REGISTRATION: Payments for Fall 2026 are due April 13, 2026
Cornerstone Christian Homeschool Cooperative
7th-8th Grade
The 7th-8th Grade Pod is for students who are roughly 12-14 years old. If your child does not fit in this group based on age, but you feel he/she would be a good fit for the classes based on your child's maturity and academic level, please contact the Pod Leader for this group and request permission to have your child enrolled.
Flexibility
CCHC allows students to take anywhere from one to four classes each Monday. Your child does not have to enroll in all four hours of classes.
If your student is not 12-14 years old, but you would like him/her to take one or more classes in this pod, please contact the pod leader for permission to enroll your child. Remember, your child can take some classes in this pod and some classes in another. Our classes are registered for individually so you can match your child to the class that fits him/her best!
Fall 2026
Class Workload
Each class summary includes a workload. Workload refers to the amount of homework expected outside of class hours.
0= no homework
1= optional homework
2= less than 30 minutes of homework a week
3= student may have a presentation/final project to prepare, or less than 1 hour a week
4=student may have 3-4 days a week of homework
5= student may have daily reading, occasional assignments, or 30-45 minutes of daily homework
5+= student may have up to a full hour of daily homework/reading along with tests/quizzes
Academic Agreement
​All students taking 7th-12th grade classes must read, agree to, and sign the Academic Agreement. We also ask that the parent/ guardian sign the agreement as well.
First Hour
8:30-9:25
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The Academic Bridge: Foundations for Success​
Foundations for Success is a fall semester course designed to help 7th/8th grade and precocious 5th/6th grade students develop strong habits for organization, planning, learning, studying, and test taking. As middle school serves as an important bridge between elementary school and high school, students will be expected to grow in responsibility, organization, and academic effort. In this class, students will be introduced to higher-level thinking skills and practical strategies that improve test performance and long-term understanding of material. They will learn how to take effective notes and process information presented through a variety of formats, including lectures, videos, slideshows, academic articles, and journal records. The course will also help students establish consistent study routines and develop the confidence needed to approach more challenging coursework.
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Teacher: Abbey Vath
Aide: Beth Ficek
Class Fee: $40
Workload: 2-3
Required Supplies: Single spiral-bound 3-subject lecture notebook with folder dividers (5-Star brand or similar)
- or - 3 simple notebooks with 3 separate folders; ruler; pencils;
colored pencils; thin, black Sharpie; glue sticks; scissors; highlighters (min. 3 colors); colored pens (min. 3 colors)
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Intro to DSLR Photography​​
Bring your camera and your creativity and join me to learn how to take beautiful pictures. In this class, students will learn about aperture, shutter speed, ISO, depth of field, lighting, and composition techniques. By the end of this course, students will be able to take pictures in manual mode, and they will create a final portfolio to display their best work. This class is best suited for students who have a genuine interest in learning about photography.
Teacher: Paula Wangler​
Aide: Nana Becky
Class Fee: Choose Base Level or Fine Arts Credit Level
Base Level: $65
Weekly homework will consist of taking pictures that apply the concepts learned in class. Students' work will be graded.
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Fine Arts Credit Level: $100
In addition to taking pictures that apply the concepts learned in class, more homework will be given that will expand on the weekly concepts, and more picture-taking will be assigned. This can be counted as a 0.5 high school fine art credit.
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Required Supplies: A DSLR camera, memory card, camera battery, and pencil.
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Second Hour
9:30-10:25
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MS Biology
This full-year middle school introductory biology class is designed as an exciting bridge between the foundational learning of elementary school and the more rigorous demands of high school. In this course, students will be challenged with a higher level of critical thinking through weekly quizzes, structured lectures, and the establishment of strong note-taking routines. The curriculum covers key units including botany, cytology, zoology, age-appropriate human anatomy and the history and development of the field of biology itself. Each topic will be explored at an introductory, middle school level, touching on the fundamentals, to spark curiosity and provide a broad foundation for future learning. Hands-on labs will bring concepts to life, allowing students to observe, experiment, and discover biological principles in action.
