society. Students compleng this course may qualify for
college credit based on the College Board AP test.
The study of science is mulfaceted. While the aims of various science disciplines diverge,
the unifying foundaon of all scienc study remains meless. At its core, science consists
of experiences that present fundamental truths, principles, and processes designed within
the context of being well-informed and responsible cizens. The courses, taken in the proper
sequence, bring the student from general knowledge of facts and principles through advanced
theories that then lead to praccal applicaons of research. Through carefully selected lab
experimentaon and theorecal analysis, students have the opportunity to expand the
boundaries of knowledge and engage in the Great Conversaon which explores the ethical
bounds of scienc advancement.
2024-25 Course Catalog | 21Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Grades: 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisite: -
AP Chemistry is a college-level chemistry course
which involves hands-on labs. Advanced concepts
include atomic structure, bonding theories, nomen-
clature, mole concepts, kinecs, thermochemistry,
stoichiometry, equilibrium, and acid based concepts.
Students compleng this course may qualify for col-
lege credit based on the College Board AP test.
Grades: 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisites:
AP Physics is an intensive algebra-based study of
introductory topics in physics, including Newtonian
mechanics, kinemacs, dynamics, circular moon
and gravitaon, energy, momentum, simple harmonic
moon, torque, and rotaonal moon. It emphasizes
developing scienc methods through extensive and
frequent laboratory experiences. This course may be
taken in place of Physics. Students compleng this
course may qualify for college credit based on the
College Board AP Physics 1 Exam.
Grades: 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite: Logic
This course introduces students to the key concepts of
astronomy beginning with a broad look at the funda-
mental laws of physics and chemistry that govern our
knowledge. Other topics include the stellar life cycle,
telescopes, celesal navigaon, constellaons, planets,
comets, asteroids, and the moon. We also study how
other cultures viewed and used the night sky since be-
fore wrien history.
Grades: 11, 12
Credit:
Type: Semester
Prerequisite: Logic
This course is intended to be taken either independently
or as an extension of Astronomy I. We invesgate con-
cepts of the non-classical regime of cosmology to include:
relavity, the stellar graveyard, quantum eects, the big
bang theory, and their observable consequences. Other
topics covered include the basics of telescopes and their
capabilies, current research in the eld of cosmology,
and the development of technological prospects for
travel to other parts of the universe.
22 | 2024-25 Course Catalog
Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Grades: 10
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisite:
Biology is designed to survey topics ranging from
zoology, botany, and physiology of living systems to
the interacon of organisms in ecosystems. Biology
focuses on understanding this branch of science from
the molecular level to the organismal level and how
the organism ts into the natural world. This course
involves laboratory work and wrien lab reports.
Grades: 9
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisite: None
Through hands-on labs and group work we study the
composion, structure, and properes of maer as
well as the changes maer undergoes during chemi-
cal reacons. Topics covered include: maer, atomic
structure, bonding, periodic table, chemical reac-
ons, kinecs and equilibrium, acid-base reacons,
and nuclear chemistry.
Grades: 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
Prerequisites:
This course is lab-intensive and experience based.
Students explore how science is applied to the law.
Students gain hands-on experience with crical think-
ing and scienc problem solving used to produce
evidence to solve crimes as well as non-criminal ac-
vies such as forgeries, structural failures, and mass
destrucon. Students also learn to write and commu-
nicate lab report results and conclusions eecvely.
Grades: 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisites:
This course emphasizes comprehension before com-
putaon and teaches the rules of nature. A conceptual
way of looking at physics shapes the analycal thinking
of all students. The concepts are presented through
reading assignments, lectures, demonstraons, videos,
mathemacs and graphing, hands-on lab work, and
wrien assignments. This (or AP Physics) is a required
course for graduaon.
2024-25 Course Catalog | 23Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Grade: 9
Credit:
Type: Required; Semester
Prerequisite: None
As one of the tradional liberal arts taught in an-
cient Greece, this course is designed to develop the
students’ reasoning and analycal skills so that their
thinking, speaking, and wring become more clear,
more orderly, and ulmately, more compelling. The
course introduces students to various kinds of logical
argumentaon including an in-depth study of syllo-
gisms and formal fallacies.
