The Academy at Laurel Springs
The Academy
Academy Seminar
As part of Academy enrollment, each Academy student will take part in grade-level specific college and life planning Seminars which span students’ enrollments each school year. Through Seminar, students will have the option to engage in live activities and events with their peers and assigned Academy Counselors.
The Academy Middle School Seminar courses introduce the topics presented in the Upper School Seminar at a level appropriate for Middle School learners, while the Academy Upper School Seminar courses build on the topics presented. In addition, the Academy Seminars include a series of self-assessments, goal setting exercises, career inventories, and related course projects and assignments through which students will identify and attain the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to follow their selected college and career paths. Upper School Academy students earn 0.50 Elective credits per Seminar.
College Prep
Symposium
The Academy Symposium course is a required discussion-based course where students have the opportunity to hear from guest speakers who are experts in their fields. Students extend their understanding of our speakers’ presentations by completing learning activities in conjunction with optional live Symposium Soapbox meetings with like-minded peers and their teacher. The Academy Symposium is designed to facilitate discussion, to build collaboration skills, to foster the ability to support ideas with facts, and to practice civil dialogue techniques with individuals who may share opposing viewpoints. Upper School Students earn 0.25 credits for the full-year Symposium course.
Academy Honors English 1
The Academy Honors English 1 is an integrated curriculum. Each unit contains thematically related lessons in five domains: reading and the study of literature, reading informational text, writing, speaking and listening, and language study, which includes word knowledge and grammar skills. Topics are presented in ways that help young adolescents relate literacy skills to other aspects of their lives. Writing assignments include narrative, expository, and persuasive/argumentative modes and emphasize the use of details and reasoning to support ideas. Speaking and listening lessons are emphasized in Semester A. Vocabulary development instruction is integrated into literature and informational text lessons. Each unit ends with an authentic assessment that presents students with a real‐world scenario requiring some of the skills they learned in the unit.
Literature study in semester B focuses on the analysis of different forms of literature and on comparative studies of world literature and literature delivered in different media. Writing and informational text lessons guide students through the stages of research and demonstrate how to evaluate, integrate, and share the information gathered during research. Students are required to share their ideas and analysis using several different modes, including oral and multimedia presentations. Both Semester A and Semester B require students to create a reflective portfolio to help them develop their metacognitive skills which empowers students to become better learners.
Honors students are expected to complete deeper, thought-provoking assignments throughout the course that build upon the skills that the student has learned within each unit. These assignments require students to evaluate and analyze different components to challenge students to develop deeper critical thinking skills.
Honors • UC Approved English • NCAA Approved English
Academy Honors English 2
In the Academy Honors English 2, students learn how to express their thoughts and feelings in writing. Emphasis is placed on the specific traits of the 6-Traits of Writing: Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, and Conventions. Students also review the 5-step writing process as they practice the skills of prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Each unit also includes instruction in the Greek roots of common English words. In Semester A, students are guided through the 5-step writing process for each of the major types of writing: expository, persuasive, expressive, research, and functional. The writing projects center on each of the five major types. Students will receive comprehensive instruction on the various structures and styles of writing. Students are expected to produce original high quality examples of each of the major types of writing. Writing samples are graded against the 6-Traits of Writing.
In Semester B, students broaden theirreading experience with exposure to literature from around the world. Students are given vast exposure to a variety of reading samples, and are encouraged to connect and relate to the various authors and cultures within the contexts of the passages and works Reading strategies, the literary elements, and new vocabulary and Latin roots are introduced. In addition, students are guided through an active reading process in preparation to prepare them for high-stakes testing which will assess their abilities to make inferences, comprehend, and analyze a variety of reading materials. Students are expected to respond to assigned reading materials in a variety of activities and manners. Students will be graded on their abilities to review, summarize, analyze, connect, and respond to reading materials. Additionally, students will practice important reading strategies such as determining the meaning of unfamiliar words. They will produce an independent vocabulary assignment as evidence of their familiarity with these strategies. Students are also expected to create original materials in an effort to grasp the complexity of the genres.
