Interdisciplinary,
Project-based
Courses
Our year-long interdisciplinary courses fulfill traditional core requirements for middle and high school students, delivering content in a way that makes learning more meaningful. Through our 12-week cycles, students develop foundational, Human-Essential skills while exploring essential academic content. Our unique approach encourages students to build meaningful connections across disciplines and take control of their journey by nurturing natural curiosity and a passion for learning. Aside from the required core courses, students get to choose from a variety of exciting electives inspired by our 5 major content areas, allowing them to explore personal interests while still receiving the same high-quality, project-based learning experience.
5 Big Areas
Social Sciences, Ethics, &
Community Building
Science, Technology, & Innovation
Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability
Arts, Culture, & Creative Expression
Health, Medicine, & Well-being
Social & Emotional
Intelligence
Critical Thinking
Creativity
Human-Essential Skills
Adaptability & Self-Directed Learning
Collaboration
Communication &
Presentation
Purpose & Self-Reflection
Example Core Courses: Middle School
Crossroads: Journey Through Time and Place
Embark on an immersive exploration of human history that transcends traditional boundaries. In "Crossroads," students become travelers through time and space, investigating how civilizations developed, connected, and transformed our world. This year-long journey spans from ancient river valleys to modern globalization, examining how geography, culture, innovation, and human interaction have shaped our collective story.
Global Changemakers: Past, Present, and Future Impact
This dynamic course empowers students to become agents of change by understanding how individuals and movements have transformed our world throughout history and how they can create meaningful impact today. In "Global Changemakers," students will investigate the foundations of social change, examine systems of power, and develop practical skills to implement their own vision for a better world.
Mission to Mars: Space Systems and Exploration
Journey to the Red Planet in this immersive, challenge-based course that transforms students into mission planners, engineers, and future astronauts. "Mission to Mars" integrates astronomy, physics, engineering, and environmental science through the compelling context of planning humanity's next great adventure. Throughout this year-long expedition, students will progress from understanding our solar system to designing and testing technologies for Mars exploration.
Watershed Guardians: Environmental Systems Science
Dive into the fascinating interconnected world of local watersheds in this hands-on environmental science course. "Watershed Guardians" transforms students into scientific investigators and environmental stewards as they explore the critical ecosystems that sustain all life. Through immersive field work and authentic scientific inquiry, students progress from understanding watershed fundamentals to assessing biodiversity and ultimately designing solutions for environmental challenges.
Example Core Courses: High School
Biosphere Technologies: Solutions for a Sustainable Future
Explore the intersection of ecology, technology, and innovation in this forward-thinking course that empowers students to develop solutions for our planet's most pressing environmental challenges. "Biosphere Technologies" takes students on a journey from understanding fundamental ecological systems to designing their own sustainable technologies.
Integrated Earth Systems: Our Dynamic Planet
Embark on a scientific journey to understand the complex, interconnected systems that shape our remarkable planet. "Integrated Earth Systems" takes students deep into the mechanics of Earth's formation, climate, and resource cycles. Through interdisciplinary exploration that spans geology, atmospheric science, oceanography, and ecology, students will investigate how Earth's spheres interact to create the conditions for life.
Medical Innovations: From Molecules to Modern Medicine
Explore the fascinating world of biomedical science in this cutting-edge course that takes students from basic cellular biology to the frontiers of medical technology. "Medical Innovations" guides students through the foundations of human physiology, disease mechanisms, and the revolutionary technologies transforming healthcare in this project-based experience that bridges biology, chemistry, engineering, and technology.
Democracy Lab: Civic Innovation and Engagement
Empower the next generation of engaged citizens in this dynamic course that transforms students into civic innovators and active participants in democratic processes. "Democracy Lab" guides students through an exploration of democratic foundations, policy development, and practical civic engagement, culminating in real-world action projects.
Geoeconomics: Mapping the Interconnected World
Explore the complex interplay between geography, economics, and global politics in this innovative course that equips students with the tools to understand our interconnected world. "Geoeconomics" takes students on a global journey through regional case studies, resource dynamics, and movement patterns that shape our economic landscape.
