MPS HS Program of Studies 2023-2024

Our science education program promotes stewardship through students understanding the world around them, both locally and globally, by investigating phenomenon. These authentic phenomena inspire curiosity and motivate students to develop solutions to real world problems. Through engaging tasks and students’ questions, you will use scientific practices to provide explanations, analyze data and communicate findings. Beyond the classroom, students will be able to make informed decisions by using these skills to make the world a better place.

Recommended Course Sequence

Science update 23 24 POS

THE LIVING EARTH

Grade 9 (1.0 Credits)

Level: 1-551115, 2-552115, 3-553115

The Living Earth is a laboratory-based, college preparatory course that introduces students to the wonder of Biology with Earth Science. The interactions between the biosphere and the rest of Earth’s systems influence our everyday lives, from the food that we eat to the air that we breathe. Students begin with phenomena and use them to enhance their conceptual understandings of the following core ideas in Biology: Ecosystem Interactions and Stability; The Role of Energy in Living Systems; Human Activity and Its Impact; Evidence of Evolution; Inheritance of Traits; and Structure, Function and Growth in Organisms. This course lays the foundation for further study in sciences and also serves as an AP Biology and AP Environmental Science readiness course.

CHEMISTRY & THE EARTH SYSTEM

Grade 9,10 (1.0 Credits)

Levels: 1-551210, 2-552210, 3-553210

Chemistry and the Earth System is a laboratory-based, college preparatory course that integrates Chemistry with Earth Science concepts and aligns with the expectations of the Next Generation Science Standards. Students will be asked to use evidence, evaluate claims, and develop models to interpret the unseen. Students begin with phenomena and use them to enhance their conceptual understandings of the following core ideas: The Origins and Structure of Matter; Chemical Reactions and Interactions; The Chemistry of Abiotic and Biotic Systems; Heat and Energy in the Earth System;; and The Chemistry of Sustainability and Climate Change. This course lays the foundation for further study in sciences and also serves as an AP Chemistry and AP Environmental Science readiness course. Prerequisite: Concurrently enrolled in or successful completion of The Living Earth

PHYSICS OF THE UNIVERSE

Grade 10,11,12 (1.0 Credits)

Levels: 1-551232, 2-552232, 3-553232

Physics of the Universe is a laboratory-based, college preparatory course that meets the expectations of the Next Generation Science Standards. This course presents a study of the interconnection between the physical sciences and the earth sciences and how they affect our everyday lives. Students will use evidence, evaluate claims, and develop models to interpret scientific phenomena. Students begin with phenomena and use them to enhance their conceptual understandings of the following core ideas: Earth and the Solar system; Earth Materials and Systems; Forces and Interactions; and Energy and Waves. This course lays the foundation for continued study in the sciences and also serves as an Advanced Placement readiness course. Pre-Requisites: Successful completion of, or concurrent enrollment in Chemistry and the Earth System.

AP BIOLOGY

Grade 10,11,12 (1.5 Credits)

Level: AP-550151

This course is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester introductory college course. This course is for highly motivated 10th, 11th and 12th grade students who have a strong interest in biology or who wish to pursue careers in science, medicine, scientific research or teaching. An emphasis on laboratory work, research, and independent study provides students with the conceptual framework, factual knowledge and analytical skills necessary to deal with this rapidly changing science. This course runs an additional two periods in the six day cycle to meet the AP Lab requirements. Students taking this course are required to take the AP exam given in the spring. Prerequisite: Successful completion of The Living Earth and Chemistry & the Earth System.

AP CHEMISTRY (UCONN CHEM 1127/1128)

Grade 11,12 (1.5 Credits)

Level: AP-550176

This course is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester introductory college course. This course is for those highly motivated students who intend to major in science in college. It is a college-level chemistry course with emphasis placed on equilibrium bonding theory, stoichiometry, and individual lab work. This course runs an additional two periods in the six day cycle to meet the AP Lab requirements. Students taking this course are required to take the AP exam given in the spring. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Chemistry & the Earth System and Algebra II. Course offered for UCONN ECE credit for Chem 1127/1128.

AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Grade 10,11,12 (1.5 Credits)

Level: AP-550311

This course is designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester introductory college course. This course provides students with the scientific principles, concepts and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and man-made, to evaluate the risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them. This course runs an additional two periods in the six day cycle. Students taking this course are required to take the AP exam given in the spring. Prerequisite: Successful completion of The Living Earth and enrolled in or completion of Chemistry & the Earth System. Course offered for UCONN ECE credit for NRE 1000 at Jonathan Law HS only.

AP PHYSICS 1

Grade 10,11,12 (1.5 Credits)

Level: AP-550231

This course is designed to be the equivalent of a first semester introductory college course. This course is for highly motivated 10th, 11th and 12th grade students who have a strong interest in science or who wish to pursue studies in science, engineering or other non-science college programs which have science requirements. AP Physics 1 rigorously covers topics in Newtonian mechanics; work, energy and power; momentum; rotational motion; and simple harmonic motion. This course runs an additional two periods in the six day cycle to meet the AP Lab requirements. Students taking this course are required to take the AP exam given in the spring. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Geometry and Algebra II.

