Spring 2023 Courses
Instructor: Kristin Riffe -homeschool mom and OK certified teacher with 18 years experience
After enrolling, you will receive an email with payment and class access information. Emails are sent from the teacher, and are not immediate.
Ms. Kristin’s classes are mostly flexible schedule classes, with the exception of the final projects. We do not meet in-person either in real life or online. The classes are videos or tutorials posted in google classroom. You watch them on your own time, do the activities, and post your finished assignments in the classroom to be graded.
Art and Biome classes will have an end of the semester fair, where students will bring their artwork and/or biome project to share with their classmates. Biome project will give an oral report over their final project (can be modified for kids who have anxiety/etc.) If you join the biome class, you are agreeing to attend the project fair and keep up with the homework assignments.
Writing Level 1, art classes, STEAM, and beginning reading classes are graded as pass or fail to participate. Feedback and encouraging comments are left for students. The goal is to develop a love for learning, and provide some scaffolding to learn and meet goals. Writing level 2 and 3 will be teacher edited. The goal for those classes is to prepare students for the rigor of middle school classes and turn in properly edited writing pieces.
Classes run between 10-14 weeks depending on the class.
Dates to Know: Classes begin January 30. The Biome and Art fair will be May 20th at 1:00pm at one of the Tulsa libraries
Classes listed below: Writing Grades 2-5, Reading PreK-2nd, Art, Science
Writing Classes
Building Writers Level 1
Grade Levels 2-5
Level 1 focuses on writing complex sentences and beginning story writing. Students are encouraged to do their best and develop a love for writing.
Project topics: complex sentences, scribble writes, picture writes, rock writing game, parts of speech, story writing, personal narrative, sequence, opinion, persuasive, friendly letter, poetry
Supply List: pencil and paper. Need to be able to print some handouts. Work should be turned in digitally, either through google documents or photos of work.
Cost: $40 first child per immediate family up to 4 kids
Poetry Example
Building Writers Level 2
Grade Levels 2-5
Level 2 focuses on writing paragraphs and longer essays. In this class the students will turn in all their work via a google document, which can be edited by the teacher and returned with comments.
Project topics: paragraphs, prompts, summarizing, 1st person narrative, 3rd person narrative, persuasive, cause and effect, story, recipes, art, fairy tales, literary devices
Cost: $40 first child per immediate family up to 4 kids
Paragraph Example (to strive for)
Building Writers Level 3
Grade Levels 4-5
Level 3 focuses on combining everything learned in levels 1 and 2 into application of writing skills. Students do not need to have previously taken the other two classes, but should be in grades 4th or 5th. This class will include heavy critique and editing on all writing assignments, unlike the first two levels that focus more on developing a love of writing. Students will be expected to learn editing and revising skills, and fix mistakes and turn in a revised copy of work every week. Designed to prepare students for the expectations of middle school. All work will be typed and turned in via a google document for easy editing and returning.
You can access the syllabus for this class here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aQV7IoFF1j0FETp0jatY6LCi39PNcyP6_DRylhmm5zE/edit?usp=sharing
Cost: $40 per immediate family up to 4 kids
Early Literacy Classes
Learn to Read Short Vowels
Grade Levels: PreK-1st
Practice decoding skills by reading small rhyming word families with short vowels. Then complete a project or game with the words. Students should know letters and letter sounds.
Word Families Covered: at, ot, ig, ack, um, ip, op, ab, ell, amp, un, an
Cost: $15 per immediate family, up to 4 kids
Learn to Read Long Vowels
Grade Levels: K-2nd
Practice decoding skills by reading words with long vowels, digraphs, blends, dipthongs, and r-controlled vowels. Students should be reading short vowel words easily. A word family will be studied each week, with an accompanying activity.
