Elective Courses

This introductory course offers students insights into the cultural impact of the Bible on world history and culture. While this is a biblical studies course, it is not designed to promote the Judeo-Christian faiths. Rather the course is an exploration of how these ancient texts have shaped our modern world.

Knitting and Needlework 1 is a crochet class for beginners and experienced crocheters alike. Students will pick a project and complete it by the end of the semester, just in time for holiday gifting!

Our Coding course is a great introduction to the world of computer programming. Students will learn the basics of coding, such as variables, loops, and conditional statements. They will also have the opportunity to create their own simple programs. The course is designed to develop students' problem-solving skills and creativity while introducing them to potential future careers in computer science.

We will run up to three sections of Studies in STEM in the fall trimester. Each section of this course will begin with a brief review of empirical reasoning and the scientific method. After these introductory lessons, each section will determine a course of inquiry for the trimester. 

This course is a book study of the text Ikigai & Kaizen: The Japanese Strategy to Achieve Personal Happiness and Professional Success (How to set goals, stop procrastinating, be more productive, build good habits, focus, & thrive). The Harkness House is built on student autonomy and interest, and exploring this book is an opportunity for students to explore their own productive purpose in life.

We have acquired multiple donations of vintage furniture in need of some love an restoration. This introductory course will cover basic wood repair, sanding, and refinishing. There are multiple opportunities for creative projects from basic bureaus and bookshelves to antique theater seating and retro turntable cabinets. This course will run each semester and culminate in a silent action of student work in the spring!

This course covers the basic skills and equipment needed to become an angler. Students will learn about fish identification, the ethics of fishing, and rules and regulations around fishing in the State of New Hampshire. This is a hands-on course that will dedicate significant class time to exploring the aquatic ecology of our on-site pond while learning about basic rods and reels and practicing knot tying and casting. This course is all about turning knowledge into action by heading out to the pond and fishing.

This introductory mathematics course covers the basics of mathematics, including numbers, operations, and shapes. It is designed to help students develop the strong foundation in mathematics that is essential for success in our pre-algebra curriculum and beyond. The course is ideal for both full- and part-time students who would like more practice on mathematics skills, and it can be taken concurrently with Pre-Algebra 1 for full-time students.