Academy of SCIENCE, tECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (stem)

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Courses


The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Academy is offered at Great Mills High School. The STEM Academy offers unique courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to give students extraordinary knowledge and skills, as well as career exploration in numerous science and engineering pathways. The curriculum includes dedicated research classes founded upon the application of content, integrated technologies, and extensive problem-solving experiences. Advanced Placement courses are incorporated. Admission to the program is through an application process based on students’ past academic performance, dedication to advanced learning, and desire to pursue STEM-related careers.

Since there are much greater demands placed on students with the STEM Academy, it is appropriate to establish a grading system that is commensurate with the nature of the effort required. Therefore, STEM courses with an asterisk (*) will be weighted using a half-weight system (A=4.5, B=3.5, C=2.5, D=1, F=0). All required STEM courses must be taken at GMHS, to include required AP coursework.

Courses highlighted in blue indicate Academy requirements.

EXAMPLE OF STEM FOUR YEAR EDUCATIONAL PLAN

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ACADEMY REQUIREMENTS:

Students must complete the required shaded courses for STEM. See additional world language requirements below. Students will be required to complete a capstone project during their senior year. 

CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT AVERAGE REQUIREMENT:

Students must maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale for each semester to graduate with STEM Academy distinction.

ADVANCED COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

Students must complete at least 12 credits of their high school program in advanced courses at the Pre-AP, Advanced Placement, or Honors level.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS:

Students must complete at least four AP courses during junior and senior years: two in mathematics and two in science and/or technology.  To satisfy the AP Science requirement for STEM, students may take AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science A, or both.

GENERAL HIGH SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS:

Students must complete the state assessments, as applicable, fulfill the Student Service-Learning requirement, and meet the requirements for the University Completer sequence.

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING WORLD LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT:

Students must successfully complete through Level 2 of a world language in order to meet program requirements. Level 1 credit may be earned in middle school with a passing grade in a world language. However, the middle school grade does not factor into the high school grade point average (GPA), quality points, or class rank.  Students are encouraged to complete a third year of a world language, but are not required to do so.

Courses

STEM CHEMISTRY (HONORS) – 043433* 

This project-based course is designed to challenge highly able students who have been accepted into the STEM Academy. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts will be fully integrated in this course. This course is aligned to the new Maryland State Science Standards and has 3 primary areas of study: Matter and its Interactions, Motion and Stability (Forces and Interactions), and Energy. This course will also contain disciplinary core ideas for Earth/Space Science. Students will utilize various science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts to help them master the disciplinary core ideas in alignment with the Maryland State Science Standards. This course requires students to have a commitment to academic pursuits, while demonstrating self-motivation and independency. Students will learn skills and content that will help prepare them for future coursework in secondary science, especially AP level coursework. 

STEM ALGEBRA 2 (HONORS) – 032163* 

This course is for ninth grade students who are enrolled in the STEM academy and have completed Algebra 1 and Geometry. This is a rigorous course, which incorporates topics in a hands-on, real-world discovery approach. The STEM Algebra 2 course exposes students to the ideas and applications of mathematical modeling, completes acquisition of basic skills in algebraic manipulation, and introduces a shift in perspective which is characteristic of the study of higher mathematics. To this end, equations, functions, and their graphs are studied. Students work with equations and inequalities, radical and absolute expressions, linear relations and functions, systems of equations and inequalities, coordinate geometry, matrix algebra, sequences and series, quadratic functions, polynomial functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, rational expressions, and conic sections. Students in the STEM course undertake advanced study in functions. Applications are more complex, and the material is explored in greater depth. Thorough mastery and understanding of techniques and concepts, as well as greater facility in using symbolic language, is expected. The use of a TI-84 Plus graphing calculator will be an integral part of the course. 

STEM BIOLOGY (HONORS) – 043443*

This project-based course is designed to challenge highly able students who have been accepted into the STEM Academy. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts will be fully integrated in this course. This course is aligned to the new Maryland State Science Standards and has 4 primary areas of study: From Molecules to Organisms (Structures and Processes), Ecosystems: (Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics), Heredity (Inheritance and Variation of Traits), and Biological Evolution (Unity and Diversity). This course will also contain disciplinary core ideas for Earth/Space Science. Students will utilize various science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts to help them master the disciplinary core ideas in alignment with the Maryland State Science Standards. This course requires students to have a commitment to academic pursuits, while demonstrating self-motivation and independency. Students will learn skills and content that will help prepare them for future coursework in secondary science, especially AP level coursework. Students who object to dissection will be given alternative activities. 

