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Course Index | |
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| Middle School Courses |
Black Belt courses are offered through our partnership with Blue Ridge International Academy and are state-correlated. Blue Ridge International Academy Courses are designed to be rigorous, yet accessible for all learners. Our curriculum is provided by educational options the parent company of Blue Ridge International Academy. The courses are created using a stringent, research-based development process that starts with a review of state academic standards to determine required learning outcomes. Course objectives are then set, along with an outline of lessons.
The curriculum department at Educational Options consists of current and former teachers meeting the designation of “highly qualified” under the No Child Left Behind Act, educational professionals experienced in higher education or non-traditional settings, and content specialists.
With the combined quality of our teachers and our courses, students can be assured a rigorous, high quality online education. Parents can also use our curriculum without the assistance of our teachers.
Black Belt/Blue Ridge Course Catalog
High School English Courses
English I
(1 Credit)
Introduces the elements of writing demonstrated in poems, short stories, plays,
and essays. Grammar skills are enhanced by the study of sentence structure and
style and by student composition of paragraphs and short essays. Topics include
narration, exposition, description, argumentation, punctuation, usage, spelling,
and sentence and paragraph structure.
(36 submissions, 4 exams)
English II
(1 Credit)
Focuses on using personal experiences, opinions, and interests as a foundation
for writing. Skills acquired in English I are reinforced and polished. Literary
models are provided to demonstrate paragraph unity and a more sophisticated word
choice. A research paper is required for completion of course. Topics include
grammar, sentence and paragraph structure, organizing compositions, and the
research paper.
(36 submissions, 4 exams, 1 paper)
English III – American Literature
(1 Credit)
Surveys American authors and the historical development of literature in
America. The course illustrates how the events in history and the cultural
heritage of the times influenced the work of authors. The ability to analyze
literary works is stressed. Topics include Puritanism, Deism, Neoclassicism,
Romanticism, Transcendentalism, Realism, and Naturalism.
(36 submissions, 4 exams)
English IV – British Literature
(1 Credit)
Studies British literature in order of the historical time periods and shows the
influence of cultural and historical change on the authors’ themes. Composition
skills are expanded with an emphasis on analyzing literary works. Topics include
Chaucer and the Middle Ages, Shakespeare, the Cavalier Poets, and the Romantic,
Victorian and Modern eras.
(30 submissions, 4 exams)
*Requires Shakespeare's Henry V
World Literature
(1 credit)
Provides the student with a selection of the world's best and most well-known
literature. Lesson notes supplement reading assignments and emphasize common
themes found across cultures and historical timelines. Submissions use a
combination of objective multiple choice and short answer questions, as well as
subjective questions that require students to support their opinions. Finally,
two full-length paper assignments ask students to apply their knowledge in essay
form.
(23 submissions, 2 labs, 4 exams)
*Textbook Required
**Elective
Structure of Writing
(1/2 Credit)
Focuses on the fundamentals of grammar and usage to strengthen writing skills.
Journal assignments and expository and narrative writing are required. Topics
include vocabulary; spelling; coordination and subordination; simple, compound,
and complex sentences; and the construction of clearly written paragraphs and
essays.
(17 submissions, 2 exams)
* Elective
High School Math Courses
Consumer/Business Math
(1 Credit)
Focuses on reviewing and applying arithmetic skills utilized at home and in
business. Students learn how to budget, spend, invest, and make everyday
financial decisions. Topics include budgeting, computing income and property
taxes, investing in the stock market, finding interest rates, analyzing
statistics, and balancing financial accounts.
(33 submissions, 4 exams)
Pre-Algebra
(1 Credit)
Sharpens students’ arithmetic skills and illustrates abstract concepts by
introducing linear equations, number patterns, the order of operations, linear
inequalities, fractions, exponents, and factoring. Some basic components of
geometry are discussed.
(36 submissions, 4 exams)
Algebra I
(1 Credit)
Leads the student through elementary algebra using the Saxon method. Students
learn how to add, subtract, multiply and divide monomials. Other areas of
discussion include integral equations, factoring, fractions, simultaneous
equations, quadratic equations, the theory of exponents, and graphing.
(36 submissions, 4 exams)
Geometry
(1 Credit)
Introduces the principal concepts of geometric terms and processes, as well as
problem solving and logic. Topics discussed are lines, planes, triangles,
circles, theorems, constructions, the measurement of solid figures, coordinates,
and proofs.
