Science
Course Title: Health
Course Number: 4302
Grade Level: 9
Elective/Required: Required
Length/Credits: Semester/5 credits
Prerequisites: None
Course Description: Health is a required course which addresses federal and state mandates and frameworks. Student will learn about personal health, communicable and non-communicable disease, nutrition, emotional and mental health, substance use and abuse, individual growth and development, reproductive health, consumer and community health, environmental health and personal and social safety.
Course Title: Biology (P)
Course Number: 4006-4007
Grade Level: 10-12
Elective/Required: Required
Length/Credits: Year/10 credits
Prerequisites: None
Meets UC/CSU A-G category: “D” Laboratory Science
Course Description: A study of biology is basic to all students regardless of their educational goals. This course is designed as an introductory course in living systems for the college preparatory student. The course is designed around the State of California’s academic standards for biology. Major areas of study include cell biology, genetics, ecology, evolution and structure and function of living things.
Course Title: PhysicalEarth Science (P)
Course Number: 4406-4407
Grade Level: 9-12
Elective/Required: Required
Length/Credits: Year/10 credits
Prerequisites: Integrated Math 1 (May be taken concurrently)
Meets UC/CSU A-G category: “D” Laboratory Science
Course Description: Earth Science plays a unique and essential role in today’s rapidly changing world. Knowledge of the Earth Sciences is important because most human activities involve interaction with the structures, cycles, and history of this planet. Earth Science is designed to be a first year course that introduces the history and structure of the Earth. Described by NASA as “Earth System Science,” this course will explore the Solid Earth (tectonics, geologic history), and the Fluid and Biologic Earth (water cycle and climate, radiation, ocean currents, biogeochemical cycles, and ecosystems/biomes). The observational aspects of science will be emphasized through laboratory investigations and activities.
Course Title: Chemistry (P)
Course Number: 4106-4017
Grade Level: 9-12
Elective/Required: Elective
Length/Credits: Year/10 credits
Prerequisites: Integrated Math 2 (or concurrently), Integrated 3 recommended, 9th grade by recommendation only
Meets UC/CSU A-G category: “D” Laboratory Science
Course Description: A study of chemistry is basic to all students regardless of their educational goals. This course is an introduction to the composition of matter and the changes it undergoes – the science of matter. The course is designed to follow the California State Content Standards for chemistry. Major areas of study are atomic and molecular structure, chemical bonds, conservation of matter, stoichiometry, gases and their properties, acids and bases, solutions, chemical thermodynamics, reaction rates, chemical equilibrium, organic and biochemistry, and nuclear processes. Homework and laboratory work are an integral part of the program.
Course Title: AP Physics 1 (P)
Course Number: 4210-4211
Grade Level: 11-12
Elective/Required: Elective
Length/Credits: Year/10 credits
Prerequisites: Pre-Calculus (or concurrent)
Meets UC/CSU A-G category: “D” Laboratory Science
Course Description: This course is designed to prepare the student for the AP Physics 1 exam. This course covers the equivalent of one full year of college level, non-calculus based physics. This is a rigorous algebra/trigonometry based physics course for the self-motivated student who has strong math and English skills. The course will provide a systematic introduction to the main principles of physics and emphasizes the development of problem-solving ability.
Course Title: AP Biology (P)
Course Number: 4034-4035
Grade Level: 10-12
Elective/Required: Elective
Length/Credits: Year/10 credits
Prerequisites: "B" grade or better in Biology and Chemistry or teacher recommendation
Meets UC/CSU A-G category: “D” Laboratory Science
Course Description: AP Biology is a course designed to be the equivalent of a college introductory biology course usually taken by biology majors during their first year. After showing themselves to be qualified on the AP Examination, some students, as college freshmen, are permitted to undertake upper-level courses in biology or to register for courses for which biology is a prerequisite. Other students may have fulfilled a basic requirement for a laboratory science course and will be able to undertake other courses to pursue their majors. AP Biology includes all the topics regularly covered in a college introductory biology course for majors. The types of labs done by AP students are equivalent to those done by college students.
Course Title: AP Environmental Science (P)
Course Number: 4531-4532
Grade Level: 10-12
Elective/Required: Elective
Length/Credits: Year/10 credits
Prerequisites: Biology and Chemistry
Meets UC/CSU A-G category: “D” Laboratory Science
Course Description: AP Environmental Science (APES) is a laboratory science course that enables students to study more advanced topics in Environmental Science. The course provides students scientific principles, concepts and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems (both natural and man-made), to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and preventing them. APES is interdisciplinary because it embraces a wide variety of topics from different areas of study. It emphasizes physical rather than biological concepts. The Internet will be used extensively for research and communication in the course.
Course Title: AP Chemistry (P)
Course Number: 4118-4119
Grade Level: 11-12
Elective/Required: Elective
Length/Credits: Year/10 credits
Prerequisites: “B” or better in Chemistry and Integrated Math 3
Meets UC/CSU A-G category: “D” Laboratory Science
Course Description: This is an advanced placement course designed to prepare the student for the AP Chemistry exam. The course covers the equivalent of one full year of college level General Chemistry, comparable to a first year course at a college or university. The course is a rigorous math-based course, with a strong laboratory component. It is intended for students who have demonstrated a willingness to commit considerable time to studying and completing assignments outside of class, and who have successfully completed a prior course in chemistry during high school. The course will develop the student's ability to incorporate mathematical skills in the solution of chemistry problems, both through the use of textbook problems and laboratory activities. Emphasis will be placed on developing the student's ability to solve problems through dimensional analysis and estimation. Students will be required to do extensive writing, and to keep a thorough and accurate ongoing laboratory notebook.