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Science
Biology Grade Level: 9-10 1 credit Two Semesters
Prerequisite: none
Students conduct laboratory and field investigations, use scientific practices during investigations, and make informed decisions using critical thinking and scientific problem solving. Students in Biology study a variety of topics that include: structures and functions of cells and viruses; growth and development of organisms; cells, tissues, and organs; nucleic acids and genetics; biological evolution; taxonomy; metabolism and energy transfers in living organisms; living systems; homeostasis; and ecosystems and the environment.
Pre-AP Biology 1 credit Grade Level: 9 Two Semesters Prerequisite: Academic Success Recommendations
The essential elements of Biology are expanded and enriched as students engage in real-world data analysis and problem solving that sparks critical thinking about our living world. As students engage in grade-level content, they utilize the kind of scientific reasoning skills needed to analyze the natural world—and to succeed in future science and social science courses in high school and college. This course utilizes College Board Pre-AP curriculum and students receive Pre-AP GPA points.
AP Biology 1 credit Grade Level: 10*, 11-12 Two Semesters Prerequisite: Pre-AP Biology, Pre-AP Chemistry, Academic Success Recommendations
The AP Biology course is an introductory college-level biology course. Students cultivate their understanding of biology through inquiry-based investigations as they explore the following topics: evolution, cellular processes, energy and communication, genetics, information transfer, ecology, and interactions. Students receive AP grade points for this course. An exam fee is required for this course.
*10th grade availability based on Pre-AP Biology Teacher recommendation and advanced score on the Biology EOC.
Prerequisite: Biology Recommended Prerequisite: IPC, Chemistry or Concurrent enrollment in either course
Students conduct laboratory and field investigations, use scientific methods during investigations, and make informed decisions using critical thinking and scientific problem solving. Students study a variety of topics that include biotic and abiotic factors in habitats, ecosystems and biomes, interrelationships among resources and an environmental system, sources and flow of energy through an environmental system, relationship between carrying capacity and changes in populations and ecosystems, and changes in environments.
Integrated Physics and Chemistry (IPC) 1 credit Grade Level: 9-10 Two Semesters Prerequisite: none
Students conduct laboratory and field investigations, use scientific practices during investigation, and make informed decisions using critical thinking and scientific problem solving. This course integrates the disciplines of physics and chemistry in the following topics: force, motion, energy, and matter.
Prerequisite: Algebra I and one credit of high school science Suggested Prerequisite: Completion or concurrent enrollment in a 2nd year of mathematics
Students conduct laboratory and field investigations, use scientific practices during investigations, and make informed decisions using critical thinking and scientific problem solving. Students study a variety of topics that include characteristics of matter, use of the Periodic Table, development of atomic theory and chemical bonding, chemical stoichiometry, gas laws, solution chemistry, thermochemistry, and nuclear chemistry. Students will investigate how chemistry is an integral part of our daily lives.
Pre-AP Chemistry 1 credit Grade Level: 10-12 Two Semesters Prerequisite: Algebra I, one credit of high school science, Academic Success Recommendations Suggested Prerequisite: Completion or concurrent enrollment in a 2nd year of mathematics
The essential elements of Chemistry are expanded and enriched as students develop a deep conceptual understanding of matter and energy at the molecular level as they learn to explain their macroscopic observations using particulatelevel reasoning. As students engage in grade-level content, they utilize scientific reasoning skills needed to analyze the natural world—and to succeed in future science and social science courses in high school and college. This course utilizes College Board curriculum and students will receive Pre-AP grade points.
AP Chemistry 1 credit Grade Level: 11-12 Two Semesters Prerequisite: Chemistry, Algebra II and Academic Success Recommendations
The AP Chemistry course provides students with a college-level foundation to support future advanced coursework in chemistry. Students cultivate their understanding of chemistry through inquiry-based investigations, as they explore content such as: atomic structure, intermolecular forces and bonding, chemical reactions, kinetics, thermodynamics, and equilibrium. The AP Chemistry course is designed to be the equivalent of the general chemistry course usually taken during the first college year. Students receive AP grade points for this course. An exam fee is required for this course.
