The 10th grade course for BRVGS students is BRVGS Advanced Placement Biology.
This course differs from most schools' AP Biology because it provides 2 credits over a full year, while most schools offer the course as a 1-credit course. The additional credit is for the additional time spent in higher-level labs and projects and in the study of Biotechnology.
Students in the BRVGS AP Biology will take the College Board AP Biology Test near the end of the course, and students scoring a 3,4 or 5 on the test may receive college credit. Parents and students are advised to check with prospective colleges to find out how they accept such credit, as each college has its own policies for AP scores.
To see more from the College Board about the AP Biology course, please go to: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-biology/course
In addition to the College Board AP Biology curriculum, BRVGS 10th graders build skills for scientific experimentation, research and problem solving through two major projects through the year:
"Funding Our Future" - students work in teams to identify the current state of research, education and legal implications for an assigned topic in biotechnology, and then craft and present a grant application to further advance knowledge in that topic.
Arabidopsis Thaliana Experiment - BRVGS students work with researchers from Virginia Tech to experiment on and share data related to genetically-modified Arabidopsis Thaliana plants, and then present their findings formally to scientists from VA Tech.