Upper School Curriculum: Science

The Lovett School Upper School Science Curriculum

The Lovett School Vision for Learning Lovett offers experiences that inspire our students to love learning. We encourage them to think critically, communicate effectively, engage creatively, and collaborate purposefully. We provide the opportunities and resources that help our students develop independence and self-direction and extend their learning beyond the walls of the classroom as they grow intellectually, emotionally, physically, aesthetically, morally, and spiritually.

300 - Biology Course Description Grade: 9 Group: I Units: 1.0 Biology is an introductory course in the life sciences. The course will include studies of all the major facets of living organisms, including cell structure and function; a survey of the major kingdoms of organisms; selected topics in human anatomy, physiology, genetics, and reproduction; and an introduction to major ecological and evolutionary concepts. This course includes a laboratory component. Students work individually and in groups on projects and laboratory reports throughout the year. They engage in class discussions on the ethical and cultural implications of scientific research.

Essential Questions 1. What is the relationship between form and function in the successful perpetuation of life?

2. How have advances within the biological sciences influenced cultural development?

3. How has our understanding of the principles of evolution influenced our perception of the natural world and our role in it?

4. What are the sources, roles, and paths of energy for living systems?

Assessment 1. In-class group discussion questions and case studies 2. Chapter homework 3. Chapter quizzes 4. Collaborative research project and presentation 5. Individual and group laboratory reports 6. Unit tests 7. Semester exams 8. Example Assessment: In the fall semester, all ninth-grade biology students perform an enzyme lab involving the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, utilizing the catalase enzyme from calf liver. Students work in groups to develop a hypothesis based on their prior knowledge of the effect of environmental variables on protein structure and function. Using oxygen-detecting technology, students record up to 30 data points, utilizing multiple trials, documenting the effects of various individual environmental variables on catalase effectiveness. Student groups then share and compile class data, discussing to gain a full understanding of the effects of various environmental changes on enzyme function. Students communicate their findings in a formal lab write-up.

Students practice lab skills and application of the scientific method while learning about form and function of cellular molecules.

Skills Benchmarks A student will understand: 1. Lab skills & safety 2. Applications of the scientific method 3. How living organisms differ from non-living 4. The primary compounds of life 5. Water as an essential element

6. The role of living organisms in an ecosystem 7. The human impact on the ecological processes 8. The relationship between form and function in cells 9. How plants and animals obtain and use energy 10. How cells reproduce 11. The biological and social roles of sexuality and related responsibilities 12. How the principles of genetics determine genetic inheritance 13. The factors that impact the expression of genes 14. How traits and/or organisms can be “created” through genetic engineering 15. The ethical implications of genetic engineering 16. The form and function of DNA 17. Role of protein synthesis in gene expression 18. The processes and outcomes of evolution 19. The diversity of living organisms and their ecological needs Units 1.

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Biology as a Science The Nature of Inorganic and Organic Matter Cell Function and Metabolism Genetics Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis Human Sexuality Evolution Classification of Living Organisms Ecology and Environmental Science

Textbooks and Resources Miller, Kenneth R. and Levine, Joseph S, ​Biology​, Pearson Updated August 2018

305 - Honors Biology Course Description Grade: 9 Group: I Units: 1.0 Prerequisite: Departmental recommendation Corequisite: 210 - Geometry or higher-level mathematics Biology Honors is an introductory course in the life sciences taught at an accelerated level.

Students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills through in-depth study of biological concepts and laboratory exercises. The course focuses on biochemistry and cellular processes, human genetics and reproduction, and modern ecological and evolutionary concepts. Students also participate in a campus biodiversity survey as an exploratory approach to taxonomic classification of the major kingdoms of life.

Essential Questions 1. What is the relationship between form and function in the various levels of biological organization?

2. How are the life processes of organisms directly related to their cellular structure?

3. How does the universal genetic code allow for continuity and change in organisms?

4. How do we better understand modern evolutionary theory through advances in genetics?

5. How can the diversity of biological interactions, processes, and structures be explained in terms of modern evolutionary theory?

6. How do living organisms transform matter and energy in ecological and cellular processes?

Assessment 1. Classwork 2. Homework 3. Quizzes 4. Labs 5. Unit tests 6. Semester exams 7. Class Presentations 8. Campus Diversity Survey 9. Example Assessment - Each spring, Honors Biology students work collaboratively to survey the Lovett campus for a specific group of organisms. They pick a specific taxa (e.g. mammals, birds, protists, etc) and research its natural history and expected species diversity for the region. Then they design field methods for sampling on campus and carry out their sampling plan for 3-4 weeks, reporting their findings at the end of the semester by leading an hour long class period where they share their results and invite their classmates to participate in the sampling procedure. Finally, the entire project is

documented on a group website, which can be used as a resources year after year, and a scientific poster presentation.

Skills Benchmarks A student will understand: 1. Lab skills & safety 2. Applications of the scientific method 3. Characteristics of living things 4. Fundamentals of organic and biochemistry 5. Ecological interactions between organisms and the environment 6. Movement of energy and matter through ecosystems 7. The human impact on ecological processes 8. The relationship between form and function in cells 9. Energy use and transformation 10. Cell reproduction 11. Transport of materials in and out of cells 12. The form and function of DNA 13. Principles of genetics determine patterns of inheritance 14. Pre- and post-transcriptional mechanisms of gene expression 15. Structure and function of human reproductive system and processes 16. Responsible sexual behaviors 17. Mechanisms of evolutionary change of populations 18. Importance of adaptations to the environment 19. Evolution’s role in the unity and diversity of species.

20. Modern systems of classification of life 21. Methods of surveying, sampling, and reporting field data 22. The importance of biodiversity in maintaining the health of an ecosystem Units 1. The Scientific Method 2. Biochemistry 3. Ecology 4. Cell Theory 5. Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration 6. Genetics 7. Human Sexuality 8. Evolution 9. Classification 10. Campus Biodiversity Survey Textbooks and Resources Miller, Kenneth R. and Levine, Joseph S, ​Biology​, Pearson, eBook Updated August 2018

310 - Chemistry Course Description Grades: 10 Group: I Units: 1.0 Prerequisite: 300 - Biology or 305 - Biology Honors Chemistry is designed as an introductory course with focus on the concepts and practices of modern chemistry. It is approached beginning with the simplest model of the atom, and as new experimental evidence arises, the model is changed to incorporate the new data. This course challenges students to used lab-based evidence to construct the various laws and principles of modern chemistry. In keeping with Lovett’s vision for learning, students will collaborate within lab groups and class discussions to build new chemical models at each level of understanding.

Students become creatively engaged in the learning process as experimental data becomes the foundation for building knowledge. Through whiteboard sessions, students present and explain their experimental findings as well as mathematical calculations to the class, which not only develops communication skills but also effectively replicates the scientific peer review process in the real world.

Essential Questions 1. How do we view matter?

2. How does it behave?

3. What is the role of energy in the changes we observe?

4. How are laboratory experiments performed and documented, both formally and informally?

Assessment 1. Discussion​​ ​and Whiteboarding ​- most lessons will be covered through discussion of the material with questions and whiteboarding activities where students will be given the chance to illustrate topics at the particle level.

2. Worksheets​​ ​– There will be a number of worksheets for each unit in the curriculum.

Some problems will be worked in class from each sheet, while other selected problems will be assigned for homework. Modeling will be used with each problem so expect to provide diagrams and ​show all work​​.

3. Quizzes​​ - there will be a quiz over each lesson. The format will vary, but they will mostly be short 3-5 question quizzes over the material covered to that point in the unit.

4. Labs and hands-on Activities​​ are interspersed throughout the units. Often the scheduling of these activities is set so that homework assignments are either completing a problem set or studying for a quiz, but not both. For some lab reports time is provided during​ class for completing them. This will not always be the case especially for formal lab reports.

5. Tests​​ ​– there will be a test over each unit. Tests usually consist of 12-15 multiple choice questions and several workout questions. Most tests tend to be anywhere from 20-30 questions long.

6. Semester Exam​​ - the fall and spring final exam will be a comprehensive test over that semester plus any topics that were repeated from the previous semester.

7. Example Assessment​​ - Chemistry uses lab practical activities as an assessment tool.

During a lab practical, students work in groups to solve a problem. One example is “Don’t Sink the Boat” where each group is challenged to fill a vial with sand that sinks but doesn’t touch the bottom of an aquarium of water. While students have the prior knowledge to solve the problem, it is not explicit, so students must work together to think critically and piece together their knowledge in order to be successful. Each group is given 3 attempts at this challenge, so that they may modify their work and adjust their calculations accordingly. This not only assesses lab skills, but also mass, volume, and density as the relationship between them.

Skills Benchmarks A student knows and understands: 1. Lab skills & safety.

2. Matter is composed of particles that have mass and volume. Density as the relationship between mass and volume.

3. Matter can exist in three phases, which are characterized by the arrangement of particles. This arrangement affects the density and compressibility of each phase.

4. Particles are in constant, random, thermal motion. Temperature & thermal energy, factors affecting gas pressure, Kinetic Molecular Theory.

5. Particles exert attractions on one another. Energy is a conserved substance-like quantity that is stored in various accounts and transferred in various ways. E ​ nergy is involved whenever the state (phase, temperature, etc.) of the system changes.