Grade: 9
Credit:
Type: Required; Semester
Prerequisite: None
This course introduces health concepts and skills and
challenges students to apply these skills to develop a
healthy lifestyle. Students reect on a principle-cen-
tered philosophy for a virtuous life. Students are
challenged to achieve the Private Victory: the ability
to take responsibility, earn independence, set and ac-
complish goals, excel in personal me management,
build relaonships, truly listen to others, become
self-aware of their acons, collaborate, and prob-
lem solve for an eecve win/win. To achieve these
victories, we need renewal. Renewal pracces help
us become the best version of ourselves. We focus on
the four dimensions of body, mind, heart and soul.
Body: exercise, eat nutrious meals, sleep well, and
relax. Mind: read, write, educate, and learn new skills.
Heart: build relaonships, give service, and laugh.
Soul: peaceful harmony, quality media, meditaon,
and me with nature. Health is for a lifeme.
Grade: 10
Credit:
Type: Semester; Required
Prerequisite:
Rhetoric is a formal discipline developed in ancient
Greece by those who sought to persuade others,
especially in the realms of law and polics. Like logic,
rhetoric is seen as indispensable to the formal training
of a well-educated person who is able to engage others
on the pressing maers in current events. This course
is designed to develop the students’ ability to analyze
and evaluate examples of discourse, including famous
speeches, and to demonstrate the results of these
examinaons via public speech. Students also study
logos, pathos, and ethos and incorporate what they
have learned into their own rhetorical presentaons.
EASTERN THOUGHT
Grade: 11
Credit:
Type: Required; Semester
Prerequisite: None
Eastern Thought introduces students to the origins,
history, polics, philosophy, religion, geography, and
culture of important and inuenal non-Western
cultures and civilizaons. Readings are drawn from a
wide range of tradions, including Sumerian, Hindu,
Zoroastrian, Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, and Islamic
texts and scriptures.
24 | 2024-25 Course Catalog
Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Grade: 12
Credit: 1
Type: -
Prerequisite: None
Semester one of this course is a college-level course
that introduces students to the principles that apply
to an economic system as a whole. The course places
parcular emphasis on the study of naonal in-
come and price-level determinaon. It also develops
students’ familiarity with economic performance
measures, the nancial sector stabilizaon policies,
economic growth, and internaonal economics.
Students learn to use graphs, charts, and data to
analyze, describe, and explain economic concepts.
Students who successfully complete semester one of
this course are prepared to take the AP Macroeco-
nomics exam for potenal college credit. Semester
two of this course introduces students to the princi-
ples of economics that apply to the funcons of in-
dividual economic decision-makers. The course also
develops students’ familiarity with the operaon of
product and factor markets, distribuons of income,
market failure, and the role of government in pro-
mong greater eciency and equity in the economy.
Students learn to use graphs, charts, and data to
analyze, describe, and explain economic concepts.
Students who successfully complete semester two
of this course are prepared to take the AP Microeco-
nomics exam for potenal college credit.
Grade: 12
Credit:
Type:
Semester
Prerequisite: None
In this course students are introduced to basic ele-
ments of major economic theories and become fa-
miliar with the economic system of the United States
and how it operates. They explore the roles of supply
and demand, various types of rms, and scal and
monetary policy. Students examine their roles as con-
sumer, worker, investor, and vong cizen. Topics of
discussion include the comparave economic systems,
globalizaon, and the impact of polical and social
decisions on the economy.
2024-25 Course Catalog | 25Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Grades: 9, 10
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisite: None
Lan I is designed to introduce students with no
previous experience in Lan to Roman culture,
history, and language through the comprehen-
sion-based reading method of Cambridge Lan
Course. Throughout units I and II, students read
and decipher complicated grammar while follow-
ing a connuous storyline that integrates histori-
cal content.
Grades: 9, 10
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisite:
Lan II connues the storyline of Cambridge Lan
Course units II and III while exploring increasingly
complex grammar and the inuence of ancient
Rome on the modern world.
