At YHIS, we believe that it is not sufficient to educate students only in a set of isolated subject areas. Of equal importance is the need to acquire skills in a context that is relevant to students and transcends the boundaries of traditional subjects. Following the curricular framework of the International Baccalaureate®, students at YHIS spend about half of their time at school exploring a set of transdisciplinary themes that represents shared human experiences, which are considered essential in the YHIS curriculum:

Who we are
An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures.

Where we are in place and time    
An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind, from local and global perspectives.

How we express ourselves          
An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.

How the world works                    
An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies.

How we organize ourselves         
An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.

Sharing the planet                          
An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.

At each grade level, four units of inquiry are covered each year. Each unit is covered for approximately 6 to 8 weeks. These units, articulated both vertically and horizontally, collectively constitute the program of inquiry, which accounts for approximately half of the school's curriculum. The other half of the curriculum consists of traditional subject areas such as Chinese language arts, English language arts, science, math, visual arts, music, and P.E.