6. The particles that make up substances can be compounded from smaller particles.

7. From Avogadro’s Hypothesis we are able to count molecules by weighing macroscopic samples.​ From these results it is possible to determine the molar masses of the elements; using these masses and formulas of compounds, one can determine molar masses of compounds. These tools allow one to relate “how much stuff” to “how many particles” including the molar volumes of gases and molar concentrations of solutions.

8. The contributions scientists made to the model of the atom. The inner workings of the atom and atomic variations such as isotopes, average atomic mass, protons, neutrons, electrons, atomic number, mass number and trends in the periodic table.

9. The arrangement of electrons in atoms through Lewis valence electron dot structures.

10. Formation of ions, characteristics of ionic compounds, and ion naming.

11. Nature of covalent bonds, naming covalently bonded groups of atoms, and characteristics of covalent molecules.

12. Classification and identification of chemical reactions, including writing and describing chemical reactions.

13. Stoichiometry calculations including identification of limiting reactant and percent yield in a reaction.

Units

Unit 1: Physical Properties of Matter Matter is composed of featureless spheres (particles) that have mass and volume.

These particles are essentially the “atoms” proposed by Democritus.

1. Mass is a measure of how much stuff an object is made of.

2. Matter is conserved because during all kinds of change we are just rearranging the particles.

3. Volume is a measure of how much space the object occupies.

4. Mass and volume are properties of an ​object​.

5. Density – how much stuff for each unit volume. This is a property of a ​substance​.

Unit 2: Energy - Particles in Motion We examine evidence that our particles are in constant, random, thermal motion.

Temperature & thermal energy, factors affecting gas pressure, KMT. 1. The motion of our spheres depends on the temperature. The spheres interact with one another by collisions.

2. Matter can exist in three phases, which are characterized by the arrangement of particles. This arrangement affects the density and compressibility of each phase.

Particles of matter are in constant motion. Thermal energy (Eth) is related to the motion of the particles and is measured by temperature. Energy is transferred from particle to particle via collisions.

3. Gas pressure is explained in terms of the collisions of the particles with the sides of the container. There are functional relationships between the pressure of a gas and the volume, temperature and the number of gas particles in a container Unit 3: Energy and States of Matter Our particles exert attractions on one another. Energy is a conserved substance-like quantity that is stored in various accounts and transferred in various ways.

1. Matter can exist in three phases - these are characterized by the arrangement of the particles and the attractive forces that bind them. We call these particles “molecules” from the Latin (little lumps of stuff).

2. Energy is involved whenever the state (phase, temperature, etc.) of the system changes.

Attractions between particles lower the energy of the system; the more tightly bound the particles, the lower the energy due to interactions – we call this account: phase energy.

3. During phase changes, changes in phase energy (Eph) result in a new arrangement or orientation of the particles.

4. Energy can be transferred between the system and surroundings via heating (collisions of countless microscopic particles), working (due to forces between macroscopic bodies or due to the expansion or contraction of gases) and radiating (due to the emission or absorption of photons).

Unit 4: Describing Substances The particles that make up substances can be compounded from smaller particles. The fact that compounds have definite composition leads us to Dalton’s model of the atom.

1. Matter is composed or pure substances or mixtures of these pure substances. The molecules of pure substances have definite composition and properties whereas the composition and properties of mixtures are variable. Molecules of pure substances can be broken down into simpler particles (atoms or molecules).

Unit 5: Counting Particles Too Small to See

From Avogadro’s Hypothesis we are able to count molecules by weighing macroscopic samples.

1. For gases at the same temperature and pressure we can deduce the following: a. From combining volumes, we can determine the ratio in which molecules react. b. From masses of these gases we can determine the relative mass of individual molecules.

2. From these results it is possible to determine the molar masses of the elements; using these masses and formulas of compounds, one can determine molar masses of compounds. These tools allow one to relate “how much stuff” to “how many particles”.

3. The molar volumes of gases and molar concentrations of solutions are analogs to molar mass. They enable one to relate how much of a measured quantity to how many particles are involved.

Unit 6: Models of the Atom/Particles with Internal Structure From an examination of the radiation emitted by hot metals and atomic gases we conclude that atoms must have internal structure not explained by Thomson’s model.

We use the Rutherford and Bohr models to extend our understanding of the atom.

1. Students examine the evidence for the Thomson, Rutherford and Bohr models of the atom to better understand how models change to explain new phenomena. The work of other contributing scientists such as Millikan, Moseley, and Chadwick will be examined.

2. The inner workings of the atom and atomic variations such as isotopes, average atomic mass, protons, neutrons, electrons, atomic number, mass number and trends in the periodic table is addressed in this unit.

Unit 7: Bonding and the Periodic Table We extend the Bohr model to many-electron atoms, using it to provide a structural explanation for the organization of the Periodic Table. The combinations of atoms into compounds through “bonding” can be described using several different models. The Periodic Table can help us make predictions about elements and compounds.

1. Ionization energy can be used to empirically determine the electronic structure of the atom, which accounts for the specific charges of cations and anions that form ionic compounds. Lewis dot diagrams are used to model the valence structure of an atom and its ion.

2. Two kinds of charge exist in atoms. Charge plays a role in the attractive forces that hold solids and liquids together and binds the atoms in molecules or crystal lattices.

3. The naming of ionic compounds and writing the formulas for ionic compounds are addressed in this unit.

4. Electronegativity is another periodic trend used to explain the bonding trends of compounds.

5. Molecular substances are composed of neutral molecules, whereas ionic substances are lattice-work structures of ions. These two kinds of substance have different structures and physical properties.

6. The combining power, or valence, of different elements can be used to explain patterns of sharing electrons that exist in molecular compounds. Students examine strengths and weakness of models of covalent bonding as well as the utility of various representations of molecular structure.

7. Students will learn to name molecular compounds and draw both the Lewis Structure and molecular structure for molecular compounds.

Unit 8: Chemical Reactions: Particles and Energy Chemical reactions involve the rearrangement of atoms in molecules to form new molecules. This rearrangement of atoms results in a change in the chemical potential energy (Ech) of the system. This invariably produces changes in thermal energy (Eth), resulting in energy transfers between system and surroundings.

1. Mass is conserved because the atoms in the products are the same as those found in the reactants. A chemical reaction can be represented symbolically as a balanced equation. Because the grouping of atoms into molecules is changed in a chemical reaction, the total number of molecules (or formula units) in the products need not be the same as that in the reactants.

2. The energy required to separate the atoms in a compound is greater than that required to produce a phase change.

3. Substances store varying amounts of chemical potential energy (Ech) due to the arrangement of atoms. It is not possible to measure this amount of energy directly.

However, rearrangement of atoms during reaction produces changes in Eth; the resulting energy transfers (as Q) between system and surroundings can be measured.

From these one can deduce differences in the Ech of reactants and products. Energy bar graphs are a useful tool for accounting for energy (stored and transferred) during chemical change.

Unit 9: Introduction to Stoichiometry Equations representing chemical reactions relate numbers of particles (molecules or formula units) to weighable amounts of these particles.

1. Stoichiometry should not be reduced to a formulaic approach designed to “get the right answer”. The fact that proportional relationships exist between the numbers of particles involved in a chemical reaction allows us to make predictions about “how much stuff” will be required or produced.

2. The Before-Change-After (BCA) table stresses the proportional relationships that exist between moles of reactants and products. Since we don’t have “mole-meters”, conversions to or from moles are simply about the convenience of dealing with quantities (such as mass) we ​can​ measure. These calculations are secondary to the mole relationships suggested by the balanced chemical Unit 10: Further Applications of Stoichiometry Equations representing chemical reactions can also relate numbers of particles (molecules or formula units) to volumes of gases, solution volumes, and the change in chemical potential energy.

1. Molar volumes of gases and molar concentrations of solutions are analogs to molar mass used in the previous unit. They enable one to relate ​how much​ of a measured quantity to ​how many​ particles are involved.

2. The chemical potential energy involved in a reaction is proportional to the number of particles involved. It may be included as a term in the balanced equation for a reaction and treated in the same manner as reactants and products in the BCA table. ∆H is used as our best approximation of the change in Ech or Eph. Textbooks and Resources 1. Worksheets and Labs are all posted on Haiku LMS for download/printing at all times.

2. All online resources are posted as links on Haiku 3. Lab Notebook Updated June 2016

315 - Honors Chemistry Course Description Grades: 10 Group: I Units: 1.0 Prerequisite: 300 - Biology or 305 - Biology Honors AND departmental recommendation Corequisite: 220 - Algebra II or higher-level mathematics Chemistry Honors is an introductory course taught on an accelerated level, dealing with the concepts and practices of modern chemistry. The subject matter is consistent with that of the non-honors chemistry classes and includes physical concepts (phases of matter, etc.); chemical formulae and equations; atomic structure with an introduction to quantum mechanics; and solutions (acids, bases, salts). In addition, concepts such as redox and electrochemistry, organic chemistry, net-ionic equations, and colligative properties are added and/or covered in greater depth. Students will employ advanced problem solving skills and lab techniques. A more student-directed, inquiry-based lab experience supports Lovett’s Vision for Learning, as it provides students opportunities to design experiments, collect data, apply mathematical routines, and methods, and refine testable explanations and predictions. Approximately 40 percent of the overall grade comes from laboratory investigations, as student complete 10-12 labs per semester. In conducting lab investigations, students will be encouraged to engage in the following: ● Generate questions for investigation ● Collaborate with a team to design and conduct their own experiment ● Collect, analyze, interpret, and display data ● Present results in formal and informal written reports.