Word Families Covered: ate, oon, ail, ake, ine, ight, ace, ain, ave, aze, ar, each, ew
Cost: $15 per immediate family, up to 4 kids
Art Classes
Elementary Art Class 1
Grade Levels PreK and up
All ages can have fun in art class! Projects are designed so everyone can be successful. Older students are welcome to add more detail and change the project to fit their personal style. Younger kids can find joy in the process and still have something whimsical made at the end.
Project topics: monochromatic art, salt dough textures, tessellations, watercolor resist sleepy turtle, qtip dot art, dragon egg, neurons, rainbow cave dance, up up and away, monet inspired lilypad, pacita Abad inspired trees, windmills
You can find the supply list here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pQsD6501e2GX54kej0xRyq6Sri2zi1v2yaSaeJgrswo/edit?usp=sharing
Cost: $40 per immediate family up to 4 kids
Not all projects pictured
Elementary Art Class 2
Grade Levels PreK and up
All ages can have fun in art class! Projects are designed so everyone can be successful. Older students are welcome to add more detail and change the project to fit their personal style. Younger kids can find joy in the process and still have something whimsical made at the end.
Project topics: painted paper castles, Savanna pop up art, Van Gough inspired flowers, Luna moth, treasure map, campfire, phoenix, roller coaster, high rise mural, beetle, tropical tree lungs, farmer truck trouble, mushroom color wheel
You can find the supply list here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pQsD6501e2GX54kej0xRyq6Sri2zi1v2yaSaeJgrswo/edit?usp=sharing
Cost: $40 per immediate family up to 4 kids
Elementary Art Class 3, Winter Art
Grade Levels PreK and up
All ages can have fun in art class! Projects are designed so everyone can be successful. Older students are welcome to add more detail and change the project to fit their personal style. Younger kids can find joy in the process and still have something whimsical made at the end.
Projects are all winter themed:
Swirly sky trees, northern lights Polar bears, gnomes, reindeer on tundra, mice skating, fox, snow mouse, snow palace, snowflakes, snow donuts, dancing deer, reindeer collage, winter ballet, singing bird
You can find the supply list here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pQsD6501e2GX54kej0xRyq6Sri2zi1v2yaSaeJgrswo/edit?usp=sharing
Cost: $40 per immediate family up to 4 kids
Elementary Art Class 4, Art A-La-Carte
Grade Levels PreK and up
All ages can have fun in art class! Projects are designed so everyone can be successful. Older students are welcome to add more detail and change the project to fit their personal style. Younger kids can find joy in the process and still have something whimsical made at the end.
In the Art A-La-Carte Class, you can pick and choose from the projects in Art 1, 2, or 3. You may choose 12 projects, one for each of the 12 weeks. They will be uploaded one week at a time just like the other classes. Your family will be given their own google classroom link for your self-curated class.
Cost: $40 per immediate family up to 4 kids.
Project topics: painted paper castles, Savanna pop up art, Van Gough inspired flowers, Luna moth, treasure map, campfire, phoenix, roller coaster, high rise mural, beetle, tropical tree lungs, farmer truck trouble, mushroom color wheel, monochromatic art, salt dough textures, tessellations, watercolor resist sleepy turtle, qtip dot art, dragon egg, neurons, rainbow cave dance, up up and away, monet inspired lilypad, pacita Abad inspired trees, windmills, swirly sky trees, northern lights Polar bears, gnomes, reindeer on tundra, mice skating, fox, snow mouse, snow palace (clay), snowflakes, snow donuts, dancing deer, reindeer collage, winter ballet, singing bird
Elementary Art Class 5: It’s Clay Time!
Grade Levels PreK and up
All ages can have fun in art class! Projects are designed so everyone can be successful. Older students are welcome to add more detail and change the project to fit their personal style. Younger kids can find joy in the process and still have something whimsical made at the end.
In this class, every project is made with air dry clay. Some may have backgrounds of paper, and all will be painted. This class needs time for drying!
