Middle School Endorsement

(1 credit) This course requires 30 clock-hours of field experience with a certified teacher in an area middle school. Prerequisite: EDU102. Note: Graded on a pass/no pass basis.

(3 credits, alternate years, consult department) The middle school growth and development primarily embraces the knowledge of the learner component of the professional knowledge base with concentration, identification and comprehension of the physical, psychosocial, and cognitive characteristics of the middle school aged student. This course includes a 5 hour field experience.

(3 credits, alternate years, consult department) This course focuses on the philosophy of the middle school, organization of the curriculum, effective teaching strategies, and assessment. This course includes a 5 hour field experience. Prerequisite: junior class standing.

No course description available.

(4 credits) This course introduces students to the character and abilities considered essential to becoming a member of a Christian liberal arts community. Students develop their reading, writing and speaking skills by exploring difficult questions, learning to understand academic inquiry, forming learning communities, and integrating faith with learning and living.

(3 credits) (NWCore option under Quantitative Reasoning) MAT107QR is a study of the topics necessary and helpful for competent and enthusiastic teaching of mathematics in the elementary school. The course topics include numbers and operations, number bases, fractions, decimals, ratio, measurement, geometry, number theory, data analysis, and probability. The goal of the course is to develop conceptual understanding of these topics through the 5 process standards proposed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: problem solving, reasoning and proof, communication, connections, and representations as well as the Standards for Mathematical Content and Practice from the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. While not used exclusively, this course emphasizes inquiry-based activities that will help you to analyze and understand children's ways of thinking, effective communication of mathematical ideas, and use of appropriate manipulatives and technology for teaching. Course enrollment is limited to Education majors and does not count toward a math major or math minor. Prerequisite: Prerequisite: ACT math score of 20 or above (SAT 510 or above), ALEKS placement exam score of 46 or above, concurrent enrollment in MAT100, or grade of C- or better in MAT100 (taken concurrently with MAT127 in a prior semester). Note: Course enrollment is limited to elementary education majors only and does not count toward a math major or minor.

(3 credits) (NWCore option under Quantitative Reasoning) This course covers algebraic material prerequisite to middle school mathematics teaching and to the study of calculus. Topics include a thorough study of functions (linear, polynomial, exponential, and logarithmic, as well as combinations of functions through addition/subtraction, multiplication/division, and composition), inverse functions, solving equations and systems of equations, matrices, and conic sections. Prerequisite: ACT math score of 20 or above (SAT 510 or above), ALEKS placement exam score of 46 or above, or concurrent enrollment in MAT100.

(3 credits) MAT127 is designed to help you understand and teach the aspects of algebra that are highly relevant to elementary and middle school classrooms. Throughout the course, topics are explored through rich problems and investigations, enabling you to deepen your conceptual understanding of algebraic concepts and to enhance your pedagogical practices. Course discussions, activities, projects, and explorations will focus on the following topics: *Problem Solving *Solving Equations *Patterns & Sequences *Representing Functional Relationships *Quadratic Functions *Exponential Functions *Properties of Numbers and Operations *Algebraic Proof. Prerequisite: ACT math score of 20 or above (SAT 510 or above), ALEKS placement exam score of 46 or above, concurrent enrollment in MAT100, or grade of C- or better in MAT100 (taken concurrently with MAT107QR in a prior semester). Note: This course is limited to elementary education majors only. Does not count toward a math major or minor.

(3 credits) (NWCore option under Quantitative Reasoning) This course is designed to introduce topics in probability and statistics with an emphasis on problems in the sciences. We will study discrete and continuous distributions, estimation and hypothesis testing, p-values, correlation, and simple linear regression. There will be three main sections in this course, examining descriptive statistics (the nature of data and how to summarize it), basic probability concepts (the mathematical study of uncertainty), and inferential statistics (making claims or decisions based on one or more sets of data). Prerequisite: ACT math score of 20 or above (SAT 510 or above), ALEKS placement exam score of 46 or above, concurrent enrollment in MAT100, or permission of instructor. Note: Students may receive credit for only one course among MAT116QR, MAT117QR and MAT208QR.

(3 credits) (NWCore option under Quantitative Reasoning) The course is designed to study statistical methodology commonly used in business including descriptive statistics (the nature of data and how to summarize it), basic probability concepts, and inferential statistics (making claims or decisions from one or more sets of data using confidence intervals and multiple types of hypothesis testing). Prerequisite: ACT math score of 20 or above (SAT 510 or above), ALEKS placement exam score of 46 or above, concurrent enrollment in MAT100, or permission of instructor. Note: Students may receive credit for only one course among MAT 116QR, MAT 117QR and MAT 208QR.

