Students enrolled in this course will develop an understanding of key concepts that will help them understand and explore life science.  There are five major topics in the life science course, each incorporating performance expectations which incorporate core ideas, engineering and cross cutting concepts to help them apply the life science concepts across all science disciplines. First, Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems, students work to answer the question, “How do organisms obtain and use energy they need to live and grow? How does matter and energy move through an ecosystem?” In this topic students will develop and use models, and construct explanations based on evidence to support their knowledge of photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and the cycling of matter and energy through an ecosystem. Next, in unit 2 students learn concepts to help answer the question, “How do organisms interact with the living and nonliving environment to obtain matter and energy?” in the topic focused on Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems. The topic of biodiversity and humans is also covered during unit two. Here students discover how humans depend on the living world around them and how humans can negatively impact biodiversity. The importance of biodiversity and human existence is thoroughly explored and discussed in unit 2. Next, in unit 3 The Structure and Function topic is formulated around answering the questions of “How do the structures of organisms enable life’s functions?” Students will plan investigations, develop and use models, and construct explanations based on evidence in order to fully understand how complex organisms are structured and how they function. The topic of Inheritance and Variation of Traits is centered around pursuing the answer to the questions of “How are the characteristics from one generation related to the previous generation?” during unit 4. This unit also discusses the topic Variation of Traits where students determine the answer to the question, “Why do we look different from one another?”  Students will defend claims, ask questions, and use models in order to answer these questions and gain a deeper knowledge of the topics. Finally, the last topic covered in the Life Science courses helps students answer the questions, “How can there be so many similarities among organisms, yet so many different plants, animals and microorganisms?” in the topic of Natural Selection and Evolution. During this last unit students will apply statistics, evaluate evidence, and construct explanations to help answer the questions. Throughout the course students will utilize crosscutting concepts of patterns, scales, structures and functions as well as cause and effect to develop deeper understandings of each of the topics. 

   Everything in the world in which we live can be described in terms of chemistry. Chemistry is a physical science that lays a foundation into the chemical and physical aspects of everyday life.  Students will become a part of a science community where it is encouraged to explore a natural curiosity behind chemical reactions, reaction rates, and the forces that hold atoms together. Through hands-on NGSS activities, labs, and data analysis, the opportunity to explore how the natural world works and how to use the principles of chemistry to think more intelligently about current issues will be created. Students will actively participate in uncovering the chemistry in the laboratory and in the world around them. By taking a guided-inquiry approach to learning that builds on prior knowledge, students will engage as an active participant in the classroom to collaborate, discuss and evaluate scientific information through laboratory investigations, research projects, and small group collaborations.

This course represents a first year comprehensive sequence of Algebra based Physics. The topics of study are focused on Mechanics. The order of the topics has been geared to use and reinforce the mathematics that the students are concurrently studying.  For this reason, this first year course is geared towards reinforcing skills in algebra and requires no trigonometry. This is accomplished by restricting the first year course to problems that can be simplified to one-dimensional form.  While vectors are introduced, they are only added and subtracted in one dimension at a time. Connections are also developed between the analysis of motion and graphical analysis, collision problems and the solving of systems of equations, etc.

Following completion of this first year course students can then elect to enter a second year, (AP Physics-1), exploration of the very same material being introduced by way of multidimensional problems through the addition and subtraction of vectors in two and three dimensions. This is coordinated with the student’s study of trigonometry. 

Throughout both years, students will be involved in problem-solving activities on an individual, small group and large group basis. Through this process the ability to read and understand problems, break them down into their component parts and then create and present solutions will be developed.  

