SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT

Physical Science
The emphasis of the Physical Science course is on an introduction to Physics and Chemistry. Students learn about forces and energy to fully understand the underlying science behind other phenomena in Chemistry. The class includes discussion of what engineering is and how civil, chemical, electrical, and mechanical engineers use science to contribute to society. Laboratory exercises and demonstrations are geared to generate hands-on experiences in Chemistry and Physics relevant to the daily lives of the contemporary student.
Chemistry
This course is designed to cover basic areas of chemistry, including equation writing and chemical calculations. Its intent is to prepare students for college level chemistry and give a background on chemicals found in the home and workplace. It covers the fundamental facts, laws, principles, theories, and concepts of chemistry necessary for further work in science or science related subjects, stressing atomic structure, quantum theory of atomic structure, chemical bonding, chemical reactions, mass and energy relationships in a chemical reaction, stoichiometry, gasses, liquids, solids, and Solution Chemistry. As it is a laboratory course, lab techniques, report writing skills, mathematical calculations, analysis of data, and discussion or results are emphasized. Students will need a scientific calculator for the mathematics involved in this course.
Environmental Science
The purpose of this course is to promote academic success in the area of environmental science through enhanced experiences in critical thinking, research, writing, and listening and speaking. The Environmental Science class is a college preparatory course designed to promote a better understanding of our natural world. Students will be continuously challenged in this course to increase their knowledge of how the world works while coming up with possible ways in which we may be able to sustain a better, healthier planet. In this class, we utilize an open based discussion approach to broaden the minds of our students to the wide variety of material that Environmental Science has to offer.
AP Environmental Science
In this course students will explore and investigate the interrelationships of the natural world and analyze environmental problems, both natural and human made. Topics covered will be ecosystems, biodiversity, populations, earth systems and resources, land and water use, energy resources and consumption, atmospheric pollution, aquatic and terrestrial pollution, and global change. Students will engage both in the classroom, in the field, and in the laboratory.
Earth Science
Earth Science is a semester-long, full credit, course which expands students' understanding of major scientific fields, such as astronomy, meteorology, climatology, and ecology. Throughout the course, students will explore astronomy, climate, weather, and water systems, as well as how Earth’s systems interact with the cultural landscape (human activity, cultural practices, migrations, trade, and globalization). As such, the course blends scientific knowledge with ethical, economic, and environmental concerns, and asks students to connect scientific processes to patterns of human settlement, development, and sustainability. Students will come away from the course with an understanding of how humans and the environment interact with one another, and how current global powers respond to this interaction.
Biology
This is an introductory science course that is designed to acquaint students with the fundamental principles of Biology, the science of living organisms. This course's comprehensive content covers the diversity of life from a microscopic scale to the broad topic of our place among the stars. Students are encouraged to physically engage during laboratory exercises that utilize nature around our campus. Students use Gardner Lake for recognizing biological patterns, to catch and identify insects for entomology, to perform land surveys, and to plant their own vegetables and flowers in our indoor and outdoor green space. The scientific method strengthens students' ability to ask questions about biological patterns and inspires them to conduct individualized research. The learning process will include associating the course content with current scientific events. Each student will be encouraged to consider his own potential to pursue a professional career in the scientific world.
Advanced Placement Biology
AP Biology is designed to replicate a college-level introductory biology course. The course covers a wide range of biology topics including molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, evolution, zoology, anatomy, and ecology, with the ultimate goal of preparing students for the AP Exam. Core themes of the course include evolution, DNA and the transfer of genetic information, organization, energy flow, and interactions. Students will be assessed via frequent quizzes, labs, projects, and an exam on each of the seven units. There is a significant lab component to this course, and emphasis is placed on experimental design and higher-order reasoning.
Health and Fitness

This course is designed to promote lifelong physical and mental well-being. The course is structured to emphasize physical fitness development, education on health, and helping students build a strong foundation for a balanced, healthy lifestyle. Studens will engage in a wide variety of individual and team-based workouts aimed at improving strength, endurance, flexibility, and overall physical conditioning. Activities include strength training with equipment, dynamic stretching routines and organized team sports such as basketball, soccer and tennis. Students will also practice teamwork and collaboration through group exercises and outdoor challenges that encourage communication, cooperation and mutual support. This course also focuses on the key elements of personal wellness. Weekly classroom sessions are designed to address important topics such as mental health, emotional regulation, stress management, sleep hygiene, nutrition and the influence of social media. Through open discussions, self-reflection activities and group projects, students will develop strategies for maintaining mental wellness and making informed, healthy choices 

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