Science

Science 9 is an introduction to high school science that covers topics including space systems, the history of the Earth, earth's systems, weather and climate, and human sustainability. In addition, students will gain the skills of scientific inquiry including modeling complex systems, providing explanations, and analyzing data to form conclusions. This freshman course meets PLHS science graduation requirements.

Science 9 Honors is a rigorous introductory high school science course designed for highly motivated students. This course covers a variety of topics related to astronomy, history of the earth, geology, climate, and sustainability. Additionally, students will learn basic chemistry to gain foundational knowledge for AP Biology.

The Science 9 Spanish Immersion course is a survey of several geophysical areas that is taught completely in Spanish.  Students will learn about earth's formation as well as internal processes like plate tectonics.  They will also learn about earth's surface by studying atmosphere and climate, soil, and natural disasters.  Throughout the year, students will examine how humans impact natural processes and how that impact can be mitigated. 9th Grade Science Standards will be met while students simultaneously build their fluency in Spanish as writers, readers, and collaborators. The course will be open to Spanish Immersion students as well as heritage Spanish speaking students.

Biology is a year-long course for sophomores that includes where students apply knowledge of ecology,  biochemistry, genetics, natural selection, and cell biology to understand real-world phenomena. Students will complete several labs which include outdoor components assessing our local ecosystem.

Advanced Placement allows students to take a college level course while still in high school. This course is weighted due to its increased rigor and work load. Students are expected to spend 30-60 minutes every day reading, reviewing, writing, and exploring concepts in a self-directed manner. AP Biology concludes with a college level assessment, the AP Biology Exam.  The AP Biology Exam gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their mastery of college-level coursework.  More than 90% of four year colleges and universities grant credit, placement or both on the basis of successful completion of the AP Biology Exam.  The course is based on a college freshman level course for biology majors.

AP Biology is broken down into four “Big Ideas” that will be explored throughout the course.

Big Idea 1:  The process of Evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.

Big Idea 2:  Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce, and to maintain dynamic homeostasis.

Big Idea 3:  Living systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to information essential to life processes.

Big Idea 4:  Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties.

Student directed inquiry-based laboratory activities will make up at least 25% of the course.  There will be a minimum of two laboratory exercises for each of the four “Big Ideas” in this course.  During laboratory activities students will be encouraged to engage in generating questions for investigations, choosing variables to investigate, design and conduct experiments, design their own experimental procedures, collect, interpret and display data, and determine how to present their conclusions.

Chemistry is a year-long course intended to expand the student’s knowledge of chemical concepts and applied mathematics.  Chemistry is highly recommended for college-bound students and a “must” for science-related careers.  Students must pass Algebra II before enrolling in this course.  Completion of General, Honors, or HHS Chemistry is a prerequisite for the Anatomy & Physiology course.  Students will be assessed based on laboratory work, worksheets, tests and quizzes. 

Chemistry will cover the following topics:

First quarter: Introductory topics, scientific measurements and problem solving, chemical names and formulas, chemical reactions, molar quantities.     

Second quarter: Stoichiometry, water and aqueous systems, solutions, equilibrium.

Third quarter: Acids & bases, gas laws, electron configuration and light

Fourth quarter: Periodic table trends, covalent bonding, organic chemistry

Huskies in the High School (HHS) Chemistry is offered as part of a “College in the Schools”-type program.  This PLHS program is administered by State Cloud State University and students have the opportunity to earn college-level chemistry credits that may be accepted for general education credit by many Minnesota colleges and universities.  This year-long course follows the curriculum of Chemistry 160 offered as a semester course at SCSU.  Students will attend class at Prior Lake High School, but earn credit through SCSU.

Students will receive a college transcript at the end of the course. These credits may be accepted by many colleges and universities as a general science or elective credit.  Juniors in the top 1/3 of their class and seniors in the top ½ of their class are eligible to participate in this course.  

HHS Chemistry is a highly math-based subject and students must have strong algebra and logic skills. 

