Biology

Ninth grade Biology introduces students to a wide range of complex topics at an introductory level through student-centric, project-based, interdisciplinary learning experiences. Inquiry-based opportunities include in-depth laboratory work, debates, Harkness discussions, group work, student presentations, and ongoing relationships with outside experts. Additionally, experimental design provides opportunities to test hypotheses and support conclusions with data collection and analysis. Relationships with local partners such as SoundWaters and the Cold Spring Harbor Genetics Laboratory, connections to alumni and parent expertise, and taking advantage of our multiple campuses allow for authentic learning and application of newly acquired skills and content. Projects are a vehicle through which students explore personal interests within a broader topic, are introduced to research and communication skills that will be a thread throughout their Upper School science experience, and relate biological concepts to topics covered in other courses, such as investigating surface area to volume ratios in tandem with Geometry or exploring bioethics in relation to a grade-level interdisciplinary thread “Is all progress beneficial?” Through these course-defining modalities and experiences, students examine the organization, characteristics, and processes common to all living things, from both molecular and evolutionary perspectives. In addition to studying the interrelationships between organisms and their environment, ninth-graders will also consider how this relates to their identity as an individual and a member of their community.

Prerequisite: None Credit: SCI Semester: Full Year REQUIRED Grade 9 Course

Honors Biology

Honors Biology students will extend their learning beyond the required course of study to independently complete projects that enhance not only their own exploration of biological concepts, but also the entire class experience. Students can expect two such projects each semester. One will include teaching the class about a topic that builds on an existing unit of study, and a second will push students to dive deeper into a class experience to extend their learning. In addition to these concretely assigned extensions, students will also be expected to demonstrate leadership and curiosity and show deeper content mastery and synthesis on assessments.

Prerequisite: None Credit: SCI Semester: Full Year

*In consultation with their advisor and the course faculty, students can also elect to take Biology at the Honors Level. Students have until the Fall Semester Add/Drop deadline to change their Honors status in a course.

Honors Chemistry

Tenth-grade Honors Chemistry at GCDS is an engaging and rigorously project-based learning experience that explores the physical and chemical nature of matter and the processes and changes that matter undergoes. Interdisciplinary learning will be facilitated through a co-teaching environment, where students explore environmental science, math, humanities, art and design, and languages as they relate to chemistry. Through the investigation of real-world challenges, students will uncover and apply chemistry principles while developing a globally interconnected lens. Students will continually develop critical, creative, analytic thinking by doing in-depth laboratories and fieldwork. Hands-on and digital applications, mathematical problem-solving, and data analysis will be essential components of the course. Honors option students will be expected to pursue the content of the course at both a deeper and broader level, while also doing so with greater independence. This will be demonstrated on assignments, assessments, projects, and lab reports that incorporate more complex content and skills. Topics covered but not limited to are as follows: gas properties • atomic nature of matter • bonding in materials • chemical reactions • stoichiometry • acids and bases

Prerequisite: Biology Credit: SCI Semester: Full Year

*In consultation with their advisor and the course faculty, students can also elect to take Chemistry at the Honors Level. Students have until the Fall Semester Add/Drop deadline to change their Honors status in a course.

Honors Physics

Expand your understanding of how the universe works in this full year physics class. Students will engage in investigations of classical mechanics, electricity and magnetism, waves and sound, and optics. Cooperative lab design and student directed experiments will facilitate the understanding of the physical world. Just as knowing the details of a particular sport makes it more enjoyable, an increased understanding of the way things work can lead to an enriching engagement with the world around us. This course involves an increased use of math skills as a regular part of investigating and understanding the curriculum. Honors option students will be expected to pursue the content of the course at both a deeper and broader level, while also doing so with greater independence. This will be demonstrated on assignments, assessments, projects, and lab reports that incorporate more complex content and skills.

Co-requisite: Honors Precalculus and Faculty Approval Credit: SCI Semester: Full Year Diploma Credit: Engineering

*Students may elect Honors Physics with the recommendation of the faculty. Interested students should contact Mr. Carr. Students have until the Fall Semester Add/Drop deadline to change their Honors status in a course.