(36 submissions, 4 exams)
Algebra II
(1 Credit)
Extends the algebraic functions learned in Algebra I by bringing in concepts of
linear, quadratic, and simultaneous equations; laws of exponents; progression;
binomial theorems; and logarithms.
Prerequisite – Successful completion of Algebra I and at least one semester of
Geometry
(36 submissions, 4 exams)
High School Science Courses
Physical Science
(1 Credit)
Provides an overview of the physical sciences, such as chemistry and physics,
and natural resources, energy use, and the environment. Students are introduced
to the standards of measurement (the SI system) and the natural laws that form
the building blocks of all sciences.
(25 submissions, 4 exams)
*Textbook Required
Earth Science
(1 Credit)
Surveys basic physical sciences such as geology, biology, meteorology,
oceanography, astronomy, botany, and physics and their impact on the earth and
its processes. Students are guided to a better understanding of how the earth
and the universe are structured.
(34 submissions, 6 labs, 4 exams)
Biology
(1 Credit)
Introduces students to the five kingdoms of living organisms and identifies
their structure, function, classification, and inter-relationships, as well as
their relationship to the environment. Additional topics of discussion include
cellular reproduction and respiration, energy and metabolism, photosynthesis,
human physiology, ecosystems, and vertebrates and invertebrates.
(36 submissions, 3 labs, 4 exams)
Chemistry
(1 Credit)
Covers chemical theory, descriptive chemistry, and the changes in matter and its
properties. Students learn how to classify the different states of matter as
well as how atoms and compounds are structured. Additional areas of discussion
include chemical energetics, measurements, bonding, stoichiometry, ionization,
hydrocarbons, oxidation and reduction. Simple lab experiments are required.
(33 submissions, 14 labs, 4 exams)
Physics
(1 Credit)
Introduces students to the physics of motion, properties of matter, force, heat,
vector, light, and sound. Students learn the history of physics from the
discoveries of Galileo and Newton to modern-day physicists. The course focuses
more on explanation than calculation and will prepare the student for
introductory quantitative physics at the college level. Additional areas of
discussion include gases and liquids, atoms, electricity, magnetism, and nuclear
physics.
(24 submissions, 4 exams)
High School Social Studies/History Courses
American Government
(1 Credit)
Introduces students to a comprehensive survey of the operation and development
of federal, state, county and city governments. The course examines all aspects
of government: its statute making, diplomacy, labor policies, public finance,
and the contrasts between national, state and local levels of government. Topics
emphasize the branches of government, the checks and balance system of the
national government, the separation of power, and the role of the government in
promoting the interests of the people and involving itself in current topics.
Other areas of discussion include the Constitution; civil rights and equality;
the legislative, judicial and executive branches; the Federal Reserve System,
and foreign policy.
(24 lessons, 5 submissions, 4 exams)
U.S. History
(1 Credit)
Examines the founding and development of the United States from the start of
European exploration and settling of the original colonies to how they grew and
became a powerful united nation. Topics covered include the pre-colonial
cultures of Indigenous peoples, the arrival and impact of Europeans in North
America, the Revolutionary War, Manifest Destiny, the Civil War, the Industrial
Revolution, the United States in the 20th Century, and the influence of
immigration on American society and culture. Also incorporated are instruction
in the development of economics, politics, society, and the culture of America.
(36 submissions, 16 submissions, 4 exams)
World History Before 1815
(1/2 Credit)
Provides an overview of human events from the first use of agriculture 15,000
years ago until the French Revolution in 1815. The focus is on major events,
including the rise of civilizations, the growth of political powers, social and
economic developments overtime. The course identifies the inventions, historical
figures, and ideas of the past which influence the present and future. Topics
include the foundations of ancient civilizations, the Renaissance, great Eastern
powers, the age of exploration, the scientific revolution and the Enlightenment,
and the French revolution. (20 submissions, 2 exams) *If your state requires
world history from the beginning to today, enroll in this course and then take
World History Since 1815.
World History Since 1815
(1/2 Credit)
Provides an overview of world history from the end of the French revolution
until present day. The focus is on major events, including growth of
imperialism and nationalism, the advancement of political powers, social and
economic developments, and global growth and crisis. The course identifies the
inventions, historical figures, and ideas of the past which influence the
present and future. Topics include the Industrial Revolution, the African and
Asian colonial experience, the rise of European nationalism, World Wars I &II,
the Cold War, and the rise of Asian economies, post-colonial Africa, and the
global war on terror.
