Science Courses

Environmental Science

Environmental Science is a course designed to explore underlying causes and effects of earth’s natural and man-made environmental problems. The interrelationships between all living things and the interactions between living things and their non-living environment will be the framework for this study of the earth and its environment. This course combines principles of biology and earth science, and would be appealing to students interested in either of these disciplines. There are many different opinions regarding the causes and effects of environmental problems. Therefore, students will be expected to practice and display a range of problem solving and critical thinking skills to examine scientific evidence and propose and conduct investigations.

Conceptual Physics

This course examines physics concepts without emphasizing high level mathematics.Basic Algebra skills are used to increase students’ understanding of these concepts. Designed to make physics available to a wider audience, this course will provide students with an intellectual foundation for the study of biology and chemistry later in their high school education. Concepts such as straight-line motion, forces, energy and mechanical waves will be studied. This course will help to prepare a student to take AP Physics 1 during his/her junior or senior year, and should not be viewed as a substitute for an upper level Physics course.

Accelerated Biology

In this semester long course, students will cover an entire year of high school biology. Students will be engaged in topics such as cells, heredity, molecular biology, evolution, ecology, and human responses to the environment. While learning content, students will continue to develop various science processing skills. The majority of class time will be laboratory and activity focused with reading and homework expectations outside of class. Accelerated Biology serves as a prerequisite for several advanced life science courses.

Accelerated Chemistry

This accelerated year-long course will cover the regular high school chemistry topics with additional topics and targets. Students will focus on fundamental chemistry principles and applications. Lab activities and open-ended investigations will reinforce the course content. Class time is spent primarily covering new material and investigating through laboratory experiences. Academy Chemistry serves as a prerequisite for several advanced physical science courses, with emphasis on preparing students for AP sciences.

 *AP Chemistry

College AP Chemistry is an intensive study of matter at the atomic and molecular levels, emphasizing inorganic chemistry. Topics covered include atomic structure, bonding and inter molecular forces, structure and behavior of matter, kinetics, equilibrium, acid base chemistry, thermodynamics, electro chemistry and nuclear chemistry. The laboratory experience is extensive and equivalent to a college chemistry course. Students should be highly motivated and eager to engage in college level work with its corresponding expectations. Students will be prepared to take the AP Chemistry exam.

*AP Physics 1

This course is the equivalent of an introductory college physics course and includes topics in both classical and modern physics, emphasizing the mathematical treatment of physical events. The course covers topics such as kinematics, forces and Newton, gravity and fields, energy, momentum, rotational momentum, magnetism, simple harmonic motion, and waves. Students interested in pursuing a major in science or engineering in college should take this course in order to be fully prepared for college physics. Lab experience is extensive. Concurrent enrollment in Pre-Calculus is recommended, but not required.

*AP Physics 2

This course is the equivalent of an introductory college physics course and includes topics in both classical and modern physics, emphasizing the mathematical treatment of physical events. The course covers additional topics not covered in AP Physics 1 such as forces and Newton, energy, thermodynamics, fluids, electricity, magnetism, waves, light, quantum physics, atomic physics, and nuclear physics. Lab experience is extensive.

*AP Physics C:  Mechanics

This is a year-long calculus-based, college-level physics course. It covers kinematics; Newton’s laws of motion; work, energy, and power; systems of particles and linear momentum; circular motion and rotation; oscillations; and gravitation. Prerequisite: Precalculus (or taken concurrently)

*AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism

This is a year-long calculus-based, college-level physics course, especially appropriate for students planning to specialize or major in physical science or engineering. The course explores topics such as electrostatics; conductors, capacitors, and dielectrics; electric circuits; magnetic fields; and electromagnetism. Introductory differential and integral calculus is used throughout the course. Prerequisite: AP Calculus AB (or taken concurrently)

*Indicates weighted course