STEM ENGINEERING (HONORS) – 177413* 

This project-based course is designed to challenge highly able students who have been accepted into the STEM Academy. When funded, the course provides students the opportunity to engage in authentic design challenges that require application of knowledge in mathematics and science and use of cutting edge technologies. These challenges allow students to compete against, meet, and learn from students from around the country and around the world. When not funded, these design challenges are simulated to create an experience as authentic as possible. Students are involved in four major areas of study: Principles of Design, Engineering Resources, Engineering Design Process, and Project Management. A capstone experience of the course is the opportunity to sit for a Solidworks CSWE Professional Certification Exam. This course satisfies the technology education credit required for graduation. 

STEM AP PHYSICS 1 – 043453 

This first year college level physics course is designed to challenge highly able students who have been accepted into the STEM Academy. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts are integrated into this course. Students learn about and apply the concepts of vectors, motion-linear and rotational, and forces to explain the physical world. The concepts of electricity and magnetism are studied and related to their role in nature and technology. Wave motion and its relationship to the understanding of various physical phenomena are studied. This laboratory-oriented course includes high-level expectations in scientific observation, investigation, experimental design, interpretation of data, problem solving, critical thinking, analysis of scientific literature, and use of technology. Students sit for the AP Physics 1 exam for the opportunity to earn college credit at the completion of the course. Students should be aware that not all colleges grant credit for qualifying grades on the Advanced Placement examination, although over 400 institutions do grant credit. 

STEM PRECALCULUS (HONORS) – 032183* 

This course is for tenth grade students who are enrolled in the STEM academy and have completed Algebra 2 and Geometry. Students will develop skills to identify and sketch graphs of trigonometric functions and transformations of these graphs. Students will demonstrate the ability to interpret, use, and apply mathematical concepts for a wide variety of functional relationships including trigonometric, circular, composite, inverse, exponential, and logarithmic. Algebra skills remain a key tool for analysis throughout the course, especially in the unit involving trigonometric identities. Students will also undertake the study of advanced topics in algebra and a comparative look at functions and their graphs. Materials covered will include trigonometry, law of sines and law of cosines, functions and their graphs, quadratic functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, and topics in analytical geometry. Students will explore enriched topics with more formal sophisticated applications, a formal study of limits, and an introduction to differential calculus. STEM Pre-Calculus explores beyond the material covered and focuses on a more in-depth discovery in trigonometry and advanced algebra topics. Students are expected to make deeper connections; applications are more complex and model real life experiences. Graphing techniques are emphasized and mastered through hands-on experiences, then applied and extended using a TI-84 Plus graphing calculator, Geometer’s Sketchpad, and Fathom software programs. 

STEM PRE-AP ENGLISH 9 – 011243*

This course is designed to support STEM students’ transition into high school-level research and will incorporate cross-curricular STEM activities featuring a STEM-oriented writing programming in order to establish a more solid foundation of research and synthesis. Content focus will be on grammar, writing, and analysis of literature, along with skill development in the areas of research, composition, and vocabulary. 

STEM PRE-AP ENGLISH 10 – 011253*

This course is designed to continue the additional focus on research and writing for STEM and college-level courses begun in STEM PreAP English 9 with connections to the media center and additional projects to demonstrate mastery of the steps to research. Course activities will also include cross-curricular connections with other STEM 10 coursework. This course provides advanced instruction in English grammar, writing, and literature with in-depth study of research, composition, and vocabulary development. This course will prepare students for the MCAP in English.

NOTE: This course will begin in fall 2022.

STEM INTERNSHIP (HONORS) – 046513 

The STEM Internship course is taken in the student’s senior year, following the completion of a 100-hour supervised summer Internship. Supervisors will include the STEM Internship  Teacher, the STEM AP, the STEM Supervisor, and a mentor. All projects must involve a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics application and make use of appropriate investigative techniques. Exemplary research skills will be expected with complete records and data collected in a formal Log Book. Students continue the summer Internship learning experience through the development of a reflection essay, scientific case study, and formal Capstone presentation for the public. Students also present their learning throughout the STEM Academy experience at the STEM Showcase during the spring.