Students must take and pass three credits in Science to graduate from Meade County High School.
Integrated Science I (Earth Science) Grade 9
This is a course that introduces students to a wide variety of sciences including Chemistry, Biology, Earth Science, and Physics to provide students with a foundation from a variety of areas that will carry over in the upcoming years. Furthermore, there is a strong focus on Earth Science which is the study of Earth and space. Earth Science is divided into four specific areas of study: Geology, Meteorology, Astronomy, and Oceanography.
Integrated Science II Grade 10
Pre-req: Integrated Science I
Half semester of chemistry and half semester of physics.
Integrated Science 2 is a science course designed as a follow-up course from Integrated Science 1 and Biology. Integrated Science 2 covers basic concepts from Physics and Chemistry. Topics include kinematics, dynamics, energy, work, matter, periodic trends and atomic structure. The course seeks to help students increase their knowledge and skills so they can better understand the fundamental concepts in the Physical Sciences and appreciate how science discovery affects everyday life.
Biology Grades 9 or 10
This biology course focuses on aspects of life science that emphasized the similarities between all organisms rather than the differences that exist between individual groups of organisms. It is the desire of the instructors that students who have successfully completed the course will have developed a basic understanding and appreciation for all forms of life and be able to give thoughtful consideration to issues related to living things and the impact that organisms and the environment have on one another. It is further expected that students will have formed a basic foundation in the biological sciences needed for them to be successful in future studies of course selected in the biological sciences.
Honors Biology Grade 9 or 10
This biology course is designed for students who excelled in ninth grade integrated science class and who have an appreciation for learning about biological systems. This course is considered to be a pre-AP biology class, however it is not required as a prerequisite course for AP Biology. This course will have a strong biochemistry and molecular biology component and serve as a great background for future classes like honors chemistry, AP chemistry, and AP Biology. This biology course focuses on aspects of life science that emphasized the similarities between all organisms rather than the differences that exist between individual groups of organisms. It is the desire of the instructor that students who have successfully completed the course will have developed a deep understanding and appreciation for all forms of life and be able to give thoughtful consideration to issues related to the interconnected nature of life. It is further expected that students will have formed a deep foundation in biology and a basic understanding of biochemistry needed for them to be successful in future science courses.
AP Biology Grades 11 or 12
Pre-Req: Biology and Chemistry
It is highly recommened that a student take Biology 1 and Chemistry 1 before AP Biology, however, with teacher and administration approval a student may take AP Biology without these two classes. The class is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester college introductory biology course, which is usually taken in the first year of college. All students will be required to take the AP Biology exam at the end of the course to demonstrate their mastery of the college-level course work. Thus, the pace of the course will be much faster than Biology I or Biology II Honors. The intent of the course is to expose students to higher-level biological principles, concepts, and skills, and to allow students the opportunity to apply their knowledge to real-life applications. The general topics that will be covered in the course will include: I. Molecules and Cells II. Heredity and Evolution III. Organisms and Populations
Chemistry I Honors Grades 10, 11, or 12
Pre-Req: Integrated Science I
Chemistry is the study of matter and its changes. Students will study elements, compounds, and mixtures, their particulate nature, physical and chemical properties and interactions, and real world applications of chemistry. Students will engage in lab activities that emphasize scientific inquiry and discovery. This dual credit course would fulfill most college's requirements of an introductory/freshman/100 level chemistry course.
AP Chemistry DC Grades 11 or 12
Pre-Req: Chemistry I Honors
AP Chemistry mirrors a freshman level college course. Upon completion of the course, students can take the College Board AP exam. If a student receives a score of 3 or above, they can earn college science credit from most universities. Topics studied include Stoichiometry, Equilibrium, Acid-Base chemistry, Buffers Thermodynamics, Kinetics, and Electrochemistry. This is a rigorous highly math-based course. Starting in the 2022-23 School year, this course will also be a dual credit course.
AP Physics Grades 11 or 12
Pre-Reqs: Integrated Science I, and Algebra II
Physics is a class for those who enjoy math. AP Physics B is designed to mirror a college freshman level physics course. Due to the fact that you will be taking the AP Physics B test at the end of the course, the pace of this class will be much faster than that of Honors Physics. You will be studying 5 basic areas: Newtonian mechanics (i.e. general motion), fluid motion and thermal physics, electricity and magnetism, waves and optics, and atomic and nuclear physics.
AP Environmental Science
Pre-Reqs: Integrated Science I, Algebra I, Biology
The AP Environmental Science course is designed to engage students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships within the natural world. The course requires that students identify and analyze natural and human-made environmental problems, evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them. Environmental science is interdisciplinary, embracing topics from geology, biology, environmental studies, environmental science, chemistry, and geography. Students will spend a minimum of 25% of instructional time engaged in hands-on, inquiry-based laboratory and/or fieldwork investigations.