International House
iHouse Electives
Ecology Applications
Students will further their science education with an activity based look at how organisms interact with their environment. Topics for the course include the fundamentals of ecology, interactions among organisms, interactions in the ecosystem, and the growth/decline of populations. The course will also encourage students to explore their role in the natural world, both helpful and harmful. The course will include guest speakers, hands-on activities, and interactions with the environment. Ecology is designed for students who have an interest in the natural world around them. Students are encouraged to enroll in the IHC cluster.
Environmental Science AP
This is a course that aims to provide students with the scientific knowledge and skills required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems, to evaluate the risks associated with these problems, and to examine potential solutions for resolving or preventing them. APES is unique in that it stresses not only scientific knowledge and skills, but also emphasizes the study of environmental issues from sociological and political perspectives. Topics include ecosystem health, species diversity, natural resource consumption, pollution, alternative energy sources, climate change, and sustainability. Considerable emphasis is placed on field investigations and laboratory study. Students will practice techniques for ecosystem monitoring in the local environment.
Cultural Anthropology
In this course students will explore human cultural diversity and interrelationships on a global scale. Students will compare and contrast human traditions such as kinship, child-rearing, religion, magic, political systems, language, and our relationship to nature. The insights provided through cultural anthropology for other disciplines. such as medicine, tourism, education, economic development, communication, biology, conflict resolution studies, and human resource management will also be presented.
Legal Studies
In this course, students will study current issues and controversies relating to law and the legal system. Students will acquire knowledge of the civil and criminal legal systems in the United States and develop an interest in and appreciation for the civil liberties protected by the U.S. Constitution. Through lectures, film, class activities, research and class discussion, the students will explore not only the "nuts adn bolts" of American law, but they will also acquire a working acquaintance with the skills, tactics and strategies required in the courtroom. It is the objective of this course to give the students the analytical tools needed to understand the complex "real world" benefits and risks of everyday life in a country governed by laws.
United Anglers/Field Studies
Sociology
In this course students are introduced to the concepts, theories, and procedures of sociology. Students will learn how sociologists analyze the basic structures and functions of societies and social groups, discover how societies and groups become organized, identify the conditions under which they become organized and predict the conditions necessary for their recognition. The impact of social groups upon individual behavior and current social issues such as crime, poverty, and prejudice will also be discussed.