Science
The Science Department combines scientific study with the values of the Congregation of St. Joseph to promote scientific knowledge, technological competency and scientific literacy through hands-on educational opportunities. Students develop their science skills in many different ways through a variety of classes. Three credit hours are required for graduation.
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Big Ideas: To establish a background in the foundation sciences of chemistry, physics and earth science.
- Integration of analytical thinking by using the scientific method and scientific problem solving skills
- Study of matter and its chemistry
- Investigations concerning changes in forms of energy, waves, and electrical energy
- Origin and expansion of the universe, galaxy formation and star classification
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Prerequisite: Physical Science
Big Ideas: The exploration of life beginning with the microscopic cell and the investigation of the biochemical processes that support life. Course includes integration of analytical thinking by using the scientific method and problem-solving skills. Course includes laboratory work and emphasizes laboratory skills.
- Cellular basis of life
- Energy processes of living cells
- Cellular basis of inheritance and genetics from DNA to chromosomes
- Relationships between all forms of life
- Changes in organisms through evolutionary time
- Ecology
- Domains of living things and their characteristics
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Prerequisites: An honors-level course is significantly more demanding than a regular course. There will be a higher level of rigor in reading, writing and research assignments. Additionally, there will be a larger workload and more time may be needed for study and homework. Admission into Honors Biology is based upon faculty recommendation.
Big Ideas: Comprehensive study of life processes at the cellular level presented at an accelerated pace. The exploration of life beginning with the microscopic cell and the investigation of the biochemical processes that support life, structures that enable the processes and the biotechnology that is made possible by our understanding of these principles.
- Cell structure, function and processes
- Diversity and interdependence of life
- Heredity including DNA, cellular and modern genetics
- Evolution: Mechanisms and Speciation
- Course includes laboratory work and varied application of critical thinking in the form of debates, journaling and class discussions, as well as independent projects
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Prerequisites: Those students wishing to take AP® level courses will have demonstrated intellectual scholarship in the subject and have received prior written approval from the Department Chair. Students wishing to take AP® Biology should have a B or higher in both Honors Biology and Honors Chemistry. In addition, it is highly recommend students take Honors Anatomy and Physiology and Statistics prior to this course.
Requirement: Taking the AP® Biology Exam is mandatory. The cost is approximately $95.
Big Ideas: Includes those topics regularly covered in a college biology course. Students can expect a rigorous approach to biology that will entail more time to study, complete homework assignments and think independently. At times, it may be necessary to extend class time into the Activity Block due to the length of laboratory experiments.
- Provide students with a conceptual framework and factual knowledge of biological topics
- Use analytical skills to deal critically with the rapidly changing science of biology
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Prerequisite: Algebra I
Big Ideas: What is inorganic chemistry and how is it related to the formation of all matter and energy?
- Classification of matter based on its properties
- Mathematical tasks as basic skills to determine chemical relationships
- History and usage of periodic table as a tool
- Formation of ionic and molecular compounds
- Determination of the molecular shapes
- Quantifiable concepts in chemical reactions
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Prerequisites: An honors-level course is significantly more demanding than a regular course. There will be a higher level of rigor in reading, writing and research assignments. Additionally, there will be a larger workload that may require additional time for study and homework. Those students wishing to take Honors Chemistry are recommended to have a grade of “B” or better in both Honors Biology and Honors Algebra I.
Big Ideas: What is inorganic chemistry and how is it related to the formation of all matter and energy?
- Classification of matter based on its properties
- Mathematical tasks as basic skills to determine chemical relationships
- History and usage of periodic table as a tool
- Formation of ionic and molecular compounds including the identification of hybrid orbitals, and sigma and pi bonds
- Determination of the shape of molecules, including trigonal bipyramidal and octahedral shapes
- Quantifiable concepts in chemical reactions, including the use of molarity and density
- Additionally, critical thinking problems and model building
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Prerequisites: Those students wishing to take Advanced Placement (AP®)-level courses will have demonstrated intellectual scholarship in the subject and have received prior written approval from the department chairperson. Those students wishing to take AP® Chemistry should have a grade of “B” or higher in Honors Chemistry and Honors Algebra II, and a signature from the science department chairperson. Students can expect a rigorous approach to chemistry that will entail more time to study, do homework assignments and think independently. At times, it may be necessary to extend class time into the Activity Block, before or after school due to the length of laboratory experiments and exams.
