Science Department

The science department is focused on preparing students for college science courses through exposing them to varied content, challenging lab activities, and current scientific research. Each grade level focuses on specific topics in science. Students must earn four high school credits in science to graduate.

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Sixth Grade

This course explores interdependence, the universe, earth's atmosphere, energy, and forces in nature. All sixth graders travel to the Challenger Center for a hands-on space exploration activity. $5.00 lab supply fee

Seventh Grade

In addition to new standards in inquiry, math, and engineering/technology, this course focuses on cells, flow of matter and energy, heredity, earth science, and motion. Seventh graders take a year-end trip to the McWayne Science Center in Birmingham. $5.00 lab supply fee

Physical Science

This course focuses on electromagnetism and gravity, biodiversity and change, and matter - in addition to new standards inquiry, math, and engineering/technology. $5.00 class materials fee

Physical World Concepts

(9th grade)

In addition to new standards in inquiry, math, and engineering/technology, students mechanics energy, thermodynamics, waves and optics, electricity and magnetism, and nuclear science. $5.00 consumable chemicals/replacement kits fee

Chemistry

(10th grade)

In addition to new standards in inquiry, math, and engineering/technology, students study the atom, periodic table, naming of chemical compounds, chemical reactions and problem solving, ideal gases, acids, and bases. This course is particularly heavy in lab work in preparation for college lab sciences. $10.00 consumable chemicals fee.

Biology

(11th grade)

Students learn about basic life processes, including respiration, photosynthesis, cell division, genetics, DNA technology, as well as how organisms interact, focusing on ecology and evolution. In addition, new standards in inquiry, math, and engineering/technology have been added to this course. This class ends with a week of dissections where students study the physical structures of starfish, crayfish, perch, clam, earthworm, and frog.

AP Environmental

(11th & 12th grade)

This course is ideal for students who plan to pursue public relations, law, political science, humanities, and other liberal arts subjects. The focus is on man's interactions with the environment, and topics explore include ecology, land use, population growth, energy resources, pollution, and climate change. $10.. test kits/consumable chemicals.

Geology

(11th & 12th grade)

This course explores plate tectonics, volcanism, rocks, history of the earth, the fossil record, and the geologic time scale. Students who are interested in careers in agriculture, history, and science ore students who simply want to learn more about the planet are encouraged to take this class. $10.00 rock/fossil kits fee.