What’s a Block?
block |bläk|
noun
1 a large, solid piece of hard material, esp. cubic : a block of marble.
2 the area bounded by four streets in a town or suburb : she took a stroll around the block.
3 one of eight intensive academic units that make up a year at Colorado College, each lasting three-and-a-half weeks, during which students and professors cover a semester’s worth of course material one course at a time. : what class are you taking sixth block?
- informal used as a synonym for “course” or “class” : he is in an Art History block.
- See note at INTENSE. ANTONYM monotonous
(also double block) the extended, more comprehensive version of the block
(also half block) the shorter, wintry version of the block (ancillary)
(also summer block) a block taken during the summer
COMMON PHRASES
Block Plan the name referring to Colorado College’s characteristic academic schedule. : the Block Plan facilitates greater opportunity for student autonomy, rigorous course immersion, and accommodation of external visitors to enrich the curricula of academic departments.
block break a four-day, class-free recess occurring between blocks, typically spent in pursuit of exhilaration, self-actualization, and/or community service. : they are taking advantage of the snowstorm this block break by skiing fresh powder at Vail.
summer block a block (or series of blocks) spent on-campus during the summer months : she is staying on campus in June to take History of Terrorism as a summer block.
block abroad a block (or series of blocks) spent off-campus : last semester, Henry spent a block abroad studying Spanish in Salamanca, Spain.
ORIGIN [with reference to the Block Plan| late 20th cent. (1969): originated out of a faculty interest in smaller classes, more writing, and in-depth study and discussions; adopted on the brink of the 100th anniversary of the college; formerly “The Colorado College Plan”