Essential Questions 1. What are the major laws of chemistry, and how do they govern both the natural world and everyday experience?

2. How can mathematical skills be applied to chemical phenomena?

3. How can laboratory and problem solving experiences be developed and utilized?

4. How are laboratory experiments performed and documented, both formally and informally?

Assessment 1. Daily Work: Homework (WebAssign) and Daily Quizzes 2. Lab Experiments and Modules. An example is an investigation entitled ​Stoichiometry....

Can You Make 2.00 Grams of a Compound?.​ Teams of three use skills of predicting chemical reactions, balancing equations, and calculating molar mass to solve a complex stoichiometry problem. Then the group tests their laboratory techniques by designing a laboratory procedure where they would produce and isolate exactly 2.00 g of a compound. This assessment takes the calculations and skills introduced with stoichiometry and applies them to challenges faced in many industrial processes.

3. Unit tests 4. Semester exams

Skills Benchmarks A student will understand: 1. Lab skills & safety 2. Applications of the scientific method 3. The characteristics of matter and can analyze the relationships between chemical and physical changes and properties 4. The Periodic Table to identify and explain the properties of chemical families 5. The arrangement of electrons in atoms through electron configurations and Lewis valence electron dot structures 6. How atoms form ionic, metallic, and covalent bonds 7. The changes that occur during chemical reactions 8. The principles of ideal gas behavior, kinetic molecular theory, and the conditions that influence the behavior of gases 9. The factors that influence the behavior of solutions 10. The energy changes that occur in chemical reactions 11. The basic processes of nuclear chemistry 12. The energy and entropy relationships in chemical and physical processes and be able to demonstrate those relationships quantitatively.

13. The heat flow that accompanies a chemical and physical change and be able to demonstrate the heat flow quantitatively.

Units 1. Matter and Change 2. Dimensional Analysis 3. Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table 4. Nuclear Chemistry 5. Electrons in Atoms 6. Periodic Table 7. Ionic, Metallic, and Covalent Bonding 8. Chemicals’ Names and Formulas 9. The Mole 10. Chemical Reactions 11. Stoichiometry 12. States of Matter 13. The Behavior of Gases 14. Water and Aqueous Systems 15. Properties of Solutions 16. Thermochemistry 17. Reaction Rates and Equilibrium 18. Acids and Bases 19. Redox Reactions 20. Electrochemistry 21. Organic Chemistry Textbooks and Resources

1. Electronic textbook provided by teacher: ​Baxter, Wade. 2013. ​Mr. Overly’s Honors Chemistry for 2014-15​. CK-12 Foundation.

2. WebAssign: webassign.net Updated June 2016

320 - Physics Course Description Grades: 11-12 Group: I Units: 1.0 Prerequisite: 310 - Chemistry or 315 - Chemistry Honors AND departmental recommendation Corequisite: 220 - Algebra II or higher-level mathematics An introduction to the ideas of classical physics, this course emphasizes logical thinking and concept development. Through the modeling approach and pedagogy, students will engage in discussions, laboratory work, and collaborative problem solving in order to develop a deeply analytical, conceptual, and inquisitive approach to understanding physical phenomena.

Computer techniques and “real-world� applications are also stressed. Mastery of basic algebra is recommended as well as some exposure to geometry and right triangle trigonometry. Major topics include kinematics, gravitation, Newton’s laws of motion and their application, momentum, energy, and conservation laws. Additional topics may be included as time and interest allow. In a modeling cycle, the teacher sets the stage for student activities, typically with a demonstration and class discussion to establish a common understanding of a question to be asked of nature. Then, in small groups, students collaborate in planning and conducting experiments to answer or clarify the question. This process supports and encourages effective communication and critical thinking while providing opportunities for independence and self-direction.

Essential Questions 1. What are the major laws of physics, and how do they govern both the natural world and everyday experience?

2. How and why do objects move?

3. How can mathematical skills be applied to physical phenomena?

4. How can laboratory and problem solving experiences be developed and utilized?

5. How do the concepts of force and energy carry through the curriculum, supporting the various topics of classical physics?

Assessment 1. Classwork / Class discussions - Whiteboarding and performance assessments are central to the modeling physics pedagogy. Both foster communication and critical thinking skills.

2. Homework - WebAssign 3. Quizzes 4. Labs and Formal Lab Reports 5. Unit tests 6. Lab practicals - performance assessments 7. Semester exams 8. Example: Rube Goldberg Machine Project (Spring Semester): Students are given an engineering challenge, in which they must design and physically construct a Rube

Goldberg machine, a device that accomplishes a simple task using a series of cause and effect reactions. The students work in groups of 3-4 throughout the two-week building process, which entails sketching a blueprint, constructing a working machine, and writing daily reflections. The project culminates in a presentation of their working machine to the class and a written report describing the physics concepts used by their device. Students also film a short commercial advertising their “product.” This is a major project that promotes collaborative thinking, creative design, and real-world application of physics.

Through the design process and the written report, students are expected to effectively describe and apply concepts of one and two-dimensional motion, Newton’s laws, conservation of energy, and gravity (benchmarks 3, 5-7). They are assessed for accurate use language and depth of understanding.

Skills Benchmarks Students will be able to: 1. Graphically and mathematically model kinematic relationships of an object’s motion.

2. Cogently defend a problem solving strategy in front of their peers.

3. Effectively communicate in writing and verbally using the language of physics.

4. Identify and describe the relative nature of motion.

5. Describe one and two-dimensional motion using the concepts of displacement, velocity, acceleration, impulse, momentum, work and energy.

6. Explain equilibrium and acceleration using Newton’s Laws of Motion.

7. Explain and describe changes in motion using principles of conservation of momentum and energy.

8. Use the graphing techniques of curve fitting and linearization to identify mathematical models for the behavior of physical systems.

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Graphical Analysis and experimental design Constant Velocity Motion One-Dimensional Constant Acceleration with free fall.

Balanced Forces - Newton’s 1st and 3rd laws Unbalanced Forces - Newton’s 2nd Law Motion in Two Dimensions Uniform Circular Motion and Gravitation Impulse and Momentum Work and Energy

Textbooks and Resources 1. The Physics Classroom - http://www.physicsclassroom.com/ 2. Modeling physics resources 3. TI graphing calculator Updated August 2018

325 - AP Physics 1 Course Description Grades: 11-12 Group: I Units: 1.0 Prerequisite: 310 - Chemistry or 315 - Chemistry Honors, application, and departmental recommendation Corequisite: 240 - Precalculus or higher-level mathematics Fee: $94 AP Exam Fee AP Physics 1 is a rigorous introductory course for students who have demonstrated strength in science and mathematics and who wish to gain an extensive background in the basic concepts of mechanics, oscillations and waves, and electric charge (including DC circuits). Instruction emphasizes deep conceptual understanding involving “multiple representations”—diagrams, verbal or written explanations, and mathematical models. Students are taught to solve problems, design laboratory experiments, and analyze data using all three of these methods, and to communicate their ideas and findings through collaborative group work and class presentations. Students who enroll in this course are required to take the AP Physics 1 exam in May. Juniors who excel in AP Physics 1 may apply to and be recommended to advance to AP Physics C the following year.

Essential Questions 1. What are the major laws of physics, and how do they facilitate understanding of the natural world?

2. How can the motion of an object be described, analyzed and predicted?

3. How can mathematical models be applied to physical phenomena?

4. How can laboratory and problem solving experiences be developed and utilized?

5. How do the concepts of force and energy carry through the curriculum, supporting the various topics of classical physics?

6. How do gravitational and electric fields influence the behavior of certain objects?

7. How are particles and waves alike, and how are they different?

8. How has the study of physics impacted the way we live today?

Assessment 1. Weekly problem sets (WebAssign and/or worksheet exercises that are solved individually or in groups, often followed by explanations to the class) 2. Quizzes (announced or unannounced; may be conceptual or problem-oriented) 3. Laboratory investigations and follow-up assignments (usually including analysis and explanation of graphs) 4. Group or individual projects involving the presentation of physics demonstrations, video analysis, computer programming, etc.

5. Unit tests 6. Semester exam (fall only) 7. Spring Advanced Placement exam 8. Example Assessment -Laboratory assessments (two or more per semester): Students will be given a question to answer based upon a laboratory exploration of their own design. For example, in the rotational motion unit, students are asked to experimentally determine the rotational inertia of a large wheel-like object whose structure does not exactly match that of any “standard” shapes easily found in their textbooks or online.

Working in groups of two or three, students must design an experiment (most likely involving rolling the wheel down an incline) that will enable them to calculate the rotational inertia of the wheel. Their experimental design must include a method for reducing experimental error (such as using multiple trials). They must submit and/or present documentation of all work leading to their conclusion, along with a qualitative explanation as to why the spoked wheel has a rotational inertia less than that of a thin ring but greater than that of a solid disk.

Skills Benchmarks Students will understand the following concepts, giving supporting information and examples and solving introductory problems utilizing algebra, trigonometry, vector analysis and graphing.