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Teacher: Abbey Vath
Aide: Kim Baze
Class Fee: $100 each semester - This is a year long class
Lab Fee: $100/year - This includes all lab materials
Workload: 3.5
Required Supplies: Single spiral-bound 5-subject lecture notebook with folder dividers (5-Star brand or similar) - or - 4 simple notebooks with 4 separate folders; home internet access; ruler; pencils; colored pencils; thin, black Sharpie; glue sticks; scissors; highlighters (min. 3 colors); colored pens (min. 3 colors)
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ASL 2
(New students welcome)
Ungraded Class: Students will continue to learn a variety of new units to enrich their abilities to converse more fluently in American Sign Language. This is a YEAR LONG class. Units will include: Brand Names, Community, House/Home, ASL Grammar-Parameters/Classifier study, Deaf Culture, Bible terms, Finance/Shopping, Civics/Government, Holidays, Adjectives/Character Traits, Storytelling and more!
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Graded Class: All of the above is included and students will be required to use Google Classroom to submit assignments. I will share a Google Classroom sign up link at the beginning of the fall semester. Many assignments will require students to upload short videos of themselves showing what they know. Others will be responses to videos I share (personally made or from my resources). I will keep grades for all assignments and projects and create a report card at the end of each semester for each student to keep for their records. I record points for participation, assignments and projects.
Teacher: Sarah Spoerl
Aide: Heather Aleman
Class Fee: Ungraded - $120/semester
Sibling $95/semester
Graded - $175/semester
Sibling $150/semester
Workload: 1
Required Supplies: Dedicated binder. Many resources will be provided in customized handouts and materials, but this ASL book is used for part of this class.
Barron's American Sign Language: A Comprehensive Guide to ASL 1 and 2 with Online Video Practice
https://a.co/d/09h2RTu4​​​​​​​​​
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Careers and Trades
​We will explore a variety of careers & trades through a biblical lens. Students will reflect on who God has made them to be and the many ways that they can use their strengths, interests, & gifts to find fulfilling jobs & volunteer work. Students will also learn about how to fill out different types of forms & applications, interview strategies, and components of writing a resume. We will occasionally have a speaker join class and optional field trips scheduled outside of co-op hours.
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Teacher: Beth Ficek
Aide: Denise Wilson
Class Fee: $45​
Workload: 3-4
Required Supplies: Class supplies pencil, loose leaf paper, 3 ring binder with dividers, access to internet and computer outside of class
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Third Hour
10:45-11:50
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IEW Time Travelers: Medieval History-Based Writing Course
Join us as we dive into medieval history through literature and the study of famous places and events all while learning to write with the Structure and Style. Our students will learn skills needed to organize various paper structures and to dress-up theirs papers with vocabulary, sentence openers, and more! This course is suitable for students at any level and can be scaled as needed. ​
Teacher: Rebecca Stempak
Aide: Katie Choudhary
Class Fee: $100 each semester
Workload: 4
Required Supplies: Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons Student Book ($35), Portable Wall for Structure and Style ($9) OR Student Resource Packet from IEW ($19).
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Cosmetology
(6th-12th grade)​
In Cosmetology class we will be teaching the girls how to apply simple makeup to enhance their natural beauty, a variety of different hair styles/ blow dry techniques and non-toxic beauty care. There will be weekly homework involving the style or technique they learned in class.
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Teacher: Mandy Korzik
Aide: Beth Ficek
Class Fee: $60
Workload: 2
Required Supplies: Small and large round brush, makeup pallet with brushes, additional disposable eyeshadow applicators, tail comb, teasing brush, paddle brush, blow dryer, 1 inch curling iron, flat iron, bobby pins, vanity mirror, and face lotion.
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This semester, the students will need to purchase this mannequin head.
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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BZ43WKSK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1KNKTWXR2OEKG&th=1
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Truth, Evidence, and Faith
In this apologetics class, students will tackle the big questions they hear (and sometimes ask themselves) about God, the Bible, and Christianity. Together we’ll talk honestly about questions like: Does God really exist?
Can the Bible be trusted? Is science opposed to Christianity? Why does God allow suffering? Is there such a thing as absolute truth?
Students will learn how to think through these questions using Scripture, logic, and evidence. We’ll have guided discussions, some friendly debates, and hands-on looks at scientific and historical ideas related to faith, creation, and design.
