Course Listing

This foundation course is for those students needing further science study and mastery prior to enrolling in the biology course.  In this preparatory course, emphasis is placed on an introduction to topics in both chemistry and biology.  The following topics will be emphasized:  understanding atomic structure, reading the periodic table, understanding chemical formulas, bonding and reactions, how organisms maintain homeostasis, connections between DNA, chromosomes and inheritance, introduction to genetics, biotechnology, and interpreting cladograms.  Students will also practice science skills such as interpreting graphs and data tables, making predictions, explaining data and forming conclusions.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed Biology I and will continue to study biology due to their career choices.  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.  After showing themselves to be qualified on the AP examination, some students, as college freshmen, are permitted to undertake upper-level courses in Biology.  Topics covered will include:  molecules and cells, heredity and evolution, organisms and populations.  This is a rigorous course, which 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 Advanced Placement Test is required.  

AP Test Fee - approximately $96.00. (Required)

*Financial Aid may be available to qualifying students.  Contact your counselor for more details.

This course is designed to use authentic assessments with students working in teams to solve problems using scientific knowledge and reasoning.  It involves all areas of Science including Biology, Anatomy, Chemistry, Physics, and Psychology with an emphasis in complex reasoning and critical thinking.  In addition, students must incorporate the use of technology, communication skills, Language Arts, Art, Mathematics and Social Studies.  Areas of focus include the use of deductive reasoning, crime scene processing, the use of forensic science through history as well as the analysis of:  trace evidence, fingerprints, DNA, serology, ballistics, and arson.  This course has a strong academic emphasis and will require outside readings, research and projects.

This course involves the study of matter and energy, their relationship and changes.  Topics will include:  kinematics, dynamics, energy, optics, electrostatics, and electricity and magnetism.  Labs and demonstrations will be a major part of the course.

This AP Physics I course is designed to be the equivalent of a college introductory first semester college Physics course in Algebra-based Physics.  The course establishes a comprehensive background for students interested in pre-med, applied, and life sciences.  AP Physics provides pre-engineering students and physical science majors with the opportunity to acquire a solid background in Physics.  Labs and formal lab reports are an integral part of this course.  Some labs may require extended time.  Students are strongly encouraged to present their lab reports, along with the AP Physics test score, when petitioning colleges for credit, advanced placement or both.  Content areas include:  Newtonian mechanics (including rotational motion); work, energy, and power; mechanical waves and sound; and introductory, simple circuits.  

AP Test Fee - approximately $96.00. (Required)

This course focuses on the science of robots - how to turn metal, wires, and electronics into machines that can sense their surroundings, think , and act according to programmed instructions. By learning about levers, gears, wheels, electronics, programming, and 3D printing, students gain the foundational skills required to build their own robots. 

This course is appropriate for both beginning and advanced robotics students and is required for enrollment in Engineering Project Lab.

Students build a portfolio for and have the option to take the SMART Robot Technician Certification test in Mechanical Foundations through Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy.