THE INTERDISCIPLINARY MODEL

Since the complex issues at the heart of this program transcend traditional disciplines like science, math, and social studies, the educational platform of the IGS model bring previously distinct subject-areas together.

Classes are taught by an interdisciplinary team of teachers sharing their expertise and differing perspectives.

  • IGS 9: Combines Social Studies 9 and Science 9 into a linear, year-long offering

  • IGS 10: Combines Social Studies 10 and Science 10 into a year linear, year-long offering

  • IGS 11: Combines Political Studies 11 (Social 11 equivalent) & Social Justice 12

  • IGS 12: Environmental Science 12 (approved science 12 credit)

*IGS 11 & 12 meet daily in periods 3 & 4, giving students ample opportunity to
complete additional core courses and electives in the morning blocks.

At the senior levels, we combine the prescribed learning outcomes from distinct Grade 11 and 12 semester-long courses: Social Justice and Political Studies in the fall and Environmental Science 12 in the spring.  These senior-level offerings combine the 80-minute classes before and after lunch (giving us nearly three hours each day when the 40-minute lunch break is included). At the Grade 9 and 10 levels, we combine Social Studies and Science into year-long linear offerings. To justify having two educators from different subject areas team-teach the curriculum in the same class simultaneously, we double the number of students in each offering.  As a result, we typically run Grade 9 classes of 50 students and Grade 10–12 classes of 50-55.