Environmental Science

In this course, students explore the interconnected systems in the world around them and their place in these systems. We will explore the hydrosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere of our campus, the French Farm, and other sites in the New York City metro area. Students will measure the physical, chemical, and biological variables that describe these ecosystems. They will build models of these systems and tackle problems related to biodiversity, soil health, water quality, food production, climate change, natural resource management, and energy conversion. They will build skills in understanding policies that affect and regulate these systems. Students will develop laboratory skills in water and soil chemistry, build alternative energy electricity stations and create ecosystem models. Students will learn how their choices can make a meaningful impact on the Earth. Students will collaborate on projects to enhance the sustainability of the GCDS community.

Prerequisite: Biology Corequisite: Chemistry Credit: SCI Semester: Full Year Diploma Credit: Sustainability

Honors Environmental Science

In this course, honors students will be challenged to explain the interconnected systems in the world around them and their place in these systems. We will explore the hydrosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere of our campus, the French Farm, and other sites in the New York City metro area. Students will lead teams that measure the physical, chemical, and biological variables that describe these ecosystems. They will design and build models of these systems and tackle problems related to biodiversity, soil health, water quality, food production, climate change, natural resource management, and energy conversion. They will lead discussions and debates in understanding policies that affect and regulate these systems. Students will develop quantitative laboratory and analysis skills in water and soil chemistry, build alternative energy electricity stations and create complex ecosystem models. Students will learn how their choices can make a meaningful impact on the Earth. Students will select and design projects to enhance the sustainability of the GCDS community and lead collaborative teams to carry out these projects.

Prerequisite: Biology Corequisite: Chemistry Credit: SCI Semester: Full Year Diploma Credit: Sustainability

*In consultation with their advisor and the course faculty, students can also elect to take Environmental Science at the Honors Level. Students have until the Fall Semester Add/Drop deadline to change their Honors status in a course.

Psychology

This is an introductory course to the field of Psychology that focuses on the mind and behavior. Students will examine different areas that range from the history of psychology, cognition, intelligence, different areas and functions of the brain, developmental stages, sensation and perception, learning and memory processes, behaviorism, psychological disorders, and different personalities. Using a case study approach, students will identify an individual, real or imagined, to research and conceptualize psychologically. In addition to diagnosing this person, the students will also determine treatment options. Finally, working in groups, students will pick a specific disorder to research and then develop supports and interventions for implementation. These supports will be presented to the GCDS team of counselors, administrators, and specialists.

Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry, History 10 Credit: SCI or HIST/SOC Semester: Full Year

In their 11th and 12th grade years, students can enroll in semester and year-long electives in the Sciences. These courses represent challenging opportunities for our students to explore more specialized areas of research and analysis and to take greater agency in their engagement with advanced disciplinary skills and content, interdisciplinary thinking, and project design. These courses represent a high level of rigor and are designed to prepare students to take advantage of the most ambitious academic options in college and university study.

*Starting in Grade 10, students may double up on sciences, taking a second full science course in place of an elective (for example, a 10th grade student could register for both Chemistry and Physics). Using this form, students must secure the permission of their Advisor and the Academic Dean.

Interdisciplinary Research

While the 11th and 12th grade program is designed to support students' exploration of specific fields and high levels of research, the faculty also work closely to ensure consistent skill development across classes. In addition, the 11th and 12th grade faculty develop projects, events, and opportunities for dialogue that link all of the elective courses and prioritize interdisciplinary learning and analysis. The Junior Thesis and Senior Internship programs also serve as core experiences within the upper-level curriculum. These programs guide students to apply their full range of learning to a specific problem or research question.

Honors: Science (Grades 11 and 12)

Students who wish to demonstrate specialization within specific fields can elect Honors in 11th and 12th grade courses. Students who elect Honors in 11th and 12th grade courses are making a commitment to:

• Exploring additional resources, challenges, and experimentation

• Engaging with and producing more nuanced research and additional forms of analysis

• Taking on leadership roles in project and course design, and heightening their focus on the development of a collaborative skillset

• Manage significant independent work and research

• Participating in additional honors labs

• Participating in a feedback process, including iterative self reflection, that includes higher standards of assessment (to be defined by their instructor)

Process & Policy:

1. Students should elect Honors during the registration process, consulting both with their advisor and with the course instructor or Academic Dean.

2. Students should complete a 1-page Honors Statement when registering for the Honors option.

3. During the Add/Drop period, the instructor will work with the student to provide feedback that indicates whether remaining in Honors is in the student’s best interest.

4. Students have until the Add/Drop deadline to shift out of the Honors designation in their course. Students who wish to opt into Honors during this time will need to secure the permission of their instructor.

