Science

At St. Thomas More, we believe that science is much more than a collection of facts. Our courses are designed to teach science as a process that is used to understand the world around us. Scientific reasoning, problem solving, laboratory activities, and experimentation are essential components of every course. The role of science and technology in society is emphasized throughout the program. In each course, the content is related to the everyday experiences of the student.

Students are encouraged to develop the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions about science-related issues. Science career opportunities are also presented in each course. Our science program allows students to investigate a wide variety of subjects. The sequence of courses is designed to correspond to the developing skills of the student. Courses are available for students of all ability levels. The program has been designed to meet the needs of all St. Thomas More students.

Students will:

Practice scientific reasoning, problem solving, laboratory activities, and experimentation
Develop the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions about science-related issues
Discover more information about science career opportunities

Biology

Grade 9 – 1.0 credit

This laboratory-based class begins with a study of experimental design and safe laboratory practices. Emphasis is placed on developing an appreciation for the diversity of life and an appreciation of science as open-ended inquiry. Content includes the study of the structure and function of microscopic organisms, cells, animals and plants; the genetic continuity of life, including reproduction and evolution; and an introduction to biochemistry and energy transformation through all biological systems. This course fulfills the biology requirement for graduation.
Honors Biology / Honors Biology BMS

Grade 9 – 1.0 credit
Prerequisite: department approval
Note: Freshmen taking Principles of Biomedical Sciences (PBS) will be placed as a cohort in Honors Biology BMS.
Note: This is not a weighted course.

Honors Biology uses a questioning approach to the study of biology at an accelerated pace. Using the method of experimental design, and incorporating safe laboratory practice, students discover biological processes in the same manner as scientists. This is a challenging course designed to prepare students for further work in science. The topics covered include biochemistry, cellular biology, energy transformation, genetics, botany, evolution, taxonomy, and pathogenic diseases. This course fulfills the biology requirement for graduation.
Integrated Lab Sciences

Grade 10 – 1.0 credit

This course is designed to further develop and encourage scientific habits of mind important for subsequent chemistry and physics course work. It integrates substantial amounts of experimental, mathematical, and technology-based science activities in the course design. Multiple opportunities for participation are presented in all phases of the scientific process and include relevant topics and activities, real-world problems, and applications found in the context of the school and community. Successful completion of the course will prepare students with the skills necessary to continue in upper-level science courses.
Chemistry

Grades 10 and 11 – 1.0 credit
Prerequisite: department approval (If enrolled in Biomed program, student will also need recommendation from Biomed instructor.)
Note: Concurrent registration in a junior level math course is strongly encouraged.

Chemistry covers all of the main concepts of a first-year high school chemistry course. Units include measurement, matter, atomic structure, the periodic table, chemical nomenclature, chemical reactions, gas laws, and acid-base reactions. The pace of instruction is dictated by student understanding. Laboratory experiments and student activities in problem solving and inquiry are emphasized.
Honors Chemistry

Grades 10– 1.0 credit
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Honors Biology and department approval. (If enrolled in Biomed program, student will also need recommendation from Biomed instructor.)
Note: It is strongly recommended that students do not have a history of missing work in Biology or ILS.
Note: This is not a weighted course.

This course prepares students for college work in pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, pharmacy, engineering, and other science and medical-related fields at an accelerated pace. Units of study include, but are not limited to, chemical reactions and their associated calculations, atomic theory, the periodic table, chemical bond- ing, gases, solutions, thermodynamics, acid-base reactions, and extensive mathematical problem solving. Laboratory activities provide practical connections related to the theoretical content covered.
Physics

Grades 11 or 12 – 1.0 credit (Elective)
Prerequisites: department approval (If enrolled in Biomed program, student will also need recommendation from Biomed instructor.)

Using the laboratory and directed readings, the physics student will explore the fundamental principles and theories describing motion, forces, work, energy, power, waves, and sound. Other topics may include momentum, light, electricity, and magnetism. Students will gain familiarity with career opportunities in scientific and technological fields and acquire a more accurate insight into the role of science in history and in the coming generations. The physics course requires the use of algebra and trigonometry. This course is taught at a less intense pace than AP Physics.
Environmental Sciences

Grade 12 - 1.0 credit (Elective)
Prerequisite: department approval. If enrolled in Biomed program student will also need recommendation from Biomed instructor.

This course is designed to further develop and encourage scientific habits of mind for students wishing to take a fourth year of science. Emphasis is placed on cause and effect, systems and models, and stability and change. In this course, students look at the interactions between earth's natural systems and the demands placed on them by the human population. This course examines the scientific principles behind natural phenomena and resource cycles, explores how we utilize these systems and our impact, and potential solutions for the resulting consequences of resource mismanagement and exploitation. The course includes elements of life science, physical science, and social science and focuses on breadth and interrelatedness of relevant current events.
Advanced Placement (AP) Biology

Grades 11 or 12 – 1.0 credit (Elective)
Prerequisites: AP Teacher approval.
Note: Students should have successfully completed high school courses in Biology and Chemistry.
Note: This is a weighted course.

Advanced Placement Biology is part of a nationwide program that allows students to take a college level biology course while still in high school. As a college level course, the amount of material covered as well as the complexity of the topics will mirror that of a college level biology course. AP Biology is structure around four Big Ideas described in the curriculum framework, which encompass the core scientific principles, theories, and processes governing living organisms and biological systems. The four Big Ideas are:

1. The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.

2. Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce, and to maintain dynamic homeostasis.

3. Living systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to information essential to life processes.

4. Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties.

The two main goals of AP Biology are to help students develop a conceptual framework for modern biology and to help students gain an appreciation of science as a process. This is accomplished through structured and guided inquiry labs, unit activities, lecture, and discussion.
Advanced Placement (AP) Physics 1: Algebra-Based

Grades 11 or 12 – 1.0 credit (Elective)
Prerequisites: AP Teacher approval
Note: This is a weighted course.

Students cultivate their understanding of Physics through inquiry-based investigations as they explore topics such as Newtonian mechanics (including rotational motion); work, energy, and power; mechanical waves and sound; and introductory, simple circuits. The course is based on six Big Ideas, which encompass core scientific principles, theories, and processes that cut across traditional boundaries and provide a broad way of thinking about the physical world.