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Q:
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What science class should
you take next? |
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A:
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Check the table below; read
the description of the course written by one of your science
teachers; and, ASK for ADVICE. |
Grade 9: Biology
is required for all freshman.
Grade 10-12
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recommended prior
courses
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Biology and
Algebra 1
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Biology and
Geometry
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Biology and
Algebra 1(Can be concurrent)
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Biology and
Algebra 2/Trig (Can be concurrent)
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Biology
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Grade 11-12
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recommended prior courses
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Biology and
Chemistry
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Biology and
Chemistry Honors
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Biology and
Chemistry or Physics
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Note: RECOMMENDED
also means concurrent enrollment for diligent students.
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Biology
Biology is the first science you will study at Fremont, it
is the introductory course for all freshmen but you will find
some sophomores, juniors and seniors will take the class as
well. It considered an academic class and you will need to
spend about 25-45 minutes a day outside of class studying
and doing homework. Most Biology classes expect you to keep
a Biology notebook that gets very full!
Biology now is very different from the Biology classes your
parents may have taken. In the “olden days” there
was a lot of focus on plants, animals, and dissection. You
may even have heard them talk about “bug” collections.
Well things have changed! Overall we will tend to focus on
how things work in all living things rather than what living
things are made of or look like. For example we will study
how the information contained in our genes is “read”
by the body and made into protein. We will study how living
things make ATP - the chemical that powers their bodies. We
spend a lot of time learning about the structure of DNA and
how it is passed on from parent to offspring. We will also
look at how living things have changed over time–from
the very simplest of life forms to the large numbers of different
animals and plants we see today.
Return to course
table
Biology AP
This is a college level biology course which will prepare
you to take the Advanced Placement Exam in Biology. AP Biology
is considered by many students to be one of the most challenging
classes we offer at Fremont. One of the reasons for that is
that it IS an AP class and therefore involves a lot of work
and independent study outside of class. Also AP Biology is
unique in that it is a blend of Science and English.
Your science skills and abilities need to be good, and it
really helps to be interested in the subject! But also you
need to have a good grasp of the English language as there
is a lot of reading, and writing. You will be expected to
write science essays in the class. In fact on the AP exam
itself 40% of your grade will be based on the essays you write
(4 in 90 minutes). You will also find that Biology has its
own unique ”language” – you will learn words
in Biology you never knew existed! In a perfect world you
will have passed, Biology Chemistry and Physiology with a
B or better as well as be competent in English before you
take AP Biology. However many students who are college bound
have been successful in the class without taking all these
classes.
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table
Chemistry
Chemistry can be defined as the study of matter. Matter is
anything that occupies space, from very small things like
electrons to very large things like stars. If you have asked
any of these questions, you have started to study chemistry:
What will happen to your if space suit gets a rip? Why
shouldn’t you burn an empty spray paint can? Why do flames
have different colors? How much gas can you put in a soda?
Why does a soda can “explode” when shaken? How does
soap clean your hands? Why do some reactions have “explosive
results”?
So our chemistry course is about the study of matter and changes
that occur to matter. In this course you will examine the
structure of matter so that you will understand and be able
to predict its behavior. “Why This course will provide
a basic framework for understanding environmental, biological
or consumer problems and making informed rational decisions.
Concepts will be covered in depth, but with less emphasis
on particular exceptions to rules and quantitative calculations
and measurements. A basic understanding of algebra and graphing
is needed to do well in this course.
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table
Chemistry
Honors
This course will cover the same concepts as the regular
Chemistry course. However, the concepts will be covered
with more depth and with much greater detail to quantities
of matter involved. This course requires that you be very
comfortable with basic algebra and graphing skills. The
material covered will be more than adequate to prepare you
for further studies at the college level in the science or
engineering disciplines.
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table
Chemistry
AP
This is a college level chemistry course which will
prepare you to take the Advanced Placement Exam in Chemistry.
Chemistry topics will be covered with in depth, with greater
detail given to quantitative measurements and calculations.
This course is extremely rigorous and fast paced. The quality
of student work and behavior is expected to be at the college
level. This course requires that you have taken either Chemistry
or Chemistry Honors and passed with a minimum of a C, but
grades of B or above (in a previous chemistry course) is highly
recommended. How does it compare to AP Biology? Many students
find it “more challenging” because it requires very
good math skills. While there are essays, most of the AP Chemistry
test is quantitative.
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table
Environmental
Science
Environmental science is defined as the study of the interaction
between the biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere,
and represents a framework for studying problems that fall
outside the realm of traditional scientific disciplines. Environmental
science is also concerned with the relationship of human activities
and the supporting environment. It provides the framework
for making rational environmental decisions and solving pollution
problems.
We will use an EARTH SYSTEM
approach to studying environmental science. Environmental
science and earth system science are very interesting because
so many different areas of study are used. This is a little
bit like being the "science officer" {a la Spock}
on a starship except in this case we are trying to understand
our planet and our effect on it. For detailed information
check the FAQ page created for the course.
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table
Physics
We're all born with an urge to understand the world around
us. This leads us to ask questions such as:
“How fast will I be going if I jump off of a bridge",
“How does a CD player work?", “What is special
about laser light?”, "How does the Sun keep on shining?",
"What is dark matter?", "What are the ultimate
constituents of matter?", "How did the Universe
begin?".
At its heart, physics is about finding things out - about
understanding what lies behind every-day phenomena like rainbows,
red sunsets and blue skies as well as the more revolutionary
concepts of quantum theory, relativity and cosmology.
Physics often uses mathematics
to describe the laws of nature. But, it doesn't have to use
math to express some of the laws of the physical world. Some
principles are better expressed in words, like the important
Law of Conservation of Energy, which states that energy cannot
be created or destroyed.
In Physics (regular), we use
some Algebra 1 math ideas. If you are “rusty”, you
will get some practice and useful tips to make you successful.
The course also includes a number of projects where you will
show your understanding of the laws of physics by building
or assembling a vehicle or device and operating it in a class
“competition”.
return to course
table
Physics
Honors
The “interesting” questions, topics and basics course
content for this course are nearly identical to regular physics.
In Physics Honors we recommend Algebra 2 but concurrent enrollment
is fine. We still use Algebra 1 math ideas (mostly) but you
are expected to be very comfortable with basic algebra. There
is more math and more challenging types of problems but the
basic course idea and projects are similar to regular physics.
In comparison to the regular physics course, we will cover
some topics in greater detail and add a few more.
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table
Physiology
Physiology is the study of the structures and functions of
the human body. As you learn about the various body systems
(nervous, skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, etc.) you will
also learn what each of us can do t o improve the overall
health of our bodies. Several systems will be studied in depth,
including how they help maintain a stable internal environment
and how each system interacts with other body systems. The
information you learn will be directly applicable to the choices
you make in your daily life.
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table