1. One-and two-dimensional motion can be described using the concepts of displacement, velocity, and acceleration.

2. Both equilibrium and acceleration can be explained using Newton’s Laws of Motion.

3. Physical systems obey the laws of conservation of energy and linear momentum.

4. Mechanical waves arise from oscillations; they transport energy and can be described in terms of frequency, wavelength and wave speed.

5. The characteristics of sound waves and resonance govern many aspects of human hearing, communication, and music.

6. The graphing techniques of curve fitting and linearization are used to identify mathematical models for the behavior of physical systems.

7. Charged particles create electric fields and are influenced by other charged particles and by external electric fields.

8. The behavior of batteries, conductors and resistors in an electric circuit is governed by the laws of conservation of charge and conservation of energy.

Units of Study 1. One-Dimensional Motion 2. Motion in Two Dimensions 3. Newton’s Laws of Motion 4. Circular Motion and Gravitation 5. Work and Energy 6. Linear Momentum 7. Rotational Motion 8. Simple Harmonic Motion 9. Waves and Sound 10. Electric Charge, Electric Fields, and DC Circuits Textbooks and Resources 1. Serway, Raymond et al., College Physics AP/11th Ed., 2. The Physics Classroom​ online textbook 3. Flipping Physics ​video series by Jonathan Thomas-Palmer; A+ Physics videos and resources by Dan Fullerton 4. Materials developed through various Physics Education Research projects (​Conceptual Physics b ​ y Paul Hewitt; ​Realtime Physics b ​ y Priscilla Laws et al.)

5. TI graphing calculator or equivalent (College Board approved) 6. Various websites including ​WebAssign, G ​ izmos Math and Science Simulations, and PhET Updated August 2016

330 - Human Anatomy and Physiology Course Description Grades: 11-12 (10 by departmental recommendation only) Group: I Units: 0.5 Offered: Spring only Prerequisite: 300 - Biology or 305 - Biology Honors Students will learn human anatomy and physiology through a variety of mediums including online lessons, research, lab practicals, and the dissection of a cat, eye, brain, and heart.

Integration of the many organ systems into a functioning organism will be explored. In class, students will be expected to collaborate extensively on dissections, research, and lab investigations. Students will watch online lessons via the class website several times a week.

Essential Questions 1. How does an organism maintain homeostatic disequilibrium to survive?

2. How do non-living components work together to create a life?

3. What is the relationship between the muscular, skeletal, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems as it relates to movement (normal & athletic)?

4. What is the relationship between the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, and excretory systems as it relates to the transfer of nutrition and waste?

5. How does the nervous system communicate within and without itself, and how can this system be influenced by naturally occurring and foreign substances?

Assessment 1. Homework quizzes 2. Unit tests 3. Case studies 4. Dissection guides 5. Research presentations 6. In-class investigations 7. Semester exam Assessment Example In-class investigations typically involve a real-world application of the knowledge learned.

In one investigation, students observe the adaptability of the cardiovascular system by measuring and predicting the effect of exercise on heart rate, blood pressure, and pulse pressure. The investigation begins with students learning how to measure their heart rate and blood pressure at different positions (sitting, prone, and standing). The results of this introductory activity are discussed and connected to online lessons completed earlier. Students then predict what will happen to these metrics during aerobic and anaerobic exercise, and how long it will take for those metrics to return to baseline, based on discussion of how these

exercises differ. Student volunteers perform the exercises and the data is collected. A new metric, pulse pressure, is introduced, and its function discussed. After summarizing the results as a class, students finish the investigation individually by answering questions about their predictions and how these metrics would be affected by a variety of medical conditions (atherosclerosis, leaky aortic valve, congestive heart failure).

Students must consider the differing demands these two exercises (aerobic vs. anaerobic) place on the body, and the heart’s role in meeting those demands. Students make predictions, test them in a fun and active way, and compare results. What they’ve learned is extended to real-world conditions which require the synthesis of normal cardiovascular function, demands of different exercises, and failures of the cardiovascular system.

Skills Benchmarks Students will understand: 1. The structure and function of different cell types in human tissues.

2. The major bones of the human body.

3. Purpose of the human skeleton for movement, structure, protection, storage, and blood cell formation.

4. Muscle movement at the cellular level.

5. Form and function of the human heart.

6. Movement of blood through the human body.

7. Diffusion across cellular membranes.

8. Muscular contraction and pressure differences driving respiration.

9. Form and function of the digestive system.

10. Hormone targets and actions.

11. Kidney function in body homeostasis.

12. Parts and functions of the brain.

13. Neuron action potentials and cellular communication.

14. Form and function of sensory organs: ears, eyes, tongue, and nose.

15. Proper dissection procedure, including sterile and safety procedures.

Units 1. Homeostasis, Endocrine (introduction), Muscular 2. Integumentary, Skeletal, Cardiovascular, Respiratory 3. Digestive, Excretory, Endocrine, Nervous Textbooks and Resources Students will review online lessons before class (5-8 minute lectures). Other material will be presented during class or as homework. There is no textbook for this class.

Updated August 2018

332 - Botany Course Description Grades: 11-12 (10 by departmental recommendation only) Group: I Units: 1.0 Prerequisite: 300 - Biology or 305 - Biology Honors This course offers advanced study of plant anatomy and physiology; growth, reproduction, and development; and transportation systems, as well as plant ecology and the mutually beneficial relationship between plants and humans. Plant investigations in the Lovett Greenhouse and Organic Garden are integral to the course. For students interested in tropical botany, optional study opportunities are available at Siempre Verde, Lovett’s cloud forest research station in Ecuador.

Essential Questions 1. How have plants and humans interacted since the beginnings of civilization up to the present?

2. How have plants affected the historical trajectory of human civilization and societies?

3. What are the essential requirements a plant needs to grow?

4. How does “form follow function” in plant biology?

5. Why are flowering plants so successful in an evolutionary sense? Why do differences in floral and fruit structure result in such a diversity of species?

6. What are the biochemical processes behind the photosynthesis and respiration reactions?

7. How has plant breeding and plant propagation affected global food security? How has it affected global nutrition?

8. What greenhouse methods are used for plant propagation? How is a greenhouse used to maximize growth potential?

9. What is ethnobotany? Why is local botanical knowledge often intimately connected to cultural diversity?

10. What are the essential groups of phytochemicals and what are their major uses?

11. What are the socio-political, economic, and environmental issues surrounding food production and consumption in the United States?

12. What are the best methods of establishing, planting, and maintaining a garden in Georgia?

Assessment 1. Classwork 2. Homework 3. Quizzes 4. Labs 5. Unit tests 6. Semester exams 7. Semester projects

8. Students maintain seasonal vegetable and fruit plots in our US Organic Garden. They learn how to optimize plant growth and harvest yield through hands-on group work, problem solving, and applied theory. Students sow seeds in the greenhouse, tend their seedlings, sell many of them during the US Plant Sale, and then transfer extra seedlings to the garden. They must use what they have learned throughout the school year to maximize their success.

Skills Benchmarks A student will be able to: 1. Discuss the evolutionary histories of major commercial/commodity crops.

2. Follow water and nutrients through a plant from root to shoot to leaf, in the context of current scientific theory.

3. Relate plant nutritional requirements to soil quality and perform soil testing.

4. Collect, press, mount, and identify herbarium specimens.

5. Identify plant anatomy and relate diversity of structure to taxonomic classification.

6. Show how photosynthesis and respiration reactions result in plant function and growth.

7. Explain how genetic modification has changed agricultural methods in the United States, as well as debate the pros and cons of biotechnology in food production.

8. Maintain a greenhouse for basic plant collections.

9. Discuss how secondary plant metabolism results in a diversity of plant-based chemicals.

10. Prepare, plant, and maintain an organic garden, using appropriate methods such as composting, organic weed and pest control, and companion planting.

11. Plan and run a school-wide plant sale as a practical lesson in the nursery trade.

12. Compare and contrast modern industrial agriculture, certified organic agriculture, and local farming movements.

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Plant Diversity and Identification; Introduction to Greenhouse & Organic Garden Plant Anatomy: Vegetative Plant Anatomy: Reproductive Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration Water and Nutrient Transport; Hormones Plant Genetics and Propagation Ethnobotany Plant Ecology Organic Gardening

Textbooks and Resources Capon, Brian, ​Botany for Gardeners Elpel, Thomas, ​Botany in a Day Reeves, Walter, ​Guide to Georgia Vegetable Gardening Updated August 2018

334 - Environmental Science Course Description Grades: 11-12 (10 by departmental recommendation only) Group: I Units: 1.0 Prerequisite: 300 - Biology or 305 - Biology Honors This course stresses an awareness of the human role in environmental changes, which will include, but not be limited to: a historical and cultural perspective, principles of population and organizational ecology, urbanization, local-regional and global issues, energy sources, natural resources, economics, biological diversity, and personal response to a changing world.

Exploration of these topics will include additional readings and field studies.

Essential Questions 1. What is the nature of earth’s environmental problems, and how are they interconnected?

2. How do the study of ecology and ecological interactions better prepare people for a changing world?

3. How does the impact of people on earth’s ecosystems jeopardize the survival of both ecosystems and humans alike? Can this problem be solved?

4. How does the way in which we use energy impact the earth and how can it be made more sustainable?

5. How does climate change relate to social justice?

Assessment 1. Labs 2. Homework 3. Quizzes 4. Unit Projects - unit projects are comprehensive multi-week tasks that are well-researched and synthesized in order to demonstrate mastery of knowledge of that subject area 5. Semester exams 6. Example Assessment: O ​ ne assessment used in Environmental Science is the eco-bottle lab experiment. In this experiment, a group of students is challenged to build and maintain a 3-tiered ecosystem while regularly monitoring the abiotic factors needed to keep their fish alive. The students compile significant research and collect weeks of data. By synthesizing this information and collaborating with each other, students develop a unique understanding of ecological relationships, the interconnectedness of nature, and the scientific process.

Skills Benchmarks A student will understand that: 1. Science is a process. a. Science is a method of learning more about the world b. Science constantly changes the way we understand the world

2. Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes. a. Energy cannot be created: it must come from somewhere b. As energy flows through a system it loses quality 3. The earth itself is one interconnected system. a. Natural systems change over time and space b. Biogeochemical systems vary in ability to recover from disturbances 4. Humans alter natural systems. a. Humans have had a varied impact depending on their lifestyle b. Technology and population growth enable humans to increase both the rate and scale of their impact on the environment 5. Environmental problems have a cultural and social context. a. Culture and social systems are not fixed and change with time 6. Human survival depends on developing practices that are sustainable. a. Natural systems work because they are sustainable Units 1. Introduction to Environmental Science a. Major environmental problems b. Interconnectedness of environmental problems c. Students prepare a visual representation of their environmental problem 2. Ecology a. Students learn about ecology through the development and maintenance of their own self-sustaining ecosystem. b. Students extrapolate their ecosystem model to a global scale and present to the class.

3. Humans and the Environment a. Students develop a scientific solution to the global poverty crisis b. Explore the science behind the population crisis, food crisis, and water crisis. c. Students prepare presentations for audiences outside of the classroom 4. Energy a. Students develop their own questions surrounding earth’s energy crisis and present to the class. b. Students explore the development of a sustainable energy future.

5. Climate change a. Students explore the relationship between climate change and social justice Textbooks and Resources Resources generated by the students Updated June 2016

336 - Genetics Course Description Grades: 11-12 (10 by departmental recommendation only) Group: I Units: 0.5 Offered: Fall only Prerequisite: 300 - Biology or 305 - Biology Honors This course offers a more in-depth study of the genetics introduced in biology. Students will study the basic principles of Mendelian and molecular genetics and will apply these principles to a more detailed study of human genetic traits. Additional topics include the activity and regulation of genes in relation to human health; genetic technologies, such as recombinant DNA technology and genetic engineering; and ethical and social issues related to genetics.

Laboratory investigations will complement the material discussed in class. Guest speakers from the field of genetics will help students identify real-world applications for their learning.

Essential Questions 1. What is the structure of a gene, and how does this structure related to its function?

2. What is the pathway of the flow of genetic information in the cell?

3. What is the role of meiosis in creating genetic diversity?

4. How are Mendel’s laws used to predict the outcome of genetic crosses, and how are these laws a direct result of processes that occur during sexual reproduction?

5. How have Mendel’s ideas been expanded upon as we have learned more about complex systems of inheritance?

6. What is the genetic basis of a number of common human disorders?

7. How does one’s genotype interact with the environment to create phenotype, and how have new discoveries in the field of epigenetics revolutionized current thinking on the matter?

8. How do specific genes regulate the timing of cell growth, division, and death?

9. How is cancer a genetic disorder on the cellular level, and what is the role of inheritance in some cancers?

10. How does the inheritance and expression of genetic traits differ in males and females?

11. How has our knowledge of gene structure and expression been used to develop genetic technologies, and what are the applications of these genetic technologies?

12. What is the process by which a genetic transformation can be performed, and how can one confirm that the recipient has taken up the gene of interest?

13. What are the current advances made in the field of genetics, and how do they further our understanding of life?

Assessment 1. Homework from textbook 2. Unit tests 3. Laboratory investigations 4. Research presentations 5. Case studies 6. Semester exam Assessment Example

Genetics is a new science and one that is just on the cusp of some monumental advances that will significantly impact human life. Staying abreast of the rapid advances in this field is vital to students’ understanding the what we can learn from studying genetics.

In one investigation, students read and annotate selected portions of a scientific article about new discoveries made in deep-genome sequencing of human populations from around the world for homework. In class, students work in small groups with interrupted teaching to ensure major points are understood. Similarities and differences in these genomes allow students to track human migration out of Africa. Further analysis lets students observe which populations have mixed with others. Inferences about population behavior and demography can be made. The deep sequencing also gives a clearer picture of how variable human DNA is, and what sort of difference can be expected between any two humans. Students illustrate a map showing human migration based on unique variants and answer questions about the insights gleaned from the article.

Skills Benchmark Students will understand: 1. How DNA is used to create proteins 2. How proteins affect phenotype 3. Any change to protein structure (via DNA mutation) can alter protein function 4. Genes are units of information that operate in all living cells 5. Structure of DNA (chromosomes) affect its use in cells 6. Passage of information between generations (asexual and sexual) 7. Heritability and risk of traits depend on the nature of the trait (multifactorial) 8. Cells have built-in repair mechanisms when DNA is damaged 9. How DNA is sequenced and the benefits of sequencing populations 10. How DNA can be used to track the human global migration 11. The role of genetic counselors as genome sequencing becomes more common and accessible 12. What must occur for cells to become cancerous 13. How DNA is in the immune system 14. The science of genetics is very new and rapidly growing, with new discoveries being made incredibly frequently 15. Our understanding of genetics is constantly evolving as new advances are made 16. Proper lab techniques when handling DNA and associated materials Units 1.

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Introduction: microbiome, protein synthesis, chromosomes, meiosis.

Inheritance: Mendel, pedigrees, post-Mendel, gene linkage, sex chromosomes Gene expression: genes and behavior, quantification of traits, multifactorial traits Mutations and Profiling: mutations, repairs, sequencing History: allele frequencies, human history Genetic engineering and Immunity: genetic counseling, cancer, immunity, transformation, engineering.

Textbooks and Resources 1. Lewis, ​Human Genetics​, 11​th​ ed.

2. Current news and magazine articles 3. Case studies in science, State University of New York at Buffalo Updated May 2016

338 - Marine Biology Course Description Grades: 11-12 Group: I Units: 1.0 Prerequisite: 310 - Chemistry or 315 - Chemistry Honors Marine biology focuses on the biology of marine organisms and the ecosystems they inhabit with a global emphasis and perspective that humans are an integral part of every ocean ecosystem. Students learn about the ecology of the many diverse marine ecosystems as well as the interactions between and biology of organisms that live in them. The global perspective of the world’s oceans is brought home with a year-long research project on a coral reef aquarium where students design and carry out independent research in addition to caring for their own saltwater aquarium. Labs include tank research projects, dissections, and culminate in a field experience at the University of Georgia’s Skidaway Island Marine Extension station where students perform plankton tows, shrimp trawls, barrier island succession studies, and other lab investigations. Students learn about Georgia’s estuaries and see first hand how humans have impacted the fragile salt marsh ecosystem.

Essential Questions 1. How is a saltwater aquarium maintained?

2. What are the tools and tasks necessary to design and carry out a long-term research project?

3. How do humans explore and impact marine populations?

4. How do the abiotic factors of marine environments impact marine life?

5. How do marine organisms interact with and impact their environment?

6. What are the structures and functions of marine ecosystems?

7. What is the significance of coral reefs to tropical marine ecosystems?

8. How and why does the design of the marine organism suit the environment in which it lives?

9. How has marine life evolved and what is the resulting diversity and classification of organisms?

10. What is the human impact on the world’s oceans?

Assessments 1. Tests 2. Quizzes 3. Classwork 4. Homework 5. Labs 6. Research Project where students will pick a subject, design an experiment, collect data and communicate those data over the course of the school year.

7. Semester exam

8. Example Assessment: In our unit covering invertebrates, small student groups create an Edible Invertebrates video and dish for the class to share. Students must research the organism they have chosen. They will understand its place in the ecosystem, methods of harvesting, and history of human consumption and include this information in their video. They write a script, learn how to film, edit their film, and communicate the information to the rest of the class. They may play the role of the chef, historian, or biologist in their short film. Students prepare food either at home or in class to share.

Skills Benchmarks A student will: 1. Learn the details of saltwater aquarium maintenance including salinity, pH, alkalinity, calcium levels, and RO/DI water.

2. Know the use and importance of supplements (strontium, calcium, iodine, etc.).

3. Know how to clean an aquarium.

4. Understand the how to design, their own research, collect and analyze data, and then communicate results of their own long-term research project.

5. Interpret an illustrated food web and identify key species.

6. Explain the various trophic levels found in marine systems.

7. Describe various communities found throughout the world’s oceans.

8. Explain the effects of human interactions with marine species and habitats.

9. Describe unique features and specialized adaptations of marine invertebrates and vertebrates.

10. Describe the diversity of marine invertebrates and vertebrates and the characteristic features of each of the major phyla.

