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  • This course regularly costs $192.
  • A $20 Early Enrollment Discount will be applied if you purchase this course before November 15th, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.
  • This course has 25 seats remaining.

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Course name
Foundations of Science: Planets
Live course taught by MacBeth Derham for Spring 2027 Grade School Astronomy
Summary

Do you remember the first time you discovered the Moon? Have you looked at the sky and wondered what lies beyond Earth? Launch into a journey across our solar system, with stops at planets, moons, asteroids, and more!

Course Description: A fast-paced fun and informative journey through the solar system. We will use NASA images to get a close up view of all our heavenly neighbors while learning fun facts about the planets. Hands-on activities at home will supplement readings.

Instructor: MacBeth Derham


Special notes

Special notes

Note to Parents: Due to the young ages of grade school students, we expect that you will accompany your child at all times while he or she is online, which includes attending live classes alongside your child. This will also help you assist your child with homework where necessary or help your child contact the teacher with questions. If you miss a live class, make sure to watch the recording with your child as well. Thank you for your support!


Total classes

12

Class dates

Tuesdays, January 12 to April 13, 2027. (No class Feb. 9 and Mar. 23)

Starting time

10:00 AM Eastern (9:00 AM Central; 8:00 AM Mountain; 7:00 AM Pacific)

Duration

30 minutes

Prerequisites

None

Suggested grade level

3rd to 6th grade

Suggested credit

1 semester of Science

Outline

Course Outline:

Chapter 1: The Galactic Frontier

Chapter 2: Observing the Night Sky

Chapter 3: The Sun: Earth’s Favorite Star

Chapter 4: Solar System Tour 1: Mercury and Venus

Chapter 5: Solar System Tour 2: Earth, the Moon, and More…

Chapter 6: Solar System Tour 3: Mars

Chapter 7: Solar System Tour 4: Jupiter and Saturn

Chapter 8: Solar System Tour 5: Uranus and Neptune

Chapter 9: Solar System Tour 6: Pluto, Dwarf Planets, Asteroids and More!

Chapter 10: Telescopes: Exploring the Solar System from Earth and Space

Chapter 11: Space Exploration: Astronauts, Shuttles, and Stations

Chapter 12: Distant Space: Galaxies and Exoplanets


Materials

Homework

Students will attend class and follow up with reading and hands-on assignments as homework, done with parents

Fees

Fee: For all 12 classes: $172 if you register on or before November 15; $192 if you register after Nov. 15. (Registration closes one week before the first day of class. After that date, registrations are not guaranteed. There is a $25 surcharge for late enrollments after the course is closed.)

Course name
Foundations of Science: Planets
Instructor
MacBeth Derham
Semester
Spring 2027
Meeting days
Tuesday
Category
Science ➤ Astronomy
Grade levels
Grade School
Start time
January 12th, 2027 at 10:00 AM ET
Course type
Live
Price
$192
Seats available
25 seats available
Seats remaining
25 seats remaining
Relative due dates
Relative due dates are disabled for this course.
Enhanced quiz security
Enhanced assignment security

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MacBeth Derham
macbethderham@gmail.com

About MacBeth Derham

MacBeth Derham studied biology at Mount Holyoke College and has taught natural history in the field for over 35 years. She currently teaches classes for her homeschool group, tutors math and science privately, and conducts a Marine Biology field school twice a year for local students.

From 2005-2020 she worked with The Front Lawn Players, a Shakespeare troupe made up of students ages 3-18, as both a speech coach and director. She spent the summer of 2017 in Oxford studying literature (including Shakespeare), philosophy, theology, and history. A more than reasonable amount of her time there was spent out of doors, in nature, walking the paths loved by Lewis, Tolkien, and friends. An amateur wildlife and travel photographer, many of her courses feature her own images of creature encounters from both home and abroad. Thanks to her children, she has a fine collection of animal skulls and skeletons.

Mrs. Derham speaks at homeschool conferences on the interdisciplinary need for nature study. She is a retired homeschooling mother of four very different grown children, grandmother of 4 west-coasters, and wife to Don.

  

Click here for more info about MacBeth Derham!

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