My name is Jonathan Metz and I absolutely LOVE to share in the Lord's great gift to us that is making music together through song. In the Firmly Planted High School Choir, students will have the opportunity not only to make beautiful, quality, and memorable music together, but take the next (or first) steps in their musical experience, build lasting relationships, and honor God through both song and the act of using their talents. You do not need any prior musical experience to join!
Choir is also integral to the music education of any student who also plays an instrument such as piano, violin, or guitar, or likes to write music. They will develop collaborative skills that the solo performance world does not offer, gain musical artistry through the internalization of music by movement, as well as gain exposure to different genres and styles of music. This ensemble will carry on a Firmly Planted tradition of learning about God and his son, our Great Savoir, Jesus Christ, through short devotionals, particularly God as a creator, using our talents to serve him, worship, and serving one another.
I graduated with a B.A. in music from Western Washington University, focusing on music education and piano. I took especially to choir — studying graduate-level choral conducting and literature with Leslie Guelker-Cone, a noted choir director throughout Washington State. I directed the First Baptist Church of Bellingham Sanctuary Choir for four years following graduation and have guest-conducted and workshopped various groups of different levels including high school, middle school, elementary, and adult ensembles. Highlights include the Bellingham Chamber Chorale, and in 2013, the Interfaith Coalition massed choir — a combined ensemble of over 150 singers. I started a Masters in Music at Indiana University in 2017.
Requirements:
This is a year-long course. A full-year commitment is expected so we are able to build on the skills we learn through the course of the year. There is also a required performance two times a year (at the end of Fall and Spring semesters, respectively). While there is no audition required, all participants must schedule a range and voice-type check with me, the director. No prior singing experience is required to join. 8th-graders (13 years old) are also permitted to join but *do* need to perform an audition, (contact me on Slack if interested). We will have a concert on December 13th and a dress rehearsal Dec 12
My name is Jonathan Metz and I absolutely LOVE to share in the Lord's great gift to us that is making music together through song. In the Firmly Planted High School Choir, students will have the opportunity not only to make beautiful, quality, and memorable music together, but take the next (or first) steps in their musical experience, build lasting relationships, and honor God through both song and the act of using their talents. You do not need any prior musical experience to join!
Choir is also integral to the music education of any student who also plays an instrument such as piano, violin, or guitar, or likes to write music. They will develop collaborative skills that the solo performance world does not offer, gain musical artistry through the internalization of music by movement, as well as gain exposure to different genres and styles of music. This ensemble will carry on a Firmly Planted tradition of learning about God and his son, our Great Savoir, Jesus Christ, through short devotionals, particularly God as a creator, using our talents to serve him, worship, and serving one another.
I graduated with a B.A. in music from Western Washington University, focusing on music education and piano. I took especially to choir — studying graduate-level choral conducting and literature with Leslie Guelker-Cone, a noted choir director throughout Washington State. I directed the First Baptist Church of Bellingham Sanctuary Choir for four years following graduation and have guest-conducted and workshopped various groups of different levels including high school, middle school, elementary, and adult ensembles. Highlights include the Bellingham Chamber Chorale, and in 2013, the Interfaith Coalition massed choir — a combined ensemble of over 150 singers. I started a Masters in Music at Indiana University in 2017.
Requirements:
This is a year-long course. A full-year commitment is expected so we are able to build on the skills we learn through the course of the year. There is also a required performance two times a year (at the end of Fall and Spring semesters, respectively). While there is no audition required, all participants must schedule a range and voice-type check with me, the director. No prior singing experience is required to join. 8th-graders (13 years old) are also permitted to join but *do* need to perform an audition, (contact me on Slack if interested). We will have a concert on May 9th and a dress rehearsal May 8.
Join us for this year long Engineering course in which students will apply STEM concepts to solve real world problems around the center! Depending on class size, students will work in teams or as a class to design a solution to a real world engineering problem. They will learn real world skills such as: drafting, website design, prototyping, marketing, design modeling, applied mathematics, and teamwork while they work together to develop a functional solution to their assigned problem. At the end of the year students will showcase their design as well as their inactive website in the firmly planted lobby! Students will present their work to the center and, if accepted, it may be implemented for real! Bring a notebook (or journal), pencil, ruler, scissors, pen, compass, calculator.