(19 submissions, 2 exams) *This course should be taken after World History
Since 1815 is complete.
World History Since 1500
(1 Credit)
Provides and overview of human history from the Renaissance at the end of the
Middle Ages until present day. The focus is on major events, including the rise
of civilization growth of imperialism and nationalism, the advancement of
political powers, social and economic developments, and global growth and
crisis.
Topics included the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, the
Industrial Revolution, colonialism, imperialism, nationalism, and global growth
and crisis.
(25 submission, 4 exams)
*If your state requires world history from 1500 to today, enroll this course.
Geography: An Introduction
(1 Credit)
Introduces terminology used in both physical and human geography and teaches
students about different countries in the world, their languages, religions,
political systems and economics. Landforms of mountains and major rivers will be
discussed. Topics include the countries of North America, Latin America, Asia,
Antarctica, Europe, Africa, and the Pacific.
(36 submissions, 4 exams)
*Requires World Atlas
Economics
(1 Credit)
Introduces students to how decisions are made in the four areas of production.
Topics include saving, spending, and borrowing; the law of supply and demand,
the Federal Reserve System; sources of money supply; and how the government
plays a unique role in an open market economy.
(20 submissions, 4 exams)
Native American Studies I
(1/2 Credit)
Offers an overview of historical and cultural issues affecting Native American
people and tribes today. The primary objective for this course is to enrich the
knowledge and understanding of Native American people from a Native American
perspective. For too long, the story of the Native American experience has been
told from the viewpoint of the colonizer in American text books. In this course,
we confront false images, stereotypes, inaccurate myths and distortions from a
historical perspective. This course is designed for both Native American and
non-Native American students so everyone can better understand human
similarities and differences as well as recognize the contributions that Native
American people and cultures have made to the world.
(18 submissions, 4 labs, 2 exams)
Native American Studies II
(1/2 Credit)
Offers an overview of contemporary, cultural issues affecting Native American
people and tribes today. The primary objective for this course is to enrich the
knowledge and understanding of Native American people from Native American
perspective. In this course, we confront issues facing contemporary Native
Americans, including world views, spirituality, language, health, socioeconomic,
art, images in media, organizations, veterans, and modern day pow-wows. This
course is designed for both Native American and non-Native American students so
everyone can better understand human similarities and differences as well as
recognize the contributions that Native American people and cultures have made
to the world.
(18 submissions, 4 labs, 2 exams)
Social Issues
(1/2 Credit)
Designed to help students understand current issues. Students will learn to
form opinions on controversial topics in the news as of 2006. The social issues
described in this course have been around for centuries and will likely continue
to present challenges to citizens and lawmakers in the future. Topics include
the media, civil liberties, gun control, crime and drugs, poverty, racism,
women’s rights, immigration, abortion, stem cell research, education, and
foreign policy and terrorism. (15 submissions, 2 exams)
Career Education Courses
Career Exploration
(1/2 Credit)
This semester course provides students opportunities to set personal and career
goals while developing employability skills. Students are guided through
exercises that teach them about career clusters and paths, educational options
after high school, and practical job-seeking strategies such as completing
applications, composing effective resumes and cover letters, and navigating the
interview process. Students conduct research throughout the course and present
their findings in written and oral projects.
(17 submissions, 2 exams)
High School Fine Arts Courses
Art History
(1 Credit)
Introduces painting, sculpture, and architecture from ancient times to the 20th
Century. By studying various forms of art from the historical periods, students
develop an eye for technique. Topics include Greek and Roman art, Renaissance
painting and sculpture, Baroque and Neoclassical art, Impressionism,
Expressionism, and abstract art.
(31 submissions, 4 exams)
Health/Physical Education #09000000
Health
(1/2 Credit)
Teaches human anatomy and physiology and increases student awareness of healthy
lifestyle choices and the importance of physical fitness. Topics discussed
include nutrition; fitness fundamentals; mental and emotional well-being; the
effects of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco; the environment; and public health and
infectious diseases, as well as safety, accident prevention, and first aid.
(8 submissions, 2 exams)
High School Elective Courses
Service Learning
(1/2 credit, 1 credit)
Service learning is a way that students can provide service in the community on
a voluntary basis to public, nonprofit, civic, charitable and governmental
organizations. Students who participate in service learning can earn a ½ credit
for 75 hours. Students may elect to earn a full credit for an additional 75
hours in a different experience.