(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) An introduction to an understanding of Earth?s geological, hydrological, atmospheric, and environmental systems, the impact of human activity on such systems, and the ethical basis and strategies for human response to environmental degradation. Course includes required field trips and 90 minutes of lab per week. Note: This course is restricted to students pursuing a Middle School endorsement. Students may NOT receive credit for both BIO101SN and NSC101. A fee is associated with this course.

(4 credits) (NWCore option under Science and the Natural World) An introduction to the structure and function of the human body. Note: Includes 1 1/2 hours of lab per week. Does not count toward a biology major or minor. A fee is associated with this course.

(4 credits) (NWCore option under Science and the Natural World) This course explores life processes common to plants, animals, and protists; cell structure and function; biodiversity; an introduction to genetics; biochemistry and development; evolution and ecology. Laboratory exercises explore each topic using the scientific method. Hypothesis forming, data analysis and reporting are essential components of the laboratory. Accompanying materials introduce students to Christian perspectives on current issues in molecular genetics, evolutionary theory and creation stewardship. Note: Does not count toward a biology major or minor. A fee is associated with this course.

(4 credits) (NWCore option under Science and the Natural World) An introduction to molecular and cellular biology, with an examination of the processes common to living organisms and an introduction to the diversity of life, emphasizing unicellular organisms. This introduction will provide students with a basic understanding of macromolecules, cell structure and function, respiration and photosynthesis, the cell cycle, meiosis, genetics, mechanisms of evolutionary change, and Christian perspectives on evolutionary biology. Prerequisite: Combined Math + Science ACT of at least 44, sophomore standing, or permission of instructor. Note: Three lectures and 3 hours of laboratory work per week. A fee is associated with this course.

(4 credits) An introduction to organismal biology and ecology. Structure and function of representatives from the plant and animal kingdom are emphasized. In addition, students will be introduced to basic ecological concepts and Christian perspectives on stewardship. Note: Three lectures and 3 hours of laboratory work per week. A fee is associated with this course.

(4 credits) (NWCore option under Science and the Natural World) This course is an introduction to inorganic chemistry, with an emphasis on the health sciences. It is well suited for students whose programs require one year of chemistry. Note: Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory period per week. Open to all students. A fee is associated with this course.

(4 credits) (NWCore option under Science and the Natural World) This is the first in a two-course algebra-based sequence. Topics include kinematics, Newtonian mechanics, energy, momentum, gravity, atomic physics, thermodynamics, and simple harmonic oscillations. Prerequisite: C- or higher in MAT109QR, ACT math score of 24 or better (SAT 570 or above), or consent of the department chair. Note: There is a laboratory component to this course.

No course description available.

No course description available.

(4 credits) (NWCore option under Self and Society) (American politics) A broad survey of the major political and governmental institutions in the United States, this course examines how citizens attempt to influence their government and how the government responds. The course also develops the foundations for a biblical perspective on the role of government and the role of citizens.

(4 credits) (NWCore option under Cross-Cultural Engagement) This course introduces the study of political, physical and cultural features of space and place around the world. Familiarity with major physical and political features of the world's regions will be stressed. In addition, the course will raise various issues connected with the cultural aspect of geography, e.g., perceptions of place, changes in space over time, the interactions of human communities, the natural environment and patterns of human presence on the land.

(2 credits, alternate years, consult department) This course examines the field of young adult literature in its various genres: realistic fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, nonfiction, and poetry. Students will develop criteria for book selection and learn ways to respond ethically to young adult literature. Prerequisite: ENG250LC. ENG292 is also recommended.

(2 credits) Most middle schools and high schools expect their English teachers to teach writing and grammar. What are the goals of teaching grammar? What grammar should young writers know? This course takes a rhetorical approach to the study of grammar and to its use in the teaching of writing. Prerequisite: NWC101 and sophomore standing.

(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) To paraphrase Salman Rushdie, the Empire has written back. The last half of the 20th century has produced a number of literary texts written in English by authors from the recently independent nations of the Old British Empire. These texts have proved so rich in both literary value and cultural context that their authors, Wole Soyinka, Derek Walcott, Chinua Achebe, and Rushdie himself, have won the most prestigious literary prizes available. We will be reading and appreciating these books, both as ripping good yarns, and as significant cultural documents that teach us much of how members of other societies think, feel, and act. Prerequisite: ENG250LC.

