Science Department

Integrated Earth & Physical Science
STEM
Course Code: 431
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 9
Weight: General
Schools: C, K, W, WAMS, WCA
Students will explore the chemical and physical properties of matter through the perspective of earth and space science. They will examine the Big Bang theory to understand the origin of all matter, learning how the atoms in our bodies and surroundings were formed billions of years ago in exploding stars. The course also covers the formation of the Earth and the moon, along with the movement of continents driven by tectonic plates. Additionally, students will investigate one of the most critical scientific issues of our time—climate change—distinguishing natural influences from the effects of fossil fuel combustion. 

Integrated Earth & Physical Science Honors
STEM
Course Code: 430
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 9
Weight: Honors
Schools: C, K, W, WAMS, WCA
This NGSS-aligned course, designed for high-achieving students, investigates chemical and physical phenomena through the lens of earth and space science. In the first unit, students explore plate tectonics, Earth’s internal and surface processes, evidence of climate change, energy exchanges within Earth’s systems, and human impacts on the planet. The second unit dives into renewable energy technologies, examining how they operate and their environmental effects. Unit three uses the context of farming and food production to explore core earth science topics like feedback loops and the carbon cycle, along with the interplay between environmental factors and human activities. In unit four, students analyze the laws of physics by studying how superheroes seemingly defy them. The final unit focuses on the science behind medical technologies, including X-rays, MRIs, ultrasounds, and radioactive isotope tracing. 

Biology
STEM
Course Code: 401
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 10
Weight: General
Schools: C, K, W, WAMS, WCA, SS
Biology explores the foundations of life, covering topics such as genetics, cellular function, and biochemistry. Students develop essential scientific skills like making predictions, collecting and analyzing data, and forming evidence-based conclusions. This NGSS-aligned course emphasizes student-centered problem-solving, engineering solutions to real-world challenges, and explaining natural phenomena. Students will investigate how ecosystems recover after a forest fire and strategies for surviving environmental crises. Genetics will be examined through questions like “What makes me, me?” where students explore genetic and environmental influences, including why twins can look so different. Designed for college-bound students, this course includes labs focused on scientific inquiry and investigative processes.

Biology Honors
STEM
Course Code:  400
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 10
Weight: Honors
Schools: C, K, W, WAMS, WCA
This NGSS-aligned lab-based course is designed for high-achieving students and focuses on the cellular basis of life, heredity, and evolution. It emphasizes in-depth exploration of natural phenomena and applying scientific knowledge to address real-world challenges. Examples include studying how adaptations help antelope evade cheetahs, the fastest animals on earth. Genetics will be examined through questions like “What makes me, me?” as students investigate the genetic and environmental factors that shape individuality, including why twins can look so different. The course centers on laboratory investigations, integrates technology, and develops advanced thinking skills. 

Accelerated Biology (S)
STEM
Course Code: 400K
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 9
Weight: ACE/ATOMS/SOAR
Schools: C, K, W, WAMS, WCA
This accelerated, NGSS-aligned lab course is designed for high-achieving students, focusing on the cellular basis of life, heredity, and evolution. The curriculum provides an in-depth exploration of natural phenomena and applies scientific knowledge to real-world challenges. Topics such as the extinction of the woolly mammoth and the decline of coral reefs are studied through both biological and Earth and space science perspectives. In the unit "What Makes Me, Me," students investigate the genetic differences between twins as well as environmental factors that contribute to individual uniqueness. Emphasizing laboratory investigations, the use of technology, and the development of advanced thinking skills, classes operate at a more rigorous pace and require greater independent work. 

Principals of Biology: UCONN ECE
STEM
Course Code: 400U
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 11-12
Weight: AP/Post Secondary
Schools: WCA, K
Prerequisite: Biology & Chemistry. This course is aligned with the UCONN Storrs Biology department. Students will embark on a journey through what it means to be living, from a molecular level to the form and function of animal bodies.  In this course, students can expect lectures, reading & note-taking, independent and group projects, presentations to peers, and intensive lab work.  This fast-paced and rigorous course will give students the opportunity to earn 4 college credits by passing full-length college tests and labs sent directly from the UConn Storrs Biology Department. This course can be offered by semester or full year.

Principals of Biology II: UCONN ECE
STEM
Course Code: 400BU
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 11-12
Weight: AP/Post Secondary
Schools: C, K
Prerequisite: Biology & Chemistry. This course is aligned with the UCONN Storrs Biology department. Designed to provide a foundation for more advanced courses in Biology and related sciences. Topics covered include evolution and population genetics, plant physiology and diversity, animal diversity and behavior, and ecology. This fast-paced and rigorous course will give students the opportunity to earn 4 college credits by passing full-length college tests and labs sent directly from the UConn Storrs Biology Department. This course can be offered by semester or full year.