Work Experience
(1/2 credit, 1 credit)
Work experience is a way students can earn credit by working on a job site and
learning through experience. A student must have taken or currently be enrolled
in Career Explorations to be eligible for work experience credit. Students may
earn a ½ credit by completing 75 hours in an 18 week period. Students may earn a
full credit by repeating the same experience next semester.
Fine Arts
(1/2 credit, 1 credit)
Fine arts is the knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose,
produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Students may earn a ½ credit through active participation in a fine arts
program.
Physical Education
(1/2 Credit)
Students may earn one credit for participating in an organized sport or a
physical education program.
Middle School Course Catalog
Middle School English Courses
English 7
(1 Credit)
Integrates the study of writing and literature through the examination of a
variety of genres. Students will identify the elements of composition in the
reading selections to understand their function and effect on the reader.
Practice is provided in narrative and expository writing. Topics include
comparison and contrast, persuasive, and cause and effect essays, as well as
descriptive and figurative language. Lessons are supplemented with vocabulary
development, grammar, and syntax exercises, along with an introduction to verbal
phrases and research tools.
(36 submissions, 8 labs, 4 exams)
Reading 7
(1 Credit)
Improves students’ comprehension skills and introduces the elements of
literature. Exercises accompanying reading selections develop habits of careful
reading and analysis of both prose and poetry. Students define and learn to
recognize and employ literary devices such as metaphors, similes, alliteration,
dialogue, point of view, and personification. They are taught to distinguish
between fact and opinion in non-fiction. The course provides opportunities for
students to improve their own writing and to expand vocabulary.
(36 submissions, 4 exams)
*Textbook Required
English 8
(1 Credit)
Extends the skills developed in English 7 through detailed study of parts of
sentences and paragraphs to understand their importance to good writing.
Students will also acquire study skills such as time management and test-taking
strategies. Other topics include punctuation, word choice, syntax, varying
sentence structure, subordination and coordination, detail and elaboration,
effective use of reference materials, and proofreading.
(36 submissions, 9 labs, 4 exams)
Reading 8
(1 Credit)
Reinforces and expands the reading skills developed in Reading 7. Emphasis in
this course is on critical thinking and understanding the relationships that
exist between people, ideas, and events. Readings are excerpts and short
selections of fiction and non-fiction, including biographies, autobiographies,
and personal essays. The more complex literary devices, such as irony,
exaggeration and understatement, allusion, tone, and style are studied. Students
continue vocabulary building with special attention to distinguishing between
connotation and denotation.
(36 submissions, 4 exams)
*Textbook Required
Middle School Math Courses
Math 7V.2
(1 Credit)
Explores basic math concepts and their applications. Students will increase
their skill with decimals, fractions, percents, and ratios. The course provides
tools for problem solving and includes an introduction to algebra and geometry.
Among the topics studied are discrete math and probability, surface area,
equations, statistics, and data analysis.
(36 submissions, 4 exams)
Adult Education. GED Duo can help adult students gain the necessary skills to excel on the GED exam. The self-paced online system gives students the flexibility they need to prepare and succeed on the test.
Workforce development. Employers are looking for highly qualified individuals to fill positions in their companies. Communities are looking to develop their workforce to support community growth. By helping potential employees earn their GED, communities can bolster the number of qualified individuals available to businesses in their area.
Alternative education. Students who are no longer in the traditional school environment or are almost “timed out” because of their age need options to achieve academic success. GED Duo provides administrators an alternative to offer these students. A combination of the Pre-GED and GED Prep offers students a way to obtain the skills they need to prepare for the GED exam and pass.
Job Corps. GED Duo provides Job Corps centers with a flexible, self-paced course of study to allow students to easily earn their GED while they complete their vocational training.
Correctional programs. Incarcerated adults can gain the education they need to succeed in the future by using GED Duo. GED Duo can help a variety of students with different skill levels prepare for the GED and succeed. Research shows that inmates who gain more education while incarcerated are less likely to return to prison. GED Duo can be provided in a secure environment that allows web access to the courses while prohibiting internet access.
GED Duo Curriculum
Designed in consultation with national GED experts, GED Duo’s structure and content mirror the GED exam. After administering the TABE test or equivalent assessment, you decide if your students need the Pre-GED Track to boost their skills before preparing for the GED or the GED Prep Track to immediately begin GED preparation.
Pre-GED Track:
Students with achievement levels below the 9th grade level should begin with the
Pre-GED Track that focuses on key middle school concepts before beginning the
GED Prep Track. By developing fundamental skills in reading comprehension,
writing, and math, students will be ready to move on to our rigorous preparation
curriculum.