(4 credits) (NWCore option under Literary Contexts) ENG250LC offers students an introduction to literary study. The topics of individual sections vary by instructor and term. After completing this writing-intensive course, students will be able to imagine other lives, times, and places by reading a variety of texts; empathize with characters who have diverse stories and perspectives; analyze different genres of literature using the tools of literary study; craft a coherent essay with a clear thesis and careful textual analysis; articulate ways that literature speaks to and informs their own lives; express delight in God through the beauty of language and literary text; and witness God?s presence in the world through literature. Topics include: American Literature and the Rhetoric of Freedom: Americans often regard freedom as the defining characteristic of both their nation and themselves. This course examines how the rhetoric of freedom has been a force in American literature. We will complicate our understanding of American freedom by examining how it has been continually redefined throughout the nation?s literary history. We will consider how minority and oppressed groups have used the rhetoric of freedom to advance their own liberation and how Christian religions concepts and language have contributed to this rhetoric. Students will practice reading and writing critically and become familiar with a variety of literary genres, including historical narrative, autobiography, poetry, drama, essays, short stories, and novels. Literature in the World: This course teaches students to appreciate the aesthetic value of literature and consider its cultural contexts. The course explores the beauty of language, the importance of understanding the self and others, and invites readers to consider how literature contributes to our contemporary culture. The course is arranged thematically and content varies from year to year. Themes may include, but are not limited to: immigration, war, poverty, the power of metaphor, and visual art and literature. Literary Imaginations: For literature to be more than ink stains on white paper, we must use our imaginations to give it life. In this course we shall read works from throughout human history and around the world (India, Greece, Italy, England, Russia, Nigeria, Ireland, Japan) to imagine and understand the world that people have believed in, created, and inhabited. The Lives of Others: This course explores 4000 years of stories, from ancient Mesopotamia to the American South. Plays, poems, epics, and autobiographies broaden our perspective on the world and deepen our understanding of being human. Two central themes of the course are perceptions of difference and expressions of faith. Strangers, Gods, and Monsters: As careful, critical readers, we will come face to face with all sorts of strangers, gods and monsters (both mythic and modern) as we journey through New Mexico deserts, English monasteries, modern day American prisons, contemporary Nigerian villages, Aboriginal healing ceremonies, and deep into the heart of Japan?s 17th century Samurai culture. Disney: What do a pocket-sized dragon, a talking willow tree, and a confused rooster have in common? Their characters debuted in film. Disneyâ??s Mushu, Grandmother Willow, and HeiHei were not in the original stories from which Disney drew inspiration. This course is an introduction to the art of adaptation and explores many of the literary contexts upon which the Disneyâ??s storytelling empire was built. Students will learn how to research, analyze, and discuss written and visual texts, and to create their own adaptations of literature through papers, storyboards, and multimedia projects.

(4 credits, alternate years) William Shakespeare never attended college, yet he saw the world sharply in his mind's eye. He wrote piercingly about kings and college students, warriors and witches, goblins and gravediggers, his 1,000 characters have never been off the stage in 400 years. In this course we read eight plays which fathom the range of human experience and take the English language to the height of expressive beauty. Prerequisite: ENG250LC

(4 credits; alternate years, consult department) Students will actively explore the nature and design of poetry by studying a range of poetic genres and styles, learning to read poetry as writers do, and writing poetry in a writing workshop. Attention will be given to the purposes of language, to relationships between reading and writing, and to poetry as a mode of thinking and an expression of culture. Prerequisite: ENG292 or permission of instructor.

(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) A study of prose and poetry in the United States from America's beginnings through the end of the Civil War. The course will focus on the works of Colonial and Romantic writers and the literatures of Native and African Americans. Special attention will be given to defining the qualities and concerns that make this literature distinctively "American." Prerequisite: ENG250LC.

(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) A study of prose and poetry in the United States from the Civil War until the present. The course will study works by realists (including regionalists) and modernists, as well as contemporary writers. Prerequisite: ENG250LC.

(4 credits, alternate years, consult department) England was largely depopulated of young men and nearly reduced to rubble by two world wars. The nation that arose, stripped of its empire, has continued to be a literary center. We shall read Shaw, Yeats, Eliot, Heaney and others, examining how they have analyzed and expressed the modern human condition. Prerequisite: ENG250LC.