SCIENCE
D. REQUIREMENT
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The Science department supports the mission of Palisades Charter High School by offering science classes that develop a love of science through discovery, hands-on activities, labs, an understanding of scientific principles and development of science skills. Thus, students will be prepared to advance in their course work with the expectation of using their knowledge and skills to make a positive impact in their local, as well as global community. In accordance with the expectations of the CCSS and NGSS, students in science classes will use technology for informational retrieval, data acquisition and analysis, and communication and will develop knowledge about the natural world by using science and engineering skills in a hands-on curriculum.
FOR SCIENCE MAJORS:
PCHS' College Center recommends students to:
• Take four years of science.
• Take AP level courses in 10th and 11th grade (not sooner). Excel on CA required standards tests.
• Pursue math and science opportunities inside and outside of school to show evidence of a self-directed commitment and deep interest in math and science.
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT PREREQUISITES
Biology: No prerequisite
Honors Biology: Algebra 1 prerequisite, enrolled in Geometry or higher. (A grade in a previous science class highly recommended)
AP Biology: Completion of Biology AND Chemistry (A grade from previous Biology and Chemistry classes, A grade highly recommended from Honors Bio and Honors Chem classes)
Human Anatomy: Grade level 10 or above
Honors Human Anatomy: Completion of UCCI Env. Eng., Global Science, or Biology (A grade in College Prep or B or higher grade in Honors or AP Biology highly are recommended)
Honors Marine Biology: Grade 12 and completion of Biology or concurrent enrollment in any level Biology
Chemistry: Completion of Algebra 1
Honors Chemistry: Concurrent enrollment or completion of Algebra 2
AP Chemistry: Completion of Algebra 2 and Chemistry
Conceptual Physics: Algebra 1 prerequisite, enrolled in Geometry or higher.
Physics: Concurrent enrollment or completion of Advanced Math Concepts/Skills or higher
Honors Physics: Completion of Math Analysis. (Enrollment in Calculus is highly recommended)
AP Physics: Concurrent enrollment or completion of AP Calculus
Honors Environmental Science: Completion of Chemistry and Biology with a C or better, and completion of Algebra 1
AP Environmental Science: Completion of Biology AND Chemistry (A grade in College Prep classes and B grade or higher for Honors classes are highly recommended)
Honors Neuroscience: Grade 11 or above. Completion of Biology (B grade or higher is highly recommended. (1 semester elective class)
IS Astronomy: Fulfills the “G” elective requirement of the University of California. No prerequisite
IS Medical Terminology: No prerequisite. Does not meet an A-G elective for the UCs.
Global Science/ Environmental Engineering: No longer offered.
CP/HONORS BIOLOGY
FALL 360701H SPRING 360702H
Length:2 semesters
Credit: 5.0 per semester
Grade Level: 9-12
Postsecondary: Meets UC/CSU D requirement
Prerequisites: None for Biology
Honors Biology - Completion of Algebra 1. Earning an A in a previous science class is highly recommended.
This class will explore what it truly means to be alive based on six recurring themes: matter, energy and organization; cell structure and function; reproduction and inheritance; evolution; the interdependence of organisms; and stability and homeostasis.
Students taking Honors Biology require a solid background in chemistry and algebra to comprehend the underlying principles of modern cellular and molecular biology. Strong reading comprehension, work habits, and memorization-study skills are a must for this rigorous lab-based science class aligned to SATII standards.
Fall semester topics include: The Science of Life, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Cells, Photosynthesis, Cell Respiration, Cell Reproduction, Mendelian and Molecular Genetics, and DNA/ Protein Synthesis.
Spring semester topics include: Origin of Life, Evolution, Taxonomy, Plant Physiology, Animal Physiology, and Ecology.