HHS Chemistry is a more rigorous course than Honors Chemistry. It will also have a stronger emphasis on laboratory skills.  It is highly recommended that students have strong math grades (B+ or better) and are more motivated to learn on their own, as many topics will be research based.  HHS Chemistry is a weighted course that will cover about 20% more material each quarter than General Chemistry.  Students are required to take one field trip during the school year to St. Cloud State University to perform a lab on the college campus.

This is a year-long weighted course.

A student may take either quarter one and two or quarter three and four. Each course is a set of two quarters.  A student wishing to take quarter two must take quarter one and a student who wishes to take quarter four must take quarter three. Students may take all four quarters to get a full year of science.  The class requires a minimum level of mathematics. Most of the emphasis of the course will be on understanding the underlying concepts that often get lost in the math. Throughout the class, we will attempt to answer many of the real-world questions that students might have related to chemistry.

Students who plan on attending a four-year college should enroll in General or HHS level.

The units we will cover are:

First Quarter:  Chemical Reactions, Careers in Chemistry, Acids & Bases, Basic Atomic Structure

Second Quarter:  Ionic Bonding & Compounds, Solutions & Moles, Isotopes, Reaction Rates, The Group IV Project 

Third Quarter: History of the Atom, Gas Laws, Covalent Bonding & Compounds, Brain Chemistry, Quantum Mechanics & Electron Configurations, Basic Organic Chemistry

Fourth Quarter:  Petroleum, Science Ethics, Nuclear Chemistry, Adv. Organic Chemistry

General physics is a year-long course that covers the MN academic standards in science for physics.  Physics is a highly math-based subject and students must have strong algebra and trigonometry skills. 

General Physics is a good preparatory course for students planning on attending a four year college.  Juniors and seniors who meet the PSEO eligibility requirements may want to consider HHS Physics, which offers the opportunity for college credit.  In General Physics, we cover a broader range of physics topics, but place less emphasis on the independent research required for HHS.

During the year we will cover scientific method, societal changes resulting from physics, scientific measurement, vectors, Newtonian mechanics (the study of motion and the forces that cause motion), gravitational forces, potential energy, kinetic energy, work, power, momentum, oscillatory systems, waves, electrical/ magnetic fields, simple electrical circuits, nature of light, electromagnetic spectrum, optics, heat transfer, pressure, fluid mechanics, atomic physics and relativity.  

Throughout the year students will perform a series of experiments, view in-class demonstrations and watch videos that support the textbook material.  During fourth quarter, students will prepare for an optional physics field trip to Valleyfair for MN Physics Day.

The AP Physics C: Mechanics/Electricity and Magnetism is a calculus-based, college-level physics course. It is especially appropriate for students planning to specialize or major in physical science or engineering. The course explores topics such as kinematics; Newton's laws of motion; work, energy and power; systems of particles and linear momentum; circular motion and rotation; oscillations and gravitation; electrostatics; conductors, capacitors; dielectrics; electric circuits; magnetic fields; and electromagnetism. Introductory differential and integral calculus is used throughout the course. This is a year-long, weighted course and students must have extremely strong math skills to succeed in this course. This is a fast-paced, extremely competitive calculus based course that prepares you to take both the AP Physics C Mechanics test and the AP Physics C Electricity and Magnetism test. AP Physics C is the most intense physics offering at PLHS.

This is a year-long weighted course.

Huskies in the High School (HHS) Physics is offered as part of "College in the Schools"-type program.  This PLHS program is administered by State Cloud State University and students have the opportunity to earn college physics credits that may be accepted for general education credit by many Minnesota colleges and universities.  This year-long, weighted course follows the curriculum of Physics 231 offered as a semester course at SCSU.  Students will attend class at PLHS, but earn credit through SCSU.

Students will receive a college transcript at the end of this course.  These credits may be accepted by many colleges and universities as a general science or elective credit.  Juniors in the top 1/3 of their class and seniors in the top ½ of their class are eligible to participate in this course.

 Physics is a highly math-based subject and students must have strong algebra and trigonometry skills.