Honors students are expected to complete additional assignments throughout the course that build on the content provided. These assignments, like analyzing how a producer puts a movie together to develop a theme and writing lyrical poetry using literary devices, makes these students go above and beyond the curriculum content in creativity and application.
Honors • UC Approved English • NCAA Approved English
Academy Biology
This Academy Science course comes with activities by the world's leader in simulated labs, and is only available to Academy students. This course guides students through the study of living and non-living systems and how they interact with one another. Students explore the world they live in by posing questions and seeking answers through scientific inquiry. Discovery takes place through observation and data collection. The students will be introduced to the structure, function, diversity, and evolution of living matter. This is a course with real relevance. It encourages curiosity and provides opportunities for students to work on hands-on lab activities. Engaging in the study of biological science broadens the picture of the world around us.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of an 8th grade science course
College Prep • UC Approved Science • NCAA Approved Science
Academy Honors Biology
This Academy Science course comes with activities by the world's leader in simulated labs, and is only available to Academy students. This Honors level course is a research and writing-intensive version of Biology. This course guides students through the study of living and non-living systems and how they interact with one another. Students explore the world they live in by posing questions and seeking answers through scientific inquiry. Discovery takes place through observation and data collection. The students will be introduced to the structure, function, diversity, and evolution of living matter. This is a course with real relevance. It encourages curiosity and provides an opportunity for students to work on hands-on lab activities. Engaging in the study of biological science broadens the picture of the world around us. Students will develop deep understandings of concepts and explore concepts with an eye for research.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of an 8th grade science course with an A or B
Honors • UC Approved Science • NCAA Approved Science
Academy Chemistry
This Academy Science course comes with activities by the world's leader in simulated labs, and is only available to Academy students. This chemistry course is designed for students pursuing a technical career or admission to college. Topics of study include phases of matter, atomic and molecular models, polarity, solutions, ionic bonding, stoichiometry, acids and bases, Le Chatelier’s Principle, the mole, nuclear reactions, the periodic table, isomers, molecular orbitals, chemical reactions, energy and change, osmosis, entropy, reaction rates, and more. This course enhances inquiry-based learning activities and instruction emphasizes the mathematical, theoretical, and experimental basis of modern chemistry. Throughout this course, students actively engage in exploration and analysis that will improve their ability to explain and predict phenomena using scientific skills.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Algebra 1
College Prep • UC Approved Science • NCAA Approved Science
Academy Honors Chemistry
This Academy Science course comes with activities by the world's leader in simulated labs, and is only available to Academy students. Honors Chemistry contains several laboratory investigations that include the use of scientific inquiry, research, measurement, problem solving, laboratory apparatus and technologies, experimental procedures, and safety procedures that are an integral part of the learning experience. This course is designed as an interactive, 21st-century course. Topics include the composition, properties, and changes associated with matter and their applications.
