BlueSky Online
Charter School

• Adolescents Attacking Anxiety .5
• Ancient World Tour - Italy .5, 1st semester only
• Animal Science .5
• Attacking Anxiety .5
  
• Beginning Web Design .5, max enrollment 25
• Behaving Responsibly .5
• BlueSky Fit Club .5
• Chemical Health Awareness .5
• Get It Done .5
• Healthy Life Choices .5
• Henna: Past to Present .5
• Independent Living .5
• Mind Over Mood .5
• MN Outdoors .5
• Multicultural Literature .5
• Pro Social Skills for Adolescents .5
• Social Justice in Discrimination .5
• The Real You .5
• Tools for Success .5

Adolescents Attacking Anxiety

The course will be instructed by a school social worker whom teaches/applies skills for managing anxiety, worry and panic.  Topics covered are but not solely limited to the following: anxiety 101 the basics, self-recognition, and relaxation, thought control, prevention and real life application of skills.

Student expectations will consist of brief course readings, threaded discussions, individual and group interaction, self-reflection forms, homework and quizzes. Homework assignments will be along the school of thought “thinking out of the box” aka not as a normal class would require.  This group will be thought provoking and FUN!

Grades 7-12; semester; prerequisite full time BlueSky student; maximum enrollment of 16

Sommer Oslund    This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   closed 1^st semester

Ancient World Tour - Italy

Take a trip to ancient Italy-including a town trapped under volcanic ash. Check out ancient Roman life and ruins such as the Pantheon, the Baths of Caracalla, and the Coliseum-where gladiators fought to the death, and Nero fed Christians to African lions. Learn about the Roman Empire and structures built by Romans that have lasted to this very day. Visit Venice-the famous canal city. Enjoy Italy-the heart of the Mediterranean.

Grades 9-12, 1st semester only

Marti Prekker    This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Animal Science

Animal Science will cover nutrition, digestion, feeds, genetics, reproduction, disease, and animal behavior. Major species to be included will be horse, dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, goat, poultry, and swin as well as the minor species (aquaculture, pets/companion animals, and rabbits).  In addition, however, the student will be asked to consider the many pressing interests relevant to Animal Science as it influences and is influenced by society today.

Grades 9-12; semester

Jennifer Knutson   This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Attacking Anxiety

The course will be instructed by a school social worker whom teaches/applies skills for managing anxiety, worry and panic.  Topics covered are but not solely limited to the following: anxiety 101 the basics, self-recognition, and relaxation, thought control, prevention and real life application of skills 

Behaving Responsibly

This course is designed for groups of 4-8 students, grades 9-12.  The sessions are conducted as a class in which the social worker teaches skills that encourage responsible behavior.  The areas covered include taking responsibility for a problem, making decisions, self-assessment of skills, responding appropriately to praise or criticism, setting goals, and achieving your goals.  Students will complete course work, together with course discussions and group activities. 

Grades 9-12; semester; 2nd semester only

Lynn Riebe   This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Beginning Web Design Closed 2^nd semester

Beginning web design is an introductory course in web page design using Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML).  At the end of the course, all students will have created a personal web page. 

Grades 9-12; semester; requires comfort experimenting with technology; closed 1st semester; maximum enrollment of 25

BlueSky Fit Club

BlueSky Fit Club is a class for those interested in setting fitness goals for themselves.  Students in Fit Club will set personal fitness goals ranging from weight loss to weight gain, increasing muscle mass to increasing bench pressing weight.  Along with students setting their own fitness goals, students will log physical activity and nutritional intake each week, and journal their thoughts and feelings about their progress.  Students will also research fitness programs and plans found today.

Grades 7-12; semester

Brittany Thomforde    This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Chemical Health Support Group

The sessions will be conducted as a class in which the social worker and students explore issues of chemical use, abuse, dependency, recovery, and relapse prevention planning from a young student’s perspective and the way it impacts their lives and families.  Its goal is to meet the chemical health needs of students including those concerned about or struggling with chemical use, recovery, or relapse, to teach them how to access the support resources within their community to meet their needs.   