AP BIOLOGY
FALL 360707 SPRING 360708
Length: 2 semesters
Credit: 5.0 per semester
Grade Level: 10-12
Postsecondary: Meets UC/CSU D requirement
(May transfer as college credit)
Prerequisites: Completion of Biology AND Chemistry (A grade from previous Biology and Chemistry classes, A grade highly recommended from Honors Bio and Honors Chem classes). Application will be posted in Schoology in February.
Summer: posted on summer AP Biology Schoology course, students are added after requesting with counselor
Students should contact the teacher jbenke@palihigh.org for more detailed information and possible summer work.
The revised AP Biology course is equivalent to a two semester college introductory biology course and has been endorsed enthusiastically by higher education officials. Students who take an AP Biology course designed using this curriculum framework as its foundation will also develop advanced inquiry and reasoning skills, such as designing a plan for collecting data, analyzing data, applying mathematical routines, and connecting concepts in and across domains. The result will be readiness for the study of advanced topics in subsequent college courses — a goal of every AP course.
The key concepts and related content that define the revised AP Biology course and exam are organized around a few underlying principles called the big ideas, which encompass the core scientific principles, theories and processes governing living organisms and biological systems. This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop a conceptual framework for modern biology by emphasizing: An understanding of science as a process which utilizes seven scientific practices rather than an accumulation of facts; the recognition of evolution as the foundation of modern biological models and thought; the integration of the general concepts and topics of biology through the four “Big Ideas”; and application of biological knowledge and critical thinking to environmental and social concerns.
The 7 “Science Practices” are that the student can:
1) use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve scientific problems; 2) use mathematics appropriately; 3) engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide investigations within the context of the AP course; 4) plan and implement data collection strategies appropriate to a particular scientific question; 5) perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence; 6) work with scientific explanations and theories; 7) is able to connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts and representations in and across domains.
The 4 “Big Ideas” are overarching features of biology that apply throughout the curriculum: 1) The
process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life. 2) Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce, and to maintain dynamic homeostasis. 3) Living systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to information essential to life processes. 4) Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties.
CP/HONORS HUMAN ANATOMY
FALL 360213H SPRING 360214H
Length: 2 semesters
Credit: 5.0 per semester
Grade Level: 10-12
Postsecondary: Meets UC/CSU D requirement
Prerequisites: None
Honors Anatomy: Global Science OR Biology. Earning an A grade in College Prep or B or higher grade in Honors or AP Biology highly are recommended.
This one-year rigorous fast-paced General Human Anatomy course introduces students to the structure of the Human Body through a systems approach involving lectures, projects and lab experiences, both virtual and in the classroom to understand the body systems, including endocrine, cardiovascular, nervous, integumentary, digestive, respiratory, urinary, muscular, skeletal, reproductive and lymphatic/immune systems. Significant emphasis will be placed on learning all blood vessels, nerves, bones, muscles of the human body. This course is a "D" lab science for 11th and 12th grade students, which requires Biology as a pre-requisite.
HONORS MARINE BIOLOGY
FALL 360603H SPRING 360604H
Length: 2 semesters
Credit: 5.0 per semester
Grade Level: 12
Postsecondary: Meets UC/CSU D requirement
Prerequisites: Biology
This course is offered as another life science option to fulfill the Laboratory Science requirement, focusing on marine ecosystems, properties of water, marine phyla and human impact on the marine environment.
It is designed around the UCLA model that uses Marine Biology by Castro and Huber, and The Living Ocean by Klemm, Reed, Pottenger, Porter, and Speitel. The Genetics and Evolution unit will use Modern Biology by Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.
This course has been prepared with the assistance of the UCLA SSWIMS program, and based on the teachings of Dr. William Hamner and Dr. Steve Strand in the SSWIMS program.