Requirement: Taking the AP® Chemistry Exam is mandatory. The cost is approximately $95.
Big Ideas: How does chemistry determine the natural phenomena I see? How can math be used to predict outcomes of chemical processes? This course is a follow-up to Honors Chemistry and is meant to prepare the student for the Advanced Placement test in Chemistry. Emphasis is on laboratory experience, mathematical computations and analytical thinking.
- Thermochemistry
- Chemical equilibrium
- Acids and bases
- Reaction rate kinetics
- Electrochemistry
- Independent research project
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Prerequisites: Algebra II
Big Ideas: Are common everyday phenomena, such as how high a ball can be thrown or why a person might not fall out of a roller coaster ride, explainable and predictable? Why do things behave the way they do in the physical world? Students should expect to integrate mathematical skills with scientific concepts on a daily basis.
- Newton's Laws of Motion
- Force, work, power and energy
- Electricity
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Prerequisites: An honors-level course is significantly more demanding than a regular course. There will be a higher level of rigor in reading, writing and research assignments. Additionally, there will be a larger workload that may require additional time for study and homework. Those students wishing to take honors-level courses are recommended to have a grade of “B” or better in either Pre-Calculus or Honors Pre-Calculus. The pace of this honors section is accelerated and the orientation of the material is highly mathematical.
Big Ideas: Lab-oriented (with some calculus-based concepts) approach to the principles and relationships governing the physical world. How can basic physical relationships be explained in terms of mathematical relationships?
- Motion and Newton's Laws
- Forces, momentum and motion
- Energy, work and power
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Prerequisites: An honors-level course is significantly more demanding than a regular course. There will be a higher level of rigor in reading, writing and research assignments. Additionally, there will be a larger workload that may require more time for study and homework. Those students wishing to take honors-level courses are recommended to have a grade of “B” or better in both Biology/Honors Biology and Chemistry/Honors Chemistry.
Big Ideas: Understand the macroscopic and microscopic anatomy and physiology of the human body as well as to appreciate how the systems of the body interact.
- Learning the anatomy/micro-anatomy of the body
- Understanding how systems of the body work together
- Breaking down diseases, injuries and other health conditions
- Looking at the human body through the eyes of a health care provider
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Prerequisites: Biology or Chemistry
Big Idea: To investigate the scientific processes that govern the Earth and to consider the human impact upon those systems. Topics include the history of the formation of the Earth, the major systems of the Earth, atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, cryosphere, biosphere; ecology and population studies; issues and solutions of human influences on the respective spheres of the Earth.
- Environmental Laws + the Tragedy of the Commons
- Characteristics of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, geosphere and biosphere
- Laboratory experiences exemplifying the characteristics of these spheres
- Investigation of human impacts and interactions with the natural world
- Individual processing, critical thinking and searching for solutions to many environmental issues at both local and global levels
- Project-based learning
- Required field trips
- Required capstone team research project
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Prerequisites: An honors-level course is significantly more demanding than a regular course. There will be a higher level of rigor in reading, writing and research assignments. Additionally, there will be a larger workload that may require more time for study and homework. Those students wishing to take Microbiology and Zoology will have achieved a grade of “B” or better in both Biology and Chemistry.
Recommended: Honors Anatomy and Physiology
Big Ideas: This lab-oriented course is for students who are interested in both the study of the microbial world and the animal kingdom. Labs will focus on common techniques used in the study of bacteriology, and it will include dissections in both the invertebrate and vertebrate phyla. Topics will include:
- Molecular genetics
- Bacteriology
- Biotechnology
- Taxonomy
- Developmental Biology
- Comparative Anatomy
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This course is offered under the name Honors Independent Study: Engineering. Completing the Lexus Eco Challenge is one of many options to receive credit for the Honors Independent Study: Engineering course. The full course can be found in the Pre-Engineering and Program section of the Course Guide book.
The Lexus Eco Challenge is a national environmental science competition in which teams of 8-10 students compete to study and promote environmental awareness. Students will choose an environmental topic to research, create an action plan for a project, complete their plan and spread awareness through media in an activity based approach to learning environmental science.
Fred KieserScience Teacher | Head Coach Cross Country; Head Coach Indoor Track; Head Coach Track & Field
