Curriculum » Science Department

Science Department

Updates for 2024-2025 pending on this page. See the course description guide for more information. 
Course sections in the Science Department are designed to meet the needs of various student abilities. Students are assigned to appropriate courses by department personnel, with final approval given by the Assistant Principal-Academics.
 
All courses are year-long. Some courses may be offered in the summer, as well as during the academic year.

It is department policy that a student may only take 2 of the required 4 years of science during summer school. The remaining 2 years must be taken during the academic year.
 
All SPX AP science courses (Biology, Environmental Science, Chemistry) require that students take the National AP exams in May.
 
*Entering freshmen: Students who score in a qualifying percentile or above on combined science, mathematics, and reading portions of the entrance exam are placed into Biology (rather than the freshman course, Science and Engineering Practices); however, these students may apply to take Honors Biology** as freshmen.
 
**Honors Biology has significant summer assignment requirements (see course description for details) which must be completed before the Fall semester begins, or the student will be removed from the course and placed into Biology. Students who qualify to apply for Honors Biology will receive their application materials at the time of registration.
At a minimum, all students are required to take the following:
❏ Science and Engineering Practices*
❏ one biology course
❏ one chemistry course
❏ one elective science course *OR a second elective science course if the student tests out of Science and Engineering Practices
Science and Engineering Practices is a full-year laboratory science for one credit. The course is designed to provide a general orientation to Earth systems and an introduction to physics, with emphasis on science and engineering skills, as background to upper-level courses. Students work collaboratively to figure out engaging and thoughtfully selected phenomena for which they generate questions, formulate explanations, design investigations, and apply mathematical and critical thinking skills to solve problems or identify solutions. Students incrementally build and revise their ideas and understanding of the science underlying the phenomena, which motivates deep science learning. Students are required to have a non-graphing scientific calculator for this class.
 
Prerequisite: None.
Note: A student placed into this freshman level SEP science course must successfully complete it before being permitted to take Biology or Honors Biology.
Biology is a full-year laboratory science course designed for sophomores. This introductory biology course addresses the study of life on Earth, with collaborative inquiry-based student-centered assignments that focus on ecological relationships, genetics and inheritance, evolution mechanisms, cell biology, human impacts on the environment, and the structures and systems of diverse living organisms. The nature of science and experimental design are emphasized throughout the course. Students strengthen critical thinking and analytical skills as they determine meaning from collected data. Students also develop laboratory skills with methods and equipment used by actual field and laboratory biologists.
 
Prerequisite: Entering freshmen students who score in a qualifying percentile or above on the combined science, mathematics, and reading portions of the entrance exam will be placed into Biology or may apply to take Honors Biology** as freshmen.
**Note: Honors Biology has significant summer assignment requirements (see course description for details) which must be completed before the Fall semester begins, or the student will be removed from the course. Students who qualify to apply for Honors Biology will receive application materials at the time of registration.
Honors Biology is a more challenging version of Biology, where concepts are covered in greater depth and at a faster pace. Assignments are collaborative, inquiry-based, and student-centered that focus on ecological relationships, genetics and inheritance, evolution mechanisms, cell biology, human impacts on the environment, and the structures and systems of diverse living organisms. The nature of science and experimental design are emphasized throughout the course. Students strengthen critical thinking and analytical skills as they determine meaning from collected data. Students also develop laboratory skills with methods and equipment used by actual field and laboratory biologists. Students are also required to read a non-fiction scientific novel during the summer prior to the start of the school year. Past readings have included: The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Students must read the assigned book, complete an assignment about the book, and take a test on the reading during the first week of school.
 
Prerequisite: Incoming freshmen who score in a qualifying percentile or above on the combined reading, mathematics, and science portions of the entrance exam are eligible to apply for this course. Those who qualify to apply will receive their application materials at the time of registration. Incoming sophomores who are interested in being considered for this course need to complete the application, present a letter of recommendation from a science teacher, and pass a qualifying assessment. The final decision for admittance to the class is determined by the department, even if students meet the academic requirements.
 
All students who enroll must complete the required summer assignments by their due dates, or they will be removed from the course and placed into Biology.
This course is an adaptation of Chemistry designed for students who have identified as being on a non-scientific academic path. Concepts covered will include laboratory techniques, classification of matter, atomic structure and theory, periodic table properties and trends, chemical bonding, nomenclature, reactions and equations, and stoichiometry. Acids and bases, thermochemistry and gas laws also will be covered as time permits. Emphasis will be given to collaboration, laboratory work, and foundational math skills. A scientific (non-graphing) calculator is required. Students who are successful in this course will have a solid foundation in science and be better prepared for science courses at the college level.
 
