Worldviews I 2014-15

Welcome Worldview Warriors!

Book mark this page, and check it frequently for updates!

What is Worldviews?

Worldviews is a class where we will explore basic assumptions about the world. We will look at 6 differing worldviews in 10 different discipline areas, and try to make sense of the world from the viewpoint of the Bible. Along the way, we will work hard, memorize scripture, read lots, prepare for life in the marketplace of ideas beyond high school, and sharpen our studying, thinking, and writing skills along the way.

Worldviews class is a journey we make together towards a better understanding of God and man, and their interactions in the world. Welcome!

Before Class begins...

1. Items needed for class

• A large (3 or 4 inch) 3-ring binder and sectional dividers; one notebook for each year. Directions for setting up the notebooks may be found here: Notebook Instructions
• A reliable Internet connection and e-mail address. Much of our communication and many mid-week readings will be coming via e-mail or on this website, and all your class outlines and assignments will be posted on this website. You will also need a printer that can print out the class outlines and the assignments I post for you.
• You will again need the textbook and student manual for Understanding the Times: The Collision of Today's Competing Worldviews (Revised Second Edition) by David Noebel. Please make sure that you have the editions of the text and manual linked to here. (And please note: much of the manual refers to a video curriculum we are not using. However, the chapter questions and extra readings are of benefit to us, and we will use those regularly.)
• There will also be several assignments and handouts that you will need to print out from this website, so it will also be necessary for you to be able to open and read MSWord files and .pdf files.

2. Integrity agreement

Because I will be asking you to complete many written projects and even take quizzes and tests at home, it is imperative that we can trust each other. To that end, I ask that each student and his or her parents review the integrity agreement you will find here:IntegrityAgreement.doc

3. MLA Formatting

To help you prepare for a standard formatting in your assignments and papers, I will ask you to turn in all your work in MLA formatting. This is a common formatting used by colleges and universities, and will make every paper similar, and thus easier for me to grade. Please become familiar with MLA formatting using the link here prior to the beginning of class. It will give you explicit instructions for formatting all your written work, and later for longer papers.

Additionally, you can download MLA formatting templates into MS word using some of the downloadable templates found here. Or you can read instructions for creating your own templates here.

4. Grading

I will be grading everything you turn in during our time together, with the exception of the biology unit. our guest instructor, Mr. Thompson, will be grading your work for him and giving me those grades. Each assignment will have a point total possible, and clear instructions. I do not "deduct" points" for things you fail to do well. Instead, you must earn every point you receive. At the end of the semester your points will be added and your percentage figured for that semester. This will then be e-mailed to your parents.

Grading on all writing assignments will include the following areas:

• Content (what you say)
• Organization (the logical order of what you say)
• Style, syntax and structure (how you say what you say)
• Neatness, formatting, and following instructions

Any work turned in late will result in a lowered score: one letter grade for each day late. If an assignment is due on a particular day, it is due at the beginning of the class period. Once an assignment is more than 3 days late, it will not be graded and will be given a zero. If circumstances of emergency or pre-arranged absence are approved, late work will be accepted and graded without penalty.

If you have any questions about grading, please contact me.

5. Getting Started

Before you come to the first day of class you should:

• Read the three introduction sections in the text book, pp. 1-41
• Follow all of the above instructions for setting up your notebook and have it ready to go
• Bring your notebook, textbook, student manual, bible, and writing instruments to class with you. These items should come every time. And don't forget to sign your integrity agreement and place it in the front of your notebook.

If you would like to get a head start before class begins, here are a few suggestions for you:

• Get started on the Scripture memory verses already posted.Remember, the "newer" verses are at the bottom, listed in the order they were assigned. Don't miss any!
• Get started on the book you will read for a book review for the first semester. You can find the Book Report Assignment here, and the first list of books you may choose from this list.

6. Vocabulary

The same vocabulary list will be used for both years. Once a word is assigned to you, you are responsible for it forever. You may find the list here. This list should be printed off and placed in the "Vocabulary" section of your notebook.