Science
To acquaint students with important scientific concepts and inquiry skills, the high school science program emphasizes the big ideas in Environmental Science, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, as well as the connections between these key subject areas. (To this end, the science program requires that all students enroll in Biology, Chemistry and Physics in their freshman, sophomore and junior years respectively.)
Selection to honors courses is determined on an individualized basis using multiple indicators to ensure success for future study in science. These indicators include the teacher’s assessment of the student’s mathematical reasoning and problem solving skills in science, day-to-day classroom performance and grades.
Environmental Science (4714SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 9
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: Teacher Recommendation
This 9th grade science course will be organized around the understandings of physical, life, and Earth science from an environmental perspective. Students will develop an understanding of a range of environmental issues, as well as the importance of social and civic responsibility. This course will explore the balances between ecosystems, pollution, and the responsible use of resources on a global and local area. Prerequisite: teacher recommendation.
Biology CP (4204SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 9
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: Teacher Recommends Concurrent Enrollment: Regular or Higher Geometry CP; Teacher Recommendation
This is a ninth grade college prep course, which investigates the underlying principles of life science. Laboratory work is stressed with an emphasis on student initiated and designed experimentation to investigate, test hypotheses and develop concepts. Areas of study include the skills and techniques of biology, heredity and DNA, organisms through time, human biology, ecology, and bacteriology and viruses.
Biology (4204GN)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 10
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: Teacher Recommendation
This is a tenth grade college prep course, which investigates the underlying principles of life science. Laboratory work is stressed with an emphasis on student initiated and designed experimentation to investigate, test hypotheses and develop concepts. Areas of study include the skills and techniques of biology, heredity and DNA, organisms through time, human biology, ecology, and bacteriology and viruses.
Biology Advanced (4254SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 9
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: Teacher Recommends Concurrent Enrollment in Geometry H or Higher; Teacher Recommendation
This is an accelerated 9th grade college prep course, which investigates the underlying principles of life science. Laboratory work is stressed with an emphasis on student initiated and designed experimentation to investigate, test hypotheses, and develop concepts. Areas of study include the skills and techniques of biology, cellular biology, DNA and genetics, organisms through time, and ecology.
Anatomy and Physiology (4232SC)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Teacher Recommendation
This is a full year honors elective for grade 12 students that deals mainly with the human body and its related functions. To understand the human body, it is necessary to understand how its parts are put together and how they work in conjunction with one another. The course will begin with a review of the cell, the levels of organization (from cell to organism), anatomical terminology, an overview of the ten body systems, and a brief look into tissue systems and organization. After this foundation has been laid, the following individual systems will be looked at in more detail: (1) Body Covering and Framework (2) the Muscular System and Kinesiology, (3) the Nervous System (4) the Endocrine and Cardiovascular Systems, (5) the Digestive and Renal Systems and (6) the Reproductive System.
Biology AP (4220SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - Advanced Placement; Grade 12
Credit Value: 6.0
Prerequisite: Biology Honors, Chemistry Honors and concurrent enrollment in Physics Honors, Teacher Recommendation, and Completion of Summer Assignment
This is a second year of Biology taught at the college level. Areas of study include the diversity and organization of life, metabolism and biochemistry, responsiveness and behavior, reproduction and heredity, evolution and ecology. The course is laboratory-oriented with emphasis on the relationship between structure and function, microbiology, and the use of the scientific method. There is provision for individual research work. This is a 12th grade elective designed to prepare students to pass the Advanced Placement Exam in Biology.
Chemistry CP (4404SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 10
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: Biology; Concurrent Enrollment in Algebra II CP or Higher
This is the standard 10th grade science course. It is a study of the composition of substances and the changes they undergo. The course is designed to give the student an understanding of the fundamental principles of inorganic chemistry through the development of chemical laws and theories, giving the student a logical interpretation of chemical phenomena. Emphasis is placed upon the relationship of atomic structure and bonding to the physical and chemical properties of substances.