Grades 9-12; semester; prerequisite full time BlueSky student; maximum enrollment of 16

Dave Berg    This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   closed 1^st semester

Get It Done 

In the Get it Done class, the instructor and students explore the dynamics and skills common to goal achievement, self-motivation, and personal success planning from a student’s perspective.  The students will create a life plan, which will demonstrate their understanding and enhance their lives and future by practically applying the course material in the real world. 

Healthy Life Choice

In this course for grades 7-12, students learn about babysitting, caring for the elderly, goals, self-esteem, relationships, understanding themselves, manners, drugs and alcohol, social skills, being courageous and other interesting health and life skills topics.

Grades 7-12; semester

Jennifer Knutson    This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Henna: Past to Present

In this course you will learn all about the history of the henna plant and Mehndi work.  We will begin with origins of the henna plant, how it evolved into artwork, and what that artwork represented in different countries and regions in the past to the present.  Then we will move into how it is used in the United States today.  During your studies, you will also practice Mehndi techniques and your final project will include your own henna kit and application.  You will need to be able to take a digital picture of your work or take a regular photograph and scan it so it can be attached and sent to me for part of your final project grade. 

Grades 9-12; semester

Chris Brake   This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Independent Living

Grades 9-12; Prerequisite: Full time BlueSky Student

Vanessa Hoffarth  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Mind Over Mood

Andrea Swanson    This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   

MN Outdoors

MN Outdoors is an introductory ecology course examining our state's wonderful fishing and hunting resources.  At the end of the semester, students will understand basic ecological concepts (i.e. habitat, population, species) and learn how the Department of Natural Resources protects our resources for future generations.

Grades 9-12; semester

Josh Ashton    This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Multicultural Literature

Students will explore various cultures that make up the United States.  A variety of short stories and novels will be used explore these cultures.   We will explore stereotypes and discrimination that these groups have experienced.  Along with the reading students will complete projects of their choosing, short writing assignments, and personal responses to what is read.  This is a class that will encourage you not only to learn about other cultures but also learn more about yourself.

Grades 9-12; semester

Kim Johnson    This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Pro Social Skills for Adolescents

This is a semester long group that will work towards successful use of pro social skills using role play, self observation, discussion boards and brief homework assignments.  This group will follow curriculum from Skillstreaming the Adolescent by Arnold P Goldstein and Ellen McGinnis as a basis for the skills discussed. This course teaches students every day social skills for various real life situations.  The emphasis is being able to react and respond to all situations in a socially appropriate manner.

Grades 9-12; semester; prerequisite full time BlueSky student; maximum enrollment of 20

Vanessa Hoffarth    This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Social Justice in Discrimination

This course will focus on digging deeper to become more aware of the stereotypes, prejudices, and discriminatory views that are held in our society today.  By using a framework for thinking about justice we will take a closer look at: racism, sexism, ageism, religious intolerance, xenophobia, homophobia, sizeism, and classism.  By course completion, it is my hope that you will be more aware of what your thoughts and feelings are about the different forms of discrimination, what society’s approach to discrimination is, and what you can do to actively participate in tolerance and the honoring of our diversity.

Grades 7-12; semester

Chris Brake    This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Real You

Student expectations will consist of brief course readings, threaded discussions, individual and group interaction, self-reflection forms, homework and quizzes. Homework assignments will be along the school of thought “thinking out of the box” aka not as a normal class would require.  This class will be thought provoking and FUN!

Grades 7-12; semester; prerequisite full time BlueSky student

Casie Hammel    This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   

Tools for Success

This is a semester course designed for groups of 4-8 students, grades 9-12. In this class, skills (tools) are introduced that will help students be successful in school and life. Some areas covered include: taking responsibility for a problem, making decisions, self-acceptance, learning from mistakes, and handling praise or criticism.  Students will complete course work consisting of short readings, homework assignments, and self-observations.