Prerequisite: C+ or lower in Biology / Algebra I, or C or lower in Honors Biology / Honors Algebra I and by recommendation of the Biology /Honors Biology teacher. Students meeting the prerequisites for the Chemistry course will not be eligible for this course. Students who qualify for Principles of Chemistry may petition to enroll in Chemistry; but if approved, students may not move back into Principles of Chemistry.
This course is designed for students who intend to pursue a degree in a scientific field. Concepts covered include atomic structure and theory, electron arrangement, periodic table and periodic properties, chemical bonding, nomenclature, reactions and equations, stoichiometry, changes of state, gas laws, solutions, and acid/base chemistry. Students are expected to be able to incorporate their math skills into the course material. A scientific (non-graphing) calculator is required. Students who are successful in this course should be prepared for success in chemistry at the college/university level.
 
Prerequisite: C or higher in Algebra I and Biology, or C- or higher in Honors Biology and Honors Algebra I, in addition to the recommendation of the Biology /Honors Biology teacher. Concurrent enrollment in Algebra II/ Trigonometry or a higher-level math course is required during the academic year. If a student meets the requirements for enrollment in Chemistry, the student may not move into Principles of Chemistry.
This course is designed for students who intend to pursue a degree in a scientific field and who might be interested in pursuing AP credit in Chemistry. This course covers the same concepts as the general chemistry course but in more detail and depth. This course also covers the additional topics of redox reactions and electrochemistry. As a consequence this course will require more time spent outside of class to complete assignments and prepare for tests. Students are required to be able to incorporate their math skills into the course material. A scientific (non-graphing) calculator is required. Students must complete an application in order to be considered for this course. Students who are successful in this course will be prepared for success in chemistry at the college/university level.
 
Prerequisite: B+ or higher in Algebra I and Biology, or B or higher in Honors Biology and Honors Algebra I. Concurrent enrollment in Algebra II/ Trigonometry or a higher-level math course is required. An application is required.
 
All students will be placed by the department into either Principles of Chemistry, Chemistry or Honors
Chemistry based on the prerequisites.
This course is equivalent to a first-year college biology course. The Advanced Placement designation means that students may be able to earn college credit, depending on their score on a National exam taken in May, which all students are required to take as part of this course. AP Biology II prepares students for success with a rigorous curriculum, complex labs, focused in-class activities, and college-level expectations combined with high school-level support. The topics addressed in AP Biology II include all the major fields of biology, from organic compounds, molecular genetics, and evolution, through anatomy and physiology of multicellular organisms, and concluding with behavior and ecology. Students are expected to have good time management skills to handle a great deal of independent work, including reading for comprehension, note-taking from video lectures, studying, and frequent essay writing assignments. The labs supplement topics addressed in class, and train students in methods used by professional biologists. A major goal of AP Biology is to help students appreciate science as a process; thus, students are expected to complete and present an independent scientific inquiry project at the SPX Science Symposium, usually held during the third quarter.
 
Note: Students are required to complete a summer reading and writing assignment. Failure to complete the summer assignment will result in the student being removed from the AP Biology course.
Prerequisites: B (80% or higher) in Biology OR C+ (78% or higher) Honors Biology; C (75% or higher) in Chemistry. Students who meet the prerequisites and are interested in being considered for this course need to complete the application, present a letter of recommendation from a science teacher, and pass a qualifying assessment. The final decision for admittance to the class is determined by the department, even if students meet the academic requirements.
AP Chemistry is a second full-year course in chemistry, during which students cover topics such as acids and bases, electrochemistry, equilibrium, solutions, kinetics, and thermodynamics. Students will also review and expand upon their knowledge of stoichiometry, the states of matter and their behavior, and chemical bonding. The course requires a great deal of lab work; and as such, it is expected that students will come in at 7:00 am on some occasions, allowing for this extra time necessary for lab work. Occasionally, students may need to come in after school to complete labs as well. All students are required to take the AP Exam in May. Also, students are required to complete a summer review assignment to ensure they are prepared for the course. Failure to complete the assignment by the first day of class will result in the removal of the student from the course.
 
Prerequisites: B- in Honors Chemistry, B in Honors Algebra II/Trig, concurrent enrollment in Pre-Calculus/Honors Pre-Calculus or a higher math course. Application and department approval required.
This Advanced Placement® course is equivalent to the pace and rigor of a first-year college science laboratory course. This is a unique science course in that it is comprehensive of all the other sciences, in addition to some history, economics, law, and math. APES provides students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methods required to understand Earth’s natural systems and human impacts on them. Topics of study include: Earth systems, resources, and structure; biogeochemical cycles and energy flow through ecosystems; endangered species; population dynamics; land and water uses (agriculture, forestry, mining, fisheries, solid waste); human energy resources and consumption; urban planning; water quality, air pollution, waste management, and recycling; human health and toxicology; biotechnology; climatology; and other global environmental concerns. Students review case studies, identify, and analyze environmental problems, evaluate risks associated with those problems, and examine alternative solutions for resolution, restoration, or prevention. Labs are designed to support and put into practice the concepts being studied. Sometimes students are required to conduct and maintain more than one lab at a time, depending on the duration needed to collect data. Successful students are prepared for college-level expectations which include good time management skills, self-motivation, discipline, and flexibility to handle a great deal of independent work outside the classroom (reading for comprehension, note-taking from a variety of sources, daily studying, frequent essay writing assignments, and preparation for complex lab activities and class discussions).
 