Chemistry (4404GN)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grades 10-11
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommends Biology; Geometry
This course is designed for 10th and 11th grade students and combines general chemistry principles with real world applications. Emphasis is placed on the Periodic Table as a tool, atomic structure, properties of matter, chemical bonding and reactions. This is a college preparatory lab course.
Chemistry Honors (4402SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 10
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: Biology and Concurrent Enrollment in Algebra II E; Teacher Recommendation.
This is a course for 10th graders that comprises a study of the composition of substances and the changes they undergo. The course is designed to give the student an understanding of the fundamental principles of inorganic chemistry through the development of chemical laws and theories. Emphasis is placed upon the relationship of atomic structure and bonding to the physical and chemical properties of substances. Topics include stoichiometry, chemical reactions, atomic orbitals and the gas laws. The mathematical foundation of modern chemical theory is emphasized.
Chemistry AP (4420SC)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Advanced Placement; Grade 12
Credit Value: 6.0
Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry H; Concurrent Enrollment in Physics H or Higher; Completion of Summer Assignment; Teacher Recommendation.
This is an elective designed to be the equivalent of the General Chemistry course usually taken during the first year of college. This course differs qualitatively from the first year of chemistry with respect to the topics covered, the emphasis on chemical calculations, the mathematical formulation of principles and the nature of lab work assigned.
Advanced Topics in Environmental Science (4712SC)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry; Teacher Recommendation
This is an inquiry-based, full year lab elective for 12th grade students. Fieldwork and lab work will be emphasized. Issues of social and civic responsibility will be stressed. This course will explore the balances between ecosystems, pollution, and the responsible use of resources. Students will explore the social and scientific aspects of global environmental issues, with particular emphasis on air pollution, water pollution, and energy resources in the northern New Jersey area.
Environmental Science AP (4710SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - Advanced Placement; Grade 12
Credit Value: 6.0
Prerequisite: Biology, Chemistry Honors; Concurrent Enrollment in Physics H; Teacher Recommendation
The goal of the Environmental Science AP 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 both natural and human-made environmental problems, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them. This is a 12th grade elective designed to prepare students to pass the Advanced Placement Exam in Environmental Science.
Forensic Science CP (4722SC)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: Successful completion of one of the following three-year sequences: Environmental Science, Biology, Chemistry, or Biophysical Science, Biology, Chemistry, or Biology, Chemistry, Physics; Teacher Recommendation
This course provides an introduction to understanding the science behind crime detection and analysis. The course emphasizes the techniques used in evaluating physical evidence and laboratory techniques currently employed in forensic investigation. Topics included are: blood analysis, microscopic investigation, hair analysis, DNA, drug chemistry, and toxicology, fiber comparisons, glass compositions and fragmentation, and fingerprints.
Forensic Science Honors (4724SC)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisites: Biology, Chemistry CP or higher; Physics CP or higher
Science is a way of thinking about investigating the world in which we live, not merely a collection of facts and theories. The goal of science education is to provide students with well-conceived opportunities to investigate the natural world and to use those explanations to make useful predictions.
Forensic Science is focused on the application of scientific methods and techniques to crime and law. Recent advancements in scientific methods and principles have had an enormous impact upon law enforcement and the entire criminal justice system. This course is intended to provide an introduction to integrate and apply their knowledge of biology, chemistry and physics to crime detection.
It is an expectation that students electing to take Forensic Science Honors enroll in the SUPA program. This program provides college credit through Syracuse University. The cost for next year will be $115 per credit hour. Forensics is a 4-credit course: $460.
Genetics & Biotechnology Honors (4242SC)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: Biology; Chemistry; Teacher Recommendation
Genetics and Biotechnology Honors is an inquiry-based, full year lab course. It is designed as an upper level honors science elective. This course stresses the physical and chemical properties of chromosomes, gene control of cell activity, and typical patterns of monohybrid and dihybrid inheritance. Modern applications of genetic knowledge are discussed as well as relationships between genetics and evolution. Laboratory techniques in Biotechnology will be applied to solve genetically-based problems. Additionally, social implications of discoveries in recombinant DNA, cloning, prenatal diagnosis, and genetic screening for diseases are all examined.
