In addition to their courses in core academic fields, 9th-12th grade students can also pursue semester and year-long elective courses, exploring more specialized investigation and skill development. While unaffiliated with any individual program or discipline, these courses are offered for full credit and can support diploma programs.
Diploma Program Credit: Students can consult with their Diploma Program Director to consider program credit for a course. Beyond courses that explicitly participate in a diploma program, in many core courses, students can design their major projects to meet diploma program credit guidelines.
In this project-based, interdisciplinary course, students will investigate the three lenses of sustainability: environmental, social, and economic. Students will choose topics of individual interest within these lenses to research and present findings to the class and GCDS community. Projects include environmental communication, corporate ESG policies, and social equity. Students will not only dig into sustainability values and understandings, they will also connect and amplify a variety of foundational skills (e.g. sorting through information, making connections across subjects, evaluating evidence, and developing social and cultural literacies.) News articles, guest speakers, books, and films will be used to broaden perspectives and deepen understanding. Individual projects allow students to identify areas of potential interest for future research, study, or social development.
Prerequisite: None Grade: 9, 10 Credit: ELECT Period: Semester
Diploma Credit: Sustainability (Required)
In this semester-long, project-based economics course, students will gain an introduction to the core concepts and institutions of the global economy. Students will interrogate these models through authentic experiences of market governance, corporate strategy, and policy making. Exploring a wide range of interdisciplinary methods, they will generate business case studies and simulate corporate board meetings, investment decisions, government regulatory debates, as well as venture capital and consultancy pitches. Through these simulations, students will analyze the dynamics of global financial crises, competition, and regulation; the networks of supply chains, trade, and markets; the power of multinational corporations and non-state organizations like the WTO and the UN; and the political and economic implications of international law, migration, terrorism, and war. Rather than a textbook approach to abstract economics, this course guides students in developing an individualized approach to navigating the complexities and confusion at the heart of global economic networks. This course is designed to prepare students for the 11th and 12th Grade Economics program.
Prerequisite: None, Preference for 10th Graders Credit: HIST/SOC Grade: 9, 10 Period: Semester
*Introduction to Global Economics is a one-semester elective course for 9th and 10th Graders. It does not replace the required 9th and 10th Grade History program.
This semester course will give students a glimpse into the world of scientific and engineering research and prepare them for the Advanced Research & Design course if they wish to take it the following year. Students will learn about various kinds of research, both through in-class lessons and from experts in various STEM fields. Students will then explore topics related to their interests while working to develop a theoretical research plan. Those who go on to take Advanced Research the following year will be able to execute this plan if they so choose. Other major components of this course include learning to read and cite peer-reviewed scientific articles, scientific writing, and scientific discourse.
Prerequisite: None, Preference for 10th Graders Grade: 9, 10 Credit: SCI Period: Semester
*Introduction to Scientific Research is a one-semester elective course for 9th and 10th Graders. It does not replace the required 9th and 10th Grade Science program (Biology and Chemistry).
This course will aim to teach students an approach to living a long, healthy life, and it will take place in the new fitness center. This is a learn-by-doing course where students will learn how to perform resistance training in a safe manner. This is an active class where students will learn how to create their own workout programs with the knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics by actively completing workouts during class periods. Students will learn how to track their progress and how to progress and regress exercises to suit the individual's needs. Throughout the semester, students will gain a foundational knowledge of nutrition science to help them make informed decisions on a daily basis. At the end of the course, students will feel confident enough to write, perform, and assess workout programs for themselves!
Prerequisite: None Grade: 9-12 Credit: FITNESS Period: Semester
Students may register for this course only once and should consult with the Strength & Conditioning Coach about subsequent opportunities.