The 5 Most Unusual Classes at Bolingbrook High School

Students at Bolingbrook High School don't have to wait for college to start getting a wide-reaching liberal arts education.

Whether you've got a student enrolling this fall or are just curious what the kids are up to these days, here's a look at some of the unique opportunities, courtesy of the 2013-14 course catalog:

Fashion merchandising

(Grades 9-12) Fashion Merchandising is an introductory project based fashion program. Students will develop an awareness of historic costumes,design elements and principles, store layout, visual merchandising, and beginning sewing techniques. Students will learn the art ofshowcase design and display, as well as develop an understanding of design concepts which will be taught using origami, macrame, mendhi, and tie-dye. 

Theatre arts

Grades 10-12: Students attracted to the world of theatre will experience the art of performing and producing theatre. Concentrations in acting techniqueswill include pantomime, improvisation, and character interpretation from reading and analyzing plays. The fundamentals of play productionwill enhance the student’s knowledge of scenery, lighting, costuming, and make-up. In addition, students will be acquainted with our theatrical heritage through the study of theatre’s evolution

Cinema study

Grades 11-12: This writing intensive course is designed for senior students interested in developing, refining, and expressing critical and analytical skills using one of the most culturally influential art forms of our age--world cinema as the basis of study. In addition to learning about the history of film and exploring various film genres by screening and discussing films. Students will be introduced to a variety of critical approaches useful for understanding and appreciating the medium as both industry and art form. In addition to screening films, students will write short essays and critical reviews, keep notes and journals on films and film terminology, and prepare a multimedia presentation or research project on a film-related topic. (Note: Some materials studied in this course may be mature in subject matter.) 

Zoology

Grade 12: The zoology course is an inquiry-based science course designed to encourage the study of animals and conservation issues many are facing. Semester One is primarily a survey of animals, while Semester Two focuses on animal conservation and environmental stewardship. Students will perform several dissections for comparative anatomy and physiology purposes. This course contains an environmental stewardship requirement. sTudents taking this course should have taken three years of science prior to taking zoology. There is a required non-refundable lab fee that must be paid at registration.

Aerospace science 

Part of the military science curriculum, the district's four aerospace science courses deal with flight throughout the centuries, modern flight, exploring the solar system, basic aerodynamics, propulsion systems manned vs. manned spacecraft and space missions, space vehicles and more.