Physics CP (4314SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 11
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: Biology CP; Chemistry CP; Algebra II CP or Higher
This is the standard 11th grade science course. It covers the topics of mechanics, energy, optics, electricity and magnetism. Although Physics (Regular) is a math-based course, it will stress the conceptual understanding of topics with a hands-on approach to learning. Labs will include open-ended investigations that encourage students to build models, formulate hypothesis and discuss results.
Physics (4314GN)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grades 11-12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: Biology; Chemistry; Algebra II
This is designed as an 11th grade physics course that combines general principles of physics and their applications with an emphasis on technology. The course will take a thematic approach to physics highlighting such topics as energy sources and uses, transportation, electricity at work and information technology.
Physics Honors (4312SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 11
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisites: Biology; Chemistry H; Concurrent Enrollment in Pre-Calculus H or Higher; Teacher Recommendation
This is an honors level physics course for 11th graders that covers the same topics as Physics (Regular) but will stress a deeper mathematical approach to concepts and problem solving. Additional topics such as induction, alternating currents, semiconductors, laser and transistors will be introduced. Labs will include open-ended investigations on the above topics.
Physics I AP (4330SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - Advanced Placement; Grade 11
Credit Value: 6.0
Prerequisites: Biology CP; Chemistry H; Concurrent Enrollment in Math Analysis or Higher; Teacher Recommendation; Successful Completion of Placement Exam
This is an 11th grade AP physics course; entry to the course will be through a placement test and the student must be co-enrolled in Math Analysis or higher. The course is the equivalent to a first-semester college course in algebra-based physics. The course covers Newtonian mechanics (including rotational dynamics and angular momentum); work, energy, and power; mechanical waves and sound. It will also introduce electric circuits.
Physics II AP (4340SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - Advanced Placement; Grade 12
Credit Value: 6.0
Prerequisites: Physics I AP or Physics H; Teacher Recommendation
This is the second year of AP Physics for 12th grade students. This course is the equivalent to a second-semester college course in algebra-based physics. The course covers fluid mechanics; thermodynamics; electricity and magnetism; optics; atomic and nuclear physics. Entry into AP Physics II will require successful completion of AP Physics I or Honors Physics with teacher recommendation and completion of a summer assignment.
AP Physics C: E&M/Mechanics (4332SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - Advanced Placement; Grade 12
Credit Value: 6.0
Prerequisite: AP Physics I; Precalculus; Co-Enrolled in Calculus
This is a STEM course . It is taught as a second-year Calculus-based course for seniors who have completed AP Physics I and Pre-Calculus and are co-enrolled in Calculus. This course covers the content for both the AP Physics C: Mechanics and AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism exams, with each taking approximately one semester. The mechanics portion of the course will apply Calculus to topics in kinematics, dynamics, energy, momentum, circular and rotational motion. The electricity and magnetism portion of this course will introduce students to electrostatics, electric circuits, magnetic fields and electromagnetism. The course makes use of both technology and traditional methods to collect and analyze data. Instructional strategies consist of guided inquiry and student-centered learning to foster the development of critical thinking skills. Both introductory differential and integral Calculus will be used throughout the course. The course provides students with the opportunity to earn AP college credit for a Calculus based college physics course.
Physics, Engineering, & Art (4344SC)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: Biology; Chemistry; Physics CP; and Pre or Co-enrollment in Pre-Calculus H; Teacher Recommendation
Physics, Engineering, & Art Honors is a full year science course designed to explore the similarities and differences between the view of nature produced through the lens of physics and that communicated through the visual and performing arts. In the process, it will investigate and compare the scientific and the artistic descriptions of such phenomena as equilibrium, resonance, the electromagnetic spectrum, and relativity. It will rely on the essential understandings developed during the first year of physics and will expand upon them and develop new essential understandings in the areas of mechanics, wave motion, light, and modern physics. This is an Honors Level class (Regular level students may participate with teachers approval).
