Electives Students School High Required Making Include English

High school students are required to take "core" (basic; fundamental) courses. These usually include English, mathematics, history, and sciences, but they can also choose many "electives" (courses that are chosen, but not required of all students).

A lot of electives are in the arts. These can include classes in art history, art creation, "choir" (singing), band, and drama. Other electives are in foreign languages and "home economics" (learning to cook, sew, and budget for a family). Traditionally, male students have chosen electives in "woodworking" (making things out of wood), "metal shop" (making things out of metal), "drafting" (making drawings or plans for building things) and "automotive repair" (fixing cars), although that is changing in many schools.

Students who are "college-bound" (planning to go to college) might "sign up for" (register for; enroll in) challenging electives like "AP" (Advanced Placement, allowing high school students to receive college credit) courses in core subjects. These students choose to take more than the required number of years of math, English, sciences, and other traditional subjects.

Schools are "increasingly" (more and more often) offering electives in computer sciences. These electives could teach students how to use computers or how to write in programming languages. Some electives focus on business "applications" (uses) of computer technology.

Still other electives give students "open study," or a period of time when they can "pursue" (follow) studies that interest them, often writing a report at the end of the semester. These students are working "under the supervision of" (under the guidance of) a teacher and sometimes the electives "incorporate" (include) an "internship" (an opportunity to work with a business or organization, usually without pay, to receive experience).