Three science credits are required for graduation and these must include one in biology and one in chemistry. A four-year program is available to all students. Two COURSE SEQUENCES are designed to provide for differing student levels of achievement and interest in science: a college preparatory sequence and an honors sequence.

Placement adjustments are possible at any point throughout a student's high school career. Additional science electives are also available (see below).

METHODS IN SCIENCE
(Ninth Grade, 3 terms, 1.5 credits, Required)
This course offers the student the fundamentals of Physics and Chemistry and provides an opportunity to develop laboratory skills. The topics covered include:  the scientific method, classification of matter, atomic structure, bonding, the periodic table, solutions, motion, forces, work, power, and energy.   Safe laboratory procedures, accurate use of measuring instruments and precise laboratory write-ups are stressed.

BIOLOGY 1
(Tenth Grade, 3 terms, 1.5 credits, Required)
This first course in biology is designed to provide the student with a broad view of the biological sciences, to develop an appreciation of life in its oneness and variety, to increase awareness of the complexity and beauty of human life in itself and in its multiple relationships with other life and with the environment, to foster inquiry as an approach to learning, and to develop sound laboratory skills.  Biology includes the following topics:  the science of biology and the scientific method, molecular evolution of life, cytology and bioenergetics, genetics, survey of living things, human physiology and ecology.  The course emphasizes the molecular and evolutionary aspects as unifying themes.

BIOLOGY 1 HONORS
(Ninth Grade, 3 terms, 1.5 credits, Required)
Permission of the department.
Biology 1 Honors covers the same topics as Biology 1.  The course differs in that topics are pursued to a greater depth and at a more rapid pace and the expectations placed on the honors student are greater.

CHEMISTRY
(Tenth or Eleventh Grade, 3 terms, 1.5 credits, Required)
Chemistry presents the structure and changes that occur in matter along with the associated energy changes. It studies the basic theories and laws of chemistry and topics such as stoichiometry, atomic structure, the periodic table, the chemical bond, inorganic nomenclature, the structure of solids, liquids and gases, changes in state and solutions.  Through extensive laboratory work, students develop safe laboratory technique and formal laboratory reporting.  In the laboratory, direct observation and measurement lead to the discovery, development and further understanding of basic principles discussed in class.  The use of mathematical and graphical means to analyze laboratory results is an important part of this course.

CHEMISTRY HONORS
(Tenth Grade, 3 terms, 1.5 credits, Required)
Prerequisite:  Permission of the department
Chemistry Honors is an accelerated course.  It covers all topics in the same way as the college preparatory course, as well as advanced topics such as electro-chemistry.  Information is given in a more detailed manner, and the mathematical concepts are more complex.

BIOLOGY 2--ADVANCED PLACEMENT
(Eleventh or Twelfth Grades, 3 terms, 1.5 credits, Elective)
Prerequisite: Permission of the Department
 Biology 2 is designed for students who have successfully completed Biology 1 and Chemistry and provides an in-depth sequence to Biology 1.  The course seeks to further develop inquiry and laboratory skills, to foster individual research, to provide the conceptual framework and factual knowledge needed to understand current developments in the biological field, and to adequately prepare the students for the AP biology exam.  The course covers three general areas:  molecules and cells, genetics and evolution, and organisms and populations.  Students supplement class material through the use of a variety of textbooks and the reading of current scientific journals.  Laboratory exercises require individual research of topics, teamwork, skills to carry on lengthy procedures and the ability to report findings both orally and in writing.

CHEMISTRY 2 -- ADVANCED PLACEMENT
(Eleventh or Twelfth Grades, 3 terms, 1.5 credits, Elective)
Prerequisite:  Chemistry Honors and approval of the department.
The AP Chemistry course is designed to be the equivalent of the general chemistry course usually taken during the first college year.  Students will attain a deeper understanding of fundamentals and increased competence in dealing with chemical problems.  The course will contribute to the development of the student’s abilities to think critically and to express their ideas with clarity and logic.
This course differs qualitatively from the Chemistry Honors course with respect to the kind of textbook used, the topics covered, the emphasis on chemical calculations and the mathematical formulation of principles, as well as thew kind of laboratory work done by students.  Quantitative differences appear in the number of topics treated, the time spent on the course by the student, and the nature and variety of experiments done in the laboratory.  Topics such as the structure of matter, kinetic theory of gases, chemical equilibria, chemical kinetics, and basic concepts of thermodynamics will be presented in considerable depth.

PHYSICS
(Eleventh or Twelfth Grade, 3 terms, 1.5 credits, Elective)
This course is designed to develop in the student an understanding of the principles underlying the interaction of matter, the resulting motions, and the forces and energy involved.  It requires a solid foundation in algebra and geometry as well as a basic knowledge of trigonometry; the mathematics of vectors is taught as needed.  The topics covered are: kinematics and dynamics, momentum and energy, light and waves, and electricity and magnetism.

PHYSICS - ADVANCED PLACEMENT
(Eleventh or Twelfth Grade, 3 terms, 1.5 credits, Elective)
Prerequisite:  Permission of the Department
This honors course is offered to students who have demonstrated high interest and ability in both science and mathematics.  The basic content of the course is the same as that of college preparatory Physics, but topics are covered in greater detail and require the use of more complex mathematical concepts.  Expectations on student initiative and performance also reflect the honors level of the course.
 

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
(3 terms, 1.5 credits, Elective)
This course enables the student to understand the anatomical structures and the functioning of the human body as it maintains tits dynamic balance called life.  Lectures, discussion, reading, and laboratory sessions give the student an opportunity to deal with the main facts, principles, and concepts of anatomy and physiology.  A major premise is that direct observation, logical reasoning, and careful dissection will result in a practical understanding of the subject.