Course Offerings
need overview: Course offerings info
MAIN LESSON BLOCKS
There are two main lesson blocks each day: one in the morning from 8:35 to 10:25 and one in the afternoon from 1:00 or 1:50 to 2:45. Main lesson blocks are usually from 3 to 4 weeks long and include about 30-40 hours of instructional time. Morning main lessons are more focused toward academic and intellectual skills. Histories, English literature and composition, and most of the sciences are taught at this time. The afternoon blocks focus on the hands - manual and fine arts such as sculpture, carpentry, auto mechanics, figure drawing, drama, photography, woodworking, watercolor, and many more.
FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Foreign languages are an important part of the YIHS curriculum. French and Spanish are both offered each year and many other languages have been offered upon student interest (Latin, Russian, German, etc.) Foreign exchanges are very popular among our students and our students have gone as far afield as Guatemala, Spain, Mexico, India, Germany, Britain, France, Colombia, and Egypt.
MATHEMATICS
Youth Initiative offers a full complement of mathematics courses from basic algebra to Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus.
INDEPENDENT STUDIES
Independent Studies are classes proposed and initiated by students. Usually they replace one of a student’s normal classes and may be self-taught, taught by a fellow student, or include a guest teacher. Students are required to submit and get approval for a proposal to the Independent Study Committee. This committee accepts or rejects proposals and evaluates student work against its own benchmarks, eventually assigning the pass or fail grade to the independent study. This ensures freedom and responsibility for students undertaking independent studies.
THEME WEEK AND SERVICE WEEK
During these two weeks, normal classes are suspended to make way for special classes and projects. For Theme Week, the students decide on a theme, find the necessary teachers and resources for their chosen theme, and then enjoy their week. Past themes include: Radio Broadcasting, Self-defense, Circus, Superheroes and Spies, and even Death and Dying. During Service Week, students spend their time serving the community, sometimes in the form of work around the school, but more often doing dirty work for other organizations.
MAIN LESSON BLOCKS
There are two main lesson blocks each day: one in the morning from 8:35 to 10:25 and one in the afternoon from 1:00 or 1:50 to 2:45. Main lesson blocks are usually from 3 to 4 weeks long and include about 30-40 hours of instructional time. Morning main lessons are more focused toward academic and intellectual skills. Histories, English literature and composition, and most of the sciences are taught at this time. The afternoon blocks focus on the hands - manual and fine arts such as sculpture, carpentry, auto mechanics, figure drawing, drama, photography, woodworking, watercolor, and many more.
FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Foreign languages are an important part of the YIHS curriculum. French and Spanish are both offered each year and many other languages have been offered upon student interest (Latin, Russian, German, etc.) Foreign exchanges are very popular among our students and our students have gone as far afield as Guatemala, Spain, Mexico, India, Germany, Britain, France, Colombia, and Egypt.
MATHEMATICS
Youth Initiative offers a full complement of mathematics courses from basic algebra to Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus.
INDEPENDENT STUDIES
Independent Studies are classes proposed and initiated by students. Usually they replace one of a student’s normal classes and may be self-taught, taught by a fellow student, or include a guest teacher. Students are required to submit and get approval for a proposal to the Independent Study Committee. This committee accepts or rejects proposals and evaluates student work against its own benchmarks, eventually assigning the pass or fail grade to the independent study. This ensures freedom and responsibility for students undertaking independent studies.
THEME WEEK AND SERVICE WEEK
During these two weeks, normal classes are suspended to make way for special classes and projects. For Theme Week, the students decide on a theme, find the necessary teachers and resources for their chosen theme, and then enjoy their week. Past themes include: Radio Broadcasting, Self-defense, Circus, Superheroes and Spies, and even Death and Dying. During Service Week, students spend their time serving the community, sometimes in the form of work around the school, but more often doing dirty work for other organizations.
Grade Level Block Classes
Class TypeNutrition+Cooking
Earth Science Biology Physics Chemistry Mathematics Global History History of Americas Thematic History World Religions Social Studies Literature English English |
9th GradeWhat is Food?
