This course will more rigorously approach and develop the topics offered in Biology 11 and will cover additional material. Topics include cellular reproduction, genetics, biotechnology, evolution, and ecology.
BIOLOGY 20 - Advanced Placement Biology Year. Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry 11 or higher, and Permission of the Department. Students will be ranked and admitted to the course based on their performance in previous science courses (biology, chemistry). Preference will be given to members of Class I and II and students who have completed physics. This challenging full-year, college-level biology course is offered as a second-year course in biology for extraordinary science students, especially those who have an interest in the fields of medicine or biological research. The two main goals of the course are to help students develop a conceptual framework for modern biology and an appreciation of science as a process. The ongoing knowledge explosion in biology makes these goals even more challenging. This course follows the AP Biology syllabus published by the College Board and covers major topics in the fields of biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, classical and modern genetics, biotechnology, ecology, and evolution. Inquiry based labs are an integral part of this course, as are nightly reading assignments and homework assignments that are designed to have the students apply the concepts learned in class. This course uses an eBook as a primary resource as well as several online resources to further explore the topics. This course prepares students for the Advanced Placement Examination in Biology.
CHEMISTRY 09 - Chemistry Year. Open to all classes. Prerequisite: Completed or concurrent enrollment in Math 21. This year-long course is designed to develop fundamental study skills along with quantitative and conceptual understanding of chemistry. The general approach is based on the principle of modeling in which students generate physical, conceptual, and mathematical representations of real phenomena. Students are tasked with articulating and defending their ideas through the use of data and observations. Students will be introduced to concepts fundamental to studying matter at the molecular level. Learning will be done through discovery-based processes, work in small groups, and laboratory experimentation that involves qualitative analysis and quantitative techniques. Topics will include scientific measurement, atomic structure, periodic trends, chemical bonding, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, gas laws, electrochemistry, and acid-base chemistry. If time allows, advanced topics such as chemical kinetics, equilibrium, food chemistry or forensics may be explored. Students who enroll in Chemistry 09 may not take Chemistry 10 or higher.
CHEMISTRY 10 – Accelerated Chemistry Fall. Open to all classes. Chemistry 10 and Chemistry 11/12 constitute a full year course. Prerequisite: Completed or concurrent enrollment in Math 31 in the spring semester. This course explores a core of principles that organizes the whole of chemistry. Coverage will include topics such as atoms and molecules, introduction to stoichiometry, prototypical reactions, periodic properties of the elements, bonding, and the mole. Emphasis will be placed on progressing from the general to the specific and from the simple to the complex as we explore current understanding in the field of chemistry. Instruction will include both lecture and laboratory, and effort will be made to engage the student in the learning process. In addition to reading and problem sets, there will be in-class collaborative learning assignments, computer-based tutorials, and online resources. Students may not take Chemistry 10 concurrent with or subsequent to Chemistry 09.
CHEMISTRY 11 – Accelerated Chemistry Spring. Open to all classes. Prerequisite: Chemistry 10 and concurrent enrollment in Math 31 or higher. This course is a continuation of Chemistry 10 and will cover stoichiometry, gas laws, chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium, and acid base chemistry. Emphasis will be placed on understanding chemical concepts on both the macroscopic, what is observable, and microscopic, particle level, that underlie the topics discussed. A mathematical approach to the topics will be supported with online tutorials, practice problem sets, and in-class group work. Laboratory work will be designed to provide students with hands-on examples of the topics covered.
CHEMISTRY 12 – Honors Accelerated Chemistry Spring. Open to all classes. Prerequisite: Chemistry 10, concurrent enrollment in Math 31 or higher and Permission of the Department. This course is a continuation of Chemistry 10 and will cover stoichiometry, gas laws, chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium, acid base chemistry, oxidation reduction reactions, and electrochemistry. This course is designed for students with a strong record of accomplishment in Chemistry 10, who are prepared for a mathematically more rigorous approach to the study of chemistry. Students will be responsible for making their own connections between what they are taught and greater chemical principles at large. Laboratory work takes on a more quantitative and data driven approach and is designed to reinforce and expand a student’s understanding of the topics covered.
CHEMISTRY 20 - Advanced Placement Chemistry Year. Prerequisite: Chemistry 11 or higher, Physics, Math 39, 49 or higher and Permission of the Department. Students will be ranked and admitted to the course based on their performance in previous science courses (chemistry, physics) and Math 39 or 49. Preference will be given to members of Class I and II and students who have completed biology, chemistry, and physics. 23
