Below is a list of our courses, along with descriptions, schedules, teachers, required texts, and course fees. Before you register, please read the next few paragraphs explaining our philosophy and policies.
Our Part and Your Part
We are a “tool”, not a “school”. Washington state allows you to home educate your child as long as you follow its rules for home-based instruction, and in doing so you are outsourcing a portion of your responsibilities with us. We are happy to provide lessons, homework assignments, tests and grade reports; however, we are not home schooling your child — you are. Your duties include supervising your students’ weekly homework and watching his overall grade. Frankly, Writing Home works well for families who take these duties seriously, but it does not work well for those who fail to monitor their students’ progress. If you are not willing or able to ensure that your student turns in his homework each week and/or studies effectively for tests, Writing Home is not for you.
Writing Home specializes in academic courses. For 2024-25, we are offering English, science, and algebra courses for students in 2nd – 12th grades. Class sizes are limited, and we will admit students on a first-come basis. Students are officially enrolled when 1) we receive his/her online registration form, and 2) we receive your registration fee. When courses fill, we will begin a wait list.
Below is a list of the courses offered for 2024-25. Registration opens on April 1, 2024.
Questions about anything? Please ask! Email us here – kimbaum@writinghome.org
Courses for high school (grades 9 – 12)
- High School English
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Algebra 1
- Algebra 2
Courses for Middle School (grades 6-8)
- Middle School Writing
- Middle School Science
- Pre-Algebra
Courses for Elementary School (grades 2-5)
- Elementary Languare Arts (2nd – 5th graders)
- Elementary Science (2nd – 5th graders)
Elementary Science*
We live in a temperate rainforest — home of bald eagles and salal, American wigeons and great blue herons, red huckleberries, and gray field slugs. Wouldn’t it be cool to study our own backyard? That’s what we’ll do in this class for 2nd – 5th graders! Our classroom provides an ideal environment to learn and explore both inside and outside. Students will read Exploring Creation with Botany as their background text and participate in experiments each week.
Meeting time: Tuesdays, 11 – 11:45 a.m.
Textbook: Exploring Creation with Botany**
Teacher: Mrs. B
Cost: $350
Class limit: 15 students
Elementary Language Arts*
Especially suited for students in 2 – 5th grades, this course is ideal for beginning or reluctant writers, as well as the more eager ones. We will learn note making and outlining, summarizing from paragraphs into students’ own words, story sequencing, letter writing, and a smattering of poetry just for kicks! Our philosophy focuses on the writing process over the product, promoting language fluency and building confidence.
Meeting time: Tuesdays, 12 – 12:50 p.m.
Textbook: To be announced
Teacher: Mrs. B
Cost: $300
Class limit: 15 students
*If your student attends both elementary classes, have him/her bring a sack lunch for the break between them.
Middle School Writing
Middle School writers are adventurous, eager…and often overwhelmed by the details. So many rules! So many picky elements! You want dress-ups and openers in all my paragraphs? You want me to always use topic-clincher relationship words? Yes. I do.
The years between 6th and 8th grades establish foundational writing skills, so that by the time students are in 9th grade the fussy requirements have become second nature. That’s the goal, anyway. Middle school writing 2024-25 is still appropriate for students who took this course in 2023-24 – same objectives, different assignments.
Meeting time: Tuesdays, 9 – 9:50 a.m.
Textbook: Mrs. B’s Complete Exercise Book. (If your student has this book already, no need to purchase a new one.
Teacher: Mrs. B
Cost: $325
Class limit: 20 students
Middle School Science
In the 2024-25 installment of middle school science, we will again emphasize essential science skills: this time with Biology as our launch pad! We will highlight laboratory skills with microscope work and dissection labs, and our observation skills by tromping through the forest to seek and identify flora and fauna of the Pacific Northwest. Our background text will be Exploring Creation with Botany (same text as elementary science). Students will do plenty of experiments, especially the ones you’d rather not do in your own home school kitchen.
Meeting time: Tuesdays, 10 – 10:50 a.m.
Textbook: Exploring Creation with Botany**
Teacher: Mrs. B
Cost: $450
Class limit: 20 students
** Have multiple students taking elementary and middle school science? They may share this textbook.
High School English – BRAND NEW COURSE!
After 20+ years, Mrs. B figured it was about time to shake up her English program with a new course – Survey of Literary Periods. Each period is characterized by the philosophies of the times, dictated by historical events: Medieval, Renaissance, Neo-classical, Romantic, Realist, and Modernist. Students will read representative samples of these six major literary periods and write one 750-word paper/month. Papers will be either Historical Approach, Author Profile, Literature Summary, or Poetry Analysis. Both English and American literature will be represented here, with emphasis on understanding the work in context and developing discernment of the authors’ message. Students will earn one English credit for their high school transcripts.
Required texts will be announced soon. Although a survey course must include representative works from each period, my intent is to not overburden families with purchasing multiple books. We’ll work on finding used copies, publicly available PDFs, etc.
Meeting time: WEDNESDAYS, 1- 1:50. Returning students please note the day change from previous years. We’re aiming to accommodate high schoolers who wish to take a science course and English without having to drive to the ranch twice in the week.