Anatomy and Physiology 1 credit Grade Level: 10-12 Two Semesters Prerequisite: Biology and a 2nd Science Credit Recommended Prerequisite: a course from the Health Science Career Cluster
The Anatomy and Physiology course is designed for students to conduct laboratory and field investigations, use scientific methods during investigations, and make informed decisions using critical thinking and scientific problem solving. Students in Anatomy and Physiology will study a variety of topics, including the structure and function of the human body and the interaction of body systems for maintaining homeostasis. Projects are required outside of class time.
Scientific Research and Design Grade Level: 11-12 1 credit Two Semesters
Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry, IPC or Physics
This course is a project-based class emphasizing laboratory techniques to complete individual and group experiments. The course is designed to provide a rigorous program of study that focuses on scientific inquiry from the problem identification, investigation design, data collection, data analysis, formulation, and presentation of the conclusions. Students receive AP grade points for this course.
Prerequisite: Biology Suggested Prerequisite: Chemistry or concurrent enrollment in chemistry or IPC
Students study the interactions of biotic and abiotic components in aquatic environments, including impacts on aquatic systems. Investigations and field work in this course may emphasize fresh water or marine aspects of aquatic science depending primarily upon the natural resources available for study near the school. Students who successfully complete Aquatic Science will acquire knowledge about a variety of aquatic systems, conduct investigations and observations of aquatic environments, work collaboratively with peers, and develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
AP Environmental Science 1 credit Grade Level: 11-12 Two Semesters Prerequisite: Algebra I, 2 years of laboratory science including 1 year of life science and 1 year of physical science, Academic Success Recommendations
The AP Environmental Science course is designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester, introductory college course in environmental science, through which students engage with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships within the natural world. The course requires that students identify and analyze natural and human-made environmental problems, evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them. Environmental science is interdisciplinary, embracing topics from geology, biology, environmental studies, environmental science, chemistry, and geography. Students receive AP grade points for this course. An exam fee is required for this course.
Students conduct laboratory and field investigations, use scientific practices during investigations, and make informed decisions using critical thinking and scientific problem solving. Students study a variety of topics that include: laws of motion; changes within physical systems and conservation of energy and momentum; forces; thermodynamics; characteristics and behavior of waves; and atomic, nuclear, and quantum physics. Students who successfully complete Physics will acquire factual knowledge within a conceptual framework, practice experimental design and interpretation, work collaboratively with colleagues, and develop critical-thinking skills.
Prerequisite: Algebra I
Physics is a broad introduction into mechanics, electricity and magnetism. Topics covered include physics skills and processes, kinematics in one and two dimensions, dynamics, momentum, work and energy, thermodynamics, electrostatics, magnetism, simple harmonic motion & waves, sound and modern physics. Demonstrations, labs and projects are used throughout the year to help reinforce concepts.
AP Physics I 1 credit Grade Level: 11-12 Two Semesters Prerequisite: Algebra I, Geometry and completed or concurrently enrolled in Algebra II
AP Physics 1 is an algebra-based, introductory college-level physics course. Students cultivate their understanding of physics through inquiry-based investigations as they explore these topics: kinematics, dynamics, circular motion and gravitation, energy, momentum, simple harmonic motion, torque and rotational motion. Students receive AP grade points for this course. An exam fee is required for this course.
Prerequisite: One unit of high school science
Students conduct laboratory and field investigations, use scientific methods, and make informed decisions using critical thinking and scientific problem solving. Students study the following topics: astronomy in civilization, patterns and objects in the sky, our place in space, the moon, reasons for the seasons, planets, the sun, stars, galaxies, cosmology, and space exploration. Students who successfully complete Astronomy will acquire knowledge within a conceptual framework, conduct observations of the sky, work collaboratively, and develop critical-thinking skills.
Forensic Science 1 credit Grade Level: 11-12 Two Semesters Prerequisite: one credit in Biology and one credit in either Chemistry, IPC or Physics
Forensic Science is a course that introduces students to the application of science to connect a violation of law to a specific criminal, criminal act, or behavior and victim. Students will learn terminology and procedures related to the search and examination of physical evidence in criminal cases as they are performed in a typical crime laboratory. Using scientific methods, students will collect and analyze evidence such as fingerprints, bodily fluids, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, and cartridge cases. Students will also learn the history and the legal aspects as they relate to each discipline of forensic science.
