Our high school has four 1 1/2 hour periods per day plus lunch and a 20 minute homeroom time. They are on a block schedule meaning that they have classes 1-4 on one day and then classes 5-8 on the next day. It keeps alternating in that pattern. Freshman are only supposed to take 6 classes and then have two off blocks unless they are in one of music electives. Upper classmen can take classes in up to all eight periods but I think that they have to get permission to go over seven (we aren't there yet so I'm a little fuzzy). I've also heard that some special honors electives are offered before school during the "zero" period.