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisites:
By studying a language’s vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, scholars not only gain apprecia-
on for its intricacies and nuances but also learn more about their own language. The study
of languages contributes to the educaon of the scholar by smulang and direcng the
acquision of an understanding by developing knowledge of civilizaons, literature, and
language of modern naons as well as developing accuracy and precision in the use of l
anguage as an instrument for the comprehension and communicaon of ideas. Eagle Ridge
Academy values the study of foreign languages with an emphasis on Lan. The study of the
languages and civilizaons of Greece and Rome gives the scholar a unique insight into the
Western heritage. Basic knowledge of Classical anquity is virtually indispensable for any
in-depth study in polics, philosophy, or literature. *Students are required to take 4 credits
of World Language which includes the compleon of Lan III.
Using the Cambridge Lan Course, in Units III and IV
students will further develop their grammar, vocab-
ulary, and reading comprehension skills in order to
read authenc Roman literature from authors such as
Maral, Ovid, Pliny, and Tacitus.
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
semesters
Prerequisite:
Students will nish their study of grammar and
vocabulary in the Cambridge Lan Course, using Unit
IV before reading excerpts from authenc texts from
authors such as Petronius, Caesar, Ovid, and Virgil.
Grades: 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
Prerequisite:
This course introduces students to unadapted Ro-
man epic poetry by reading selecons primarily from
Vergil’s Aeneid. Poetry from Ovid and Catullus are
also studied as a comparison. Students will learn
quantave meter and poec devices as well as dis-
cuss major themes and issues as developed in Virgil’s
poetry. Students may take both CIS Lan: Prose and
CIS Lan: Poetry for credit.
26 | 2024-25 Course Catalog
Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Grades: 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
Prerequisite: -
This course introduces students to unadapted an-
cient texts of prose authors from the 1st centuries
BCE/CE, such as Cicero, Sallust, Caesar, and Pliny.
Students will review grammar and vocabulary as well
as discuss major themes and issues in Roman culture
as illustrated by the texts. Students may take both
CIS Lan: Prose and CIS Lan: Poetry for credit.
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
Prerequisite:
enrollment course taught in partnership with
-
-
-
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
Prerequisite: None
Spanish I students learn basic vocabulary and sen-
tence structure in order to understand and commu-
nicate in the target language for everyday situaons.
Reading, wring, and listening skills are emphasized
and cultural acvies are included. Communicave
skill development is achieved through a variety of
acvies and media.
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
Prerequisite:
Spanish II expands on the grammar and vocabulary
concepts learned in Spanish I. All four language mo-
dalies (reading, wring, speaking, and listening) are
incorporated into weekly acvies. Students expand
their cultural study through readings, reports, and use
of media.
Grades: 11, 12
Credit: 1
Type:
Prerequisite:
This course begins with a review of the vocabulary and
grammar concepts taught in Spanish I and II and then
expands into more advanced grammacal concepts.
An emphasis is placed on improving all four language
modalies (reading, wring, speaking, and listening)
as well as connued vocabulary expansion and intro-
ducon of addional verb tenses necessary for sight
translaon of Spanish texts. Students expand cultur-
al understanding through readings, presentaons,
and exploraon of tradional folklore and classical
works from Spanish- speaking countries. Students are
expected to parcipate primarily in Spanish for the
majority of the class.
2024-25 Course Catalog | 27Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
Eagle Ridge Academy now hosts 14 varsity sports and
has strategic co-operave agreements for addional
oerings with other suburban high schools.
Boys Baseball
Boys & Girls Basketball
Boys & Girls Cross Country
Boys & Girls Soccer
Boys & Girls Track
Boys & Girls Ulmate Frisbee
Debate
Girls Badminton
Girls Volleyball
Math Team
Mock Trial
Pep Band
Robocs
Speech
Chess Club
Dungeons & Dragons Club
Junior Classical League (JCL)
MN High School Music Listening Contest
National Honor Society (NHS)
Strength & Conditioning
Student Senate
Theater
Yearbook
We have an engaged
student body. 50 percent of
our students parcipate in at
least one athlec, co-
curricular, or extra-curricular
acvity... and that number is
growing.
Eagle Ridge Academy School of Rhetoric
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