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Honors Chemistry | Live | 25-26

Blue Tent Honors Chemistry

In this live online Honors Chemistry course, high school homeschoolers will collaborate with their teacher

and peers to develop a foundational understanding of chemistry and to prepare them for an AP or college-level chemistry course.

 

Chemistry is a course filled with new concepts for students. The challenge is that many of these concepts are not easily observed. We will work to connect chemistry to everyday phenomena, making the subject matter more relatable to students’ lives.

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Class Details

  • Honors Chemistry | Traditional, full-year, live, lab-science class

  • Tuition & Fees:

    • Tuition: $775

    • Digital Resources Fee: $50 (includes the course ebook)

    • Custom Lab Kit: Approximately $91

    • See all required class resources HERE.

  • Instructor: Marcy Swisher

  • Dates: August 25, 2025 to May 8, 2026

  • Weekly Live Classes:

  • Grade Level: 9th-12th (14+)

    • Prerequisites: 

      • ​Successful completion of Algebra 1. A strong grasp of basic algebra is essential.

      • A prior physical science class would be helpful but is not req uired.​​

  • See our FAQ for:

    • age/grade guidelines, prerequisites, and class fit recommendations

    • a complete list of days, times, and breaks

    • a list of CA charter schools where this course is a-g approved

  • Format: Students share an interactive online classroom and meet live on Zoom.

  • Expectations:​

    • Attendance is required for live classes.

    • Cameras must stay on during live classes

    • Students will need to come to live classes prepared--having done the assigned reading/work.

    • Students will gain much more from live classes by coming to them with a base level of knowledge of what is going to be discussed. It will help them make sense of the discussions and encourage them to offer their own contributions.

  • Average weekly time estimate: 8-12 hours, including live class

  • All Blue Tent science courses are NCAA-approved.

 

Foundational Elements

Chemistry has a stigma of being a "difficult" course. To help students overcome this mindset and to feel successful, we will discuss concepts as a class, moving beyond basic lectures.

  • Chemistry requires math; a solid grasp of algebra is required.

  • The study of chemistry is linear; everything builds on itself. It’s important that student devote the time to stay on track with assigned work. This prevents stress as students struggle to catch up.

  • Chemistry is best understood and practiced by writing notes and formulas using pen and paper.

    • Repeated practice is KEY. Students will be expected to hand write all lab reports as well as practice problems. This is the expectation of any college chemistry course.

  • Chemistry is best learned with consistent practice and a sufficient amount of time devoted to the subject every week: 8-12 hours per week is a good expectation for an honors chemistry class.

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Core and Supplemental Resources​

Your digital resources fee includes:

  • An ebook of Pearson's Introductory Chemistry (7th edition, 2024) by Nivaldo Tro.

    • This textbook is used as a primary source in some one-semester college chemistry courses. We will use this as our full-year text.

    • The ebook also has audio capability; it can read pages aloud to a student if that is desired.​

  • Pearson's interactive, text-aligned tools offer representations, videos, models, and activities that instruct, explain, and reinforce scientific phenomena and help students explore and solve scientific problems. 

  • A variety of virtual and hands-on labs will be interwoven throughout the course. We will strive to connect ideas and concepts in chemistry to relevant, real-world applications.

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A successful chemistry class is more than a lecture. Students need to feel comfortable asking questions, working with partners, and discussing concepts as a group. Chemistry is new for everyone in this class! I know from experience what it takes to be successful in chemistry: working with partners to discuss material and calculate problems. We will utilize group work extensively in class. I encourage students to speak up! Ask questions! Come to class with questions you need answered!

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More about Marcy Swisher

Marcy 5_edited.jpg

With teaching certification in both science and English language education, Marcy applies literary skills to her science classes to help students gain the most from information in multiple formats. She brings literary expertise to her science classes, creating opportunities for students to practice science communication. After years of hearing “science is too hard,” she seeks out novel and engaging ways for students to find science accessible and meaningful. Fostering a scientific mindset, and encouraging inquiry and exploration, helps students recognize how much science is a part of their daily lives.

Marcy understands that discussion is the best way for students to grasp scientific concepts. She creates a welcoming classroom with her approachable teaching style and encourages students to "talk" about science. She loves getting questions from students and relishes in the moments when they make connections to their own lives. 

 

Marcy has homeschooled her two college-aged daughters since early elementary school, graduating her first in 2022. She is passionate about working with teens and is thrilled to be sharing her love of teaching science through Blue Tent. 

 

When not working on “school stuff,” Marcy reads. A lot! She also enjoys running, playing tennis, listening to music, and just hanging out with her family.

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Feedback on Marcy Swisher

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