Students enrolled in this course will develop an understanding of key concepts that will help them understand and explore environmental science.  There are six major topics in this environmental science course, each incorporating performance expectations which incorporate core ideas, engineering and cross cutting concepts to help them apply environmental science concepts across all science disciplines. In the first unit, The Living World, students work to answer the question, “How and why do organisms interact with their environment and what are the effects of these interactions?” In this topic students will develop and use models, and construct explanations based on evidence to support their knowledge of roles of predator and prey, ecosystem stability, and human impact on biodiversity health. Next, in unit 2 students learn concepts to help answer the question, “How the earth systems impact human life?” in the topic focused on Earth Systems. Here students discover how the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere affect ecosystems and how these systems impact humans. Cycling of matter is also covered in unit 2 with students being able to model each biogeochemical cycle. Next, in unit 3, Population topic is formulated around answering the questions of “How do populations react to environmental conditions changing?” Students will plan investigations, develop and use models, and construct explanations based on evidence in order to fully understand how complex demographers predict populations and how overpopulation is affecting the planet. In this unit students will provide real world examples of population problems and develop possible solutions. The topic of pollution is centered around pursuing the answer to the questions of “How does pollution affect the environment and how is it caused?” during unit 4. This unit also discusses the topic Pollution where students determine what human actions have caused an increase in pollution that is affecting both their health and the health of the environment. Students will defend claims, ask questions, and use models in order to answer these questions and gain a deeper knowledge of the topics. In unit 5, Climate change, students will explore how climate change can impact the environment and themselves. This unit will cover the topics of ozone depletion, ocean acidification, and greenhouse effect. Finally, the last topic covered in the Environmental Science courses helps students answer the questions, “How do humans depend on Earth’s resources and what are the effects of resource acquisition and use?” in unit 6, Human Impact. During this last unit students will apply statistics, evaluate evidence, and construct explanations to help answer the questions. Throughout the course students will utilize crosscutting concepts of patterns, scales, structures and functions as well as cause and effect to develop deeper understandings of each of the topics. 

This course will offer students the opportunity to explore the Biology of organisms more in depth.  Students will understand the structure and function of the body systems and compare them to other organisms.  During the instruction students will learn about each body system and then also understand the integration of the systems working together to maintain homeostasis for the body.  Studying the structure and function of the human body and other organisms similar to humans will help students gain knowledge for a career in the medical field which includes, but is not limited to human medicine, nursing, veterinary medicine and veterinary technician careers.

In the first unit students will gain knowledge about what Anatomy and Physiology is, understand the levels of organization, the characteristics of life, with a focus on homeostasis, identify body cavities, regions and sections and finally know anatomical terminology.  In the second unit students will explore the body systems that are involved in support, movement and protection of the body.  Unit three will include how specific systems transport important fluids through the body, how the body absorbs these important fluids and secretes what is not needed for the body. Unit four will be a more in depth study of how the body grows based on genetics and also reproduction. The last unit will introduce students to the field of veterinary medicine and help students explore techniques that can be used as a veterinary technician. 

This course will develop knowledge in the core disciplinary ideas described in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) including science as inquiry. Throughout this course students will be introduced to the scientific methodologies used in forensic investigations. The objectives of this curriculum are to apply the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Crosscutting Concepts that bridge disciplinary boundaries, uniting core ideas throughout the fields of science and engineering. 

The term forum is Latin for public and forensic is derived from that term. “Forensic science” implies something about science and the public. In the broadest sense, forensic science can be defined as the methods of science applied to public matters. This term has evolved in modern times to mean the application of science to court or criminal matters. Most forensics scientists work in the criminal area of the justice system, although civil cases are an important component. This unit will focus on the application of science to criminal matters. (Taken from Forensic Science: The Basics written by Siegal & Mirakovits).

Forensic science utilizes all levels of scientific inquiry, specifically chemistry and physics, to analyze physical evidence with the ultimate goal of recreating the events of the crime for a jury in a court of law. Students will also identify and compare various types of physical evidence and compare their values to forensic investigation. Students will address the fundamental aspects of crime scene investigation and the identification and comparison of physical evidence. Students will be able to define physical evidence and describe how it is collected and packaged as well as identify and compare various types of physical evidence and compare their values to forensic investigation. Understand the importance of following the principles of scientific method and the need for collecting control samples at every crime scene.

All AP Courses are aligned with and supported by the College Board Curriculum 

• AP Biology

• AP Chemistry

• AP Physics I

• AP Physics II

• AP Environmental Science

• AP Computer Science 

PLTW curriculum is designed to empower students to thrive in an evolving world. As a part of the design process when developing and updating our curriculum, we focus on connections to a variety of standards.

• Biomedical Science

• Human Body Systems

• Medical Interventions

• Biomedical Innovation

• Intro to Engineering Design

• Principles of Engineering

• Civil Engineering and Architecture

• Computer Science