Textbooks: to be announced
Teacher: Mrs. B
Cost: $400
Class limit: 25 students
High School Biology
Biology is a foundational high school science course, usually taken in 9th grade; ours is open to any home schooler in 9th – 12 grades. We use Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Biology, 3rd edition, which covers the five kingdoms of living organisms in a logical, sensible sequence. Biology credit requires lab work, which includes microscopes, dissection, and observation. Students will earn 1 lab credit for their high school transcript after successfully completing this course.
Meeting time: Wednesdays, 9 – 10:50 a.m.
Textbook: Exploring Creation with Biology, 3rd edition
Teacher: Mrs. B
Cost: $450
Class limit: 15 students
High School Chemistry
Chemistry is a difficult subject, but also a fascinating one. Students looking toward a major in any science or technical field will need a chemistry foundation, which is what this beginning course provides. Topics include the nature of matter, atoms and molecules, stoichiometry, acid/base reactions, and much more. Students will earn 1 lab credit for their high school transcripts after successfully completing chemistry.
Meeting time: Wednesdays, 11:00 a.m. – 12:50 p.m.
Teacher: Mrs. Baumgaertel
Text: You purchase Discovering Design with Chemistry, by Dr. Jay Wile. Students must also have a calculator capable of scientific notation.
Class limit: 15 students
Prerequisite: Algebra 1.
Cost: $450
High School Physics
“You will learn the basics about the universe around you and how it works”, says Dr. Wile, the author of the textbook. Topics include motion, vectors, Newton’s laws, circular motion and gravity, work and energy, momentum, waves, optics, Coulomb’s law and the electric field, and magnetism. The student will be required to explain concepts, work problems, participate in labs and write lab reports. Most of the tests will be administered at home by a parent.
Teacher: Mr. Baumgaertel
Text: You purchase Exploring Creation with Physics – second edition, by Dr. Jay Wile. Students must also have a scientific calculator.
Schedule: Tuesdays, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Prerequisite: Algebra 1. Beginning familiarity with trigonometry is helpful. We recommend that your student take biology and chemistry before physics, but it is not required.
Cost: $450
Algebra 1 (two days per week)
Mr. Baumgaertel will help students develop a firm algebra foundation in this beginning course. Algebra is a key course in high school education. Students must understand algebra to succeed in many other courses and to attend Running Start. Because it takes time and effort to learn algebra, this course will meet two days per week: Tuesdays from 11 – 12:50 p.m. for a test and tutoring session, and Wednesdays from 11:00 – 1:00 p.m. for presentation of new concepts. Students will progress through four algebra lessons per week; therefore, it is very important that they keep up with their homework.
Teacher: Mr. Baumgaertel
Text: Saxon’s Algebra 1, An Incremental Development, 3rd edition. Please make sure you purchase the 3rd edition.
Schedule: Tuesday, 11 a.m. – 12:50 p.m. and Wednesday, 11-1:00 p.m. (Students are required to attend both days.)
Cost: $350. This does NOT include the textbook.
Pre-requisite: Mr B. will administer a placement test on the first day of class to determine if the student is ready for algebra 1 or whether they should be in prealgebra.
Algebra 2 (one day per week)
Mr. Baumgaertel will teach this course for students who have successfully completed Algebra 1. This course will proceed at half-speed, in that two weeks will be devoted to every four lessons instead of one week. A test will be given every other week. This course will meet one day per week: Tuesdays from 11 a.m. – 12:50 p.m. for either a test or a lecture. It is very important that students keep up with their homework.
Teacher: Mr. Baumgaertel
Required text: Saxon’s Algebra 2, An Incremental Development, 3rd edition.
Schedule: Tuesdays, 11 a.m. – 12:50 p.m.
Fee: $300, does NOT include the textbook.
Pre-requisite: Mr B. will administer a placement test on the first day of class to determine if the student is ready for algebra 2 or whether they should be in algebra 1.
Pre-Algebra (two days per week)
“Algebra is not difficult. Algebra is just different. Time is required in order for things that are different to become things that are familiar,” says John Saxon in the preface to Algebra ½, An Incremental Development, 3rd edition. Mr. Baumgaertel will help pre-algebra students to make the transition from arithmetic to algebra.
Because algebra is different and takes both time and effort to master, we require students to meet on two days each week. On Tuesdays, 11 a.m. – 12:50 p.m., students meet for a test and tutoring session. Mr. B will answer questions and help students as they work. On Wednesdays, 9-11:00 a.m., Mr. B will teach new concepts over the next four lessons. Students are required to attend both days.
Teacher: Mr. Baumgaertel
Text: Saxon’s Algebra ½, An Incremental Development, 3rd edition. Please make sure you purchase the 3rd edition.
Schedule: Tuesday, 11 a.m. – 12:50 p.m. and Wednesday, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. (Students are required to attend both days.)
Cost: $350.This does NOT include textbook.
Pre-requisite: Parents should ensure that their students have mastered basic arithmetic prior to enrolling in pre-algebra. Mr. B will administer a placement test on the first day of class to determine if the student is indeed ready for pre-algebra. They need to be able to: add a column of numbers; subtract one large number from another; multiply two large numbers; and divide one large number by a smaller number. The student must know their multiplication tables through 12 times 12.