Homework: Varies based on the task of each student
Join us for this year long Engineering course in which students will apply STEM concepts to solve real world problems around the center! Depending on class size, students will work in teams or as a class to design a solution to a real world engineering problem. They will learn real world skills such as: drafting, website design, prototyping, marketing, design modeling, applied mathematics, and teamwork while they work together to develop a functional solution to their assigned problem. At the end of the year students will showcase their design as well as their inactive website in the firmly planted lobby! Students will present their work to the center and, if accepted, it may be implemented for real! Bring a notebook (or journal), pencil, ruler, scissors, pen, compass, calculator.
Homework: Varies based on the task of each student
This is a CORE class that meets once a week for two-hours for the full year. Parents are required to attend the mandatory Core Parent Meeting immediately following Family Orientation on either August 24th at 2pm, August 24th at 6pm, September 7th at 2pm, or September 7th at 6pm.
This class will incorporate literature, written language, and speaking and listening skills in order to help students learn to communicate well for the glory of God. We will meet one time per week for a two-hour class (with a ten-minute break mid-way through). This is a yearlong course designed for students in 9-12 grade. My goal is to help equip students to be able to communicate effectively in the written and spoken word.
This year students will read multiple books as well as short stories, and poems. They will give presentations on their learning. Students will write a narrative story, research paper, and essays regarding their reading. The course will include review of writing conventions and summary writing. My plan is to use one hour for reading and the other for writing.
Many of the devotionals will come from Jesus Freaks by DC Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs, Here is a link to the pacing guide (subject to change as needed): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gNCO2B2eHAs8fdQdqKTBRwb0o6iKsXbDWjN1djao97k/edit
Requirements:
Students must be in high school to enroll in this course. Homework will be up to 3 hours per week.
Needed for each family to purchase: Materials: three-ring binder with dividers if using for multiple classes, writing notebook (college-ruled), pencils, high lighter, sticky-notes. Books: Animal Farm, by George Orwell; The Great Divorce, by CS Lewis; The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom, and The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Laurence.
Students are expected to complete homework by the due date (late work will be subject to point penalty). The goal is for students to come ready for class so they can participate fully during class and get the most out of the time. This will be especially critical for Socratic Seminars (a type of interactive group discussion that will take place at the end of most book studies). Homework will submitted on Google Classroom or in the course notebook or separate paper depending on the assignment. Students are expected to take notes in class. The notebook is subject to checks as part of the grade.
Upon completion of this course students will receive one high school English credit and a final Pass or Fail (80% to pass).
Students will need to purchase or borrow from the library the following books: Animal Farm, by George Orwell; The Great Divorce, by CS Lewis; The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom, and The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Laurence. Two of these are now public domain and available for free on audiobook (link in in the syllabus). I love for students to listen to books; however, I expect that students bring a printed copy to class. This is important for easy reference.
The other literature to be read in class will be accessible electronically: The Gift of the Magi, by O Henry; Macbeth, by William Shakespeare; Shakespeare's Sonnets; The Odessey, by Homer; Poetry from Emily Dickenson, William Wadsworth, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Maya Angelou, George Herbert, and Mary Oliver, and other classic and contemporary poets.
Monday - Classroom - 220: 11:00 am - 11:50 am
Wednesday - Classroom - 220: 11:00 am - 11:50 am
Description:
This is a CORE class that meets twice a week for the full year. CORE classes have greater expectations of students, parents, and teachers. Parents are required to attend the mandatory CORE Classes Parent Meeting immediately following Family Orientation on either August 27th at 6:45pm or August 29th at 2:45pm. The term “English class” is a long outdated misnomer. What students need is a class focused on the skills needed to read with strong comprehension, write clearly and effectively and to think independently, both deeply and critically. After all, our students already speak the English language with considerable proficiency. What they require is the guidance to wield that knowledge powerfully and wisely.
To that end, this class will focus on these specific areas: a growing love of reading, constant improvement of comprehension skills and sharper discernment regarding the material they read. Along the way, students will be introduced a variety of rhetorical and literary techniques as well as the steps of the writing process, which they will not only learn to recognize but also have the opportunity to apply. Though this class is not a focused literary class students will be asked to ready, analyze and discuss specific texts (including news articles) on a regular basis.
Requirements:
Designed for students in grades 9-12.
The class will meet twice weekly for 50 minute sessions. Because classroom time is limited, our meeting will target activities that cannot be outside of class i.e., mini-lessons, classroom discussions, etc. Because the class structure does not revolve around any particular texts, novels, etc. it can be taken repeatedly by students at all high school grade levels.
