Starting Points Syllabus Welcome to this foundational course on worldview, where will attempt to build a way of looking at the world through the lens of the Bible. This will serve as a basic building block not only for your future courses but, hopefully, for your life. Here are some of the goals we hope to meet in our time together. Class Goals: By the end of the year, students should: 1. Be able to define the meaning of worldview and apply it to everyday life 2. Know and articulate the basic doctrines of the Christian faith 3. Be able to identify an author s worldview by reading his literature 4. Know and identify the 7 main questions concerning worldview as the starting point for our Core curriculum 5. Identify a movie s worldview and discuss it 6. Identify the main starting points of defending one s faith to an unbeliever 7. Identify and discuss the ideas that began the founding of the United States Coursework and in-class discussion reinforce these goals. Time in the classroom aims to supplement work done at home, rather than simply rehash it. The questions we will be exploring together form the basis for any worldview, whether an individual is aware of it or not. We will be looking at seven core questions: 1. What is the nature of God? 2. What is the nature of the universe? 3. What is the nature of man? 4. What is the nature of evil? 5. What is the basis of morality? 6. What happens after death? 7. What is the meaning of history? Some important details: Bring your Bible to class. Always. You will hand in your homework (the Quine Starting Points book) on Mondays when you arrive at 8am, at which point a parent grader will check it and give a mark. You can then collect your Quine book before class and bring it with you, along with any other books covered in the material for that week. Each week in Quine is worth 25 points. Answer each question fully. If you are sick or have an excused absence there is no grade deduction for work handed in beyond the deadline. Simply hand in the work the next Monday upon your return. It helps to make sure the parent grader knows you are handing in something to be graded from a previous week. If you MISS an assignment, you can hand it in late only ONCE a quarter, for a five point deduction. Any other work that is not handed in on time will receive a zero mark. Again, such late work is given to the parent grader with some note or communication. Essays must all be turned in to turnitin.com and follow MLA guidelines. You can always feel free to email me directly: marc@redeemercincy.com or call/text: 513.237.4717. Press on! Mr. Champagne
QUARTER 1 Due Monday, 8/20: In-Class Summer Reading Quiz Due Monday, 8/27: Quine 13-22. This covers How to Read Slowly, Ch. 1 and Know What You Believe, Ch.1 (The Bible). (No Class Monday, 9/3 due to Labor Day) Due WED 9/05: Quine 23-30. This covers Know What You Believe, Ch. 2 (God) and Answers for Difficult Days, Studies 1&2 (The Heart of God, The Universe). NOTE: You only need to fill in the Quine material that is keyed to Answers for Difficult Days. The verses found in Answers have been selectively reduced even further in the Edited Pages document. Use Answers and Edited Pages as resources to fill in the Quine material. Also NOTE: on p. 28 you see reference at the bottom to a Personal Worldview essay on pages 71-89. You will NOT hand in that material, so you do NOT need to do that work. However, you may choose to do it as a starting point for the worldview essay due later in the quarter. In that sense, transferring the information to those pages as you go along will put you in a good place to be prepared for your essay. Due Monday, 9/10: Quine 31-36. This covers Know What You Believe, Ch. 5 (Man and Sin) and Answers for Difficult Days, Study 3A (The Heart of Man). Due Monday, 9/17: Quine 37-42. This covers Know What You Believe, Ch. 3 (Jesus Christ) and Answers for Difficult Days, Study 3B (The Heart of Jesus). Due Monday, 9/24: Quine 43-56. This covers Know What You Believe, Chs. 4,6,7 (Jesus Death, Holy Spirit, Salvation) and Answers for Difficult Days, Study 3C (Salvation). Due Monday, 10/01: Quine 57-62. This covers Answers for Difficult Days, Studies 4,5,6 (What is the Basis of Ethics and Morality? What is the Cause of Evil and Suffering? What Happens to Man at Death?) Due Monday, 10/8: Quine, 63-70 This covers Know What You Believe, Chs. 8,10 (Angels, Satan, and Demons; Things to Come), and Answers for Difficult Days, Study 7 (What is the Meaning of History?). Due WED, 10/10: Biblical Worldview Essay. Details given in class, but this is basically a summary of all that has been learned to date. A physical copy is given to Mr. Champagne, and it will also be uploaded to turnitin.com. Each quarter has one big assignment, and this is it for Q1! Remember: you DO NOT have to fill out Quine 71-89 for a grade, but can do so as preparation and guidance for the essay.
