Classes

Current schedule for a day at U.S. Grant

Daily U.S. Grant Schedule

08:45 AM – 09:00 AM : Student Arrival on High St. & Phone Collection

09:00 AM – 09:15 AM : Morning Meeting

09:20 AM – 10:20 AM : Core Class 1 (Humanities/Investigations)

10:25 AM – 11:25 AM : Core Class 2 (Investigations/Humanities)

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM : Lunch

12:25 PM – 01:40 PM : Electives

01:45 PM – 02:50 PM : Purdy Time

02:50 PM – 03:00 PM : Shout-outs & Phone Distribution 

03:00 PM – 03:30 PM : Pick up on High St.

 

Each day, students take three classes. In the mornings, students take Humanities and Investigations classes with their grade-level peers. In the afternoons, students take elective courses that they have chosen in mixed grade-level groups. All classes are 7–14 students. Yale students design these creative courses based on the subjects and issues they are passionate about, topics of study that are rare in the traditional public school setting.

1. First, a humanities course about topics such as art, writing, poetry, philosophy.
2. Second, an investigations course about topics such as biology, chemistry, finance, architecture.
3. Lastly, students choose one elective course

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CORE CLASSES 2024

Grade Level Course Offerings from Previous Years

6th Grade:

Humanities – Discovering Joy in Poetry: Words in Motion

This course will introduce 6th-grade students to the exciting world of poetry. Through reading, writing, and performing various types of poems, students will develop an appreciation for poetic forms, devices, and themes. Activities will include creative writing exercises, group projects, and poetry performances to enhance understanding and enjoyment of poetry. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to intentional writing and how to decipher different types of poems. To understand key poetic devices and know how to use it. Analyze and interpret poems from different genres and time periods. Write original poems using various styles and techniques. Appreciate the role of poetry in expressing emotions and ideas. Perform poetry confidently in front of an audience.

Investigations – Stars, Planets, and the Universe: Fundamentals of Astronomy

We are in a golden age of astronomy. You might’ve seen countless articles about new discoveries about black holes, beautiful images of distant galaxies, or claims of signs of life on planets in other solar systems. ‘Fundamentals of Astronomy’ explores the current state of the field, and recent discoveries in deep space. We’ll explore concepts such as ancient discoveries, the Solar System, Galaxies, Black Holes, Dark Matter & Energy, as well as the shape, beginning, and end of our Universe. Students will learn how these discoveries came about, learn the importance of these results, and think more about their place in the Universe! Space is limitless, so students should bring their limitless curiosity and wonder as well!

7th and 8th Grade:

Humanities – Societies and Structures of Sustainability & the Fight For Environmental Justice

When you think of an ecosystem, what do you have in mind? Do you see a colorful coral reef with thousands of fish around or perhaps a completely different biome, a tropical rainforest with vivid green trees? What about when you think of your community and environmental advocacy around you? How are those around you making change? This class will dive into studying the relationships and structures of climate justice from a local lens, with our own communities in mind through innovative projects, as well as focusing on the knowledge of historically marginalized groups. We will discuss and brainstorm how to make change around us, as well as how to uplift existing innovative projects our community has created, diving into the complexities of our communities and the systems our society is built upon.

Investigations – Fun Math: Exploring mathematical thinking through games, puzzles, and art!

Do you ever feel bogged down by how repetitive and tedious math feels? Fear not! Fun Math will take you far beyond the typical Do you ever feel bogged down by how repetitive and tedious math feels? Fear not! Fun Math will take you far beyond the typical math curriculum, with hands-on activities that encourage creativity and teamwork. Believe it or not, math is so much more than formulas and calculations. This class will be a fun exploration of different types of mathematical thinking through board games, puzzles, and art. We’ll learn about logic and strategy development by playing different board games with each other; we’ll stretch our minds by tackling creative origami puzzles; we’ll discover the geometric properties that make crazy visual illusions possible. Very importantly, I welcome all levels of comfort with math! We will focus on building foundational skills that support and bridge together the various curricula you each come from! As a culminating project, you will develop your very own game, puzzle, or art piece to share with the class!

9th Grade:

Humanities – Mythos of Mapping: Investigating Space and Memory through Imagined and Real Places

Where is your favorite place? Is it something material or intangible that best defines and manifests in this place? Is it something you can see on a map, or can this space or feeling only be revealed through visual or written stores? Using case studies of maps from different cultures and historical episodes and maps from famous fantasy novels, we will think about, create, and explore what truly defines a place through text and art. Can a map teach one how to memorialize, capture, and navigate through space? In fact, what is a map, and how can we imagine new ways of representing and preserving the places and spaces we love? Please be ready to think about how to visualize, record, and memorialize a place (a real or imagined one) that is meaningful to you using essential cartography principles. How are people, structures, and the environment changing in your place? How can you use maps to explore the relationships between history, place, and identity?

Investigations – Mind & Body: Using Emotions For a Better You and Community

Have you ever felt happy, sad, or scared? What made you feel that way? What do you do to make yourself feel better? In this class, we will learn why we should listen to our emotions and how we can use them to be problem-solvers in our lives and communities. We will use journals to explore how we experience and deal with our emotions, scientific research papers to understand what’s happening in our brains and bodies when we do so, and case studies to apply our knowledge. We will explore different strategies for dealing with emotions that feel unpleasant and understand how and why they can make us feel better. We’ll also look at sources of preventable stress from a communal perspective, looking at how community organizations can be problem-solvers, and imagining worlds without these stressors. 

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ELECTIVE CLASSES

Elective Courses

The Importance of Body Movement: P.E. / Outdoor Activities

Imagine games like capture the flag, football, yoga, tag, and sharks and minnows doing more than just providing fun. What if we told you these activities could enhance your physical, emotional, and mental health? Intrigued? You’ll have to join this class to discover how simple games can unlock a powerhouse of wellness benefits. Get ready to play your way to a healthier, happier you while having an absolute blast! Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind opportunity to redefine what it means to exercise.

The Art of Folding

Origami involves folding a sheet of paper into intricate pieces of art. It’s easy to do, relaxing, and teaches precision, patience, and creativity. We’ll fold things like stars, cranes, frogs, fortune tellers, dragons, and geometric sculptures! If you’re interested in folding paper into art, and having a fun time doing it, then this is the class for you!

Fashioning Fiber

It’s DIY time! Are you a creative person who loves to make gifts for friends and family? Do you enjoy decorating your spaces with handmade crafts? Are you interested in learning lifelong hobbies? We will be exploring a variety of fiber arts, including some classic summer camp crafts (friendship bracelet patterns, lanyards, rainbow loom), different ways to upcycle fabric (embroidery, tie dye, bedazzling), and even crochet and knitting! Tactile crafts are great for your mental health and wellbeing, so get ready for hobbies galore—filled with fiber arts to keep your hands busy and your mind at ease, this summer . . . and for the rest of your life!

Snapshots & Stories: A (Maga)ziney Summer

Unleash your creativity this summer with our (MAG)NIFICENT elective, created for those who want to learn about the power of a compelling story and lively photograph. Step up to work with a team of like-minded creatives as you learn the essentials of journalism. By the end of this elective, you will be a better graphic designer, writer, editor, and all-around curator of vibes! You will shape, spotlight, and capture the memories made with your friends during these 6-weeks! You will create word games, advice columns, and cartoons/comics to add shared fun moments to our U.S Grant experience. How will this happen? Get ready to produce not one, but two epic newsletters centering on personal stories, local news, opinion, and art pieces. These experiences will nurture and refine your journalism skills which you will harness for our final project:  a stunning US. Grant yearbook in the style of a high-quality magazine.