"Although some gifted children are self-motivated to challenge themselves, some of them become disenchanted with school and learning. Some don't learn proper study habits because they pick up lessons quickly and then have to wait for the rest of the class to get the material. It's human nature. You look at the gifted child and think he is going to survive no matter what. However, if you don't help a gifted child, he's not going to thrive."

At A+ Academy students are challenged and accelerated to their individual level of learning in each subject.. A+ scaffolds them to reach their potential for learning with all subjects with individualized motivational plans. The common denominator among parents who choose A+ Academy for their children is the aspiration to remove barriers that keep them from reaching their true potential—whatever those barriers are for their children.  Our staff are passionately motivated to resist typical environmental restrictions imposed by other learning environments that are not well-suited to each student's unique needs. They understand the power of individualized learning and are willing to get creative in their approach and methodology with each student.
 

Most of our gifted students prefer our computerized SOS curriculum for Language Arts, Science and Social Studies because of it's instant feedback and the ability to progress at their own pace of learning.

The stimulating multimedia and interactive format of SOS infuse the learning process with plenty of excitement. Each course starts with a visual presentation of table of contents for the student. The student can immediately see which areas of the subject will be studied and researched. The student then clicks on the area on which he needs to work (usually starting with lesson number 1 and proceeding through lesson number 13). If a gifted student feels he knows the material at this time-they can proceed to the test to see if they can test out of the unit. They will be automatically advanced to the next lesson if they have demonstrated the predetermined level of knowledge or grade.

When the lesson is opened, they find the cursor at the very bottom of the whole lesson. This is where the assignment is located. Although it sounds unusual, this idea lets you preview the assignment first, and then scroll to the top to read the lesson and begin.

As you work your way down the lesson there are small squares that are each labeled "Tiny Tutor". When you click on these, you are shown a live-action clip (maybe 1-2 minutes in length) that gives handy hints on how to start, where to get information you'll need, what to expect, etc.

Each lesson includes a read me function, web links, tiny tutors and other resources to use as guides. The completed assignments can be sent to the teacher.  The students work individually and at their own pace while the assignments are protected with a teacher password.

History and Geography

Our SOS History and Geography is a comprehensive, basic curriculum for grades 3-12.  Presented in a reading-based format, it utilizes a combination of on- and off-computer assignments and activities with the power of SOS automation and administration. This program is really unique in that the students research obscure but interesting facts rather than utilizing rote memory of dates, people and events that we seldom use as adults in today's world. The goal of this program is to develop students' understanding of  the record of man and his relationships. The curriculum targets this goal by focusing on the strategic presentation of the following content strands:

Geography

· World Geography: Focuses on geographic distinctives around the globe, including geographical and climatic impacts on lifestyles of world social groups.

·American Geography: Focuses on geographic distinctives and impacts in America .

History

· World History: Traces the development of civilizations, including key historical personalities and cultural distinctives.

· American History: Traces the development of American civilization, including key historical personalities and cultural distinctives.

· History of Religion: Explores historical and current religious groups, with a particular emphasis on Christianity.

Government and Citizenship

· Explores the impact of historical and modern governmental systems and peoples' cultural relationships.

Economics

· Explores the history of economic systems with a focus on contemporary capitalism.

Social Studies Skills

· Map Reading
· Research Skills
· Historical Method

Language Arts

Language Arts, a comprehensive curriculum for grades 3-12, targets the sequential development and integration of communication skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The program addresses these skills by delivering a combination of on- and off-computer assignments. Language Arts also includes instruction on effective practices for study and research skills: such as note taking, outlining, using visual cues, evaluating, using, and documenting sources.  

Because our Language Arts is an integrated program, the elementary grades (3-6) weave skill topics (reading, writing, listening, speaking) together within units. In the upper grades, skills are treated more discretely—i.e. unit by unit. The major strands are detailed as follows:
 

Reading

Vocabulary: The language arts vocabulary program holds students accountable for vocabulary lists derived from the new words         encountered in lesson presentations. This  program also exposes students to some of the structures and meaning relationships among words. Lower grade topics include parts of speech, syllabication, prefixes, suffixes and roots, antonyms and synonyms, and dictionary skills.  Upper level topics expand to include etymology, connotation and denotation, varieties of English, and context clues.

