Requirements

Course Requirements

The instructions sent for each course state the specific requirements expected by CLH. For most courses, this entails either answering a pre-determined portion of the questions found in the text that we provide or writing short summaries of each chapter, and completing the assigned tests (if any). The requirements for some subjects, however, diverge from this format. Those that differ from the norm are described below.

The course instructions we send with your curriculum are the final word in requirements for the courses assigned. They supersede any instructions provided to other families, in your Handbook, and on this Web site. Only instructions provided on special Yellow R&I sheets (or updated instructions sent to you by CLH) can override the course instructions sent with your books.

For details regarding test and daily work requirements, see Grading Policies.

If you are missing the instructions for any course, contact our Customer Service Department.
 

Art, Music, and Physical Education

These three subjects are assigned at each high school grade level enrolled in CLH and must be completed to meet grade level requirements. However, CLH does not provide materials for them—you must develop your own activities. You also provide the final grade for each course, which should be based on the assignments completed and the attitude of your student toward finishing them. At the end of your school year, use the Report and Identification Sheets (R&Is) provided by CLH to submit the grades for these courses. Do not submit to CLH any written work or projects you assign for these subjects.

Because CLH does not determine the specific requirements for these subjects, we have no objective standard for what constitutes a final grade of “A,” “B,” “C,” etc. Therefore, CLH awards no academic credit for them at the high school level. If your student completes a creditable, high school level course, we recommend you have the instructor send us an official transcript, which would be added to your student’s cumulative records file.

Here are some suggested ways to meet our requirements for these subjects.
 

Art

Students are urged to be creative. Art can include anything from sculpturing, drawing, and painting, to woodworking, flower arranging, and decorative needlework. Again, reports can be written or oral presentations about a type of art, a period in art history, or an artist. Art can and should be used for God’s glory.
 

Music

Students are encouraged to sing in their church choir, take voice or instrument lessons, attend concerts, or spend time singing as a family. Students can also give reports or oral presentations to their families on a particular area they have studied. Such reports can include a type of music, a period in music history, a composer, or a hymn writer. Students may show how music can and should be used for the glory of God and how it has been distorted.
 

Physical Education

Sporting activities, weight lifting, aerobics, calisthenics, biking, and swimming are obvious ways to fulfill this requirement. Once again, however, reports and oral presentations may be used. Students may enjoy studying the rules of a game or the techniques used when playing a sport. The whole family can benefit from the time a student spends studying one or more of these areas. We encourage parents to participate in their child’s athletic activities. Playing tennis as a family is one of many activities that can be incorporated into a home school physical education program.

You may also want to consider providing instruction in first aid, sex education, health and nutrition, or a study of the body’s muscles and how they work. Study in these areas can be very beneficial to students, and we encourage you to use part of your student’s physical education period for such instruction if you think it is appropriate (check your state laws to see if any are required). We do not, however, want a student’s entire physical education instruction to consist of study in these topics.
 

Book Reports

Students in grades 7–8 are required to complete two book reports each year. High school students will complete book reports as part of their literature course requirement. Refer to the course instructions for information specific to a student’s grade level.
 

Completing and Submitting Book Reports

1. Complete your book reports in narrative form. Book reports should be 300-600 words for grades 7–8, and 600–800 words for grades 9–12. Examples are shown below.
    

2. We prefer that students type their book reports, but we will accept neatly handwritten reports. If you type your reports, use an 11 or 12 point Times New Roman or Arial font, 1½-inch left and right margins, and 1-inch top and bottom margins. The report should also be double-spaced. Handwritten reports should have a 1-inch right margin.
    

3. For grades 7–8, when you have completed your book reports, list the book titles on your book report R&I sheet, attach the R&I sheet to your reports, and submit them all at one time. Make sure a Student ID label is attached to each book report
    

4. For grades 9–12, when you have completed your book reports, attach the R&I sheet for your literature course to your reports, and submit them all at one time. Make sure a Student ID label is attached to each book report. Also, make sure you have recorded the textbook score on the R&I sheet before submitting it.
    

5. Insert your book reports in an envelope separate from other tests and daily work. Write “Book Reports” on the envelope.
    

6. Do not grade your own book reports. We will grade them for you. For grades 7–8, the average score for the two book reports determines your final grade. For grades 9–12, the book reports comprise 20 percent of your final literature grade.
    

Book Report Structure

Each book report should follow the basic structure listed below.
 

1.  The Introduction
 

a)  The title and the author of the book should appear as a heading at the top of the page.
 

b)  The first sentence should include the title of the book, the author’s name, and the central idea.
 

Example: I Was a Slave in Russia by John Noble is the personal account of an American who survived nine years of cruelty in the slave-labor camps in Russia.
 

c)  Interest your readers by including a striking statement or a quotation from the book or one of the characters.
 

d)  Include the time and the setting, if applicable.
 

e)  Include a thesis sentence which indicates how you intend to organize your thoughts.
 

Example: Mr. Noble tells of his surprising imprisonment, his long years of torture, and his eventual release.
 

2.  The Body
 

a)  For a biography, relate the chief incidents in the subject’s life and discuss their importance.
 

b)  For a non-fiction book, discuss the importance of the subject treated in the book and a summary of the author’s presentation of the subject.
 

c)  For a fiction book, introduce the reader to the chief characters in the book and write a summary of the plot.
 

d)  Discuss each topic introduced in your thesis sentence in a separate paragraph.
 

3.  The Conclusion
 

a)  For a biography, include a statement about the significance of the person’s life.
 

b)  For a non-fiction book, include a summary of the main points of the body.
 

c)  For a fiction book, include a discussion of how the main conflicts in the plot were resolved.
 