This course will be divided into 3 units - a unit on reading, a unit on writing, and a unit on public speaking. In the reading unit, students will read 3 books of quality literature while completing 3 complementary projects. In the writing unit, students will write a research paper. During the public speaking unit, students will prepare for a job interview or college admissions interview. Throughout the year, students will be learning grammar and literature skills.
Homework: 2-4 hours/week
This is a CORE class that meets once a week for two-hours for the full year. Parents are required to attend the mandatory Core Parent Meeting immediately following Family Orientation on either August 24th at 2pm, August 24th at 6pm, September 7th at 2pm, or September 7th at 6pm.
This class will incorporate literature, written language, and speaking and listening skills in order to help students learn to communicate well for the glory of God. We will meet one time per week for a two-hour class (with a ten-minute break mid-way through). This is a yearlong course designed for students in 9-12 grade. My goal is to help equip students to be able to communicate effectively in the written and spoken word.
This year students will read multiple books as well as short stories, and poems. They will give presentations on their learning. Students will write a narrative story, research paper, and essays regarding their reading. The course will include review of writing conventions and summary writing. My plan is to use one hour for reading and the other for writing.
Many of the devotionals will come from Jesus Freaks by DC Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs, Here is a link to the pacing guide (subject to change as needed): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gNCO2B2eHAs8fdQdqKTBRwb0o6iKsXbDWjN1djao97k/edit
Requirements:
Students must be in high school to enroll in this course. Homework will be up to 3 hours per week.
Needed for each family to purchase: Materials: three-ring binder with dividers if using for multiple classes, writing notebook (college-ruled), pencils, high lighter, sticky-notes. Books: Animal Farm, by George Orwell; The Great Divorce, by CS Lewis; The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom, and The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Laurence.
Students are expected to complete homework by the due date (late work will be subject to point penalty). The goal is for students to come ready for class so they can participate fully during class and get the most out of the time. This will be especially critical for Socratic Seminars (a type of interactive group discussion that will take place at the end of most book studies). Homework will submitted on Google Classroom or in the course notebook or separate paper depending on the assignment. Students are expected to take notes in class. The notebook is subject to checks as part of the grade.
Upon completion of this course students will receive one high school English credit and a final Pass or Fail (80% to pass).
Students will need to purchase or borrow from the library the following books: Animal Farm, by George Orwell; The Great Divorce, by CS Lewis; The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom, and The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Laurence. Two of these are now public domain and available for free on audiobook (link in in the syllabus). I love for students to listen to books; however, I expect that students bring a printed copy to class. This is important for easy reference.
The other literature to be read in class will be accessible electronically: The Gift of the Magi, by O Henry; Macbeth, by William Shakespeare; Shakespeare's Sonnets; The Odessey, by Homer; Poetry from Emily Dickenson, William Wadsworth, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Maya Angelou, George Herbert, and Mary Oliver, and other classic and contemporary poets.
This course will be divided into 3 units - a unit on reading, a unit on writing, and a unit on public speaking. In the reading unit, students will read 3 books of quality literature while completing 3 complementary projects. In the writing unit, students will write a research paper. During the public speaking unit, students will prepare for a job interview or college admissions interview. Throughout the year, students will be learning grammar and literature skills.
Homework: 2-4 hours/week
Monday - Classroom - 220: 11:00 am - 11:50 am
Wednesday - Classroom - 220: 11:00 am - 11:50 am
Description:
This is a CORE class that meets twice a week for the full year. CORE classes have greater expectations of students, parents, and teachers. Parents are required to attend the mandatory CORE Classes Parent Meeting immediately following Family Orientation on either August 27th at 6:45pm or August 29th at 2:45pm. The term “English class” is a long outdated misnomer. What students need is a class focused on the skills needed to read with strong comprehension, write clearly and effectively and to think independently, both deeply and critically. After all, our students already speak the English language with considerable proficiency. What they require is the guidance to wield that knowledge powerfully and wisely.
To that end, this class will focus on these specific areas: a growing love of reading, constant improvement of comprehension skills and sharper discernment regarding the material they read. Along the way, students will be introduced a variety of rhetorical and literary techniques as well as the steps of the writing process, which they will not only learn to recognize but also have the opportunity to apply. Though this class is not a focused literary class students will be asked to ready, analyze and discuss specific texts (including news articles) on a regular basis.
Requirements:
Designed for students in grades 9-12.
The class will meet twice weekly for 50 minute sessions. Because classroom time is limited, our meeting will target activities that cannot be outside of class i.e., mini-lessons, classroom discussions, etc. Because the class structure does not revolve around any particular texts, novels, etc. it can be taken repeatedly by students at all high school grade levels.