Geology/Geography Human Anatomy Thermal Physics Carbon Cycle Drafting Revolutions U.S. History<1877 Western Religions YIHS Governance Comedy + Tragedy To Kill a Mockingbird Great Expectations |
10th GradeNourishment
Water Cycle Zoology Kinematics Acids/Bases Stats + Probs Ancient Civilizations History of Tech Eastern Religions Drugs and Society Poetry Dystopian Lit. Odyssey |
11th GradeWhy Organic?
Meteorology Botany Electricity Periodic Table World History<1914 Native Cultures Art History Religious Lit. Econ and Money Parzival Hamlet Great Gatsby |
12th GradeSpice of Life
Astronomy Genetics + Biotech History of Physics Projective Geometry World History>1914 U.S. History>1877 Meditation Psychology Transcendentalism Russian Lit. Research Paper |
Skill Based Path Classes
|
Languages
Mathematics Movement Music |
Spanish 1-4
Algebra 1 Spatial Dynamics Jam Band |
French
Geometry Football Guitar |
Foreign Exchange
Algebra 2 Yoga Orchestra |
Guatemala Trip
Pre-Calculus Dance/Circus |
Mixed Age Elective Blocks
|
Art Electives
Art Electives Manual Skills Manual Skills Manual Skills |
Drawing 2D Design
Photography 1 Carpentry/Design Agriculture Computers/Robotics |
Block Printing
Photography 2 Sustainability Wilderness Skills Auto Mechanics |
Screen printing
Sculpture Woodcraft Set Design |
Art of Comics
Drama/Spring Play Garment Construction Handwork |
Special Weeks and College Prep
|
Intensive Weeks
College + Life Prep Land Ethic Expedition |
Camping Trip Orientation
Junior College Tour Place of the Driftless |
Service Week
Senior College Tour Resource Use |
Theme Week
Resumes and College Self, Values, Beliefs |
Play Intensive
Wellness (Grade 12) Different Perspectives |
OVERVIEW OF THE DAY'S ACTIVITIES
THE MORNING CIRCLE
At the start of each day we meet as a school, share announcements, celebrate birthdays, and sit silently for 10 minutes. We’ve found that the consistent practice of meditation teaches students the importance of contemplation and self-knowing in a busy, distracted world and gives them a wellspring of mental and spiritual energy to draw from throughout their day.
MAIN LESSON
Classes begin with in-depth study in main lessons, which meet every day for two hours and are 3 to 4 weeks long. They are focused toward developing academic and intellectual skills and cover a range of subjects in History, Literature and Composition, and the Sciences. Morning blocks allows for a short, yet deep dive into core subjects.
9th Grade: What is there?
From karst geology to comedy and tragedy, freshmen develop skills of keen observation and precise description, discovering they have the ability to generate knowledge about the world around them.
10th Grade: How does it work?
Sophomores take things apart, explore process, and combine observation with critical thinking to discern the connections that compose the whole. From the history of technology to ancient civilizations, students peel back layers to analyze and understand complex processes at work.
11th Grade: Who am I? What is important?
Juniors question assumptions about the world and themselves. Whether it’s Parzival’s grail quest or the physics of electricity, students go far below the surface to find stable ground, conceptually and within themselves.
12th Grade: What other perspectives are there?
Seniors are ready to synthesize and bring alternative perspectives together. To solve the world’s challenges with creativity and pragmatism, students learn to see the truth from radically different viewpoints and to chart their own path forward.
SKILL-BASED PATH CLASSES
After main lesson, students take skill-based path classes—movement, music, math and foreign language—that extend through the year. These classes help students build up skill and discipline over time.
Afternoon Blocks
In the afternoon, students engage in three- to six-week long art blocks, including manual arts, visual arts and performing arts. These classes are mixed-age, elective and often punctuated by public showings and performances. Arts inspire students’ discipline and creativity. Through practicing arts, students not only learn to create and appreciate beauty, but also become more agile and innovative in their thinking.
Special Blocks and Festivals
We routinely break up our routine with week-long service projects and outdoor expeditions. Also, we celebrate several important festival days throughout the year with unique student-organized day-long workshops. We find that these breaks during the academic year revitalize and recharge our batteries, give us opportunities to develop new skills, and provide us with fun ways to come together as a school community as we work hard and play hard together.
