CP vs. Honors Chemistry

1. How is Honors Chemistry different than CP Chemistry? Honors Chemistry includes more depth and exposure to advanced topics, as well as more quantitative analysis and computational reasoning than CP Chemistry. See Learning Objectives below to compare depth of knowledge for CP and Honors courses.

2. What science classes do I NEED to take?

• • Minimum CA High School Requirements: 10 "life science" credits + 10 "physical science" credits

  • Science Department recommendation for ALL students: CP Biology, CP Chemistry and CP Physics (incoming freshman class of 2024 will need to meet 30 credit requirement of of CP Bio, CP Chem and CP Physics)

  • UC A-G Requirements: Two years of lab science required (three years recommended)

3. I LOVE science. How can I get ahead? There is no need to get ahead; you will have plenty of opportunities to double up and take more advanced classes by your junior and senior years. Accelerating your schedule to simply get ahead is NOT necessary. Certain classes are offered during fall or spring semesters ONLY so going out of order or trying to get ahead will put you at a disadvantage compared to your peers who have gone in sequence. The science and counseling departments recommend a student's four-year plan follow the basic timeline shown below:

• • 9th Grade: CP Biology

  • 10th Grade: CP Chemistry OR Honors Chemistry (optional second semester of AP Chemistry)

  • 11th Grade: CP Physics OR AP Physics 1 & 2 (science electives optional)

  • 12th Grade: Science electives (optional)

4. What science electives are available? CCA has roughly 2600 students. The 4x4 schedule allows greater flexibility for students to meet the minimum graduation requirement AND still try various electives across the disciplines within four years. Rather than accelerating within a subject area and running out of classes to take, students are encouraged to enroll in elective courses to broaden their experiences and become more well-rounded individuals. CCA offers a wide variety of electives across the disciplines, however for students especially interested in STEM we offer courses in research methods (QUEST), computer science and engineering.

• • Grade 9 Electives: Electives offered in computer science department only.

  • Grade 10 Electives: Biotech 1 & 2 (CP Biology pre-req and concurrent enrollment in CP Chem), AP Chemistry (Honors Chemistry pre-req/spring only) or Anatomy/Physiology

  • Grade 11-12 "Electives": AP Biology (fall only), Anatomy/Physiology, AP Environmental Science (spring only), Organic Chemistry (AP Chemistry pre-req/spring only), AP Physics C (AP Physics 1 & 2 pre-req/fall only)

5. Which class should I take if I want to take AP Chemistry? Students interested in taking AP Chemistry spring semester should be enrolled in Honor Chemistry during the fall semester of the SAME academic year. Honors Chemistry is NOT the same thing as "Pre-AP" Chemistry; students will still experience a significant "jump" from Honors to AP Chemistry which will challenge them to apply their prior knowledge, deepen their understanding of chemistry and apply that knowledge to complex problems and experiments. The pacing of Honors Chemistry is also accelerated to cover the additional content necessarily for AP Chemistry that is not part of the CP Chemistry curriculum. See AP Chemistry FAQ for more information.

6. What information from Honors Chemistry should I know going into AP Chemistry? AP Chemistry is a "second year" high school course that is roughly equivalent to an introductory college chemistry course. Students are expected to have a foundational understanding of Honors Chemistry topics in order to investigate more advanced concepts (see Prior Knowledge and CP vs. Honors Chemistry FAQ).

7. Where can I find example problems to get a taste of AP Chemistry? See AP Chemistry Prep Questions (KEY) for practice AP questions by topic.

CP vs. Honors Chemistry Learning Objectives

Unit 1: Matter and Measurements

Units 2: Atoms in the Universe

Unit 3: Energy and Matter

Unit 4: Chemical Structure, Properties and Function

Unit 5: Chemical Reactions and Stoichiometry

Unit 6: Thermochemistry and the Geosphere

Unit 7: Gases and the Atmosphere

Unit 8: Acids, Bases and the Hydrosphere