Add/Drop Semester I: Sept 30, 2021

Add/Drop Semester II: February 23, 2022

Introduction to Medical Science

Introduction to Medical Science is a dive into the fields that make up our healthcare system. We will explore the many roles and job opportunities that exist in medicine and the specific areas where they are held. Content will also include aspects of pharmacology, physiology, health insurance, emergency medicine, and others. This class will foster knowledge for those interested in medicine and the healthcare field through project-based exploration and interdisciplinary learning. This course could provide a meaningful bridge to a junior thesis.

Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry Credit: SCI Semester: Fall, Spring

Marine Science

Marine science will incorporate physical, chemical, and biological principles to confer a full understanding of how ocean systems operate and how humans interact with oceanic systems. Students will be introduced to the marine ecosystems of the temperate zone with a focus on Long Island Sound. Students will also be introduced to ecosystems of South Florida including coral reefs and mangrove forests. Students will build knowledge of the organisms living in these systems and the challenges they face living close to urban areas. They will learn to quantify the chemical and physical variables of these ecosystems. They will build skills in explaining interactions between the biological world and the human world, including policies designed to preserve or ameliorate habitat destruction. The course will include field experiences on and around Long Island Sound where students will be introduced to scientific data collection and interpretation. Students will help design and carry out investigations to better understand problems in ocean systems. Students must have completed one year of high school biology. High school chemistry is a co-requisite or prerequisite. A two week trip to South Florida and the Florida Keys in January will be an optional extension to the course, where students with high interest could collect data for their Grade 11 theses and/or Grade 12 internships.

Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry (Co-requisite with faculty permission) Credit: SCI Semester: Fall, Spring

Astrophysics

In this course, we will explore the history and practice of astronomy - the measurement of the positions and characteristics of heavenly bodies - then apply the concepts of physics to understand the origin and future of the universe. How close is the nearest habitable planet? How do telescopes work and can I build one? What forces dictate the future of our universe? Answer these questions and apply the history of our understanding of our planet’s place in the solar system and beyond through the study of astrophysics.

Prerequisite: Physics Credit: SCI Semester: Fall

The Physics of Music

What is the difference between sound and music? This one-semester course is an integration of physics and music. We will start with the mathematical structure of music, including scales, harmonies, and chords. Students will investigate the wave characteristics of a variety of musical instruments and design experiments to measure the speed of sound. Additional experiments in resonance and harmonics will increase student understanding of music instrument groups. Additional topics will include venue acoustics, the physiology of hearing, and the measurement of sound intensity. Short musical performances on student designed instruments will surely be a highlight.

Prerequisite: Algebra II, Physics Credit: SCI Semester: Spring Diploma Credit: Visual & Performing Arts

Archeology I: Introduction and Methods

This course serves as an introduction to the field of archeology. The course reviews the sub-disciplines of archeology and discusses both traditional and modern methods of excavation. It is broad in both time and space. We study sites from homo sapiens origins (200,000 BCE) to colonial period shipwrecks (1700CE) and from Indiana to Indonesia. Students learn about human prehistory and history through material culture and see how humans have evolved biologically and socially through time. An emphasis on questioning theories and explanations of the past is always at the core of new discoveries and something students are encouraged to do as they learn the basics of archeology.

Prerequisite: History 10 Credit: SCI or HIST/SOC Semester: Fall

Archeology II: Research and Practice

This class will vary from year to year. It will focus on specific time periods and the changes cultures make through time. Reviewing material culture, typology over time, historical data, and more students will understand how archeologists recreate what life may have been like in certain time periods and cultures. This course is designed to culminate in some sort of field study, whether an actual archeological dig or a study of artifacts from a specific collection or lab work from a specific site. Students will leave this course having actually experienced archeological work.

Prerequisite: History 10 Credit: SCI or HIST/SOC Semester: Spring

"Advanced" designated science courses represent the highest level of challenge, rigor, independent research, and student responsibility. Advanced level courses do not have a separate Honors component. Students should consult with their advisor and course faculty when considering advanced courses.

*Starting in Grade 10, students may double up on sciences, taking a second full science course in place of an elective (for example, a 10th grade student could register for both Chemistry and Advanced Biology). Using this form, students must secure the permission of their Advisor and the Academic Dean.

