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Precalculus | Regular, Honors & Self-Paced | 2023-24

Blue Tent Precalculus

In these live online Precalculus classes and self-paced classes, high school homeschoolers work through daily lessons with short, teacher-recorded video instruction, guided notes, and practice problems. Students complete lessons and assignments at their own pace within each week, but the course is structured to encourage daily learning and practice.​

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  • Live Classes: Students will meet live weekly with their instructor and classmates for 75 minutes in active and engaging problem-solving sessions. Live sessions will consist of examples offered by the instructor, small-group collaboration, and plenty of time to ask questions.

  • Self-Paced Classes: Students cover the same material as the equivalent live class, but all instruction will be delivered by teacher-produced videos.

  • Live and Self-Paced--Optional Study Halls: In addition to the live classes, the instructor will offer two weekly live study halls for both live and self-paced students. These can be utilized in two ways:

    • ​Individual questions. Students can drop in to a Zoom study hall at any time to ask questions.

    • Homework time. Students can log in to a Zoom study hall--keeping microphones muted and videos on or off--to work on their math homework. They can then unmute to get immediate help when questions arise.

 

Class Details

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  • Multiple class options:

    • Precalculus | Traditional full-year live class

    • Honors Precalculus | Traditional full-year live class

    • Self-Paced Precalculus can be started any time and must be completed within 12 months of start

    • Self-Paced Honors Precalculus can be started any time after September 1 and must be completed within 12 months of start

  • Tuition:

  • Instructor: Ashley Porter

  • Dates: August 14, 2023-May 12, 2024. See our FAQ for a complete list of days, times, and breaks.​

  • Weekly Live Classes:

    • Precalculus | Thursday 3-4:15 p.m. Eastern

    • Honors Precalculus | Wednesday 3-4:15 p.m. Eastern

  • Optional Live Study Halls:

    • ​Tuesday 4:30-6 p.m. Eastern

    • Thursday 6-8 p.m. Eastern​

  • Grade level: 10th and up (successfully completed Geometry & Algebra 2 or Integrated Math 2)

  • Class size: 15 per section

  • Course materials are listed HERE.

  • Format: Zoom and an online classroom. 

    • Students who attend live classes are asked to keep their webcams on and participate. 

    • Live classes will be recorded for those who miss classes or prefer to watch later.​

  • For CA students, some courses are a-g approved if taken through some homeschool charters. See our FAQ.

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Regular or Honors Precalculus?

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Precalculus: 

  • Do you want to dive deeper into topics of Algebra 2 and Trigonometry without the added fast-paced topics of Calculus? 

  • In this class, students will cover the many topics of Precalculus at a slower pace that will allow them to dive deeper into each concept, mastering each skill before moving on to a new unit.

  • Beginning the class with an extensive Algebra 2 review, the class will then move into the famous topics of Trigonometry, and tip their toes into Linear Algebra before ending the year with Probability and Statistics.

  • This class is designed for students who are looking to satisfy an additional math credit but are not planning to pursue AP Calculus as their next math class. 

 

​Honors Precalculus: 

  • Do you want to dive deeper into topics of Algebra 2 and Trigonometry and see how they relate to Calculus? 

  • In addition to covering many topics within the course textbook, in this class students will cover some additional topics that are likely to be important in an AP Calculus or college-level Calculus class. 

  • Beginning the class with a quick Algebra 2 review, the class will then move into the many interesting aspects of Trigonometry. They'll look at basic functions in new ways, tackle challenging systems of equations & inequalities, learn the ins and outs of sequences and much more.

  • This class is designed for students who are interested in pursuing AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, or a college-level Calculus class in the future.

 

Foundational Elem​ents

A typical week might include a variety of elements:

  • Homework sets will be assigned and completed through WebAssign. (See a WebAssign Demo)

  • Short quizzes will check knowledge of the instructional content, and tests will be given periodically to measure mastery of concepts.

  • Games (similar to Kahoot and Jeopardy)--where students solve puzzles/riddles and complete Precalculus-related assignments--can be expected, especially in review weeks.

  • Each week will incorporate some sort of real-life application--encouraging critical thinking and applying math concepts to the real world.

  • Students should expect to spend 6-8 hours per week (which includes the live class meeting).  

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Print and Digital

The class will use the 10th edition of Precalculus by Ron Larson. This well-regarded textbook offers both an algebraic and graphical approach to topics in functions, trigonometry, matrices, probability, and analytical geometry. Each section engages students in explorations of problem solving, strengthens critical-thinking skills through technology and study tips, and develops why precalculus is important through real-life applications.

 

  • Aligned Interactive Resources

    • Students will access homework assignments in WebAssign, a platform that is widely used by colleges and universities across the country. Through this online resource, the instructor tailors weekly assignments and can offer supplementary practice to students who need it. Using WebAssign will also give students experience with a digital platform they are likely to see in future college math classes. 

    • An interactive ebook is equipped with embedded videos from Cengage Learning that supplement examples in the hard-copy text. The ebook allows students to bookmark pages and concepts they feel are important to review.

    • Optional: a hard-copy text can be borrowed through the Blue Tent OnLoan program if students wish to have a printed in addition to their ebook.

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Collaborate. Learn. Enjoy!

Students will be interacting with their classmates and instructor during the live sessions as well as in online forums. Through live and recorded instruction, a variety of interactive resources, and a friendly online classroom, these courses are designed to help students efficiently and successfully learn and enjoy Precalculus!

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