Environmental Science and Biology

Class Overview

Environmental Science: Environmental Science is a semester-long course designed to show thematic connections between a variety of science disciplines including biology, chemistry, and physics.  It gives students a coherent and realistic picture of the applications of a variety of scientific concepts as they manifest in our environment.   During this semester of environmental science, students will focus on human population growth, natural resources, and ecosystem dynamics.  The aim of this course is to increase students' knowledge of the environmental challenges of today, while continuing to cultivate scientific critical thinking skills.

Biology: Students performing at this level have a comprehensive understanding of basic scientific concepts and science content. Students will be able to apply their knowledge and skills learned from the characteristics of science to analyze and evaluate components of the biological world and implement advanced procedures to safely investigate these components. Examples of these include the chemical, microscopic, and macroscopic components of life, and analysis and categorization of biological processes and life forms that the students may encounter on an almost daily basis or in a scientific work setting. Other examples include comparison of the various types of cellular structures and structures found within and among the various types of multicellular organisms. Students should be able to explain and make conclusions about the interactions of life forms with their environment and synthesize these conclusions into explanations of abstract observations. Students should also be able to make predictions that can be applied to the biological world around them.