Science

All students must complete a minimum of 3.0 credits of science (1.0 of which must be Biology or a course deemed an equivalent by a school counselor) in order to meet graduation requirements set by Lakeland Union High School and the Wisconsin Department of Instruction.

Beyond this minimum requirement, many post-secondary plans have a minimum requirement of its own; including specific course requirements. Be sure to speak to your academic counselor to ensure you are planning for success with regards to your post-secondary goals. Any science courses taken beyond the 3.0 credits required for graduation will cover a student's required elective credits (9.0 required for graduation).

The following science courses are available via our CompassLearning Odyssey provider.

* indicates the course has been aligned to a board-approved LUHS course.

Biology - 1.0 credit (required for graduation)

Biology is designed to be a two-semester course for first- or second-year high school students. Biology topics include biochemistry, the cell, genetics, natural selection, the history of life, viruses and bacteria, protists, plants, animals, the human body, ecosystems, and environmental topics. Odyssey High School science courses include strategies for dealing with common misconceptions, based on information gathered from Uncovering Student Ideas in Science by Page Keeley and Joyce Tugel, Project 2061, and the National Science Education Standards. Courses integrate questioning strategies and additional structuring of the learning experience guided by the Model Instruction Program started by David Hestenes and the American Modeling Teachers Association.

Chemistry - 1.0 credit

Chemistry was designed as a two-semester course for second- or third-year high school students. Chemistry topics include matter, the periodic table, chemical reactions, solution chemistry, organic chemistry, and nuclear chemistry. The course includes state-of-the-art animation and computer graphics to simplify concepts with visual explanations. Step-by-step instructions for solving quantitative chemistry and physics problems are provided throughout the course. Odyssey High School science courses include strategies for dealing with common misconceptions, based on information gathered from Uncovering Student Ideas in Science by Page Keeley and Joyce Tugel, Project 2061, and the National Science Education Standards

Earth/Space Science - 1.0 credit

Earth/Space Science was designed as a two-semester course for third- or fourth-year high school students, and was built using the ''spheres'' approach to reflect the multitude of interactions between the lithosphere, atmosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and exosphere. The course builds on students' earlier science competencies and includes topics from geology, astronomy, oceanography, and atmospheric science. Topics range from the history of Earth and the universe to more modern topics such as the discovery of extrasolar planets and dark matter. Original reading passages with instruction in reading comprehension are used in the worksheets that accompany this course.

Earth/Space Science Semester 1: Semester 1 of Earth/Space Science covers geology including the following topics: Intro to Earth/Space Science, Models of the Earth, Plate Tectonics, Earth's Structure and Energy, Earth's Composition, Erosion and Deposition, and Earth's History.

Earth/Space Science Semester 2: Semester 2 of Earth/Space Science covers atmospheric sciences, oceanography and astronomy including the following topics: Earth's Atmosphere, Weather and Climate, Fresh Water, Oceans, Glaciers, Historical Astronomy, Earth's Solar System, Stars, Galaxies, Cosmology, and Space Exploration.

Integrated Physics and Chemistry - 1.0 credit

The Integrated Physics and Chemistry (IPC) course was designed as a two-semester course for first- or second-year high school students. IPC includes the same rigorous courseware as Physical Science but meets the needs of customers who offer IPC rather than Physical Science. Introductory chemistry topics include matter, the periodic table, chemical reactions, and acids and bases. Introductory physics topics include motion, energy, waves, electricity, and magnetism. Odyssey High School science courses include strategies for dealing with common misconceptions, based on information gathered from Uncovering Student Ideas in Science by Page Keeley and Joyce Tugel, Project 2061, and the National Science Education Standards. Courses integrate questioning strategies and additional structuring of the learning experience guided by the Model Instruction Program started by David Hestenes and the American Modeling Teachers Association.

Physical Science - 1.0 credit

Physical Science is designed as a two-semester course for first- or second-year high school students. Physical Science includes the same rigorous courseware as Integrated Physics and Chemistry (IPC) but meets the needs of customers who offer Physical Science rather than IPC. Introductory chemistry topics include matter, the periodic table, chemical reactions, and acids and bases. Introductory physics topics include motion, energy, waves, electricity, and magnetism. Odyssey High School science courses include strategies for dealing with common misconceptions, based on information gathered from Uncovering Student Ideas in Science by Page Keeley and Joyce Tugel, Project 2061, and the National Science Education Standards. Courses integrate questioning strategies and additional structuring of the learning experience guided by the Model Instruction Program started by David Hestenes and the American Modeling Teachers Association.

Physics - 1.0 credit

Physics is designed as a two-semester course for third- or fourth-year high school students. Topics include motion, Newton’s laws, universal gravitation, thermal physics, optics, electromagnetism, and introductory relativity and quantum physics. Odyssey High School science courses include strategies for dealing with common misconceptions, based on information gathered from Uncovering Student Ideas in Science by Page Keeley and Joyce Tugel, Project 2061, and the National Science Education Standards. Courses integrate questioning strategies and additional structuring of the learning experience guided by the Model Instruction Program started by David Hestenes and the American Modeling Teachers Association. Courses include original reading passages with instruction in reading comprehension for scientific topics.