Please note the following student requirements and commitments:
  • College Board recommended laboratory and field investigations are essential components of the APES course designed to help students appreciate science as a process. Some of these activities require significantly more time than is provided in a 45-minute (or less) class; therefore, they occasionally necessitate additional time before and/or after school, or on a Saturday, to complete certain labs or field work. Because of the SPX rotating class schedule, this class may be required to meet at 7:00 am on the day of first-hour rotation. The additional class time is used for lecture, lab, and AP exam review, or to accommodate a guest speaker.
  • All students who enroll in this course are required to complete summer math, reading, and writing assignments, which have due dates prior to the start of the academic year. Failure to complete these assignments on time will result in the student being removed from the course. A test will be given on the summer assignments during the first week of school.
  • Students enrolled in this course are required to take the National College Board APES exam in May, which may allow the student to earn college credit, depending on the exam score.
  • Some colleges may require students to present their laboratory materials from AP science courses before granting college credit for lab work; therefore, students are required to maintain neat and organized laboratory notebooks, reports, and other course materials.
 
Prerequisite: C or higher in Chemistry, department approval, and complete an application process that includes acceptable performance on a qualifying exam.
This course investigates the basis for understanding the physical world from a variety of viewpoints with emphasis on problem solving and real-world applications. The majority of the course focuses on an in-depth understanding of classical mechanics. Student interest will determine what additional topics may be covered, including: optics, sound, magnetism, electricity, and nuclear physics.
 
Prerequisites: C or higher in Chemistry or B or higher in Principles of Chemistry, and B (80% or higher) in Algebra II/Trigonometry; OR C (75% or higher) in Honors Algebra II / Trigonometry.
Honors Physics is a trigonometry-based introductory college-level physics course. Students cultivate an understanding of physics through inquiry-based investigations as they explore topics such as Newtonian mechanics, including rotational motion; work, energy, and power; momentum and impulse; mechanical waves and sound; and an introduction to simple circuits.
 
Prerequisites: C (75% or higher) in Chemistry; OR B (80% or higher) in Principles of Chemistry; B (75% or higher) in Honors Pre-Calculus, and application are required.
This course emphasizes contemporary problems in medicine and health, along with the normal functions of human systems. Labs are designed to complement the material covered, including histology of tissues; identifying bones, muscles, and joints; and other systems such as nervous, endocrine, circulatory, respiratory, and digestion. The excretory, immunological, and special sense systems will be covered time permitting. Throughout the year, time and resources permitting, dissections include pig skin suturing, a fetal pig, and sheep brain, heart and lungs. Dissections follow units studied, so that students may identify organs associated with the various body systems, and they are a mandatory component of the course. All students are required to complete a research writing component in the first
semester.
 
Prerequisite: B (80% or higher) in Biology I; OR C+ (75% or higher) Honors Biology I, and a C (70% or higher) in Chemistry; or a B (80% or higher) in Principles of Chemistry are required.
This is an adaptation of an environmental science course designed for students who have identified as being on a non-scientific academic path. This course promotes an understanding of the dynamic and integrated processes of Earth’s natural systems; the delicate natural balance of resources that must be maintained to sustain life; and the impacts that human activities have on these systems. The course comprehensively integrates life science (biology) and physical sciences (Earth, marine, atmospheric, ecology, chemistry), as well as some (light) engineering, for a practical application and experience. Topics include: natural and complex cycling of Earth’s energy and matter; ecosystems and evolution; sustainability of natural resources; human health, toxicology, consumption, and impacts; and environmental concerns with evaluation of mitigation strategies. Some activities may include energy and water audits, maintaining raised bed gardens, hydroponics, aquaponics, composting, and review of environmentally focused case studies, as well as analysis of energy and resources used in the food industry.
 
Prerequisites: At a minimum, completion of Science and Engineering Practices, Biology, and Principles of Chemistry are required prior to enrolling in this course. Students may only take this course for an elective fourth credit in science if they are ineligible for every other science elective; this includes any student who earns less than a C (74% or lower) in Chemistry or a 79% or lower in Principles of Chemistry.
8th Grade
Meeting the 8th grade science requirement, Foundations in Physical Science is a full-year laboratory science. The course is designed to provide a general orientation to introductory physics and chemistry, and engineering practices. Scientific measurement skills are emphasized in a laboratory environment. Students apply mathematical and critical thinking skills to solve problems in class and apply these to real world situations. The following topics are emphasized: the nature of science, experimental design, basic statistical analyses, introduction to technical writing and oral presentation skills, all within the context of physics, chemistry and engineering practices. Students are required to have a non-graphing scientific calculator for this class.