This course serves as a foundation for the study of Chemistry. The utilization of scientific inquiry, interactive experiences, higher-order thinking, and real-world application all aid the student in ultimately demonstrating a vast understanding of the importance of chemistry in the world around them; enabling them to apply these properties to their everyday lives. Students develop deep understandings of concepts and explore concepts with an eye for research.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Algebra 1
Honors • UC Honors Approved Science • NCAA Approved Science
Academy Human Anatomy and Physiology
This Academy Science course comes with activities by the world's leader in simulated labs, and is only available to Academy students. In Human Anatomy and Physiology, explore the organization of the human body and how it works. Acquire the knowledge necessary to understand what the body is doing and how you can help the body cope with many different situations. Body systems will be studied in order to understand how their structure, location, and function allow for interaction with other parts of the body.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Biology
College Prep • UC Approved Science • NCAA Approved Science
Academy Honors Human Anatomy and Physiology
This Academy Science course comes with activities by the world's leader in simulated labs, and is only available to Academy students. In Honors Human Anatomy and Physiology, explore the organization of the human body and how it works. Acquire the knowledge necessary to understand what the body is doing and how you can help the body cope with many different situations. Body systems will be studied in order to understand how their structure, location, and function allow for interaction with other parts of the body. Honors topics require an in-depth analysis of topics.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Biology
Honors • UC Honors Approved Science • NCAA Approved Science
The Academy AP® Courses
Academy AP® Biology
This Academy Science course comes with activities by the world's leader in simulated labs, and is only available to Academy students. AP® Biology is designed to provide a college-level experience and prepare students for the AP exam in early May. Students will be provided with a foundation for developing an understanding for biological concepts through scientific inquiry, investigations, interactive experiences, higher-order thinking, real-world applications, writing analytical essays, statistical analysis, interpreting and collecting data. The key big ideas of the AP Biology course are system interactions, evolution, energetics, information storage, and transmission. Students will participate in a variety of engaging activities that enhance their mastery of biology concepts.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Biology, Chemistry, and Algebra 1
Advanced Placement • UC Honors Approved Science • NCAA Approved Science
The level of rigor in these AP® Electives courses is equivalent to that required of students in a freshman or sophomore college course in this area of study. These courses have been audited and approved by the College Board and prepare students for the College Board Advanced Placement® examination.
Academy AP® Environmental Science
This Academy Science course comes with activities by the world's leader in simulated labs, and is only available to Academy students. With the current changes in global climate, rising sea levels, and warming oceans, it is important for students to discover the state of Earth's systems and the consequences of human activities. AP® Environmental Science provides students with a global view of their world and their role in it. It examines the scientific principles and concepts required to understand the interrelationships between ocean, land, and atmosphere that guide the natural world and allow Earth to be a planet suitable for life. Laboratory activities within the course support their learning of these relationships through reflective, hands-on, or virtual experiences.
In addition, students identify and analyze environmental problems that are natural and human-made, determining their own ecological footprint in the world to discover how their activities affect the world around them. They evaluate the relative risks associated with environmental problems and examine alternative solutions, such as clean energy, sustainable practices, and conservation, for resolving or preventing future environmental problems.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Algebra 1 and 2 years of high-school science with labs
Advanced Placement • UC Honors Approved Science • NCAA Approved Science
The level of rigor in these AP® Electives courses is equivalent to that required of students in a freshman or sophomore college course in this area of study. These courses have been audited and approved by the College Board and prepare students for the College Board Advanced Placement® examination.
AP Capstone™ Courses
AP® Seminar
+ AP® Seminar is a foundational course that engages students in cross-curricular conversations that explore the complexities of academic and real-world topics and issues by analyzing divergent perspectives. Students explore these complexities via thematic connections between multiple lenses (e.g., cultural, social, artistic, philosophical, political, historical, environmental, economic, scientific, ethical). Using an inquiry framework, students practice reading and analyzing articles, research studies, and foundational, literary, and philosophical texts. Course activities may include listening to and viewing speeches, broadcasts, personal accounts, artistic works and performances. Students learn to synthesize information from multiple sources, develop their own perspectives in written essays, and design and deliver oral and visual presentations, both individually and as part of a team. Ultimately, the course aims to equip students with the power to analyze and evaluate information with accuracy and precision in order to craft and communicate evidence-based arguments.
Available to 10th and 11th grade students; Workshop component required
Prerequisite: Successful completion of a prior or concurrent enrollment in an AP course
The level of rigor in these AP® Electives courses is equivalent to that required of students in a freshman or sophomore college course in this area of study. These courses have been audited and approved by the College Board and prepare students for the College Board Advanced Placement® examination.