AP PHYSICS 2

Grade 11,12 (1.5 Credits)

Level: AP-550241

This course is designed to be the equivalent of a second-semester college course in algebra-based physics. This course is for highly motivated 11th and 12th grade students who have a strong interest in science or who wish to pursue studies in science and engineering. AP Physics 2 rigorously covers topics in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, optics, atomic and nuclear physics, and modern physics. This course runs an additional two periods in the six day cycle to meet the AP Lab requirements. Students taking this course are required to take the AP exam given in the spring. Prerequisite: AP Physics 1 and concurrently enrolled in/successful completion of Precalculus.

FORENSIC SCIENCE

Grades 11, 12 (0.5 Credits)

Level: ES-55E320

Students will research recent and past forensic cases through this laboratory-based course as they cultivate their scientific reasoning and observation skills. Students will use science and engineering practices while analyzing blood spatter patterns, DNA, hair and fiber evidence, fingerprints, handwriting, impressions and other physical evidence commonly found at crime scenes. This course is aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards and explores concepts related to methods of identifying, collecting and interpreting physical evidence, understanding the role of forensic science in the criminal justice system, and forensic careers. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Living Earth and Chemistry & The Earth System

HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

Grade 10,11,12 (1.0 Credits)

Level: ES - 55E325

This course teaches students the basic anatomy and physiology of the human body. It is a foundation for courses in allied health fields and gives students a basic understanding of the human body necessary for their everyday lives. Next Generation science and engineering practices such as developing and using models, and constructing explanations will be evident in daily instruction. Cross cutting concepts such as structure and function, stability and change, and cause and effect will be explored regularly. Study will include dissection of selected mammalian organs and organisms, oral and written presentations of selected research topics, as well as presentations and discussions of current issues related to human biology. Prerequisite: Successful completion of The Living Earth.

Medical Mysteries

Grade 10,11,12 (0.5 Credits)

Level: 2 552206

Students in this course will learn about the structure and function of the human body as they collect and analyze medical data while solving medical mysteries! In each unit, students will be presented with symptoms and work to diagnose the patient. Students will learn about organ system form and function through research and experimentation of disorders that can lead to a breakdown of the human body. Prerequisite: Successful completion of The Living Earth.

INTRODUCTION TO METEOROLOGY

Grade 10,11,12 (0.5 Credits)

Level: 2-552335

This course is designed to introduce the interested student to the wonders of weather and climate. The curriculum will focus on the study of physical science and relationships to our environment by implementing the 3D model of instruction. Topics representing the identified content strands will include energy and moisture in the atmosphere, air pressure and global/local wind patterns as well as climate change and human impact on and effects of climate. Next Generation Science Standards and engineering practices such as modeling, investigation of patterns, analysis of cause and effect and comparisons of stability and change will be evident in the daily instruction. Cross cutting concepts such as cause and effect, patterns and systems/system models will be explored regularly. Special consideration will be given to implementation of lab activities designed to investigate natural phenomenon.

MARINE SCIENCE

Grade 10,11,12 (1.0 Credits)

Level: 2-552330

This course studies marine organisms and the physical and chemical aspects of the ocean environment. Marine Science will also deal with basic concepts in chemistry, physics, geology, and how they interact in both global and local marine ecosystems. The use of various testing and recording equipment, as well as in-depth studies done by students in different areas of interest is also included. Dissections and field studies in local environments are an essential part of the course. Next Generation Science Standards and engineering practices such as Asking Questions, Developing and Using Models, Constructing Explanations, Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information will be evident in the daily instruction. Cross cutting concepts such as Patterns, Stability and Change, Energy and Matter, Structure and Function and Cause and Effect will be explored regularly.

PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY

Grade 11, 12 (0.5 Credits)

Level: ES - 55E340

Pharmaceutical Chemistry (“Pharm Chem”) is a semester elective that will introduce students to biological chemistry and the pharmacology of drugs. Students will work toward a detailed understanding of how a variety of chemical compounds affect the human body, and the connection between molecular structure (of the drug) and biological activity (in the body). Students who would benefit most from this kind of course would be those contemplating a career as in medicine, such as a physician, physician’s assistant (PA), nurse, pharmacist, or, in any of the many associated health professions, such as physical therapy, psychology, and dentistry. Next Generation Science and engineering practices such as asking questions, analyzing and interpreting data, and constructing explanations and engineering solutions based on evidence and reasoning will be evident in the daily instruction. Cross cutting concepts such as cause and effect of use of drugs, chemical structure and function of drugs, and how drugs influence stability and change in a body will be explored regularly. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Chemistry and the Earth System

ASTRONOMY

Grade 11,12 (0.5 Credits)

Level: 2-552320

This course includes investigations into the history of astronomical discoveries, the scale, structure and evolution of the Solar System, the classification and evolution of stars, the Milky Way Galaxy, the distribution of different galaxies, the Big Bang, and cosmology. Study of these topics will be facilitated through the use of both the planetarium and the observatory. Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and engineering practices such as Asking Questions and Defining Problems, Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Developing and Using Models, Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information and Using Mathematical and Computational Thinking will be evident in the daily instruction. Cross cutting concepts such as systems and system models, Scale, Proportion, and Quantity, Patterns, Stability and Change, Interdependence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World will be explored regularly. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Physics of the Universe or AP Physics