Biology: Advanced Placement
STEM
Course Code: 400A
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 11-12
Weight: AP/Post Secondary
Schools: W, WAMS
Prerequisite: Biology & Chemistry. This laboratory course provides a thorough and advanced study of biological principles and concepts at the college freshman level. Students must be highly motivated and competent in scientific experimentation and research. Availability of this and other AP courses in a given year depends on student enrollment.  Students are required to take the AP exam.

Chemistry
STEM
Course Code: 421
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 11-12
Weight: General
Schools: C, K, W, WAMS, WCA
Prerequisite: Algebra I. Chemistry is an NGSS-aligned, laboratory course that explores the structure of elements, compounds, and mixtures, and the chemical reactions they undergo. Emphasis is placed on chemical theories that are substantiated by experimentation in the laboratory. Students use their chemistry knowledge to solve problems in the real world, and develop explanations for chemistry phenomena.  Hands-on lab activities and demonstrations are used to show applications of chemistry to everyday life.  

Chemistry Honors
STEM
Course Code: 420
Credits: 1.0
Grade:  11-12
Weight: Honors
Schools: C, K, W, WAMS, WCA
Prerequisite: Algebra I.
Designed for the high-achieving student, this NGSS-aligned, laboratory course explores a wide range of chemistry topics, including atomic structure, periodicity, chemical reactions, gas laws, and stoichiometry. Emphasis is on problem-solving and laboratory inquiry. Students apply chemistry knowledge to develop models, explain real-world phenomena, and create engineering solutions to real-world problems.

Chemistry ATOMS/SOAR
STEM
Course Code: 420K
Credits: 1.0
Grade:  11-12
Weight: ACE/ATOMS/SOAR
Schools: C, K, W
Prerequisite: Algebra I. Designed for the high-achieving student, this NGSS-aligned, laboratory course explores a wide range of chemistry topics, including atomic structure, periodicity, chemical reactions, gas laws, and stoichiometry. Emphasis is on problem-solving and laboratory inquiry. Students apply chemistry knowledge to develop models, explain phenomena, and create engineering solutions to real-world problems.  Classes work at a more rigorous pace and entail more independent work. 

Chemistry: Advanced Placement
STEM
Course Code: 420A
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 11-12
Weight: AP/Post Secondary
Schools: W
Prerequisite: Chemistry. AP Chemistry is for high-achieving students interested in exploring chemistry concepts in greater depth and complexity. These concepts include the structure and states of matter, intermolecular forces, and reactions. Students will work in groups to think analytically about problems, identify experimental questions, and design experiments to answer those questions. This course includes embedded AP-laboratory activities. Availability of this and other AP courses in a given year depends on student enrollment.

Chemistry I: UCONN
STEM
Course Code: 420U
Credits: 1.0 (1/2 year course)
Grade: 11-12
Weight: AP/Post Secondary
Schools: WCA
Prerequisite: Chemistry. Students must have taken or be taking Pre-Calculus.  Designed to provide a foundation for more advanced courses in chemistry. Atomic theory, laws and theories concerning the physical and chemical behavior of gases, liquids, solids, and solutions. Properties of some of the more familiar elements and their compounds. Quantitative measurements illustrating the laws of chemical combination in the first semester lab. This fast-paced and rigorous course will give students the opportunity to earn 4 college credits by passing full-length college tests and labs sent directly from the UConn Storrs Chemistry Department.  Though this course is only a half year, students earn 4 UCONN credits and therefore will earn a full high school credit for successful completion of the course.

Chemistry II: UCONN
STEM
Course Code: 421U
Credits: 1.0  (1/2 year course)
Grade: 11-12
Weight: AP/Post Secondary
Schools: WCA
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Chemistry I UCONN with a grade “C” or better.  Designed to provide a foundation for more advanced courses in chemistry. Atomic theory, laws and theories concerning the physical and chemical behavior of gases, liquids, solids, and solutions. Properties of some of the more familiar elements and their compounds. Equilibrium in solutions and qualitative reactions of the common cations and anions in the second semester lab. This fast-paced and rigorous course will give students the opportunity to earn an additional 4 college credits by passing full-length college tests and labs sent directly from the UConn Storrs Chemistry Department.   Though this course is only a half year, students earn 4 UCONN credits and therefore will earn a full high school credit for successful completion of the course.