Advanced Scientific Research & Design

This full-year course will nurture STEM-interested students as they explore topics in science that they find exciting. Interactive discussions with classmates about current scientific articles will strengthen communication skills. The study of and replication of key experiments will be the backbone of this class. Frequently, students will expand the ideas of a lab performed in a previous science class in order to master the equipment or technique. Once fully understood, the analysis of and design of additional explorations becomes feasible. How clearly can you explain Rutherford’s gold foil experiment? How about contrasting the multiple experiments to measure the speed of light, or investigations using gel electrophoresis? Science Research and Design students can explore the work of current researchers in their field of interest. Another aspect of this course will involve working with other science classes at GCDS to develop and implement labs and demonstrations.

Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry Credit: SCI Semester: Full Year

Advanced Physics & Engineering

Advanced Physics and Engineering is a calculus-connected class where students will investigate the physical world from an engineering design approach. The investigation of forces will involve destructive testing followed by the construction of cantilevered trusses. The study of motion will analyze student designed vehicles to determine if they have constant velocity, constant acceleration, or varying acceleration. An understanding of energy and efficiency will come from the construction and analysis of an electric winch. Additional projects will include student centered choices into electric circuits, magnetism, optics, or sound. All topics will be approached from a project based perspective allowing students to become comfortable with an engineering design approach to problem solving.

Prerequisite: Physics, Calculus (Co-requisite) Credit: SCI Semester: Full Year Diploma Credit: Engineering

Advanced Chemistry

Advanced Chemistry at GCDS is an engaging and rigorous learning experience that continues to explore the physical and chemical nature of matter and the processes and changes that matter undergoes. Through complex and authentic challenges, students will uncover and apply higher-level chemistry principles while continuing to evolve their globally interconnected lens. Students will continually develop critical, creative, analytic thinking by doing rigorous laboratories and field work. Hands-on and digital applications, complex mathematical problem-solving, and data analysis will be core competencies as they synthesize their learning into analytical writing and presentation. Topics covered but not limited to are: atomic theory, organic chemistry • solutions • kinetics • electrochemistry • thermochemistry • equilibrium acid base. This course will contribute to the development of each student’s ability to think critically and to express his/her ideas in both oral and written fashion with clarity and logic.

Prerequisite: Algebra II, Biology, Chemistry Credit: SCI Semester: Full Year

Advanced Biology

Building upon the foundation laid in general biology, students in this course will take a deeper dive into the phenomena that biologists engage with, and the challenges that citizens face in their daily lives. Students will examine the interconnectedness of all living things and the characteristics common to all organisms through a thematic, project-based approach. The themes that will recur throughout this course include science as a process, relationship of structure and function, evolution, regulation, energy transfer, continuity and change, interdependence in nature, and science/technology and society. We will venture outside to learn more advanced techniques for quantifying biodiversity on the GCDS campus. Students will use more advanced laboratory equipment to quantify rates of metabolic reactions. Students will collaborate on genetics and heredity projects. We will do advanced work on animal organ systems and form groups to model individual systems. Students will have continual opportunities to implement and refine key science practices including a quantitative approach to data collection, analysis, and interpretation, like a professional scientist would in their exploration of the natural world.

Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry Credit: SCI Semester: Full Year

Advanced Environmental Science

In this course, students will be further challenged to explain the interconnected systems in the world around them and their place in these systems. We will explore advanced topics in water quality, air quality, earth science, and energy systems. The course will include advanced laboratory work in hydroponics, wetlands, and aquarium care. The course will include fieldwork on our campus, the French Farm, and other sites in the New York City metro area. Students will analyze data collected on the physical, chemical, and biological variables that describe these ecosystems. They will read and interpret current literature concerning the science and policies that affect and regulate these systems. Students will further develop quantitative laboratory and analysis skills in water and soil chemistry and create complex ecosystem models. Students will select and design individual projects that deepen their understanding of earth systems. This course is designed to be taken after the introductory Environmental Science course.

Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science or Permission of Instructor Credit: SCI

Semester: Full Year Diploma Credit: Sustainability

Applied Math & Physics with Computer Science (CSX)

This course is an interdisciplinary offering from the computer science, physics, and math faculty. Student assignments will reflect concepts from all three disciplines including: projectile motion, orbitals, strings, particles, matrices, and area below a curve (Riemann). Simple graphics will be included as part of the course. Significant time outside of the classroom is expected. This course includes competitions in the American Computer Science League as well university-led competitions.

Prerequisite: Computer Science I and II, Precalculus, Physics, Faculty Approval Credit: SCI, CSCI, Math Semester: Full Year

Diploma Credit: Engineering