Explorations Curriculum
Curriculum
At Explorations we deliver a dynamic education focusing on the personal, social and global learning of the student. We believe that the core of the student experience is not about accumulating information, but an intentional mix of intellectual complexity, outdoor education, global awareness, and self-directed learning in a small school setting. Students are treated as intellectuals as they explore ethics, philosophy and contemporary issues.
We hold students to high academic standards emphasizing self-directed learning and independent study skills. They work closely together on projects and on a regular basis must organize materials, articulate their ideas, and respond to challenging questions.
Faculty design a customized curriculum each term that weaves together traditional academics, current events and field study. Curriculum is college-preparatory and integrated in a thematic format called a cluster. Instead of attending classes with no relation to each other, student learning benefits with common themes that unite cluster classes through a more in depth, holistic view of the subjects.
Core Curriculum
Explorations Academy organizes much of its core curriculum into comprehensive, interdisc
iplinary themes called clusters. Each cluster is organized around a common theme and is composed of several courses in different disciplines. Clusters are designed by faculty with input from students and the members of our Program Council. We typically run three clusters at a time and students can select the cluster of their choice.
Other Academic Courses
In addition to clusters, we offer mathematics and world languages courses and combined courses in areas such as arts, music. occupational and physical education, and first aid. These courses are required for all students. They provide a grounding in common and essential subjects to complement the thematic clusters. We offer additional optional courses for instance with our Food and Gardening classes.
Assessment
Creating meaningful assessment strategies is a priority at Explorations. Evaluation methods emphasize individualized assessments, self-reflection and projects which require students to demonstrate knowledge and skills learned. Rather than focusing on standardized tests, students record their milestones of learning in a comprehensive, individualized portfolio maintained under close faculty guidance. Additionally, each student records on video their growth for each term.
Sample Term Curriculum
The curriculum for Winterim 2012 included three clusters: "Go Big!", “Lights, Camera, Action,” and "Thailand." During Winterim “Go Big” and “Lights, Camera, Action” took place at Explorations while the third cluster of ten students and two faculty spent four weeks in Thailand. This cluster conducted studies while on their trip.
The following descriptions represent the general idea for each Winterim 2012 cluster earning students credits in Social Studies, Occupational Education and English/Humanities.
“Go Big” Cluster
The apathetic teenager drifting aimlessly through adolescence is well established in 
popular culture. The Go Big! cluster represents a refutation of this image. Students will study people who care about the world and are taking action to change it and they will embrace ways in which they themselves can actually make a difference. Through more attentive care of their physical selves, they will become more able to be effective in making that difference. Furthermore, this cluster will challenge students to act with intentionality and establish themselves as individuals who care, who have influence, and who recognize the positive contributions they make to their lives and the lives of those around them.Students in this cluster took three courses: Oral History, Heroes and Anti-heroes, and Service Learning/Internships.
“Lights, Camera, Action” Cluster
Stories play a powerful role in shaping our perceptions of the world. The stories of our day are no longer primarily transmitted to us by voice, but through a growing variety of broadcast and webcast media. These stories are a daily part of our lives, but actually producing them is a less common experience. Yet doing so is a key to fully understanding their significance. By investigating videographic media through artistic, scientific, and technical lenses, students are better able to connect these familiar messages with the cultural context from which they emerge. What do moving images – whether intended to educate, persuade, or entertain – say about their makers? How do they influence their audience? Students will address these key questions as they consider the ways that video both reflects and creates contemporary culture. Students in this cluster took three courses: History through Film, Videography, and Film through Literature.
“Thailand” Cluster
With biologically diverse jungles, thickly forested mountains, pristine coastline, and a 
rich cultural and religious heritage, Thailand is a land of exceptional natural and cultural beauty. Thailand contains a span ranging from urban centers of powerful 21st Century economic development to remote highlands that are home to cultures and religious traditions almost entirely cut off from the outside world. In these varied settings, students will discover abundant opportunities to investigate the beautiful culture, history, and wonders of Thailand.
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