Science

Classes offered at various grade levels may require a prerequisite. Refer to the course catalog for detailed information. (*) Requires approval to take before recommended grade level. 

SC110 INTRODUCTION TO LIFE SCIENCES (Grade 9) 

Weight 1.0 Credit 1/year

This course is designed for students who are not necessarily interested in pursuing a four-year degree beyond high school.  Environmental studies include topics such as biochemistry, nutrition, ecology, evolution and biodiversity.  The material covered in this course focuses mainly on conceptual understanding.  There will also be an emphasis on practical application of the topics, key vocabulary, and reading strategies.  Students who take Introduction to Life Sciences. must take Comprehensive Biology or College Biology the following year.

SC120 COMPREHENSIVE BIOLOGY (Grade 10)

Weight 1.0 Credit 1/year

Prerequisite recommendation:  Successful completion of Introduction to Life Sciences

The material covered in this course will help students prepare for the Biology Keystone Exam and is similar to that in other first year biology courses.  Topics include the scientific method, biochemistry, cell structure and function, cell transport, mitosis/meiosis, photosynthesis, cell respiration, DNA/RNA and protein synthesis, genetics, evolution, ecology, viruses, and kingdoms of life.  Students completing this course will be prepared to pass the Biology Keystone Exam.  The state-mandated Keystone Biology Exam will be taken at the end of this course.

SC220 COLLEGE PREP BIOLOGY (Grade 9) 

Weight 1.1 Credit 1/year

This course is designed for those students who will seek further education upon graduation but not necessarily in a scientific field.  Topics include the Scientific Method, Biochemistry, Cell Structure and Function, Cell Transport, Mitosis/Meiosis, Photosynthesis, Cell Respiration, DNA/RNA and Protein Synthesis, Genetics, Evolution, Ecology, and Viruses.  The material covered in this course will help students prepare for the Biology Keystone Exam. The state-mandated Keystone Biology Exam will be taken at the end of this course. 

SC230 HONORS BIOLOGY (Grade 9)  

Weight 1.2 Credit 1/year

Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation

This course is designed for high ability students who will seek further education in a scientific field upon graduation. Topics include the Scientific Method, Biochemistry, Cell Structure and Function, Cell Transport, Mitosis/Meiosis, Photosynthesis, Cell Respiration, DNA/RNA and Protein Synthesis The state-mandated Keystone Biology Exam will be taken at the end of this course.  Students will be required to complete a Science Fair Project.  

SC240 EXPLORING THE KINGDOMS OF LIFE (Grades 10-12) 

Weight 1.0 Credit 1/year

Prerequisite recommendation: Successful completion of Biology or with teacher permission. 

This course is a general overview of the Kingdoms of life. Kingdoms will include fungi, plants, animals, protists, and bacteria. Within each Kingdom; the characteristics, evolutionary history, habitat, and anatomy and physiology will be explored. 

SC310 COMPREHENSIVE CHEMISTRY (Grades 10-12)

Weight 1.0 Credit 0.5/semester

Prerequisite recommendation: Successful completion of Comprehensive Biology.

This course is designed for students who plan to attend college for a non-science related field or intend to enter the workforce but have an interest in how chemistry is involved in their lives. The course provided the student with knowledge of the fundamental principles of chemistry with an emphasis on matter, measurement, states of matter, atomic structure, chemical bonding, chemical reactions and mole concepts. The student will be required to display mathematical skills that can be completed with a basic function calculator as well as critical thinking strategies in scenarios and laboratory activities.

SC320 COLLEGE PREP CHEMISTRY (Grades 10-12)  

Weight 1.1    Credit 1/year

Prerequisite recommendation: Students should have completed Honors or College Prep Biology with a “C” or better or Comprehensive Biology with a “B” or better.  Students should have also completed College Prep Algebra 1B with a “B” or better.

This course is designed for students planning to attend college.  It is also designed for students who plan to pursue a nursing or healthcare related career.  The course will require strong algebra skills.  Students will perform a variety of laboratory activities, learning proper experimental techniques related to the chemistry concepts discussed in class.

