ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY

full year

1 credit

5 periods/week

Prerequisite Requirement: Applied Biology, Biology 1, orHonors Biology.

 AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

 full year

 1 credit

 5 periods/week

 Prerequisite Requirement: Biology 1/Lab; Chemistry 1/Lab andAlgebra (Seniors and Juniors only). This is an advanced 110 course.

The AP Environmental Science Course is designed to providestudents with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies requiredto understand the interrelationships of the natural world. Students learn toidentify and analyze both natural and man-made environmental problems and toevaluate the relative risks associated with these problems. Students examinealternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them. Students have theoption to receive college credit for the course but will be required to takethe Advanced Placement Test in May. (Summer assignments are a requirement forthis course.)

APPLIED BIOLOGY

 full year

 1 credit

 5 periods/week

 Prerequisite Requirement: Basic Math Skills andUnderstanding of the Metric System.

 The highly motivational program in Biology and Biotechnologyintegrates science and technology with key elements of the human system. Thisprogram focuses on two primary study areas: (1) a knowledge and understandingof the basic concepts of biology, (2) an understanding of the human body andits associated life processes with an emphasis on health awareness. A widevariety of instruments and computers are used to physically demonstrateeveryday applications of biology, biochemistry, biophysics, ecology, and healthrelated subjects. This course is designed as a minimum requirement for studentsplanning for post secondary study in an associate degree program. It may alsoserve as a final course in biology.

APPLIED CHEMISTRY

 full year

1 credit

5 periods/week

Prerequisite Requirement: Successful completion of Algebra1.

This course prepares students for entrance into an associatedegree program and for future employment as a technician in industry or in amedical field. It may also serve as a terminal final course. The focus is onthe application of scientific concepts through traditional classroominstruction, laboratory demonstrations and selected laboratory experiments thatcan be safely accomplished in one class period. The course is designed toprovide the student with basic knowledge in the following concepts: thescientific method and mathematical measurements and conversions in thefollowing areas: matter and energy, atomic structure, chemical nomenclature,formulas, the periodic table and periodicity, chemical bonding, the gas laws,solution chemistry, and nuclear and environmental chemistry.

 APPLIED PHYSICS

 full year

 1 credit

 5 periods/week

 Prerequisite Requirement: Successful completion of Algebra1.

Applied Physics is a course of science that has a more"hands-on" approach to practical physics. The course deals with thestudy of motion, force, heat, simple machines, electricity, energy, andscientific calculations. The class is used to show (through labs, lecture, andrelated projects) how physics is related to the real world.

full year

 1 credit

 5 periods/week

 Prerequisite Requirement: Successful completion of orcurrently enrolled in Algebra 1. Must have 80% grade point average or aboveaverage.

Biology is the study of the living world and how organismsinteract with their environment. The course offers a focus on biologicalconcepts through inquiry based investigations and weekly laboratory experimentsreinforcing the content. The course is designed to provide the student withbasic biological concept: the scientific method, ecosystems, biochemistry, cellbiology, heredity, evolution, classification and microbiology. This courseprepares the student for the Science PSSA and the entrance into a four yearcollege.

BIOTECHNOLOGY/LAB

 full year

 1 credit

 7 periods/week

 Prerequisite Requirement: Biology 1/Lab or Honors Biologywith grade average of 80% or above; Chemistry 1/Lab; Teacher Recommendation.

This is an advanced academic/technology course designed tointroduce the basic and intermediate concepts of Biotechnology throughclassroom instruction, laboratory activities, investigations, contact withprofessionals involved in biotechnology careers and field trips tobiotechnology facilities. The course expands the students' knowledge and skillsbeyond Biology 1 and Chemistry 1 into the areas of Molecular Biology andBiochemistry as they would apply to Biotechnology with a focus in DNA Science.Major topics for a detailed investigation include: DNA, Genetics, MolecularBiology, Macromolecules, Tissue Engineering, Forensics, Gene Therapy, MolecularDiagnostics, Plant Biotechnology, Bioengineering, Stem Cell Research,Nanobiotechnology, careers in Biotechnology and Bioethics. This course isrecommended for the serious student who seeks a career in a Biotechnologyrelated field. Currently, Biotechnology is one of the fastest developing fieldsin science and one that is expected to be an ongoing economic engine thatprovides numerous employment opportunities to those who are prepared throughthe proper training and education. The science fair project is mandatory.

CHEMISTRY 1/LAB

 full year

 1 credit

 6 periods/week

 Prerequisite Requirement: Successful completion of Algebra1.

This course prepares students for entrance into a four yearcollege program pertaining to the science and engineering fields. The focus ison the application of scientific concepts through traditional classroominstruction and weekly laboratory experiments reinforcing classroom materials.The course is designed to provide the student with basic knowledge andmathematical skills involving differential analysis (the solving of problemsusing units as a guide) in the following concepts: the scientific methodstoichiometry, matter and energy, atomic structure, electronic structure andmolecular geometry, chemical nomenclature, formulas, the periodic table andperiodicity, chemical bonding and the gas laws.

HONORS CHEMISTRY/LAB

 full year

 1 credit

 6 periods/week

 Prerequisite Requirement: Successful completion ofIntegrated Science; Algebra 1; Teacher Recommendation.

 AP CHEMISTRY/LAB

 full year

 1 credit

 7 periods/week

 Prerequisite Requirement: Chemistry 1 and Biology 1 with90%+ grade point average; Algebra 2; Teacher Recommendation.

 NOTE: A course in Physics is highly recommended.

This course is designed to be equivalent of a college coursein general chemistry. The main goal of the course is to prepare students totake the AP Chemistry exam resulting in college credit. Students must see theteacher in the spring for a list. This is an advanced level 110 course.