Project topics: Egyptian Canopic Jar, Bird House, Delicate Arch, Fairy Door, Sea Monster Shelf Sitter, Textile Stamps, Emotional Sculpture, Fish in the Reef, Bento Box, Mushroom, Turkey Votive Holder, owl
You can find the supply list here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pQsD6501e2GX54kej0xRyq6Sri2zi1v2yaSaeJgrswo/edit?usp=sharing
Cost: $40 per immediate family up to 4 kids
Elementary Art Class 6, Spring Art- NEW
Grade Levels PreK and up
All ages can have fun in art class! Projects are designed so everyone can be successful. Older students are welcome to add more detail and change the project to fit their personal style. Younger kids can find joy in the process and still have something whimsical made at the end.
Projects are all spring themed:
Felt fairy wands, Rainbow Song Bird, Watercolor Groundhog, Keith Haring Planet Earth, Cute Cicada, Egg-Static, Butterfly and Caterpillar, Quilled Paper Floral, Parachuting Bunny, Spring Mood
You can find the supply list here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pQsD6501e2GX54kej0xRyq6Sri2zi1v2yaSaeJgrswo/edit?usp=sharing
Cost: $40 per immediate family up to 4 kids
Science Classes
Elementary STEAM
Grade Levels 3-5
Science projects designed for both learning and fun! Let’s enjoy some science, technology, engineering, art, and math! This class will require you to provide quite a few materials and supervise. Some projects require scissors and hot glue. Some kids may need a lot of supervision and some very little. I’d strongly encourage supervising over doing it for them; It’s supposed to be challenging! There are 6 projects, but some may take you multiple days to complete. I will be checking into the classroom to offer help and comments, and posting the projects over a total of 12 weeks. So they will be spread out to give you adequate time to complete them.
Project topics:
Non-newtonian fluids, mazes, build a toothpick bridge, build a plinko board, supersaturated liquids, rubber band car.
You can find the syllabus here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rHiOFa1x4G7d7LGqFNFZMlbqezLVndPl5HYH58xnJDA/edit?usp=sharing
You can find the supply list here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pQsD6501e2GX54kej0xRyq6Sri2zi1v2yaSaeJgrswo/edit?usp=sharing
Cost: $20 per immediate family, up to 4 kids
Here are some bridges from last semester
Biomes and Ecosystems Fair
Grade levels: 2nd-5th
Students will study and create a research project over one biome or ecosystem of their choice. The videos in this class will be short science and geography lessons about biomes and ecosystems, as well as some instruction on completing a report for their chosen project. Each student will be responsible for finishing a report and also creating a visual aid (think science fair board type project) about their chosen biome/ecosystem. This class will meet IN PERSON to share their visuals and reports aloud. Each student will give an oral presentation and show off their project. This is a supportive environment. Students can have adult support if needed due to anxiety, etc. The expectation is to share in some way, but all kids have different needs. Date and place TBD, but most likely the downtown Tulsa library on a weekend. If you live out of town, are unable to meet in person due to medical needs/covid, etc, you may post a video in the classroom of your project instead.
You can find the syllabus for this class here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rrqRKQnXSqhlm0L0RHEiwZW5e1ww1PY8LRhPdq8Fkdw/edit?usp=sharing
Cost: $20 per immediate family, up to 4 kids
Here are last semesters’ visual projects
Cell Sewing, Plant and Animal
Grade levels: 4th-5th
Students will learn the basics of plant and animal cell parts, and the basics of hand stitching. This is not a semester long class, although you may use the whole semester if you want. There will be one worksheet, one flip book of definitions, and one sewing project. Students will learn to hand stitch using felt, and create models of both cells. Students need be able to print some papers for this class. They will also need various felt fabric sheets, some ribbon, some optional buttons, and some embroidery floss, scissors that can cut felt, and a needle. This class is a shorter class, and will take you about 4 weeks to finish if you stay on top of it.
Cost: $20 per family, up to 4 kids
Tulsa Homeschool Academy 