Geoeconomics: Mapping the Interconnected World
Explore the complex interplay between geography, economics, and global politics in this innovative course that equips students with the tools to understand our interconnected world. "Geoeconomics" takes students on a global journey through regional case studies, resource dynamics, and movement patterns that shape our economic landscape.
Justice and Power: Rights, Responsibilities, and Social Change
Engage with the fundamental questions of justice, equality, and social transformation in this thought-provoking course that challenges students to examine power structures and pathways to change. "Justice and Power" integrates philosophy, law, history, and activism to guide students through an exploration of justice theories, social movements, and contemporary rights issues, culminating in their own social action projects.
Example Elective Courses
Digital Storytelling for Environmental Change
A course that turns students into environmental documentarians. Learners investigate a local ecological issue, practice professional research and interviewing techniques, and develop visual, audio, and narrative storytelling skills. The trimester ends with each student premiering a polished mini-documentary that diagnoses the problem and proposes actionable solutions—ready to spark conversation across their community.
Fast Food, Fast Information
An essential course that helps learners see—and rethink—the striking similarities between the way we consume fast food and the way we absorb online content. Each week unpacks a new lens: from information “nutrition labels” and algorithm-driven echo chambers to digital well-being, equity of access, and ethical media creation. By the end, students design a capstone project that maps out a healthier, more mindful personal information diet—and imagines how communities can share knowledge more responsibly in the future.
Game Changers: Game Design & Gamification
Students turn their passion for play into real-world creation. Guided step-by-step, they explore core design principles while exploring how games can teach, persuade, and solve problems. Learners prototype paper and digital titles, iterate through testing and polish, and finish by launching a playable game. Along the way, they weave together art, computer science, psychology, and probability to understand why games captivate—and how to wield that power for good.
Mythology Remix: Rewriting Legends
A journey through world folklore that invites students to re-envision ancient tales for modern times. After exploring global myths and archetypes, learners experiment with creative writing, visual arts, drama, and multimedia to craft original reinterpretations that bridge past and present. Students showcase their reinvented legends and reflect on how timeless stories can illuminate contemporary themes.
Societal Collapse: Narratives from History, Film, Literature, and Art
Learners dive into why civilizations unravel—and how people imagine starting over. Each week blends primary history with novels, films, paintings, and documentaries, from Rome’s decline to climate-change dystopias and AI meltdowns. Students compare factual case studies with creative portrayals, discuss psychological and cultural impacts, and experiment with their own storytelling and art. The course ends with students connecting lessons of past collapses to the challenges we face tomorrow (or possibly today).
Startup Studio (Young Entrepreneurs)
A 12-week, hands-on incubator where students transform real-world problems into launch-ready ventures. From ideation and market research to prototyping, branding, and financial strategy, each unit layers critical startup skills. Mid-course, learners stress-test their concepts in a “Shark Tank” pitch, refine based on feedback, and finish with a polished Demo Day showcase before a public audience—equipped with a roadmap to take their ideas forward.
Introduction to Automation and Robotics
Students dive into the exciting world of robots, smart systems, and artificial intelligence. Starting with automation fundamentals, they create their own Automated Smart Room with motion-activated lighting and climate control using Arduino microcontrollers. Next, students build an Autonomous Rover that follows lines and avoids obstacles like a self-driving car, learning the "Sense-Plan-Act" framework used by NASA engineers. Finally, they construct a sophisticated color-sorting robotic arm that autonomously picks up objects, identifies their colors, and sorts them while exploring ethical questions about how robots will change our world.
Introduction to Emerging Technologies
Students explore four cutting-edge technologies: Data Science, AI, Internet of Things (IoT), and Extended Reality (XR). Using free tools, they analyze personal data, train AI image classifiers, build smart IoT devices, and create augmented reality experiences. Students become technology creators as they develop a personal data story, functional AI model, smart IoT system, and AR experience while addressing ethical considerations around privacy and responsible innovation
LLMs as a Thinking Parter
Students learn to use Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Claude as collaborative thinking tools across creative, analytical, and problem-solving contexts. Through weekly hands-on projects, students explore advanced prompt engineering, fact-checking AI outputs for accuracy and bias, AI-assisted brainstorming and creative writing, structured problem-solving, and multimodal AI capabilities. The course emphasizes using AI as a learning partner rather than a replacement for thinking.
and more...
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