Course Catalog
Section G · College-Preparatory Elective
Backyard Homesteading and Self-Sufficiency - Semester 3
UC A-G approved Backyard Homesteading and Self-Sufficiency - Semester 3 course delivered fully online through immersive VR and AI-enhanced instruction.
1/2 Year Online · Remote / Hybrid / In-Person Interdisciplinary Grades 9, 10, 11, 12 5 credits
Section GUC A‑G Requirement
College-Preparatory Elective — 1 year required
Must be chosen from additional courses in categories A–F (beyond the minimum requirements) OR from other UC-approved college-preparatory electives, including computer science, business, statistics, and interdisciplinary STEM courses.
Why This Matters for College Admission
G electives are where students develop depth and signal academic passion. AI, cybersecurity, data science, and entrepreneurship courses are highly competitive differentiators for tech-oriented admissions profiles.
What You'll Learn
Apply environmental science principles to real-world sustainability challenges
Analyze ecosystems, biogeochemical cycles, and biodiversity
Evaluate human impacts on climate, land use, water, and energy systems
Design evidence-based environmental solutions using scientific methodology
Interpret data from field studies, remote sensing, and laboratory investigations
Prepare for the AP Environmental Science exam
Course Structure
Unit 1Weeks 1–4
Foundations & Context
- Core vocabulary and concepts
- Skill baseline assessment
Unit 2Weeks 5–9
Core Content
- Primary content delivery
- Applied practice activities
Unit 3Weeks 10–14
Application & Synthesis
- Real-world application
- Final project or exam prep
Lectures & Reviews
Curated YouTube videos for Backyard Homesteading and Self-Sufficiency - Semester 3Hand-picked from credible educators — AP teachers, university lectures, and Khan Academy. Click a thumbnail to play in place; cookies are blocked until you click.
SpecialistFood Farmer Earth
Backyard Ecosystems: A Homesteader's Guide to Permaculture
Open on YouTubeSpecialistThe Urban Harvest - Homegrown Education
6 Actionable Steps To Self Sufficiency
Open on YouTubeComing from The VR School
Originals in productionYouTube has solid intro homesteading content (Roots & Refuge, Justin Rhodes) but Semester 3 — fermentation, soap-making at scale, and structured composting systems — is under-served as a college-level treatment.
Fermentation as Food Science: lacto-ferments, kombucha SCOBY chemistry, vinegar mother
studio + microscopy · ~22 min
- Identify the microbial ecology of lacto-fermentation
- Calibrate salt brines for safe ferment
- Diagnose a stalled or contaminated ferment
Cold-process Soap Chemistry: saponification math + safety
lab walkthrough · ~18 min
- Run a SAP-value calculation for a custom oil blend
- Demonstrate lye safety and gel-phase control
- Distinguish gel-phase vs. force-cure behavior
Hot-compost Engineering: C:N ratio, thermophilic windows, pile geometry
outdoor + thermal-camera overlay · ~16 min
- Compute a working C:N ratio from a bin of mixed inputs
- Read a thermophilic temperature curve
- Diagnose anaerobic failure modes
These topics are commissioned for VR School production after Dr. Cheteni's review — recorded in our VR studio, taught by expert faculty. Backyard Homesteading and Self-Sufficiency - Semester 3 will receive these as immersive lessons alongside the curated YouTube library above.
Prerequisites & Requirements
Open to qualifying students in grades 9, 10, 11, 12; no prerequisites required
All students complete a placement conversation with our admissions team before enrollment is confirmed. Questions? Contact admissions.