SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

A scientific education is designed to develop in the student an appreciation of the joy, excitement and intellectual awareness of our biological, physical and chemical environment. Balanced with the study of the arts and humanities, students will be able to achieve a wider understanding of their complex world. A person literate in science will be able to understand science concepts and process skills in making decisions especially related to science issues that affect society. In addition, the science curriculum offers a wide choice of courses for students interested in different career paths. All students entering Grade 9 will take Earth Science as the entry-level course – but with one exception: those students accelerated in Grade 8 will take Biology I.  Students will continue taking courses in a sequence that is governed by prerequisite requirements.  In order to graduate, students must take and pass three years of high school science: Earth Science, Biology and Chemistry; or Biology, Chemistry and another five-credit science course.

 SCIENCE SEQUENCE CHART 2008-2009

 

Grade 8 Science

Intro. Physics

Biology I

Physics *

Five-Credit Courses

Introductory Physics (Grade 9)

The Introductory Physics course helps students recognize the nature and scope of physics and its relationship to other sciences.  Students will learn about basic topics such as motion, forces, energy, momentum, heat and heat transfer, waves, electricity, and magnetism.  Students will be engaged in scientific inquiry, investigations, and labs so that they develop a conceptual understanding and basic scientific skills.

The mathematics prerequisite skills are based on middle school mathematics topics such as data analysis, measurement, scientific notation, ratio and proportion, and algebraic expressions.           

Standard – 5 Credits – 5 Periods per Cycle – Full Year

Prerequisite: Passing grade in all previous science courses

ESL SCIENCE (Grade 9)

This course is designed for students with limited English proficiency with an emphasis on English language development and practice.  Integrated ideas and concepts from all the science areas will be studied, using earth and space science as the central theme.  Concepts dealing with the land, air, oceans, and space will be studied with an emphasis on laboratory skills, critical thinking and problem solving.

Standard – 5 Credits – 5 Periods per Cycle – Full Year

Prerequisite: Passing grade in all previous science course

BIOLOGY I (Grade 10)

This course focuses on the fundamental principles of living things. Students learn about the diversity of living organisms and their relationship to the environment.  Students are introduced to the study of classification, zoology, botany, genetics, ecology and cytology with an emphasis on laboratory investigations.

Standard – 5 Credits – 5 Periods per Cycle – Full Year

Prerequisite: Passing grade in Introductory Physics

Physics * (Grade 12 – through Class of 2009)

This course is designed to give the student a coherent modern view of Physics with a strong foundation in Newtonian mechanics and wave kinematics. Emphasis is placed on understanding the basic laws and concepts of Physics. The major topics of the course are mechanics, electricity/magnetism, waves and optics. Experimentation, classroom demonstrations and problem-solving applications are used to accomplish the goals outlined above.

Standard – 5 Credits – 8 Periods per Cycle – Full Year

Chemistry * (Grade 12 – Starting with the Class of 2010)

This course focuses on the interaction of matter through chemical reactions.  Atomic structures, chemical formulas, bonding, chemical reactions, energy, gas laws, survey of materials, organic, nuclear and equilibrium chemistry are some of the topics covered.  Laboratory experimentation is an essential feature of the course.

Standard – 5 Credits – 8 Periods per cycle – Full Year

* Beginning with the class of 2010, all grade 12 students will take Chemistry as their core science.  Accommodations will be made to provide Health Assisting students who graduate before 2010 with Chemistry.