CP/ HONORS CHEMISTRY
FALL 361401H SPRING 361402H
Length: 2 semesters
Credit: 5.0 per semester
Grade Level: 9-12
Postsecondary: Meets UC/CSU D requirement
Prerequisites: Completion of Algebra 1
Honors Chemistry - Concurrent enrollment or completion of Algebra 2
Chemistry is designed to offer a rigorous and challenging course that covers the chemistry and chemical principles to prepare students for a college chemistry course. Students learn the usefulness and relevance of chemistry in both their intended fields of study and in the everyday world. Classroom instruction will emphasize laboratory experimentation, problem solving, and developing the interrelationships of theoretical principles through lecture and discussion. Regular homework assignments will include answering
questions and solving problems related to each topic studied, constructing interrelationships between conceptual materials as required, and preparing formal laboratory reports for selected experiments.
AP CHEMISTRY
FALL 361403 SPRING 361404
Length: 2 semesters
Credit: 5.0 per semester
Grade Level: 10-12
Postsecondary: Meets UC/CSU D requirement
Prerequisites: Completion of Algebra 2 and Chemistry.
Summer: contact teacher to join Schoology course. Students should contact the teacher csmith@palihigh.org for more detailed information and possible summer work
Advanced Placement Chemistry is a college level course that may be accepted by colleges for course credit. The focus of AP Chemistry is on the structure of matter, the kinetic theory of gasses, chemical equilibria, chemical kinetics and the basis of thermodynamics. Both problem solving skills and laboratory work are strongly emphasized.
CP/HONORS PHYSICS
FALL 361501H SPRING 361502H
Length: 2 semesters
Credit: 5.0 per semester
Grade Level: 11-12
Postsecondary: Meets UC/CSU D requirement
Prerequisites: Physics - Completion of Algebra 2
Honors Physics - Completion of Math Analysis Concurrent enrollment in Calculus is recommended but not required.
Physics and Honors Physics are a rigorous introduction to quantitative physics. Emphasis is placed upon the development of analytical problem solving skills and the written version of the scientific method. In addition, the courses are intended to improve the mathematical skills of the student, and to prepare the dedicated student for college. Topics include classical mechanics, waves, sound, light, and the Theory of Special Relativity.
Physics is non-Calculus based, while Honors Physics incorporates some Calculus. Physics students are required to have completed Algebra 2. In order to enroll in Honors Physics AB, a student must have already completed Math Analysis. Concurrent enrollment in Calculus is recommended but not required.
Students that wish to apply to the University of California or schools of comparable prestige or better are strongly encouraged to enroll in physics in high school to remain competitive for the limited slots available at these schools. Students considering studying the biological sciences or medicine are strongly encouraged to enroll in a physics course.
AP PHYSICS
Length: 2 semesters
Credit: 5.0 per semester
Grade Level: 11-12
Postsecondary: Meets UC/CSU D requirement
Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment, or completion, of AP Calculus AB/BC
AP Physics C is a rigorous, Calculus based introduction to quantitative physics. Students are required to concurrently enroll in, or have completed, AP Calculus. Topics include classical mechanics and classical electromagnetism. Emphasis is placed upon the development of analytical problem solving skills, and is intended for the serious student considering a career in science or engineering. Students that plan to enroll in AP Physics C in senior year may wish to consider enrolling in Physics AB or Honors Physics AB during junior year.
HONORS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
FALL 360501H SPRING 360502H
Length: 2 semesters
Credit: 5.0 per semester
Grade Level: 10-12
Postsecondary: Meets UC/CSU D requirement
Prerequisites: Successful completiong of Chemistry and Biology with a C grade or better. Must also complete Algebra 1.
The Honors Environmental Science course is a rigorous science course that emphasizes scientific principles and analysis which will include a laboratory component. The goal of this course is to provide 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 human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them.
Honors Environmental Science is interdisciplinary; it embraces a wide variety of topics from different areas of study. This course will focus on the following themes of Biology, Chemistry, and Earth Science: 1) Science is a process; 2) Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes; 3) The earth itself is one interconnected system; 4) Humans alter natural systems; 5) Environmental problems have a social and cultural context; and 6) Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems.