11. Explain the various types of planktonic life and their roles in ocean ecosystems.

12. Understand and discuss current events that affect the world’s oceans.

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Marine Aquarium Basics Chemical and Physical Features of Seawater Corals and Coral Reef Ecosystems Fundamentals of Biology Marine Invertebrates Marine Vertebrates Humans Impacts and Ocean Conservation

Textbooks and Resources 1. Castro, Peter and Michael Huber. ​Marine Science ​. 2016 2. Greenberg, Paul. ​Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food​. 2010 3. Tullock, John H. ​Your First Marine Aquarium Updated August 2018

340 - AP Environmental Science Course Description Grades: 11-12 Group: I Units: 1.0 Prerequisite: 310 - Chemistry or 315 - Chemistry Honors, application, and departmental recommendation Fee: $94 AP Exam Fee AP Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary ​year-long introductory college course​ that explores the intersection of biological and ecological sciences with human influences. Topics cover a broad spectrum including urban growth and development, industrial fishing, biodiversity, sustainability, population change, water, soil, air, and solid waste issues, energy and mineral resources, and food production. The class focuses on issues current and past, covering human influence and environmental impacts on a local and global scale, their causes, solutions, and future implications. Strong emphasis is placed on current events utilizing recent news cycles and publications. Students complete a semester-long field research project emphasizing the study of campus box turtle populations and their habitats. All students are required to take the AP Environmental Science exam in the spring.

Essential Questions 1. Where does energy come from? Why is energy conserved during a process despite losing quality?

2. What is your ecological footprint? How has human impact on the environment changed over time?

3. How are biological, cultural, social, political, and economic forces influenced by environmental change?

4. What are sustainable practices and how do they differ from what we observe on a day-to-day basis?

5. How can we use the scientific method to gain a better understanding of the world around us?

Assessment 1. Semester-long Project (fall only) 2. Labs & Activities 3. Homework 4. Quizzes 5. Unit tests 6. Semester exam (fall only) 7. Spring Advanced Placement exam Example of a project-based assessment used in a unit covering human population growth: Students access a government demographic website to complete a review of population growth in six different nations. Armed with ten different statistical points of data, paired students provide

an in-depth analysis of each country’s current and future demographics. This is a synthesis level of work as students take raw data, chart it, and then provide their written analysis, which draws on personal knowledge garnered from two weeks of related reading and classroom discussion.

The utilization of the data allows students to explore the process of science and its usefulness as a tool for understanding dynamic world processes. They then put those figures into a real-world understanding of issues, past and present, and explore how best to change the impacts and the direction of current events. In their explorations of different countries, they see cultural difference and similarities, while also seeing how population change is not limited by borders and has diverse global and regional impacts.

Skills Benchmarks A student will understand that: 1. Science is a process. a. Science is a method of learning more about the world. b. Science constantly changes the way we understand the world.

2. Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes. a. Energy cannot be created: it must come from somewhere. b. As energy flows through a system it loses quality.

3. The earth itself is one interconnected system. a. Natural systems change over time and space. b. Biogeochemical systems vary in ability to recover from disturbances.

4. Humans alter natural systems. a. Humans have had a varied impact depending on their lifestyle. b. Technology and population growth enable humans to increase both the rate and scale of their impact on the environment.

5. Environmental problems have a cultural and social context. a. Culture and social systems are not fixed and change with time.

6. Human survival depends on developing practices that are sustainable. a. Natural systems work because they are sustainable.

Units 1. Research and the Scientific Method 2. Flow of Energy and Matter 3. Ecological Principles 4. Water 5. Weather 6. Soil – Lithosphere 7. Air and Air Pollution 8. Energy Sources 9. Mineral Sources 10. Population Dynamics 11. Food Resources 12. Risk Analysis 13. Solid and Hazardous Waste 14. Global Changes and Their Consequences 15. Sustaining Wild Species & Biodiversity

16. Sustaining Cities and Urban Growth 17. Environmental Economics 18. Environmental Politics Textbooks and Resources Raven, Peter H. Raven, David M. Hassenzahl, and Linda R. Berg. ​Environment​. 9​th​ ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2012 Updated May 2016

350 - Honors Astronomy & Astrophysics Course Description Grade: 12 Group: I Units: 1.0 Prerequisite: 320 - Physics or 325 - AP Physics 1, application, AND departmental recommendation; 240 - Precalculus or higher-level mathematics Honors Astronomy is a course designed to develop the same ideas and skills that are equivalent to an introductory astronomy course taken during two semesters of undergraduate study. The course includes the study of the apparent motions of celestial bodies, light and telescopes, the solar system, stars, black holes and relativity, galaxies, and the origin of the universe. Through discussions, student presentations, projects, lectures, and observational activities, students will improve in their critical thinking, problem solving, and communication of scientific ideas. Current events and issues related to astronomy are included as appropriate as well as the historical context of our understanding of the universe.

Essential Questions 1. What are the major laws of physics and how do they facilitate understanding of the solar system, galaxy, and universe as a whole?

2. How has our study of physics influenced our understanding of the universe over time?

3. How can the motion of a celestial body be predicted?

4. How do gravitational and magnetic fields influence the properties and behaviors of celestial bodies?

5. How can we learn so much about the universe using only observations of the light from celestial objects?

6. What is the true nature of space and time and how does that differ from our everyday experiences?

7. What were the conditions in the early universe and what is the fate of the universe?

Assessment 1. Weekly problem sets 2. Quizzes - web-based self-assessments to be taken as many times as students desire until mastery is reached.

3. Observational Activities 4. Lab work - Hands on and computer-based using Starry Night 5. Chapter and Unit Assessments 6. Reflections and class discussion on ​The Coming of Age in the Milky Way 7. Semester exam (Fall and Spring) Skills Benchmarks Students will be able to: 1. Effectively communicate in writing and verbally using the language of astronomy and physics.

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Use mathematics to solve problems involving astronomical bodies.

Explain the shape and structure of the universe, as it is understood today.

Explain the origin of all elements in the universe.

Use Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion and Newton’s Laws of Motion to solve planetary and stellar mechanics problems.

Explain how we know what we know about the solar system, galaxy, and universe as a whole.

Use our current understanding of space and time, as defined by Albert Einstein, to solve problems involving objects traveling at constant, high velocity.

Describe the evolution of our models of the universe over time, and explain the significance of scientific thinkers like Aristotle, Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Kepler, Newton, Hubble, and others.

Understand the limitations of study inherent in the subject of astronomy.

Units of Study 1. Apparent Motion of Celestial Bodies 2. Historic Views of the Universe 3. Light / Telescopes/ Spectroscopy 4. Cosmology 5. Stars 6. The Solar System 7. Astrobiology 8. Extra Topics a. Special and General Relativity b. Quantum Mechanics Textbook and Resources 1. MasteringAstronomy with Pearson eText for ​The Cosmic Perspective, Eighth Edition Bennett, Donahue, Schneider, Voit 2. Starry Night Simulation Curriculum 3. TI graphing calculator Updated August 2018

360 - AP Biology Course Description Grades: 11-12 Group: I Units: 1.5 Prerequisite: 310 - Chemistry or 315 - Chemistry Honors, application, AND departmental recommendation Corequisite: 365 - AP Biology Lab Fee: $94 AP Exam Fee AP Biology includes the lecture, discussion, and laboratory components of a two-semester introductory college biology course. The course is structured around the essential questions below, and includes a study of biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, evolution, organismal biology, and ecology. An emphasis will be placed on developing critical reasoning skills as students learn to investigate the biological world through collaborative inquiry-based laboratory experiences. Students will be asked to integrate biological concepts across disciplines within the biological and physical sciences, and to discuss the ethical implications of various aspects of biological research. Students who enroll in this course are required to take the AP Biology exam in May. Essential Questions 1. How does evolution drive the diversity and unity of life?

2. How do biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, reproduce, and maintain dynamic homeostasis?

3. How do biological systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to information essential to life processes?

4. ​How do biological systems interact, and what complex properties do these interactions display?

Assessment 1. Group discussion questions 2. Unit homework assignments 3. Chapter quizzes 4. Individual and collaborative laboratory reports and presentations of results 5. Unit tests 6. Case studies 7. Individual and group projects 8. Whole-class article discussions on current research in biology 9. AP practice tests 10. Semester exam (fall only) 11. Spring Advanced Placement exam 12. An example of an assessment used in AP Biology is a case study in which students use their knowledge of cellular respiration to solve a true crime mystery involving the murder of several individuals. Students are presented with data from the victims’ lab blood work,

and students work together in groups to determine the cause of death. The case study occurs over the course of several days, during which students receive additional information as the unit unfolds and their knowledge of the involved cellular processes increases. Interspersed within the case study are several whole-class discussions as students work out the answers to the problem. In this assessment, students use models of the cellular respiration process to solve a scientific problem, engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking, evaluate scientific evidence, and work with scientific explanations.

Skills Benchmarks A student will: 1. Use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve scientific problems.

2. Use mathematics appropriately within the context of scientific investigation.

3. Engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide investigations.

4. Plan and implement data collection strategies appropriate to a particular science question.

5. Perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence.

6. Work with scientific theories and explanations.

7. Connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts, and representations in and across domains.

8. Understand that evolution is a change in the genetic makeup of a population over time.

9. Understand that common ancestry links organisms by lines of descent.

10. Identify examples of life continuing to evolve today within a changing environment.

11. Understand how natural processes can explain the origin of living systems.

12. Understand that free energy and matter are necessary for the growth, reproduction, and maintenance of the organization of living systems.