During the year we will cover vectors; kinematics; static equilibrium; work and energy; linear momentum; rotational work; elasticity; fluid statics and dynamics; heat and temperature; kinetic theory of gasses and laws of thermodynamics. During fourth quarter, students will prepare for an optional physics field trip to Valleyfair for MN Physics Day.  Throughout the year students will perform a series of experiments, view in-class demonstrations and watch videos that support the textbook material. Class emphasis will be placed on lab technique and independent research will be required outside of class.

Students who plan on attending a four-year college should enroll in General or HHS level.

Quarter 1- Hot Physics: Electricity & Magnetism, Heat, and Nuclear Physics:  Included will be a basic look at Kinetic Theory and its related effects.  Students will also look at the methods of heat transfer.  Electrostatics and Electric current will be covered, including methods of charging and circuit design.  Basic magnetism will be analyzed, including mapping magnetic fields.  Finally, we will look at nuclear physics, including fission, fusion, carbon-dating and health uses of radioisotopes.

Some of the big questions we will attack:  Why is it that when one Christmas tree light goes out they all go out?  How do we build a better thermos?  How do you make a magnet?  How do they know how old a mummy is?  Just how dangerous is nuclear power anyway?  How does the sun work?

Quarter 2- Wave Physics: Waves, Sound & Light, The Electromagnetic Spectrum and The Dual Nature of Matter:  Included will be a study of Wave Basics, Sound, Light, Color, Reflection, Refraction, Lenses, Diffraction, Interference and the Doppler Effect. 

Some of the big questions we will attack:  Why is the sky blue?  How do glasses work?  What causes rainbows?  How does a telescope work?  Why did the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse?  How do X-rays work?  How are matter and energy related?

Quarter 3- Classical Physics: Mechanics:  Included will be a study of Linear Motion, Projectile Motion, Newton’s Three Laws of Motion, Forces and Gravity.  Special attention will be paid to gravity as a force and its effects on motion.  We will look at accelerated and non-accelerated motion.  Students will graph data and use it to make conclusions.  Students will be working graphically with vectors, so rulers and protractors are required for this section of the class.

Some of the big questions we will attack:  What is gravity?  Why don’t we notice the earth moving?  Why do I get pushed to the outside of a car going around a corner?  What causes tides?  What causes Eclipses?  Why do we have seasons?  What is a black hole?

Quarter 4- Momentum, Energy, Relativity:  This quarter will take physics from the classical world to the modern world.  We take a look at the various forms and types of energy as well as ways that energy is conserved and transformed.  We will spend a little time on momentum and collisions.  We will end with a look at the Special and General Theories of Relativity. 

Some of the big questions for this unit include:  What does Conservation Laws tell us?  Why is a perpetual motion machine impossible?  If you start with two people of the same age and let one fly off at the speed of light for a year, why is he only a year older while the other person is now old?

Big Bang Physics is a course that will explore the impact of modern physics topics such as quantum mechanics, relativity, and the standard model on the world of physics.  Students will use a variety of data collection and statistical analysis methods to make predictions and verify discoveries made in the 20th and 21st century.  From particles a billion times smaller than an atom to black holes with masses thousands of times that of our own sun, this course will look at what happens when the rules of physics are used to analyze extreme scenarios, their limitations, and some new theories that hope to address the inconsistencies that arise when applying current physics.

Did you find genetics interesting during biology class? Were you intrigued by CRISPR and DNA fingerprinting? Are you thinking about studying science or medicine? Genetics & Biotechnology is a semester-long course designed to integrate genetics and DNA related concepts with medicine, diseases, and technology. Additional topics covered include molecular genetics, transmission of genes, medical genetics, restriction enzymes, plasmid DNA, protein identification, DNA extraction and purification, enzyme-linked immunoassays, and new cancer treatments.

Environmental science focuses on applying what you learned in other science classes to solve problems that impact people and ecosystems. You will learn about local environmental issues such as road salt, sustainable yards, mosquito overpopulation, and endangered bumblebees. Students will learn in a variety of ways including outdoor labs and field trips. Field trips include sampling local waterways to collect data for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and seed collection for Three Rivers’ prairies restoration efforts. Projects include designing a playground, building a passive solar home model, and hatching brine shrimp.

Advanced Placement Environmental Science (APES) is a year-long, weighted course. The rigor and scope of the curriculum allows students to qualify for college credits after successful completion of the Advanced Placement test given in May.

