Biology
Biology is the study of living things. This is a general biology curriculum that makes frequent use of human examples to engage students in the fundamental concepts of biology.
Topics for the First Semester:
Being a scientist, relevancy of the study of biology, what makes human unique, behavioral disorders of the brain, evolution, intelligent design, structure and characteristics of virus, characteristics of living things, the five kingdoms, biological hierarchical classification, internal environment of organisms, and the human body systems.
Topics for Second Semester:
Homeostasis, health and diseases, performance and fitness, cellular basis of activity, cycling of matter and flow of energy in communities, reproduction, patterns of inheritance, gene action, processes and patterns of development, the human life span, inter-dependence among organisms in the biosphere
Chemistry
Chemistry is the study of the composition, structure, and properties of matter and the changes it undergoes. Chemistry in the Community is a two-semester class used to expand the students’ knowledge of chemical concepts. Students will realize the important role of chemistry in their personal and professional lives. Students will use chemistry to make informed decisions and develop an awareness of the potential and limitations of science and technology. The students will be assessed through projects, presentations, labs, tests, and quizzes.
Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Design and perform experiments using a variety of laboratory techniques and technology to solve a scientific problem.
- Apply concepts of chemical bonding to solve a scientific problem.
- Apply concepts of chemical reactions to solve a scientific problem.
- Apply concepts of stoichiometry to solve a scientific problem.
- Apply concepts of acids and bases, and oxidation and reduction to solve a scientific problem.
- Apply concepts of thermodynamics to solve a scientific problem.
- Apply concepts of organic chemistry to solve a scientific problem.
- Apply concepts of nuclear chemistry to solve a scientific problem.
Physics
Physics is the most basic study of the natural world. In this course, we will cover everything from movement of atoms to the make up of stars. During the first semester, we will primarily study motion, energy, forces, and the atomic nature of matter. The second semester includes the topics heat, sound, light, electricity and magnetism. While we will devote plenty of time to physical equations, our primary interest will be developing conceptual understanding along with relevance to important world issues.