13. Understand that a cell must maintain an internal environment that differs from its external environment in order to achieve growth, reproduction, and homeostasis.

14. Identify and explain feedback mechanisms organisms use to regulate growth and reproduction and to maintain dynamic homeostasis.

15. Predict the effects a changing environment will have on the growth and dynamic homeostasis of a biological system.

16. Identify and explain biological processes involved in growth, reproduction, and dynamic homeostasis.

17. Understand that the continuity of life is maintained through the transmission of heritable information.

18. Discuss cellular and molecular mechanisms necessary to express genetic information, and how imperfections in these mechanisms account for genetic variation.

19. Understand how cells communicate by generating, transmitting, and receiving chemical signals.

20. Understand how transmission of information leads to changes within and between biological systems.

21. Identify complex properties resulting from interactions within biological systems.

22. Discuss competition and cooperation as important aspects of biological systems.

23. Understand that diversity among and between components within biological systems affects interactions with the environment.

Units 1. Introduction to Biology 2. Chemistry of Life 3. Introduction to Cell Structure and Energetics 4. Cell Processes and Energetics 5. Cell Communication and Reproduction 6. Introduction to Genetics 7. Gene Expression and Viruses 8. Biotechnology and Genomics 9. Evolution 10. Phylogeny 11. Plant Form and Function 12. Animal Form and Function I 13. Animal Form and Function II 14. Ecology and Animal Behavior Textbooks and Resources 1. Reece, Jane B, Lisa A. Urry, Michael L. Cain, Steven A. Wasserman, Peter V. Minorsky, and Robert B. Jackson. ​Campbell Biology​, 10​th​ edition, Pearson.

2. Taylor, Martha R., Study Guide for ​Campbell Biology.

3. AP Biology Investigative Labs: an Inquiry-Based Approach​, The College Board.

4. Essential Questions and Skills Benchmarks are based on the Big Ideas, Enduring Understandings, and Science Practices outlined in the 2012 ​AP Biology Course and Exam Description​, The College Board.

Updated August 2018

370 - AP Chemistry Course Description Grades: 11-12 Group: I Units: 1.5 Prerequisite: 310 - Chemistry or 315 - Chemistry Honors, application, AND departmental recommendation Corequisite: 375 - AP Chemistry Lab Fee: $94 AP Exam Fee This course is designed to be the equivalent of the general chemistry course usually taken during the first year of college. This course will differ quantitatively from your first year of chemistry in respect to the type of textbook used, the topics covered, the emphasis on chemical calculations and the mathematical formulation of principles, and the kind of laboratory work you will complete. Quantitative differences appear in the number of topics treated, the time spent on the course, and the nature and the variety of experiments done in the laboratory. The curriculum is designed specifically to prepare students for the AP Chemistry exam; therefore, all students are required to take the exam.

A more student-directed, inquiry-based lab experience supports Lovett’s Vision for Learning, as it provides students opportunities to design experiments, collect data, apply mathematical routines, and methods, and refine testable explanations and predictions. Approximately 40 percent of instructional time is devoted to laboratory work and 9 of the 21 labs completed in this course provide guided-inquiry investigations. In conducting lab investigations, students will be encouraged to engage in the following: ● Generate questions for investigation ● Choose which variables to investigate ● Collaborate with a team to design and conduct their own experiment ● Collect, analyze, interpret, and display data ● Present results to their peers Students who enroll in this course are required to take the AP Chemistry exam in May.

Big Ideas (Essential Questions and Skills Benchmarks) 1. Big Idea 1: Structure of Matter - The chemical elements are fundamental building materials of matter, and all matter can be understood in terms of arrangements of atoms.

These atoms retain their identity in chemical reactions. a. Enduring understanding 1.A: All matter is made of atoms. There are a limited number of types of atoms; these are the elements. b. Enduring understanding 1.B: The atoms of each element have unique structures arising from interactions between electrons and nuclei. c. Enduring understanding 1.C: Elements display periodicity in their properties when the elements are organized according to increasing atomic number. This periodicity can be explained by the regular variations that occur in the electronic structures of atoms. Periodicity is a useful principle for understanding properties and predicting trends in properties. Its modern-day uses range from examining the composition of materials to generating ideas for designing new materials.

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d. Enduring understanding 1.D: Atoms are so small that they are difficult to study directly; atomic models are constructed to explain experimental data on collections of atoms. e. Enduring understanding 1.E: Atoms are conserved in physical and chemical processes.

Big Idea 2: Properties of Matter - Chemical and physical properties of materials can be explained by the structure and the arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules and the forces between them. a. Overarching Learning Objective 2.1: Students can predict properties of substances based on their chemical formulas, and provide explanations of their properties based on particle views. b. Overarching Learning Objective 2.2: The student is able to explain the relative strengths of acids and bases based on molecular structure, interparticle forces, and solution equilibrium. c. Enduring understanding 2.A: Matter can be described by its physical properties.

The physical properties of a substance generally depend on the spacing between the particles (atoms, molecules, ions) that make up the substance and the forces of attraction among them. d. Enduring understanding 2.B: Forces of attraction between particles (including the noble gases and also different parts of some large molecules) are important in determining many macroscopic properties of a substance, including how the observable physical state changes with temperature. e. Enduring understanding 2.C: The strong electrostatic forces of attraction holding atoms together in a unit are called chemical bonds. f. Enduring understanding 2.D: The type of bonding in the solid state can be deduced from the properties of the solid state.

Big Idea 3: Chemical Reactions - Changes in matter involve the rearrangement and/or reorganization of atoms and/or the transfer of electrons. a. Enduring understanding 3.A: Chemical changes are represented by a balanced chemical equation that identifies the ratios with which reactants react and products form. b. Enduring understanding 3.B: Chemical reactions can be classified by considering what the reactants are, what the products are, or how they change from one into the other. Classes of chemical reactions include synthesis, decomposition, acid-base, and oxidation-reduction reactions. c. Enduring understanding 3.C: Chemical and physical transformations may be observed in several ways and typically involve a change in energy.

Big Idea 4: Rates of Chemical Reactions - Rates of chemical reactions are determined by details of the molecular collisions. a. Enduring understanding 4.A: Reaction rates that depend on temperature and other environmental factors are determined by measuring changes in concentrations of reactants or products over time. b. Enduring understanding 4.B: Elementary reactions are mediated by collisions between molecules. Only collisions having sufficient energy and proper relative orientation of reactants lead to products. c. Enduring understanding 4.C: Many reactions proceed via a series of elementary reactions. d. Enduring understanding 4.D: Reaction rates may be increased by the presence of a catalyst.

Big Idea 5: Thermodynamics - The laws of thermodynamics describe the essential role of energy and explain and predict the direction of changes in matter.

a. Overarching Learning Objective 5.1: The student is able to create or use graphical representations in order to connect the dependence of potential energy to the distance between atoms and factors, such as bond order (for covalent interactions) and polarity (for intermolecular interactions), which influence the interaction strength b. Enduring understanding 5.A: Two systems with different temperatures that are in thermal contact will exchange energy. The quantity of thermal energy transferred from one system to another is called heat. c. Enduring understanding 5.B: Energy is neither created nor destroyed, but only transformed from one form to another. d. Enduring understanding 5.C: Breaking bonds requires energy, and making bonds releases energy. e. Enduring understanding 5.D: Electrostatic forces exist between molecules as well as between atoms or ions, and breaking the resultant intermolecular interactions requires energy. f. Enduring understanding 5.E: Chemical or physical processes are driven by a decrease in enthalpy, an increase in entropy, or both.

6. Big Idea 6: Equilibrium - Any bond or intermolecular attraction that can be formed can be broken. These two processes are in a dynamic competition, sensitive to initial conditions and external perturbations. a. Enduring understanding 6.A: Chemical equilibrium is a dynamic, reversible state in which rates of opposing processes are equal. b. Enduring understanding 6.B: Systems at equilibrium are responsive to external perturbations, with the response leading to a change in the composition of the system. c. Enduring understanding 6.C: Chemical equilibrium plays an important role in acid-base chemistry and in solubility. d. Enduring understanding 6.D: The equilibrium constant is related to temperature and the difference in Gibbs free energy between reactants and products.

Assessment 1. Daily Work – WebAssign, Problem Sets, and Daily Quizzes 2. Laboratory Investigations. An example is ​AP Investigation 12: Designing a Hand Warmer​. Teams of four must investigate the energy changes accompanying the formation of solutions for common laboratory salts, and then apply the results to design a hand warmer that is reliable, safe and inexpensive. The results provide a model for the guided-inquiry challenge, which is to design an optimum hand warmer for consumer applications. Teams are provided six different solids, along with their costs and individual Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). They must then design an experiment to determine the heat of solution (∆H) for each solid and analyze the cost and safety information. Extrapolating from the information collected, the must predict which solid(s) could be used in an effective hand warmer meeting. Finally, they verify the design and demonstrate the use of their hand warmer.

