A Noble Experiment: History and Nature of the American
Government is a comprehensive, student-directed, one-semester high
school government course. It covers all the national standards for both a high
school civics and government course of study. Best of all, the information is
presented from a conservative Judeo-Christian foundation. In this robust
course, students will learn the foundational principles of government, survey
the various types of government, and trace the significant people, events, and
documents that lead to the creation of the United States. The U.S. Constitution
is studied in-depth, article by article, with a lesson on Constitutional
interpretation. Also explored are the United Nations Organization, U.S. Foreign
Policy, and the impact of immigration and globalization on our nation. The
final lessons promote responsible citizenship and include independent state-specific
and local government-specific research projects. Students wrap up the study
with a viewing of the classic movie Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, which
is available to stream online from multiple sources.
The heart of the study lies in the nearly 7 hours
of video teaching, which are subdivided into 24 lessons and available
on the A Noble Experiment
Video Lessons & Teacher Resource File USB. Engaging lectures with
graphics intermingled, the videos vary in length from 8-32 minutes. The student
course syllabus is organized around a 3-lesson-per-week/16-week schedule. While
it is flexible, the author suggests limiting the weekly lessons (especially
during units 3-7) so students have ample time to complete the readings and
assignments. While not specified, I would anticipate students needing 45 to 90
minutes to complete the lessons, with equal time on the “off days” for assigned
homework. The USB drive also includes the Teacher Resource File, which contains
printable copies of the course outline, course syllabus, complete course
transcripts, and answer keys for all graded assignments. While supplies last,
we also offer A Noble
Experiment DVD Set and Teacher Resource CD for families who prefer to use a
DVD/CD over the USB. The content is identical.
The Student Activity Book (sold
separately) offers the breadth of the assignments. This vital part of the
course contains all the primary source readings, required and optional student
activities, and unit assessments in the form of quizzes, tests, and exams.
Student activities are diverse and include fill-in-the-blank and short answer
questions, plus test study guides. Research projects and critical thinking
activities are also incorporated to solidify the student’s application of his
valuable role in our government. Workbook pages are 3-hole-punched, making it
easy to remove the test assessment pages and place them in a binder.
You may be wondering how this course compares to Notgrass
Exploring Government. The essentials of a conservative government based
on Judeo-Christian principles are at the heart of both of these
student-directed courses. The main difference lies in the teaching modality.
While the focal point of this program (A Noble Experiment) is the video
lectures, Exploring Government is centered more around the
highly readable, engaging textbook. Both offer high school–level activities and
projects. Exploring Government provides more essay assignments
and optional exams, while Noble Experiment uses quizzes and
exams as vital assessment tools (along with the varied workbook assignments).
If meeting national standards is important for your family, Noble Experiment meets
the national standards for both a high school civics and government course of
study. Both programs meet a stirring need for homeschooling families seeking to
provide a foundational understanding of our government from a Biblical
worldview. ~Deanne