The goal of the class isn’t to “win arguments,” but to help students understand what they believe, why they believe it, and how to talk about their faith clearly and respectfully. By the end of the course, students should feel more confident having real conversations about Christianity while showing grace, humility, and good reasoning.
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Teacher: Ashlee Schneider and Julie Stinson
Class Fee: $30
Workload: 2
Required Supplies: A journal, Bible, and Bible highlighters. Students will need to purchase the book Grill A Christian: Answers to Tough Questions About Christianity, God and the Bible.
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Get Moving Gym Class!
​This gym hour will be split into two parts. The first part of each class focuses on cardio, light weight training, and learning proper exercise techniques to promote safe and effective workouts. Students will practice movements that improve overall fitness, coordination, and flexibility. The second half of class is dedicated to sports and recreational games such as basketball, dodgeball, badminton, and other team activities. These activities encourage teamwork, sportsmanship, and active participation while keeping fitness fun and engaging.
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Teacher: Stephanie Knudsen
Aide: Abbey Vath
Class Fee: $15
Workload: 1
Required Supplies: Workout mat, two 5-10 lbs dumbbells, resistance bands (five below has all of this equipment), gym shoes, workout appropriate attire.
Fourth Hour
11:55-12:55
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Forensics 102​
(New students welcome)
Forensics 102 is going to pick up right where Forensics 101 left off. We will continue exploring several fascinating topics of forensics including: toxicology, ballistics, blood evidence, entomology, anthropology, death investigation and careers in forensics. We will dive into each topic and go further than scratching the service as we do hands on activities as well. Forensics 101 is not a prerequisite, but encouraged. Sensitive topics may come up.
Teacher: Melissa Terhorst
Aide: Stephanie Knudson-Feehan
Class Fee: $85 per semester
Lab Fee: $25
Workload: 3
Required Supplies:: General school supplies, dedicated folder and 1/2 inch binder.​​
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​Cartooning 1
​Get ready for an awesome adventure in drawing and creating characters. Each week we'll learn something new and build on the week before. By the end of 12 weeks you'll be able to design your very own cartoon character from scratch!
You'll have a little homework each week but don't worry- its fun!
Teacher: Ed Smith
Aide: Natalie LaStrong
Class fee: $20
Workload: 3
Required supplies: All supplies will be provided for this class​​​​​
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Culinary Arts: Create, Cook, & Customize
This hands-on culinary arts course introduces high school students (middle schoolers welcomed!) to essential kitchen skills, food safety, and foundational cooking techniques, including the five mother sauces. Throughout the semester, students will explore a variety of cooking methods while learning how to build and customize recipes, apply artistic plating and food presentation techniques, table setting etiquette, complete cost-analysis spreadsheets for each dish, and learn about influential chefs throughout history.
Each week, students will review an instructional lesson (PowerPoint with voiceover) prior to class. During class, we will focus on a specific cooking theme, and students will be provided with a selection of core ingredients. Using their understanding of flavor profiles and complementary ingredients, students will create their own customized dish by incorporating the provided ingredients along with 3–5 additional ingredients from home.
At the end of each class, students will plate their dish and take a photograph to include in their personal recipe book and culinary portfolio. The final presentation will culminate in a student-created culinary showcase at the Christmas program.
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This course emphasizes creativity, confidence, and practical life skills while developing the ability to plan, prepare, and present meals independently.
This course may be counted as a 0.5 high school credit as a Career and Technical Education (CTE) elective. MS students can also count this on their future transcripts.
Teacher: Jennifer Lockie
Aide: TBD
Class fee: $150
Workload: 4
Required supplies: Each student will need a chef knife and cutting board. I will try to bring most of the supplies, but additional supplies may be needed throughout the semester such as mixing bowls, measuring spoons, and measuring cups. Students will need to bring 3-5 ingredients from home each week. They will need a 2" binder for their recipe book/portfolio.
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Teachers
Beth Ficek
Teacher
Becky Keller
Teacher
Ashlee Schnieder
Teacher
Tom Spielman
Teacher
Sarah Spoerl
Teacher
Melissa Terhorst
Teacher