Upper School Course of Study: Science

COURSE OF STUDY 2008-09

(All courses are not offered every year.)

SCIENCE

Environmental Science (full year)
Environmental Science is the study of how humans interact with the environment.  Industrial advances, booming economies, and an improved quality of life’s ecosystems challenge the sustenance of the world.  This course focuses on identifying environmental problems, learning and practicing the scientific method, and understanding the different constituents of a healthy environment.  Laboratory and field experimentation are essential components to encourage critical thinking and to help establish a scientific outlook.  The role of humans in nature is discussed, and students formulate possible solutions to environmental problems.

Biology (with permission) (full year)
Throughout the course of this introductory biology class students explore the various forms and functions of organisms and how they interact with their environment. The scientific method is employed to provide students the framework with which to question the biological world around them. Classroom lectures are supplemented with various laboratory exercises, field trips, and guest lecturers to create an experiential learning environment. The goal of this course is for students to be familiar with major biological concepts, scientific methods, and current issues in biological science so that they understand the importance of their input to the future of science, regardless of whether they go into a biology career field or not.

Chemistry (full year)
Chemistry is the study of matter and energy. This class includes labs, demonstrations, projects, and many activities designed to make chemistry interesting and understandable, while also expecting students to think both critically and analytically. The course includes the properties of matter, gas laws, nomenclature, periodicity, atomic structure and driving forces in chemical reactions.  The class uses a variety of means both to engage students and help them develop an interest in chemistry.

Honors Chemistry (with permission) (full year)
Honors Chemistry is a quantitative, in-depth course recommended for students planning further study in a science-related field at the college level.  This laboratory-oriented course is designed to prepare highly motivated students for AP Chemistry.  Topics are explored through teacher demonstrations, laboratory exercises, and student problem-solving activities.  Students are introduced to the shorthand of chemistry as they learn to use chemical formulas and equations.  Chemical properties are related to atomic structure as students learn to use the periodic table of the elements.  Stoichiometry, qualitative analysis, thermodynamics, and nuclear chemistry are introduced.

Physics (full year)
Physics is the most basic of science courses.  As such, the purpose of this course is to provide a fundamental understanding of the relationships between energy and matter in order to provide students with a foundation for the study of additional science courses.  Emphasis is placed on development of critical thinking and problem solving skills.  As with any experimental science, laboratory work is an integral part of the learning process and is utilized where appropriate. The five major topics to be covered are mechanics, states of matter, waves, electricity and magnetism, and atomic and nuclear physics. Knowledge of algebra and trigonometry is required for this course as well as a graphical display calculator.

Human Biology (offered to students who have completed Biology & Chemistry) (semester course)
Human Biology provides an overview of anatomy and physiology.  The class includes an introduction to the structure and function of the human body with an emphasis on health and disease.  Students should leave this class with a firm grasp of how their bodies function.  An understanding that humans are a part of the biosphere and that human activities can have environmental consequences is stressed throughout the course. Bioethical issues such as stem cell research, performance enhancing drugs, genetically modified foods and oil drilling in Alaska are a few of the topics students explore in class.  Guest speakers, case studies, videos, labs, field trips, and current event topics serve to enrich the curriculum.

Marine Biology (offered to students who have completed Biology & Chemistry) (semester course)
Throughout this marine biology course students are introduced to the biology, ecology, and the physiology of marine organism.  Topics include the chemistry of the marine environment; the diversity of organism inhibiting marine environments, the study of major marine environments, and the effects of human on the marine environment.  Students also explore the specific physiological adaptations, body types, and behavioral strategies that marine organisms have evolved for survival.

Advanced Placement Biology (with permission) (full year) (offered to students who have taken Biology and Chemistry)
The AP Biology course is designed to be the equivalent of a college introductory biology course usually taken by biology majors during their first year. It aims to provide students with the conceptual framework, factual knowledge, and analytical skills necessary to deal critically with the rapidly changing science of biology.  The labs done by AP students in this course are the equivalent of those done by college students.  This course covers three general areas: molecules and cells; heredity and evolution; and organisms and populations.  Course work prepares the student for the AP Biology exam; a double period is required during the second semester in order to cover the laboratory portion of the course.

Advanced Placement Chemistry (with permission) (full year) (offered to students who have taken Biology and Chemistry)
AP Chemistry is a rigorous, college level class. Major topics include electrochemistry, equilibrium, reaction prediction, kinetics, chemical bonding, gases, phase changes, solutions, acid/base reactions, thermochemistry, and electron configuration. Students complete the recommended labs in the AP Chemistry curriculum and prepare for college level research. Course work prepares the student for the AP Chemistry exam; a double period is required during the second semester in order to cover the laboratory portion of the course.

Advanced Placement Physics (B) (with permission) (full year) (offered to students who have taken Biology, Chemistry, and Physics)
The course includes topics in both classical and modern physics as outlined in the AP Course Description for Physics (B) [and (C)].  The topics are representative of those covered in similar college courses as determined by the College Board.  Currently these topics can be classified by five major categories: Newtonian mechanics, fluid mechanics and thermal physics, electricity and magnetism, waves and optics, and atomic and nuclear physics.  Laboratory work is integral to the course and students will use computers with appropriate software and hardware to collect and analyze data.  Knowledge of algebra and trigonometry is required for this course as well as a graphical display calculator.  Course work prepares the student for the AP Physics exam; a double period is required during the second semester in order to cover the laboratory portion of the course.

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