Have a non-science minded High School student that needs a lab science course?  Sign them up for Botany! I promise I can make the course painless and dare I say, enjoyable.

This course has been designed for the non-science minded student and has been customized to 9a/9b growing zone where we are in Florida. “Book work” makes up about 20% of the course and the rest is hands on. The class will include some microscope work, but most labs will involve getting their hands dirty growing plants of the student’s choice (vegetables, flowers, decorative plants etc) and learning what to do, and what NOT to do here in Florida.  No yard? That’s ok – students may work with containers. Class assumes NO experience. Mature 8th graders accepted.

A HS credit is 120 hours. Students will meet in person or online about 2-3 times a month in both the fall and Spring semesters. In addition, students will be responsible (on the honor system) for  completing an addition 2-4 hours a week on short lessons and also on their at home projects to meet the 120 hour requirement. 

The class tuition is $25 per class payable in advance by the month. If you have a friend who'd like to take the class with you, the price drops to $15 per class.  The maximum number of students is 5. Class time will be arranged at the time of sign up according to your schedule. Due to our climate, classes will not start in May, June or July. There will be no refunds for missed classes, however, materials for those missed classes can be provided for make up on their own. 

The textbook can be purchased on Amazon and sells for about $20. It is not a workbook so purchasing a used book sites is not only accepted but encouraged! 

In addition to tuition, there is a one time lab fee of $25 for in person classes.  This fee is omitted if only attending online, but then you will be responsible for obtaining all your own materials. Note, depending on the projects your student chooses, there may be additional costs which you will determine with your student (vegetable seedlings, perennials, annuals etc). If you already have soil, containers, seeds etc, no need to purchase new! At home projects will be 100% student led. In fact, students will be given the opportunity to choose a format for their work that they feel most comfortable with. Their work can take place in the form of worksheets, drawing or sketching, or students can learn how to present their materials in powerpoint.

To ask additional questions or register, send an email to: shelby@learningpad.io

Reading and Writing PERT Readiness class

PERT stands for Postsecondary Education Readiness Test. It is a test used in Florida to determine placement in math and Language Arts Classes. For those High School Students wishing to dual enroll, students must score a minimum score to enroll in college level courses. For example, State College of Florida requires a 106 in Reading and a 103 in Writing. Dual Enrollment classes and sometimes books are provided for free in most counties in Floriday.

The Reading and Writing portions of the PERT are two separate tests. They are completely computerized. Students will need to be able to read selections and make answer choices ranging from the required  grammar rules, relationships between sentences, parallelism, redundancy, wordiness and more . There is no actual writing, rather, students will have to identify good or bad writing.

This in online or in-person class (Ellenton area)  will meet every  week for 10 weeks.  We will review or in some cases learn, all the elements needed to pass both the reading and writing elements of the PERT Test. Students will also take sample tests to get used to the various question styles.  If more instruction is needed, students may be asked to take the sample tests at home.  Depending on individual ability, students may need to study outside the course.

Classes will be scheduled according to participant availability. Cost of the entire class is $250  total. Payment is required in advance. If two or more people would like to sign up together, the class fee drops to $225. Maximum class size will be 4 students.  There are no refunds for missed classes, however, missed materials will be available. 

prerequisite: students should understand basic writing skills and have a good grasp on grammar. 

To ask additional questions or register for the class, please email: shelby@learningpad.io

Writing and Grammar

Appropriate for grades 7-12, this  writing class will start at the very beginning covering the basic structure of a paragraph and then progress through writing 5 paragraph essays with MLA citation.  I will cover in detail how to use MLA citation.  Types of writing included will be personal narratives, retelling (summarizing a story),  a persuasive essay, compare-contrast, literature analysis, and response type paragraphs to literature, science and history questions as is common in college classes. 

In addition, grammar will be covered extensively in order to properly compose well constructed writing.  Parts of speech, comma usage, parallelism, wordiness, and other topic will be covered. 

Classes will be scheduled according to participant availability. Classes will run once a week for approximately 25 weeks. Holiday closures will be announced in advance and will not be charged.  Cost of each class session is $25 per class payable by month in advance. If two families/siblings  sign up for the same time, classes will be reduced to $18 per class with a maximum of 4 participants. If three families/siblings sign up for the same time, classes will be reduced to $15 per class.   There are no refunds for missed classes, however, missed materials will be available.

This class assumes no prior knowledge. However, it will move at a pace for grades 7 - 12.  Your students will be writing   new piece every 2-3 weeks at home  and will receive detailed personalized feedback. Students should feel comforatble with other students seeing their work. 

To ask additional questions or register for the class, please email: shelby@learningpad.io

Please note: zoom classes and online classes must be schedule separately. Zoom sessions run 40 minutes. In person classes run 45-55 minutes depending on the participants. 

Literature

Appropriate for grades 8-12, this  High School level literature class will cover an academic year's worth of short stories, drama, poetry and what I called accessible Shakespeare (Caesar). The class will also cover vocabulary, plot analysis as well as the use of literary devices (alliteration, hyperbole, metaohor, personification and many more). Writing will be limtied to short essay questions meaning one paragraph. Writing is a separate class. Note; elements of writing can be combined into this course by request. 

Classes will be scheduled according to participant availability. Classes will run once a week for approximately 30 weeks. Holiday closures will be announced in advance and will not be charged.  Cost of each class session is $25 per class payable by month in advance. If two families/siblings  sign up for the same time, classes will be reduced to $18 per class with a maximum of 4 participants. If three families/siblings sign up for the same time, classes will be reduced to $15 per class.   There are no refunds for missed classes, however, missed materials will be available.

This class assumes no prior knowledge. However, it will move at a pace for grades 8 - 12. 

To ask additional questions or register for the class, please email: shelby@learningpad.io

Government

Appropriate for grades 7 - 12. Students till dive into the heart of American democracy with our focused Civics class, designed to illuminate the workings of the U.S. government and the Constitution. This course invites students to engage deeply with the principles that shaped our nation, from the thoughts of the framers and founders to the pivotal role of the Supreme Court and the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

Students will sharpen their critical thinking skills and dissect the core aspects of government and civic participation. Homework is crafted to reinforce learning, with practical worksheets, selected readings, and concise writing tasks—no lengthy essays, just clear, thoughtful paragraphs. Adding a layer of understanding, we’ll also touch on U.S. geography. This class isn’t just academic; it’s a journey into active citizenship, offering tools for engagement in the great American experiment. 

Classes will be scheduled according to participant availability. Classes will run once a week for approximately 30 weeks. Holiday closures will be announced in advance and will not be charged.  Cost of each class session is $25 per class payable by month in advance. If two families/siblings  sign up for the same time, classes will be reduced to $18 per class with a maximum of 4 participants. If three families/siblings sign up for the same time, classes will be reduced to $15 per class.   There are no refunds for missed classes, however, missed materials will be available.

This class assumes no prior knowledge. However, it will move at a pace for grades 7 - 12. 

To ask additional questions or register for the class, please email: shelby@learningpad.io