Comprehension skills: SOS Language Arts helps students develop the ability to effectively read the lines, read between the lines, and read beyond the lines. The developmental sequence across the levels includes (1) identifying main ideas and details (what was said), identifying the audience (to whom it was said), finding the purpose (why it was said), questioning the occasion (when it was said); (2) analyzing point of view (perspective from which it was said) and technique (how it was said); (3) uncovering implication and inference (what wasn't said); and (4) evaluating and applying (responding to what was heard, viewed, or read).

Literature studies: In the elementary grades, the language arts program uses literary works to apply basic principles in reading comprehension and to introduce students to general characteristics of literature and major literary categories such as fiction and nonfiction, poetry and prose. To expand upon the program's literature base, book-report projects (including book lists) are interspersed across grades 3-8 to help students develop their own reading tastes. Upper grades provide instruction intended to better equip students for effective literature analysis, interpretation, and appreciation. Unit topics include literary devices, features of poetry, short story, the novel, and drama, and American and British Literature survey.

Writing

Spelling: spelling lessons appear in every Language Arts unit from grades 3-8. Instruction and word lists drill and reinforce phonics rules/skills and provide opportunities for application in composition.

Grammar: studies focus on developing students' awareness of the structure of language and the conventions of written Standard English to improve their speaking and writing skills. Grades 3-6 emphasize basic parts of speech and rules of capitalization and punctuation. Grades 7-12 cover sentence structure, variety, and basic diagramming; verb forms and types; phrases and clauses; usage; and sentence reduction and expansion.

Composition: In addition to providing opportunities for students to apply principles of grammar and usage in written assignments, SOS Language Arts provides writing instruction across the grade levels. Grades 3-6 focus on techniques of invention, word choice, sentence and paragraph structure, paragraph development (e.g. narration, exposition, description), journal and letter writing, story and poetry writing, basic research writing, and writing about literature. Higher grades incorporate formal instruction on the five-paragraph composition, the essay, the research paper, literary criticism, speech writing, and creative writing.  SOS Language Arts also uses writing assignments as a means of application and assessment on a variety of topics.

Speaking and Listening

Listening and speaking skills are introduced as vital components for effective communication in grades 3-6 and taught as specific skills in grades 7-12. Topics include conversational etiquette, note taking, interviewing and preparing, delivering, and evaluating speeches.

Special Topics

Viewing visual media: Upper grade courses (7-12) provide instruction on using the Internet, and analyzing and evaluating content of visual media.

Nature and History of the English Language: Taught in both elementary and secondary grades (500, 800, 900, 1000, 1200), this topic guides students into understanding the relationship between the English language and the cultures and events that have shaped it. Lessons cover basics in etymology, introductory linguistics, anthropology and sociology.

Book Reports: Language Arts include book reports; book lists of the genre are provided, as are templates for writing the reports.

Science

SOS Science is a comprehensive, basic Curriculum for grades 3-12. Students focus on the development of observational skills as they study our universe. Because SOS science is such a diverse program, the elementary and Jr. High grades (3-9) observe each area of science on an individual survey basis, usually unit by unit. The high school grades (10-12) focus on specific areas of science; this includes Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.

Our science program is enhanced by frequently scheduled visits with Mr. Science.

SOS General Science

Plants and Animals: SOS Science introduces the study of life to elementary students through the observation of structure and life processes in all living organisms. Specific organisms are used to portray general ideas.

Human Anatomy and Personal Care: With a brief introduction in the lower grades, SOS Science mainly focuses on human anatomy and personal care in the Jr. High grades.

Biology: From the basis of life to cellular and genetic biology, tenth grade SOS Science curriculum is dedicated solely to the study of Biology.

Earth and Space Sciences

Geology: The study of the Earth and what we find in and on the Earth are the topics discussed in each of the elementary and Jr. High grades.

Weather: Atmospheric conditions and how they affect each other and the planet is a vital component of the curriculum in each of the elementary and Jr. High grades.

Space: The stars, our solar system, and how the Earth relates to the other objects in space are topics of discussion in the lower grades.

Physical Sciences

Chemistry: SOS Science introduces Chemistry during upper elementary grades and builds on that foundation through the Jr. High grades. This study includes the concepts of matter, how it is structured and how it reacts with other matter.  The focus of eleventh grade science is dedicated to the study of Chemistry.

Physics: Concepts in Physics are presented from the early elementary grades through Jr. High. The study of machines and of energy in its many forms; light, sound, heat, electrical, mechanical, can be found in each of the different grades. The final grade level in the SOS Science Curriculum is a concentrated study of Physics.

Nature of Science

Scientific Method: The concepts of observation and reasoning using the scientific method are woven throughout the entire curriculum. The scientific method is essential to scientific study.

Experimentation:  Experiments and demonstrations are included to help students of all ages visualize abstract concepts. Lower grade students perform simple experiments and higher grade students perform experiments of increased intensity.

Technology: Technology, the application of scientific concepts for the benefit of society, is mentioned throughout the curriculum as it relates to each topic of discussion.

Math

 Math is primarily taught in centers, multiple intelligence curriculum or printed curriculum. The printed curriculums allow more flexibility and individually paced progress. Building Blocks Math, Math Pad and Readmaster software can be used for computer based practice.

Electives

American Literature

Students will discover the appealing world of literature with SOS American Literature. Packed with enriching content, this course gives students a clear look at the beginnings and development of written works in America. This one-semester course for grades 7-12 covers a variety of periods:

• Early American Literature 1600-1800
• Romantic Period 1800-1855
• War & Reconciliation 1855-1915
• The Modern Age 1915-1946
• From Modern to Postmodern 1946-Present

Filled with works from renowned American writers, this course is a perfect supplement to the SOS Language Arts curriculum. Monumental writers included are: Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper, John Greenleaf Whittier, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Walt Whitman, Edgar Allen Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Emily Dickinson, Mark Twain, Jack London, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. The modern poetry of E.E. Cummings, Robert Frost, W. H. Auden, Carl Sandburg, and Ezra Pound is also added. A required novel, Our Town is sold separately.

British Literature

With SOS British Literature, students will explore the dynamic, rich world of British Literature. Packed with enriching content, this course gives students an in-depth look at the beginnings and development of written works in Great Britain. This one-semester course for grades 7-12 covers a variety of periods:

• The Middle Ages
• The 16th Century
• The 17th and 18th Century
• The 19th Century
• The 20th Century

Filled with works from acclaimed British writers, this course is a perfect supplement to the SOS Language Arts curriculum. Monumental writers included are: Geoffrey Chaucer, Edmund Spencer, William Shakespeare, John Bunyan, Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, William Blake, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Keats, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning, George Bernard Shaw, James Joyce, and C.S. Lewis. Works added include Beowulf, Le Morte d’Arthur, and The Taming of the Shrew.

Consumer Math

Switched-On Consumer Math is a supplementary math course that explores mathematical applications for daily use. Topics include family finances, occupations, business, and transportation. Appropriate for high school students who have completed Algebra I and Geometry.

College Planner

Little or no budget for college counseling? Help your students prepare for college with the SOS College Planner. This program is designed as a one semester course to guide students in college planning, selection, and application. And they earn high school credit while doing it! This product was designed for the homeschool student but will aid any student with college decisions.

Health Quest

Health Quest is an interactive program for students in grades 4-7, designed as a one semester elective. Health Quest is designed to teach the importance of personal hygiene and fitness methods, as well as personal and ecological stewardship. Vocabulary is broadened through audio links and interactive drill (Vocabulocity). Techniques for proper exercise are demonstrated through step-by-step slide shows and videos. This class offers practical preparation for the next level of health education and life long benefits.

Health

This one-semester high school elective carefully considers the Christian view of health. The practice of good health starts with knowledge of the physical systems of the body. When the function of the body is understood, a person recognizes the importance of good nutrition, healthy exercise, and personal hygiene. Tending and caring for your health includes more than practicing good eating habits and getting regular exercise. Your overall health is affected by your spiritual, emotional, social, and environmental well-being. A responsible attitude toward living makes one avoid substances that destroy the body.

Home Economics

Students will learn tips on how to keep a house with SOS Home Economics. This course covers lessons on those necessary, everyday tasks your student will do throughout life. Practical subjects covered are:

• What’s Cookin’
• The Clothes You Wear
• Interior Decorating
• Financial Freedom
• Child Development and Care

Filled with fun, relevant lessons, SOS Home Economics is the perfect supplement to any course of study. This one-year course, created for grades 7-12, teaches everything from Christian character and appearance to relationships. Give your student the homemaking skills he needs along with instilling the importance of living a Christian life in the home. Added are steps on how to build solid financial skills and good character qualities.

Elementary Spanish

Learning is an adventure for students with Elementary Spanish. Students will join Grandpa Glen's reminisces about his childhood adventures while on La Isla de la Providencia with his sister, Elaine. Students learn Spanish by hearing conversations, speaking, and writing. This program also includes language resources, memory aids, songs, fun games, puzzles, exercises, and cultural insights. The program include audio recordings by Spanish speakers. Powered by SOS with the content provided by Power-Glide.

Secondary Spanish

This course introduces reading, writing, and listening to students in grades 7-12. Students find themselves in a variety of Spanish settings which create the opportunity to learn Spanish by speaking and writing about different situations and contexts. The program also includes numerous language resources such as a Spanish-English dictionary, animated exercise and educational games. SOS includes all audio recordings of Spanish speakers, no extra materials required. Powered by SOS with the content provided by Power-Glide.

Spanish I and II

SOS Spanish I and II provide two full years of Spanish language study. Spanish I sends you on a trip to Mexico, whereas in Spanish II you venture to Ecuador. Students will have the opportunity to hear a variety of Spanish speakers using various vocabulary and verb tenses. After completing the Spanish I course, students will be able to ask and answer basic questions and initiate and respond to simple statements. After completing the Spanish II course, students will be able to read, write, and listen to more complex language structures. Appropriate for grades 7-12.

Elementary French

Learning is an adventure for students with Elementary French. Students will meet Derek and Pierre on a jungle island and become part of their adventure. Students learn French by hearing conversations, speaking, and writing. This program also includes language resources, memory aids, songs, fun games, puzzles, exercises, and cultural insights. The CD-ROMs include audio recordings by French speakers, no extra material required. Appropriate for grades K-6. Powered by SOS with content provided by Power-Glide.

Secondary French

In Secondary French, students will become secret agents on a special mission. They must learn to speak and write French in a variety of situations before completing their mission. The program also includes language resources, memory aids, songs, and cultural insights. The CD-ROMs include all audio recordings of French speakers, no extra materials required. Appropriate for grades 7-12. Powered by SOS with the content provided by Power-Glide.

The Story of the Constitution

The Story of the Constitution is a one-semester course that tells briefly of America's origins and what steps led to the formation of the U.S. Constitution. Having explained how and why the national government came about, the course also tells what principles the Constitution stands for and how it applies everyday life. The course is filled with a variety of helpful comprehension exercises for students. This course is ideal for anyone, young or old, who wishes to better understand the Constitution. Appropriate for grades 7-12.

State History

Topics include state government and leaders, a historical timeline, state growth and population, natural resources, economics and business, tourism and cultural distinctions, and Christian heritage and influence. Instead of rote memorization of facts, students use critical thinking and research skills as they prepare essays, and this makes State History an excellent program for enhancing writing skills, applying math skills, and learning about business and resources. Revised editions of State History cover topics such as history and culture, government, economy, and citizenship. Student work incorporates multiple choice, true/false, fill in the blank, as well as research projects and essay questions. Appropriate for Grades 7-12.