QUARTER 2 Due Monday, 10/15: Quine 93-96. This covers How to Read Slowly, Ch. 2 (Reading with a Christian Mind.). Due Monday, 10/22: Quine 101-113. This covers How to Read Slowly, Ch. 4 (Reading Fiction), and The Magician s Nephew, Chs. 1-7. Due Monday, 10/29: Quine 114-129. This covers The Magician s Nephew, Chs. 8-15. Due Monday, 11/05: Quine 131-149. This covers The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Chs. 1-17. Due Monday, 11/12: Quine 151-155. This covers The Horse and His Boy, Chapters 1-15. Due WED, 11/14: Narnian Worldview Essay. This is the biggie for Q2, and basically combines what you learned from Q1 and applies it to the world of Narnia. 11/15-11/25: Thanksgiving Break! Due Monday, 11/26: Quine, 167-180. Watch The Wizard of Oz (likely Mr. Champagne will host a party at his house and if you can attend we will be filling out Quine together that evening). Due Monday, 12/03: Quine, 181-192. Watch It s a Wonderful Life and take notes in your workbook while watching. Due Monday, 12/10: Quine, 196-205. This covers Frankenstein Letters 1-4 & Chapters 1-10. 12/13-1/06: Christmas Break! Enjoy, but do take note that the second part of Frankenstein is due upon your return. QUARTER 3 Due Monday, 1/07: Quine 206-221. This covers Frankenstein Chapters 11-24. Due Monday, 1/14: Quine 223-227; 230. This covers The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Due Monday, 1/21: Quine 231-236, 241-242, 245-246. This covers The Deadliest Monster follow Quine for specifics. Due Monday, 1/28: Quine 253-264. Also Monday, 1/28 and WED 1/30 are an in-class exam
The homework covers Know Why You Believe, Chapters 1-6. The in-class exam is on Frankenstein, Jekyll & Hyde, and The Deadliest Monster, and will have an objective portion and an essay portion. This is your big grade for Q3. Due Monday, 2/04: Quine 265-276. This covers Know Why You Believe, Chapters 7-12. You DO NOT need to do p. 272. Due Monday, 2/11: Quine 277-286. This covers Mere Christianity, Book 1: Chapters 1-5. Due Monday, 2/18: Quine 287-296. This covers Mere Christianity, Book 2: Chapters 1-5. Due Monday, 2/25: Quine 297-318. This covers Mere Christianity, Book 3: Chapters 1-12. 2/28-3/17: Spring Break! QUARTER 4 Due Monday, 3/18: Quine 319-340. This covers Mere Christianity, Book 4: Chapters 1-11 Due Monday, 3/25: NOTHING! How awesome is that? Overflow discussion week. Due Monday, 4/01: Quine 381-398. This covers Never Before in History, Chapters 1&2 (Reformation s Role in Advancing Political and Religious Liberty and Two Revolutions in England Set the Stage for America s Birth). NOTE that you DO NOT need to fill out the Timeline Pages, HOWEVER each of those dates will be used in your final project due April 29 th. Due Monday, 4/08: Quine 399-408. This covers Never Before in History, Chapter 3 (The Flight of the Reformation to America). Make sure you fill in the blanks for each section title in this assignment and ALL following ones e.g., p. 394: Section 2.1 The Civil War in England and Rutherford s Lex Rex Due Monday, 4/15: Quine 421-441 (you do not need to do pp. 435, 442, 443) This covers Never Before in History, Chapters 4-7 (The English Common Law, Colonial Education, Family Life in New England, Nomenclature). NOTE: Answer p. 427 in paragraph form (you can write across the divided lines or hand in separately). At least five solid sentences. Due Monday, 4/22: Quine 445-457. This covers Never Before in History, Chapters 8&9 (The American Revolution, Two Founding Documents). NOTE: Answer pp. 450-451 in paragraph form. You do not need to fill in the outline, just answer the Pre-writing assignment prompt on p. 450 and use p. 451 to write your paragraph. At least five solid sentences.
Due Monday, April 29: Creative Timeline Project! Use all dates from the Timeline Pages in Quine (385, 393, 403, 423, 431, 447, 455) and arrange in chronological fashion. In one to two sentences, explain each item s significance and where possible connection to the American Revolution. For example: Rutherford s theory of covenantal social contract influenced Locke, whose social contract theory helped shape the Declaration of Independence. Present in a creative manner J (scrapbook, board game, video, well developed Prezi, short story, etc.) No document lists. Projects can be done in groups, but expectations are higher in this case. This is your last big assignment. Due: Monday, May 6: Quine 458-466 This covers Never Before in History, Chapter 10 (Separation of Church and State). NOTE: Answer EITHER p. 458-459 or 464-465 in paragraph form You do not need to fill in the outline, just answer the Pre-writing assignment prompt on p. 458 (or 464) and use p. 459 (or 465) to write your paragraph. At least five solid sentences. Due Wednesday, May 8: A Roundtable Discussion on the American Revolution. You will be divided into two teams. I will give the discussion topic in class, along with more specific details, and you will have time to prepare in advance.