In this course students obtain an in-depth understanding offundamental chemistry topics such as the concept of atom and chemical bonding,structure of matter, chemical equilibrium, kinetic theory of gases, chemicalkinetics, basic concepts of thermodynamics, modern theory of acid-basedinteractions in liquid and solid states, and electrochemistry. An essentialpart of the course is the involvement of students into a working laboratorythat allows the students to gain experience and participate in traditionallaboratory exercises. Furthermore, it provides the students opportunities toconduct novel investigations. Laboratory activities are cyclic continuum ofinquiry-based problems, the solution of which requires conducting chemicalexperiments and analyses of the results that have been obtained utilizingdifferent chemical concepts.

This course contributes to the development of the students'ability to think clearly and critically and to express their ideas in writing,with clarity and logic.

 EARTH SCIENCE

 full year

 1 credit

 5 periods/week

 Prerequisite Requirement: Successful completion of HonorsBiology/Lab, Biology 1/Lab or Applied Biology and Honors Chemistry/Lab,Chemistry 1/Lab, or Applied Chemistry.

Earth Science is a science course designed to study planetEarth and its place in space. The four subtopics of Earth Science are Geology,Meteorology, Oceanography, and Astronomy. In Geology, students study suchtopics as the layers of the Earth, rock cycle, volcanoes, earthquakes, and soiltypes. In Meteorology, ideas like climate, weather patterns, and layers of theatmospheres are looked at in great detail. While studying Oceanography,students view marine life, chemistry of ocean water, and ocean currents.Finally, in Astronomy, students observe stars, life cycles of stars, planets,galaxies, comets, and moon phases.

 HONORS BIOLOGY/LAB

 full year

 1 credit

 6 periods/week

 Prerequisite Requirement: A 90% grade point average or abovein science; successful completion of or currently enrolled in Algebra 1.

Biology is the science that seeks to understand, explain andeven control the living world by observing, asking questions and forminghypotheses that can be tested by experimentation. The course offers a focus onbiological concepts through inquiry based investigations and weekly laboratoryexperiments reinforcing the content. Honors Biology is taught in a series ofthemes grouped in eight important areas: the scientific method, ecosystems,biochemistry, cell biology, heredity, evolution, classification, andmicrobiology. The students are enriched through special laboratoryinvestigations, field trips, and mandatory science fair project. This courseprepares the student for the Science PSSA and entrance into a four yearcollege.

INTEGRATED SCIENCE

 full year

 1 credit

 5 periods/week

Integrated Science will incorporate two of the four majorsciences. In the first semester, Physics will be instructed. Some of the componentsof Physics include matter and motion, forces and motion, and forces in fluids.In the second semester, Earth Science will be the subject at hand. The topicsdiscussed will be the composition of earth, surface processes on earth, theatmosphere, plate tectonics, volcanoes, earthquakes, and resources and theenvironment.

 HONORS INTEGRATED SCIENCE

 full year

 1 credit

 5 periods/week

 Prerequisite Requirement: A 90% or above in 8th gradescience; teacher recommendation.

Honors Integrated Science incorporates two of the four majorsciences. In the first semester, Physics is instructed. Some of the componentsof Physics include: matter in motion (velocity, acceleration, friction,gravity), forces in motion (acceleration due to gravity, terminal velocity,Newton's Laws of Motion, momentum), and forces in fluids (Archimedes’sPrinciple, Bernoulli's Principle, Buoyant Force).

In the second semester, Earth Science is the subject athand. The topics that are discussed are: mapping, minerals, igneous rocks,sedimentary rocks, metamorphic rocks, weathering, erosion, soil, meteorology,plate tectonics, volcanoes, earthquakes, and energy sources. The science fairproject is mandatory.

 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

 full year

 1 credit

 5 periods/week

 Prerequisite Requirement: Chemistry 1 and a 90% grade pointaverage; Teacher Recommendation.

This course is designed to introduce students to the realmof organic chemistry and its role in everyday life. Different classes oforganic compounds are compared and contrasted throughout the course. Specialemphasis is placed on chemical bonding in organic molecules, their structureand geometric shape, selected types of reaction mechanisms, and theory oforganic compound reactivity. This course is an introduction to college coursesof organic and physical chemistry. This course contributes to the developmentof the students' ability to think critically and to express their ideas inwriting with clarity and logic. The course is recommended for advancedcollege-bound students planning on a career in science, engineering,pharmaceutics, and medicine.

PHYSICS 1/LAB

 full year

 1 credit

 6 periods/week

 Prerequisite Requirement: Passed Algebra 1; a 70% gradepoint average or above in Geometry.

Physics 1 is the science of mater and energy and ofinteractions between the two. The course deals with the study of motion, force,vectors, simple machines, energy, and momentum through calculations. The classis used to demonstrate how physics is related to the real world throughinquiry, investigations, labs, lecture/demonstrations, and related long andshort term projects. The focus of the class calculations are algebra based.

PHYSICS 2/LAB

 full year

 1 credit

 7 periods/week

 Prerequisite Requirement: A 80% grade point average or abovein Physics 1; or currently enrolled or 80% grade point average or above inTrigonometry.

This course is an advanced continuation of Physics 1. Thecourse covers the principals of density, fluids, simple harmonic motion, rotationalmotion, light, mirrors and lenses, waves and sound, electricity, magnetism,relativity, and modern physics. The class demonstrates the theory of theseprincipals through lecture and inquiry based activities. Lab demonstrations aswell as long and short term projects relate to real world applications. Physics2 is recommended to students that plan to major in Physics, Engineering, orother related scientific fields. The majority of calculations are algebra-basedwith trigonometry and calculus applications.