Environmental Science
STEM
Course Code: 445
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 11-12
Weight: General
Schools: C, K, W, WCA, WAMS
Prerequisite: Integrated Earth and Physical Science and Biology
This NGSS-aligned course, offered as an alternative to Chemistry for grade 11, begins with an exploration of solar flares and their effects on Earth. Students will investigate both renewable and non-renewable energy sources, analyzing their environmental impacts. A key focus will be on reducing carbon footprints, including addressing the global plastic pollution crisis. The course also delves into Earth’s soil, examining its role in matter cycling. In the final unit, students explore ocean acidification, studying its effects on marine life and broader ecological impacts. Human impact on the planet is examined throughout, with underlying chemistry themes integrated across all topics. 

Environmental Science: UCONN
STEM
Course Code: 445U
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 11-12
Weight: AP/Post Secondary
Schools: C, K, WAMS
Prerequisite: Successful completion of two years of high school science.  An introduction to basic concepts and areas of environmental concern and how these problems can be effectively addressed. Topics include human population; ecological principles; conservation of biological resources; biodiversity; croplands, rangelands, forestlands; soil and water conservation; pollution and water management; and wildlife and fisheries conservation. Students will have the opportunity to earn 3 college credits by passing full length college tests sent directly from the UConn Storrs Science Department. 

Physics
STEM
Course Code: 451
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 11-12
Weight: General
Schools: C, K, W, WAMS, WCA
Prerequisite: Algebra 1 must be completed. Physics is an NGSS-aligned, laboratory course that presents a quantitative treatment of energy, mechanics, light, sound, electricity, and magnetism. In each area, quantitative problem-solving, explanation of phenomena, and engineering solutions to real-world problems are emphasized. While a prerequisite for college and most technical careers, it is also geared to meet the needs of the general students. The embedded labs focus on scientific investigation and processes. 

General Physics I: UCONN
STEM
Course Code: 450U
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 11-12
Weight: AP / Post Secondary
Schools: C, K, W, WAMS, WCA
Prerequisites: Chemistry and Algebra II. This course is aligned with the UCONN Storrs Physics Department. Students will experience rigorous quantitative physics including mechanics, thermodynamics, sound waves, light waves, electricity, sound, and magnetism. In each area, students can expect lectures, reading and note-taking, independent and group projects, presentations to peers, and intensive lab work.  Students will have the opportunity to earn 4 college credits by passing full-length college tests and labs sent directly from the UConn Storrs Science Department.  This course is offered for the full year. Students earn 4 UCONN credits for successful completion of the course.

Human Biology
Human Biology with CPR / First Aid
STEM
Course Code: 411 / 411K / 411B
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 12
Weight: General
Schools: C, K, WAMS, WCA
Prerequisite: Biology This NGSS-aligned, student-centered Human Biology course engages students in solving medical mysteries through hands-on exploration of various body systems and their functions. Students will investigate the structure and function of the Skeletal, Muscular, Nervous, Endocrine, Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Digestive, Urinary, Integumentary, Immune, and Reproductive Systems. Designed to prepare students for careers in the medical field. Section 411B includes a unit on CPR/First Aid certification, allowing students to earn certification in both.

Marine Biology
STEM
Course Code: 480
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 11-12
Weight: General
Schools: K
Prerequisite: Biology  This course introduces students to marine invertebrate organisms, focusing on their evolutionary relationships and ecological roles. Students will explore aspects of physiology, cell biology, embryology, and behavior, gaining an appreciation for the remarkable diversity in form and function among these fascinating creatures. 

The Sea Around Us: UCONN
STEM
Course Code: 480U
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 11-12
Weight: AP/Post Secondary
Schools: K
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Integrated Earth and Physical Science and Biology. This UCONN ECE course examines the relationship between humans and the marine environment, emphasizing the exploitation of marine resources, coastal zone development, and the impact of technology on marine ecosystems. Students who successfully complete the course will earn three UCONN credits. (May be taken concurrently with Biology.) 

Forensics
STEM
Course Code: 446
Credits: 1.0
Grade: 11-12
Weight: General
Schools: C, K, W, WCA,
Prerequisite: Biology This NGSS-aligned course will focus on several forensic cases that need to be solved. Students will be tasked with a hands-on, problem-solving approach to crime scene investigation. While students explore physical and chemical evidence found at crime scenes, they will study techniques such as fingerprint and handwriting examination and DNA analysis that will bring them closer and closer to solving the case.