SC330 HONORS CHEMISTRY (Grades 10-11) 

Weight 1.2 Credit 1/year

Prerequisite recommendation:  Successful completion of Honors Biology with a minimum grade of a “C” or recommendation of a CP Biology teacher.  Students should have completed CP Algebra 1B with a grade of a “B” or better and be enrolled in CP/H Geometry

This course is designed for students who are interested in science and math who have selected the honors track in science.  The course is primarily aimed at 10th grade students who have completed Honors Biology, but is also open to motivated CP students who have a strong aptitude for science and math.  The course is designed for students who wish to take chemistry in college (science majors, medical fields, engineering majors) and for students who wish to be competitive when applying to upper-tier colleges and universities.  We recommend that students who wish to take AP Chemistry should also take Honors Chemistry first.  A science fair project is required for this course.

SC410 COLLEGE PREP PHYSICS (Grades 11-12)                                                
Weight 1.1 Credit 1/year

Prerequisite recommendation:  Taking concurrently, or have passed, Trigonometry.

This course is designed for college bound students.  College Prep Physics is an introductory Physics course dealing primarily with Mechanics. Topics covered in the course include: 1- and 2- Dimensional Motion, Newton’s Laws, Energy, Momentum, and Waves.  Although this course places more emphasis on the concepts of physics and less on the mathematical basis, students should still have a strong math background knowledge. A graphing calculator is recommended. A scientific calculator is expected. 

SC400 COURSE NUMBER COMPREHENSIVE PHYSICS (Grades 10-12)

Weight 1.0 Credit 0.5/Semester
Prerequisite recommendations: Successful completion of a Keystone Biology course (Comprehensive Biology or above).  Successful completion of Algebra 1B.

This course is designed for students who are not necessarily interested in pursuing a four-year degree beyond high school. The course will include units on Motion, Newton’s Laws, Momentum, Energy, Waves, and Optics. The material covered in this course focuses mainly on conceptual understanding of the physical world.

SC600 Remote Drone Pilot Certification

(Grades 11-12)   

Weight 1.3 Credit 0.5/semester

Course Description:  

This course will contain the content required to pass the FAA exam, which includes topic area modules related to Remote Pilot Certification knowledge and an overview of common Geospatial Technology applications of drones, such as mapping and multi-spectral sensing. Weather permitting, there will be several opportunities for hands-on practice flying drones. The student is expected to be prepared to pass the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification exam at the end of the course. In addition to certification knowledge and geospatial applications, the student will be introduced to aspects of starting a drone business and the pathways to careers in manned aircraft and airport operations. The cost of the Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification exam is $175 and is administered at FAA testing sites only.

Partnership with Harrisburg University: Students will have the (optional) opportunity to earn college credit for this course through Harrisburg University.

SC910 ADVANCED PLACEMENT CHEMISTRY (Grades 11-12)  

Weight 1.3 Credit 2.2/double period, full year

Prerequisite recommendation:  CP or Honors Chemistry with at least a “B” and completed CP or Honors Algebra 2 with a “B” or better or a Chemistry teacher recommendation.

AP Chemistry is designed to be equivalent to Chemistry I taken at a college or university.  A large amount of the course is dedicated to problem solving and laboratories.  The students spend the first three marking periods in the class and laboratory learning the course content.  The fourth marking period is designated to prepare for the AP Exam.  It is an expectation that students prepare for and take the AP Chemistry Exam.  

SC920 ADVANCED PLACEMENT BIOLOGY (Grades 10-12)  

Weight 1.3 Credit 2.2/double period, full year

Prerequisite recommendation:  College Prep or Honors Biology with at least a “B”.

AP Biology is a rigorous and demanding course, which is the equivalent of an introductory college biology course.  Content will be covered in more depth and greater expectations will be placed on interpretation and analysis of information than previous biology courses.  In addition, statistical analysis of data and modeling of concepts will be expected.  A significant amount of studying must be completed at home to allow time for discussion, labs, and inquiry during class time.  Topics covered include: evolution, cellular processes, genetics and information transfer, and interactions. The students spend the first three marking periods learning the course content and spend the fourth marking period studying for the AP Exam . 

SC930 ADVANCED PLACEMENT PHYSICS 1 (Grades 11-12)
Weight 1.3 Credit 2.2/double period, full year
Prerequisite recommendation:  Taking concurrently, or have taken, Trigonometry.  A grade of “B” or higher in Honors Algebra 2 or an “A” in College Prep Algebra 2.  A “B” or higher in AP or CP Chemistry.