Pre-GED Track includes:
Study Skills
Language Arts: Reading
Language Arts: Writing
Math: Basic arithmetic to middle school
Science
GED Prep Track
Students with achievement levels above the 9th grade level are ready to begin
individualized courses to prepare for the GED exam.
GED Track includes:
Language Arts: Reading
Language Arts: Writing
Science
Mathematics
Social Studies
Both Tracks Include:
- Complete lessons with engaging exercises and assignments.
- Flexibility. Students can use the program in the classroom, at home, or any location with an internet connection.
- Teacher involvement. Teachers play an important role in the process. Educators monitor students and can assist at any stage of learning.
- Rigorous curriculum. The program simulates the actual GED exam, preparing students for maximum achievement.
With both of GED Duo’s tracks, students have a choice between two course delivery modes.
Students can either take the full course including lessons, submissions, a midterm, and final exam or choose a second mode called “adaptive assessment.”
Within adaptive assessment mode, students take an initial assessment and then receive a prescribed course of study. Items students have mastered are marked as “complete,” while non-mastered topics are marked as “new.” Students work through the new concepts and take a follow up assessment, which covers all of the new topics as well as the concepts previously identified as “complete” to ensure the student truly understands everything.
The preparation programs will then regenerate a course of study based on the follow up assessment. Students cannot move on to a new course of study unless they have mastered the concepts or an educator allows them to move on. Otherwise, the student can continue cycling through the program until all concepts are mastered.
Educational Options, Inc., the parent company for Blue Ridge International Academy, is committed to providing students the best web-based instructional program possible. All of its courses are created using a stringent, research-based development process that starts with a review of state academic standards to determine required learning outcomes. Course objectives are then set, along with an outline of lessons (or an organizational plan most appropriate to the subject matter).
The curriculum department at Educational Options consists of current and former teachers meeting the designation of “highly qualified” under the No Child Left Behind Act, educational professionals experienced in higher education or non-traditional settings, content specialists, and skilled editors.
These curriculum developers utilize “backward design,” a nationally recognized instructional methodology (Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, Understanding by Design). Using this method, developers first determine what students are required to learn from a lesson and then structure content around the desired outcomes.
Our courses are developed with an awareness of the learning styles outlined in the Dimensions of Learning model (Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning). Supplemental activities in the curriculum are designed for students whose primary learning modality is not visual. In addition, lessons and supplemental activities assist teachers with differentiating instruction for ability levels and experiences (Carol Ann Tomlinson, The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners). Both backward design and differentiated instruction are advocated by the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Course assessments (submissions and exams) utilize the technique of clustering questions by learning objective and difficulty level, as established in Benjamin Bloom’s Taxonomy of Critical Thinking. This feature allows teachers to focus remediation and individualize instruction on specific areas of student need.
The combination of educational research and client input is the foundation for all Educational Options' curriculum development. The superior quality of its developers and their deep understanding of instructional theory, along with a unique web-based delivery system, allow Educational Options’ (and thereby, Black Belt Training Academy/Blue Ridge Academy’s) curriculum to meet and exceed the needs of teachers and administrators striving to improve student achievement.
Black Belt Training Academy delivers its online courses via the STARS™ system, a unique, web-based content delivery system that features automated assessment, individualized prescriptive remediation, and comprehensive reporting.
The STARS™ system includes 38 courses, most with approximately 18 lessons and submissions per semester. Randomly generated midterms and final exams are taken online, submitted, then automatically graded by the system. All course content is incorporated into online lessons, eliminating the need to purchase hardcover textbooks.
For each course, the STARS™ system can pre-assess a student’s content knowledge and generate an individualized course of study that targets student learning to where it’s most needed. This enables students to accelerate through the curriculum, recover credits, and boosting their confidence along the way.
STARS™ has been a premier web-based educational system for nearly ten years. Our curriculum is used in more than 1,200 school systems by over 250,000 students. Clients consistently report remarkable success in using our system for credit recovery, alternative education, and dropout prevention programs. Students at risk of failing or dropping out are given a powerful tool to catch up and stay on track. Mainstream students also benefit from increased course selection and being empowered to advance rapidly through self-paced study.
Black Belt will be happy to provide you a full access demonstration upon request. We highly encourage you to experience and review our entire curriculum to help your decision. We are confident that Black Belt Training Academy will offer the highest quality education available.
Simply contact us today to request a full review of our courses.
