Are you curious about H block classes?

What are they? What is the purpose? Check out what Pingree students and teachers are saying below. You’ll learn first-hand about H-Blocks and how they work. 

As background, H Block electives are a chance to try new classes and pursue your interests. H Block electives include classes in the performing arts, history, english, science, language, math, journalism, technology and so much more.

We spoke to Dr. Hamilton who this fall has been teaching a timely H block course, COVID-19 Through the Lens of Structural & Molecular Biology. Dr. Hamilton explained that the purpose of this class was to give students the opportunity to learn something that is affecting us all. The class explores all aspects of COVID-19, including the structural biology of the virus and how it evolves. With a 3-D printer, the class is able to print protein structures that are involved in the virus. By looking at the protein in 3-D, students are able to see what exactly is going on and how to prevent the cell from entering the body. Dr. Hamilton explains that the class was open to students in 10th through 12th grade who had already taken Biology, an important foundation for the course. Dr. Hamilton’s goal is for students to just get a true sense of COVID-19 and to understand the big picture. He hopes that by taking this class, his students will be inspired to pursue this type of science in the future.

Unlike full-credit classes, H Blocks are half-credit courses and are all pass/fail. To graduate, students must be enrolled in a minimum of 5½ credits each trimester for a total of 16½ credits per year. Students may not enroll in more than 6½ credits per trimester. All courses (full- and half-credit) and their descriptions can be found in Pingree’s Course Catalog 2020-21. Classes are normally chosen over the summer. However, if you want to switch your electives, there is a drop/add period to do so if space allows.