This course is designed for students who plan to pursue a science-related major in college.  This Algebra-based course covers the same material as a first semester college physics course.  Topics in this course include kinematics in one and two dimensions, force and Newton’s Laws, energy, momentum, rotational motion, waves, sound and electricity.  This content is aligned to the College Board requirements for AP Physics 1 and students completing the course will be prepared for that AP Exam.  There is a strong emphasis on mathematical interpretations and graphical models.  A science fair type project is a requirement for this course. A graphing calculator is recommended. A scientific calculator is expected.  The students spend the first three marking periods learning the course content and spend the fourth marking period studying for the AP Exam . 

SC940 ADVANCED PLACEMENT PHYSICS 2 (Grades 11-12)  

Weight 1.3 Credit 2.2/double period, full year

Prerequisite recommendation:  AP Physics 1 with a “B” or higher, or CP Physics with recommendation of Physics Teacher. A grade of “B” or higher in Trig/Pre-Calculus.

This course is designed to continue the work from AP Physics 1 and covers material from a second semester college Physics course. The topics in this course include fluids, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, light, and modern physics. This content is aligned to the College Board requirements for AP Physics 2 and students completing the course will be prepared for that AP Exam.  As in AP Physics 1, there is a strong emphasis on mathematical interpretations and graphical models.  A graphing calculator is recommended. A scientific calculator is expected. 

SC950 ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (Grades 10-12)  

Weight 1.3 Credit 2.2/double period, full year

Prerequisite recommendation: “C” or better in the following: AP/H/College Prep Chemistry, Honors or CP Biology, and Honors or CP Algebra.

This course is designed for juniors or seniors who plan on attending a four-year college and major in environmental studies or a related field. The goal of the 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. Students enrolled in the course will have the opportunity to take the AP Environmental Science exam to obtain college credits. 

SC960 ADVANCED PLACEMENT PHYSICS C (Grade 12)   

Weight 1.3 Credit 1/year

Prerequisite recommendation:  A “B” or higher in AP Physics 1. Taking concurrently, or have taken, AP Physics 2 and Calculus.

This course is a follow up to AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2.  The course is designed for students with an interest in physics, engineering or a related field.  The content is broken in two sections:  Mechanics and Electricity & Magnetism.  Students will work to integrate calculus into their understanding of these topics.  Students completing the course will be prepared for the two separate AP exams on Mechanics and Electricity & Magnetism.  Students can elect this course as an independent study. 

SC510 ZOOLOGY (Grades 10-12)   

Weight 1.1 Credit 1/year

Prerequisite recommendation:  CP or Honors Biology with at least a “C” or better.

This course will examine the areas of structure, function, and diversity across the animal kingdom.  Students will survey the animal kingdom with an emphasis on taxonomy, diversity, anatomy, functional adaptations, and environmental relationships.  The lab component will require various dissections of both invertebrates and vertebrates to examine physical differences across the major phyla.  This course is designed for college bound students who plan to pursue a career in the life sciences and animal sciences. 

SC520 NUCLEAR SCIENCE (Grades 11-12)  

Weight 1.1 Credit 0.5/semester

Prerequisite recommendation:  Completion of CP/H/AP Chemistry with at least a “C” or recommended by Chemistry teacher.

This course represents a focused study into the area of nuclear chemistry and physics.  Students will study radioactivity, nuclear reactors, fission and fusion, and nuclear medicine.  This course is targeted towards students who may wish to pursue a career related to nuclear studies such as nursing, medical fields, nuclear technician, armed forces, etc.  

SC530 INTRODUCTION TO ORGANIC CHEMISTRY (Grades 10-12)  

Weight 1.1   Credit 0.5/semester

Prerequisite recommendation:  Completion of CP/H/AP Chemistry with at least a “B” or recommendation by a Chemistry teacher.

This half-year course prepares students for college level courses in basic and organic chemistry.  This course provides an in-depth look at carbon chemistry and the instrumentation used by organic chemists.  This course is recommended for students who want to major in Chemistry, Biology, Medicine or Nursing.  (Students who plan on a career as a doctor should take AP Chemistry.)

SC570 HONORS ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY (Grades 11-12)  

Weight 1.2 Credit 1/year

Prerequisite recommendation: “B” or better in the following College Prep, Honors or AP level courses: Chemistry and Biology.

This course is designed for students who are going to take a full year of human anatomy and physiology in college.  It is highly recommended for students considering physical therapy, nursing, athletic training, pre-medicine, pre-dental, pre-vet, and sports medicine.  The content includes human anatomy and physiology (structure and function). This course covers the following body systems: skin and integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, digestive, respiratory, and urinary. The muscular system utilizes the laboratory dissection of the common cat.  Anatomy will be identified on pictures and diagrams as well as 3-D models, the cat, human skeleton, pig heart, and torso.