Service Weeks (Week-long school-wide service projects, locally and regionally)
INDEPENDENT STUDIES
YIHS encourages students to follow their passions. Students in good standing are able to pursue courses of study with the approval of their Care Group. Students design and evaluate their own class under the tutelage of a mentor. This process allows YIHS to maintain academic excellence while allowing students to study subjects as varied as Japanese, Survival Skills, Songwriting, Marine Biology, and many more.
At the start of each day we meet as a school, share announcements, celebrate birthdays, and sit silently for 10 minutes. We’ve found that the consistent practice of meditation teaches students the importance of contemplation and self-knowing in a busy, distracted world and gives them a wellspring of mental and spiritual energy to draw from throughout their day.
MAIN LESSON
Classes begin with in-depth study in main lessons, which meet every day for two hours and are 3 to 4 weeks long. They are focused toward developing academic and intellectual skills and cover a range of subjects in History, Literature and Composition, and the Sciences. Morning blocks allows for a short, yet deep dive into core subjects.
9th Grade: What is there?
From karst geology to comedy and tragedy, freshmen develop skills of keen observation and precise description, discovering they have the ability to generate knowledge about the world around them.
10th Grade: How does it work?
Sophomores take things apart, explore process, and combine observation with critical thinking to discern the connections that compose the whole. From the history of technology to ancient civilizations, students peel back layers to analyze and understand complex processes at work.
11th Grade: Who am I? What is important?
Juniors question assumptions about the world and themselves. Whether it’s Parzival’s grail quest or the physics of electricity, students go far below the surface to find stable ground, conceptually and within themselves.
12th Grade: What other perspectives are there?
Seniors are ready to synthesize and bring alternative perspectives together. To solve the world’s challenges with creativity and pragmatism, students learn to see the truth from radically different viewpoints and to chart their own path forward.
SKILL-BASED PATH CLASSES
After main lesson, students take skill-based path classes—movement, music, math and foreign language—that extend through the year. These classes help students build up skill and discipline over time.
- Languages (Spanish, French, German, Language Independent Study, Foreign Exchange/ESL)
- Mathematics (Pre-algebra, algebra 1, Geometry, algebra 2, Pre-calculus, calculus)
- Movement (Spatial Dynamics, Sports, Yoga, Dance, Circus)
- Music (Rock Band, Guitar, Orchestra, Chorus, Sound Recording, Songwriting, Ethnomusicology)
Afternoon Blocks
In the afternoon, students engage in three- to six-week long art blocks, including manual arts, visual arts and performing arts. These classes are mixed-age, elective and often punctuated by public showings and performances. Arts inspire students’ discipline and creativity. Through practicing arts, students not only learn to create and appreciate beauty, but also become more agile and innovative in their thinking.
- Visual Arts (2D Design, Photography, Figure Drawing, Block/Screen Printing, Stained Glass, Sculpture, Jewelry, Comics)
- Performance Arts (Fall and Spring Plays, Playwriting, Circus Arts)
- Manual Arts (Carpentry, Agriculture, Computers/Robotics, Auto Mechanics, Woodcraft, Garment Construction, Set Design)
Special Blocks and Festivals
We routinely break up our routine with week-long service projects and outdoor expeditions. Also, we celebrate several important festival days throughout the year with unique student-organized day-long workshops. We find that these breaks during the academic year revitalize and recharge our batteries, give us opportunities to develop new skills, and provide us with fun ways to come together as a school community as we work hard and play hard together.
Service Weeks (Week-long school-wide service projects, locally and regionally)
- Wilderness Expeditions
- Festival Days
INDEPENDENT STUDIES
YIHS encourages students to follow their passions. Students in good standing are able to pursue courses of study with the approval of their Care Group. Students design and evaluate their own class under the tutelage of a mentor. This process allows YIHS to maintain academic excellence while allowing students to study subjects as varied as Japanese, Survival Skills, Songwriting, Marine Biology, and many more.