APES introduces the principles of environmental science including ecological studies, population biology, land and water use, atmospheric chemistry, energy resources, resource management, sustainability, environmental ethics, and legislation. Lab experiments include outdoor field studies in local forests, grasslands, and ponds. The course addresses the major environmental issues of our time: human population, food production and availability, energy production and use, pollution, climate change, biodiversity, and more. Solutions to these issues are explored in the lab as well as through research.

APES is a course designed to help students practice the skill of cross-curricular reasoning. We spend significant time examining complex problems from multiple perspectives, discussing the consequences of these problems from an environmental, economic, and political perspective, and searching for solutions that are scientifically, socially, and financially sustainable.

This is a year-long weighted course.

Have you ever wondered about what exists beyond our planet? How have we learned about what’s in the sky when it’s so far away? 

Astronomy is a one semester course that focuses on both theoretical and observational astronomy. We will learn about the history and culture of astronomy and how our knowledge of the universe developed over time. We will observe the motion of and change in constellations, planets, the sun, and the moon throughout the course of a night, a month, a year, and over millennia. We will learn about the basics of telescopes for both recreational and professional astronomy. Additionally, we will study topics like stellar and planetary formation, exoplanets, the potential for life, space exploration, galaxies, popular satellites like Hubble and James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and other topics about the universe. It is recommended that enrolled students have a strong background in science and math.

Do you want to connect the fields of science, and further prepare yourself for science in college?

This course revolves around the application of the principles of chemistry and physics to the biological processes occurring inside living organisms.  We will cover the four biomolecules: carbohydrates, lipids proteins and nucleic acids and the many molecules they form.  We will also cover the bioenergetic processes that create and utilize these molecules.

We will perform lab techniques including protein chemistry and assays, as well as the use of different laboratory procedures for testing for, and separating biomolecules.  We will also cover the use of bioinformatics in pharmaceutical design, solution chemistry inside living organisms, and the use of enzymes in biochemical reactions. Considerable time will be spent working cooperatively in the laboratory.  Laboratory work will include experimental design as well as prototype design and testing. 

Time will be spent learning to write a professional report including a valid lab protocol and analysis. These reports will be subject to the instructor as well as peer review.

This course is designed to challenge students with topics such as fingerprinting, DNA analysis, blood typing and spattering, trajectories (for ballistics as well as blood spattering), facial reconstruction, anthropology, entomology, arson investigation, autopsy, case studies, and chemical analysis of drugs, poisons, and trace evidence, and the procedures of evidence ethics and collection.

Students will learn about the careers involved with Forensic Science and will play mock roles as experts in the field to solve crimes.  They will learn teamwork in solving the mock crimes and have a chance to learn the different roles in forensics as the year progresses.  The students will all be given the tools to interpret data and techniques involved for physical, biological, and chemical analysis of evidence.

Are you interested in entering the medical field some day, perhaps as a nurse, surgeon, or physical therapist? Do you enjoy hands-on experiences involving real specimens that you can apply to understand how your own body works? Are you one of those people who enjoyed the academic and technical challenges of pig dissection? If the answer is yes, then this is the course for you. Anatomy and physiology is a deep dive into the "what" and "how" of the human body. Students will learn about the integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, sensory, and digestive systems, as well as articulations and cytology and histology. Highlights include dissection of a sheep brain, sheep heart, and entire cat. This class includes an interactive virtual field trip to open heart surgery.

This is a yearlong course for students who are academically strong in science classes. 

This course will begin with an introduction to microbes such as bacteria, viruses and fungi.  We will then transition to how these microbes interact with humans and have the potential to cause diseases.  Any disease causing agent can cause a disruption to the homeostasis of an organism.  We will also highlight feedback mechanisms that organisms use to rebalance their bodily functions.  The Immune system is vital for these mechanisms to work and throughout this course we will learn how the human immune system works to maintain homeostasis.  Finally, we will include the community health approach to responding to disease, whether it be a small scale outbreak, a widespread epidemic/pandemic, or just community prevention/response to a disease.