SC560 INTRODUCTION TO ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY (GRADES 11-12)    

Weight 1.0 Credit 1/year

Prerequisite recommendation: “C” or better in the Comprehensive Biology and completion of Keystone Exam.

This course is designed for students considering allied health or medically related careers. The content includes a general overview of human anatomy and physiology (structure and function). This course covers the following body systems: skin and integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, digestive, respiratory, and urinary. 

SC580 ECOLOGY (Grades 10-12)  

Weight 1.05 Credit 1/year

Prerequisite recommendation:  Successful completion of Biology.

This course is a hands-on, diversified project-based approach to study and apply the interactions of living and non-living things in the environment.  The curriculum will focus on novel individual and group unit projects that will include identification and natural history studies of local plants and animals as they apply to ecological concepts such as ecosystems, biological diversity, and natural resources.  Students will investigate past and present environmental issues, and analyze humans’ influence on the environment.

SC590 BIOCHEMISTRY (Grades 11-12)  

Weight 1.1 Credits 0.5/semester

Prerequisite recommendation:  Completion of CP/H/AP Chemistry with at least a “B” or recommendation by Chemistry teacher.

This half-year course prepares students for college level courses in chemistry and biochemistry. This course also focuses on lab techniques used in biochemistry. This course is recommended for students who plan to major in either Chemistry, Biology, or medicine in college.  It can be taken in conjunction with AP Chemistry, but does not replace AP Chemistry.

SC610 FORENSICS (Grades 11-12)  

Weight 1.1 Credit 0.5/semester

Prerequisite recommendation:  Completion of Chemistry with at least a “C” or recommendation by Chemistry teacher.

This half-year course takes a scientific approach to crime scene investigation with emphasis on using the Scientific Method to solve real world problems.  Students will draw on knowledge of chemistry, biology and physical science to explore how evidence is collected and evaluated. Students will have an opportunity to look at case studies and learn a variety of laboratory techniques as they relate to Forensic Science.

SC620 GENETICS (Grades 11-12)  

Weight 1.1 Credit 0.5/semester

Prerequisite recommendation:  Completion of Honors or CP Biology with a “C” or better.

This half-year course combines molecular biology, heredity, and genetics.  The course is designed to build on to the basics of nucleic acids covered in biology classes and introduce students to nearly all of the fundamental concepts of the three topics in more detail.  The first half of the course will focus on Molecular Biology, followed by the basic principles of classical (Mendelian) genetics, while the second half of the course will deal with non-Mendelian genetics, heredity, as well as the modern advancements in the field and their applications in today’s world.

SC630 MATERIAL SCIENCE (Grades 10-12)  

Weight 1.1 Credit 0.5/semester

Prerequisite recommendation: Completion of Chemistry with a “C” or better.

This half-year course applies chemistry to the study of materials. The course will include a review of chemistry and then focus on metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, and nanotechnology. This course is hands-on and lab oriented.

SC190 EXPLORING ELECTRONICS (Grades 9-12)   

Weight 1.0 Credit 0.5/semester

The Exploring Electronics course serves as a hands-on approach to electronic basics, safety, energy concepts, basic components, circuits and measuring techniques.  The lab environment emphasizes workplace skills such as:  time management, practical problem solving, craftsmanship, and working with others.  Concepts covered include series and parallel circuits, schematic symbols and diagrams, circuit boards, transistors, resistors, Light emitting diodes (LEDs) and capacitors.  Students will build and troubleshoot a variety of circuits throughout this course.

SC290 ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY 2 (Grades 9-12)   

Weight 1.05 Credit 0.5/semester

Prerequisite recommendation:  Successful completion of Intro to Tech Ed:  Materials or Exploring Electronics

The Electronics Technology 2 course serves as a hands-on approach to electronics basics, semiconductor operation, photonic devices and integrated circuits.  This course includes lab exercises and theoretical backgrounds on concepts such as:  resistors, capacitors, diodes, inductors, voltage regulators, transistors, and various applied circuits.  Related technology and equipment, including meters and power supplies will be used to develop circuits and solve problems.  The lab environment emphasizes workplace skills such as: time management, practical problem solving, craftsmanship, and working with others.  A student project is required in which the student chooses from given circuit diagrams and builds a professional looking, functional electronic device.