What’s Cooking for High School J-Term

Each January, High School students embark on a short, intensive two-week semester known as January-Term (J-Term). See what they’re up to and follow along on their course blogs!

Art Car

Houston is home to one of the largest art car scenes in the world! In this hands-on course, students learn about art car history and culture, meet long-time members of this artist-community, and design and create an art car! Art Car Blog

Art of Cooking

This is a hands-on cooking class designed to start or develop culinary skills. Throughout this course students gain a better understanding of ingredients and cooking methods. In the end, the students will be able to cook confidently with and for others. Activities include how to make a menu and making nutritious, affordable, and delicious meals through practicum with professional chefs. Art of Cooking Blog

Asia and Asian Culture Study

This course focuses on several Asian countries/regions, their cultures, and Asian Americans rooted in those countries/regions, including China, India, Singapore, the Philippines, and others. Specific topics will be initiated and developed by students and the teacher. Students will develop their knowledge and understanding through various research methods, including field trips, interviews, literature, seminars, documentaries, and feature films. This course is required for students who sign up for the M-Term Singapore trip course but did not take this course (or its equivalent, e.g. China and Chinese Culture) before. Asia & Asian Culture Study Blog

Blender 3D-Modeling Showcase World

3D art is used in many different fields, including in Hollywood, video games, interior design, and the medical industry, to make interactive maps of anatomy, VR, and much more. 3D design is seen as the new frontier of the digital world for how much it has been changing the digital landscape. We will use Blender (3D Software) and Roblox Studio to create a showcase world. Students learn the basics of digital design, and with the help of a course expert, learn the fundamentals of Blender, and create an online showcase world to represent what they have learned. Blender 3D-Modeling Blog

Music and Video Games

This course explores the treasure trove of music from video games. Students will listen to and analyze video game soundtracks, play music-themed video games, and create their own short musical tidbits as a member of an imaginary video game development team. Students will also take an overnight trip to Dallas to visit the National Videogame Museum, investigating the history of the industry. Look forward to an interactive musical gaming experience in this course! Music and Video Games Blog

Personal Finance

In this course, students will learn aspects of personal finance that affect young adults as they head to college and beyond. These are the items that those of us in the middle years wish our parents or teachers had taught us! Topics of study include budgeting, when and how to use cash and credit, how to negotiate prices and control costs, how and why to think about buying your first house, how to plan for retirement, and how to invest in the stock market and other investment tools. To learn this, we will read the book “Your Money or Your Life,” tour financial institutions, and do “the game of life” by researching college and graduate school costs, likely first jobs and their salaries, and creative ways to finance first homes. Personal Finance Blog

Rio Grande, Big Bend, River Trip

Come explore another world without leaving Texas; though, you may think you have. In fact, you may feel as though you have travelled back in time as well. Welcome to the Chihuahua Desert of West Texas with its dry days and cool nights. Here, you will be surrounded by mountains, cacti, and the dark skies illuminated by our Milky Way. Through it all runs the mighty Rio Grande. We will explore the border in the remote corner as the river bends its way through the desert, carving deep canyons. We will paddle the border, literally, as we paddle the river. Learn of the flora and fauna of this desert, study the people and cultures that have and do now inhabit the region, and learn the skills of river navigation, camping, cooking, and enjoying nature. Expect some hiking, paddling, great eating, and fun with our guides and each other as we work together on a weeklong expedition on the river. Big Bend Trip (to be updated upon their return)

Special Effects and Make-up

During this course, students will be transforming themselves and their peers into other people—or creatures—entirely, through the means of special effects make-up. Some of our goals are to achieve more realistic special effects makeup, understand the purpose behind it, and observe how it’s used in modern theater and film. We also want to gain experience with different forms of special effects makeup (character, aging, gore, fantasy, etc.), as well as the variety of materials that can be used to achieve these looks. Students will have the opportunity to design and execute their own make-up looks, play around with different techniques/materials, and generally have fun gaining skills in this area. Special Effects & Make-up Blog