4.  The Evaluation
 

a)  Discuss your personal thoughts about the book, whether favorable or unfavorable.
 

b)  Discuss how the book influences your thinking or your goals in life, and use examples from the book to support your statements.
 

c)  What was the author’s perspective, frame of reference, or presupposition? Did you agree or disagree? Why or why not?
 

Sample Book Reports

To view a sample book report, click any of the following links:

Junior high level book report (grades 7–8)

High school level book report (grades 9–12)
 

Independent Bible

Christian Liberty understands that Christians hold various theological views, not all of which are in agreement with our own. Therefore, we allow families to construct their own independent Bible course if the choices we offer do not meet their needs.

Families choosing to take our Independent Bible course must use the Holy Bible as their primary text, regardless of what other materials are used. Those selecting this course will receive course instructions stating what CLH requires, as well as what must be submitted in order for a final grade (determined by CLH ) to be awarded.

Because CLH allows the family to construct its own course and supplies no required materials, CLH does not issue academic credit for its Independent Bible course. When this course is chosen at the high school level, CLH will waive the one credit graduation requirement listed for the grade level under Theological Studies.

Students who pursue this option at the high school level are still responsible for meeting the minimum credit requirements for graduation, which means a student may need to take additional courses to earn enough credits to graduate.

The Independent Bible course may be assigned at each grade level throughout the CLH program.
 

Standard Kindergarten/Advanced Kindergarten Courses

Neither Standard Kindergarten nor Advanced Kindergarten has instructions for each course. The course instructions for these grade levels apply to the grade level as a whole.
 

Grade Level Requirements

As students progress from Kindergarten through elementary and junior high to high school, their grade level requirements change.
 

Standard Kindergarten and Advanced Kindergarten

All assigned courses must be completed per the kindergarten course instructions. As you finish each course (whether or not it has any written work), write its completion date on the Kindergarten R&I sheet.

Once all courses are completed, you must submit a sample of 15–20 percent of your student’s daily written work to CLH . Each course in your student’s curriculum that requires written work should be represented in this sample. This work must be attached to the Kindergarten R&I sheet. Be sure your student’s ID is on the daily work. No course assignments, other than the materials specifically assigned by CLH , are required for kindergarten students.

Both report cards and transcripts will show a single course assigned for kindergarten. This course will receive a final grade of either Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory, depending on the quality and completeness of the work submitted. Kindergarten students will receive a Certificate of Completion if the grade level is satisfactorily completed.
 

First through Eighth Grade

Each assigned course must be completed (both tests and daily work) according to its course instructions. If a course has tests, those tests should be submitted to CLH on a regular basis (monthly recommended). Tests from multiple courses may be submitted together in one envelope.

Some courses only require you to submit an R&I sheet. For these subjects, mail the completed R&I to CLH once each course has been finished. Other courses, however, require that actual daily assignments must be submitted to CLH . Daily work for a course must be retained until the entire course has been completed. Then it should be mailed to CLH in its entirety with the requisite R&I sheet attached.

Each grade level is considered complete once all courses assigned by CLH have been issued a final grade. If any course does not have a final grade, or if a course is completed after the grade level end date, then that grade level is considered incomplete.

A student must successfully complete* the eighth grade assignments in order to receive an eighth grade diploma. Grade levels prior to the eighth grade are not considered when determining whether a student should be awarded an eighth grade diploma. An eighth grade diploma is not required for admission into high school.
 

* Successful completion requires a passing grade in each course. See Retaking a Course if a failing grade is received.

 

Students may, with the approval of CLH , choose to take selected high school level courses (such as foreign language) in addition to their required assignments beginning in the seventh grade. At the family’s request, CLH will routinely recognize these courses (when completed) for high school level credit once the student is enrolled with CLH in the ninth grade. With the exception of Algebra 1 (or higher level math), and biology (or higher level science), courses assigned to meet curriculum requirements in the seventh and eighth grades will not be recognized for high school level credit.
 

High School

The grade level requirements for first through eighth grade also apply to high school. However, the student must retake any required courses that are failed in order to meet graduation requirements.

Christian Liberty will make sure that students are assigned all courses necessary to meet our graduation requirements. A minimum of four (4.0) academic credits are required in each grade level with CLH . 

All required high school courses must be completed within the grade level assigned. CLH will not move incomplete high school courses into subsequent grade levels. If a grade level expires with an incomplete or an unresolved failure in any course, the student may be required to repeat the grade level at the discretion of CLH . 

For additional information, see our high school graduation requirements below.
 

Graduation Requirements

In addition to specific course and grade level requirements, there are also requirements for earning a diploma.
 

Standard Kindergarten and Advanced Kindergarten

To graduate from either Standard Kindergarten or Advanced Kindergarten and receive a Certificate of Completion, a student must successfully complete the requirements for that grade level only. Standard Kindergarten and Advanced Kindergarten are not consecutive grade levels. Advanced Kindergarten students are not required to have completed Standard Kindergarten, and Standard Kindergarten students need not also complete the Advanced Kindergarten for promotion into first grade. Both CLH kindergarten programs will sufficiently prepare a student for first grade.
 

Eighth Grade

To receive an eighth grade diploma, a student must successfully complete all assigned courses for our eighth grade program only. Students are not required to show completion of any previous grade levels.

If an eighth grade course is failed, the student must successfully complete a retake of that subject in order for a diploma to be awarded.

An eighth grade diploma is not required for admission into high school.
 

High School

In order to graduate from CLH and receive a high school diploma, a student must successfully complete a minimum of twenty (20) credits in the following areas of study: