What does it feel like to get the recommended amount of sleep every night for a month? Ask our tenth grade students. During their month-long Physiology block the students put their own bodies to the test as they learn about the human body.

According to the National Institute of Health and latest research from the National Sleep Foundation, adolescents from 10 to 17 years old should, on average, get 9¼ hours of sleep each night. It is also very important to go to bed at the same time each night to insure a well-trained biological clock. Recent research shows that electronics used before bedtime affect the quality of sleep. To test these recommendations, tenth grade students are asked to sign an agreement to be in bed with lights out 9 1/2 hours prior to their normal wake time for the full month of their Physiology class (including weekends). This means most tenth grade students have “lights out” by 9:30 pm each night, with all devices and electronics turned off by 8:30.

In today’s world, not only is sleep deprivation a problem, studies show that students are also more and more susceptible to depression and anxiety, likely related to technology. So, in addition to studying the changes in the brain brought about by meditation, we actually experience yoga and meditation each morning prior to main lesson.

The sleep study is a component of the Physiology block. Brain function (especially the cerebral cortex, which is still forming through late adolescence), the circulatory system, the immune system, and liver function are all studied in depth, but the self-experimentation around the impact of sleep in the block is probably the most challenging and unusual.

In planning the course, I pull from primary research sources and present material through a variety of mediums. Ultimately, we want to teach students to observe and then draw conclusions, instead of telling them the answers and trying to support knowledge with experimentation. These are the capacities for scientific inquiry needed for our world today. It simply isn’t enough to memorize and regurgitate facts and theories. If you see a tenth grade student, ask what they’re learning!

To learn more about the high school, join us at a Visiting Morning or schedule a tour. Contact our Admissions Director at (802) 985-2827 ext. 212.