Ridgewood Academy for Health Professions (RAHP)
This is a three year program developed in partnership with The Valley Hospital and Bergen Community College. It is designed for students who are interested in integrating their honors level academic courses with experiences and content in the healthcare setting. Admission to the program is by application and selection by the RAHP committee. In tenth grade, students will explore the many departments within the operation of The Valley Hospital through field trips. In eleventh and twelfth grades, students will participate in internship and mentorship programs. Students can earn college credit for certain courses.
Chemistry RAHP (4392SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 10
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: Biology CP; Concurrent Enrollment in Algebra II E or Higher; Teacher Recommendation; Acceptance to the RAHP Program
The existing Chemistry Honors curriculum will be revised to include extensions of the chemistry concepts as relevant to the healthcare industry. This will integrate chemistry content with the experiences of the students as they participate in RAHP explorations.
Human Anatomy & Physiology RAHP (4310SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 11
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: Must Be Enrolled in the RAHP Program; Successful Completion of Chemistry Honors RAHP and English 10 Honors RAHP
This course is required of all junior RAHP students that will be completing a mentorship at Valley Hospital. The content deals mainly with the human body and its related functions. To understand the human body, it is necessary to understand how its parts are put together and how they work in conjunction with one another.
RAHP Seminar (4492SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 12
Credit Value: 3.0
Prerequisite: Chemistry RAHP; Physics RAHP
This is offered as an Honors level course to assist 12th grade students in preparing their Capstone projects at the end of their RAHP experience. Each of these projects will include a research component in a health related area, and will culminate in a paper that will be presented at a Capstone Symposium. The paper will be written in compliance with the Composition Guidelines of the RHS English Department. The course will be a full year course meeting once a week.
RAHP Internship (4301SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 11
Credit Value: 3.0
Prerequisite: Chemistry RAHP; Concurrent Enrollment in a Math Course Higher Than Algebra II; Acceptance to the RAHP Program
This course is intended for 11th grade students who are enrolled in Physics RAHP. The RAHP Physics Lab component facilitates the internship rotations of 12 visits of 2 hours each divided over the school year. Students involved in an internship will gain exposure to real world experiences in a healthcare facility. They will learn to complete internship assignments in a timely manner, to conduct themselves responsibly in a professional environment, to observe healthcare teams in action at Valley Hospital and to be part of a professional community. The internship builds a bridge between the academic classroom experiences and the healthcare workplace setting.
Career Pathways in Medicine Program (CPM)
The Ridgewood Career Pathways in Medicine Program is a two-year program for students who have an interest in pursuing a career within health or medical professions. The goal of the program is to integrate participating high school students’ academic college preparatory curriculum with real life learning opportunities for basic skills required to advance to further studies at the technologist level. This program will align with the college preparatory sequence of courses at RHS and offer students the opportunity to explore careers and programs in the health and medical sciences.
Ridgewood Career Pathways in Medicine Program I (CPM Program) (4354SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grades 10-11
Credit Value: 3.0
Prerequisite: Successful Admittance to the CPM Program
This course is scheduled during one unassigned lab period per cycle and explores three thematic units throughout the year. Students will learn basic medical terminology human anatomy and physiology as relevant to the required units of study. Theoretical study will be reinforced by lab activities and off-site visits to medical facilities. Students will receive three credits for this course. Thematic units are HIPAA/OSHA regulations and laws, infection control and microbiology, and basic lab screening/clinical tests.
Ridgewood Career Pathways in Medicine Program II (CPM Program) (4356SC)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 11
Credit Value: 3.0
Prerequisite: Successful Completion of CPM I
This course is scheduled during one unassigned lab period per cycle and explores four thematic units throughout the year. Students will learn basic medical terminology, human anatomy and physiology as relevant to required units of study. Theoretical study will be reinforced by lab activities and off-site visits to medical facilities.
Thematic units are respiratory therapy, digital imaging, surgical technical skills and emergency medicine/technical skills.