AP® Research
+ AP® Research, the second course in the AP® Capstone experience, is a course that allows students to deeply explore an academic topic, problem, issue, or idea of individual interest. Students design, plan, and implement a yearlong investigation to address a research question. Through this inquiry, they further the skills they acquired in the AP Seminar course by learning research methodology, employing ethical research practices, and accessing, analyzing, and synthesizing information. Students reflect on their skill development, document their processes, and curate the artifacts of their scholarly work through a process and reflection portfolio. The course culminates in an academic paper of 4,000–5,000 words (accompanied by a performance, exhibit, or product where applicable) and a presentation with an oral defense.
Available to 11th and 12th grade students; Workshop component required
Prerequisite: Successful completion of AP® Seminar
The level of rigor in these AP® Electives courses is equivalent to that required of students in a freshman or sophomore college course in this area of study. These courses have been audited and approved by the College Board and prepare students for the College Board Advanced Placement® examination.
Courses with Workshop
Workshop Courses
The following courses are available in 2023–2024 with an optional synchronous course component meeting once per week per course.
- Academy Honors English 1
- Academy Honors English 2
- AP® English Language and Composition
- AP® English Literature and Composition
- AP® Human Geography
- AP® World History: Modern
- AP® US History
- AP® Government & Politics (Fall Only)
- AP® Microeconomics (Spring Only)
- AP® Psychology
- Algebra 1
- Honors Algebra 1
- Geometry
- Honors Geometry
- AP® Calculus AB
- AP® Calculus BC
- AP® Statistics
- Academy AP® Biology
- AP® Chemistry
- AP® Physics
- Spanish 1
- Spanish 2
- AP® Seminar (Workshop attendance required)
- AP® Research (Workshop attendance required)
The level of rigor in these AP® Electives courses is equivalent to that required of students in a freshman or sophomore college course in this area of study. These courses have been audited and approved by the College Board and prepare students for the College Board Advanced Placement AP® examination.
AP Capstone™
AP® Capstone™ is a diploma program based on two year long AP courses: AP Seminar and AP Research. These courses are designed to complement other AP courses that the AP Capstone student may take. Instead of teaching specific subject knowledge, AP Seminar and AP Research use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the critical thinking, research, collaboration, time management, and presentation skills students need for college-level work. College Board developed the AP Capstone Diploma program at the request of higher education professionals, who saw a need for a systematic way for high school students to begin mastering these skills before college
Students typically take AP Seminar in grade 10 or 11, followed by AP Research. Each course is yearlong, and AP Seminar is a prerequisite for AP Research. In both courses, students investigate a variety of topics in multiple disciplines. Students may choose to explore topics related to other AP courses they’re taking. Both courses guide students through completing a research project, writing an academic paper, and making a presentation on their project. Over the course of the two-year program, students are required to:
- Analyze topics through multiple lenses to construct meaning or gain understanding.
- Plan and conduct a study or investigation.
- Propose solutions to real-world problems.
- Plan and produce communication in various forms.
- Collaborate to solve a problem.
- Integrate, synthesize, and make cross-curricular connections.
AP® is a trademark registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this website.
How to sign up for the AP Exam as a homeschool student
Laurel Springs does not administer AP®exams, nor do we assist students in finding a testing location. Students wishing to take an AP® exam are responsible for finding their own physical testing location and having a test ordered for them by following the process for independent students.
Dual Enrollment Program
Dual enrollment refers to high school students enrolling in a course at a two or four-year post-secondary institution while concurrently enrolled in high school. The course material and the work required of the students are of a much more rigorous and complex caliber than upper school level coursework. Completed collegiate coursework may be transferred to fulfill a student’s graduation requirements or additional high school credits or may be transferred toward a student’s undergraduate studies. Laurel Springs’ dual enrollment program is available only to enrolled full-time high school students in grades 11 and 12, Academy students in grades 9-12, and postgraduate students. Dual enrollment courses do not operate on a rolling enrollment basis. To learn more about Laurel Springs’ collegiate dual enrollment partners and available courses, students should contact their assigned College Counselors.