CONCEPTUAL PHYSICS
FALL 361507 SPRING 361508
Length: 2 semesters
Credit: 5.0 per semester
Grade Level: 9-12
Postsecondary: Meets UC/CSU D requirement
Prerequisites: Algebra 1 or higher taken concurrently
The course will begin to develop problem solving skills in students, and will have a laboratory component that will introduce the student to the written version of the scientific method. Although the course will be largely conceptual, students are required to have already completed Algebra I prior to enrollment. Topics include mechanics, electromagnetism, waves, sound, light, and modern physics. The course will be open to students of all grade levels. Successful completion of Conceptual Physics will easily enable students to enroll in more advanced physics courses in junior and/ or senior year.
AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
FALL 360507 SPRING 360508H
Length: 2 semesters
Credit: 5.0 per semester
Grade Level: 10-12
Postsecondary: Meets UC/CSU D requirement
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Biology and Chemistry. Contact the teacher for additional information: sengelmann@palihigh.org.
AP Environmental Science is a college course offered in high school to students who are extremely motivated and interested in learning
more about the interactions of man and the environment.
The goal is to provide 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 human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them.
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (E.A.S.T.)
FALL 360503 SPRING 360504
Length: 2 semesters
Credit: 5.0
Grade Level: 9-12
PCHS: tech and computer credit
Prerequisites: None
Environmental Studies (Environmental and Spatial Technology - E.A.S.T.) is a year-long course that combines community service, independent study and technology. Students are given the opportunity to design their own community service project and use the technologies available to implement
their plan. Students may choose to work alone, in a small group, or sometimes, as a whole class, to address and solve the world's problems. The projects are entirely student selected and driven. Technologies
available include: word processing, spreadsheets, database, webpage design, animation, image processing, video editing, geographic information systems (GIS), geographic positioning system (GPS), and computer aided design (CAD).
ASTRONOMY (INDEPENDENT STUDY)
FALL 361711 FALL 361712
Length: 2 semesters
Credit: 5.0 per semester
Grade Level: 10-12
Postsecondary: Meets UC/CSU G requirement
Prerequisites: None
Astronomy AB is an independent study elective designed to introduce the student to the study of the universe. The course covers the celestial sphere, the Solar System, stars, galaxies, and cosmology. The course incorporates a large number of online computer-based laboratory exercises. In
addition, students will be able to explore the night sky several times during the year with a computerized telescope during “star parties” to be conducted both on and off campus.
HONORS NEUROSCIENCE
FALL 360715H SPRING 360716H
Length: 1 semester
Credit: 5.0
Grade Level: 11-12
Postsecondary: Meets UC/CSU G requirement
Prerequisites: Biology or Human Anatomy
This course will be an honors, laboratory-based introduction to neuroscience. This course will introduce students to the general principles and theories of neuroscience. The course explores the complexities of the human nervous system. This course will introduce students to neuroanatomy,
neurophysiology and neurochemistry as a foundation for the eventual understanding of neural basis of behavior and cognition. Students will explore how the brain supports perception, cognition, emotion, and action, and how these brain-behavior relationships may be disrupted in certain neurological disorders. Throughout the course we will emphasize hypothesis testing and understanding primary sources. The course will also deepen understanding of concepts learned in both biology and chemistry courses.
Topics covered will include:
the structure and function of the nervous system from the microscopic inner workings of a single nerve cell, to the transmission of signals within a complex network of neurons, sensation, attention, memory, language acquisition, motivation, critical windows of learning and consciousness, cognitive development, behavioral genetics, and the effects of carious drugs on the nervous system. These topics will be covered through discussions, demonstrations, lectures, student presentations, journal articles, research projects, and laboratory investigations.
All of the modalities of learning support developing oral communications skills and listening, developing analytical thinking and research skills, reading and writing within the context of this course. In addition, students will problem solve through various scenarios presented within the content of the course.
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