3. Unit Tests 4. Semester exam (fall only) 5. Spring Advanced Placement exam Units 1. Chemical Foundation, Atomic Structure, and Periodicity 2. Bonding, Liquids, and Solids 3. Stoichiometry

4. Gases 5. Net Ionic Equations and Solutions 6. Thermochemistry & Thermodynamics 7. Chemical Equilibrium 8. Acids, Bases, and Salts 9. Kinetics and Nuclear Chemistry 10. Electrochemistry Textbooks and Resources 1. Zumdahl and Zumdahl. ​Chemistry​. 9​th​ ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2013.

2. Laboratory Notebook 3. The Ultimate Chemical Equations Handbook 4. Fast Track to a 5: Preparing for the AP Chemistry Exam 5. TI graphing calculator 6. WebAssign Updated May 2016

380 - AP Physics C Course Description Grade: 12 Group: I Units: 1.5 Prerequisite: 325 - AP Physics 1, application, AND departmental recommendation Corequisite: 385 - AP Physics C Lab and 250 - Calculus or higher-level mathematics Fee: $188 AP Exam Fee This course provides advanced students with the second year of classical physics in preparation for the AP Physics C exams. Through the use of differential and integral calculus, students develop a deeper understanding of fundamental concepts in mechanics (fall) and electricity and magnetism (spring). Topics in calculus are introduced as they are needed; therefore, students do not need to have finished calculus prior to enrolling in AP Physics C. Ample opportunity is provided for students to develop advanced problem-solving and analytical skills in a collaborative environment. Students are required to take both AP Physics C exams (Mechanics AND Electricity & Magnetism).

Essential Questions 1. How can the analysis of motion be expanded to include non-constant rates of acceleration?

2. How do forces and torques produce changes in motion?

3. How do the major conservation laws (energy, linear momentum, and angular momentum) govern motion and facilitate its analysis?

4. How do electrically charged particles interact?

5. How are electric fields formed, and how can they be analyzed?

6. How do batteries, conductors, resistors, capacitors, and inductors behave in electric circuits?

7. How are magnetic fields formed, and how do they interact with electric charges and fields?

8. How can calculus be implemented into the study and development of concepts in physics?

9. How can the collection and analysis of laboratory data support the development of concepts in physics?

Assessment 1. Weekly problem sets (WebAssign and/or sample AP problems that are solved individually or in groups, often followed by explanations to the class) 2. Quizzes (announced or unannounced; may be timed to simulate AP testing environment) 3. Laboratory investigations and follow-up assignments (usually including analysis and explanation of graphs) 4. Demo presentation (Students research and select a physics demonstration to present to the class. The ideal “demo� is one whose result is counterintuitive until carefully examined using basic principles of physics. Students collect materials, construct their

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apparatus and practice their demo before presenting it to their classmates and leading a discussion to explain its outcome.)

Unit tests Semester exam (fall semester only) Practice AP exams (spring semester only) Spring Advanced Placement exam Laboratory assessments (two or more per semester): Students will be given a question to answer based upon a laboratory exploration of their own design. For example, in the study of electric circuits, students will be given a capacitor of unknown capacitance.

Working in groups of two or three, they will design an RC circuit of known resistance and calculate its time constant based upon graphs obtained using current and/or voltage probes. This will allow them to calculate the unknown capacitance. Finally, they will attempt to substantiate their answer by repeating the experiment with a different known resistance. Circuit diagrams, graphs, calculations, and a written conclusion will be submitted and/or presented to the class.

Skills Benchmarks Students will be able to give supporting details and examples and solve problems using the techniques of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, vector analysis, and introductory calculus. They will understand the following concepts: 1. Motion in one, two or three dimensions may be described using the concepts of displacement, velocity, and acceleration.

2. Changes in motion are governed by Newton’s laws of inertia, net force, and action/reaction.

3. The application of a force at a point other than the center of mass will produce rotation, which can be described using the concepts of angular displacement, angular velocity, and angular acceleration.

4. Rolling objects exhibit both linear and rotational motion.

5. All physical systems obey the conservation laws of energy, linear momentum, and angular momentum.

6. Celestial mechanics involves the application of Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation in addition to the laws of conservation of energy and angular momentum.

7. An electric charge, or a grouping of electric charges, creates an electric field in the surrounding space.

8. Potential differences occur among various points in an electric field depending upon the amount of work that would be done in moving a small test charge from one point to another.

9. Electric circuits consisting of batteries, conducting wires, resistors, capacitors and/or inductors are characterized by a flow of charge that obeys Kirchhoff's junction rule and loop rule. These rules stem from the law of conservation of charge and the law of conservation of energy.

10. A flow of charge induces a magnetic field, and a non-constant magnetic field induces an electric field (or a current in a nearby conductor).

11. Electric and magnetic fields can be quantified using four equations developed by Gauss, Ampere, and Faraday, and compiled by James Clerk Maxwell.

12. The graphing techniques of curve fitting and linearization are used to identify mathematical models for the behavior of physical systems.

Units of Study 1. Motion in One, Two and Three Dimensions 2. Force and Newton’s Laws of Motion 3. Work and Energy 4. Systems of Particles and Linear Momentum 5. Circular Motion, Rotational, Torque and Angular Momentum 6. Equilibrium 7. Gravitation 8. Oscillations and Simple Harmonic Motion 9. Electric Charge and Electric Fields 10. Gauss’s Law and Electric Potential 11. Conductors, Capacitance, and Circuits 12. Magnetic Fields and Ampere’s Law 13. Electromagnetic Induction and Faraday’s Law 14. Electromagnetic Oscillations and Maxwell’s Equations Textbooks and Resources 1. Halliday, Resnick, and Walker. ​Fundamentals of Physics,​ 10th ed.

2. Various teaching and review materials provided by the College Board 3. “Viren’s Videos” ​ mathematical derivation and problem solving videos for instruction and review 4. “Flipping Physics”​ single concept videos (produced by Jonathan Thomas-Palmer) for flipped classroom instruction and review 5. TI graphing calculator 6. Various websites and mobile applications including ​WebAssign​, ​PhET​ and A ​ + Physics Updated August 2018

390 - Tropical Ecology & Conservation Course Description Grades: Rising 10-12 Group: I Units: 0.5 Offered: Summer only Prerequisite: 300 - Biology or 305 - Biology Honors Fee: Approx. $3,500 plus personal expenses, tips This summer course uses Siempre Verde and Ecuador as an experiential learning environment in the biological sciences. The course will cover introductory tropical ecology, field science methods, and report writing. Comparative studies between the cloudforests at Siempre Verde and Amazonian rainforest will be emphasized through travel experiences, readings and independent projects.

Note: This class counts toward the science graduation requirement.

Essential Questions 1. How do the ecological drivers (climate, energy flow, nutrient cycling, etc.) of tropical systems compare to those of temperate systems?

2. What is biodiversity (alpha, beta, and gamma) and how is it measured? Why are some countries considered “megadiverse” or biological “hot-spots”?

3. How do ecological relationships (pollination, dispersal, mutualisms, competition, trophic interactions, etc.) affect biodiversity?

4. How does elevation affect tropical climates? How are Andean cloudforests different than Amazonian tropical forests?

5. How does forest structure affect biodiversity? How do you measure and monitor tropical forest dynamics? Why are epiphytes so important for cloudforest diversity?

6. Why is watershed conservation so important to biological communities (including humans)? How is land use (forests, farming, petroleum, mining) linked to biodiversity conservation?

7. What is the geopolitical context of the Ecuadoran economy, both historically and current-day? How do renewable products such as textiles, coffee, chocolate, and sugarcane compare to non-renewable extractive products such as petroleum and copper?

Assessment (i.e. How do we know that students have reached the benchmarks below?)

1. Daily participation and group discussions 2. Field Notebook checks (journaling) 3. Individual or Group Lab Reports 4. Notebook quizzes 5. Individual Project (due 1 week after trip completion)

6. Final Exam (due 1 week after trip completion) 7. Assessment - Students will complete an individual research project. Topics may expand on anything we have covered during the course. Some are mini-scientific investigations on

biodiversity or ecological concepts, while others include interviews with locals to learn more about people and their environment. Regardless, students are expected to work through personal observations to develop testable hypotheses, collect data using appropriate experimental design, and then create a final report of their findings.

Skills Benchmarks (i.e. What is that we expect them to learn?)

Upon completion of this field course, students will be able to: 1. Explain differences and similarities between tropical and temperate ecosystems using a variety of specific ecological and biological examples 2. Use specific observations to illustrate why biodiversity matters. Explain alpha, beta, and gamma diversity and why they are important for setting conservation priorities.

3. Demonstrate appropriate field methods to collect data to support hypotheses on tropical ecology, especially transect plots for forest structure and biological and chemical indicators of water quality 4. Perform independent research in tropical ecology or biodiversity, including appropriate experimental design, working in teams to collect data, asking detailed questions, and drawing conclusions based on their observations.

5. Understand community issues and local stakeholders in tropical forest conservation.

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Ecology and Biogeography of the Tropics Biodiversity and Taxonomy Tropical Forest Structure and Dynamics Water Quality Monitoring - Biological and Chemical Indicators Tropical Ecology (using specific examples from Siempre Verde) Conservation and Community Issues in Tropical Systems

Textbooks and Resources 1. Tropical Nature by Adrian Forsyth 2. Diversity of Life by E.O. Wilson (selected chapters) 3. Neotropical Companion by John Kricher (selected chapters) 4. Additional articles as needed Updated November 2018