History of Women in the United States FALL or SPRING
This course will explore what has, and has not changed for American women by looking historically at the ideas and experiences of women in the United States, from the colonial period through modern times. Our goal will be to understand not just what women have done but also how many fundamental moments and issues in U.S. history – including the formation of the early republic, religious revival movements, reform crusades, slavery, war and race relations – have hinged on certain notions of gender. Studying women’s history also means being aware of the way women have been divided by class, race, ethnicity, and more, and that while the voices of white, elite women tend to predominate, the experiences of less privileged women and women of color have also had significant effects on shaping the American past.
Intro to Python (Computer Programming) FALL or SPRING
The CodeHS Introduction to Computer Science in Python course teaches the fundamentals of computer programming as well as some advanced features of the Python language. Students will develop an appreciation for how computers store and manipulate information by building simple console-based games. The course is taught directly by a BRVGS instructor through an online learning management system, and is equivalent to a semester-long introductory Python course at the college level.
Click Here to see the Syllabus.
Multimedia Creative Writing SPRING
This course is a survey of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. Students will be given the opportunity to experiment with their own writing and narrative forms while viewing themselves as authors, editors, and audiences. Students will compose works utilizing multimedia storytelling technology, such as podcasting, VR/AR, and storytelling. Students will learn how to submit and publish their writings. This course will also survey the different types of paper formats, such as MLA, APA, and Chicago. This course will serve as a BRVGS “elective” course.
Physics of Biology SPRING
The Physics of Biology investigates how fundamental physical principles apply to and explain many of the processes of life studied in biology. Students will examine physics concepts through the lens of biology to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between these two disciplines. Learning Objectives include the application of fundamental physics principles to analyze biological phenomena, the development of physics models to describe biological processes, the use of computational tools to simulate and analyze biological systems, and the examination of scientific literature and research findings. This course is designed to challenge and inspire students to think critically about the natural world through a combination of lectures, laboratory simulations, readings, and projects.
Video Game Design FALL or SPRING
Students learn how to create video games in JavaScript! While this course is introductory, it will be taught as an “honors-level” course.
Click Here to see the Syllabus.
Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) December to April + 1 week in summer
The Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) program is an interactive online science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning experience, highlighted by a seven-day residential summer academy at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. Students learn about a broad range of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills. Based on course performance, scholars may be selected to participate in an all-expense paid seven-day residential Summer Academy at NASA Langley Research Center.
The course is offered for free online from December through May and consists of seven research and writing assignments and a final project that allows scholars to build their knowledge of NASA, space exploration and key STEM skills to prepare for the summer academy experience. Scholars selected for the Summer Academy will spend seven days with STEM mentors and master educators at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton. Scholars will work in project teams to design a human mission to Mars and will be immersed in hands-on experiential STEM activities.
Click Here to see details of the program.
Virginia Earth System Science Scholars (VESSS) December to April + 1 week in summer
The Virginia Earth System Science Scholars (VESSS) program is an interactive online science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning experience for Virginia high school juniors and seniors, highlighted by a seven-day residential summer academy at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. This transferable, four-credit, Topics GOL 195 dual enrollment course, offered through Thomas Nelson Community College (TNCC), engages the student in real world investigations of the Earth and its highly dynamic systems through the use of the latest research and data from NASA's Earth Science missions. Students develop an understanding of the Earth's responses to both natural and man-made changes to climate, weather, and natural hazards. Students will explore NASA's major Earth Science missions addressing how the global Earth System is changing, how the Earth system will change in the future, the causes of these changes, and the societal benefits provided through study of the Earth's system science.
Students selected to participate in the seven-day Summer Academy are immersed in the design of a hypothetical mission to study one of the Earth's major spheres and how the spheres are interconnected. Students will address a real-world scenario based on NASA missions which are currently being studied or that will be studied in the Earth System Sciences. Students can earn an additional transferable independent research credit, in GOL 195.
Click Here to see details of the program.
Click Here to see a video from a former student explaining the VESSS program.
Web Design (Picasso) and Introduction to Virtual Reality FALL or SPRING
This is a two-part course:
Web Design is a project-based course that teaches students how to build their own web pages. Students will learn the languages HTML and CSS, and will create their own live homepages to serve as portfolios of their creations. Students will finish this course with tangible, professional, mobile responsive websites. Click Here to see the Syllabus.
Introduction to Virtual Reality Virtual Reality is a rapidly growing technology with applications in several different fields. In this short course, students will learn how to build their very own virtual reality worlds using HTML and the A-Frame JavaScript library. Students can view their VR creations on the computer, through phones, or through an Oculus Rift. Get ready to be blown away by what you create! Click Here to see the Syllabus.