This course is recommended for those students who intend to follow the pre-Advanced Placement sequence of courses and take college level courses in their junior and senior years.  This is an introductory course in biology that covers the topics of cell biology, genetics, and diversity.  Encountered in the study of these topics are the themes of homeostasis, flow of energy, the levels of organization, the structure and function of living things, and evolution.  An emphasis is placed on the bio-chemical aspects of the topics covered.  Lab skills are required and some dissections are performed.  A basic understanding of chemistry is recommended.

This course is an interdisciplinary science, involving the study of ecology, chemistry, geology, botany, zoology, and some social sciences. The major focuses of study are environmental problems and their solutions, the use of natural resources, and human interaction with the environment.  Laboratory and fieldwork will be emphasized, along with discussion of current events. Students enrolling in this class should have a genuine interest in environmental topics.

This course will deal with the nature, composition, and changes of matter that are encountered in everyday life. Laboratory work and classroom demonstrations will reinforce the material presented in lecture. Students are expected to be able to construct and interpret graphs and solve simple algebraic problems.

This course covers the material of the regular chemistry course, but in greater depth and with greater emphasis on theoretical foundations and mathematical techniques.  The course will also include some additional topics from the Advanced Placement Chemistry curriculum.  Homework for this course is conducted over the Internet; home access to the Internet is required.

Conceptual physics introduces students to the fundamental concepts and laws that govern the world in which they live.  Each physics concept is thoroughly explained and developed in class and through practice.  Laboratory work promotes skills in taking and analyzing data.  All math needed is developed in the course, and is used as a guide for thinking.  Topics such as mechanics, waves (sound and light), and electricity are introduced to the students. 

The AP Physics C course is equivalent to one semester of a calculus-based, college-level physics course, especially appropriate for students planning to specialize or major in physical science or engineering. The course includes topics in kinematics; Newton’s laws of motion; work, energy, and power; systems of particles and linear momentum; circular motion and rotation; and oscillations and gravitation. Introductory differential and integral calculus is used throughout this course. There will be a brief study of electricity and magnetism at the end of the course. Students who elect this course will be expected to take the College Board AP Physics C – Mechanics test in the spring.

This course is a year-long study of human anatomy and physiology.  The study of structure and function of each body system will be coordinated with the relationship among cells, tissues, and organs that comprise each system.  The overall theme will be the proper functioning of the body and the maintenance of homeostasis.  The theme of homeostasis is based on the regulation and coordination of all bodily functions by the nervous and endocrine systems.  Lecture and discussion sessions will be augmented by laboratory work.

The AP Biology course is equivalent to a full year of college-level biology and lab. This course provides students with the conceptual framework, factual knowledge, and analytical skills necessary to deal critically with the rapidly changing science of biology. Emphasis will be focused in four major areas:  1.The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life. 2. Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, reproduce, and maintain dynamic homeostasis. 3. Living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to information essential to life processes. 4. Biological systems interact and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties. Class time will involve lecture and discussion. Students who elect this course will be expected to take the College Board AP Biology test in the spring.

This one semester laboratory course is a required component of the AP Biology class.  It is to be taken concurrently with the AP Biology class, either in semester one or semester two. This hands-on lab class will cover eight required AP Biology labs, emphasizing the application of concepts learned in the AP class. In addition to learning laboratory techniques, students will learn how to understand problems, develop hypotheses, design and implement controlled experiments, identify dependent and independent variables, analyze data, draw conclusions, think analytically, and communicate results with appropriate data table and graphs. In addition, students will have the opportunity to use bioinformatics in modeling population dynamics.

The AP Chemistry course is equivalent to a full year of college-level chemistry and lab. This course will build on the basic material covered in Honors Chemistry with expanded depth and breadth of coverage.  There will be a greater emphasis on theory and on a mathematical quantitative approach.  Enrollment in AP Chemistry Laboratory is also required to satisfy the syllabus requirements imposed by the College Board. During one semester the class and lab will be blocked together. Students who elect this course will be expected to take the College Board AP Chemistry test in the spring.

This hands-on laboratory course will cover the essential elements of the 22 recommended experiments in the AP Chemistry course description.  In addition to learning laboratory techniques, students will practice the art of making careful observations and of recording accurately what they observe. They will develop and practice written communication skills to properly describe their work.

The AP Environmental Science course is designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester, introductory college course in environmental science. The goal of the AP Environmental Science course is to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them. Students who elect this course will be expected to take the College Board AP Environmental Science test in the spring.

The class will build on the basic chemistry to develop a deeper understanding of how chemistry plays a role in the world around us. Topics would include learning about food molecules and how chemical reactions can affect food texture and flavor. In addition, students would gain an understanding of chemistry in pharmaceutical and the cosmetic industry. Students will also look at environmental chemistry and be challenged to think about how they can be better stewards of the Earth that we have been given. This class will have a heavy lab and application component. This course will be limited to one section in the spring semester with a maximum enrollment of 24 students.